Signals and indicators – Indicators – By location
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-09
2001-11-27
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Signals and indicators
Indicators
By location
C116SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321679
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to marker posts for marking the location of buried conduit and, more specifically, to marker posts for buried telecommunications cables.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of pipeline or utility marking systems are in use at the present time. The purpose of these pipeline or utility marking systems is to indicate the location of buried pipeline, cable, conduit, etc., (referred to collectively as conduit herein), as well as to identify its owner. By properly marking the subterranean conduit, construction crews and others attempting to excavate the site can avoid accidentally damaging the buried conduit. The marker also serves as a warning to the general public that a buried conduit is present in the area.
In the case of the telecommunications industry, a variety of fiber optic cables are customarily run in subterranean locations, the locations being marked by marker posts which are mounted in the ground and extend vertically above ground as visual indications of the location of the cable. In order to test the integrity of the system, it is often necessary to perform diagnostic tests at regular intervals along the length of the fiber optic cable. Traditionally, these tests were performed at the marker post locations.
A need exists to provide the telecommunications industry with a lockable test station integral with the marker post which is easily accessed by field personnel.
A need also exists to provide such a combination marker post and test station with a locking mechanism which is simple in design and economical to manufacture and yet which is effective to keep unauthorized persons from accessing the test station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A combination line marker and test station is shown including an upright support member. The upright support member has a cylindrical exterior, an initially open interior, an exposed upper end and a lower end. The lower end is positionable within a surrounding terrain in use to position the support member in an upright vertical position. An internal locking sleeve is received within the open interior of the upright support member adjacent the exposed upper end thereof. The internal locking sleeve has a terminal guide region and a locking nut both carried on an interior surface thereof. A test terminal is received on the terminal guide region of the locking sleeve for mounting the terminal within the interior of the upright support member. A cap is engageable with the upper end of the support member for covering and protecting the exposed upper end thereof containing the internal locking sleeve and test terminal. A cupped-washer bolt is insertable within a common aperture provided within the cap and upright support member and is engageable with the locking nut of the internal locking sleeve to thereby secure the cap to the upper end of the upright.
Preferably, the terminal has a planar surface with a plurality of openings therein for receiving test lead wires. The terminal can be provided with a pair of oppositely arranged flanges on either of opposing edges of the terminal planar surface, the flanges being tapered from top to bottom. The terminal region of the internal locking sleeve includes a support ledge for receiving the terminal flanges in either of two oppositely arranged directions, whereby the terminal may be inserted within the internal locking sleeve in either of two opposing directions. The preferred locking nut is a hexagonal nut which is received within a mating channel within the internal locking sleeve. The mating channel has sidewalls which contact exterior sides of the locking nut to prevent rotational movement of the nut as the cupped-washer bolt is engaged.
In one position, the terminal rests on the internal locking sleeve and extends upwardly from the upright upper end thereof, the cap serving to contain the terminal board as well as to close the initially exposed terminal and upright upper end. The terminal can also be positioned in an opposite, downwardly extending position in which the terminal extends downwardly within the interior of the upright support member. In this case, the terminal board would typically be pulled out and reset in the exposed vertical position during use.
A method is shown for protecting the integrity of a fiber optic terminal test station in which the test terminal is inserted into the terminal guide region of the locking sleeve within the interior of the upright support member. The cap is installed over the upper end of the upright member and held in place by means of a cupped-washer bolt which is insertable within a common aperture provided within the cap, upright support member and internal locking sleeve with the bolt being engageable with the locking nut of the internal locking sleeve. The cupped-washer bolt head which is exposed on the exterior of the cap and upright member is normally only accessible by a technician having a special tool which is designed to matingly engage the bolt head.
Additional objects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description which follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3166041 (1965-01-01), Caggainello
patent: 3523515 (1970-08-01), Brown
patent: 3927637 (1975-12-01), Sammaritano
patent: 4915055 (1990-04-01), Ptashinski
patent: 5200704 (1993-04-01), Clark, Jr. et al.
patent: 5234029 (1993-08-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5568785 (1996-10-01), Hazen
patent: 5791098 (1998-08-01), Thomas
patent: 0174715 (1994-03-01), None
Byerley Mark
Murrin Pamela L.
Bracewell & Patterson LLP
Gilchrist Jason P.
Gutierrez Diego
S&B Technical Products, Inc.
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