Joints and connections – Interfitted members – Clamped members
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-19
2003-07-29
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3679)
Joints and connections
Interfitted members
Clamped members
C403S368000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599054
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to devices and methods of connecting cables together. More specifically, the invention relates to a hook that can lock two cables together where tension forces are imposed on cables to pull the cable ends in the opposite directions. The device is particularly advantageous for bundling logs together.
BACKGROUND
Log bundling devices have been used in the logging industry where a pair of cables are placed around a group of logs. In a log transferring operation a bundle of logs is held in two U-shaped frames where the bottom portion of the log bundle spaced above the floor or ground level. Two lengths of cable each with a locking device are used to connect the ends of cables in order to secure the logs in a log bundle.
The procedure of bundling the logs together generally consists of throwing a cable around the top of one end portion of a log bundle in the U-shaped frames. One end of cable is then pulled under the log bundle to extend circumferentially around, and the two ends of the each cable length are fastened together with a locking device. One such locking device is a circular tube where both ends of the cable are extended into and through opposite ends of the tube and a clamping apparatus clamps the tube tightly which deforms the tube to press against the cables. Once the tube is fastened to the cable ends, the loop of cable now secures the logs in a bundle. The same process is done on the other end portion of the log bundle. Generally two cable section loops will secure a log bundle sufficiently, although more loops can be used. When the log bundle is secured it is commonly ejected from the two fork frames into an adjacent body of water and the log bundle floats or is tugged through the body of water to a log separation and transport area.
At the separation and transport area, the bundle is lifted from the water and each cable is then broken by a crane-like machine that has a long arm and at the end of the arm there are two a gripping members which grip the cable on opposite sides of the cable. The gripping members are rotated thereby increasing the tension to beyond the cable's load capacity which snaps the cable. The machine then lifts the broken wire loop with the locking device still attached thereto and moves it over to in a recycling pile. The locking device which is generally a tube is usually made of a different metal than the cable and it must be separated from the cable for recycling purposes. Because the tube is crimped on the cable it is difficult and costly to remove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is an improved method of locking cables and a reusable locking device, herein referred to as the “hook” The invention is particularly advantageous for bundling logs by connecting end portions of a cable together in a loop to hold a log bundle together. The present invention allows quick removal of the fastening device (the hook) that is still attached to the cable and the hook can be reused and the cable can be recycled separately from the hook.
In the preferred form, the invention comprises a body with two longitudinal chambers therein. The chambers are adapted to hold two wedge members where each wedge member has a front-end portion and a base end portion. Each wedge is adapted with a longitudinal slot positioned on the side wall of the wedge. Each chamber has an extension that extends into the slot area of each wedge to prevent the wedge member from being completely removed and separated from each chamber.
Each chamber is adapted to receive a cable and the chamber's corresponding wedge member holds the cable therein. A surface portion within each chamber defines longitudinal grooves, which are designed to engage a cable and prevent the cable from rotating and slipping out of the chamber. The corresponding wedge for each chamber has a top surface, which defines oblique grooves that engage the cable located in the chamber and help hold the cable fixed therein.
As the wedge members slide into a chamber the distance between the oblique grooved surface of the wedge and the longitudinal grooved surface of the chamber is decreased. As the base end portion of the wedge is forced into a chamber of the body, the frictional force between the oblique grooved surface of the wedge and the upper longitudinal grooves defined by the chamber's upper surface fix the cable therein. When tension is applied to the cable from the front-end portion of the wedge (the working end), the cable will remain fixed in the chamber. To remove the cable, a force is exerted on the front-end portion of the wedge (e.g. it is hit with a hammer) which dislodges the wedge from the cable. When the cable is removed the hook can be reused.
It is an object of the invention to provide a compact fastening device that is easy to attach to two ends of a cable and is reusable.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a locking device that will endure substantial tension of the cables wedged therein yet have the ability to remove the cable by easily dislodging the wedge.
BACKGROUND ART
Other locking devices have been employed that link two pieces of wire. U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,145 (Facey et al) shows a wire joining means in which spring loaded ball acts as the wedging means to hold wires. The patent discloses that the invention is particularly used for connecting together links of wire fence. As seen in
FIG. 4
, the abutments
32
A position the spring
26
A which biases balls
25
to the position toward the passage means
21
. In operation, two wires each enter ends
30
a
and
30
b
of the bore
21
and biases the balls
25
back down the channels
23
A and
23
B. As seen in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, when each wire is placed in tension the frictional force of the balls
25
hold the wire in place.
FIGS. 13 and 14
show another embodiment were the ball
25
travels through the channel
21
and are biased by spring bows
26
A and
26
B. This embodiment gives the user access to the lateral tabs
43
where a manual grip can release the balls from engaging the wire so that the connector can be reused.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,165,785 (Knoche) discloses a joining means where ropes are held in place by spring loaded wedges. The wedge members
7
apparently pivot about point
10
and are biased by a spring
11
to pull the wedge members clockwise. The curved bearing surface
8
then engages the rope
1
creating a frictional force.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,139,595 (Starr), shows a clutch clamp where springs L bias rollers G into the cables A. With reference to
FIG. 1
, if the lower left cable A is pulled down and the upper right cable A is pulled up, the clutch clamp should hold the cables in place.
The next group of patents disclose mechanisms that function on a wedging principal without internal biasing springs other than the inherent spring-like characteristics of the wedges. These patents include the following:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,961,671 and 2,917,799 (Meighan) show a means for holding a group of logs in a bundle in which the ropes are held by a wedge like device.
A parallel fitting member is shown in
FIGS. 2 through 6
. An elongated body member
10
is pivotally attached to a clamping member
16
so that the clamping member
16
folds over upon two sets of cables that are to be wedged together. The clamping member
16
is then held in place by a second keeper
20
where the pin
20
goes under the ears
11
and
12
of the elongated body member
10
and over hook
18
of clamping member
16
. Then keepers
20
and
19
are pounded in between the ears
14
and
15
so the thicker portion of the keeper
20
bias the ears
11
and
12
up and the hook
18
away from each other thus clamping the cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 904,863 (Glass) shows a two piece wire clamp that comprises a grip
1
connected to a locking member
9
. With reference to
FIG. 1
, a wire
15
is positioned between a grooved portion
13
of locking member
9
and fixed jaw
4
of the grip
1
. As the head
10
is pounded with a hammer the frictional force between jaws
4
and
5
hold the cabl
Bochna David E.
Browne Lynne H.
Hughes Robert B.
Hughes Law Firm PLLC
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