Field of the Invention :
The present invention relates to a new concept of Two-Way Cable Gripper and
more particularly Two-Way Cable Gripper for use in Suspension, Cable/Wire Joiner, etc.
and other fitments on suspended cable layouts, which lends itself to be fitted in quick,
easy, convenient and cost-effective way for various fitments of Cable Loops, Slinging
and various other Rigging Works, thus saving in time in assembly and thus savings in
associated costs.
Background of the Invention :
In general, the conventional Single Cable Grippers have many applications in
Cable/Wire suspension or making Loops etc.
The present art known for all Cable Grippers of different sizes, shapes and for
different applications, have common features/constructions of a Body (mostly
cylindrical) having a single tapered bore inside, wherein runs a tapered spring loaded
Plunger with central hole and generally three radial holes. These radial holes house
mostly 3 no. steel balls of appropriate size, which when moves along the tapered hole of
the Body under spring pressure, the balls grip the cable pushed through the central hole of
the plunger. This way the cable/wire is firmly gripped on tension of the cable. Further the
Plunger can be locked in gripping position on screwing a Locking Ring on the Plunger
protruded outside the Body, thus preventing any accidental loosening of the grips.
Further, presently the cable joiners available in the market having two-way cable
gripping, incorporates sliding gripping blocks moving in taper grooves under spring
pressure grips the cable in wedge action against the wall of the body of the joiner.
In all the cable grippers, even in a conceivable two-way cable gripper the moving Plunger
protrude out in opposite direction for facilitating provision for locking arrangements or
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otherwise as conventional designs. This suffers from disadvantages that in the looping
position of cables the sideways thrust comes on the Plungers which may result in
loosening of grips of the steel balls when the Plunger gets tilted, besides resulting
bending strain on the Plunger. In the role of cable joiner also same disadvantage will be
there.
Further because of the intricate shape of the inner slot the present two-way cable joiners
Bodies are made in Zn-die-cast only and will have difficulties in making in Brass or Steel
for better load capacity.
Summary of the invention
To solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an objective of the present invention
to make the present invention more advantageous, user friendly and more technical than
the conventional systems. The present Invention of Two-Way Cable Gripper provides the
user quick, convenient and cost-effective way of cable/wire joining, cable looping
/slinging and various rigging operations etc., compared to the present practices or the
conventional methods.
In one embodiment the Two-Way Cable Gripper provides totally enclosed Body
of the cable gripper wherein the two Plungers move in opposite direction
(ii) Providing pressing facilities for the Plungers operating by the Pins through slots on
the Body for release of cable/wire etc.;
(iii) Providing rotation features for the plungers in face of the constraint imposed by the
Pins moving through slots;
(iv) locking of the Plunger is not possible at the front end of the Plunger, optional locking
facilities have been provided at the rear end of the Plunger through locking ring to be
operated by a key provided to prevent unauthorised/accidental tempering;
(v) Multiple lateral grooves at opposite ends provided for having better grips on the Body
during handling.
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In the present invention, the cable/wire is inserted/pushed through the Body holes
at slot ends of the Body, upon which the cable gets automatically lodged between the
gripping balls whereby the cable /wire gets firmly gripped. To prevent downward
movement of the Plunger, the locking ring at the opposite end of the Plunger is screwed
in with the key provided for locking the Plunger.
For releasing the cable/wire, the locking ring is screwed up fully with help of
special key and then the plunger is depressed with the help of Plunger Actuating Pin till
the cable/wire is released.
Higher sizes of Zn-Die Cast Two-Way Cable Gripper will have the facility for fitment of
Liner/Insert in the inner tapered hole of the Body for better load bearing capacity.
In another embodiment it is provided a Two-Way Cable Gripper, without
protrusion of the Spindle outside the Body and thus without exposing to any side thrust in
the formation of loops or other slinging/joining operation wherein the Two-Way Cable
Gripper has a special provision for actuating the Spindle for linear movement, at the
same time ensuring freedom for rotational movement of the Plunger by a Bush and a cut
on the Spindle front end and making appropriate screwed length of the Plunger Actuating
Pin.
In another embodiment it is provided a Two-Way Cable Gripper with special
gripping grooves outward features, either stand-alone or inbuilt form can be made of
different materials, Zn-die casting, Brass, Steel etc. & finishes and can be of different
outward shapes depending on various fitments/usage to suit various sizes of cables/wires
etc. The totally enclosed Two Way Cable Gripper can have Plunger actuating facility
either through a Pin projected through a slot on the Body, or by a key operating
through the front opening . The Collinear Design of the totally enclosed Two Way Cable
Gripper can have either of the Plunger actuating facility as explained above, with or
without side opening for the cable/wire, specially suited for cable/wire joining operations.
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In another embodiment it is provided a Two-Way Cable Gripper with Plunger
locking facility by way of Locking Nut at the rear end of the Plunger with special
provision for retaining the Locking Nut By a specially designed Locking Screw fitted
flushed with the Body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended
claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention
will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth
illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the
accompanying drawings of which:
Fig. 1 shows a typical Two-Way Cable Gripper built with conventional Cable Grippers.
Fig. 2 shows the Two-Way Cable Gripper of present invention.
Fig. 3 shows construction of various parts of the Two-Way Cable Gripper, i.e. the Body,
Plunger, Bush, Pin, Spring Retaining Nut, Spring, Steel balls and the Locking Nut
and Locking Screw.
Fig.4 shows general arrangement of the Two-Way Cable Gripper in cross-sectional
views.
Fig.5 shows use of the Two-Way Cable Gripper for different applications.
Fig.5 (A) shows uses as cable/wire joiner, and
Fig.5 (B), Fig.5(C) & Fig.5(D) shows various looping formations and suspension works.
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Fig. 6 shows optional components for alternate/different versions of the design
Brief Description :
The present invention is explained in greater detail below. This description is not
intended to be a detailed catalogue of all the different ways in which the invention may
be implemented, or all the features that may be added to the instant invention. For
example, features illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated into
other embodiments, and features illustrated with respect to a particular embodiment may
be deleted from that embodiment. In addition, numerous variations and additions to the
various embodiments suggested herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light
of the instant disclosure, which do not depart from the instant invention. Hence, the
following specification is intended to illustrate some particular embodiments of the
invention, and not to exhaustively specify all permutations, combinations and variations
thereof.
The above objective and advantages of the present invention will become more
apparent by describing in detail-preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the
attached drawings.
Referring to Fig.3, the components of Two-Way Cable Gripper are shown. The
Body (Item-01) has two holes (a) in opposite direction for housing rest of the components
of Fig-03, in the order of Item Nos. 8,7,2,6,5,3,4 and 9 respectively. The inner holes of
the Body are blocked at one end with opening (b) for cable insertion. Two slots(c) on
front face of the Body run along the plain hole length, following which are taper and
screwed length of the holes. At the front stepped end of the Plunger (Item-02) a cut (d) is
provided. On this stepped end the Bush (Item-08) rests, on which when the Plunger
Actuating Pin (Item-07) is inserted through slots of the Body, the Plunger will have the
freedom of both linear and rotational movement. The Plunger Actuating Pin when
screwed to the Bush mounted on the cut end of the Plunger, the Pin's projected end
beyond the Bush wall thickness allows rotational movement of the Plunger, at the same
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time prevents disengagement of the Bush from the Plunger end (shown in the details of
Item No. 07 in Fig-04). This helps the 3 No. Steel Balls (Item-06) lodged in the radial
holes (e) of the Plunger to sit randomly on any position on the circumference of the taper
hole (f) in cable gripping position.
The Spring (Item-05) inserted on the rear-stepped end of the Plunger, sits on the
Spring Retaining Nut (Item-03) screwed in through the screwed hole end of the Body (g)
and locked at a measured distance from the screwed end of the Body.
The Locking Nut (Item-04) threaded in the screwed end (h) of the Body is
prevented from coming out by the specially designed Locking Screw (Item-09). The
Locking Screw sits flush with the Body. Two parallel holes (i) are provided in the Body
to facilitate various loop formation and other applications.
Fig.-04 shows the sectional view of the assembled Two-Way cable
Gripper, showing the fitment of the all the components as explained above.
In operation the Locking Nut is screwed out on the threaded end of the
Body (g) with the help of a key in the two holes (marked-k on Item-04 of Fig-03), till it
butts against the Locking Screw. When the cable/wire is inserted through the hole (b) at
the slotted end of the Body. The gripping Balls while moving along the surface of the
tapered hole of the Body (f) radially close on the Cable / wire thus automatically griping
it firmly. The Spindle is then locked in this position by screwing the Locking Nut fully
home with the help of the key provided.
For disengaging the Cable/Wire from the Cable Gripper, the reverse sequences of
operation are carried out:
1) The locking Nut is screwed up at the screwed end of the Body
till it butts against the Locking Screw.
2) The Plunger is then pressed fully putting pressure on the
Plunger actuating Pin, upon which the gripping Balls get
loosened enough for disengaging the Cable/wire, when the
Cable/wire is removed.
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Referring to Fig. 06, the Steel Sleeve (01) can be fitted in the Zn-Die Cast Body after diecasting
or in situ during die-casting, for better load bearing capacity. The Steel Key
Fig.6(03) can be optionally used for Cable release. The Lock Nut Fig.6(02) optionally
can be used instead of the built-in Locking Screw & Nut as explained in Fig.3
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention, and is not to be construed as
limiting thereof. While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are
provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will
now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. . In the claims
that follow, the indefinite article "A", or "An" refers to a quantity of one or more of the
item following the article, except where expressly stated otherwise. It should be
understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein
may be employed in practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims
define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of
these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
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WE CLAIM:
1) Two - way cable gripper which provides totally enclosed Body of the
cable gripper wherein the two Plungers move in opposite direction :-
(i) Providing pressing facilities for the Plungers operating by the Pins through slots on the
Body for release of cable/wire etc;
(ii) Providing rotation features for the plungers in face of the constraint imposed by the
Pins moving through slots;
(iii) providing optional locking facilities at the rear end of the Plunger through locking
ring to be operated by a key provided to prevent unauthorised/accidental tempering; and
(iv) Multiple lateral grooves at opposite ends provided for having better grips on the
Body during handling.
2) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said gripper
has a special provision for actuating the Spindle for linear movement, at the same time
ensuring freedom for rotational movement of the Plunger by a Bush and a cut on the
Spindle front end and making appropriate screwed length of the Plunger Actuating Pin.
3) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said gripper
has special gripping grooves outward features, either stand-alone or inbuilt form made up
of any suitable material depending on various fitments/usage to suit various sizes of
cables/wires etc.
4) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said gripper
has special gripping grooves outward features, either stand-alone or inbuilt form made up
of any suitable material depending on various fitments/usage to suit various sizes of
cables/wires etc.
5) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein Two-Way Cable
Gripper with Plunger locking facility by way of Locking Nut at the rear end of the
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Plunger with special provision for retaining the Locking Nut By a specially designed
Locking Screw fitted flushed with the Body.
6) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in claim 1 wherein for better load
bearing capacity, tapered steel sleeves can be fitted on either separately or casted in-situ
into the Body.
7) Two - way cable gripper as claimed in any of the above claims
substantially as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.