# US 10,374,399 B1 · Method of removing a splice from a power line

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- Number: US 10,374,399 B1
- Document ID: US10374399B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/090,130
- Filed: 2016-04-04
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04
- Applicants: Andrew Scott Long
- Inventors: Andrew Scott Long
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374399B1

## CPC

- H02G 1/005: {for cutting cables or wires, or splicing}
- H02G 1/02: for overhead lines or cables
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES

## Abstract

A tool facilitates removal of a splice used to serially connect lengths of cable into an electrical power line. The tool has an elongated slide of semi-circular cross-section with outer and inner diameters suited to saddle the cable and snugly enter into an open end of the splice and into abutment against a spring-biased split-ring vise grip in the splice. With the leading end of the tool butted against the spring-biased vise grip, application of manual force to a handle on the trailing end of the tool drives the vise grip to compress its biasing spring, expanding the vise-grip and releasing the cable for removal from the vise grip and the splice without damaging the splice or cutting the cables connected to the splice.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for removing a splice from an electrical power line, the splice containing spring biased frustum split-ring vise-grips serially connecting lengths of cable into the electrical power line, the method comprising the steps of:
saddling a tool on the cable to be released distally of the splice;
pushing the tool into an open end of the splice and into abutment with the distal end of the spring biased vise-grip in the splice; and
continuing to push the tool to penetrate further into the splice against the bias of the spring until the cable is released from the vise-grip.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, the splice having a funnel-shape guide at one end thereof, said step of saddling being preceded by the step of sliding the funnel-shaped guide along a connected cable away from the splice by a distance greater than the length of the tool.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, said step of saddling being preceded by the step of applying tension to the cable, if necessary, to remove undesirable slack.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of allowing the released cable to slide out of the splice.