Conduit space recovery system
AssigneeWESCO Distribution, Inc.
InventorJerry L. Allen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Space in a conduit having at least one cable therein which is surrounded by a duct is recovered by longitudinally cutting the duct and removing the duct from around the cable. The duct may be pulled out of the conduit and past a blade to affect the cutting, or a blade may be pulled through the conduit to cut the duct while still in the conduit.
Claims15
A method of recovering space in a longitudinally extending conduit positioned underground and having at least one active cable positioned within a longitudinally extending duct which is in the conduit comprising the steps of using an assembly having a pulling device to move the duct out of the conduit, and having a blade so that as the duct is being moved, the blade simultaneously cuts the duct thereby simultaneously removing the entire duct from around the active cable which remains in the conduit so that when the entire duct is completely removed from the conduit, space is recovered in the conduit.
A method of utilizing an assembly having a blade and a pulling device to recover space in a longitudinally extending conduit positioned underground and having at least one active cable positioned within a longitudinally extending duct which is in the conduit comprising the steps of using the assembly to longitudinally cut the duct, while cutting the duct utilizing a split tube to protect the active cable, and using the assembly to remove the duct from around the active cable by pulling the duct entirely out of the conduit thereby recovering space in the conduit while maintaining the active cable in the conduit.
A method of recovering space in a longitudinally extending conduit positioned underground and accessible in a manhole, the conduit having at least one active cable positioned within a longitudinally extending duct in the conduit comprising the steps of accessing the conduit and the duct in the manhole, pulling the duct a short distance into the manhole, then engaging the duct, utilizing a pulling device to move the engaged duct toward a blade assembly in the manhole, as the duct is being moved simultaneously cutting the duct in the manhole longitudinally into at least two pieces while maintaining the active cable in the conduit, and removing the pieces from around the cable so that when the duct is completely out.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.