Catenary grounding device fall restriction apparatus and method of use

A catenary grounding device operable for connecting the catenary in an electrical wire to an electrical ground, the catenary grounding device comprising:

• a non-conducting pole;
• a contact head including:
• a conducting contact portion shaped as an arch extending longitudinally along an arch axis and operable for contacting the electrical wire when captured in the catenary grounding device, the contact portion also partially defining a downwardly open arch mouth;
• a mounting section secured to a rearward arch leg of the contact portion;
• and
• a grounding wire connected to the contact portion and operable for conducting electricity from the electrical wire via the contact head to the ground;
• an apparatus connected to the contact head for restricting the contact head unintentionally falling from the electrical wire when in use, the apparatus comprising:
• a planar first arm is shaped as an inverted U and includes a first upper section, a coupling portion, and a pivot connection, the first upper section is shaped as a first hook and partially defines a downwardly open first mouth, the first upper section including a first rearward leg and an upward first apex and a first forward leg with a first free end at a first distance below the first apex, and the coupling portion extends rearwardly from the first rearward leg and is connected to the contact head such that the contact portion of the contact head and the first upper section of the first arm are fixed in planer parallel with the arch mouth and first mouth in axial alignment, and the pivot connection is a rotatable pivot joint located at a lower end of the first rearward leg and defines a pivot axis extending rearward and forward and perpendicular to the arch axis;
• a planar second arm is shaped as a rearward facing C and includes a second upper section, a lower section, and a forward section between the second upper and lower sections, the second upper section including a second upward apex and a second rearward leg with a second free end at a second distance below the second apex with the second distance less than the first distance, and the second arm partially defines a rearwardly open second mouth, and, at a rearward end of the lower section, the second arm is pivotably mounted to the pivot joint of the first arm and is movable between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• wherein the closed position the first arm and second arm are in planar parallel contact with the first mouth alongside the lower section of the second arm and with the rearward leg of the first arm alongside the second mouth to together partially define a completely circumscribed passage axially parallel to the arch axis;
• and
• wherein the open position the second upper section of the second arm is pivoted around the pivot axis and spaced apart from the upper section of the first arm to partially define a gap between the first arm and the second arm, the gap opening upward and narrowing downward and extending in parallel with the pivot axis.