US 7,674,982 B2Granted

Electric cable and insulator self-locking system, and method of installation thereof

AssigneeBMC Innovation Inc.

InventorsFrancois Cloutier, Paul Gentes

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The insulator, includes a lower bell shaped portion, an intermediate annular waist portion and an upper saddle portion for receiving and supporting an electric transmission overhead cable. An axial blind bore opens at its lower end for receiving an upstanding support pin. The saddle portion includes a transversely-curved groove, substantially normal to the axial bore, and jutting parts on each side of the cable receiving groove and laterally protruding from the waist portion. Each jutting part has an external face which is provide with a partly annular groove, generally coaxial with the bore and of greater radius than that of the waist portion. These annular grooves are adapted to positively retain the inturned flanges of a cable retaining clasp despite an upward force or a laterally upwardly directed force exerted by the cable on the clasp. The waist portion can still be used for attaching the electric wire by a tie-wire. The clasp includes male/female joints at each of its two downwardly curved arms that automatically interlock with each other when a sufficient biasing force is applied thereon by a pneumatic tool deforming the clasp arms, drawing the registering flanges of the latter toward one another to lock the insulator to the overhead electric cable.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A self-locking system for locking a section of suspended electrical conductor cable to a pin type insulator, the insulator having an upper arcuate saddle part, defining a groove for receiving therein the cable, and two opposite jutting parts, a main peripheral skirt body having an intermediate annular recess, and a lower end for engagement by an upright pin, said self-locking system comprising;

an arcuate clasp defining a resilient web, first and second side arms integrally projecting from opposite ends of said web, each of said first and second side arms defining corresponding first free end flange and second free end flange opposite said web, said first free end flange being in spaced register with said second free end flange and defining therebetween a gap in the unbiased condition of said resilient web whereby a generally open pocket is circumscribed by said web and said side arms and for receiving therein the electrical conductor cable;
said gap sized to accommodate free transverse passage of the electrical conductor cable;
each of said side arms defining a recess sized for transverse through passage by a corresponding one of the jutting parts of the insulator saddle;
wherein said first free end flange and said second free end flange form when assembled a complementary interlocking joint assembly;
and
biasing means, for biasing said clasp against the resiliency of said web to close said gap and to concurrently engage said first free end flange and said second free end flange into said interlocking joint assembly, said side arms sized to retainingly fit into the intermediate annular recess of the insulator beneath the jutting parts thereof when said first free end flange and said second free end flange become interlocked.

3 more elements

A method of installation of an electrical conductor cable onto a pin-type insulator, the insulator having an upper arcuate saddle part, defining a groove for receiving therein the cable, and two opposite jutting parts, a main peripheral skirt body having an intermediate annular recess, and a lower end for engagement by an upright pin, said method of installation comprising the following steps:

a) providing an arcuate clasp, said clasp defining a resilient web, first and second side arms integrally projecting from opposite ends of said web, each of said first and second side arms defining corresponding first free end flange and second free end flange opposite said web, said first free end flange being in spaced register with said second free end flange and defining therebetween a gap in the unbiased condition of said resilient web whereby a generally open pocket is circumscribed by said web and said side arms and for receiving therein the electrical conductor cable;
said gap sized to accommodate free transverse passage of the electrical conductor cable, each of said side arms defining a recess sized for through passage by a corresponding one of the jutting parts of the insulator saddle;
wherein said first free end flange and said second free end flange form when assembled a complementary interlocking joint assembly;
an elastomeric sheath member integrally carried by said web within said clasp pocket, said sheath member being arcuate in unbiased condition defining an enclosure with an access mouth sized for enabling access by the conductor cable into said sheath member enclosure;
b) engaging the conductor cable through said clasp gap and into said clasp pocket;
c) engaging the conductor cable further through said sheath access mouth and into said sheath member enclosure;
and
d) applying a first biasing force onto said clasp against the resiliency of said web whereby said sheath member access mouth becomes closed;
and
e) applying a further biasing force onto said clasp against the resiliency of said web whereby said clasp gap becomes closed, while concurrently engaging said first free end flange and said second free end flange in said interlocking joint assembly;
wherein said side arms are sized to retainingly fit into the intermediate annular recess of the insulator when said first free end flange and said second free end flange become interlocked.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/021,835Filed 29 Jan 2008
Published: US 2009/0188698 A130 Jul 2009
Granted: 9 Mar 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H01B 17/10
Fastening of insulator to support, to conductor, or to adjoining insulator: by intermediate link
Y10T 24/44017
Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof: with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure…
Y10T 24/44598
With operator for moving guided member: threaded cylindrical rod and mating cavity
Y10T 29/49947
Assembling or joining: by applying separate fastener