US2466083A - Wire holding device - Google Patents

Description

April 1949. N. w. CROSBY 2,466,083

WIRE HOLDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1947 W Vkm 1. v

Irnn for No/e W. CrosAy Patented Apr. 5, 1949 WIRE HOLDING DEVICE Noble Wellington Crosby, Trenton, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Crosby Bros. Manufacturing Company, Trenton, Ontario, Canada Application December 18, 1947, Serial No. 792,454

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wire holding or gripping device particularly adapted for use inelectrical wiring to enable a span of wire to be held taut while eliminating the strain from the end connections, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a sturdy and extremely inexpensive gripping device which will securely grip a wire without in any way damaging the wire or its protective or insulatin covering and will hold the wire against accidental displacement.

A further important object is to provide a wire holding device which will be extremely convenient to use, enabling any portion of the wire intermediate the ends to be quickly and easily inserted into the holder and held from longitudinal movement relative the holder.

A further important object is to provide a wire gripping device which will securely hold a wire from slipping under tension and which will act upon increase in tension on the wire to urge the wire into tighter gripping relation with the holder.

A still further object is to provide a wire holding device which will follow movements of the wire to prevent kinking of the wire at the ends of the holder.

A still further object is to provide a wire holding device which will have a high reclaim value.

The principal feature of the invention consists in forming a single strip of metal into a wire gripping device comprising a base having a plurality of spaced-apart arcuate or part cylindrical ribs extending from one longitudinal edge, alternate ribs being oppositely curved whereby their convex outer wire-engaging surfaces are arranged to face on opposite sides of the base to frictionally hold a wire inserted between the ribs in a plurality of smoothly curved reverse deflections, the end ribs being formed with laterally turned lugs which extend outwardly from adjacent their outer ends and under which the wire engages to prevent its removal from: the ribs.

A further important feature consists in canting the ribs outwardly relative the sides of the base whereby an increase in tension on the wire acts to move the wire towards the base of the ribs.

A still further important feature consists in knurling the convex surfaces of the ribs to increase the frictional grip between the ribs andwire.

A still further feature consists in providing a flexible joint between the wire holding device and the supporting surface to permit the holder to follow movement of the wire and prevent kinking of the wire at the ends of the holder.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view of a typical wiring installation utilizing my wire holding device showing how it is used to relieve the strain from the ends of the wire connected between aline pole and a house.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of my device illustrating the manner in which it holds wires reeved between its ribbed projections.

Figure 3 is an edge view of my device with the wire engaging ribs extending away from the observer.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the device reversed and the ribs extending to wards the observer.

Figure 5 is a part perspective view of a slightly modified form of my device showing the convex surfaces of the ribs as knurled to increase their gripping action and showing the laterally extending lug formed at the end of the holder extending in a direction opposite to that of the convex surface of the adjacent rib.

Where long spans of cable are employed it is particularly desirable that the weight of the cable or weights carried by the cable should not be transmitted to the connections made at the cable ends. This is particularly true in electrical wiring installations, such as Wiring between distribution transformers and the home or between towers or poles.

The present invention has therefore been devised to provide fa wire gripping device into which any portion of a wire or cable can be quickly inserted and which will firmly grip the cable without in any way damaging its surface or insulation coating to permit the device to be used to take up the strain on the wire eliminating tension on the end connections.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the device is formed from a longitudinal strip I, preferably of brass or cop,-

per which have a high reclaim value, or an alloy which will not be subjected to rust. The strip I is formed with a plurality of ribs or prongs 2 extending from one longitudinal edge, and these prongs 2 are transversely curved into an arcuate or part-cylindrical formation with alternate ribs being oppositely curved whereby the outer convex wire-engaging surfaces 3 of the alternate ribs facein opposite directions and extend beyond 7 opposite faces of thebase portion 4.

To increase the rigidity of the holder the curvature of the rib 2 is continued down as at 5 into the base portion 4 to provide a somewhat corrugated effect in the base portion.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the ribs 2 are inclined or canted slightly outwardly in the direction of their convex surfaces. Thus alternate ribs slightly diverge with the divergence gradually increasing from the wire span engaging end to the anchored end as shown particularly in Figure 4. With this arrangement as is clearly shown the tortuousness of the wire to be clamped progressively increases towards the anchored end of the device.

One end 6 of the strip I is fiat and extending angularly outwardly therefrom is a lug 1, the

lower end 8 of which is turned up extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal edge of the base portion 4,

The rib 2 at the end of the base portion 4 remote from the end 6 is provided with a laterally extending lug 9 having a downturned outer end The lug 1 adjacent the end 6 extends laterally of the strip in the direction opposite to the convex face of the adjacent rib 2, while the lug 9 extends laterally in the same direction as the convex surface of the rib of which it forms a part.

An opening H is provided in the end 6 of the strip I and loosely mounted in this opening II is a wire loop [2.

In using m device the wire or wires l3, here shown as electrical wires having an insulating covering, are inserted between the outward ends of the ribs 2 and forced down towards the base of the ribs. The wires are so arranged that they contact the outer'convex surfaces of the ribs 3 which serve to hold the wiresin va series of smoothly curved reverse deflections. The wires are then bent under the lugs 1 and 9 which serve to prevent them moving outwardly to the ends of the ribs, securely holding the wires in position.

The curved surfaces 3 of the ribs are so arranged that the wires do not engage the rib edges and there is no discontinuity in the wire fiexures.

The radius of curvature of the convex rib surfaces are chosen so that no strain will be placed on the wires at their points of flexure.

While neither the wires nor their protective coverings will in any way be damaged by the smoothly curved rib surfaces 3, the ribs, by virtue of their arrangement in holding the wire in tortuous arrangement, will provide a very strong friction grip with the wires to securely hold them from longitudinal movement relative to the holder.

Because of the cant or diverging arrangement of the ribs any increase in tension attempting to move the wires longitudinally causes same to be moved downwardly towards the base of the ribs, resulting in a reduction in the bending effect on the ribs and moving the Wires into closer engagement with the holder.

Further, as will be appreciated from inspection of Figures 3 and 4 the non-uniform staggering arrangement of the ribs 2 with the increased tortuousness of the wires adjacent the end of the device to be secured permits the tension on the.

wires to be transferred back from the free end so that there will be a substantially even stress on the wire throughout the holding device.

In the wiring installation illustrated in Figure 1, one of my holding devices is shown supported by the loop I2 from a pole l4 and from the wall of a house l'5. The feed wires l6 connected with the supply cable I! carried by the pole and running to the house are securely gripped adjacent the pole and the house by the ribs of the holding devices.

As illustrated, the feed wires Hi can be drawn tightly between the holders and the strain due to the weight of the wire is transmitted to the rigid supporting surfaces through the loops l2, eliminating completely any strain on the ends of the wires or their connections.

' Since the wires can be inserted between the open ends of the ribs 2 and does not need to be threaded through its tortuous path, the position of the-wires in the holders can be quickly changed without disconnecting the ends. Thus the sag of a span of Wire can be very conveniently taken after bending them out from under the lugs I and 9, drawing the wires tight and inserting them back between the arcuate ribs.

It will be noted that the loops l2 provide a flexible joint between the supporting surface and the holder strip I, whereby the holders may orient themselves to the direction and slope of the wires to prevent kinking of the wire at the ends of the holders.

While any number of ribs 2 may be used, it is preferred that at least four be provided. Figures 2 to 4 show six ribs and the wires I3 are shown entering and leaving the holder from the same side. However, it may be found advisable to arrange the ribs so that the wires enter at one side of the holder and leave at the other.

Figure 5 shows a somewhat modified form of holder in which the lug 9 extends from the opposite side of the holder to the lug shown in Figure 2 and the end rib has its convex face:

means of a suitable die from. a single strip of material will be extremely inexpensive to manufacture and due .to its particular form there will be practically no waste of ing operation.

Further, because of, the arcuate formation of the ribs their rigidity willbe high enabling a relatively thin strip of material to be used.

While I prefer to make my holder from copper I or brass, it will be understood that other material may be used and if desirable my holder may be formed from a suitable insulating material and used in conjunction with bare conductors. With the brass or copper construction the holders have a high reclaim value and when damaged or worn may be melteddown and the material used again. i I

While I have shown one particular use for my holder it will be appreciated that its usefulness is applicable to. any condition where it is desirable to prevent a flexible wire or rope from slip-- ping longitudinally of its holder.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A wire holding device comprising a strip of metal having a, plurality of spaced-apart in-. I tegral wire-engaging members extending from.

on longitudinal edge thereof, said members material in the form- 1 having an arcuate cross section with alternate members being oppositely curved whereb their convex surfaces are arranged to face on opposite sides of the strip to hold a wire inserted therebetween in a series of smooth reverse deflections said members being canted outwardly in the direction of their convex surfaces with the cant of the members progressively increasing towards one end, and integral lug means under which said wire is adapted to extend laterally from adjacent the ends of said strip, said lug means acting to prevent said wire moving outwardly of said Wireengaging members.

2. A wire-holding device comprising a flat wide strip of rigid material having a plurality of integral spaced-apart wire-engaging projections extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said projections being of arcuate cross section with alternate members being oppositely curved and being canted outwardly of the plane of said strip in the direction of their convex surfaces, the cant of said projections progressively increasing towards the end of the device to be secured to a supporting surface whereby tension on a wire threaded around said arcuate projections is transferred towards the end of the device to be secured to provide a substantially uniform stress on the wire throughout the device.

3. A wire-holding device comprising a fiat wide strip of rigid material having a plurality of integral spaced-apart wire-engaging projections extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, holding means pivotally connected to one end of said strip to secure same for swivel movement to a supporting surface, said projections being of arcuate cross section with alternate members being oppositely curved and being canted outwardly of the plane of said strip in the direction of their convex surfaces, the cant of said projections progressively increasing towards the end of the device to be secured whereby a progressively increasing gripping action is provided towards said end to be secured to take up a progressively increasing proportion of the tension transferred through a wire threaded through said projections.

NOBLE WELLINGTON CROSBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,079 Rowland Aug. 30, 1887 556,485 Wilson Mar. 17, 1896 1,228,019 Hancock May 29, 1917 1,889,113 Shope Nov. 29, 1932 2,309,971 McLarn Feb. 2, 1943

Images