Gauge device for measuring tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10345170-B2
Application number	US-201715641799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A gauge device according to some embodiments of the disclosure is configured to measure tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull. The gauge device according to some embodiments of the disclosure includes a frame, a housing carried by the frame, a roller rotatably carried by the housing, a sensor on the frame beneath the housing, and at least one additional roller rotatably attached to the frame. The housing is configured to translate linearly relative to the frame, such that when the housing moves relative to the frame, the housing is configured to engage with the sensor to activate the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gauge device configured to measure tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull comprising:
a frame having a lower edge and an upper edge and side edges extending between the lower and upper edges;
a housing carried by the frame, the housing being configured to translate linearly relative to the frame;
a roller rotatably carried by the housing;
a sensor carried by the frame beneath the housing, wherein when the housing moves relative to the frame, the housing is configured to engage with the sensor to activate the sensor;
at least one additional roller rotatably attached to the frame;
a computing module mounted in an enclosure which extends a predetermined distance outwardly from the frame, the sensor being in communication with the computing module;
a first handle attached to the frame adjacent to, but spaced from the lower edge, the first handle extending a predetermined distance outwardly from the frame;
a second handle attached to the frame adjacent to, but spaced from the upper edge, the second handle extending a predetermined distance outwardly from the frame; and
the enclosure positioned between the handles, wherein the distance each handle extends outwardly from the frame is greater than the distance the enclosure extends outwardly from the frame.

2. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a compression load cell.

3. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a depressible button which, when depressed by contact with the housing, activates the sensor.

4. The gauge device of claim 1 , further comprising a display on an exterior surface of the frame.

5. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of additional rollers are rotatably carried by the frame, and at least one of the additional rollers is mounted by a mount from which the at least one of the additional rollers is configured to be detached therefrom and reattached thereto.

6. The gauge device of claim 5 , wherein four additional rollers are rotatably carried on the frame.

7. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the roller mounted in the housing defines a first roller, and four additional rollers are rotatably carried on the frame and define second, third, fourth and fifth rollers, wherein the first roller is mounted at a center of the frame, the second and third rollers are mounted above the first roller, and the fourth and fifth rollers are mounted adjacent to the first roller and below the second and third rollers.

8. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the second and third rollers are each mounted by a mount from which the respective roller is configured to be detached therefrom and reattached thereto.

9. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the frame is formed of one or more of aluminum, steel, plastic, rubber and carbon composite.

10. The gauge device of claim 1 , wherein the frame is formed of a first frame part and a second frame part, each frame part having a plurality of cutouts therein.

11. The gauge device of claim 1 , the frame is formed of a first frame part and a second frame part, each frame part is formed of an outer continuous portion and a plurality of arms that interconnect with each other and define a plurality of cutouts.

12. The gauge device of claim 11 , wherein each frame part is generally symmetrical about a centerline the frame part.

13. A gauge device configured to measure tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull comprising:
a frame including a first frame part and a second frame part, each frame part having an inner surface, an outer surface, a lower edge, an upper edge, a first side edge extending between the lower and upper edges, and a second side edge extending between the lower and upper edges, and wherein in each frame part the lower edge angles inwardly from the outer surface to the inner surface;
a housing carried by the frame, the housing being configured to translate linearly relative to the frame;
a roller rotatably carried by the housing;
a sensor carried by the frame beneath the housing, wherein when the housing moves relative to the frame, the housing is configured to engage with the sensor to activate the sensor; and
at least one additional roller rotatably attached to the frame.

14. The gauge device of claim 13 , wherein the frame is further comprised of a mounting plate extending between the frame parts, the mounting plate is mounted proximate to a lower edge of each frame part, the mounting plate comprising lower and upper surfaces, end surfaces extending between the lower and upper surfaces, and side surfaces extending between the lower and upper surfaces, the side surfaces mated with inner surfaces of the frame parts, the lower surface having an elongated slot extending along a length of the mounting plate defined between the end surfaces, the slot being comprised of a first angled surface extending from the lower surface, a second angled surface extending from the lower surface, a third vertical surface extends from a top end of the first angled surface, a fourth vertical surface extending from a top end of the second angled surface, and a fifth horizontal surface extending from upper ends of the third and fourth surfaces.

15. The gauge device of claim 13 , wherein in each frame part, the lower edge is shorter in length than the upper edge.

16. A gauge device configured to measure tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull comprising:
a frame including first and second frame parts and a mounting plate mounted proximate to a lower edge of each frame part, the mounting plate comprising lower and upper surfaces, end surfaces extending between the lower and upper surfaces, and side surfaces extending between the lower and upper surfaces, the side surfaces mated with inner surfaces of the frame parts, the lower surface having an elongated slot extending along a length of the mounting plate defined between the end surfaces, the slot being comprised of a first angled surface extending from the lower surface, a second angled surface extending from the lower surface, a third vertical surface extends from a top end of the first angled surface, a fourth vertical surface extending from a top end of the second angled surface, and a fifth horizontal surface extending from upper ends of the third and fourth surfaces;
a housing carried by the frame, the housing being configured to translate linearly relative to the frame;
a roller rotatably carried by the housing;
a sensor carried by the frame beneath the housing, wherein when the housing moves relative to the frame, the housing is configured to engage with the sensor to activate the sensor; and
at least one additional roller rotatably attached to the frame.

17. The gauge device of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor on an exterior of the frame, the second sensor configured to calculate a speed of the pulling rope, and one or more magnetic targets on the housing.

18. The gauge device of claim 17 , wherein the second sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

19. A gauge device configured to measure tension on a pulling rope during a cable pull comprising:
a frame;
a housing carried by the frame, the housing being configured to translate linearly relative to the frame;
a roller rotatably carried by the housing;
a sensor carried by the frame beneath the housing, wherein when the housing moves relative to the frame, the housing is configured to engage with the sensor to activate the sensor;
at least one additional roller rotatably attached to the frame; and
a locking bar pivotally attached to the frame,

Assignees

• Greenlee Textron Inc
• Greenlee Tools Inc

Inventors

• Jubeck John Michael
• Tobias John Siegfried

Classifications

• H02G1/08

  through tubing or conduit, e.g. rod or draw wire for pushing or pulling {(inserting electrical cables into tubes using wallbores E21B17/206; for optical cables G02B6/4401)} · CPC title

• G01L5/047

  Specific indicating or recording arrangements, e.g. for remote indication, for indicating overload or underload · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G01L1/125

  by using magnetostrictive means (magnetostrictive sensors H10N35/101) · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title