Sliding jaw drop clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10649169-B2
Application number	US-201816055440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2018
Priority date	Aug 16, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A cable clamp for clamping drop cables to main span cables. The cable clamp has a frame, a jaw assembly and a stem. The frame has a main body, a drop cable body and a main cable body. The jaw assembly is operatively coupled to the main body and has a drop cable jaw and a main cable jaw. The drop cable jaw is movable along the main body between an open position and a closed position. The main cable jaw is movable along the main body between an open position and a closed position. The main cable jaw can be automatically moved from the open position to the closed position. The stem is operatively coupled to the main body and the jaw assembly so that the stem can selectively block the main cable jaw in the open position and release the main cable jaw so that can automatically move to the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable clamp comprising:
a frame having a main body, a drop cable body and a main cable body, the main body having a top wall and a pair of end walls;
a jaw assembly operatively coupled to the main body, the jaw assembly having a drop cable jaw and a main cable jaw, wherein the drop cable jaw is movable along the top wall of the main body in a direction toward or away from one of the pair of end walls between an open position permitting a drop cable to be positioned between the drop cable jaw and the drop cable body and a closed position where the drop cable jaw applies a force against the drop cable clamping the drop cable to the drop cable body, wherein the main cable jaw is movable along the top wall of the main body in a direction toward or away from one of the pair of end walls between an open position permitting a main cable to be positioned between the main cable jaw and the main cable body and a closed position where the main cable jaw applies a force against the main cable clamping the main cable to the main cable body, and wherein the main cable jaw is automatically moved from the open position to the closed position; and
a stem operatively coupled to the main body and the jaw assembly such that the stem can selectively block the main cable jaw in the open position and release the main cable jaw so that the main cable jaw automatically moves to the closed position.

2. The cable clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the jaw assembly further comprises:
a slider coupled to the main cable jaw, the slider having a spring stop extending into a channel of the main body; and
a spring positioned in the channel between a channel wall and the spring stop, wherein the spring normally biases the main cable jaw toward the main cable jaw closed position.

3. The cable clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the drop cable jaw has a cable contacting surface that can contact the drop cable when the drop cable jaw is in the closed position.

4. The cable clamp according to claim 3 , wherein the drop cable body comprises a central portion associated with the main body, a first extension portion extending from one end of the central portion and a second extension portion extending from another end of the central portion, wherein the drop cable central portion has a cable contacting surface that can contact the drop cable when the drop cable jaw is in the closed position.

5. The cable clamp according to claim 4 , wherein the first extension portion of the drop cable body is flared.

6. The cable clamp according to claim 4 , wherein the second extension portion of the drop cable body is flared.

7. The cable clamp according to claim 1 , wherein the main cable jaw has a cable contacting surface that can contact the main cable when the main cable jaw is in the closed position.

8. The cable clamp according to claim 7 , wherein the main cable body comprises a central portion associated with the main body, a first extension portion extending from one end of the central portion and a second extension portion extending from another end of the central portion, wherein the main cable central portion has a cable contacting surface that can contact the main cable when the main cable jaw is in the closed position.

9. The cable clamp according to claim 8 , wherein the first extension portion of the main cable body is flared.

10. The cable clamp according to claim 8 , wherein the second extension portion of the main cable body is flared.

11. A cable clamp comprising:
a frame having a main body;
a jaw assembly operatively coupled to the main body, the jaw assembly comprising:
a drop cable jaw movable along the main body between an open position and a closed position;
a main cable jaw movable along the main body between an open position and a closed position;
a slider coupled to the main cable jaw, the slider having a spring stop extending into a channel of the main body; and
a spring positioned in the channel between the channel wall and the spring stop, wherein the spring normally biases the main cable jaw toward the closed position; and

a stem extending through the aperture in the main body and movable between a position blocking the spring stop and a position releasing the spring stop.

12. The cable clamp according to claim 11 , wherein the stem comprises an eye-stem having an eye for releasably connecting the stem to an extendable reach tool.

13. The cable clamp according to claim 11 , wherein the slider comprises at least one arm that is coupled to the main cable jaw.

14. The cable clamp according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one arm is positioned within at least one corresponding slot in the main cable jaw to couple the slider to the main cable jaw.

15. The cable clamp according to claim 11 , wherein when the drop cable jaw is in the open position, a drop cable is capable of being positioned between the drop cable jaw and the drop cable body, and wherein when the drop cable jaw is in the closed position, the drop cable jaw applies a force against the drop cable clamping the drop cable to a drop cable body of the frame.

16. The cable clamp according to claim 15 , wherein the drop cable jaw has a cable contacting surface that can contact the drop cable when the drop cable jaw is in the closed position.

17. The cable clamp according to claim 16 , wherein the main cable body comprises a central portion associated with the main body, a first extension portion extending from one end of the central portion and a second extension portion extending from another end of the central portion, wherein the main cable central portion has a cable contacting surface that can contact the main cable when the main cable jaw is in the closed position.

18. The cable clamp according to claim 11 , wherein when the main cable jaw is in the open position, a main cable is capable of being positioned between the main cable jaw and the main cable body, and wherein when the main cable jaw is in the closed position, the main cable jaw applies a force against the main cable clamping the main cable to a main cable body of the frame.

19. The cable clamp according to claim 18 , wherein the main cable jaw has a cable contacting surface that can contact the main cable when the main cable jaw is in the closed position.

20. The cable clamp according to claim 19 , wherein the main cable body comprises a central portion associated with the main body, a first extension portion extending from one end of the central portion and a second extension portion extending from another end of the central portion, wherein the main cable central portion has a cable contacting surface that can contact the main cable when the main cable jaw is in the closed position.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Al Ghossein Rabih M
• Candelaria Adrian Beau
• Diop Seydou

Classifications

• B60M1/23

  Arrangements for suspending trolley wires from catenary line · CPC title

• G02B6/483

  Installation of aerial type · CPC title

• F16L3/1033

  with two members engaging the pipe, cable or tubing, the two members being joined only on one side of the pipe · CPC title

• G02B6/4471 Primary

  Terminating devices (demountable connectors G02B6/3807); Cable clamps · CPC title

• H02G7/08 Primary

  Members clamped to the supporting wire or to the line or cable · CPC title