Cable positioning assembly and pulling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11735894-B2
Application number	US-202117223346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2021
Priority date	Apr 7, 2020
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A cable pulling system and associated method are shown. Examples include positioning joints that allows a pulling boom to move up or down and side to side, while maintaining alignment of a pulling cable between pulleys. Example methods include positioning a pulling boom within a conduit box and pulling an electrical cable through a conduit into the conduit box.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable positioning assembly, comprising:
a winch mount having a first end and a second end;
a first pulley coupled to the winch mount, the first pulley rotatable about a first lateral axis;
a boom mount having a first end and a second end;
a second pulley coupled to the boom mount, the second pulley rotatable about a second lateral axis;
a first hinge pivotably coupling the first end of the winch mount to the first end of the boom mount;
a second hinge pivotably coupling the second end of the of the winch mount to the second end of the boom mount;
wherein the first and second hinges form a lateral positioning joint, the lateral positioning joint rotatable about a first vertical axis; and
wherein the first and second pulleys are positioned between the first hinge and the second hinge.

2. The cable positioning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the winch mount further includes a fitting configured to engage with a winch and couple the cable positioning assembly to the winch.

3. The cable positioning assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a vertical joint coupling the boom mount to a pulling boom, the pulling boom having a first end and a second end, wherein the vertical joint is rotatable about a third lateral axis.

4. The cable positioning assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pulling boom is curved.

5. The cable positioning assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pulling boom includes adjustable supporting legs.

6. The cable positioning assembly of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable supporting legs are positioned between a first end and a second end of the pulling boom.

7. The cable positioning assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pulling boom includes a first latch and a second latch pivotably coupled to the pulling boom, the first latch and the second latch operable to rotate around a lateral axis to couple the boom mount to the pulling boom.

8. The cable positioning assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first latch is spring-closed, and the second latch includes a latch retaining feature operable to engage with a latch retainer to prevent the second latch from rotating to close.

9. The cable positioning assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lateral positioning joint has a 180 degree range of rotational motion.

10. A cable pulling system, comprising:
a cable positioning assembly including:
a winch mount having a first end and a second end;
a first pulley coupled to the winch mount, the first pulley rotatable about a first lateral axis;
a boom mount having a first end and a second end;
a second pulley coupled to the boom mount, the second pulley rotatable about a second lateral axis;
a first hinge pivotably coupling the first end of the winch mount to the first end of the boom mount;
a second hinge pivotably coupling the second end of the of the winch mount to the second end of the boom mount;
wherein the first and second hinges form a lateral positioning joint, the lateral positioning joint rotatable about a first vertical axis;
wherein the first and second pulleys are positioned between the first hinge and the second hinge; and
a pulling boom having a first end to couple the cable positioning assembly to the pulling boom and a second end to deploy over a conduit;
wherein the pulling boom is coupled to the boom mount with a vertical joint, the vertical joint rotatable about a third lateral axis.

11. The cable pulling system of claim 10 , wherein the winch mount further includes a fitting configured to engage with a winch and couple the cable pulling system to the winch.

12. The cable pulling system of claim 10 , wherein the pulling boom is curved.

13. The cable positioning assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pulling boom includes a first latch and a second latch pivotably coupled to the pulling boom, the first latch and the second latch operable to rotate around a lateral axis to couple the boom mount to the pulling boom.

14. The cable positioning assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first latch is spring-closed, and the second latch includes a latch retaining feature operable to engage with a latch retainer to prevent the second latch from rotating to close.

15. The cable pulling system of claim 10 , wherein the lateral positioning joint has a 180 degree range of rotational motion.

16. The cable pulling system of claim 10 , wherein the vertical joint has a range of rotational motion between 90 and 160 degrees.

Assignees

• Tt Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Olander John A

Classifications

• H02G1/085 Primary

  using portable tools · CPC title

• H02G1/083 Primary

  using lines, e.g. needles, rods or tapes · CPC title

• 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