Patent ID: 6802494
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: B25B,H02G

Abstract:
A wire retriever system for guiding electric wires through relatively inaccessible openings comprising, in combination:a wire having at least one free end; a handle having a generally cylindrical configuration with a receiving end, a distal end and a central portion there between, the receiving end having a cylindrical configuration with a cylindrical hollow interior portion with a first diameter and an open end, the receiving end further having a pair of circular apertures adjacent to the open end and lying directly opposed to each other with the receiving end also having a pair of generally cylindrical apertures being adjacent to the circular apertures and also lying directly opposed to each other and parallel with the receiving end, the distal end having a cylindrical portion adapted to be held in the hand of a user, the central portion having a frustoconical region and a lip portion; a plurality of wire retaining members having a cylindrical configuration with a second diameter equal to the first diameter, each retaining member having a working end with an aperture adapted to receive the free end of the wire and a coupling end having four conical recesses equally spaced there around with the recesses having a first circumference, the wire retaining members being adapted to fit in the hollow interior portion of the receiving end of the handle; a sleeve having a cylindrical configuration with an external end, an internal end and an open central cylindrical portion and being adapted to slide over the receiving end of the handle, the sleeve having a second pair of circular apertures being opposed to each other, the central portion having a third diameter equal to the first and second diameter and having a recessed region of a fourth diameter adjacent to the external end and with the fourth diameter being larger than the first, second and third diameter; a pair of ball bearings of a spherical configuration having a second circumference equal to the first circumference of the recesses of the wire retaining member and being adapted to reside in the circular apertures of the handle, the ball bearings having a first position when the sleeve is pulled toward the handle allowing the recessed region of the sleeve to lie adjacent to the circular apertures of the handle allowing the wire retaining member to be positioned within the hollow interior portion of the handle without obstruction by the ball bearings, a second position where in the sleeve being in a rest position and holding the ball bearings into the conical recesses of the wire retaining members thereby holding the wire retaining member in place; a solid cylinder adapted to pass through the circular apertures of the sleeve and the cylindrical apertures of the receiving end of the handle such that the sleeve being adapted to slide between the first position and the second position in a uniform manner; and a spring positioned in the cylindrical hollow interior portion adjacent to the central portion of the handle and providing a biasing to the sleeve such that the sleeve remains in the second position until the user moves the sleeve into the first position when changing the wire retaining members.