WIRE PULLER

Abstract: A wire puller, especially for pulling a wire (23) through a terminal or connector (25) has a pair of levers (10, 14) connected by a first pivot (11) between a handgrip portion (12) and an abutment portion (13) on one lever (10), the other lever (14) having at least one fixed clamping member (16) and a movable clamping member (18) on a pivot (17), the movable clamping member (18) having a concentric, serrated wire-engaging face (21) and being urged by a spring to close that face (21) to a wire-engaging face (20) on the fixed clamping member (16), and the arrangement being such that opening of the levers (10, 14) causes the abutment portion (13) to open the clamping members (16, 18) for insertion of the wire (23) therebetween, while subsequent closing of the levers (10, 14) causes the clamping members (16, 18) to grip the wire (23) and pull it with respect to the terminal or connector (25) held against the abutment portion (13).

Description: WIRE PULLER This invention relates to a wire puller. There are numerous instances where wire needs to be pulled in a required direction. Thus, with such as wire mesh fencing, horizontal support strands of wire are provided between support posts and which, after being secured to a first post and carried to an endmost post, need to be tenεioned between the posts. In another instance, such as in the growing of vines, a considerable number of horizontal strands of wire need to be provided to provide support for the vines over their height. Again, the lengths of wire are secured to a first post and carried to an endmost post, with the need for the lengths of wire to be tensioned between the posts. The wires may be secured in tension by anchoring to the endmost post; or the wires may be looped round the endmost post and each provided with a terminal through which both the strand and the end pass and in which the end is gripped, pulling of the end through the terminal applying the tension to the strand. Likewise, successive lengths of wire may need to be connected together to form support strands of greater overall length than the individual wire lengths, a connector being provided for adjacent ends of successive lengths of a support strand, with the wire ends passing through the connector from opposite ends and gripped therein, pulling of one end through the connector applying tension to the strand if need be. Such a connector is described in WO 89/02994 and may be used alternatively as a terminal in the manner described above. With wire, pulling by hand can only tension the wire to a limited degree, and to an extent that would not be sufficient for the purposes mentioned above. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for pulling wire. According to the present invention, a wire puller comprises a first lever having a first pivot between a handgrip portion and an abutment portion, a second lever pivoted by the first pivot to the first lever between a handgrip portion of the second lever and a first clamping member on at least one side of the second lever, a second pivot on the second lever between the first pivot and the first clamping member, a second clamping member on the second pivot on at least the same side of the second lever as the first clamping member, the second clamping member being spring-loaded to a stop position towards the abutment portion of the first lever, and first and second wire-engaging faces on the first and second clamping members respectively, the second wire-engaging face being arcuate but non-concentric with the second pivot and whereby as the second clamping member is urged towards its stop position the minimum gap between the first and second wire-engaging faces diminishes, the abutment portion having a first abutment face adapted to press against the second clamping member when the handgrip portions of the levers are moved away from each other so as to increase the minimum gap between the wire-engaging faces for insertion therebetween of any wire up to a maximum diameter, and the abutment portion having a second abutment face facing oppositely to the first abutment face for abutment by a terminal or connector with respect to which the wire is to be pulled when the handgrip portions of the levers are moved towards each other. It will be appreciated that, as the handgrip portions of the levers are initially moved towards each other, the first abutment face is carried away from contact with the second clamping member thus allowing the second wire-engaging face to be urged towards the first wire-engaging face to effect an initial grip on a wire inserted therebetween. As the handgrip portions continue to be moved towards each other, tension in the wire and friction between it and the wire- engaging faces will bring about a greater grip on the wire. The second wire-engaging face, at least, is preferably provided with teeth or serrations, to enhance the grip. The abutment portion of the first lever may be provided with a notch for location of a wire extending from a terminal or connector to between the clamping members on the second lever, whereby the terminal or connector is located against the second abutment face. Alternatively, or preferably in addition, the second abutment face is recessed for receipt of one end of a terminal or connector. The other ' side of the second lever is preferably also provided with first and second clamping members, so that the wire puller can be used either way round, and the abutment portion of the first lever is likewise preferably provided with a pair of notches and/or a pair of recesses, one notch and/or one recess being aligned with a respective pair of clamping members. Repeated operation of the wire puller will, if need be, progressively pull a wire with respect to a terminal or connector. Both levers may have a U- section, with the abutment portion formed as a first separate solid component riveted between the limbs of the ϋ-section of the first lever, and with the first clamping member or (preferably) members formed integrally with a second separate solid component riveted between the limbs of the U-section of the second lever, and the handgrip portion of each lever is preferably fitted with a resilient sleeve forming the handgrip proper. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire puller in accordance with the invention in inoperative condition; Figure 2 is an elevation from the left hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the wire puller; Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 1 but shows the wire puller in condition to receive a wire to be pulled with respect to a terminal or connector; Figure 5 corresponds to the upper part of Figure 4 but shows the wire being gripped by the puller and ready to be pulled; and Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 5 but shows the wire having been pulled through the terminal or connector to- the fullest extent possible with a single operation of the puller. The wire puller shown in the drawings comprises a first lever 10 having a first pivot 11 between a handgrip portion 12 and an abutment portion 13, a second lever 14 pivoted by the first pivot 11 to the first lever 10 between a handgrip portion 15 of the second lever and a first clamping member 16 on at least one side of the second lever, a second pivot 17 on the second lever 14 between the first pivot 11 and the first clamping member 16, a second clamping member 18 on the second pivot 17 on at least the same side of the second lever 14 as the first clamping member, the second clamping member being loaded by a spring 19 to a stop position (see Figures 1 and 3) towards the abutment portion 13 of the first lever 10, and first and second wire-engaging faces 20, 21 on the first and second clamping members 16, 18 respectively, the second wire-engaging face 21 being arcuate but non-concentric with the second pivot 17 and whereby as the second clamping member 18 is urged towards its stop position the minimum gap between the first and second wire-engaging faces 20, 21 diminishes, the abutment portion 13 having a first abutment face 22 adapted to press against the second clamping member 18 when the handgrip portions 12, 15 of the levers 10, 14 are moved away from each other (see Figure 4) so as to increase the minimum gap between the wire-engaging faces 20, 21 for insertion therebetween of any wire 23 up to a maximum diameter, and the abutment portion 13 having a second abutment face 24 facing oppositely to the first abutment face 22 for abutment by a terminal or connector 25 with respect to which the wire 23 is to be pulled when the handgrip portions 12, 15 of the levers 10, 14 are moved towards each other (see Figure 6). As the handgrip portions 12, 15 of the levers 10, 14 are initially moved towards each other, the first abutment face 22 is carried away from contact with the second clamping member 18 thus allowing the second wire-engaging face 21 to be urged towards the first wire-engaging face 20 to effect an initial grip on the wire 23 inserted therebetween (see Figure 5). As the handgrip portions 12, 15 continue to be moved towards each other, tension in the wire 23 and friction between it and the wire-engaging faces 20, 21 will bring about a greater grip on the wire. The second wire-engaging face 21 is provided with teeth or serrations, to enhance the grip. The second abutment face 24 is recessed for receipt of one end of the terminal or connector 25 (see Figures 5 and 6). The other side of the second lever 14 is also provided with first and second clamping members 16X, 18X (see Figure 3) so that the wire puller can be used either way round, and the abutment portion 13 of the first lever 10 is provided with another recessed abutment face 24X (see Figures 2 and 3). Repeated operation of the wire puller will, if need be, progressively pull the wire 23 farther with respect to the terminal or connector 25. Both levers 10, 14 have a U-section, with the abutment portion 13 formed as part of a first separate solid component 26 secured between the limbs of the U-section of the first lever 10 by rivets 27, and with the first clamping members 16, 16X formed integrally with a second separate solid component 28 secured between the limbs of the U-section of the second lever by rivets 29. The handgrip portions 12, 15 of the levers 10, 14 are fitted with resilient sleeves 30, 31 forming the handgrips proper, and the lever 14 is provided with a stop portion 32 cooperating with the inside base of the U-section of the first lever 10 to limit closure of the levers (see Figures 1 and 6).

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A wire puller comprising a first lever having a first pivot between a handgrip portion and an abutment portion, a second lever pivoted by the first pivot to the first lever between a handgrip portion of the second lever and a first clamping member on at least one side of the second lever, a second pivot on the second lever between the first pivot and the first clamping member, a second clamping member on the second pivot on at least the same side of the second lever as the first clamping member, the second clamping member being spring-loaded to a stop position towards the abutment portion of the first lever, and first and second ire-engaging faces on the first and second clamping members respectively, the second ire-engaging face being arcuate but non-concentric with the second pivot and whereby as the second clamping member is urged towards its stop position the minimum gap between the first and second wire-engaging faces diminishes, the abutment portion having a first abutment face adapted to press against the second clamping member when the handgrip portions of the levers are moved away from each other so as to increase the minimum gap between the wire-engaging faces for insertion therebetween of any wire up to a maximum diameter, and the abutment portion having a second abutment face facing oppositely to the first abutment face for abutment by a terminal or connector with respect to which the wire is to be pulled when the handgrip portions of the levers are moved towards each other. 2. A w ire puller as in Claim 1 , wherein the abutment portion of the first lever is provided with a notch for location of a wire extending from a terminal or connector to between the clamping members on the second lever, whereby the terminal or connector is located against the second abutment face. 3. A wire puller as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the second abutment face is recessed for receipt of one end of a terminal or connector. 4. A wire puller as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the other side of the second lever is also provided with first and second clamping members, so that the wire puller can be used either way round 5. A wire puller as in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein both levers have a U-section, with the abutment portion formed as a first separate solid component riveted between the limbs of the U-section of the first lever, and with the first clamping member or members formed integrally with a second separate solid component riveted between the limbs of the U-section of the second lever. 6. A wire puller as in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the handgrip portion of each lever is fitted with a resilient sleeve forming the handgrip proper. 7. A wire puller as in Claim 5, wherein the second lever is provided with a stop portion cooperating with the inside base of the U-section of the first lever to limit closure of the levers. 8. A wire puller substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: CROMPTON SIMON HENRY, ORAM DAVID KENNETH, SHAWCROSS BRIAN EDWARD, CROMPTON, SIMON, HENRY, ORAM, DAVID, KENNETH, SHAWCROSS, BRIAN, EDWARD
Applicants: GRIPPLE LTD, GRIPPLE LIMITED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B25B25
IPC codes: B25B25, F16G11