Abstract:
A device and method for leading objects through conduit are provided. A conduit leader is provided that is adapted to slide through a conduit and accept objects to be fed through a conduit run. The leader has a bore formed therein to accept objects and a securing means to secure the objects to the leader. The leader is preferably formed from a material that is at least as indurate as the conduit into which the objects are to be fed. The method of using the leader enables a single person to feed objects into a conduit and eliminates several steps required by previous processes used in the art.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/695,057, filed Jun. 29, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates generally to electrician tools, and, more particularly, to electrician tools providing the capability of feeding cable or other items through conduit.  
         [0003]     It is well known in the art of running electrical cable through conduit by using a fish-tape or similar device. A fish-tape is generally longitudinally stiff, and radially semi-stiff, and is usually constructed of a length of flat metal. The fish-tape is used by starting at an exit point of a conduit run and feeding the tape towards an entrance point. The longitudinal stiffness aids in pushing the tape through the conduit and the radial flexibility allows the tape to maneuver corners.  
         [0004]     The user must then proceed to the entrance point of the conduit. The user fastens electrical cable, or other item to be run through the conduit, to the fish-tape and proceeds back to the exit point. Only then can the user begin to pull the fish-tape and item fastened thereto through the conduit.  
         [0005]     As described, the process of using a fish-tape takes many steps. The process is hastened generally by the employ of additional workers.  
         [0006]     Therefore, the art of feeding items through-conduit could be improved by a device that eliminates undesirable additional feeding steps and allows a single worker to feed items efficiently.  
         [0007]     It is also well known in the electrical arts to provide an insulated, threaded electrical connector so as to allow a solderless electrical connection between adjacent wires. However, generally the insulating material used in conjunction with such connectors is not sufficiently hardened, or indurate, to withstand encounters with rough metal conduit edges and the like. Such material would be deformed by dents or deep scratches, and the deformation would negatively affect the leading capability of such a device. Furthermore, insulating material is prone to cracking or breakage which would lead to catastrophic failure of the device.  
         [0008]     Thus, the art of feeding items through conduit could be improved by a device that is sufficiently indurate so as to withstand all but only superficial scratches when physical encounters with metal or other sharp surfaces occur.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention is directed to a device that satisfies the needs defined above. A conduit leader having features of the present invention comprises a body having a closed end and an open end. The closed end is sized to fit into a conduit. The open end is sized to accept an item to be fed through the conduit. The open end is formed from a bore, which is created in the body of the leader. At least partially within, or in communication with, the bore is located a means for engaging the item to be fed through the conduit. Around the open end is a bore perimeter, which is also sized to fit into the conduit. Upon securing the leader to at least one item to be fed through a conduit, thereby forming a conductive or nonconductive junction, a single worker is able to push the item through the conduit as the leader allows guidance through conduit junctions and around corners. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective partially cut-away view of a prior art device.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a prior art device  9  is comprised of an insulating sheath  3 , an internal housing  5 , and a spring thread  7 . The purpose of the device  9  is to provide a solderless, conductive and insulated electrical connection to two or more cables or wires  90 . The insulating sheath  3  is necessary to prevent conduction between the connected wires  90 , the spring thread  7 , the housing  5  and any ambient structure (not shown) that may come in contact with the junction. Relative to a conduit, such insulating sheath lacks sufficient strength and would be prone to failure. Further, it is noted that the spring thread  7  continues along the entire length of the housing  5  disposed in the insulating sheath  3 . Also evident from  FIG. 1  is a blunt nose  2  and sharp, flared trailing edge  4  of the prior art device. The blunt nose  2  is not conducive to pushing through a conduit and the sharp trailing edge  4  significantly impedes retrieval, thereby perhaps causing such a device to become lodged in a conduit; a situation that would require significant labor to correct. Finally, the longitudinal flutes  6  would be prone to getting caught on obstructions.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , one embodiment  100  of the present invention is depicted. The leader  100  has a closed end  102  and an open end  104 . The leader  100  is preferably cylindrical in shape and may have a plurality of faceted sides  106 , which can serve as a gripping means. The leader  100  is constructed of a rigid material such as steel or other material sufficiently indurate to withstand all but superficial scratches. The leader  100  can be formed by any method well known in the art of forming the chosen material, such as casting or machining, or a combination thereof.  
         [0021]     The closed end  102  is preferably a convex shape. Generally, when faceted sides  106  are employed, the closed end  102  will be smaller, in surface area, than the open end  104 . Although the surface area covered by the closed end  102  is not required to be smaller than that of the open end  104 , such asymmetrical cross-sectional size would enable the leader  100  to act as a wedge as it is being fed through a conduit.  
         [0022]     The open end  104  is preferably generally circular in shape, and sized to accept items  900  to be led through a conduit run. Although  FIG. 2  depicts multiple items  900 , it is contemplated that the leader  100  may be sized to accommodate only a single item  902 , as is shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 , and  5 .  
         [0023]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a second embodiment  200  of the present invention is shown. The leader  200  has only two faceted sides  206 , as an alternative to the four faceted sides  106  of the embodiment in  FIG. 2  (only two of which can be seen). The faceted sides  106 , 206  can be formed at any desirable angle (α). However an angle α greater than forty-five degrees would likely impede the leading capabilities. Generally, an angle a of between five and fifteen degrees works well.  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 . A similar cross-section would be seen if leader  100  were sectioned. The leader  200  is provided with a bore  210  having threads  208  disposed therein. Although the bore  210  is depicted as tapered, it is contemplated that a different bore could be formed as long as the threads  208  are spaced to properly engage the object  902 . Casting or machining could be used to form the bore  210 . Thus, this embodiment is preferably of a unitary single piece construction. The threads  208  are sufficiently spaced to engage the objects  900  or object  902  to be led through conduit. Around the bore  210  is left a bore perimeter  211 . The bore perimeter  211  preferably has edges that taper back towards the item  902  so as to allow easy extraction from a conduit if necessary. The preferred taper is a simple rounded edge  211 . Furthermore, as can be seen in  FIG. 5 , it is desirable to maintain, proximate the closed end  202 , a solid portion of the device  200  into which the bore  210  does not protrude. The solid portion adds strength and mass to the device  200  to aid in leading items through conduit. While varying amounts of material could be used, it is preferable that at least approximately fifteen percent of the length of the device  200  be maintained solid or reinforced in some manner.  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  provides another alternative embodiment  500  of the present invention, and  FIG. 7  shows a cross section of this alternative embodiment  500  taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 . Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , instead of utilizing only threads  208  within the bore  210 , the leader  500  is provided with a bore  510  and a setscrew  512 . Since the setscrew  512  engages the items  900  to be fed through a conduit, the bore  510  of this embodiment does not need threads  208  and may instead form a smooth interior surface  508 .  
         [0026]     To make the leader  500 , the general cylindrical shape and bore  510  can be formed from any method well known in the art such as casting or machining. Although the bore  510  is depicted as tapered, it is contemplated that a straight bore could also be used. After the general shape is achieved, faceted sides  506  are formed, if the sides  506  were not formed during the casting or machining steps. A threaded aperture  514  is then created in the leader  500 , preferably on a faceted side  506  if one is provided.  
         [0027]      FIG. 8  provides yet another embodiment  700  of the present invention. This embodiment provides a leader  700  having a generally cylindrical shape with a closed end  702  and an open end  704 . The closed end  702  is preferably convex to facilitate the leading function. The outer surface of the leader  700  may be provided with a gripping means  716 , such as knurling. While pictured as incorporating the engaging means similar to that of  FIG. 5 , it is contemplated that this leader  700  design could be used with other engaging means.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-8 , the leader  100  is fastened to the item to be led through a conduit or similar structure. In the case of leader  100 ,  200  or  700 , it is simply twisted onto the items  900  or item  902  with the user&#39;s hand, thereby engaging the items  900  or item  902  with the threads  208  in the bore  210 . In using the leader  500 , it would first be worked onto the items  900  or item  902  and the setscrew  512  would then be turned into the bore  510  thereby creating a frictional pressure engagement of the items  900  or item  902 .  
         [0029]     Once a leader is fastened to the items  900  or item  902  to be fed through a conduit, the user simply approaches a conduit entrance point and places the leader into the conduit and begins pushing the items  900  or item  902  into the conduit using the leader as a guide. The process continues until at least a portion of the leader is exposed or retrievable at a conduit exit. This process eliminates the step of feeding a fish-tape from the exit point and provides the efficient feeding of items into conduit by one person.  
         [0030]     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention.