Abstract:
A large wire anti-theft device having a first body and a second body, the anti-theft device accepts passage of a large wire for inhibiting movement of a large wire by friction and compression for inhibiting movement of the large wire through the first body and the second body. A tension force applied to the large wire shall cause tightening of the first body and the second body against the large wire for preventing theft of the large wire.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of anti-theft devices and more particularly, to an anti-theft device used to inhibit thievery of large wire. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, the price of copper and other metals has steadily increased due to industrialization of countries around the world. The price of certain metals has increased dramatically leading to a market that supports thievery of used wire wherein the wire is either reused or the conductor reclaimed. A common conductor is copper, known for its low resistivity and ease of bending, which is stolen and sold to recycling facilities. The most common metals stolen are copper, aluminum, brass and bronze. 
     The theft results in downed street lights, street signals and pedestrian walkways due to a loss of power resulting in perilous roadway conditions for drivers and pedestrians alike, as well as thousands of dollars in damage including expenses relating to replacement wiring, machinery and man hours. 
     In 2011, a pedestrian was killed near Miami, Fla. while attempting to cross a road where the street lights were inoperable due to copper wire theft. In Fresno, Calif., thieves stealing copper wire from city street lights are costing the city about $50,000 per month, over 2,500 street lights have been stripped to date. In Davis, Calif., six miles of copper wire was stolen from electrical boxes for street lights. Miles of copper wire was stolen from street lights lining the main highway through South Florida. Thieves will cut copper wiring at a location and spool the wire onto a cable reel allowing thieves to take many miles of copper cable at a time. 
     This problem is not limited to the United States. In January of 2011, 300 meters of copper wire was stolen which resulted in the derailment of an ICE train near the Dutch city of Zevenaar. In November of 2011, copper wire from street poles was stolen from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. 
     In addition to the loss of the wire, costs include replacement labor. Subsequent to a theft, the wiring must be replaced quickly to restore power and protect the communities from electrocution from exposed wiring and other unsafe conditions. 
     Typical counter measures include law enforcement officials working in close conjunction with scrap metal dealers, as well as implementing resale waiting periods and intrusion detection. Various attempts have also been made to prevent theft of the wire. 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. US2009/0095500A1 discloses a locking cap to safeguard metal wiring in a utility pole which may include a base adapted to be detachably mounted to the utility pole by at least one fastener and a shield adapted to be locked to the base. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,880,612 discloses a method and alarm device used to prevent metal theft from irrigation systems including attaching an alarm device to a preexisting irrigation circuit, monitoring a continuous voltage to detect for integrity breach in an electric conductor. 
     U.S. Patent Publication 2008/0289870 discloses a wire clamping element placed on a base of an electrical fixture supporting pole for clampingly securing an electrical wire cable to a vertical surface. 
     What is lacking in the art is a device that prevents the theft of large sized wire without breaching the integrity of the wire. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention is directed to an anti-theft device for large wire. In particular, the device is suited for large copper wire that interconnects miles of street lights with minimal junctions. The large wire anti-theft device of the instant invention is positioned inside of the wire conduit pipe, typically placed underground. The device is positioned at various locations along the length of the wire preventing retraction of the wire without first removal of the anti-theft device. The instant invention prevents spooling wire onto a cable reel or otherwise removing larger wire that passes through PVC pipe at any point. This prevents the theft of miles worth of large wire in a single instance. 
     Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to provide an anti-theft device that prevents removal of wire housed within a conduit. 
     It is a further objective of the instant invention to prevent spooling theft where thieves are able to quickly reel large lengths of wire. 
     It is yet another objective of the instant invention to provide a mechanism that that sandwiches the wire causing frictional clamping to prevent movement of the wire. 
     Yet still another objective of the instant invention is to provide a low cost anti-theft device that can be used current conduit installations. 
     Still another objective of the instant invention is to provide an anti-theft device that maintains wires in a spaced apart position to eliminate any chaffing at the theft device collection points. 
     Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of the large wire anti-theft device. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the large wire anti-theft device. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a second member engaging a first member. 
         FIG. 4  shows a rear view of a first member. 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view of front view of a second member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and initially to  FIG. 1  set forth is a large wire anti-theft device  10  for preventing theft of large cable wires. The anti-theft device  10  includes a first member  11  and a second member  13  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The first member  11  is formed from a rigid circular shaped housing having a sidewall defined by an outer surface  12  and an inner surface  14 . A ring element formed about an edge of the sidewall, the ring element includes a flat surface  52  extending outwardly from the outer surface  12  to form a continuous lip, an outer surface  16 , a front surface  36 , and a back surface  18 . The front surface  36  includes a plurality of aperture  38  each configured to permit a large wire to pass therethrough. 
     A conically shaped guide body extends outwardly from the front surface  36  to a distal surface  62 . The guide body is defined by a plurality of concaved shaped wire guides  44  positioned between fin surface guides  46  and at least one side fin guide  48 . Each fin surface guide  46  includes two opposing side fin guides  48  situated thereon. The distal surface  62  includes a centrally disposed aperture  40  that permits a large wire to pass therethrough in addition to the pass through apertures  38 . The wire guide  44  may be formed to match the shape of a large wire  78 . Each wire guide  44  surface may include a number of raised protrusions  42  for use in frictionally engaging the wire. 
     In the embodiment depicted, the front surface  36  includes six holes around the perimeter and a centrally located aperture  40  effectively allowing  7  wires to properly position with the device. The six wire guides  44  extending out from front surface  36  form the outer surface of the guide body, received into the second member conduit. 
     The second member  13  is formed from a sidewall having an outer surface  20 , inner surface  32 , locking surface  34 . A second ring element formed about an edge of the sidewall, the ring element includes a flat surface  31 , an outer surface  22 , and a reciprocal front surface  30 . The circumference of locking surface  34  reduces from reciprocal front surface  30  to inner surface  32 . A plurality of fins  56  extend from the locking surface  34  to the inner surface  32 , where they transition to inner surface fins  50 . The second member  13  permits large wires to pass centrally. 
     The flat surface  52  of the first member  11  is constructed and arranged to abut the edge  54  of a male adapter member  70 . The male adapter member  70  has male threading  26 . Alternatively, the flat surface  52  is constructed and arranged to abut an inner ring of a female adapter member  72 . The female adapter member  72  has female threading  28 . The inner ring of a female adapter member  72  is constructed and arranged to impede either first member  11  or second member  13  from passing therethrough. The male threading  26  and the female threading  28  threadingly engage each other. 
     The second member  13  slidingly engages the first guide body of the first member  11 . In particular, each fin  56  is constructed and arranged to slide along the fin surface guide  46  and engage between opposing side fin guides  48  ( FIG. 3 ). The first member  11  and the second member  13  may be secured inside two connecting pipe members. The two connecting pipe adapter members are preferably PVC or metal adapter members being one male and one female adapter members that screwingly engage to prevent the first member and the second member from complete separation relative to each other. 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the male adapter member  70  is a 2″ conduit shown holding seven 6 gauge (AWG) wires; however, any sized PVC pipe is contemplated and compatible. The female adapter member  72  constructed with a lip member to prevent over rotation between the male adapter and the female adapter. 
     The engagement of male adapter member  70  and female adapter member  72  causes locking surface  34  to press against at least one large wire  78  causing the wire  78  to press against wire guide  44  and a number of raised protrusions  42 . The engagement of wire guide  44 , a number of raised protrusions  42  and locking surface  34  prevent movement of at least one large wire through the plurality of holes  38 . The first member and the second member may be formed of plastic, metal or Nylon. Particularly, the anti-theft device may be formed of Nylon 6/6 with 33% glass fill. 
     The system includes a method of installation including the steps where one of the first member  11  and the second member  13  is placed onto a first adapter having one of male and female threading; wires are fed through both the first member  11  and the second member  13 . The cone of the first member  11  is inserted into the conduit of the second member  13 . A second adapter that threadingly engages the first adapter to a desired tightness. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the first member  11  generally comprised of: a sidewall having an outer surface  12  having a diameter between 2.1 and 1.9 inches and an inner surface  14 , a ring element formed about an edge of the sidewall having a maximum diameter of 2.2 inches, the ring element includes a flat surface  52 , an outer surface  16 , and a front surface  36 . The front surface  36  includes a plurality of holes  38  having a diameter of 0.344 inches. The holes  38  are each configured to permit a cable to pass therethrough. A first guide body that extends perpendicularly 1.5 inches out from the front surface  36 . The first guide body outer surface includes at least one concaved wire guide  44  where an 80° acute angle exists between each concaved wire guide  44  outer surface and front surface  36 , distal surface  62 , at least one fin surface guide  46 , at least one side fin guide  48  and inside wall surface  66  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ). Each fin surface guide  46  includes two opposing fin guides situated thereon. The distal surface  62  includes a central hole  40  that permits a large wire  78  to pass therethrough. The wire guide  44  may be formed to match the shape of a wire  78 . Each wire guide  44  surface may include a number of raised protrusions  42 . The first guide body includes a hole  40  that permits a large wire  78  to pass therethrough. In one variation of the anti-theft device, the front surface  36  includes six holes. Additionally, six wire guides  44  extend out from front surface  36 . The six wire guides  44  extending out from front surface  36  form the outer surface of a cone. The cone is received into the second member  13  conduit. The second member  13  generally comprised of: a sidewall having an outer surface  20  having a diameter of 1.95 inches, inner surface  32 , locking surface  34  having a 10° acute angle relative the outer surface, a ring element formed about an edge of the sidewall, the ring element includes a flat surface  31 , an outer surface  22 , and a reciprocal front surface  30 . Flat surface  31  opposes reciprocal front surface  30 . The circumference of locking surface  34  reduces from reciprocal front surface  30  to inner surface  32 . A plurality of fins  56  extend from the locking surface  34 . The second member  13  permits large wires to pass centrally. 
     All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
     It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein. 
     One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.