Patent Publication Number: US-7909376-B1

Title: Lineman&#39;s pole and hook assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Background of the Invention 
     In general, the present invention relates to the structure of poles used by linemen of an electrical power company to touch and reset protective cutout devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of the hook at the tip of the lineman&#39;s pole and the method of using such a hook. 
     2. Prior Art Description 
     Overhead power lines are used to transmit electrical power throughout most of the United States. Such overhead power lines contain protective cutout devices at strategic points. A protective cutout device is essentially a conductive element that is held in an insulated holder. The insulated holder is connected to a power line. The electricity flowing through the power line passes through the conductive element in the cutout device. Using a pole, a lineman can pull the conductive element from the insulated housing and stop the flow of electricity through a particular power line. This enables linemen down stream to safely work on the power lines without fear of electrocution. 
     A protective cutout device is formed from two basic parts. Those parts include a conductive arm and the insulated housing. The conductive arm is connected to the insulated housing by a pivot. When the pulled by a lineman&#39;s pole, one end of the conductive arm separates from the insulated housing. Gravity then causes the conductive arm to swing down from the insulated housing. In this manner, a lineman can see which protective cutout is open by a simple visible inspection. 
     When work on a power line needs to be done, a lineman finds the protective cutouts that will isolate that section of the power line. The conductive arms are then pulled open to stop the flow of electricity Once the work is done, the conductive arms are pivoted back into their operational positions using a long pole, commonly called a hot stick. 
     The pole used by linemen has a hook at one end. The hook is used to engage a loop on the swinging conductive arm. Once the loop on the swinging conductive arm is engaged with the hook on the pole, the lineman then manipulates the pole to push or pull the conductive arm back into its operational position. 
     Pushing a swinging conductive arm back into its proper operational position with a long pole is not always easy. Protective cutout devices are often located on suspended wires that easily sway. Furthermore, the hook on the pole makes a very loose connection with the loop on the swinging conductive arm. As a result, when force is applied to the pole and hook, that force tends to rotate the entire protective cutout device rather than move just the swinging conductive arm. This prevents the conductive arm from firmly seating into its operational position. As a consequence, it often takes a lineman several attempts to properly reset a swinging conductive arm. Furthermore, in some circumstances, two linemen are required. One lineman holds the protective cutout device steady, while the other sets the swinging conductive arm. 
     A need therefore exists for improving the equipment and methods used by linemen to set swinging conductive arms on protective cutout devices. In this manner, linemen can reset protective cutout devices in less time and with less labor. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an improved electrical lineman&#39;s pole and its associated method of use. The lineman&#39;s pole has a top end and a bottom end. A post extends laterally from the pole proximate its top end. A slot receptacle is provided proximate the post. The slot receptacle has an open top that faces the post and extends in a line perpendicular to the post. 
     Power lines have protective cutout devices with swinging conductive arms that swing free when open. Each swinging conductive arm contains a loop that enables the swinging conductive arm to be engaged by a lineman&#39;s pole. To utilize the present invention, the top end of the pole is brought into contact with a swinging conductive arm. The post extending from the pole is passed through the loop on the swinging conductive arm. Furthermore, a portion of the loop is positioned into the slot receptacle. A lineman pushes on the pole assembly to rotate the swinging conductive arm in a selected plane. The portion of the loop in the slot receptacle prevents the swinging conductive arm from rotating out of the selected plane. Consequently, the protective cutout device does not turn from side to side during the resetting procedure. The swinging conductive arm can therefore be reset in a more time efficient and labor efficient manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a lineman&#39;s pole assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the assemblage at the top of the exemplary lineman&#39;s pole assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the assemblage of  FIG. 2  shown in conjunction with a prior art protective cutout device; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assemblage of  FIG. 2  engaging a loop from a prior art protective cutout device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a pole assembly  10  is shown. The pole assembly  10  contains a long dielectric pole or shaft  12 . The shaft  12  may be set in length or may be adjustable in length, such is commonplace with various lineman&#39;s poles. 
     A hook assemblage  14  is coupled to the distal end of the shaft  12 . The hook assemblage  14  may be permanently affixed in a set position at the end of the shaft  12 . However, in the shown embodiment, the hook assemblage  14  is coupled to the shaft  12  at a joint connection  16 . The joint connection  16  is a pivot joint having two halves  18 ,  19  that are held together by a bolt  20  and butterfly nut  22 . One half  18  of the joint connection  16  is formed at the end of the shaft  12 . The other half  19  of the joint connection  16  is formed as part of the hook assemblage  14 . 
     Teeth  24  are formed on both halves  18 ,  19  of the joint connection  16 . The teeth  24  intermesh at various positions. It will therefore be understood that the hook assemblage  14  and the shaft  12  can be placed into a variety of relative orientations. Once a selected orientation is obtained, the butterfly nut  22  is tightened on the bolt  20  to prevent the hook assemblage  14  from inadvertently moving with respect to the shaft  12 . 
     The hook assemblage  14  includes a shank section  26 . The shank section  26  has a top end  27  and a bottom end  28 . The teeth  24  of one half  19  of the joint connection  16  are disposed proximate the bottom end  28  of the shank section  26 . A post  30  extends away from the shank section  26  proximate the top end  27 . The post  30  extends away from the shank section  26  at a perpendicular. 
     A slot receptacle  32  is provided directly below the post  30 . The slot receptacle  32  is defined by a rear wall  34 , a front wall  36  and a closed bottom  38 . The slot receptacle  32  creates a confined slot having an open top  40  and two open sides  41 ,  42 . The plane of the slot receptacle  32  and the run of the open top  40  are both perpendicular to the length of the post  30 . Furthermore, the post  30  is positioned a short distance above the center of the open top  40  of the slot receptacle  32 . 
     The slot receptacle  32  is narrow, having a gap space  44  between the front wall  36  and rear wall  34  of no more than one centimeter. The front wall  36  of the slot receptacle  32  may have a slight flare to facilitate the passage of a loop into the slot receptacle  32 , as will later be explained. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown the present invention hook assemblage  14  in conjunction with a traditional protective cutout device  50 . The protective cutout device  50  has a swinging conductive arm  54 . The swinging conductive arm  54  has a free end  55  and an opposite pivoted end  56 . When in an operational position, the free end  55  of the swinging conductive arm  54  is engaged with the protective cutout device  50 . When pulled open by a lineman, the swinging conductive arm  54  pivots and the free end  55  of the conductive arm  54  swings free. A loop  60  is disposed at the free end  55  of the swinging conductive arm  54  in order to make the swinging conductive arm  54  accessible by a lineman&#39;s pole. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  in conjunction with  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that in order to use the present invention pole assembly  10 , the hook assemblage  14  is raised to the height of the swinging conductive arm  54 . The post  30  extending from the hook assemblage  14  is then passed through the loop  60  at the free end  55  of the swinging conductive arm  54 . Once the post  30  passes into the loop  60 , the hook assemblage  14  is manipulated by a lineman until the bottom of the loop  60  passes into the slot receptacle  32 . Once the post  30  extends through the loop  60  and the loop  60  is present within the slot receptacle  32 , the swinging conductive arm  54  is considered to be positively engaged by the hook assemblage  14 . This condition of positive engagement is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     When the hook assemblage  14  is in positive engagement with the loop  60  on the swinging conductive arm  54 , it will be understood that the loop  60  cannot swing laterally in the directions of arrows  61 ,  62  independently of the hook assemblage  14 . Accordingly, when a lineman pushes up on the pole assembly  10  and creates an upward force F, that force F cannot cause the swinging conductive arm  54  to rotate in the direction of arrow  61  or arrow  62 . Rather, the upward force F is maintained in a vertical direction and rotates the swinging conductive arm  54  back into its operational position. 
     As a consequence, the old problem of having the swinging conductive arm  54  move laterally when pushed is removed. A lineman can therefore reset the swinging conductive arm  54  in a more time and labor efficient manner. 
     It will be understood that there are a wide variety of protective cutout devices that are currently in use. Different protective cutout devices have different loop sizes, loop thicknesses and loop positions. Accordingly, it should be understood that different hook assemblages can be manufactured for different protective cutout devices. The shown hook assemblage should therefore be considered a mere example. A person skilled in the art can modify the exemplary configuration to better fit specific needs. All such variations, modifications, and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.