Improved Mechanism for Threading Wires and the like through Pipes or Tubes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1891-Accepted. 16th May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Threading Wires and the like through
Pipes or Tubes.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane in the County of Middles: x, Fellow of the In-titute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Ferdinand August Wessel (Electrician) of 128, Dean Street, and
August Giese (Merchant) of 202, Warren Street, both in the City of Brooklyn,
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means for drawing a wire, a cable, a
rope. or the like, through a long tube or conduit from end to end when such tube or
conduit is unprovided with any longitudinal opening-in other words when it is a
long tube open only at its ends. By this mechanism a wire, or cable, or the like,
for telegraphic, telephonic, and other electrical conductors may be readily threaded
through conduits all ready in position.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein Figure I is a top view, partly in section, of two conduits, one
of which is shewn in section with the improved wire carrying mechanism in position
for action.
Figure 1 is a top view of the improved mechanism, shewing it contained within a
conduit which is represented in section, the two carriages of the mechanism being
apart.
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 14, but representing the two carriages in
contact.
Figure 3 is a side view of the improved mechanism with the carriages in contact,
the mechanism being represented in a subway which appears in section.
Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged horizontal sections, on line A Figure 6, of the
outermost or loose carriage, shewing the clamps respectively drawn in and
pushed out.
Figure 6 is a detail vertical section, on lines & Figures 2 and 4, of the last
referred to carriage.
Figure 7 is a detail vertical section, on the plane of line cc Figure 14, looking
outwardly, that is in the direction of the arrow placed near said section line cc,
but shewing the pins in the other end of the slots as they appear when the clamp is
forced out.
Figure 8 is a detail cross-section through the wire-carrying mechanism and
through the conduit embracing the same, the line Figure 6 indicating the
plane of section.
Figure 9 is an enlarged top view of the innermost end of the wire-carrying
mechanism; and
Figure 9.
Figure 10 is a detail vertical section of said end on line
Figure 11 is a top view of a modification of the improved mechanism, shewing it
within a conduit, which is represented in section; and
Figure 12 is a side view of said modification, shewing it likewise within a conduit,
represented in section.
The invention mainly consists of two self-clamping carriages and a suitable
mechanism to move them from, and towards, one another, one of said carriages being
shewn secured to a carrier or stem whilst the other is shewn adapted to slide on
said shank or stem, the combination operating in such a manner that while the
outer carriage clamps itself tight within the conduit it is utilised as an abutment

page_text: for drawing the stem and the remaining carriage inwards, after which the inner
carriage clamps itself tight in the conduit and allows the outer carriage to be
drawn up towards it, and thus a wire, or set of wires, attached to the central stem
or carrier can gradually, by a step by step motion, be moved into and through the
entire length of the tube.
In order to give a clearer description of this invention, I will now proceed to
describe it with reference to the drawings (omitting, for the present,
Figures 11 and 12).
A represents a tube or conduit through which the wires B 13 (see Figure 1) are
to be drawn; or, in other words, the tube A is to be threaded with the wires B. These
wires are secured, by tying or otherwise, to a stem or carrier (which is as long as
necessary for the purpose of this mechanism and straight for a straight tube but may
be correspondingly curved for a curved tube. Supposing the stem to be inserted
into the tube A so that one end enters the tube while the other slightly projects
therefrom, as in Figure 1; I will call the end which enters the tube the inner end
and the end which projects therefrom the outer end of the stem or shank. To the
inner end is secured, by a bolt a., what I call the inner carriage D and at a distance
outwards from this inner carriage D is fitted, so as to be able to freely slide, the
outer or sliding carriage E. The two carriages D and E are connected with each
other by strong springs F F, which have the tendency, normally, to draw the two
carriages D, E, close together, as in Figures 2 and 3, but which permit said
carriages to be moved asunder, as in Figure 14. In the drawings, the stem or
shank (´is represented as being composed of two long parallel bars which are
rigidly connected together by a cross-pin d at or near their outer ends, but which
otherwise leave a free longitudinal passage between them for the play of the
carriages and their parts, as will hereafter more fully appear.
1 will now proceed to describe the construction of the outer or sliding carriage E.
The said carriage consists mainly of a rigid frame which embraces the stem or
shank C and which is composed of two plates ee that may have projecting ribs e²,
as shown in Figure 8. Each of said plates has the length of the carriage itself, the
said plates being united into a rigid structure by vertical connecting pieces! there
being also horizontal connecting pieces between the ribs for furnishing an
attachment to the end of the spring F. The frame ey of this carriage E thus
constructed is free to slide on the stem or shank C, and, in turn, the stem or shank C
is free to slide within said carriage E. Near the inner end of the carriage E is
placed a sliding bolt which carries side lugs or a cross-piece that is connected
by springs i with the inner end of the carriage E, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
GG are clamp plates for clamping the carriage to the tube A. These clamp
plates are pivotally connected at to the laterally-slotted cross-piece_*, the pivot
pins passing also into slanting or converging slots in the plates e. The outer end
of each clamp plate has a pin in that enters into a slanting slot a provided for its
reception in the plate e. The edges of the two clamps G G that face each other are
respectively parallel with the inclination of the slots and are in contact with
friction rollers o, which are carried by the carriage E, said rollers being pivoted
in the plates. It will appear, from a comparison of Figures 4 and 5, that when-
ever the bolt is moved outwards-that is to the right in Figure 4-so as to strain
the springs i, the clamps G G will be made to approach one another, whereas when-
ever the bolt is drawn inward by the spring, as in Figure 5, it will draw the
clamps with it and will thereby bring them into the outer parts of the slots as as
to expand said clamps. It follows that whenever the springs are not strained, the
clamps are expanded sufficient to securely hold the carriage fist in the tube,
but that whenever the springs are extended, the clamps are loosened, being drawn
inwards.
The foregoing description of the construction of the carriage E applies also to the
construction of the inner carriage D, and it will not, therefore, be necessary to give
any further description of the inner carriage except to state that the inner carriage
is securely attached to the stem or shank C by the pin or bolt a, as in

page_text: Figures 9 and 10. But the outer carriage E has one additional element which is
not found in the inner carriage, namely, a pulley p, mounted in its outer end, around
which passes a rope H by which the instrument is actuated.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the mechanism;-A wire, cable,
or the like, to be threaded or passed through the tube A, is attached as in Figure 1
to the pin d or any other suitable means of attachment at the outer end of the stem
or shank C. The rope H is now laid around the pulley p and one end of said rope
is then tied to the pin d. The other end of the rope is to be grasped by the
operator and must be of a length equal to the length of the tube A. The
instrument, which is now ready for operation, is now inserted into the tube A at
one end thereof, it being of course understood that the clamps G G on the carriages
are so proportioned that when expanded they will securely hold their respective
carriages in the tube. When now the operator pulls on the free end of the rope H
the first effect is to draw the carriage E slightly outwards until the clamps G take
a tight hold against the inner face of the tube A, the springs i of the carriage E
being unstrained at this stage of the proceeding. A further pull on the rope
will now propel the stem C forward and with it the inner carriage D which, as soon
as the inward motion commences, strains its springs i and thereby releases its hold on
the tube. Hence as long as the operator pulls on the rope, the carriage E remains
stationary and the stem or shank C with the carriage D is moved or drawn inwards
into the tube. Thercupon-that is as soon as the pin d has approached the pulley p
as near as practicable-the operator should let go of the rope H and immediately
upon so doing, the clamps G of the inner carriage D expand and grip against the
inner side of the tube and hold fast, thereby enabling the springs FF to pull the
outer carriage E inwards which the said springs Fare enabled to do because the
clamps G of the outer carriage relax their hold the moment the inward pull begins.
In other words, each of the carriages automatically clamps itself in the tube when
there is no strain upon it, or when there is a strain or pull upon it in an outward
direction, and automatically lets go of this grip as soon as a pull in an inward
direction is applied, and thus it is that while the rope H is pulled the carriage E is
stationary and the carriage D is advanced by the direct pull of the operator and
that when the rope is let go the carriage D remains stationary and the carriage E
is advanced by the contraction of the springs F and thus by a step by step motion
the alternate pulling and relaxing of the rope H causes the entire machinery to
pass along in the tube A until finally it emerges from the other end thereof or
reaches any other desired position therein. From this further end, the entire
machine can be conveniently withdrawn from the tube, because, as already stated,
both sets of clamps relax their hold as soon as their respective carriages are moved
in the direction which I have termed the inward direction, which will be the
discharge direction at the further end of the tube.
The modification which is shewn in Figures 11 and 12 differs from the construction
heretofore described only in the location of the pulley p and spring F. In this
modification, the pulley pis hung in the inner carriage D and the two carriages D, E,
are not connected together by the spring F, but, instead, the spring F connects the
outer carriage E with the outer part of the stem or shauk C, the result being that,
when the rope H is pulled, the inner carriage remains stationary, the outer carriage
E is pulled inwards, and the spring F strained, and when afterwards the rope H
is relaxed the outer carriage E clamps itself tight, allowing the spring F to pull
the shank C and with it the inner carriage D ahead, and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. In apparatus for drawing or threading wires, cables, and the like, through
pipes or tubes, the combination of the shank C with a self-clamping carriage D
rigidly fastened thereto and with another clamping carriage E which runs on said

page_text: shank (and with a contracting spring or springs F for drawing the carriages
toward each other, substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. In apparatus for drawing or threading wires, cables, and the like, through
pipes or tubes, the combination of the shank the carriages D, E, the contracting
spring F between said carriages, the pulley on the running carriage E, and the
rope H fastened to shank C by the pin d, all arranged substantially as specified.
3. The carriage E composed of the plates the vertical commecting pieces in
combination with the sliding bolt 4, bolt springs and clamps (G, the plates e
heing provided with slanting slots to permit of an outward and inward motion of
the clamps, substantially as herein shewn and described.
"
4. In apparatus for drawing or threading wires, cables, and the like, through
pipes or tubes, the combination of the shank the contracting springs and the
carriages D, E, each of said carriages being composed of plates e, a sliding bolt h,
the bolt springs, the clamps G G, and the vertical plate connecting piece 7, said
plates having diverging slots which permit the outward and inward motion of the
clamps, substantially as specified.
e
Dated thin 144h dar of A1001
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.