Improvements in Hand-vice and other Strainers or Stretchers for Telegraph, Telephone, and other Wires.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand-vice and other Strainers or Stretchers for
Telegraph, Telephone, and other Wires.
1, WILLIAM STEWART MACKIE, of 8, Vale View Terrace, Langside, Glasgow,
Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to hand-vice and other strainers or stretchers for strain-
ing or stretching telegraph, telephone, fence, and other wires.
At present it is usual to make such wire strainers with pawl and ratchet
mechanism whereby the wire can be strained and held taut when strained. Such
strainers possess certain disadvantages which are well known to those who con-
stantly use them and it is the object of my invention to provide an improved
construction of strainer whereby the straining of the wires can be much better
performed and with greater ease and safety than at present.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 shows in plan view a hand-vice strainer constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Fig. 2 shows the same in side view.
Fig. 3 is a sectional detail.
Figs. 4 and 5 are side and plan views of a key.
In carrying out the invention for a hand-vice strainer as generally used by
workmen when fitting up telephone wires (see Figs. 1 and 2) I make the drum
spindle a with a worm wheel b, at one end, whose teeth mesh with the teeth of a
worm c on a worm spindle d which latter can turn in bearing jaws e, el, made
on a movable plate f preferably cut to the form of a segment of a circle and
pivotted, at g, to the side h¹ of the jaw h carrying the drum spindle a.
plate has a curved slot f¹ through which a clamping screw i passes and enters
the solid metal of the jaw. The worm spindle d and the screw i have squared
ends, as shown, whereby they can be easily turned by the square hole j of the key k
(Figs. 4 and 5).
On the drum spindle a is fixed a ratchet wheel
with an extension m³, can mesh (see also Fig. 3).
at m² to the side of the jaw h of the instrument.
The
with whose teeth a pawl m,
This pawl is pinned movably
The key k has a turning handle or knob o, at one end, and the ordinary hook p
at the other and also a slot q adapted to fit the butterfly nut r so that the latter
can be turned by the key.
With this instrument when it is desired to tighten up the telephone or other
wire held by the vice the drum is rotated, so as to tighten the usual anchoring
wire, by merely turning the worm by means of the key k so as to rotate the worm
wheel and drum spindle. Owing to the action of the worm the tightening can
proceed safely, evenly, and with very little effort as compared with the ordinary
ratchet tool. The wire can be slackened at any time by merely reversing the
motion of the worm. The worm gear is self locking.

page_text: When it is desired to run off the anchoring wire quickly the clamping screw i
is slackened and the plate f with the worm thereon moved back until the teeth
of the worm are clear of the teeth of the worm wheel, when, of course, the latter
can, along with the drum, freely rotate under the tension of the wire. Before
the wire can run off, however, it is necessary to throw back the pawl m out of
engagement with the ratchet 1. The running off of the wire can be checked at
anytime by throwing the pawl into engagement with the ratchet 1, and, after
such checking, should it be desired to re-tighten the wire then the worm and
worm wheel are again thrown into gear, by shifting back the plate f and securing
it by the screw i and then re-starting the winding up action of the worm gear.
The movement of the adjustable plate f is of course regulated by the length of
the slot through which the screw i passes.
The winding gear, as hereinbefore described, can be fitted to any of the usual
forms of wire strainer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is:
-
1. A strainer for tightening or stretching telegraph, telephone, and other wires
characterized by worm winding gear in which the worm wheel is secured to the
drum spindle whilst the worm is pivotally secured to the strainer in such manner
that it can, when desired, be moved into gear with the worm wheel and held
securely in that position or be moved out of gear therewith, substantially as
herein before set forth.
2. The improved winding and controlling gear for wire strainers consisting,
in combination, of the worm wheel on the drum spindle, the ratchet on the drumm
spindle, the pawl (m m¹) adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet, the
worm, the shifting plate carrying the worm, and the means such as a slot and
clamping screw for clamping the plate in its adjusted position, substantially as
herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.