Improved Apparatus for Straining or Taking Up Slack in Wires, Cables, Strips, or the like, more especially intended for Straining Electric Conductors between their Supports.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Straining or Taking Up Slack in Wires,
Cables, Strips, or the like, more especially intended for Straining
Electric Conductors between their Supports.
We, CLEMENT JOHNSON BARLEY of 25 Trevor Square Knightsbridge in the
County of London Engineer and MARK FEETHAM of 23 Glebe Place, Chelsea in
the said County Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention has for its object to provide apparatus by which the straining of
or taking up slack in wires cables strips or the like can be readily effected even in
situations difficult of access for the purpose and our invention is more especially
intended for use in straining or taking up sag in electric conductors between their
supports in underground mains.
We will in the following description presume the invention to be applied to the
straining up of electric conductor strips between their supports as from that its
general application will also be understood.
We provide means whereby the strip or strips can be gripped by a device which
by means of a screw arrangement acting against a suitable abutment can be caused
to travel so as to strain the strip or strips which is or are then secured and the
straining device can then be removed. Where a strip has to be grasped at a point
backward of the insulated bridge piece or like support for it the gripping device may
consist of a pair of jaws which by a wedging action grip the strip to be strained.
These jaws have arms extending forward of the insulated bridge piece and can be
moved forward by a screw bearing on the bridge piece and passing through a nut
in connection with an arm or the arms of the jaws so that as the screw is turned by
a ratchet brace or otherwise the strip is drawn through or past the bridge piece and
can be secured in position. A convenient way of operating the grip is to make one
of the jaws of a box form and the other as a wedge and to connect to the screw
arrangement only one of the arms extending from the jaws the other arm being
used to tighten and loosen the wedge.
If the strip or strips to be strained already pass beyond the bridge piece or support
to allow of the gripping device being connected thereto beyond the said bridge piece
the gripping device may consists of a wedging box such as we have described but
directly connected with the screw and without the arms extending forward.
a
Where strips are to be strained and it becomes necessary to release the fastenings
by which other strips are already secured to the bridge piece we may provide
grip box or block or the like, by which the strips already secured are gripped the
said grip box or grip bearing against the forward face of the bridge piece and
retaining the strips whilst the fastenings in the bridge piece are removed or
slackened to allow of another strip or other strips being drawn through the bridge
piece. Where the said grip box or block is provided with wedges for giving the
grip there may be a wedge for each strip where several strips are to be retained
by it and the wedges may be provided with screws by which they can be withdrawn
when the grip box or block is to be removed.
Dated this 1st day of Anil 1909
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Straining or Taking Up Slack in Wires,
Cables, Strips, or the like, more especially intended for Straining
Electric Conductors between their Supports.
We CLEMENT JOHNSON BARLEY of 25 Trevor Square, Knightsbridge in the
County of London Engineer and MARK FEETHAM of 23 Glebe Place,. Chelsea, in
the said County, Engineer, 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 :-
Our invention has for its object to provide apparatus by which the straining of
or taking up slack in wires, cables, strips or the like can be readily effected even in
situations difficult of access for the purpose and our invention is more especially
intended for use in straining or taking up sag in electric conductors between their
supports in underground mains.
We will in the following description presume the invention to be applied to the
straining up of electric conductor strips between their supports as from that its
general application will also be understood.
We provide means whereby the strip or strips can be gripped by a device which
by means of a screw arrangement acting against a suitable abutment can be caused
to travel so as to strain the strip or strips which is or are then secured and the
straining device can then be removed. Where a strip has to be grasped at a point
backward of the insulated bridge piece or other support for it, the grasping device
may consist of a pair of jaws which by a wedging action grasp the strip to be
strained. These jaws have arms extending forward of the insulated bridge piece
and can be moved forward by a screw bearing on the bridge piece or other con-
venient abutment and passing through a nut in connection with an arm or the arins
of the jaws so that as the screw is turned by a ratchet brace or otherwise the strip
is drawn through or past the bridge piece or support and can be secured in position.
A convenient way of operating the grasping device is to make one of the jaws of a
box form and the other as a wedge and to connect to the screw arrangement only
one of the arms extending from the jaws the other arm being used to tighten and
loosen the wedge.
If the strip or strips to be strained already pass beyond the bridge piece or other
support to allow of the grasping device being connected thereto beyond the said
support the grasping device may consist of a wedging box such as we have described
but directly connected with the screw and without the arms extending forward of
the bridge piece or other support.
Where two or more strips are to be strained and attached to the same support and
it becomes necessary to release the fastenings by which a strip or strips previously
strained are already secured to the bridge piece or support we may provide a grip
box or block or the like by which the strips already secured are gripped the said
grip box or grip bearing against the forward face of the bridge piece or support and
retaining the strips whilst the fastenings in the bridge piece or support are removed
or slackened to allow of another strip or other strips being drawn through the bridge
piece or support and strained. Where the said grip box or block is provided with
wedges for giving the grip there may be a wedge for each strip where several strips
are to be retained by it and the wedges may each be provided with a gib or
shoulder by which they can be withdrawn when the grip box or block is to be
removed.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a street box or manhole usually

page_text: employed in underground mains where the conductors are strained or the sag in
conductors is taken up from place to place and illustrating an arrangement of
apparatus for grasping the conductor or conductors at a point backward of the
bridge piece or support to which it or they are to be secured.
Figs. 2 and 3 shew in plan and end elevation respectively the grasping apparatus
shewn in Figure 1 and also an apparatus for grasping the conductor or conductors
at a point forward of the bridge piece or support.
Figures 4 and 5 are elevations shewing the apparatus for grasping the conductors
at a point forward of the bridge piece or support, in two positions.
Figure 6 is a plan and Figure 7 is an end elevation corresponding to Figure 5.
Figures 8 and 9 represent in transverse vertical section and horizontal section
respectively a wedge gripping device for holding the strained conductors.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is a street box or manhole of usual con-
struction and B B B B³ are copper strips connected to or constituting the electric
conductors. C are baulks of wood arranged inside the culvert or under ground
way R. D are bridge pieces or supports to which the strips are secured when the
conductors are strained. E are insulators interposed between the bridge piece and
the baulks of wood C which take the strain of the strips.
Our improved straining gear consists according to the arrangement shewn in these
figures, of two long arms F F the inner end of the arm F being provided or
formed with a projection or jaw Fa having a wedge shaped recess whilst the
corresponding end of the arm F is provided with a wedge shaped projection or
jaw F to enter the recess in the block F. The outer end of the arm F³ is bent
to a right angle to the arm and has a slot therein through which passes a screw G
carrying a nut H which has a bearing against the arm F to prevent it from turning
with the screw.
The front end of the screw G is pointed and bears against the
bridge piece or support D through which the strip in connection with the conductor
to be strained passes and to which it is finally secured by screw K when strained.
The forward ends of the arms F F are inserted into the culvert or channel
containing the conductors when employed to strain underground conductors and a
strip inserted in the recess in the jaw F on the arm F. The outer end of the
arm F is then struck with a hammer or the like so as to cause the strip to be
securely gripped between the arms FF. The screw G may now be turned by
means of the pawl and ratchet gear I or other convenient means so as to cause the
nut H to travel outwards along the screw and draw with it the arms F F aud
conductor connected thereto until the required tension is given to the conductor.
The conductor may now be retained in its strained position by screwing down the
screws K in the bridge piece or support D onto the strip so as to grip it between
the said screws and the bottom of the passage in the bridge piece or support through
which the end of the strip passes.
The arms F F may now be separated and the strip disengaged therefrom by
striking with a hammer or the like the projection or gib L on the outer end of the
arm Fon the opposite side of the said gib to that on which it was struck for
securing the strip.
In cases where the strips can be grasped at a point forward of the bridge piece
or support D the long arms F F may be dispensed with and a nut H be provided
as shewn in Figures 4 and 5 having a wedge shaped opening therein through which
the end of the strip is passed and held securely in the opening by means of a
wedge M so that by turning the screw G by means of the ratchet brace I and
preventing the nut H from turning by means of the handle H2 the nut H may
be caused to travel along the screw until the conductor is strained to the required
extent The conductor may then be retained in its strained condition by means
of the screws K as before described and then be disengaged from the nut H.
When two or more strips are required to be secured to one bridge piece or
support a grip box N (see Figures 2, 3 and 4) may be provided to slip on to the
strip or strips which has or which have been strained the end of the said grip. box
then being in position to bear against the bridge piece D. When this grip box is in

page_text: position a screw O or screws in the said box is or are turned so as to fix the box
to the strained strip or strips so as to retain them in their strained position while
the screws K are unscrewed to admit another strip being passed through the
bridge piece or support and connected to the nut H in the manner described.
When the strip is strained to the required extent the screws K are turned so as to
secure all the strips to the bridge piece D, the grip box N may then be released
and drawn forward and passed over this last strained strip together with the
previously strained strips and made fast as before by the screw or screws O while
another strip is being connected to and strained by the nut H the screws K being
again slackened out as before described. By this means any desired number of
strips may be secured to a single bridge piece and independently strained without
releasing the strain on any of the strips previously strained. Instead of 'the grip
box with a screw 0 or screws for fixing the strips thereto as described, a box
having a groove or open recess as shewn in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 may be
employed. In this arrangement each strip when strained is secured to the grip
box N by a wedge which is inserted between one edge of the strip and the side of
the recess in the wedge box, a wedge O' being provided for each strip as shewn clearly
in Figures 6, 8 and 9. The strips are temporarily retained in position by these
wedges while another strip is being stretched as in the arrangement hereinbefore
described. To readily release the grip box from the strips when they are secured
to the bridge piece or support by the screws Ka screw P and nut Q is provided
for withdrawing the wedges, the nut Q being provided with a projection or dog
which engages with a shoulder or gib on each of the wedges so that by turning the
screw P which bears at its front end against the end of the grip box N the nut
which does not rotate with the screw is caused to travel along the said screw and
by engaging the projection or gib on the wedges readily withdraw the said wedges
and thus reiease the box when desired.
Although we have shewn our invention as applied to the straining of under-
ground electric conductors we do not limit ourselves thereto as it may be employed
for taking up slack or straining strips or conductors otherwise situated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. In apparatus for taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like the
combination of a grasping device for grasping the wire cable or strip to be strained
or stretched, a screw and nut for traversing the grasping device so as to strain or
stretch the wire cable strip or the like and a retaining device for holding the wire
cable strip or the like when strained or stretched so that the straining device may
be detached substantially as herein before described.
2nd. In apparatus for taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like in places
where the said wires or the like are at a point backward of the retaining device or
support for the wires or the like a grasping device for grasping the wire or the like
consisting of two arms or jaws the ends of the arms or jaws being provided with
means for grasping the wire or the like by a wedging action the arms being moved
longitudinally by a screw bearing on a suitable adjustment and passing through a
nut in connection with the arms, and means for rotating the screw so as to cause
the nut to travel along the screw and thereby strain the wire or the like held by the
arms substantially as hereinbefore described.
Bid. In apparatus for taking up slack in wires cables strips or the like the
combination of a grasping device for engaging with the wire or like to be
strained, a screw and nut by means of which the gripping device is moved so as
to strain the wire or the like and a grip box for temporarily retaining the strained
wires to permit of the grasping device being detached from the strained wire or
the like and attached to another wire or the like to be strained substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4th. In apparatus for taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like a grip

page_text: box for temporarily retaining a wire or wires or the like when strained the said
grip box consisting of a block having a recess in which the wires or the like are
securely held by wedges substantially as hereinbefore described.
5th. In apparatus for taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like a grip
box for temporarily holding the strained wires to enable the fastenings in a bridge
piece or other permanent support, to be slackened to allow another wire cable
strip or the like to be strained and secured such wires cables or the like being held
in the grip box by a separate wedge in combination with means for readily with-
drawing the wedges when the grip. block is to be removed substantially as
hereinbefore described.
6th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus for
straining of or taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like when the said
wires cables strips or the like have to be grasped at a point backward of the
bridge or support to which they are to be secured substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figures 1, and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
7th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus for
straining of or taking up slack in wires cables strips and the like in cases where
the said wires, cables, strips or the like already pass beyond the bridge piece or
support to which they are to be secured substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
8th. The grip box for temporarily retaining the strained wires, cables, strips or
the like while another wire cable strip or the like is being strained substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the accom-
panying drawings.
9th. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a grip box for
temporarily retaining the strained wires cables strips or the like while another wire
cable strip or the like is being strained, to be secured with those already strained
and for readily releasing the grip box from the strained wires, cables, strips or the
like when they are secured to the bridge piece or support substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 2nd Tonowy 1802
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.