Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mechanical device for feeding cable, especially armored cable, to a remote distance from the user. The cable threader is especially useful for threading cable above the users head in new construction where bar joists usually serve as the support for cables. The inventions relates more specifically to a device that feeds the cable by a ratchet like through a chute to the desired location. 
     2. Related Information 
     In new construction, especially commercial, overhead rafters or pre ceiling supports usually consist of bar joists which serve as the support for the required cable, usually armored, during installation or “rough in”. The standard practice consists of climbing up and down step ladders and threading the cable through the rafters which can become tedious and tiresome, especially when numerous cables, including electrical, phone and data line, have to be installed. The material on the job site must be continually moved about to allow room for setting up of the ladders and platforms. Climbing up and down ladders always presents a hazard in the form of a potential fall. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly the present invention comprises a chute with a ratcheting mechanism that jacks a cable through the chute to the desired remote location. The ratcheting mechanism comprises two “dogs” that work in tandem, the first to grip and advance the cable and the second to prevent the cable from retracting as the first is repositioned back along the cable. The first “dog” is mounted on a plunger in a chamber which is connected to the chute. The second “dog” is mounted in a retained attached to the chamber opposite the chute. 
     The complete assembled tool comprises: 
     (a) a body comprising a first cylindrical conduit and having a first longitudinal slot expanding its entire length and a second L shaped slot having the long leg of the L along the longitudinal axis of said conduit; 
     (b) a plunger moveably mounted within said first cylindrical conduit and having a handle extending through said L shaped slot; 
     (c) a first dog mounted on said plunger 
     (d) a second cylindrical conduit rotatably connected to one end of said first cylindrical conduit said second cylindrical conduit having a longitudinal spanning its entire length; 
     (e) a second dog mounted within said second cylindrical conduit; and 
     (d) a chute comprising a flexible conduit mounted about a rigid support, said rigid support being mounted to a cylindrical coupling which is threadedly connected to the end of said first cylindrical conduit on the end opposite said second cylindrical conduit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is top view of one embodiment of the retainer of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in partial cross section of the retainer of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is and end view of the retainer of FIG. 1 taken along line  3 — 3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of one embodiment of the chamber of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the chamber of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is and end view of the chamber of FIG. 4 taken along line  6 — 6 . 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of one embodiment of the chute of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an end view of the chute of FIG. 7 taken along line  8 — 8 . 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the assembled device of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For a detailed description of the preferred embodiment the reader is directed to the accompanying figures in which like components are given like numerals for ease of reference. 
     Referring first to FIG.&#39;s  9  the overall assembly of the tool of the present invention is shown to consist of a chamber  20  which has the retainer  20  connected to one end, as by threads, and the chute  30  connected to the opposite end, also by threads. 
     Referring now to FIG.&#39;s  7  and  8  the chute  30  comprises an eight foot length of ¾ inch rigid aluminum channel  302 . The channel  302  is encased in sections of 1 inch electrical flex tubing  304  along its entire length. The tubing has a split  304   a  along its entire length, which is located directly over the open side of the aluminum channel  302 . The split allows for the removal and separation of the tool from the cable which is being worked. The aluminum channel  302  is attached to a 1½ inch rigid aluminum coupling  301  by two machine screws  305 . A piece of ½ inch aluminum channel  303  is attached to the underside of the aluminum channel  302  and tubing  304  for part of its length to lend stability to the chute and its connection. The 1½ inch coupling  301  includes a longitudinal slot  301   a  to allow for removal of the cable after placement. 
     Referring now to FIG.&#39;s  4 - 6  the chamber  20  is described. A modified section of rigid aluminum 1½ inch conduit  201  serves as the body of the chamber  20 . The body  201  is about 20 inches long and has pipe threads  201   c  on both ends. The body includes one longitudinal slot  201   a  which spans the entire length and a s second L shaped slot  201   b  having its long leg also along the longitudinal axis of the body. The second slot is about 30-40° radially from the first. 
     A plunger  202  is placed in the body  201  which comprises a piece of 1½ inch thin wall aluminum tubing about five inches long. It also includes a slot  202   c  which spans its entire length. Thin pieces of nylon  209  are attached on the outer surface of the plunger  202  to act as bearings to reduce friction as the plunger is moved within the chamber. A handle  207  is attached to the plunger by a 5⅝ inch piece of ¼ inch all thread rod  210  which projects through the L shaped slot  201   b . The handle can rotate the plunger  202  to the limit of the short leg of the slot  201   b.    
     The plunger  202  houses a latching anti-reverse (ratcheting) mechanism which is referred to as a “dog”. The standard definition of a “dog” in this sense is provided by  Merriam Webster&#39;s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition  as “3 a: any of various usu. simple mechanical devices for holding, gripping, or fastening, that consist of a spike, bar or hook”. The “dog” in the plunger comprises a metal bar  204  of spring steel and curved upward. The “dog” grips the cable and advances the cable as the plunger  203  is moved along the body  201  by the handle moving long the long leg of the L shaped slot  201 . As the plunger  203  is retracted the “dog” slides along the cable which is held in place by a second “dog” which is described herein below as part of the retainer. The “dog”  204  is mounted on one end of a piece of ½ inch aluminum channel  203  by nut  206  on bolt  205   a . The aluminum channel  203  is held in plunger  203  by bolts,  205   a ,  205   b ,  205   c  and nuts  206 . A spring (not shown) under bolt  205   b  may be required to raise the “dog” end of the channel  203  slightly to provide the proper angle of the “dog” to grip the cable. Proper shaping and selection of the “dog” would eliminate the need for such. 
     The “dog” of the retainer  10  is of similar construction as that in the chamber. A piece of 1½ inch thin wall aluminum tubing  102  is secured to a 1½ inch aluminum coupling  101  by screw  107  and nuts  105  and  108 . The “dog” construction is identical to that in the plunger comprising a curved spring steel bar  104  mounted on one end of a piece of ½ inch aluminum channel  103  by nut  105  on bolt  106 . Both the coupling  101  and the thin wall tubing  102  include aligned longitudinal slots  101   a  and  102   a.    
     The assembled tool comprises the retainer  20  threaded onto one of the chamber  20  with the chute  30  threaded on the opposite end such that the slot  301   a  in coupling  301  is not aligned with the slot  201   a  to prevent the cable from being ejected instead of being passed through the chute. 
     In operation the tool is loaded with cable by rotating the retainer on the end of the chamber until the slots  101   a ,  102   a ,  201   a  and  202   a . The slot  202   a  is aligned by rotating the handle  207  into the short leg of the L shaped slot  201   b . The leading end of the cable is place to line up with end of the support channel  303  ends. The cable is then pushed into the aligned open slots noted above. The coupling  101  is then rotated to close its slot, locking the cable in place. The handle  207  is then rotated to align close the chamber and align the all thread rod  206  with the long leg of the L shaped slot  201   b.    
     The end of the chute is placed on the desired remote location such as the bottom section of a bar joist rafter. The handle  207  is advanced in slot  201   b  with the “dog”  204  gripping and advancing the cable through the chute. When the handle reaches it full travel forward, the operator pulls the handle back to the rear of the slot  201   b . The “dog”  204  releases the cable and slides smoothly along the cable as the plunger  203  is retracted. The stationary “dog”  104  in retainer grips the cable and prevents it from sliding backwards. A continuous back and forth motion of the handle is required for the tool to function properly. Eventually the leading end of the cable exits the end of the chute. The operator can choose however much cable is needed by continuously moving or “pumping” the handle  207  on the plunger  203 . In the case of running cable over bar joists enough cable would to threaded across to hang down that the end could be grasped and pulled manually. Enough slack must be provided for threading over the next joist. 
     Once enough cable is hanging, the tool must be unloaded. The handle  207  on the plunger  203  is “parked” in the short leg of the L shaped slot  201   b . Then the coupling  101  is rotated to again align all of the slots. The cable is first removed from the retainer  10  and chamber  20  and then out of the chute  304  through the slit  304   a  in the top. 
     The foregoing description of the invention has been directed to a particular preferred embodiment of the present invention for the purposes of explanation and illustration. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes in the apparatus may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the following claims cover all equivalent modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Technology Category: 5