GB1591845A

GB1591845A - Tensioning device

Info

Publication number: GB1591845A
Application number: GB2418177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: AMP Inc
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Corp
Priority date: 1977-06-09
Filing date: 1977-06-09
Publication date: 1981-06-24
Also published as: FR2393654A1; CA1086026A; DE7817234U1; IT7821920V0; ES236566U; AR214455A1; BR7803586A; MX143921A; ES236566Y; FR2393654B3

Description

(54) TENSIONING DEVICE (71) We, AMP INCORPORATED, a corporation organised and existing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, United States of America, of Eisenhower Boulevard, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a device for use in applying tension to elongate members such as electrical conductors or support wires.

There is often a need to apply tension to one or more elongate and possibly flexible members, and a difficulty which arises is holding the members satisfactorily to enable them to be manually pulled to apply the necessary tension.

There is thus a need for a device which can easily be attached to one or more elongate members to provide them with a means for applying tension thereto by manually pulling the members longitudinally.

Preferably a single device should be selectively usable with more than one number of members with adaption to any particular number of members being easy to effect.

According to this invention, a device for use in applying tension to elongate members, comprises an elongate tubular body having a longitudinally tapering passage extending longitudinally therethrough; and two elongate core members specifically adapted to be capable of being arranged together and with one or more elongate members to be tensioned, for wedging reception in the passage in the body thereby either to trap an elongate member to be tensioned between the two core members, or to trap each of two or more elongate members to be tensioned between a core member and the body, when the body is pulled in the direction to apply tension to the elongate members to be tensioned.

Preferably the body of the device is split longitudinally whereby an elongate member to be tensioned can be moved into the passage in the body by movement transversely of its longitudinal axis through the split in the body.

Such a split in the body will also render the body sufficiently resilient to ensure satis factory wedging of the core members and elongate members to be tensioned therein, and will also permit the body to be opened sufficiently to permit removal of the core members from the body after use of the device.

A device according to this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the body of the device; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the core members of the device arranged for use in applying tension to a single elongate member; Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the core members of the device arranged for use in applying tension to two elongate members; and Further, the core members can each be plrovided on their end to be adjacent the larger cross-sectional end of the passage in the body, with means such as an apertured boss, for engagement by a suitable tool to assist in removal of the core members from the body after use of the device.

Preferably the body has a handle mounted thereon by which the device can readily be manually pulled axially of any elongate mem ber or members wedged in the body by the core members.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the core members of the device arranged for use in applying tension to four elongate members.

The device comprises an elongate tubular body 1 moulded from plastics material and having circumferential ribs 2 which serve to render the body relatively rigid.

The body 1 defines a longitudinally tapering, longitudinally extending passage 3, with the smaller cross-sectional area end of the passage 3 being to the left in Figure 1.

The body 1 has a longitudinally extending split 4 in one side, through which split 4 an elongate member (see Figures 2 to 4) can be moved transversely of its longitudinal axis into the passage 3.

A handle 5 is pivotally connected to the body 1 at the larger cross-sectional area end thercof.

Considering now Figures 2 to 4 also, the device also comprises two tapered core mem bcrs 6 also moulded from plastics material and adapted to be arranged together with one (Figure 2) or more (Figures 3 and 4) elongate members, such as electrical conductors 7, to be tensioned, for wedging reception in the passage 3 in the body 1.

As shown, each core member 6 has a central longitudinally extending semi-circular crosssection groove 8 in one major surface, and a parallel rectangular cross-section groove 9 in the opposite major surface. The longitudinally extending corners defined by the major surface containing the groove 8 are concave as shown at 10, to receive an elongate member 7, while those defined by the other major surface containing the groove 9 are convex as shown at 11, to mate with a longitudinally extending corner 12 (Figure 1) of the body 1 when the core members 6 are received in the passage 3.

Each core member 6 has at its end for reception in the larger cross-sectional end of the passage 3 in the body 1 (right hand end in Figures 2 to 4) an apertured boss 13 for engagement by a tool to assist in removal of the core members 6 from the body 1 after use of the device.

Also at this end of each core member 6 are two laterally extending wings 14 which serve to limit insertion of the core member 6 into the body 1.

Referring now specifically to Figures 1 and 2, when the device is to be used for tensioning only a single conductor 7, the conductor 7 is introduced into the passage 3 in the body 1 either from one end thereof or through the split 4.

The core members 6 are then arranged about the conductor 7 as shown in Figure 2, that is with the grooves 8 in the core members 6 facing each other and with the conductor 7 received in the grooves 8.

This arrangement is made at the larger crosssectional area end of the passage 3, and with the smaller ends of the core members 6 adjacent the body 1.

The body 1 is then moved over the arrangement of core members 6 and conductor 7 axially of the conductor 7, until the convex corners 11 of the core members 6 engage the corners 12 of the passage 3 and the arrange ment thus becomes wedged in the body 1.

The conductor 7 can then be tensioned by pulling on the handle 5, such pulling being opposed by the conductor 7 such that the wedging fit of the core members 6 in the body 1 is maintained.

When the conductor 7 has been tensioned and held as required the handle 5 can be released, and the device removed from the conductor 7 by removing the core members 6 from the passage 3 by pulling them axially of the conductor 7 by means of the bosses 13 and a suitable tool if necessary.

If the device is to be used to tension two conductors 7 simultaneously, then the core members 6 are arranged as shown in Figure 3, that is with the groove 8 of one facing the groove 9 of the other.

The two conductors 7 are then received in the outwardly facing concave corners 10 of one of the core members 6, and in use of the device becomes wedged between this core member 6 and the body 1.

Assembly of the device and removal of the device from the conductors 7 after use, are as described above with reference to Figure 2.

When the device is to be used to tension four conductors 7 simultaneously, then the core members 6 are arranged as shown in Figure 4, that is with the grooves 9 therein facing.

The four conductors 7 are then received in the four outwardly facing concave corners 10 of the core members 6, to become wedged between the core members 6 and the body 1.

Assembly and removal of the device are again as described with reference to Figure 2.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for use in applying tension to elongate members, comprising an elongate tubular body having a longitudinally tapering passage extending longitudinally therethrough, and two elongate core members specifically adapted to be capable of being arranged together and with one or more elongate members to be tensioned, for wedging reception in the passage in the body thereby either to trap an elongate member to be tensioned between the two core members, or to trap each of two or more elongate members to be tensioned between a core member and the body, when the body is pulled in the direction to apply tension to the elongate members to be tensioned.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which each core member has a central longitudinally extending semi-circular cross-section groove in one major surface, and a parallel rectangular cross-section groove in the opposite major surface, the longitudinally extending corners defined by the major surface containing the semi-circular groove being concave to receive an elongate member, while those defined by the other major surface containing the rectangular cross-section groove are convex to mate with a longitudinally extending corner of the body when the core members are received in the passage in the body.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the body of the device is split

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. elongate member (see Figures 2 to 4) can be moved transversely of its longitudinal axis into the passage 3. A handle 5 is pivotally connected to the body 1 at the larger cross-sectional area end thercof. Considering now Figures 2 to 4 also, the device also comprises two tapered core mem bcrs 6 also moulded from plastics material and adapted to be arranged together with one (Figure 2) or more (Figures 3 and 4) elongate members, such as electrical conductors 7, to be tensioned, for wedging reception in the passage 3 in the body 1. As shown, each core member 6 has a central longitudinally extending semi-circular crosssection groove 8 in one major surface, and a parallel rectangular cross-section groove 9 in the opposite major surface. The longitudinally extending corners defined by the major surface containing the groove 8 are concave as shown at 10, to receive an elongate member 7, while those defined by the other major surface containing the groove 9 are convex as shown at 11, to mate with a longitudinally extending corner 12 (Figure 1) of the body 1 when the core members 6 are received in the passage 3. Each core member 6 has at its end for reception in the larger cross-sectional end of the passage 3 in the body 1 (right hand end in Figures 2 to 4) an apertured boss 13 for engagement by a tool to assist in removal of the core members 6 from the body 1 after use of the device. Also at this end of each core member 6 are two laterally extending wings 14 which serve to limit insertion of the core member 6 into the body 1. Referring now specifically to Figures 1 and 2, when the device is to be used for tensioning only a single conductor 7, the conductor 7 is introduced into the passage 3 in the body 1 either from one end thereof or through the split 4. The core members 6 are then arranged about the conductor 7 as shown in Figure 2, that is with the grooves 8 in the core members 6 facing each other and with the conductor 7 received in the grooves 8. This arrangement is made at the larger crosssectional area end of the passage 3, and with the smaller ends of the core members 6 adjacent the body 1. The body 1 is then moved over the arrangement of core members 6 and conductor 7 axially of the conductor 7, until the convex corners 11 of the core members 6 engage the corners 12 of the passage 3 and the arrange ment thus becomes wedged in the body 1. The conductor 7 can then be tensioned by pulling on the handle 5, such pulling being opposed by the conductor 7 such that the wedging fit of the core members 6 in the body

1 is maintained.

longitudinally whereby an elongate member to be tensioned can be moved into the passage in the body by movement transversely of its longitudinal axis through the split in the body.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which the core members are each provided on their end to be adjacent the larger cross-sectional end of the passage in the body, with means for engagement by a suitable tool to assist in removal of the core members from the body after use of the device.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the body has a handle mounted thereon by which the device can readily be manually pulled axially of any elongate member or members wedged in the body by the core members.

6. A device for use in applying tension to elongate members, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.