NZ205325A - Wire fastener:u-shaped serrated sheet metal grippers - Google Patents

Description

<205325 "riority Date(s): Complete Specification Filed: ; Class: (k /?!*//.«?,. !?fk f}!l./'ft..

; PnV ti*6*sep 1986 J Publication Date: ' P.O. Journal, No: ../A*.*} ♦ Patents Form No 5 PATI NTS ACT 1953 COMPLFTF SPE-CIFICATION WIRE HOLDING DEVICE I JOHN KELLETT of Australian nationality of 7 Roberts Street, Brighton, State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia do hereby declare the invention for which 1'Kxprav that a Patent may he granted to meXK. and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly. described in and b\ the followin? statement Number Dated V I r 20532S 2.

This invention relates to wire holding devices.

The invention has particular application for the long term holding of wire under substantial tension- It is conventional that wire in situations where this is to be held under tension for long periods of time in applications such as fences is held by interlooping their respective wire ends normally referred to as having been connected in a figure of eight- Such a method of joining has significant difficulties the first being that it is laborious to form and in being time consuming is therefore expensive when a fence is being erected.

Furthermore, in the conventional manneti in which a figure of 8 is formed between respective ends of wires, there ?rc two ends protruding from the join which can damage animals confined within the fence.

Devices have hitherto been considered for joining wires in such situations that a significant problem has been to ensure that any device is firstly extremely simple to install and able to be manufactured so as to be long keeping in a tension holding position in even the most environmentally exposed conditions.

Further, the cost of such an article must be very modest at least so as to provide a commercially preferred answer to joining wires by using the figure of eight joining pattern. Further, it is preferred that any holding device should be able to handle for one unit, a reasonably extensive range of wire sizes without change of the sizes ^ device. 3. 205325 *> It is in relation to the above problems which the present invention has been directed and has gone at least some way to answering at least one of these problems and especially in the preferred embodiments to substantial answering of at least one or more of these problems.

This invention can be comprised in a wire holding device comprising a housing having an opening at at least one of two oppositely located ends, at least one gripping member within the housing resiliently biased toward an opening in the housing, the gripping member comprising an elongate member being generally of U-shape in cross-section across the direction of elongation, and having serrated teeth projecting from along an edge defining an end of each leg defining the U-shape.

In another form of this invention, it could be said to reside in a wire holding device comprising a housing having at least two gripping members characterized as above located within the housing.

An advantage of providing the serrated teeth along the edges that comprise the ends of the legs of the U-shape gripping members is that improved gripping of a wire is achieved, with less likelihood of the grip being broken by clogging with dirt and grit or the like.

Perhaps in another form of this invention, each of the gripping members is formed from sheet metal which is first cut into an elongate shape and then bent so as to form along its length a U-shape in cross-section and having a serrated edge along the outwardly projecting face of each edge for at least most the length of the gripping member.

In another form of this invention, although this need not necessarily be the only form or indeed the broadest form, this can be said to reside in a wire holding device which includes a housing having two oppositely located apertures to allow a wire to pass through the housing, and a plurality of gripping members located so as to be engageable against the wire and -7 JUN M6^j £05325 r> 4. hold this in a locking relationship, the plurality of gripping members each constrained to be held within the housing and against a tapered face comprising an inner wall of the housing which taper is such as to effect a coming together of the gripping members as these are urged toward a first of the apertures of the housing and resilient means comprising a spring positioned to urge such gripping members toward the said first aperture and thereby into an adjoining relationship each of the gripping members being located symmetrically about an axially central location of the housing where-through a wire shall be expected to pass, each of the gripping members being formed as a generally U-shaped member in cross-section throughout its length having an outermost face adapted to slide against the taper face of the housing and inner faces comprising two edges extending substantially the length of the gripping member and having on the inner feces thereof serrations providing thereby gripping teeth adapted to engage wire passing therepast and at an end of each of the gripping members furthermost from the said first aperture, a slot across the inner sides of each gripping member, and a joining member holding each of the gripping members together to maintain when being urged into or away from a gripping position common movement.

The invention relates to any configuration whereby a wire can be held within a housing by the gripping members gripping the wire and the taper angle and the other construction components being such that the force being necessary to thereafter remove the wire in a direction opposite to that by which it can be inserted must be substantial and preferably equal to or greater than the tensile strength of the wire itself.

If two such arrangements are incorporated within the one housing so that each end has therein such gripping 27 JUNI986 <>: • W. * . ■205325 members arranged with respect to each of the apertures, then the ends of two wires can be inserted one into each of the apertures and this provides a holding together of two wire ends with substantial holding force.

An aspect of problems which have been discovered in relation to apparatus or devices of this type include cost related to the manufacture and supply of such gripping members and housings suitable for this application. In a preferred instance a housing which is of generally cylindrical shape however having a wider diameter at one end and a narrower diameter at the other has an included angle between its walls of fifteen degress and each of the gripping members can have a length of approximately two and a half centimetres with each gripping member cut from sheet steel of approximately one millimetre thickness. The width can be four millimetres and the height varying fronj an outer end of approximately two millimetres through to an inner end of approximately four to five millimetres.

In a preferred instance, three of these gripping members located around a wire gripping location within a cy1indrica11y shaped housing can be biased toward an end opening by means of a helical spring engaging against a lip of the housing and pushing the gripping members collectively these being held collectively by an annular member having radially located slots into which the respectively located slots in the end of each gripping member is located.

Each gripping member being formed of the sheet steel is first cut as a blank and then bent so as to have its sides raised so as to form this U-shape in cross-section.

Preferably each of the sides of the U-shape are slightly inwardly bent so as to be more or less i;jdially //•V - located with respect to any wire which will pass through the housing.

In practice, with a steel housing form having a bulbous shape at one end and a narrowing portion proceeding to the other end and having three such gripping members locatcd so biased by a spring extending from the bulbous end toward the narrow end and the three gripping members engaging the inner face of the housing thus tapered can be so arranged as to effect a very substantial gripping action with respect of any wire passing therethrough.

Obviously, as the wire pushes the gripping members into a widening position the wire can pass therethrough but when it is reversed the serrations grip the wire pulling the gripping members into closer proximity and by reason of their shape and by reason of the taper, this is such as to effect a greater holding force than any outwardly pulling force can dislodge.

This is one preferred arrangement and in a further form, the bulbous shape of the housing is centrally located and there are two narrowing portions of the housing toward each of two apertures.

With three gripping members located at each end, this can then be used to effect a substantive holding of cach end of wire.

Preferably where steel is used for the housing or the gripping members or the annular member or even the spring, these can be appropriately treated to resist corrosion. Preferably this includes zinc coating or other suitable passivation treatment.

The serrated edges on the gripping members s be selected so as to provide a best gripping ef 205325 7 which can be determined by experimentation.

A difficulty that has been experienced with the arrangement described is related to an experience that in some instances the fingers in normal operation that is, when a wire is passed between the fingers for gripping, become misaligned so that they jam without causing gripping onto the wire when the wire is moved in a reverse direction.

Within economic constraints, it has been very difficult to provide an answer to this problem but one has been discovered this comprising the inclusion of a spacer member including three fingers held in a relationship spatially defined one with respect to the other and in a relationship in which each of the fingers is aligned one with respect to the other and adapted to locate with respect to each of the gripping fingers so as to maintain these in alignment mutually one with respect to the other through any gripping action.

Preferably, the spacer is an integrally moulded plastic unit which includes three elongated fingers which are held in a mutually spaced apart and aligned position by an annular portion at one end.

The shape of the annular portion is such as to allow location of the locating gap on each of the gripping fingers to fit thereover.

Some advantage has also been found to provide a lip extending from the outer end of the annular portion to assist in positive location for resilient means and other purposes.

The invention accordingly can be said to reside in the addition with respect to any of the previously V I 205325 «• 8. described features of a spacer located so as to provide separation and retention of alignment of each of the gripping fingers.

In a further form, the invention could be said to reside in the further advantageous feature that the spacer comprises an integral member in which three rearwardly extending fingers are held in a spatially aligned relationship each adapted to be located between the gap existing between gripping fingers as previously referred to and including a forward portion of annular shape providing for engagement with a gap in the gripping finger.

To assist in a better understanding of this invention embodiments will now be described with the assistance of drawings in which FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a first embod iment, FIG. 2 is a view along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 of the same first preferred embodiment, FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the assembly comprising the spacer and gripping fingers, FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a second embodiment comprising two portions substantially similar to the first embodiment located in end to end relationship held together by a mutually engaging screw-thread, FIG. 5 is an end view of the integral spacer made from moulded plastic as used in both the previously referred to embodiments, FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the same spacer as in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a further view in side elevation of the same spacer as FIG. 5, FIG. 8 is a view from below of the same spacer as in FIG. 5, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the spacer as in ■j - 205325 * 9.

FIG. 5, and FIG. 10 is a different perspective view of the same spacer as in FIG. 5.

Referring briefly to the drawings, and in the first instance to the preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown an adjustable wire holding device 1 which includes a housing 2 having two oppositely located apertures 3 and A each adapted to allow a wire which is not shown to pass through the housing 1. There are three gripping members 5 located as is shown so as to be engageable against the wire when this is passed through the several apertures 3 and 4 each of the gripping members 5 being constrained within a tapered portion 6 which comprises the inner wall of the housing 2.

The fingers 5 are constrained in an aligned relationship by spacer 7 which includes three rearwardly extending spacer fingers 8 and an uppermost annular shaped portion 9. This spacer is formed from moulded plastic.

The assembly as shown in FIG. 3 is accordingly located as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and held in a resiliently located position by means of a helical spring 8 inter-engaging with a cup-shaped mercber 9 which bears against the assembly as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, this includes an assembly generally as in FIG. 1 at each end and adapted to hold the ends of two wires in oppositely located positions.

The housing 10 includes two separable portions 11 and 12 these being joined together by a screw-thread . 205325 A centrally located spacer 14 acts Co separate the several helical springs 15 and 16 and also acts to limit passage of a single wire fully through the housing 10.

Other than these features, the remainder of the assembly to that shown in FIG. 1, there being mutually aligned gripping fingers 17 at each end, a spacer 18 with mutually aligned spacer fingers 19 and an annular portion 20.

The spacer being an integrally moulded article from an appropriate plastic is shown through FIGS. 5 to 10, these drawings showing in more detail the spacer fingers 21, the upper annular portion 22 and the outwardly extending spigots 23.

The annular portion 22 is shaped so as to have three outer side portions 24 which are shaped in this way to co-operate more effectively with a slot existing in the shape of the fingers such as 5 and 17 as shown in the previous embod i nients .

Now having described the embodiments it will be seen that what has been described provides significant advantage in the art.

Claims (8)

208325 1 1 . WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A wire holding device comprising a housing having an opening at at least one of two oppositely located ends, at least one gripping member within the housing resiliently biased toward an opening within the housing, the gripping member comprising an elongate member being generally U-shape in cross-section across a direction of elongation, and having a serrated edge projecting from along an end of each leg defining the U-shape.

2. A wire holding device as in claim 1 further characterized in that there are at least two gripping members each located within the housing and arranged to act co-operatively to effect a gripping of wire when inserted therebetween.

3. A wire holding device as in either of claims 1 or 2 further characterized in that each of the gripping members is formed from sheet metal.

4. A wire holding device which includes a housing having two oppositely located apertures to allow a wire to pass at least into the housing and a plurality of gripping members located so as to be engageable against the wire and hold this in a locking relationship, the plurality of gripping members each constrained to be held within the housing and against a tapered face comprising an inner wall of the housing which taper is such as to effect a coming together of the gripping members as these are urged toward a first of the apertures of the housing, and resilient means comprising a spring positioned to urge such gripping members toward the said first aperture and thereby into an adjoining relationship, each of the gripping members being located symmetrically about an axially central location of the housing wherethrough a wire can pass, each of the gripping members being in the form of a U-shaped member in cross-section throughout Ju-U986 "■*» V 205325 12. at lease most of its length and having an outermost face adapted to slide against the taper face of the housing and inner faces comprising two edges extending substantially at least most of the length of each gripping member, and having on the inner faces thereof serrations providing thereby gripping teeth adapted to engage wire passing therepast, and at an end of each of the gripping members furthermost from the said first aperture, a slot across the inner sides of each gripping member, and adjoining members holding each of the gripping members together to maintain common movement when being urged into or away from a gripping portion.

5. A wire holding device as in any one of the preceding claims in which there are three gripping members.

6. A wire holding device as in any one of the preceding claims in which the resilient means comprise a helical spring.

7. A wire holding device as in any one of the preceding claims wherein there is provided a spacer member including fingers held in a relationship spatially defined one with respect to the other and such as to locate each of the gripping members so as to maintain this in an alignment mutually one with respect to the other when in a gripping location.

8. A wire holding member substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. V7ESI-WADCEF, JflcCABg