GB2224889A

GB2224889A - Cable wagon

Info

Publication number: GB2224889A
Application number: GB8921811A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thorbjorn Lenngren
Original assignee: IFOE ELECTRIC AB
Current assignee: IFOE ELECTRIC AB
Priority date: 1988-09-27
Filing date: 1989-09-27
Publication date: 1990-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-27
Also published as: NO893823D0; NO178516B; SE465238B; GB2224889B; SE8803401L; GB8921811D0; AT402988B; NO178516C; NO893823L; FI894555A0; FI894555A7; ES2015232A6; SE8803401D0; ATA224889A

Abstract

A cable wagon for use in drawing or locating an electric line or cable, comprises mutually parallel walls 10, 11, adapted to be clamped to an insulator crown, and between which walls 10, 11 a pair of support rollers 12, 13 for the line or cable are rotatably located. Each wall has a recess (20, Fig 3) facing inwardly so that the wagon can be located on top of a pin insulator. <IMAGE>

Description

CABLE WAGON The present invention relates to a cable wagon for use in the locating of electrical lines, cables or the like.

Several embodiments of cable wagon are known in the prior art.

Such known wagons have an intricate and well developed design so as to perform their task as efficiently as possible. Accordingly, such known cable wagons are expensive to manufacture and so replace, or overhaul, as required. They therefore have to be carefully maintained and transported. Also, the cost of replacing such known cable wagons dictates that it is uneconomical to dispose of them after use and so each particular wagon must be transported from one site to the next. The known cable wagons therefore suffer disadvantages particularly when used in, or transported through, rough terrain.

The present invention seeks to provide a cable wagon of relatively uncomplicated design which can be readily used in all typical environments without fear of damage and, further, which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

According to the present invention there is provided a cable wagon for use in- drawing or locating an electrical line or cable, comprising two end walls arranged to be secured to an insulator crown in a substantially mutually parallel and spaced relationship, between which walls two cable support rollers are rotatably journalled.

The cable wagon according to the invention is of a relatively simple and uncomplicated design and inexpensive to manufacture so that it may advantageously be used as a disposable cable wagon.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the cable wagon according to the invention is characterized in that the two end walls are substantially identical and are preferably intergrally moulded or press-formed from plastics material.

It is particularly preferred that each end wall has at least one reinforcing rib on one side thereof.

As such the at least one rib is adapted to form, on the inner side of the end wall, a recess for receiving a top flange of an insulator crown.

A further particularly advantageous embodiment of the cable wagon according to the invnetion is characaterized in that each end wall is rigidly secured to a shaft for rotatably journalling a support roller.

As such, an end wall and at least one shaft are integrally formed and the at least one shaft is provided with locking means for interaction with locking means on the opposite end wall, such as snap lock means. This feature allows for particularly inexpensive manufacture of the wagon of the invention.

The invention is discribed further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the acompanying drawings in which; Fig. 1 is an elevational view of one end of a cable wagon embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the cable wagon of fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an end wall of the cable wagon of Figs. 1 and 2, as viewed from the inner side of the end wall.

The illustrated cable wagon comprises two identical end walls 10, 11, between which two adjacent support rollers 12, 13 are rotatably journalled. The rollers 12, 13 each have a concave surface which together form an opening or slot 14 for receiving the electrical wire or cable which is being positioned. The end walls 10, 11 are disposed in a parallel relationship and separated by a distance slightly greater than the axial length of the support rollers 12, 13. Screw or bolt means 15 having a head and nut at respective ends thereof, preferably a wing nut 16, maintain the end walls in this relationship. The exact distance between the end walls 10, 11 is determined by a tubular bushing 17 located on each of the bolt means 15.

Each of the end walls, which are preferably moulded of a suitable plastic material, has on its outer surface reinforcing ribs 18, 19. The uppermost ribs 18, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, provide for a recess 20 in the innermost surface of each end wall, viz. to receive a top flange on the crown of an insulator.

In use, the end walls 10, 11 of the cable wagon are located on respective side of an insulator crown having a top flange protruding at least partially into the respective recess 20. The wing nuts 16 can then be tightened so that the end walls 10, 11 are clamped on to the insulator crown. The cable wagon is then ready for use in the feeding or locating of an electrical wire or cable.

After use, the cable wagon can be removed from the insulator crown and them be disposed of or left on site. Alternatively, some parts of the wagon may be retained for re-use.

In a special embodiment, the roller shafts are each rigidly secured to a respective one of the end walls 10, 11 e.g. in that they are formed intergrally with the particular end wall. The roller shafts 15 then have, at their free ends, suitable locking means for cooperation with locking means on the other of the respective end walls. Such locking means may comprise snap locking means; so that the end walls may simply be urged towards each other, with a support roller located on each respective shaft, and into engagement.

Whereupon the end walls 10, 11 with the rotatably journalled support rollers therebetween remain clamped to the insulator crown. The end walls 10, 11 remain so clamped until the cable wagon is removed on completion of the cable drawing operation.

Claims

1. A cable wagon for use in drawing or locating an electrical line or cable, comprising two end walls arranged to be secured to an insulator crown in a substantially mutually parallel and spaced relationship, between which walls, two cable support rollers are rotatably journalled.

2. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one end wall includes a recess for engaging the insulator crown.

3. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one end wall includes a reinforcing rib.

4. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the rib is formed on the outer side of the end wall and provides part of the recess.

5. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein each end wall is rigidly secured to a respective shaft for rotatably journalling a support roller such that each end wall and the respective shaft are integrally formed, and each shaft is provided with locking means for engaging with locking means on the other of the respective end walls.

6. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein each of two shafts for rotatably journalling a respective support roller extend from a common end wall and have locking means for engaging with the other of the end walls.

7. A cable wagon as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the locking means comprise snap locking means.

8. A cable wagon as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein bolt means are provided for securing the end walls and about which bolt means the rollers are rotatably j ournalled.

9. A cable wagon as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end walls are substantially identical.

10. A cable wagon as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end walls are moulded or pressformed from a plastics material.

11. A cable wagon for use in drawing or locating electrical lines or cables, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.