US2651766A - Electrical line clamp - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1953 K. R. RUNDE ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

' ATTORNEY P 1953 K. R. RUNDE 2,651,766

I ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Filed Dec. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KENNETH R. Rum): BY

ATTORNEY FIG. 6.

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 ELECTRICAL LINE CLAMP Kenneth R. Runde, Lemay, Mo., assignor to James R. Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 5, 1949, Serial No. 131,090

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical clamps and more specifically to so-called parallel groove, hot line clamps of the type adapted for use in attaching tap connections energized feeder lines, the predominant object of the invention being to provide a clamp of this type which is of such improved construction and arrangement that it is capable of performing its intended function in an improved and more eflicient manner than were the clamps heretofore employed for the same purpose.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved clamp of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention. 1

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line I-'I of Fig. 6.

In the drawing, wherein are shown for purposes of illustration, merely, two embodiments of the invention, A designates in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the improved clamp generally. The clamp A comprises an upper jaw I and a lower jaw 2, said jaws having openings 3 formed therethrough through which the shank portion 4a of a bolt 4 is extended. The upper jaw is provided at its top face with a pair of spaced, upstanding ribs Ia, and a non-circular portion of the bolt shank 4a which is located immediately beneath the head 4?) of the bolt is disposed between these ribs, whereby rotation of the bolt is prevented, the lower face of the bolt head contacting with top face portions of said ribs. Mounted on the screwthreaded shank portion 4a of the bolt 4 is a jaw operating member 5 which comprises a tubular portion 5a that is provided with internal screwthreads for screwthreaded engagement with the screwthreads of the bolt shank, said tubular portion 5a having an annular flange 5b at its upper end which engages a spring washer 50 that engages a standard washer 511, which contacts with the lower jaw 2. Also, the tubular portion of the operating memher 5 has an eye portion formed thereon which is adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool when it is desired to rotate said operating member relative to the bolt shank in applying the clamp to an overhead conductor.

The upper jaw I is provided with a seat 6 which extends from side to side of said upper jaw at the lower face thereof, and the lower jaw is provided with a seat I that is related to the seat 6 of the upper jaw and which extends from side to side of said lower jaw at the upper face thereof, said seats 6 and I being movable with the jaws I and Ztoward each other to clampingly engage an electrical conductor 0 extended between said seats. Also, the upper jaw I is provided with a seat 8 at its lower face, and the lower jaw 2 is provided with a seat 9 at its upper face which is related to said seat 8 of the upper jaw I, said seats 8 and 9 being extended from side to side of said jaws. The upper jaw I has formed thereon an ear I0 which extends outwardly from said upper jaw, and the lower jaw 2 has formed thereon a similar ear II, said ears I0 and II being provided with apertures formed therethrough through which the elongated shank portion of a bolt I2 is extended. The bolt I2 is provided with a head I2 which is located at the lower end of said bolt and is disposed a considerable distance beneath the ear I I of the lower jaw 2, and interposed between said ear II and the head of the bolt 4 in embracing relation with respect to the shank portion of the bolt is a coil spring I3. The coil spring I3 is maintained in position under compression with the opposite ends of said coil spring contacting with a washer I3 which contacts with the ear I I and with the bolt head 4, respectively. Also, the screwthreaded upper portion of the bolt shank has screwthreadedly mounted thereon a nut I4 which engages the upper face of the car In of the upper jaw I.

The upper jaw I has formed thereon at the rear portion thereof a pair of spaced, downwardly projected extensions I5 which are disposed at opposite sides of the ear II), the ear I I of the lower jaw 2 being projected through the space between said extensions and opposite edge portions of the ear II of the lower jaw 2 contacting with the inner edges of said extensions whereby the ear II of the lower jaw is maintained in proper alinement relative to the ear I0 of the upper jaw I. Also, the upper jaw I is provided with opposed, side lugs I6 which extend downwardly from said upper jaw at opposite sides thereof and normally overlap the lower jaw 2, opposed side portions of the lower jaw 2 contacting with the inner faces of said lugs whereby said lower jaw is maintained in proper relation with respect to the upper jaw I.

In the use of the improved clamp disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, the operating member 5 is adjusted downwardly to a required position and an end portion of a tap wire T, which is to be connected to an overhead feeder line with the aid of the improved clamp, is forced between the seats 8 and 9, the coil spring I3 being additionally compressed by such introduction of the end portion of the tap wire between said seats 8 and 9, and said coil spring serving to force said seats 8 and 9 into tight tripping engagement with the interposed end portion of the tap wire whereby the tap wire is securely gripped by the rear portions of the jaws I and 2 of the clamp. With the forward portions of the jaws I and 2 in open positions as a result of downward adjustment of the operating mem-' her 5, the clamp is applied to a suitable clamp; stick and is elevated to the position of the overhead conductor to which the clamp is to be applied, the forward portion of the upper jaw I being passed over the conductor to bring the seat 6 of the upper jaw into contact with an upper portion of the conductor C. The operating member 5 is then rotated with the aid of the clamp stick so as to adjust said operating member upwardly relative to the shank portion of the bolt 4, thereby moving the jaws I and 2 toward each other and causing the conductor C to be securely gripped between the seats 6 and I of the jaws I and 2. It is to be noted that when the operating member 5 is adjusted downwardly, the coil spring I3 tends to move the forward portion of the lower jaw 2 downwardly to its open position with respect to the forward portion of the upper jaw I so that the clamp may be conveniently passed onto an overhead conductor, said lower jaw being swung by the force exerted by said 0011 spring in a pivotal manner about the end portion of the tap wire T, which is disposed between the seats 8 and 9.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the present invention according to which the upper jaw I! and the lower jaw l8 are of substantially greater length than are the upper and. lower jaws I and 2 of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The clamp of Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a spaced pair of assemblies for drawing the upper and lower toward each other; that is to say, the clamp of Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a spaced pair of bolts I9 and each of said bolts has screwthreadedly mounted thereon an operating member 25 the pair of bolt and operating member assemblies of Figs. 6 and 7 functioning just as does the bolt and operatin member assembly of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, in drawing the jaws of the clamp toward each other. Also, the clamp of Figs. 6 and 7 includes a spaced pair of bolts 2I which correspond with the bolt I2 of Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, each of said bolts 2| extending through alined apertures 22 formed through ears 23 and 24 formed respectively on the upper jaw I7 and the lower jaw I8 and each bolt 2! having a head ZIa at its lower end and a nut ZIb at its upper end that engages a portion of the upper jaw I7. Also, a coil spring 26 is arranged in embracing relation with respect to a portion of each bolt 21, the opposite ends of said coil spring engaging the head Zia of the bolt and a washer 21 which embraces the shank of the bolt and contacts with the lower jaw of the clamp.

The clamp shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is provided with a coil spring 28 whose opposite end portions are seated in cavities 29 and 30 formed respectively in the upper jaw I! and the lower jaw I8.-. This coil spring 28 is a jaw-separating spring, being maintained under tension between the jaws and serving, when the operating members are adjusted downwardly, to move said jaws apart.

I claim:

1. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjusting means for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws adj acent to the forward portions of said jaws, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed on said upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formed therethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures for connecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient means comprisin a coil spring associated with said elongated element for drawing said rear portions of said jaws toward each other and moving the forward portion of said lower jaw away from the forward portion of said upper jaw, said adjusting means including a bolt which extends between the forward and rear related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws.

2. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjusting means for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the forward portions of said jaws, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed on said upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formed therethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures for connecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient means comprising a coil spring associated with said elongated element in embracing relation with respect thereto for drawing said rear portions of said jaws toward each other and moving the forward Portion of said lower jaw away from the forward portion of said upper jaw, said adjusting means including a bolt which extends between the forward and rear related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws.

3. An electrical clamp comprising an upper jaw, a lower jaw, adjusting means for drawing said jaws toward each other, related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the forward portions of said jaws, related conductor seats formed. on said upper and lower jaws adjacent to the rear portions of said jaws, extended portions formed on said upper and lower jaws and having alined apertures formed therethrough, an elongated element extended through said apertures for connecting the rear portions of said jaws together, and resilient means comprising a coil spring associated with said elongated element in embracing relation with respect thereto for drawing said rear portions of said jaws toward each other, said elongated element being provided with an abutment and said coil spring bearing at its opposite ends against said abutment and against the extended portion of said lower jaw and moving the forward portion of said lower jaw away from the forward portion of said upper jaw, said adjusting means including a bolt which extends between the forward and rear related conductor seats formed on said upper and lower jaws.

KENNETH R. 'RUNDE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,040,620 Clark Oct. 8, 1912 1,172,604 Johnson Feb. 22, 1916 1,677,445 Hardos July 17, 1928 1,979,091 Alsaker et a1. Oct. 30, 1934 2,042,086 Aubert May 26, 1936 2,127,840 Church Aug. 23, 1938 2,200,380 Bodendieck May 14, 1940

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