A steering system includes a rod member, a housing, and a clamping member. The housing has a clamping slit and includes a first clamp-receiving portion and a second clamp-receiving portion that project so as to sandwich the clamping slit therebetween. The clamping member includes a fixed cam, a clamping shaft, a rotary cam, and a clamping lever. The fixed cam is fitted in the first clamp-receiving portion from an outer side of the first clamp-receiving portion. The fixed cam has a third through hole extending through the fixed cam coaxially with a first axis. The third through hole has a small diameter portion at a first portion close to the rotary cam and a large diameter portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the small diameter portion at a second portion away from the rotary cam.

A cable clamp for attaching a cable or tubing to a tubular drill casing string comprising an at least one-piece low friction polymer clamp having an interior surface geometry matching an exterior geometry of the casing string and cable, and an exterior surface geometry which is larger than the largest outside profile of the casing string and the cable or tubing so that the exterior surface of the clamp carries at least some of the contact load between the casing string and the wellbore. The clamp has a low friction exterior surface to reduce sliding friction between the clamp and the wellbore during drilling and a high-friction interior surface to grip the casing string and reduce slippage between the clamp and the casing string, and can be hinged and include a band for securing the clamp to the casing string.

A cable clamp for attaching a cable or tubing to a tubular drill casing string comprising an at least one-piece low friction polymer clamp having an interior surface geometry matching an exterior geometry of the casing string and cable, and an exterior surface geometry which is larger than the largest outside profile of the casing string and the cable or tubing so that the exterior surface of the clamp carries at least some of the contact load between the casing string and the wellbore. The clamp has a low friction exterior surface to reduce sliding friction between the clamp and the wellbore during drilling and a high-friction interior surface to grip the casing string and reduce slippage between the clamp and the casing string, and can be hinged and include a band for securing the clamp to the casing string.

A barrier cable anchor for mechanically coupling a barrier cable to a barrier retaining structure comprises an anchor body comprising a mounting extension and an anchor body extension and including a radially extending mounting face, a retaining collar coupled to the anchor body extension and including a tapered inner surface, and one or more retaining wedges positioned within the retaining collar. The anchor body extension, mounting extension, and retaining collar may have bores therethrough. The retaining collar may include a threaded outer surface and the anchor body extension may include a threaded inner surface and the retaining collar may be threadedly coupled to the anchor body extension. The anchor may further comprise an anchor cap retained to the anchor body extension. The anchor cap may include a threaded inner surface and the retaining collar may be threadedly coupled to the anchor cap.

A method for creating a composite cable having at least one high-performance termination on at least one end. A high-performance termination is added to an end of a short synthetic tensile strength member. The strength of the tensile strength member and termination is then tested. Once tested satisfactorily, the short cable is spiced onto a long cable of the same type using prior art splicing techniques. The union of the short cable and the long cable creates a composite cable having a high-performance termination on at least one end. In most applications it is preferable to set the length of the short cable so that the interwoven splice will exist at a desired location.

A method for creating a composite cable having at least one high-performance termination on at least one end. A high-performance termination is added to an end of a short synthetic tensile strength member. The strength of the tensile strength member and termination is then tested. Once tested satisfactorily, the short cable is spiced onto a long cable of the same type using prior art splicing techniques. The union of the short cable and the long cable creates a composite cable having a high-performance termination on at least one end. In most applications it is preferable to set the length of the short cable so that the interwoven splice will exist at a desired location.

An auxiliary rope knotter includes an interior formed with a first through hole, a second through hole, a first locking groove and a second locking groove which are parallel with each other. In the cross-sectional face of the auxiliary rope knotter, the first center connecting line formed by the first through hole and the second through hole intersects the second center connecting line formed by the first locking groove and the second locking groove, such that the rope is easily knotted by the auxiliary rope knotter.

Cable gripper jaws and cable gripper jaw members having at least one removable, cable gripping surface insert. The gripper jaw member has a recess for receiving the insert and the insert can engage with the gripper member by means of a fixative and/or a mechanical engaging means, including mechanical interlocking means. The insert and gripper member can be of different materials, including metals of differing hardness ratings. The cable gripper jaws have utility in the cable gripping fields, including in the drilling and horizontal directional drilling industries, and as part of a method for pulling cable through space, including pulling cable through space in the pipe bursting and trenchless pipe replacement industries.

The present invention extends to a carabiner intended for use as an adjustable anchor. In general, embodiments of the invention include a carabiner that includes a pinching mechanism. More specifically, some embodiments of the invention include a carabiner having a pinching mechanism that includes one of a slidable pin, a rotatable cam, or a pivotable block. Additionally, some embodiments of the invention include a rope, whereas other embodiments can be used with a rope supplied by a climber.

A swivel connector has a female part and a male part that are connected to each other so as to swivel. The female part has a main body with an interior cavity and an open face, and a strap connector. The male part has a plug portion and a strap connector. A ring lock locks the male portion to the female portion and is formed by two side walls connected by two pivot bars, the side walls of the ring lock being rotatably connected to the female part. The male part is locked to the female part by inserting the plug portion into the interior cavity, and rotating the ring lock into a locked position where the open face is blocked by one of the pivot bars. The male part is released from the female part by rotating the ring lock until the open face is not blocked by the pivot bar.