Steel cable adjustment terminal and method for using same

Abstract

Steel wire rope adjuster terminal consisting of a piece of equipment designed to be assembled on a steel wire rope in order to form one of the two fastening ends thereof by means of a system for adjusting the length of the steel wire rope and then locking it, which is based on a fixed component comprising an internal box in which a cam can rotate until it forms a channel by means of respective grooves wherein the steel wire rope can slide if it is not bearing a load, and in which the cam is activated and trapped against the fixed component when the wire rope is bearing a load, so that the system does not damage the wire rope in any way and it can be unlocked in a completely reversible way.

Claims

1. A steel wire rope adjuster terminal comprising: a main fixed enclosure configured to house within the enclosure, an internal cam with outer grooves along with space to form a channel between the internal cam and main fixed enclosure to allow a steel wire rope to be inserted therein and for the cam to move with the steel wire rope; a lid shaped to cover an entire exposed side of the main fixed enclosure, an entire exposed side of the internal cam, and a steel wire rope inserted in the channel therebetween; a plurality of bores on the main fixed enclosure and on the lid that coincide when the lid covers the main fixed enclosure and the internal cam; said plurality of bores housing a plurality of screws; and said plurality of bores on the main fixed enclosure being threaded; a main bore that is larger than the plurality of bores on both the main fixed enclosure and the lid, which also coincide; said bore being configured to house a bolt of a clevis commonly used in rigging systems; a pin for securing the lid to the main fixed enclosure and through an axis of rotation of the internal cam; and a captive screw functioning as a complementary locking system, disposed in a bore of the main fixed enclosure, said bore located on an outside surface of the fixed enclosure that is adjacent to an exit of the channel between the internal cam and the main fixed enclosure on a side of the main fixed enclosure that does not bear a load, wherein when a load is lifted on the steel wire rope inserted between the internal cam with outer grooves and the main fixed enclosure, a small rotation from the lift traps the steel wire rope on the main fixed enclosure and insertion of the captive screw locks the steel wire rope in place.

2. A method for using the steel wire rope adjuster terminal of claim 1, comprising the steps of: (a) inserting a steel wire rope inside the main fixed enclosure; (b) inserting the internal cam into the main fixed enclosure, with a protruding side of the internal cam facing a base of the main fixed enclosure, while keeping the steel wire rope in the channel between the internal cam and the main fixed enclosure; (c) placing the lid over the main fixed enclosure and internal cam and fastening the lid with the plurality of screws; (d) lifting a load attached to the steel wire rope; and (e) inserting the captive screw into the main fixed enclosure to lock the steel wire rope in place.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To complete the invention described and to give a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, this description is accompanied by a set of drawings in which the figures described below have been represented, for purely illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting:

(2) FIG. 1. Main exploded perspective view of the Steel wire rope adjuster terminal.

(3) FIG. 2. Main perspective view of the Steel wire rope adjuster terminal once the steel wire rope has been placed inside it.

(4) FIG. 3. Main perspective view of the Steel wire rope adjuster terminal bearing a load.

(5) It is worth highlighting the following constituent elements featured in the aforementioned drawings:

(6) 1. Main fixed metal enclosure

(7) 2. Internal cam with outer grooves

(8) 3. Lid

(9) 4. Screws for securing the lid to the main fixed metal enclosure

(10) 5. Pin for securing the lid to the main fixed metal enclosure and the axis of rotation of the cam

(11) 6. Captive screw of the complementary locking system

EXEMPLARY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(12) In an example of a preferred embodiment, the Steel wire rope adjuster terminal can be designed as shown in FIGS. 1-3, comprising a main fixed metal enclosure (1) designed to house the internal cam with outer grooves inside it (2), and which is provided with a lid (3) once it has been assembled.

(13) Both the main fixed metal enclosure (1) as well as the aforementioned lid (3) contain respective bores that coincide when the assembly is closed and which house three screws (4), with the bores being threaded on the aforementioned main fixed metal enclosure (1), and an additional larger bore that also coincides when the assembly is closed, which is designed to house the bolt of a clevis of the type commonly used in rigging systems.

(14) Finally, in order to close the assembly ensuring that the internal cam with outer grooves (2) can move inside the main fixed metal enclosure (1), the lid (3) is secured on the aforementioned elements when the corresponding pin for fastening the lid to the fixed enclosure and the axis of rotation of the cam (5) is inserted in the corresponding bores after they have been aligned.

(15) In order to complete the description it is necessary to highlight that as seen in FIG. 2, the internal box of the main fixed metal enclosure (1) is designed to house the internal cam with outer grooves (2) that is provided with a small range of rotation limited by the contact made by the part protruding from the enclosure on the open base thereof, which in combination with the internal channel of the main fixed metal enclosure (1) itself, forms a channel where the steel wire rope is housed in order to be able to slide inside the assembly in two ways:

(16) 1. Sliding the wire rope along the internal channel without dragging the cam by making use of both hands to move the respective ends of the wire rope along the accesses of the assembly, on the plane of the cam and towards the interior of the assembly, making it possible to simultaneously move the wire rope along the internal channel in order to adjust the length of a wire rope that is not bearing a load.

(17) 2. Sliding the cable along the internal channel and dragging the cam (2) up to the point the assembly is locked when the wire rope that is bearing a load drags the internal cam with outer grooves (2) inside the main fixed metal enclosure (1) until the cam meets the enclosure (1) on the open base thereof, trapping the steel wire rope.

(18) Finally, it is worth noting that the range of rotation of the cam (2) inside the main fixed metal enclosure (1) limits the maximum load it can hold safely since it limits the movement of the cable.

(19) Regarding the procedure to operate the device, the assembly can be done by inserting the steel wire rope inside the main fixed metal enclosure (1), followed by inserting the cam (2) with the protruding side thereof facing the base of the enclosure and keeping the steel wire rope in the channel formed by assembling both pieces; finally, the lid (3) is closed in order to complete the assembly and the corresponding screws (4 and 5) can be manually fastened so long as the steel wire rope is not bearing any loads.

(20) Then, after the placement of the device and the length of the wire rope has been chosen, when the load is lifted a small rotation will trap the wire rope on the main fixed metal enclosure (1), generating a friction that will prevent the wire rope from sliding inside the assembly.

(21) Finally, once the wire rope is bearing a load, it is possible to activate the complementary locking system by inserting the captive screw of the complementary locking system (6), which would be located on the surface near the opening opposite to the side bearing the load after it has been fastened using an Allen key.

(22) It is not necessary to extend this description any further in order for any expert in the field to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages it provides for various applications, the materials used, the shapes of the different elements described and their relative positions, as well as the type of screws used and their dimensions, which may vary so long as said change does not alter the essence of the invention. The terms detailed in the description should be understood in a broad sense and should not be construed as limiting.