System for Temporarily Mounting Overhead Equipment on a Utility Pole Without Damaging the Pole and Assembly for Use Therein

Abstract

A system for temporarily mounting overhead equipment on a utility pole without damaging the pole and at least one assembly for use therein are provided. Each assembly includes an enclosure having a first and second opposed multilayered parts. Each of the parts has a rigid substrate layer underlying a compressible, gripping layer. The substrate layers are hingedly secured to one another by a hinge area which allows the parts to temporarily and repeatedly open and close in a closed configuration. The gripping layers of the parts are configured to apply a clamping force at opposite circumferential surfaces of the pole in the closed configuration. The assembly also includes a support member fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers and configured to support the overhead equipment. The clamping force is sufficient to maintain the assembly and the supported overhead equipment at a desired overhead location on the pole.

Claims

1. An assembly for temporarily mounting overhead equipment on a utility pole without damaging the pole, the assembly comprising: an enclosure having first and second opposed multilayered parts, each of the parts having a rigid substrate layer and a compressible, gripping layer overlying its substrate layer, the substrate layers of the parts being hingedly secured to one another by a hinge area which allows the parts to temporarily and repeatedly open and close in a closed configuration in which the parts at least partially define a passageway which extends completely therethrough, wherein the gripping layers of the parts are configured to apply a clamping force at a desired location along the longitudinal length of the pole at opposite circumferential surfaces of the pole in the closed configuration; and a support member fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers and configured to support the overhead equipment, the clamping force being sufficient to maintain the assembly and the supported overhead equipment at the desired location during use of the assembly.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each substrate layer has a curved shape and wherein each gripping layer comprises heat shrink tubing having a curved shape along a length of the tubing and wherein each tubing is configured to shrink circumferentially upon the application of a predetermined amount of heat to conform to the curved shape of its substrate layer.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gripping layer is made of a dimensionally heat-unstable material configured to change dimensions upon the application of a predetermined amount of heat.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the material comprises cross-linked polymeric material.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the material comprises cross-linked polyolefin.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinge area joins the parts at first edges of the substrate layers.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a closure device coupled to the substrate layers of the parts to facilitate temporary and repeated opening and closing of the enclosure.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the closure device includes an adjustable tensioner configured to adjust the distance between second edges of the substrate layers opposite the first edges to adjust the clamping force of the gripping layers.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the tensioner includes a bell nut adjustably threadedly mounted for linear movement on a threaded post of the closure device.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a keeper pin configured to hold the post in a slot of a plate of the closure device.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two layers of each of the parts overlie and are in contact with one another.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overhead equipment comprises at least one temporary crossarm configured to support conductors.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utility pole is a temporary utility pole made from fiber-reinforced composite materials.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each substrate layer is a metal layer.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the support member is fused or welded to one of the substrate layers.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the parts is formed as a unitary part.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the support member comprises either a metal channel or a bent metal plate.

18. A system for temporarily mounting overhead equipment on a utility pole without damaging the pole, the system comprising upper and lower enclosures each as claimed in claim 1 and a support member fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers of each of the enclosures wherein the clamping forces applied by the gripping layers of the enclosures are sufficient to maintain the system and the supported overhead equipment at the desired locations along the longitudinal length of the pole.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a stop assembly configured to be positioned immediately adjacent the lower hollow enclosure to prevent downward movement of the lower enclosure under the force of gravity along the longitudinal length of the pole.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the stop assembly comprises an enclosure as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIGS. 1-3 are side schematic view of a prior art mobile pole unit in different intermediate stages of positioning a utility pole from a make-up position (not shown), at which various overhead equipment, such as one or more crossarms and brackets, is installed, to a final use position (not shown);

[0038] FIG. 4 is a perspective, schematic view, partially broken away, of a prior art assembly for temporarily mounting overhead equipment such as a crossarm member to the utility pole of FIGS. 1-3;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a side schematic view, partially broken away, of a system for temporarily mounting overhead equipment on the pole of FIGS. 1-4 and constructed in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] FIG. 6 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 5, but showing a typical support member for a crossarm member;

[0041] FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic view, partially broken away, of the system of FIGS. 5 and 6 with a crossarm member supported by the system; and

[0042] FIG. 8 is a schematic end view of an assembly of the system of FIGS. 5-7 in which various radially extending arrows represent a clamping force and a single vertically extending arrow represents a tension force which opposes a vertical load of the system and supported overhead equipment on the pole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0044] As used in this application, the term “substrate” or “substrate layer” refers to any rigid single or multi-layer component having a surface to which a compressible gripping layer is or can be applied such as by heat shrinking. The gripping layer may be made of polymers and other plastics, as well as composite materials. Furthermore, the shape of the substrate and, particularly, the surface to be covered can be any part of an assembly or device manufactured by any of various methods, such as, without limitation, conventional metal bar rolling, or otherwise fabricated. The support member may be a metal plate bent to form a channel or a bent metal plate.

[0045] The term “overlies” and cognate terms such as “overlying” and the like when referring to the relationship of one or a first, superjacent layer relative to another or a second, subjacent layer, means that the first layer partially or completely lies over the second layer. The first, superjacent layer overlying the second, subjacent layer may or may not be in contact with the subjacent layer; one or more additional layers may be positioned between respective first and second, or superjacent and subjacent layers.

[0046] The term “heat-shrink tubing” (or, commonly, heat shrink or heatshrink) is a shrinkable plastic tube often used to insulate wires, providing abrasion resistance and environmental protection for stranded and solid wire conductors, connections, joints and terminals in electrical work. It can also be used to repair the insulation on wires or to bundle them together, to protect wires or small parts from minor abrasion, and to create cable entry seals, offering environmental sealing protection. Heat-shrink tubing may be made of polyolefin, which shrinks radially (but not longitudinally) when heated, to between one-half and one-sixth of its diameter.

[0047] Referring now to drawing FIGS. 5-8, there is illustrated a system, generally indicated at 110, and assemblies, generally indicated at 112, for use therein for temporarily and repeatedly mounting overhead equipment such as a crossarm 114 on a utility pole 116 without damaging the pole 116.

[0048] Each assembly 112 generally typically comprises an enclosure, generally indicated at 120, having a first and second opposed, unitary multilayered parts 122 and 124. Each of the parts 122 and 124 has a rigid substrate layer 126 and a compressible, gripping layer 128 overlying its substrate layer 126. The parts 122 and 124 are hingedly secured to one another by a hinge area, generally indicated at 130, which allows the two parts 122 and 124 to temporarily and repeatedly open and close in a closed configuration (as shown in FIGS. 5-8) in which the parts 122 and 124 at least partially define a passageway 132 which extends completely therethrough. The gripping layers 128 of the parts 122 and 124 are configured to apply a clamping force at a desired location along the longitudinal length of the pole 116 at opposite circumferential surfaces 134 of the pole 116 in the closed configuration as shown in FIG. 8.

[0049] Each assembly 112 also includes a support member 136 fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers 126 and configured to support the overhead equipment 114. The clamping force is sufficient to maintain the assembly 112 and the supported overhead equipment 114 at the desired location on the pole 116 during use of the assembly 112.

[0050] Each substrate layer 126 typically has a curved shape. Each gripping layer 128 typically comprises heat shrink tubing having a curved shape along a length of the tubing. The tubing is configured to shrink upon the application of a predetermined amount of heat to conform to the curved shape of its substrate layer 126.

[0051] Each gripping layer 128 is made of a dimensionally heat-unstable material configured to change dimensions upon the application of a predetermined amount of heat. The material typically comprises a cross-linked polymeric material such as polyolefin. However, it is to be understood that other types of polymeric material may be used, such as PVC. Aside from these two materials, one can also use heat shrink material made of rubber elastomers, PVDF, Silicone, PTFE, FEP and Viton.

[0052] The hinge area 130 typically includes a hinge 133 which joins the parts 122 and 124 at first edges 135 of the substrate layers 126.

[0053] Each assembly 112 typically also comprises a closure device or latch, generally indicated at 136, coupled to the substrate layers 126 to facilitate temporary and repeated opening and closing of the enclosure 120. The closure device 136 includes an adjustable tensioner 138 configured to adjust the distance between second edges 140 of the substrate layers 126 opposite the first edges 135 to adjust the clamping force of the gripping layers 128 in the closed configuration without damaging the pole 116. The tensioner 138 includes a bell nut 142 adjustably, threadedly mounted for linear movement on a threaded post 144 of the closure device 136. The tensioner 138 may be referred to as a head tensioner and is used to vary the clamping force applied by the gripping layers 128 on the pole 116.

[0054] Each assembly 112 may further comprise a keeper pin 146 configured to hold the support post 144 in a slot 147 formed in a plate 148 of the closure device 136. The plate 148 is fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers 126 such as by welding.

[0055] Typically, the two layers 126 and 128 overlie and are in contact with one another. However, it is to be understood the other layers (not shown) may be disposed between the two layers 126 and 128.

[0056] The overhead equipment may comprise one or more temporary crossarms 114 configured to support conductors or wires such as shown in FIGS. 1-3. However, it is to be understood that other well-known overhead electrical and/or communication equipment can be mounted by the system 110 of the present invention to the utility pole 116. The utility pole 116 may be a temporary utility pole made from fiber-reinforced composite materials or other materials such as wood, metal, etc.

[0057] Each substrate layer 126 may be a metal layer having a curved shape. The metal may be stainless steel. The support member 136 may be fused or welded to one of the substrate layers 126. The support member 136 may comprise either a metal channel or a bent metal plate as best shown in FIG. 8.

[0058] The system 110 is used for temporarily mounting overhead equipment on the utility pole 116 without damaging the pole 116. Typically, the system 110 comprises upper and lower enclosures 120 as shown in FIGS. 5-7 and the support member 136 fixedly secured to one of the substrate layers 126 of each of the enclosures 120. The clamping forces applied by the gripping layers 122 are sufficient to maintain the system 110 and the supported overhead equipment at the desired locations along the longitudinal length of the pole 116 during use of the system 110.

[0059] The system 110 may further comprise a stop assembly, generally indicated at 150, configured to be positioned immediately adjacent the lower enclosure 120 to prevent downward sliding or shifting movement of the lower enclosure 120 under the force of gravity along the longitudinal length of the pole 116, typically if adjustment of either the upper or lower enclosures 120 needs to be done. The stop assembly 150 typically comprises a enclosure 112 substantially identical to the upper and lower enclosures 112. The other components of the stop assembly 112 are substantially identical to the components of the assemblies 112 and, consequently, have the same reference numbers.

[0060] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.