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System for self-adjusting height and direction of a movable power cable

  • US 20090178895A1
  • Filed: 01/16/2008
  • Published: 07/16/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A cable connector for connecting an electrical power cable for a mobile electrically powered machine to a fixed location electrical power supply source, wherein the machine is moveable during its operation to and from and around the fixed location power supply, comprising:

  • an elongated electrical power transmission cable having a remote end adapted to be connected to a mobile machine and an electrical supply end for connection to a fixed location electrical power supply source and having an elongated central portion between said ends;

    a rotatable reel about which the supply end portion is wound, with said reel being provided with a motor arranged to apply a wind-up force upon the reel for winding the supply end portion around the reel and for providing a force upon the central portion of the cable for generally keeping said central portion substantially taut and straight during movements of said machine;

    said reel being mounted upon a rotatable support which is freely rotatable about a generally vertically arranged axis for thereby directly aligning the cable central portion between the reel and the machine in response to the movement and location of the machine relative to the reel;

    a turret housing enclosing the reel and carried by the rotatable support for rotating about the vertical axis with the reel;

    said turret housing having a vertically elongated slot through which the cable passes as it extends between the reel and the machine with the cable being freely moveable upwardly and downwardly within the slot;

    whereby the cable central portion is maintained generally taut and extended directly between the reel and machine, but will vary in height above ground upon which the support is mounted, during movements of the machine towards and away from the reel and around the reel so that the cable is arranged at a vertical height above the ground during movement of the machine.

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