Wedge socket

• US 4,845,814 A
• Filed: 11/15/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Crook, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Application Number:
  US07/273,736
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 294/102.1, 403/369, 403/374, 403/409.1, 24/115 R, 24/115 M, 24/122.6, 24/135 R, 24/135 K, 24/136 R
• US Class Current: 24/136.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/048 by moving a surface into the cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3958 Screw clamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3969 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7054 Plural, circumferentially related shims between members

Abstract

Wedge sockets are among the simplest devices for anchoring a wire rope for any purposes. They are intended for "on the job" attachment and for quick rope replacement. Principal advantages are simplicity, ease and speed of applying and detaching. Wedge sockets are commercially available and an information article on wedge sockets appears in attachment "A", "Wire Rope Rigging Manual", pages 45 and 46. The most commonly used wedge socket is believed represented by that information appearing on pages 34 and 39 of The Crosby Group catalog, a copy attached hereto as Exhibit "B". Also of interest is the Bulletin TGS-2 of Sauerman Brothers Inc., which is attached hereto as Exhibit "C". The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are noted:

3,905,711; 3,351,986; and 4,602,891.

Claims

1. An improved wedge socket assembly for gripping the end of a wire rope which comprises:

a basket having a longitudinal rectangular cross-sectioned sloped passage therethrough with a first end opening smaller than its second end opening, said passage defined by two opposed upper and lower planar sides forming internal tapered wedge surfaces and first and second opposed planar sides;

said basket having two ears extending outwardly from said second end with a coaxial opening that is transverse to said longitudinal passage;

a first wedge element and a second wedge element which when positioned in said longitudinal passage forms an essentially rectangular cross-sectioned sloped shape matching the shape of said rectangular cross-sectioned sloped passage with said first wedge element having an upper side contacting said upper planar side, said second wedge element having a lower side contacting said lower planar side, and each of said wedge elements having a pair of first and second opposed sides and each of said wedge elements forming from said first end opening to said second end opening a forward portion, a restricted portion and a rearward portion, said wedge elements having along said forward portion a pair of raised longitudinal parallel land surfaces on said upper side of said first wedge element and on said lower side of said second wedge element, said each of wedge elements along both said upper and lower sides of said restricted portion and said rearward portion having a single raised longitudinal land surface spaced between said pair of first and second opposed sides of said wedge elements all of said land surfaces operative against said upper and lower internal tapered wedge surfaces, each of said wedge elements having a longitudinal inner, generally semicircular, recess facing each other in cross section of a uniform size and shape along said forward portion and said rearward portion to receive said wire rope, said wedge elements in said restricted section each having a longitudinal inner planar surface facing each other and having less depth than each of their respective said recesses to form a longitudinal rectangular cross-sectioned opening for preloading or compressing said wire rope thereinto, and bolt holes and bolts received therein extending through said elements and straddling said restricted portion with said planar surfaces between said bolt holes.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said restricted portion is closer to said second end opening of said basket than it is to said first end opening.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess at the end of said wedge elements adjacent said first end opening of said basket is curved outwardly.