Extended wedge socket assembly

• US 5,553,360 A
• Filed: 05/19/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crosby Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Douglas E., Lucas, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US08/446,537
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 24/136 K, 24/136 A, 24/136 B, 24/136 R, 24/136 L, 24/115 M, 403/211, 403/213
• US Class Current: 24/136.00K
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/046 by bending the cable around a surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3969 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3971 Rope looped about movable member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3996 Sliding wedge

Abstract

A wedge socket assembly having a wedge socket, a pin for connecting objects to the wedge socket, a wedge, and a bolt for holding the wedge in the wedge socket. The wedge socket has an elongated, hollow basket of substantially rectangular cross-section. The hollow basket has a large opening at a first end, a small opening at a second end, and an interior cross-section tapering from said large opening to said small opening. Connected to the basket are a pair of jaws extending from opposite sides of the first end, and the jaws each have an opening therethrough aligned with one another, with the pin inserted through the openings and retained by a cotter pin. The wedge has a first wedge portion with a large end and a small end, and is of substantially the same shape as the interior of the basket. An extended portion is connected to the small end of the first wedge portion and has an opening therethrough, and is sized such that when the wedge is positioned within the basket the extended portion extends through the small opening. The bolt is inserted into the opening in the extended portion, and is retained in the opening by a nut. In an alternate embodiment, a forged wire rope clip connects a wire rope to the extended wedge portion through the opening.

Claims

1. A wedge socket assembly, comprising:

a wedge socket having,

an elongated, longitudinal hollow basket having a large opening at a first end, a small opening at a second end, and an interior cross-section tapering from said large opening to said small opening, and

a pair of jaws connected to said basket and extending from opposite side of said first end, said jaws each having a transverse opening therethrough, said openings being aligned with one another;

first pin means for insertion through said pair of openings, and first retaining means for retaining said first pin means in said pair of openings;

a unitary wedge, having,

a wedge portion having a large end and a small end, said wedge portion being of substantially the same shape as said interior of said basket, and having a peripheral groove to receive a wire rope therearound creating, beyond said small end, a live end and a dead end,

said wedge portion having an extended portion connected to said small end of said first wedge portion and having a transverse opening therein, said extended portion being sized such that when said wedge is positioned within said basket said extended portion extends beyond said small opening at said second end; and

a first wedge retaining means for insertion into said transverse opening in said extended portion, and second retaining means for retaining said wedge retaining means in said opening in said extended portion.

2. A wedge socket assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said first wedge retaining means and said second retaining means comprise means to connect said dead end of said wire rope to said extended wedge portion.

3. A wedge socket assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said opening is one of a hole or a notch.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said first wedge retaining means and said second retaining means is a wire rope clip.