Hinged bushing suspension clamp and method for using said clamp

• US 8,500,073 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited)
• Original Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited)
• Inventors: Quesnel, Wayne L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOOD, KIMBERLY T
• Application Number:
  US12/280,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20090014208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 248/68.1, 248/74.1, 248/74.4, 248/229.14, 248/229.24, 248/228.5, 248/229.13, 248/229.23, 248/228.4, 248/230.4, 248/230.5, 248/231.51, 248/231.61, 248/316.6, 248/316.5, 248/62, 324/127, 324/117.R, 324/117.H, 324/158.1, 813/18, 813/24, 813/26, 813/25, 813/33, 813/35, 813/34, 242/85, 245/14, 245/21, 243/29
• US Class Current: 248/74.4
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 7/053 Suspension clamps and clips for electric overhead lines not suspended to a supporting wire
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1453 Pivotal strap parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44504 Threaded cylindrical rod and mating cavity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A clamp with a first clamp halve with a hinge portion and a first opening for a fastener; a second clamp halve, with a hinge portion and a first opening for a fastener; a cable opening; and a hinge device for connecting the two hinge portions. The clamp may also include a first clamp halve with a second opening for a closing insert.

Claims

1. A clamp for a cable comprising:

a first clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener opening being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion;

a second clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener opening being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion;

bushings; and

a hinge device for connecting the two hinge portions of the first and the second clamp halves,

wherein the hinge device is inserted through openings of the hinge portions of the first and second clamp halves in a hinge axis direction substantially parallel with length of the cable,

wherein the clamp portion and the hinge portion are disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion,

wherein a same axis extends through a center of the suspension hole of both the first and second clamp halves,

wherein the first and second clamp halves comprise at least two substantially circular fastener holes, and

wherein the bushings are disposed on each side of the clamp portion along the hinge axis direction.

2. The clamp of claim 1, further comprising a fastener, wherein said fastener is inserted in one of said fastening holes and said fastener tightens said clamp.

3. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the hinge portions are above said clamp portions and said substantially circular fastener hole is below said clamps portion.

4. A clamp for a cable comprising:

a first clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener opening being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion;

a second clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener opening being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion; and

a hinge device for connecting the two hinge portions of the first and the second clamp halves,

wherein the hinge device is inserted through openings of the hinge portions of the first and second clamp halves in a hinge axis direction substantially parallel with length of the cable,

wherein the clamp portion and the hinge portion are disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion, and

wherein a same axis extends through a center of the suspension hole of both the first and second clamp halves,

wherein of the first and second clamp halves, only the first clamp halve comprises a closing insert opening disposed between the suspension hole and the hinge portion.

5. The clamp of claim 4, wherein a closing insert is inserted in said closing insert opening, and said closing insert causes said clamp to close.

6. The clamp of claim 4, further comprising a fastener, wherein said fastener is inserted in said fastening hole and said fastener tightens said clamp.

7. The clamp of claim 4, wherein the hinge portions are above said clamp portions and said fastener hole is below said clamp portions.

8. The clamp of claim 4, wherein the hinge portions are above said clamp portions;

said fastener hole is below said clamp portion.

9. The clamp of claim 5, wherein the closing insert comprises a thumbscrew.

10. The clamp of claim 5, wherein the closing insert comprises an eyehook.

11. A method of attaching a clamp to a cable comprising:

providing two clamp halves,

wherein each clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener hole being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion, and

wherein a same axis extends through a center of the suspension holes of the each clamp halve;

connecting the hinge portions of the two clamp halves with a hinge device by inserting the hinge device through openings of the hinged portions of the clamp halves in a hinge axis direction substantially parallel with the cable, opening said clamp by squeezing the top portions together;

placing said clamp over a cable;

closing said clamp by squeezing the bottom portions of the two halves together; and

tightening said clamp by inserting a fastener into the fastener hole of each of the two clamp halves,

wherein the each clamp halve comprises at least two substantially circular fastener holes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said clamp is opened by moving said top portions of clamp halves close together;

and

said clamp is closed by moving said bottom portions of said clamp halves together.

13. A method of attaching a clamp to a cable comprising:

providing two clamp halves,

wherein each clamp halve having a clamp portion, a hinge portion, a substantially circular fastener hole disposed on a bottom portion, and a suspension hole disposed on a top portion, the suspension hole and the fastener hole being disposed on opposite sides of the hinge portion, and

wherein a same axis extends through a center of the suspension holes of the each clamp halve;

connecting the hinge portions of the two clamp halves with a hinge device by inserting the hinge device through openings of the hinged portions of the clamp halves in a hinge axis direction substantially parallel with the cable,

opening said clamp by squeezing the top portions together;

placing said clamp over a cable;

closing said clamp by squeezing the bottom portions of the two halves together;

tightening said clamp by inserting a fastener into the fastener hole of each of the two clamp halves; and

closing the clamp using a closing insert,

wherein only one of the two clamp halves comprises a closing insert opening.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein an attaching device is used to insert said closing insert and close said clamp.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said attaching device is used to remove said closing insert.