Plastic guy wire marker apparatus, bulk guy marker material, bulk guy marker dispenser system, and tool for installing a guy marker

Abstract

A guy marker apparatus for use on an associated guy wire includes a substantial rectangular body member having opposite parallel first and second edges and is foldable along a longitudinal axis parallel with the first and second edges. First and second connection portions are disposed at the first and second edges, respectively, for selectively interlocking the edges in slidable abutment to hold the main body member in a folded tubular conformation and selectively in a helical conformation. A tool for applying a guy marker apparatus onto an associated guy wire includes a main body member, an alignment portion adapted to guide the guy marker in an unlocked state relative to the main body member, and a production portion adapted to guide the marker in a self-locked state out from the main body member. A forming wall disposed between the alignment and production portions moves. the marker material between the unlocked and self-locked state based on relative movement between the tool and the guy marker material. A dispensing system for a bulk roll of coiled guy marker material includes a housing having a cavity adapted to hold the coil of guy marker material having a shape memory. The housing includes an outlet opening whereby desired lengths of guy marker material may be drawn. The bulk roll includes coiled flattened layers of plastic guy wire marker material having an inherent shape memory characteristic.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present application relates to methods, systems and apparatus providing markers, guards, and the like on guy wires. More particularly, this application is directed to guy marker devices, bulk guy wire marker articles of manufacture, a method of dispensing guy markers, a manual tool for installing guy markers, and further to a dispenser for storing the bulk marker and enabling payout of the bulk marker for cutting into selected lengths for installation onto associated guy wires. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] Typically, guy markers are used for visually identifying down guys or other wire and cable installations where anchoring devices in the ground are exposed to pedestrian and / or vehicular traffic. Guy markers are usually manufactured from plastic and sold as individual rigid elongate tubes, typically having a longitudinal slit or opening. In practice, bundles of these devices are carried to the jo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present application, a method of forming a guy wire guard from a roll of bulk guy marker material is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a guy marker material, rolling flattened layers of the guy marker material and, placing the coiled guy marker material into a dispenser. The preferred dispenser includes a resilient outer housing defining a cavity adapted to surround the coil. The method further includes the step of drawing the guy marker material from the housing and cutting the material to desired lengths. In one embodiment, opposite edges of the bulk marker material are connected together to form the guy marker around the associated guy wire. In another embodiment, a shape memory characteristic is imparted to the marker material prior to the coiling or rolling step causing the cut guy material to curl into a tubular shape onto the associated guy wire making use of the tool somewhat easier. Additionally, the method further includes the step of wrapping the guy material around a guy wire to form the guy wire guard.

Problems solved by technology

Difficulties exist related to the handling and storage requirements owing to the awkwardness of these devices and to the bulky volume occupied by bundled markers.

Simply, they do not stack or transport well.

This limits the range of applications and often forces modifications in the field when the length of the standard guy marker does not match the application need.

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