Wire extension sheave

Abstract

To provide a wire extension sheave capable of suppressing looseness of a cable already extended between other electric poles when the cable between the electric poles is extended.SOLUTION: A wire extension sheave 1 includes: a housing 2; a lower wheel 4 that is rotatably supported by the housing 2 and supports a newly-installed communication cable so as to move the newly-installed communication cable along with rotation in a state where the newly-installed communication cable is hung; a ratchet mechanism 7 that is provided in the housing 2 and the lower wheel 4 and regulates the lower wheel 4 so as to rotate only in one direction; and suspension means 5 that is provided in the housing 2 and suspends the housing 2 from an attachment target.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an extension wire carriage.

Background Art

[0002] As a method for extending a new communication cable along an existing communication cable, a method is used in which a plurality of extension wire carriages are attached to the existing communication cable or utility poles, and then the new communication cable is drawn into these extension wire carriages. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an extension wire carriage including a wheel on which a new communication cable is hung, a support member that rotatably supports the wheel, and a hook provided on the support member and attached to the existing communication cable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the extension wire carriage of Patent Document 1, when the tension of the new communication cable is loosened to facilitate the extension work between utility poles, there is a problem that the slack of the new communication cable already extended between other utility poles increases. For ease of understanding, with reference to the specific example of FIG. 8, an example will be described in which the extension work of the new communication cable has already been completed between certain utility poles, and the extension work is performed between adjacent utility poles.

[0005] Here, if the span between certain utility poles is longer than that between adjacent utility poles, the newly installed communication cable between certain utility poles will be heavier than the newly installed communication cable between adjacent utility poles by the length difference. When the newly installed communication cable is loosened in consideration of the efficiency of the extension work in this state, as shown in FIG. 8, the newly installed communication cable between adjacent utility poles moves toward the middle due to its weight, and a large slack may occur in the newly installed communication cable that has already been extended between the utility poles. And such a problem exists not only when performing the extension work of the communication cable but also when performing the extension work of other cables.

[0006] The present invention has been made based on such a background, and an object thereof is to provide an extension cart capable of suppressing the slack of a cable that has already been extended between other utility poles when performing the extension work of the cable between utility poles.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above object, the extension cart according to the present invention includes: a housing, a first wheel rotatably supported by the housing and supporting the cable to move with rotation in a state where the cable is hung, rotation restricting means provided on the housing and the first wheel for restricting the first wheel from rotating in only one direction, hanging means provided on the housing for hanging the housing on an object to be attached, and is provided with.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an extension cart capable of suppressing the slack of a cable that has already been extended between other utility poles when performing the extension work of the cable between utility poles.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, the extension pulley according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the embodiment, the case where a communication cable installed between utility poles is used as the cable will be described as an example.

[0011] The extension pulley according to the embodiment is a pulley that supports the newly installed communication cable so as to be movable with rotation while being suspended from the object to be attached, and is configured to regulate the direction in which the newly installed communication cable advances in one direction. The object to which the extension pulley according to the embodiment is attached is, for example, a utility pole, and in particular, it is preferably attached to the step bolts or overhead line fittings of the utility pole. The extension pulley according to the embodiment can prevent the movement of the newly installed communication cable between other utility poles even when the tension of the newly installed communication cable is relaxed during the extension work of the newly installed communication cable between utility poles, and as a result, can prevent the slack of the newly installed communication cable that has already been extended between other utility poles.

[0012] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the configuration of the extension wire carriage 1 according to the embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the extension wire carriage 1 includes a housing 2, an upper wheel 3 rotatably supported by the housing 2, a lower wheel 4 rotatably supported by the housing 2 and rotating only in one direction while sandwiching a new communication cable together with the upper wheel 3, and suspension means 5 supported at both end portions of the housing 2 facing in the direction in which the upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4 are arranged, for suspending the housing 2 from a utility pole. The lower wheel 4 and the upper wheel 3 are each an example of a first wheel and a second wheel, respectively, and are biased in a direction approaching each other by a coil spring 6.

[0013] The housing 2 includes a pair of plate-like members 21, 22 arranged at intervals from each other, a pair of support members 23, 24 extending in a direction orthogonal to the respective plate-like members 21, 22, connected to the upper and lower end portions of the plate-like member 21, and supporting the suspension means 5, and four connection means 25 for detachably connecting the upper and lower end portions of the respective plate-like members 21, 22. The pair of support members 23, 24 are fixed at different positions on the inner surfaces of the plate-like member 21, and the plate-like member 22 is configured separately from the pair of support members 23, 24. The plate-like member 21 is fixed to the respective support members 23, 24 by welding, for example.

[0014] The plate-like members 21, 22 are plate-like members extending in the direction in which the upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4 are arranged. The plate-like member 21 rotatably supports one end of the rotation axis 3a of the upper wheel 3 and the rotation axis 4a of the lower wheel 4, and the plate-like member 22 rotatably supports the other end of the rotation axis 3a of the upper wheel 3 and the rotation axis 4a of the lower wheel 4. Guide grooves 21a, 22a extending in the longitudinal direction and guiding the rotation axis 3a of the upper wheel 3 are formed in the plate-like members 21, 22. The guide grooves 21a, 22a rotatably support both end portions of the rotation axis 3a and support them so as to be translatable along the guide grooves 21a, 22a.

[0015] One end of the support member 23 is connected to the inner surface of the upper end portion of the plate-like member 21, and the other end of the support member 23 is in contact with the inner surface of the upper end portion of the plate-like member 22. One end of the support member 24 is connected to the inner surface of the lower end portion of the plate-like member 21, and the other end of the support member 24 is in contact with the inner surface of the lower end portion of the plate-like member 22. In a state where the plate-like members 21 and 22 and the support members 23 and 24 are combined with each other, the upper end portions of the plate-like members 21 and 22 are provided with portions protruding upward from the support member 23, and the lower end portions of the plate-like members 21 and 22 are provided with portions protruding downward from the support member 24.

[0016] The connecting means 25 is connected in pairs in a separated state to the portions of the plate-like members 21 and 22 that protrude upward from the support member 23 and the portions that protrude downward from the support member 24. The connecting means 25 includes a cylindrical spacer 25a, a bolt 25b inserted into the spacer 25a, and a nut 25c tightened to the bolt 25b. The spacer 25a is formed such that both ends thereof are in contact with the inner surfaces of the plate-like members 21 and 22.

[0017] A pair of through holes through which the bolt 25b can be inserted are provided in each of the portions of the plate-like members 21 and 22 that protrude upward and downward from the support member 23. The bolt 25b is inserted into the through holes of the plate-like members 21 and 22 and the inside of the spacer 25a, and by tightening the bolt 25b with the nut 25c, the pair of connecting means 25 are detachably attached to the upper end portions and the lower end portions of the plate-like members 21 and 22, respectively. Therefore, by loosening the nut 25c tightened to the bolt 25b and removing the four connecting means 25 from the pair of plate-like members 21 and 22, the housing 2 can be divided into the member composed of the plate-like member 21 and the support members 23 and 24 and the plate-like member 22.

[0018] The upper wheel 3 is a wheel that presses the newly installed communication cable toward the lower wheel 4. A non-slip rubber member is attached to the circumferential surface portion of the upper wheel 3, and its cross-sectional shape is formed in a convex shape. For example, a convex portion having an arc-shaped cross section is provided on the circumferential surface portion of the upper wheel 3.

[0019] The lower wheel 4 is a wheel that supports the newly installed communication cable from below and restricts the movement of the newly installed communication cable. A rubber member for anti-slip is attached to the circumferential surface portion of the lower wheel 4, and its cross-sectional shape is formed in a concave shape so as to guide the newly installed communication cable. For example, a concave portion having an arc-shaped cross section is provided on the circumferential surface portion of the lower wheel 4. The lower wheel 4 is formed to have a larger diameter than the upper wheel 3 that faces the newly installed communication cable with the cable in between.

[0020] The upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4 are provided with rotating shafts 3a and 4a. Both ends of the rotating shaft 3a are supported so as to be rotatable and translatable with respect to the guide grooves 21a and 22a of the plate-like members 21 and 22, and both ends of the rotating shaft 4a are rotatably supported by the through holes of the plate-like members 21 and 22. Further, both ends of the rotating shafts 3a and 4a protrude outward from the plate-like members 21 and 22, and coil springs 6 that bias the upper wheel 3 toward the lower wheel 4 are respectively attached to the protruding portions. The coil spring 6 is an example of biasing means for biasing the upper wheel 3 toward the lower wheel 4. Flanges are provided at both ends of the rotating shafts 3a and 4a to prevent the coil springs 6 from coming off.

[0021] The housing 2 and the lower wheel 4 are provided with a ratchet mechanism 7 which is an example of rotation restricting means for restricting the lower wheel 4 to rotate only in one direction. The ratchet mechanism 7 includes a gear 7a supported by the rotating shaft 4a of the lower wheel 4, and a claw member 7b whose base end portion is supported by the inner surface of the plate-like member 22 of the housing 2 and whose tip portion deforms while contacting the teeth of the gear 7a. The central axis of the rotating shaft 4a and the gear 7a coincide with each other.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the gear 7a includes, for example, a plurality of teeth with one tooth surface inclined toward the tangent and the other tooth surface directed in the radial direction. The claw member 7b is arranged, for example, to extend in the radial direction of the gear 7a, and is configured to deform while getting over one tooth surface when the gear 7a rotates in one direction and bite into the other tooth surface when the gear 7a is reversed.

[0023] The hanging means 5 is, for example, a round hook. The round hook extends in the longitudinal direction of the plate-like members 21 and 22 and is provided on each of the support members 23 and 24 so as to be separated from the support members 23 and 24. The round hook is hung on a step bolt or a suspension fitting of a utility pole using, for example, a rope or a carabiner. The above is the configuration of the extension wire pulley 1.

[0024] Next, the procedure of the method for extending a new communication cable executed using the extension wire pulley 1 according to the embodiment will be described. In the work of extending a communication cable, first, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of extension wire pulleys A are attached to an existing communication cable installed between a pair of target utility poles at intervals, and the extension wire pulley 1 is attached to the utility pole that is the target for the new communication cable to reach. Each extension wire pulley A is provided with a freely rotatable wheel. The extension wire pulley 1 is attached so that the towing rope and the new communication cable do not move toward the pair of target electric wires. Also, the extension wire pulley 1 and each extension wire pulley A are attached to the existing communication cable with a towing rope that is lighter than the new communication cable hung thereon.

[0025] When the attachment of the extension wire pulley 1 and all the extension wire pulleys A is completed, the end of the towing rope placed on the extension wire pulley 1 and the extension wire pulleys A is connected to the end of the new communication cable on the ground, and the towing rope is towed so that the end of the new communication cable reaches the target utility pole. Next, the tension of the towing rope is loosened and the drum is moved to the side of the adjacent utility pole, and the work of extending the new communication cable is carried out in the same procedure between the adjacent pair of utility poles.

[0026] At this time, since the newly installed communication cable extending between the pair of poles to be targeted is set on the extension pulley 1, even if the tension of the towing rope is loosened, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5, the newly installed communication cable cannot move in the direction approaching the area between the two poles to be targeted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the newly installed communication cable extending between the wires to be targeted from sagging downward. In addition, since the newly installed communication cable can move in the direction away from the area between the two poles to be targeted, the newly installed communication cable can be towed toward the adjacent pair of poles, and the extension work of the newly installed communication cable can be efficiently carried out. The above is the flow of the extension method.

[0027] As described above, the extension pulley 1 according to the embodiment includes a housing 2, a lower wheel 4 that is rotatably supported by the housing 2 and supports the newly installed communication cable so as to move the newly installed communication cable as it rotates with the newly installed communication cable hung thereon, a ratchet mechanism 7 provided on the housing 2 and the lower wheel 4 to restrict the lower wheel 4 from rotating only in one direction, and a hanging means 5 provided on the housing 2 to hang the housing 2 on a pole. Therefore, even if the tension of the newly installed communication cable is loosened, the newly installed communication cable already extended between the poles does not move in the direction of sagging due to its own weight, and damage to the newly installed communication cable can be prevented.

[0028] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the following modifications are also possible.

[0029] (Modification example) In the above embodiment, the housing 2 includes the plate-like members 21, 22, the support members 23, 24, and the connecting means 25, but the present invention is not limited thereto. If it is not necessary to configure the housing 2 to be divisible, for example, the housing 2 may be integrally configured by the plate-like members 21, 22, the support members 23, 24 fixed to each other.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, the plate-like members 21 and 22 are each a single plate-like member, but the present invention is not limited to this. At least one of the plate-like members 21 and 22 may be configured to be divisible at an intermediate portion so that the portion of the housing 2 that supports the upper wheel 3 and the portion that supports the lower wheel 4 can be separated from each other. Thereby, after installing a new communication cable on the utility pole using the extension pulley 1, the extension pulley 1 can be removed from the existing communication cable. At this time, after removing the coil springs 6 from both ends of the rotary shafts 3a and 4a, at least one of the plate-like members 21 and 22 is divided at the intermediate portion, and the existing communication cable is moved from the inside to the outside of the extension pulley 1 through the gap formed in the intermediate portion.

[0031] For example, as shown in FIG. 6, two plate-like members 21A and 21B that constitute the plate-like member 21 may be configured to be openable and closable with respect to each other, and two plate-like members 22A and 22B that constitute the plate-like member 22 may be rotatably connected by a hinge 22b. The two plate-like members 21A and 21B that constitute the plate-like member 21 are provided with a locking member 21b so that they can be fixed in a closed state. The locking member 21b may be configured to be able to fix the two plate-like members 21A and 21B to each other by hooking a pin provided on one of the plate-like members 21A and 21B with a hook rotatably supported on the other of the plate-like members 21A and 21B.

[0032] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, by configuring both the plate-like members 21 and 22 to be detachable at the intermediate portion, the housing 2 may be configured to be divisible vertically. The two plate-like members 21A and 21B that constitute the plate-like member 21 and the two plate-like members 22A and 22B that constitute the plate-like member 22 may each be detachably attached by one or a plurality of locking members 21b. When installing a new communication cable on the utility pole using the extension pulley 1, the housing 2 may be combined, and when removing the extension pulley 1 from the existing communication cable, the housing 2 may be divided vertically.

[0033] In the above-described embodiment, a rubber member was attached as an anti-slip means to the circumferential surface portion of the wheels of the upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, grooves may be provided on the circumferential surface portion of the wheel, or rough machining may be performed.

[0034] In the above-described embodiment, the upper wheel 3 was configured to be capable of translational movement with respect to the housing 2 and was biased toward the lower wheel 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the lower wheel 4 may be configured to be capable of translational movement with respect to the housing 2 and may be biased toward the upper wheel 3.

[0035] In the above-described embodiment, the new communication cable was sandwiched between the upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A sliding member for guiding the new communication cable toward the lower wheel 4 may be provided instead of the upper wheel 3. Further, when the new communication cable closely adheres to the lower wheel 4 due to the weight of the new communication cable or the like, the upper wheel 3 may be omitted.

[0036] In the above-described embodiment, the coil spring 6 was used as the biasing means, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, an annular rubber band may be used as the biasing means.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the ratchet mechanism 7 was provided on the lower wheel 4 as the rotation restricting means, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the ratchet mechanism 7 may be provided on the upper wheel 3, or may be provided on both the upper wheel 3 and the lower wheel 4. Further, a one-way clutch may be used instead of the ratchet mechanism 7 as the rotation restricting means.

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the claw member 7b of the ratchet mechanism 7 was fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like member 22 of the housing 2, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the claw member 7b may be supported so as to be movable with respect to the plate-like member 22 and may be configured to be movable to a position where it does not engage with the gear 7a.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the suspension means 5 was a round hook, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the extension wire pulley 1 can be suspended from a utility pole, the suspension means 5 can have any shape. For example, an openable and closable hook may be used as the suspension means 5.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, the extension wire pulley 1 and the extension wire pulley A were used in combination in the extension wire operation, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only the extension wire pulley 1 may be used without using the extension wire pulley A in the extension wire operation.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, the extension wire pulley 1 was attached to the utility pole, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as relative movement with respect to the attachment target can be prevented, it may be attached to any attachment target. For example, the extension wire pulley 1 may be attached to an existing communication cable or a temporary suspension wire so as not to move, or it may be attached to a tower.

[0042] In the above-described embodiment, the communication cable was the object of the extension wire operation, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an electric wire may be the object of the extension wire operation.

[0043] The above-described embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. The constituent elements described in the embodiments and modification examples can be freely combined. Also, inventions equivalent to the invention described in the claims are included in the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0044] 1 Extension wire pulley 2 Housing 3 Upper wheel 4 Lower wheel 5 Suspension means 6 Coil spring 7 Ratchet mechanism 7a Gear 7b Claw member

Claims

1. A housing, a first wheel rotatably supported by the housing and supporting the cable to move the cable as it rotates with the cable being hung thereon, a rotation restricting means provided on the housing and the first wheel for restricting the first wheel from rotating in only one direction, a suspension means provided on the housing for suspending the housing from an object to be attached, comprising an extension wire pulley.

2. The extension wire pulley further comprises a second wheel rotatably supported by the housing and supporting the cable to move the cable as it rotates with the cable being sandwiched between the first wheel and the second wheel, The extension wire pulley according to Claim 1.

3. The second wheel is supported by the housing so as to be translatable toward the first wheel, The second wheel is provided with a biasing means for biasing the first wheel and the second wheel toward each other. The extension wire pulley according to Claim 2.

4. The cross-sectional shape of the peripheral surface of the first wheel is formed in a concave shape, The cross-sectional shape of the peripheral surface of the second wheel is formed in a convex shape. The extension wire pulley according to Claim 2.

5. A portion of the housing that supports the first wheel and a portion that supports the second wheel are configured to be separable from each other. The extension wire pulley according to Claim 2.

6. The rotation restricting means is a ratchet mechanism comprising a gear and a claw member that deforms while contacting the gear, The gear rotates integrally with the first wheel around a central axis, and the claw member is provided on the housing. The extension wire pulley according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

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