Cable shorting clamp for safe grounding of electrical cables

Abstract

A cable shorting clamp comprises electrically insulative jaws forming a channel with an oblong cross-section to accommodate a flat three-core electrical cable. The jaws are pivotally coupled at a distal end and define an entrance at the proximal end. Side ratchets engage the jaws at the proximal end to hold them in a closed position. A piercing conductor spans the channel between the entrance and the distal end, positioned to pierce the cable's insulation upon closure of the jaws, thereby shorting all three cores together. The side ratchets keep the jaws securely closed, allowing for safe handling of the cable. The clamp is configured for economical manufacturing and reliable operation, providing a secure and easy-to-use safety solution for multi-core electrical cables.

Description

Cable Shorting Clamp for Safe Grounding of Electrical CablesField of the Invention

[0001] The field of the invention relates to safety devices for electrical applications, specifically to a cable shorting clamp designed for shorting the conductors of electrical cables. This invention is particularly suited for use with flat, multi-core electrical cables, providing a secure and reliable means to electrically short the cores together to enable safe handling by electricians and other tradespersons.Background of the Invention

[0002] Electrical cables present safety risks due to the possibility of live conductors carrying hazardous voltages. When working with such cables, it is essential to ensure they are rendered safe to handle to prevent accidental electrocution. This is particularly important in maintenance, installation, or repair contexts, where cables may need to be temporarily disabled or grounded.

[0003] As such, there is a need for a simple, cost-effective, and reliable device that can safely and securely short conductors, allowing for safe handling in a variety of work environments. Such a device would ideally be easy to apply, require minimal additional tools, and ensure that the grounding connection remains intact once established.

[0004] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.Summary of the Disclosure

[0005] The described cable shorting clamp is a device designed to safely short the cores of a flat three-core electrical cable to facilitate safe handling. It comprises two electrically insulative jaws forming a channel with an oblong cross-section to accommodate the cable. The jaws are pivotally connected at one end, allowing them to open and close around the cable, with a proximal entrance that narrows upon closure.

[0006] The clamp includes side ratchets positioned at the proximal end of the jaws to secure them in a closed position once applied. A piercing conductor spans the channel, positioned to pierce the insulation of the cable upon closing of the jaws. This action electrically connects all three cores of the cable, effectively shorting the cores together to prevent electrical hazards. The piercing connector may also ground the live and neutral cores to the earth core if the earth core is connected to earth.

[0007] According to one aspect, there is provided a cable shorting clamp comprising open channel and electrically insulative jaws defining a channel between them, where the channel has an oblong cross-section suited to accommodate a flat, three-core electrical cable. The jaws are pivotally coupled at a distal end, allowing them to open and close around the cable, and define an entrance into the channel at a proximal end. Side ratchets engage the jaws at the proximal end, and a piercing conductor spans the channel between the entrance and the distal end, configured to pierce the cable’s insulation to short all three cores together, while the side ratchets keep the jaws securely closed without requiring the clamp to be held.

[0008] Preferably, the jaws are made of plastic, allowing for economical and scalable mass production through plastic injection moulding, contributing to the device's costeffectiveness and ease of manufacture.

[0009] In some embodiments, the jaws define overlapping side walls, which may serve to conceal the clamp’s sharp internal piercing conductor.

[0010] The overlapping side walls may incorporate pins and sockets forming a snap- together hinge. This design allows for quick and secure assembly of the jaws without additional fasteners, streamlining manufacturing and reducing costs.

[0011] In further embodiments, each side ratchet comprises a tongue inserted into a collar, where the tongue defines a rack and the collar contains a pawl to engage the rack. This ratcheting feature enables secure and incremental engagement, accommodating cables of varying thicknesses while ensuring reliable closure of the clamp.

[0012] In an embodiment, the pawl can be disengaged from the rack, allowing the jaws to be reopened. This feature provides flexibility for re-use or adjustment of theclamp as needed, enhancing its versatility in the field. In this regard, the collar may include a deflecting tab opposing the pawl, which, when pressed, disengages the pawl from the rack to release the clamp. This deflecting tab provides a convenient and user-friendly way to release the clamp by squeezing the clamp between opposing fingers, enabling ease of use and rapid retraction of the jaws.

[0013] In another embodiment, the tongue includes a distal retention barb configured to catch on the collar, preventing further opening of the jaws. The barb is preferably profiled to allow insertion through the collar but resist retraction. This profile and the snap together hinge arrangement allow the jaws to be pressed together during high- volume assembly and which keeps the jaws is closed to prevent exposure to the sharp internal piercing conductor.

[0014] The side walls may define aligned windows adjacent the piercing conductor, which enable visual confirmation that the conductor has properly engaged the cable. This feature ensures correct positioning and functionality of the piercing conductor, providing a safety check for users.

[0015] In further embodiments, the piercing conductor may be mounted on one jaw and positioned not to contact the other jaw when the clamp is fully closed, ensuring that the conductor penetrates but does not sever the cores.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the piercing conductor is a blade with a sharp edge, which efficiently cuts through the insulation of the cable sheath and individual core insulation, providing consistent and reliable electrical contact for shorting or grounding.

[0017] In another embodiment, the jaws may define a backstop at the distal end, preventing exposure of the cable cores through the clamp and ensuring that the clamp’s channel fully encloses the cable for safety and containment.

[0018] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] Figure 1 shows a distal perspective view of a cable shorting clamp shorting an electrical cable;

[0021] Figure 2 shows a front entrance of the clamp at its proximal end;

[0022] Figure 3 shows a rear of the clamp at its distal end;

[0023] Figure 4 shows a side perspective view of the clamp in an open position;

[0024] Figure 5 shows a side perspective view of the clamp in a closed position;

[0025] Figure 6 shows a disassembled view of the clamp; and

[0026] Figure 7 shows the configuration of a deflecting tab for disengaging the pawl of a side ratchet in embodiments.Description of Embodiments

[0027] Figure 1 shows a cable shorting clamp 100 which, with reference to Figure 7, comprises electrically insulative, open channel (which may be substantially C- shaped) jaws 101 , defining a channel 102, as best seen in Figure 3, between them. The channel 102 has an oblong cross-section (i.e., wider than it is tall, and may be rectangular) to accommodate a flat, three-core electrical cable 103 in use as is shown in Figure 1 .

[0028] The jaws 101 are pivotally coupled at a distal end 104, allowing movement between an open position shown in Figure 4 and a closed position shown in Figure 5, and define an entrance 106 into the channel 102 at a proximal end 105. In the open position shown in Figure 4, the entrance 106 is wider than in the closed position shown in Figure 5.

[0029] Side ratchets 107 engage the jaws 101 at the proximal end 105 to hold the jaws 101 closed. The clamp 100 further includes a piercing conductor 108 across the channel 102, positioned between the entrance 106 and the distal end 104.

[0030] In use, the cable 103 is inserted into the entrance 106 while the clamp 100 is in the open position shown in Figure 4. When the jaws 101 are pressed together, their pressing surfaces on the jaws 101 provide adequate grip and the piercing conductor 108 penetrates the insulation of the flat, three-core electrical cable 103, shorting all three cores 109 (i.e., live 109A, earth 109B, and neutral 109C) together to eliminate voltage potential between them This action may also effectively ground the live 109Aand neutral 109C cores to earth 109B. This allows for safe handling of the cable 103 without risk of electrocution. Additionally, the ratchets 107 hold the jaws 101 closed so that the clamp 100 does not need to be held manually once clamped to the cable 103.

[0031] Preferably, the jaws 101 are made of plastic and produced through mass plastic injection moulding. As shown in Figure 3, the jaws 101 may define overlapping side walls 1 10, concealing the piercing conductor 108 even in the open position shown in Figure 4. With reference to Figure 6, these side walls may include interior pins 1 1 1 which engage corresponding sockets 1 12 to form a snap-together hinge at the distal end 104.

[0032] With reference to Figure 5, each side ratchet 107 may comprises a tongue 1 13 that inserts into a collar 1 14. The tongue 1 13 defines a rack 1 15, and the collar 1 14 contains a pawl 1 16 (best seen in Figure 7), which engages the rack 1 15. As the jaws 101 are pressed together, the side ratchets 107 engage incrementally, allowing for clamping of cables 103 of varying thicknesses.

[0033] After completing work on the shorted cable 103 with the clamp 100, the cable 103 may be cut, and its distal portion, along with the clamp 100, may be discarded. Alternatively, the pawl 1 16 can be disengaged from the rack 1 15 to reopen the jaws 101. As shown in Figure 5, the collar 1 14 may define a deflecting tab 1 17, which, as seen in Figure 7, can be pressed to move the pawl 1 16 away from the rack 1 15, thereby releasing the clamp 100.

[0034] The tongue 1 13 may comprise a distal retention barb 1 18, designed to catch on the collar 1 14 to prevent further opening of the jaws 101 , as shown in Figure 4. This barb 1 18 may be profiled to facilitate insertion through the collar 1 14, with an upper edge that resists retraction. The distal retention barb 1 18, combined with the snap-together hinge, allows the jaws 101 to be quickly assembled during mass production.

[0035] With reference to Figure 6, the side walls 1 10 may define aligned windows 1 19 adjacent to the piercing conductor 108, allowing visual confirmation that theconductor 108 is in proper working order or that it has successfully pierced the cable 103.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the piercing conductor 108 is mounted to one jaw 101 and does not contact the opposite jaw 101 when the jaws are fully closed, ensuring that the conductor does not sever the cores 109.

[0037] In the depicted embodiment, the piercing conductor 108 is a blade with a sharp edge configured to cut through the insulative sheath (both the surrounding jacket and individual sheaths of each core 109) of the cable 103. In alternative embodiments, the piercing conductor may consist of three electrically connected pins, each piercing the cable 103 at the location of a respective core 109.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the jaws 101 may include a backstop 120 at the distal end 104, preventing exposure of the cores 109 through the clamp 100.

[0039] In an exemplary method of use, a user opens the jaws 101 of the cable shorting clamp 100 to the open position shown in Figure 4, allowing the entrance 106 to expand. The flat three-core electrical cable 103 is then positioned within the entrance 106 and aligned within the channel 102. Once in position, the user applies pressure to the outer surfaces of the jaws 101 , pressing them together. This action causes the jaws 101 to move into the closed position shown in Figure 5. As the jaws 101 close, the piercing conductor 108 penetrates the insulation of the cable 103, shorting cores 109 together, rendering the cable 103 safe for handling by reducing the risk of electrocution. The side ratchets 107 then engage automatically, securing the jaws 101 in the closed position without requiring continuous manual force.

[0040] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims1 . A cable shorting clamp comprising open channel and electrically insulative jaws defining a channel between them, the channel defining an oblong cross-section to accommodate a flat three-core electrical cable in use, the jaws being pivotally coupled to each other at a distal end and defining an entrance into the channel at a proximal end, wherein side ratchets engage the jaws at the proximal end and wherein the clamp comprises a piercing conductor across the channel between the entrance and the distal end, the piercing conductor configured to pierce insulation of the flat three-core electrical cable in use to short all three cores thereof together, and wherein the side ratchets keep the jaws closed.

2. The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 , wherein the jaws comprise plastic.

3. The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 , wherein the jaws define overlapping side walls.

4. The cable shorting clamp of claim 3, wherein the side walls define pins and sockets of a snap-together hinge respectively.

5. The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 , wherein a ratchet comprises a tongue inserted into a collar, the tongue defining a rack and the collar defining a pawl engaging the rack.

6. The cable shorting clamp of claim 5, wherein the pawl is able to be disengaged from the rack to open the jaws.

7. The cable shorting clamp of claim 6, wherein the collar comprises a deflecting tab opposing the pawl, and wherein depressing the deflecting tab causes the pawl to move away from the rack.

8. The cable shorting clamp of claim 5, wherein the tongue comprises a distal retention barb configured to catch the collar to prevent further opening of the jaws.

9. The cable shorting clamp of claim 8, wherein the barb is profiled to facilitate insertion through the collar.

10. The cable shorting clamp of claim 3, wherein the side walls define aligned windows adjacent the piercing conductor.1 1 . The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 , wherein the piercing conductor is mounted on one jaw and does not contact the other jaw when the jaws are fully closed.

12. The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 1 , wherein the piercing conductor is a blade.

13. The cable shorting clamp of claim 1 , wherein the jaws define a backstop at the distal end.

14. A method of shorting a flat three-core electrical cable using the cable shorting clamp according to claim 1 , the method comprising: opening the jaws to expand the entrance to the channel; inserting the flat three-core electrical cable into the channel; pressing the jaws together to engage the side ratchets and bring the jaws into a closed position; and causing the piercing conductor to pierce the insulation of the flat three-core electrical cable, thereby shorting all three cores together.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of disengaging the pawl from the rack by depressing a deflecting tab on the collar to open the jaws after use.

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