Crane-Mounted Cable Catcher With Roller Yoke for Falling Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for preventing overhead electric power cables from falling during installation or maintenance are inefficient, requiring significant time, labor, and posing risks to workers due to the need for temporary frames, which can be hazardous and time-consuming to construct and remove.
Innovation Solution
A cable catching device is mounted on a crane boom, featuring a base with connectors, a post, and a yoke with arm rollers to catch falling cables, allowing for precise positioning and orientation to catch falling cables without impeding road traffic or damaging them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temporary frames made of utility poles are erected to catch falling cables, then cable safety is improved, but construction time and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary frame structure is divided into modular components (base unit with post, yoke, and arms) that can be independently assembled and configured. This segmentation allows for rapid assembly using standardized connectors and reduces the overall construction time while maintaining the cable-catching function.
Solution Approach 2:
A crane is introduced as an intermediary device to position and deploy the cable catching device. The crane boom serves as the mounting structure, eliminating the need for workers to manually erect heavy utility pole frames, thereby reducing construction time and worker exposure to hazards.
2Reliability
If temporary frames made of utility poles are erected to catch falling cables, then cable safety is improved, but worker safety deteriorates due to falling hazards and electric shock risks
Solution Approach 1:
The crane serves as an intermediary that performs the hazardous task of positioning the cable catching device. Workers remain on the ground operating the crane controls, eliminating their exposure to falling objects and electric shock risks associated with manually assembling utility pole frames near live cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable catching device is designed to be self-deploying through the crane's lifting and positioning capabilities. The device automatically assumes its operational position under the cables without requiring workers to manually assemble the structure in hazardous zones.
3Reliability
If temporary frames made of utility poles are erected to catch falling cables, then cable safety is improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cable catching device is segmented into standardized modular components (base, post, yoke, arms) that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. This modularity reduces overall system complexity compared to custom-built utility pole frames and facilitates easier deployment and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable catching device is designed as a universal system that can be mounted on various crane booms and configured for different cable scenarios. The standardized connectors and modular design allow the same basic device to serve multiple functions and adapt to different operational requirements, reducing the need for multiple specialized structures.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If arm rollers are positioned at a distance from the suspended cable, then cable damage is prevented, but catching effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rollers are positioned at a predetermined distance from the cable and equipped with cushioning elements that engage the cable only when it falls into the yoke mouth. This beforehand positioning ensures that the cable is caught before it can cause damage, while the controlled engagement distance prevents excessive force or damage during the catching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance parameter between the arm rollers and the cable is optimized to balance two requirements: far enough to prevent damage during normal operation, but close enough to ensure effective catching when the cable falls. The roller design allows for adjustable positioning to achieve the optimal parameter value for specific cable types and scenarios.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device efficiently prevents cable falls, reduces worker risk, and minimizes the time and effort required for setup and teardown, ensuring safer and more efficient cable maintenance operations.
Implementation Method 1
each arm having an arm roller with an outer cable contact surface
Data Source
AI summary
A cable catching device, for installation on a crane boom to catch at least one cable, suspended above at least part of the device when the device is deployed by the crane boom, in the event that the cable falls downwardly, the device having: a base operable with connectors to releasably engage with the crane boom; a post having: a lower end engaged with the base; and an upper end extending beyond the base; a yoke having at least two arms extending upwardly from the upper end of the post, each arm having an upper end laterally spaced apart from the upper end of any adjacent arm, thereby defining an upwardly open yoke mouth between the upper ends of the arms, the yoke mouth being deployed adjacent an underside of the suspended cable wherein the arms are disposed a distance from the suspended cable; and each arm having an arm roller with an outer cable contact surface.