Wire platte

Abstract

The present invention a method for pulling and identifying wires or cables, said method comprises guiding wires with a wire palette for organizing wires or cables, wherein said palette includes a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass and said identifying means includes rows indicated on said top surface corresponding to each path such that each row is adapted for erasably receiving identification marks of said corresponding wire in spaced apart relationship along preselected paths such that said wires lie substantially in a single plane and pulling said guided wires a preselected distance. The present invention further includes the step of applying and identifying demarcations on said palette and said wires, such that each wire is identified on the palette and on the wire;

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to devices for pulling wires through conduits or cable trays and particularly this invention relates to a wire palette for use in pulling wires along cable trays.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Currently, anywhere between six to twelve cables are pulled along cable trays at a time. The end of the wires to be pulled are knotted and/or taped together to form a pulling end. The wires normally aminate from wire containers and as well one trailer line also aminates from a wire container which then becomes the next pulling line. The current method of pulling wires along cable trays, the ends of wires are knotted and/or taped together to form a pulling end which in turn are attached to a pulling line. These wires are then pulled along the cable tray by pulling one end of the pulling line until the wires are pulled to their desired locations. Unfortunately, when wires are pulled around corners, they begin to bunch up and even if wires are only pulled along a straight line, tangling of the cables occur particularly near the pulling end where they are bunched together.

[0003] In addition, if one wants to remove one wire at a certain distance along the cable tray, rather than taking that cable all the way to an end destination, it is difficult to attached only one cable from a pulling end and then to leave that cable out of the cable tray. Therefore, the current method of pulling cables runs itself best if pulling all cables to one end destination and even then a large amount of tangling occurs in the cables which results in potential damage to the cables and in some cases renders cables inoperable.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a device or devices which enables the organized uniform pulling of cables or wires along a cable tray in such a manner to minimize the tangling of cables and to render a maximum number of cables operable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention a wire palette for organizing wires or cables, said palette includes a means for guiding wires in spaced apart relationship along preselected paths along and over said palette such that said wires lie substantially in a single plane.

[0006] Preferably said guide means includes means for identifying and demarking said wires, such that each wire is identified on the palette and on the wire.

[0007] Preferably said identifying means adapted to erasably identify a wire on the palette.

[0008] Preferably said guide means includes a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass and said identifying means includes rows indicated on said top surface corresponding to each path such that each row is adapted for erasably receiving identification marks of said corresponding wire.

[0009] Preferably said guide means further includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to the planar board said guide bars adapted to receive there through said wires and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

[0010] Preferably said guide means includes at least one guide bar adapted for receiving at least two wires there through and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

[0011] Preferably said guide means includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass along preselected paths.

[0012] Preferably said top surface having row demarcations corresponding to the wire paths such that a wire identification can be entered into a row corresponding to a wire.

[0013] Preferably said top surface adapted for erasably demarking wire identifications on said top surface.

[0014] Preferably further including a means for pulling said wires through said guide means.

[0015] The present invention also includes a method for pulling and identifying wires or cables, said method comprising:

[0016] a) guiding wires with a wire palette for organizing wires or cables, wherein said palette comprises a means for guiding wires in spaced apart relationship along preselected paths such that said wires lie substantially in a single plane;

[0017] b) pulling said guided wires a preselected distance;

[0018] Preferably, wherein before step b the following step is included:

[0019] a') applying identifying demarcations on said palette and said wires, such that each wire is identified on the palette and on the wire;

[0020] Preferably wherein said guide means includes a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass and said identifying means includes rows indicated on said top surface corresponding to each path such that each row is adapted for erasably receiving identification marks of said corresponding wire.

[0021] Preferably wherein said guide means includes at least one guide bar adapted for receiving at least two wires there through and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

[0022] Preferably wherein said guide means includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass along preselected paths.

[0023] Preferably wherein said top surface having row demarcations corresponding to the wire paths such that a wire identification can be entered into a row corresponding to a wire.

[0024] Preferably wherein after step a', the following step is included:

[0025] a") attaching one end of said wires to a pulling fixture adapted to evenly pull wires through said wire palette.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention a wire palette together with a pulling means.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cut away top view of the wire palette showing the rows and identification marks.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the wire palette.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic end view of the wire palette shown in FIG. 3.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the wire palette shown in FIG. 3.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the pulling means.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the pulling means.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic end view of the pulling means.

[0034] FIG. 9 is an exploded partial cross-sectional view of the pulling means taken through one of the pulling bar apertures.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the wire palette together with the pulling fixture shown pulling wires along a cable tray.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional plan view of the wire palette.

[0037] FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the wire palette.

[0038] FIG. 13 is a cross sectional plan end view of the wire palette.

[0039] FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the wire palette together with the corner guide and the pulling fixture shown pulling wires along a cable tray with the wires emanating out of wire containers.

[0040] FIG. 15 is a schematic top plan view of the wire palette and pulling fixture.

[0041] FIG. 16 is a schematic top plan view of a corner guide.

[0042] FIG. 17 is a schematic perspective view of the prior art showing wires being pulled along the cable tray.

[0043] FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of the use of the wire palette.

[0044] FIG. 19 is a flow diagram of the use of the wire palette.

[0045] FIG. 20 is a flow diagram of the use of the wire palette.

[0046] FIG. 21 is a flow diagram of the use of the wire palette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0047] Prior Art

[0048] Referring first of all to FIG. 17 which shows the current state of the art for pulling wires or cables. FIG. 17 shows the general arrangement of wires 40 being pulled along a cable tray 110. Currently, anywhere from six to twelve cables are pulled along cable tray 110 at a time. The end of these wires are knotted and/or taped together to form a pulling end shown as 220 in FIG. 17. Wires 40 emanate from wire containers 80 as well a trailer line emanates from container 82. The trailer line is used for pulling the next set of wires through cable tray 110. In the current method of pulling wires along cable tray 110 ends of wires 40 are knotted and/or taped together to form pulling end 220 which in turn are attached to a pulling line 56. Wires 40 then are pulled along cable tray 110 by pulling on the end of pulling line 56 until the wires are pulled to their desired location. One can see from the diagram that when wires 40 are pulled around a corner 230, wires 40 begin to bunch up as shown in FIG. 17. Even if the wires 40 are only pulled along a straight line, tangling of cables occur particularly near the pulling end 220 as shown as tangled cables 222 in FIG. 17. The draw back of this system is that the tangled cables 222 must be untangled in order to thread the wire to its desired end location. Secondly, if one wants to remove one wire at a certain distance along cable tray 110, rather than taking that cable all the way to the end which often is the case, it is difficult just to detach only one cable from pulling end 220 and lead that cable out of the cable tray 110, and then continue pulling the rest of the cables to the end destination. Therefore, the current method of pulling cables lends itself best to pulling all cables to one end destination and even then a tremendous amount of tangling occurs in the cables which results in potential damage to the cables and in some cases, rendering cables inoperable. In addition, often trailer line 60 becomes entangled with wires 40 thereby making it impossible to use trailer line 60 as the next pulling line. Therefore, the operator must manually string an additional trailer line 60 manually along the cable tray 110 in order to pull the next set of wires through.

[0049] Present Invention

[0050] The present invention, a wire palette shown generally as 30 in FIGS. 1 through 16, is shown in schematic fashion together with an optional pulling means shown generally as 50.

[0051] First of all describing wire palette 30, wire palette 30 includes a planner board 32 having a top surface 34, preferably two guide bars 44 located at each distal end of planar board 32 as shown in the Figures wherein each guide bar 44 has defined therein guide bar apertures 46 for placing of wires 40 there through. Preferably wire palette 30 has releasably mounted thereon a permanent marker 48 on one guide bar 44 and an erasable marker 49 mounted on the other guide bar 44 used for demarking and placing identification marks 42 shown in FIG. 2 erasably on to rows 36 of top surface 34 and demarking identification marks 42 permanently onto wire 40. Note that preferably the identification mark 42 which is placed erasable onto row 36 of top surface 34. Each row corresponds to a wire 40 which is pulled along path 38 of a particular row 36.

[0052] Optionally, a pulling means shown generally as 50 can be used to pull wires 40 through wire palette 30 as schematically shown in FIG. 1. Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9, pulling means 40 includes pulling fixture 52 which is a planar triangular element as shown in FIGS. 6 and FIG. 1. Pulling means 50 also includes a pulling bar 58 having pulling bar apertures 59 defined therein for receiving wires 40 there through and as well has a trailer line attachment point 61 for securely attaching a trailer line 60 to trailer line attachment point 61 on pulling bar 58. Pulling fixture 52 further includes a handle aperture 54 for gripping with a hand and a pulling line aperture 57 for securely connecting a pulling line 56 thereto for pulling said pulling fixture 52 with said pulling line 56.

[0053] Corner Guides

[0054] Referring now FIG. 16 which shows an additional embodiment to the present invention namely a corner guide 120 which includes a guide base 122, guide channels 124, guide handle 126, guide apertures 128. Corner guide 120 has guide channels 124 having a guide depth of 132 and a base thickness of 134. Guide channels 124 are contoured in such a manner to redirect wires 40 from one linear path to another linear path and as shown in FIG. 16, corner guide 120 as shown would for example redirect wires around a perpendicular corner.

[0055] Each guide channel 124 is angled at a channel angle 130 as shown in FIG. 16 in order to ensure that each wire 40 is retained snugly in each guide channel 124. Guide channels 124 are dimensioned to receive therein a wire 40 such that the wires 40 can slidably move along guide channels 124 within guide base 122.

[0056] A person skilled in the art will see that corner guide 120 can provide for any corner geometry for example a 30 degree corner, or a 45 degree corner or 90 degree corner as shown by corner guide 120. Corner guides could also be used for 180 degree corner and/or any angle or almost any change in direction of the cable trays 110.

[0057] Use of Wire Palette and Pulling Means

[0058] In use wire palette 30 operates as follows:

[0059] Wires 40 are carefully threaded through guide bar apertures 46 of guide bar 44 across top surface 34 and threaded through the corresponding guide bar apertures 46 of the other guide bar 44 in such a manner that wires 40 are organized in an equally spaced apart relationship and run along a selected path 38, such that all of the wires 40 threaded through guide bars 44 lie in a single plane. Wire palette 30 acts to keep wires 40 equally spaced apart and lying substantially flat and in a single plane such that wires 40 do not get entangled with each other. This arrangement is particularly useful where wires are being pulled over cable trays which are essentially flat conduits onto which cables are pulled so that they lie substantially flat on the cable trays. When cables are to be run throughout a building, for example, cable trays are pre-located along strategic areas of the building for supporting cables. These cable trays are located normally in the ceilings and/or in the floor of buildings. Wires 40 are normally received in a wire container 80 shown in FIGS. 5 and 10 and are threaded through guide bars 44 by hand such that they he along a path 38 which is demarked by rows 36 on top surface 34 of wire palette 30. Wire 40 is normally in a coiled form in wire container 80 and easily is pulled out of wire container 80 when pulling action is imparted upon wire 40. Traditionally, the ends of wire 40 are simply taped together with a pulling line 56 and then the wires are pulled out of wire container 80 in any number as required. In the drawings as presently shown, a total number of twelve wires can be pulled simultaneously through wire palette 30. In order to avoid having to separately thread a pulling line 56 through the area over which the wires are to be drawn, a trailer line 60 is pulled over top of wire palette 30 or along side the other wires 40 such that when the wire pulling is complete, trailer line 60 becomes the new pulling 56 for pulling line the next set of wires 40 over the wire trays 110.

[0060] As each wire 40 is threaded onto wire palette 30, an identification mark is placed with an erasable marker 49 on to rows 36 and onto top surface 34 of planar board 32 as shown in FIG. 2. For example, the first wire pulled through guide bar apertures 46, may be denoted as 1-1-1 and preferably is erasably marked onto rows 36 of top surface 34 of planar board 32 and the identical corresponding identification 42 is permanently marked with permanent marker 48 onto wire 40 as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, when wire 40 is pulled along a length which can be many hundreds of feet, one can positively identify the end of the wire running through wire palette 30 with the identification mark located permanently thereon which is normally at the termination point of the wire. In other words, both distal ends of the wire can be positively identified and connected as required.

[0061] Optionally pulling means 50 can be used to pull wires 40 through wire palette 30 in order to keep wires 40 in an organized fashion and in an equally spaced relationship to each other. When pulling means 50 is being used, wires 40 are carefully threaded through pulling bars apertures 59 and knots 62 are created in end of wires 40 in order to prevent wires 40 from pulling out of pulling bar apertures 59. In addition, a trailer line 60 is connected to trailer line attachment point 61 on pulling means 50. Note that wires 40 are equally spaced apart and travel along preselected paths 38 across planar board 32 of wire palette 30, thereby keeping them in a spaced apart relationship and substantially in a single plane. Trailer line 60 is located above wires 40 or along side wires 40 in order to ensure that trailer lines 60 is clear of any wires 40 that have been previously been pulled onto wire trays 110.

[0062] Pulling means 50 can either be pulled by hand using handle aperture 54 and/or can be pulled using a pulling line 56 attached at pulling line aperture 57 on pulling fixture 52. By using pulling means 50, the wires 40 are kept in an orderly fashion such that twelve wires at a time can be pulled along a pre-selected path and kept as flat as possible in a substantially single plane. Once the wires have been pulled along the desired distance, knots 62 are released and identification marks 42 both on wires 40 and on wire palette 30 provide for positive identification of both ends of the wire, both at the termination point and their emanation point.

[0063] Method for Pulling Wires Along Cable Trays

[0064] Referring now to FIG. 14 which shows in a very overview fashion the method employed by the art taught within this patent for pulling wires 40 along a cable tray 110. The following methods can be employed:

[0065] 1(a) threading wires through a wire palette;

[0066] pulling wires through a wire palette to a desired location.

[0067] (b) placing identification mark on wire palette;

[0068] threading wires through wire palette;

[0069] placing identification marks on each wire;

[0070] pulling wires through wire palette to desired location.

[0071] (c) placing identification marks on wire palette;

[0072] threading wires through wire palette;

[0073] placing identification marks on each wire;

[0074] attaching one end of wires through a pulling fixture;

[0075] pulling wires through wire palette to desired location.

[0076] (d) placing identification marks on the wire palette;

[0077] threading wires through wire palette;

[0078] identification marks placed on wires;

[0079] attaching wires to pulling fixtures;

[0080] pulling wires to first change in direction;

[0081] threading wires into a comer guide;

[0082] continue to pulling wires to desired location;

[0083] cut off wires as needed at end locations;

[0084] mark cables on wire palette; and

[0085] remove wire cables from wire palette.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 14 it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the method employed for pulling wires along cables trays 110 organizes and maintains wires in a orderly manner along a single plan and substantially prevents entanglement of one wire with the other and ensures that the trailer line does not become entangled with the other wires being pulled. In general, the method includes placing identification marks on the wire palette that correspond with each wire being placed along each path at 38 of top surface 34 of planar board 32 of wire palette 30. The wires are then threaded through each guide bar 44 of wire palette 30 and subsequently identification marks are placed on each wire as the wires are laying on wire palette 30. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is much easier and simpler to place identification marks with a marker on the wires when they are lying on a flat surface as is the case with the wire palette.

[0087] Subsequently the wire ends are attached to a pulling means 50, namely pulling fixture 52 where each wire end 70 is attached to a pulling bar 50 and knotted off with knot 62. Further a pulling line 56 is attached to pulling fixtures 52 to pull the wires out of wire container 80 and trailer line container 82 through wire palette 30 and along cable tray 110.

[0088] When a change in direction is encountered such as corner 230 as shown in FIG. 14, a corner guide 120 is placed in the corner found in cable tray 110 having guide channels 124 located therein such that wires 40 can be threaded into guide channels 124 which slidably receive wires 124 and allow them to round comer 230 in a smooth and orderly fashion as shown in FIG. 14. The guide channels 124 are arranged to sit on an angle, namely channel angle 130 to ensure that wires 40 do not come out of channel angle 130 prematurely. Once wires 40 are threaded into guide channels 124 of comer guide 120 pulling of wires can continue by pulling on pulling line 56 thereby urging pulling fixture 52 and wires 40 along cable tray 110 until the desired end location is reached.

[0089] Using this method and the apparatus described herein, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art in pulling cables along cable trays that the wires pulled in this manner remain flat and orderly along essentially a single plan and that subsequently more wires can be pulled along cable tray 110 without becoming entangled with each other and in this manner the cables are fed along cable tray 120 with a minimum amount of twisting and tangling. This will maximize the number of sound cables that can be pulled, and stored onto a cable tray 110.

[0090] It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.

Claims

I claim:

1. A wire palette for organizing wires or cables, said palette comprising: (a) a means for guiding wires in spaced apart relationship along preselected paths along and over said palette such that said wires lie substantially in a single plane.

2. The wire palette claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide means includes means for identifying and demarking said wires, such that each wire is identified on the palette and on the wire.

3. The wire palette claimed in claim 2, wherein said identifying means adapted to erasably identify a wire on the palette.

4. The wire palette claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide means includes a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass and said identifying means includes rows indicated on said top surface corresponding to each path such that each row is adapted for erasably receiving identification marks of said corresponding wire.

5. The wire palette claimed in claim 4, wherein said guide means further includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to the planar board said guide bars adapted to receive there through said wires and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

6. The wire palette claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide means includes at least one guide bar adapted for receiving at least two wires there through and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

7. The wire palette claimed in claim 6, wherein said guide means includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass along preselected paths.

8. The wire palette claimed in claim 6, wherein said top surface having row demarcations corresponding to the wire paths such that a wire identification can be entered into a row corresponding to a wire.

9. The wire palette claimed in claim 6, wherein said top surface adapted for erasably demarking wire identifications on said top surface.

10. The wire palette claimed in claim 1, further including a means for pulling said wires through said guide means.

11. A method for pulling and identifying wires or cables, said method comprising: a) guiding wires with a wire palette for organizing wires or cables, wherein said palette comprises a means for guiding wires in spaced apart relationship along preselected paths such that said wires lie substantially in a single plane; b) pulling said guided wires a preselected distance;

12. The method claimed in claim 11, wherein before step b the following step is included: a') applying identifying demarcations on said palette and said wires, such that each wire is identified on the palette and on the wire;

13. The method claimed in claim 12, wherein said guide means includes a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass and said identifying means includes rows indicated on said top surface corresponding to each path such that each row is adapted for erasably receiving identification marks of said corresponding wire.

14. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein said guide means includes at least one guide bar adapted for receiving at least two wires there through and maintaining said wires in spaced apart relationships.

15. The method claimed in claim 14, wherein said guide means includes at least two guide bars in spaced apart relationship rigidly connected to a planar board having a top surface over which said wires pass along preselected paths.

16. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein said top surface having row demarcations corresponding to the wire paths such that a wire identification can be entered into a row corresponding to a wire.

17. The method claimed in claim 12, wherein after step a', the following step is included: a") attaching one end of said wires to a pulling fixture adapted to evenly pull wires through said wire palette.