U.S. patent application number 10/037314 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-03 for hanging cable shortener apparatus.
Invention is credited to Pitcher, David E..
Application Number | 20030122023 10/037314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21893673 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030122023 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pitcher, David E. |
July 3, 2003 |
Hanging cable shortener apparatus
Abstract
A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment
of a cable having a certain diameter. The cable is arranged for
supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support. The apparatus
comprises an annular hub having a first end and a second end, and a
rigid, radially outwardly extending flange arranged on each end of
the hub. Each of the flanges having a peripheral outer lip. Each
peripheral outer lip on each of the flanges are spaced apart from
one another a distance less than twice the certain diameter of the
cable to prevent inadvertent unwrapping of a cable past itself
through the spaced apart distance between the outer lips of the
flanges.
Inventors: |
Pitcher, David E.;
(Cambridge, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald N. Halgren
35 Central St
Manchester
MA
01944
US
|
Family ID: |
21893673 |
Appl. No.: |
10/037314 |
Filed: |
December 31, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/388.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16G 11/12 20130101;
G09F 2007/186 20130101; B65H 75/24 20130101; G09F 7/18 20130101;
H02G 11/02 20130101; B65H 75/143 20130101; B65H 2701/5136
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/388.1 |
International
Class: |
B65H 075/40 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment
of a cable, said cable having a certain diameter, said cable being
arranged for supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support,
said cable shortener apparatus comprising: an annular hub having a
first end and a second end; a rigid, radially outwardly extending
flange arranged on each said end of said hub, each of said flanges
having a peripheral outer lip, each of said peripheral outer lips
on each of said flanges being spaced apart from one another a
distance less than twice said certain diameter of said cable to
prevent inadvertent unwrapping of a cable past itself through said
spaced apart distance between said outer lips of said flanges when
said cable is wrapped about said hub.
2. The cable shortener apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein
said radially extending flanges and said annular hub defines an
arrangement of radially inner and side margins of a torroidal
volume cable wrap area.
3. The cable shortener apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein
said cable has a diameter of more than half of said distance of
said spaced apart outer lips of said flanges.
4. The cable shortener apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said
inner hub and said each annular flange are individual components
mated together to define said torroidal volume for receipt of said
cable.
5. A sign adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of a sign
supported by at least one cable from an overhead support, said
cable having a certain diameter, said mechanism comprising: a pair
of rigid, annular, rings each arranged in a spaced apart a first
distance from one another on an end of an inner hub disposed
between said rings, each of said rings having an outer peripheral
lip spaced apart a second distance from one another, said first
distance being larger than said second distance, to permit a cable
to be wrapped about said hub between said rings to thus shorten
said cable.
6. The sign adjustment mechanism as recited in claim 5, wherein
said second distance is less than twice said certain diameter of
said cable.
7. A method of adjusting the height of a sign from an overhead
support by at least one cable or line, said cable or line having a
certain diameter, said method comprising: wrapping said cable
around a torroidally shaped volume comprised of a hub and a pair of
flanges arranged on each end of said hub, said flanges each having
an outer peripheral lip, each of said peripheral lips of said
flanges being spaced apart from one another a distance less than
twice said certain diameter of said cable or line.
8. The method as recited in claim 7, including: unwrapping said
cable or line from about said hub, and between said spaced-apart
peripheral lips to lengthen said cable or line.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to cable or line shorteners and more
particularly to apparatus to permit the ready height adjustment of
a ceiling suspended sign and is co-pending with commonly assigned
U.S. patent application 09/yyy,xxx entitled "Hanging Cable
Shortener Construction" (Rose-12), which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entitety.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] Retail commercial establishments often display signs and
banners suspended from a ceiling by one or more cables or lines.
Often the length of these cables or lines need to be changed
depending upon the size of the sign or the height of the ceiling.
Replacing these cables or lines, cutting them or crimping loops
onto the end can be an expensive and inaccurate way to accomplish
such height adjustment.
[0005] A number of devices are in the field, which permit such
cable length adjustment. These mechanisms, however, appear unduly
complicated and hence more expensive and undesirable for large use
thereof and more likely to be utilized incorrectly.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,845 to Ruderman, et al shows a banner
display system which includes a plurality of gears. This makes the
system somewhat expensive. U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,570 to Roos shows an
advertising support which also utilizes gearing arrangement for
adjusting the height of a sign or a banner. A cord stowage
apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,638 to Burger et al. This
cord stowage apparatus comprises a spool having a pair of flexible
cup shape members which are arranged to pinch a cable wound around
there between. This is a somewhat sophisticated device which would
not provide a strong griping tension for supporting a sign nor be
able to support any appreciable weight due to the flexible nature
of the material. U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,272 to Kell shows a globe
shaped cord adjuster which utilizes a wrapping of a cord around a
spherical body for adjusting the length of that cord. This
apparatus is overly complex, highly visible, and would result in
kinking of the cable. It is also infinitely adjustable meaning that
signs may not hang level. U.S. Pat. No. 980,319 to Milam shows a
take-up for flexible suspensories utilizing a pair of annular
flanges separated by a hub and a pin arrangement for shortening a
cable. The cable is held in place around a core by frictional
engagement with the parallel sides of the hub. Any release of
pressure in the cables (such as the sign being bumped or otherwise
being lifted upwardly) will result in the adjuster popping off the
cable, allowing the sign to drop several inches. Also, pins as
described are not adequate to lock cable in place and any
complication with added complexity of pins, it becomes easy for
signs to be hung non-level due to small adjustment increments. U.S.
Pat. No. 815,422 to Gregory shows and adjustable suspension device
utilizing a set of pulleys.
[0007] The prior art thus discloses a cable and line shortening
apparatus which, however, is somewhat complicated to manufacture,
thus expensive to produce, and may not satisfactorily grip the
cable in a readily sustainable I mariner.
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable
shortener apparatus which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior
art.
[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
cable shortener apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture and
easy to assemble.
[0010] It is yet a still further object of the present invention to
provide a cable shortener apparatus which is readily useable and
re-adjustable with minimum complexity thereto.
[0011] It is still a further object of the present invention to
provide a cable shortener which is minimally obtrusive and which
can be readily moved out of the line of sight, particularly after
it has been applied to a cable.
[0012] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a cable shortener apparatus which does not kink or
otherwise mar the cable as by wrapping about sharp bends.
[0013] A further object of the present invention is to provide an
sign adjusting apparatus which is virtually impossible hang a
non-level sign.
[0014] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a cable apparatus which when put in place, will not release
except by a conscious effort.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention comprises a sign cable shortener
apparatus for hanging signs and displays from an overhead support
such as a ceiling, beam or the like. A cable having an upper end
would be attached to a ceiling or overhead support, and the lower
end of the cable would be attached to the sign to be supported from
that ceiling or overhead support. One or more wraps of cable would
be taken (or untaken) around the cable shortener as described
herein below, to shorten or lengthen that cable as necessary.
[0016] The cable shortener apparatus of the present invention thus
comprises a rigid annular hub having a pair of ends. A rigid
annularly-shaped curvilinear flange is disposed at each end of the
hub. Each curvilinear flange extends radially outwardly from the
respective ends of the hub. Each curvilinear flange has a
peripheral lip which is also disposed radially outwardly of the
hub. The curvilinear flanges are spaced apart from one another on
the hub to define a cable wrap-space between the flanges and about
the hub.
[0017] The rigid peripheral lip of a curvilinear flange on one end
of the hub is spaced apart a certain distance from the rigid
peripheral lip on the curvilinear flange on the other end of the
hub. The certain spaced-apart distance of the peripheral lips is
preferably greater than the diameter of the cable (line, drawn
plastic filament or wire or the like) being utilized to support a
sign from the overhead support or ceiling. The certain spaced-apart
distance of the peripheral lips is critically less than the two
cable diameters, so as to prevent unintended wrapping (or more
likely unwrapping) of the cable past itself in the gap, that is,
the certain spaced-apart distance between the opposed peripheral
lips of the flanges. It would thus take a certain manual effort to
squeezably move/slide one cable past itself in the gap between the
peripheral lips of the flanges to unwrap and thus adjust the length
of that cable during its support of a sign. This effort would be
easily accomplished by a store employee where such a sign were
hung.
[0018] The cable shortener apparatus may be readily adjusted,
location wise on the extended cable itself merely by sliding the
shortener apparatus one way or the other on that cable or line, the
cable or line being slid about the hub of the shortener apparatus
as the shortener apparatus is being moved, with no winding of the
cable/line squeezingly past or over itself between the peripheral
lips being necessary.
[0019] One preferred embodiment of the construction of the
shortener apparatus comprises a first annular ring and second
annular ring, each identical to one another. The first (and second)
annular ring comprises an annular housing having a curved outermost
wall from a circular outermost edge to a generally circular
innermost edge.
[0020] Each ring has an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to
the plane of the annular housing. Each ring has a pair of arcuate
locking flanges extending axially away from the inner edge of the
curved side of the annular housing. Each arcuate locking flange is
preferably an arcuate segment of about ninety degrees. Each arcuate
locking segment is spaced apart from one another on the inner edge
by about ninety degrees. Each arcuate locking flange has an axial
length equal to the axial length of the opposed ring into which it
will mate.
[0021] Each annular ring has arcuate hub flange extending an axial
distance away from the curved wall of the annular ring. Each
annular hub flange comprises an arcuate segment of about ninety
degrees, and has an outermost peripheral surface which defines an
(outer) hub or drum for winding receipt of a cable thereabout. Each
arcuate hub flange on each ring is disposed between adjacent
arcuate locking flanges. Each adjacent locking flange has a
radially outermost peripheral surface which is dimensioned and
spaced so as to be received radially inwardly of each arcuate hub
flange.
[0022] In the assembly of a sign cable shortener apparatus, a first
ring is mated with a second ring, each of those rings being out of
phase with one another preferably by ninety degrees, so as to
permit the radially outer peripheral surface of the arcuate locking
flange to slide radially inwardly of the arcuate hub flange of the
other ring of the sign cable shortener apparatus.
[0023] When the two rings are mated together, the inner curvilinear
peripheral wall of each ring and the circumferentially adjacent
surfaces of the arcuate hub flanges defines a cable wrap area in
which a sign hanging cable may be wrapped circumferentially
therearound. The outermost peripheral lips of each ring are rigid,
as is each ring, and defines between them a gap or a width which is
no greater than the diameter of the cable which may be wrapped
about the arcuate hub flanges,
[0024] To shorten or lengthen a sign hanging cable to correct the
height adjustment of a sign suspended from a ceiling or uppermost
support location, the store employee would wrap or unwrap one or
more turns of cable about the arcuate hub flange arrangement. The
cable leading to a sign and to a ceiling support would include at
least one wrap about the arcuate hub flanges, and that cable would
be disposed (exit) tangentially with respect to those arcuate hub
flanges. The cable would not by itself become unwrapped from the
cable shortener apparatus by itself, because the width of the gap
between the opposed rigid flanges of each opposed ring less than
double the diameter of the cable. It would take manipulative effort
by a store employee to pull one cable frictionally (squeezably)
against its other end so as to unwrap or wrap the cable around the
hub and thereby adjust the length of that sign hanging cable.
[0025] The invention thus comprises a cable shortener apparatus for
permitting the length adjustment of a cable supporting a sign
carrier from an overhead support, The cable has a certain constant
diameter. The apparatus comprises a pair of rigid annular rings
lockably engagable with one another, each ring having an inner
arcuate hub flange which defines a hub surface for receiving at
least one wrap of a support cable. An annular edge is arranged on
each of the rings, and are spaced apart from one another when the
rings are mated together, the spaced apart annular edges defining
an annular gap no wider than the diameter of the cable. Each of the
rigid annular rings has at least one arcuate locking flange for
securing the rings to one another. The arcuate locking flange and
the arcuate hub flange are radially adjacent one another.
[0026] Each of the annular rings may have at least two arcuate
locking flanges, opposed to one another on an inner edge of each of
the annular rings. Each of said annular rings may have at least two
inner arcuate hub flanges, opposed to one another on an inner edge
of each of the annular rings. The annular rings may have an annular
inner wall which defines a cable wrap area with the inner hub
flanges, about which the cable may be wrapped. The inner hub
flanges on each of the rings may be spaced apart from one another
by 90 degrees. The arcuate locking flanges on each of the rings may
be spaced apart from one another by 90 degrees. It is to be noted
that a different number of locking flanges and arcuate hub flanges
than stated above, may be utilized on the rings to permit the
mating of the rings and still accomplish the invention.
[0027] The invention also includes a method of adjusting a sign
supporting cable holding a sign carrier from an overhead support,
comprising the steps of mating together a pair of rigid annular
rings, each of the rings having an arcuate hub portion, and a rigid
annular edge defining an inner and an outer wall member of each of
the rings, spacing the rigid annular edges apart by no more than
the diameter of the cable, wrapping the cable about the hub portion
of the annular rings to change the length of the cable supporting
the sign carrier.
[0028] The method may include forming an arcuate inner locking
flange on each of the rings to permit the rings to lock onto one
another, rotating at least one of the rings about an axis of
rotation so that the rings are out of phase with one another by at
least 90 degrees when they are mated together, and spacing the
inner locking flange on one of the rigid annular rings radially
adjacent the arcuate hub flange of the other of the rigid annular
rings when the rigid annular rings are mated together.
[0029] The invention also comprises a cable shortener apparatus
wherein the inner hub and the each annular flange are individual
components mated together to define a torroidal volume for receipt
of the support cable.
[0030] The invention also comprises a sign adjustment mechanism for
adjusting the height of a sign supported by at least one cable from
an overhead support, the cable having a certain diameter, the
mechanism comprising a pair of rigid, annular, rings each arranged
in a spaced apart a first distance from one another on an end of an
inner hub disposed between the rings, each of the rings having an
outer peripheral lip spaced apart a second distance from one
another, said first distance being larger than said second
distance, to permit a cable to be wrapped about the hub between the
rings to thus shorten or adjust the length of the support cable.
The second distance is preferably less than twice the certain
diameter of the cable.
[0031] The invention also includes a sign adjustment mechanism for
adjusting the height of a sign supported by at least one cable from
an overhead support. The cable has a certain diameter. The
mechanism comprises a pair of rigid, annular rings each ring
arranged in a spaced apart a first distance from one another on an
end of an inner hub disposed between the rings. Each of the rings
have an outer peripheral lip spaced apart a second distance from
one another, the first distance being larger than the second
distance, to permit a cable to be wrapped about the hub between the
rings to thus shorten the cable. The second distance is less than
twice the certain diameter of the cable.
[0032] The invention also includes a method of adjusting the height
of a sign from an overhead support by at least one cable or line,
the cable or line having a certain diameter, the method comprising:
wrapping the cable around a torroidally shaped volume comprised of
a hub and a pair of flanges arranged on each end of the hub, the
flanges each having an outer peripheral lip, each of the peripheral
lips of the flanges being spaced apart from one another a distance
less than twice the certain diameter of the cable or line.
[0033] The method may include unwrapping the cable or line from
about the hub, and between the spaced-apart peripheral lips to
lengthen the cable or line.
[0034] Thus, what has bee n shown as a unique sign cable shortener
adjustment apparatus which permits a sign hanging cable to be
readily, safely and inexpensively adjusted by a simple and
inexpensive to manufacture and assemble sign cable adjustment
apparatus in a very efficient manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] The objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following
drawings, in which:
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable shortener apparatus
of the present invention with a cable wrapped about its hub;
[0037] FIG. 1a is a schematic representation of a cable shortener
apparatus supporting a sign from a ceiling:
[0038] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a pair of opposed rings
comprising the present invention in a perspective view thereof;
[0039] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the rings in a side
elevational view shown in FIG. 2;
[0040] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cable shortener apparatus of
the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 5 is a view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;
[0042] FIG. 6 is a view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 4;
[0043] FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b) shows a further embodiment of the
construction of the cable shortener apparatus of the present
invention;
[0044] FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 8(b) shows another further embodiment of
the construction of the cable shortener apparatus of the present
invention; and
[0045] FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 9(b) shows still another embodiment of
the construction of the cable shortener apparatus of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0046] Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to
FIGS. 1 and 1(a), there is shown the present invention which
comprises a sign cable shortener apparatus 10 for hanging signs "S"
and displays from an overhead support "O", as shown in FIG. 1a,
such support comprising a ceiling, beam or the like. A cable 12
having an upper end would be attached to a ceiling or overhead
support "O", and the lower end of the cable 12 would be attached to
the sign to be supported from that ceiling or overhead support. One
or more wraps of cable would be taken (or untaken) around the cable
shortener as described hereinbelow, to shorten or length that cable
12 as necessary.
[0047] The cable shortener apparatus 10 of the present invention as
embodied in FIG. 1 thus comprises a rigid annular hub 14 having a
pair of ends 16 and 18. A rigid annularly-shaped curvilinear flange
20 and 22 is disposed at each end 16 and 18 of the hub 14, as may
be seen in FIG. 1. Each curvilinear flange 20 and 22 extends
radially outwardly from the respective ends 16 and 18 of the hub
14. Each curvilinear flange 20 and 22 has a peripheral lip 24 and
26 respectively, which are also disposed radially outwardly of the
hub 14. The curvilinear flanges 20 and 22 are spaced apart from one
another on the hub 14 to define a cable wrap-space "M" between the
flanges 20 and 22 and about the hub 14.
[0048] The rigid peripheral lip 24 of a curvilinear flange 20 on
one end 16 of the hub 14 is spaced apart a certain distance "D"
from the rigid peripheral lip 26 on the curvilinear flange 22 on
the other end 18 of the hub 14. The certain spaced-apart distance
"D" of the peripheral lips 24 and 26 is preferably greater than the
diameter "X" of the cable 12 (line, drawn plastic filament or metal
wire, braided, monofiliment or the like) being utilized to support
a sign "S" from the overhead support or ceiling "O". The certain
spaced-apart distance "D" of the peripheral lips 24 and 26 is
critically less than the two cable diameters "X", so as to prevent
unintended wrapping (or more likely unwrapping) of the cable 12
past itself in the gap, that is, the certain spaced-apart distance
"D" between the opposed peripheral lips 24 and 26 of the flanges 20
and 22. It would thus take a certain manual effort to squeezably
move/slide the cable 12 past itself in the gap ("D") between the
peripheral lips 24 and 26 of the flanges 20 and 22 to unwrap and
thus adjust the length of that cable 12 during its support of a
sign. This effort would be easily accomplished by a store employee
where such a sign were hung.
[0049] The cable shortener apparatus 10 may be readily adjusted,
location wise on the extended cable 12 itself merely by sliding the
shortener apparatus 10 one way or the other on that cable 12 or
line, the cable or line being slid about the hub of the shortener
apparatus 10 as the shortener apparatus 10 is being moved, with no
winding of the cable/line 12 squeezingly past or over itself
between the peripheral lips 24 and 26 being necessary.
[0050] Referring further to the drawings in detail, and again to
FIG. 1a, et seq., there is shown a preferred construction
embodiment of the present invention which comprises a sign cable
shortener apparatus 10 for hanging signs and displays "S" from an
overhead support such as a ceiling, beam "0" or the like by a
cable, wire or line 12.
[0051] An embodiment of the shortener apparatus 10 construction is
shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 9(b) which comprises a first annular
ring 114 and a second annular ring 116, as is shown best in FIG. 2,
each ring 114 and 116 being identical to one another. The first
(and second) annular ring 114 and 116 each comprises an annular
housing 118 having a curved outermost wall 120 from a circular
outermost edge 122 to a generally circular innermost edge 124.
[0052] Each ring 114 and 116 has an axis of rotation "R" which is
perpendicular to the plane of the annular housing 118. Each ring
114 and 116 has a pair of arcuate locking flanges 126 extending
axially away from the inner edge 124 of the curved side 120 of the
annular housing 118. Each arcuate locking flange 126 is preferably
an arcuate segment of about ninety degrees. Each arcuate locking
flange 126 may be spaced apart from one another on the inner edge
124 of the housing 118 by about ninety degrees. Each arcuate
locking flange 126 has an axial length "L" equal to the axial
length of the opposed ring into which it will mate, as may be seen
in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6.
[0053] Each annular ring 114 and 116 has arcuate hub flange 130
extending an axial distance "H" away from the curved wall 120 of
the annular rings 114 and 116. Each annular hub flange 130
comprises an arcuate segment of preferably about ninety degrees,
and has an outermost peripheral surface 132 which defines an outer
hub or drum for winding receipt of a cable 112 thereabout. Each
arcuate hub flange 130 on each ring 114 and 116 is disposed between
adjacent arcuate locking flanges 126. Each adjacent locking flange
126 has a radially outermost peripheral surface 134 which is
dimensioned and spaced so as to be received radially inwardly of
each arcuate hub flange 130, as may be seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and
6.
[0054] In the assembly of a sign cable shortener apparatus 10, a
first ring 114 is mated with a second ring 116, as may be seen in
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, each of those rings 114 and 116 being
circumferentially out of phase with one another in this embodiment
having only pairs of flanges, by about ninety degrees, so as to
permit the radially outer peripheral surface 134 of the arcuate
locking flange 126 of one ring (i.e. 114) to slide radially
inwardly of the arcuate hub flange 130 of the other ring (i.e. 16)
of the sign cable shortener apparatus 10.
[0055] When the two rings 114 and 116 are mated together, the inner
curvilinear peripheral wall 138 of each ring and the
circumferentially adjacent surfaces 132 of the arcuate hub flanges
130 defines a cable wrap area 140 in which a sign hanging cable 12
may be wrapped circumferentially therearound. The outermost
peripheral lips or edges 122 of each ring 114 and 116 are rigid, as
is each ring 114 and 16, and defines between them a gap or a width
"D" which is critically less than twice the diameter "X" of the
cable 12 which may be wrapped about the arcuate hub flanges 130. It
is to be noted that the number of locking flanges and arcuate
flanges may be changed according to design considerations, and is
within the breadth of this invention.
[0056] In order to shorten or lengthen a sign hanging cable 12 to
correct the height adjustment of a sign "S" suspended from a
ceiling or uppermost support location "O", the store employee would
wrap or unwrap one or more turns of cable 12 about the contiguous
arcuate hub flanges 130 arrangement. The cable 12 leading to a sign
"S" and to a ceiling support "O" would include at least one wrap of
cable 12 about the arcuate hub flanges 130, and that cable 12 would
be disposed (exit) tangentially with respect to those arcuate hub
flanges 130, as may be seen in FIG. 4. The cable 12 would not
become unwrapped from the cable shortener apparatus 10 by itself,
because the width "D" of the gap between the opposed rigid flanges
or edges 22 of each opposed ring 114 and 116 is to be less than
twice the diameter of the cable 12. It would take manipulative
effort by a store employee to pull one cable 12 frictionally
against its other end so as to unwrap or wrap the cable 12 around
the hub and thereby adjust the length of that sign hanging
cable.
[0057] A further embodiment of the construction and assembly of the
cable shortener 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7(a)
wherein a first ring 150 having a first annular peripheral lip 152,
a short drum 154 of short axial length, and a second ring 156
having an annular peripheral lip 158 are shown in an exploded
depiction. The drum 154 and the first and second rings 150 and 156
are mated together in a male-female relationship to form a rigid
cable shortener 10 in this embodiment by a press fit, or by a
bonding of radially adjacent annular surfaces 160 and 162 to define
the cable shortener 10 similar to that shown in FIG. 1, which when
assembled in this particular embodiment, is shown in perspective
view in FIG. 7(b) with the larger annular cable wrap receiving
chamber and a narrow gap between the peripheral lips 152 and 158 of
a dimension which is less than twice the diameter of a cable/line
to be wrapped about the drum 154, to deny easy overlap and
undesired unwinding of a cable from the cable shortener.
[0058] FIG. 8(a) another assembly embodiment of the cable shortener
ring 10, wherein a first ring 170 and a second ring 172 each have
an inner peripheral lip 174 are presented in an exploded
perspective view. Each ring 170 and 172 has a pair of arc segments
176 and 178 extending in one axial direction from that peripheral
lip 174, as well as an arcuate gap 180 between peripherally
adjacent arc segments 176 and 178. To construct a cable shortener
10 in this embodiment, the rings 170 and 172 are arranged in a
lip-to-lip orientation with the rings 170 and 172 are 90 degrees
out of phase with one another so that an arcuate segment 174 of
each ring 170 or 172 mates with an arcuate gap 176 or 178 of its
mating ring 172 or 170. Such a mating of gaps 1176 and 178 and
segments 174 may then be sonic welded or bonded at their respective
touching surfaces to form the rigid cable shortener 182, as shown
in FIG. 8(b) which shortener 182 is similar to the cable shortener
10 shown in FIG. 1.
[0059] FIG. 9(a) shows yet a further embodiment of the construction
process of the cable shortener 10 of the present invention. An
annular generally U-shaped channel 190 is molded or formed of a
plastic material as a generally torroidal shape with an open
outermost peripheral gap 192 defined by a pair of radially
outwardly directed walls 194 and 195. After such molding operation,
the outermost peripheral lips 196 of the walls 194 and 195 may be
heat and/or pressure formed toward one another to create the narrow
rigidly spaced apart relationship 197 of those outermost peripheral
lips 196, a distance apart as recited in the aforementioned
embodiments, of less than twice the diameter of a cable wrapped
about the hub or channel of the cable shortener as shown in FIG. 1,
the assembled construction in this embodiment being shown in FIG.
9(b).
[0060] Thus, what has been shown as a unique sign cable shortener
adjustment apparatus which permits a sign hanging cable to be
readily, safely and inexpensively adjusted by a simple and
inexpensive to manufacture and assemble sign cable adjustment
apparatus in a very efficient manner. The cable shortener being
shown as constructable by several techniques which permit the
unique annular cable wrap receiving torroid with a narrow
peripheral cable entry/unwind gap between adjacent lips thus
facilitating the adjustment of the length of a sign hanging cable
by wrapping or unwrapping the cable about the hub and between the
peripheral lips of the side walls of the apparatus. The cable may
be plastic, metal or cotton material, (for example: monofilament,
braided, having a diameter of about for example one thirty-second
of an inch or so),
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