U.S. patent application number 12/590481 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-12 for cable centering arrangement for cable shortener device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rose Displays, Ltd. Invention is credited to Thomas P. Burrous, David E. Pitcher, Sidney Rose, Alan Stenfors, Rebecca C. Suciu.
Application Number | 20110108653 12/590481 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43973425 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110108653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pitcher; David E. ; et
al. |
May 12, 2011 |
Cable centering arrangement for cable shortener device
Abstract
A cable alignment device for longitudinally centering the cable
or line extending two ways from a cable shortener device,
comprising: an oblong base having a central portion for rotative
receipt of the cable shortener device; a first leg and a second leg
on the oblong base; and a cable alignment channel in the first leg
and the second leg of the oblong base, the alignment channel
arranged for receipt of the cable therein.
Inventors: |
Pitcher; David E.;
(Swampscott, MA) ; Suciu; Rebecca C.; (Lynn,
MA) ; Burrous; Thomas P.; (Haverhill, MA) ;
Stenfors; Alan; (Scituate, MA) ; Rose; Sidney;
(Marblehead, MA) |
Assignee: |
Rose Displays, Ltd
Salem
MA
|
Family ID: |
43973425 |
Appl. No.: |
12/590481 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 75/22 20130101;
B65H 75/143 20130101; B65H 75/406 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/398 |
International
Class: |
B65H 75/18 20060101
B65H075/18 |
Claims
1. An elongated cable alignment device for longitudinally centering
a cable or line extending two ways from a cable shortener device,
comprising: an oblong base having a central portion for rotative
receipt of the cable shortener device; a first leg and a second leg
on opposite ends of the oblong base of the elongated cable
alignment device; and a cable alignment channel in the first leg
and in the second leg of the oblong base, the alignment channel
arranged for receipt of the cable or line therein.
2. The cable alignment device as recited in claim 1, wherein each
alignment channel is in longitudinal alignment with the center of a
cable shortener arranged on the base of the alignment device.
3. The cable alignment device as recited in claim 1, wherein the
central portion of the oblong base has an annular bearing extending
therefrom.
4. The cable alignment device as recited in claim 1, wherein the
cable alignment device slidably receives a cable or line from the
cable shortener through both of the alignment channels.
5. A cable shortener and cable alignment assembly, comprising: a
cable shortener rotatively supported on a bearing on a base of an
elongated cable alignment device; a cable or line wrapped around an
annular channel on the cable shortener device supported on the
bearing of the elongated cable alignment device, the cable
extending slidably through a cable alignment channel arranged on
each end of the elongated cable alignment device, wherein the cable
is maintained in general longitudinal alignment with the center of
the cable shortener and the elongated cable alignment device.
6. The cable shortener and cable alignment assembly as recited in
claim 5, wherein the bearing on the cable alignment device
comprises an annular sleeve on which the shortener device is
rotatively supported.
7. The cable shortener and cable alignment assembly as recited in
claim 6, wherein the cable shortener rotates with respect to the
elongated cable alignment device, when the assembly is slid
longitudinally along the cable.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a cable or line alignment device
for cable shorteners, and more particularly to a centering
arrangement for cable shorteners.
[0003] 2. Discussion of Prior Art
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,043, to Pitcher, discloses a hanging
cable shortener arrangement, which patent is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety. That cable shortener apparatus permitted
the length adjustment of a cable or line such as a drawn plastic
filament, wire or the like, having a certain incompressible
diameter. That cable was arranged to support a sign from an
overhead support. That cable shortener works well, but the cable
extends from the shortener device in a generally tangential manner,
which is aesthetically undesirable.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
centering arrangement for the aforementioned cable shortener to
improve its appearance during use, and to retain the ease of
adjustment of such cable or line with the original shortener
device.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention comprises a cable centering
arrangement for a cable shortener device. The cable shortener
device comprises an annular hub having a pair of opposed annular
flanges which defines an annular channel therebetween. Such a cable
shortener device is shown in reference to U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,043,
incorporated herein by reference. The cable centering arrangement
or device comprises an elongated base member having a first end and
a second end. An annular flange or bearing member extends off of
one side of the oblong base from a midpoint thereof. The first end
and the second end each comprise a first leg and a second leg
respectively. Each leg has a lower surface which extends from the
oblong base of the cable centering arrangement. The first leg and
the second leg each have an upper surface. The lower surface and
the upper surface are spaced apart and define between them a cable
alignment channel. The cable alignment channel on the first leg and
on the second leg are both open to the same side of the cable
centering arrangement. The cable alignment channel in the first leg
and in the second leg each have a bridging surface which are in
longitudinal alignment with one another and with the center of the
annular bearing of the cable centering device.
[0007] In operation of the assembly of the annular hub and the
cable shortener device, an elongated cable or line, such as for
example, a drawn plastic filament, a wire or the like, is
attachable at one end thereof to an overhead support and attachable
and its other end to an object such as a sign for support thereof
from the overhead, is wrapped at least one complete time around the
annular hub and within the annular channel thereof
[0008] The annular hub of the cable shortening device is rotatably
mated with the annular bearing of the cable centering arrangement,
wherein one end of the cable wrapped around the cable shortening
device is passed into the cable alignment slot in the first leg of
the alignment device and the second or other end of the cable is
passed into second or other leg of the cable alignment device
through the second cable alignment slot therein.
[0009] The entire assembly may be slid along the length of the
elongated cable with the annular hub rotating correspondingly
around the annular bearing of the centering device so as to provide
proper visual appearance of the shortener relative to a further
adjacent assembly and to any sign or object being supported from
the overhead support.
[0010] The invention thus comprises a cable alignment device for
longitudinally centering the cable extending two ways from a cable
shortener device, comprising: an oblong base having a central
portion for rotative receipt of the cable shortener device; a first
leg and a second leg on the oblong base; and a cable alignment
channel in the first leg and the second leg of the oblong base, the
alignment channel arranged for receipt of the cable therein. Each
alignment channel is preferably in longitudinal alignment with the
center of the cable shortener arranged on the base of the alignment
device. The central portion of the oblong base has an annular
bearing extending therefrom. The cable alignment device slidably
receives a cable from the cable shortener preferably through both
of the alignment channels.
[0011] The invention also comprises a cable shortener and cable
alignment assembly, comprising: a cable shortener rotatively
supported on a bearing base of a cable alignment device; a cable
wrapped around an annular channel on the cable shortener device
supported on the bearing, the cable extending slidably through a
cable alignment channel arranged on each end of the cable alignment
device, wherein the cable is maintained in longitudinal alignment
with the center of the cable shortener. The bearing on the cable
alignment device preferably comprises an annular sleeve on which
the shortener device is rotatively supported. The cable shortener
rotates with respect to the elongated cable alignment device and
hub on which it is mounted, when the assembly is slid
longitudinally along the cable or line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the following
drawings in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the centering device of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
as may also be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,043;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
mounted on the cable centering device;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the upper surface of the cable
centering device;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of the left side of the cable
centering device shown in FIG. 4;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side view of the right side of the cable
centering device shown in FIG. 4;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an end view of the first end of the cable
centering device shown in FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 8 is an end view of the second end of the cable
centering device shown in FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the lower surface of the cable
centering device shown in FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the centering device with a
sectional line drawn longitudinally therethrough;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a view taken along the lines a-a shown in FIG.
10;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
with a cable wrapped up therearound;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
shown in FIG. 12, with the hub mounted onto the cable alignment
device;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
shown in FIG. 13 with one end of the cable being fed through the
cable alignment slot at the first end of the cable alignment
device;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the cable shortener device
shown in FIG. 14, with the second end of the cable being fed
through the cable alignment slot in the second end of the cable
alignment device;
[0028] FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of a pair of the cable
shortener devices being supported from an overhead support, having
a lower end of their cables being attached to a sign; and
[0029] FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of the pair of cable
shortener devices shown in FIG. 16, wherein the respective cable
shortener devices are both supported within a cable alignment
device, each of the cables extending from the longitudinal axis of
the cable shortener device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to
FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention which comprises a
cable centering arrangement or device 50 for a cable shortener
device 52, as represented in FIG. 2. The cable shortener device 52
comprises an annular hub 54 having a pair of opposed annular
flanges 56 which define an annular channel 58 therebetween. Such a
cable shortener device 52 is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,043,
incorporated herein by reference. The cable centering arrangement
or device 50 comprises an elongated base member 60 having a first
end 62 and a second end 64, as may be seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13-15.
[0031] An annular flange or bearing member 66 extends off of one
side of the oblong base 60 from a midpoint thereof, as shown in
FIG. 1. The first end 62 and the second end 64 each comprise a
first leg 68 and a second leg 70 respectively. Each leg 68 and 70
has a lower surface 72 which is extends from the oblong base 60 of
the cable centering arrangement 50. The first leg 62 and the second
leg 64 each have an upper surface 74. The lower surface 72 and the
upper surface 74 are spaced apart and define between them a cable
alignment channel 76, as may be seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11,
13, 14 and 15. The cable alignment channel 76 on the first leg 62
and on the second leg 64 are preferably both open to the same side
of the cable centering arrangement, as may be seen in FIG. 1. The
cable alignment channel 76 in the first leg 62 and in the second
leg 64 each have an elongated curvilinear bridging surface 80, best
seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, which curvilear surfaces 80 are each in
longitudinal alignment with one another and with the center "C" of
the annular bearing of the cable centering device 50, as may be
seen in FIG. 4.
[0032] In operation of the assembly of the annular hub 66 and the
cable shortener device 52, an elongated cable or line "E", which is
attachable at one end 82 thereof to an overhead support 84 and
attachable and its other end to an object such as a sign 86, as
represented in FIGS. 16 and 17, for support thereof from the
overhead support 84, is wrapped at least one complete time around
the annular hub 66 and within the annular channel 58 thereof.
[0033] The annular bearing 66 of the cable centering arrangement 50
is mated concentrically onto the hub 54 of the cable shortening
device 52, as represented in FIG. 13, wherein one end of the cable
has already been wrapped around the channel 58, as shown in FIG.
12, the cable "E" being passed into the cable alignment slot 76 in
the one leg 64 or 62 of the alignment device 50, as represented in
FIG. 14, and the second end of the cable "E" is passed into the
other leg 62 or 64 of the cable alignment device 50 through the
second cable alignment slot 76 therein as represented in FIG.
15.
[0034] The entire assembly 50 and 52 may be slid longitudinally
along the length of the elongated cable "E" with the annular hub 54
rotating correspondingly around the annular bearing 66 of the
centering device 50 so as to provide proper visual appearance of
the shortener relative to a further adjacent assembly 50 and 52 and
to any sign 86 or object being supported from the overhead support
84, as represented in FIG. 17. FIG. 16 shows the cable shortener 52
in use supporting a sign 86 from an overhead support 84 without the
alignment device 50 being utilized therewith.
* * * * *