The present disclosure is in the field of wire attachment and tensioning, in particular cable and cable railing.
Deck cable railing is used as an alternate form of infill to balustrade or glass. Cables are arranged horizontally or vertically to create an infill for safety. The wire/cable is typically steel or stainless steel. It is attached by various methods such as crimped to a connection, swaged to fittings, or a mechanical connection. The attachment is mounted to posts, walls, or hand railings as needed. The attachment may be in the form of a lag screw, or a flat mounting plate, or a curved plate to fit the contour of a round post. Tension is applied to one end of the cable to keep it taught. Various sizes of cable can be used each requiring unique attachments per diameter and construction. Manufacturing of multiple types of attachments and cable connections are costly. There is a need to make the cable connections interchangeable for various sizes of cable.
According to one aspect, a tensioning wire attachment system is provided. The system includes a tensioning device, which includes a first collar connectable to a threaded stud. The threaded stud is connectable to a mounting plate via a tubular body. The system also includes a first gripping wedge secured within the first collar via an inside thread of the first collar. The first gripping wedge secures a first wire.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the first collar includes an outer diameter of a first value, a first hex shoulder of a first value, an overall length of a first value, the inside thread of a first value, a frustoconical inside shape of a first value, and an aperture inside diameter of a first value. In some implementations, the first gripping wedge includes a first gripping wedge bore. The first gripping wedge bore includes a first inside diameter of a first value and a first outer diameter. The first outer diameter includes a first outer diameter that is smaller than the inside thread of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars. The first gripping wedge is fixedly attached to any of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, a second tensioning device is included. In the second tensioning device, the second collar is connectable to a second threaded stud. The second threaded stud is connectable to a second mounting plate via a second tubular body. The second tensioning device also includes a second gripping wedge secured within the second collar via an inside thread of the second collar. The second gripping wedge encloses a second wire. The second collar includes an outer diameter of a second value, a second hex shoulder of a second value, an overall length of a second value, the inside thread of the first value, a frustoconical inside shape of a first value, and aperture inside diameter of the first value. The second gripping wedge is fixedly attached to any of the first through second collars. The second gripping wedge includes a second gripping wedge bore, with a second inside diameter of a second value, a first outer diameter that is smaller than the inside thread of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars, with a first frustoconical outside shape that is equivalent to the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars inside frustoconical inside shape, configured to allow fixed attachment between any of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, a third tensioning device is included. In the third tensioning device, the third collar connectable to a third threaded stud. The third threaded stud is connectable to a third mounting plate via a third tubular body. The third tensioning device includes a third gripping wedge secured within the third collar via an inside thread of the third collar. The third gripping wedge encloses a third wire. The third collar includes an outer diameter of a third value, a third hex shoulder of a third value, an overall length of a third value, the inside thread of the first value, a frustoconical inside shape of the first value, and aperture inside diameter of the first value. The third gripping wedge is fixedly attached to any of the first through third collars. The third gripping wedge includes a third gripping wedge bore, with a third inside diameter of a third value, a first outer diameter that is smaller than the inside thread of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars, with a first frustoconical outside shape that is equivalent to the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars inside frustoconical inside shape, configured to allow fixed attachment between any of the first collar and/or a second and/or third collars.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, an nth collar is included. The nth collar has an outer diameter of an nth value, an nth hex shoulder of an nth value, an overall length of an nth value, an inside thread of a first value, a frustoconical inside shape of a first value, and aperture inside diameter of a first value. The first, second and third gripping wedges are also configured to be fixedly attached to the nth collar. In some implementations, n is an integer greater than 3 and/or a positive integer.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, an nth gripping wedge configured to be fixedly attached to any of the first through third collars is included. The nth gripping wedge includes an nth gripping wedge bore including an nth inside diameter of an nth value and an nth outer diameter that is smaller than the inside thread of the collar of a first through third value, including an nth frustoconical outside shape that is equivalent to the first through third collar inside frustoconical inside shape. The nth gripping wedge is configured to allow fixed attachment between the first through third collars. In some implementations, n is an integer greater than 3.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the first wire is fixedly attached to the first gripping wedge. The first wire includes a first wire outside diameter of a first value. The first value is equivalent to the first gripping wedge inner diameter to allow a fixed attachment between the first wire and the first gripping wedge.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, a second wire is fixedly attached to the second gripping wedge. The second wire includes a second wire outside diameter of a second value. The second value is equivalent to the second gripping wedge inner diameter to allow a fixed attachment between the second wire and the second gripping wedge. In some implementations, a third wire is fixedly attached to the third gripping wedge. The third wire includes a third wire outside diameter of a third value. The third value is equivalent to the third gripping wedge inner diameter to allow a fixed attachment between the third wire and the third gripping wedge.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, an nth wire is fixedly attached to an nth gripping wedge. The nth wire includes an nth wire outside diameter of an nth value. The nth value is equivalent to the nth gripping wedge inner diameter to allow a fixed attachment between the nth wire and the nth gripping wedge. In some implementations, n is a positive integer and/or greater than 3.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the threaded stud connects any of the first, second, and/or third collars, first, second, and/or third gripping wedges, and first, second, and/or third wires via a washer and a wedge. The threaded stud includes a flat and/or hexed shoulder, an external thread, and a threaded end. The external thread allows attachment to any of the first, second, and/or third collars, and the threaded end allows attachment to a tubular body and a locking nut.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the tubular body includes an internal thread matching the external thread of the threaded stud, a hemispherical end, and a flat and/or hexed shoulder configured to allow gripping with a wrench. In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the mounting plate includes a center aperture. The center aperture allows the tubular body to pass through. The mounting plate also includes a recess adjacent to the center aperture. The recess is hemispherical, matches a contour of the tubular body, and is configured for rotational movement of the tubular body. The mounting plate also includes a groove. The groove is perpendicular to a surface of the mounting plate and allows for the tubular body to pivot within positioning the mounting plate angularly.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, one or more additional apertures in a circular arrangement around the center aperture are included. The one or more additional apertures are configured to allow one or more fasteners to pass through. In some implementations, the one or more fasteners are configured to secure the mounting plate to a mounting surface. In some implementations, additional collars and/or additional gripping wedges are configured to allow one or more wire rope sizes to be attached in the system between one or more of the mounting surfaces.
According to another aspect, a tensioning wire attachment system is provided. The tensioner and wire attachment system includes a tensioning device, which includes a collar connectable to a threaded stud. The threaded stud is connectable to a mounting plate via a tubular body. The assembly also includes a gripping wedge secured within the collar via an inside thread of the first collar. The gripping wedge secures a wire. The threaded stud connects the collar, gripping wedge, and wire via a washer and a wedge. The threaded stud includes a flat and/or hexed shoulder, an external thread, and a threaded end. The external thread allows attachment to the collar, and the threaded end allows attachment to a tubular body and a locking nut.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, the tubular body includes an internal thread matching the external thread of the threaded stud, a hemispherical end, and a flat and/or hexed shoulder configured to allow gripping with a wrench. In some implementations, the mounting plate includes a center aperture. The center aperture allows the tubular body to pass through. The mounting plate also includes a recess adjacent to the center aperture. The recess is hemispherical, matches a contour of the tubular body, and is configured for rotational movement of the tubular body. The mounting plate also includes a groove. The groove is perpendicular to a surface of the mounting plate and allows for the tubular body to pivot within positioning the mounting plate angularly.
In some implementations of the tensioning wire attachment system, one or more additional apertures in a circular arrangement around the center aperture are included. The one or more additional apertures are configured to allow one or more fasteners to pass through. In some implementations, the one or more fasteners are configured to secure the mounting plate to a mounting surface.
Aspects of the present disclosure include a wire attachment and tensioning system. For example, this system can include a railing system. The system can include a device, which may be made of hard plastics or other materials, such as steel or aluminum. In some embodiments, the material can be a corrosion resistant steel. This device can be attached to a mounting surface by various means, such as, via a mounting plate. For example, the mounting plate may be a flat plane, or include a semi-round contour in order to accommodate one or more mounting surfaces. In some embodiments, the device attaches to various sizes of cable/wire rope opposite a mounting plate, which can impose tension upon the attached cable.
In some embodiments, the mounting surfaces may be rigid, and may include a wooden post, a steel post, a post consisting of other materials. These posts may include square, round, and/or other shapes. The mounting surfaces of the present disclosure also may include a cement, wooden, metal, and/or like material structure. For example, if the device were to be used in a vertical plane, a wooden, steel, or other material, such as plastic, may be utilized as the mounting surface to accommodate the environment, individual preference, or other considerations.
As previously introduced, the attachment and tensioning system of the present disclosure can be adapted to fit multiple sizes of wire rope with a tensioning device. More specifically, this tensioner assembly can allow for mounting multiple sizes of wire rope. For example, the cable railing system may use 3/32″, ⅛″, 5/32″, or 3/16″ wire rope sizes, all within the same device. In some embodiments, tensioning can be achieved by restraining a threaded stud subassembly end, while rotating a tensioner tubular body. This can cause the threads of a stud to be pulled inward. The tubular body may rotate about its axis within the mounting plate due to the hemispherical shapes, in some embodiments. After tension is achieved, the threaded stud may be locked in position, with the nut against the tubular body.
In some embodiments, the assembly may also have interchangeable collars and wedges. The collars may have various thicknesses and hex sizes, with a common internal size, allowing various gripping wedges of various internal diameters, with a common external size, to fit within the collar. The various gripping wedges may allow for multiple wire ropes to be used within the same device. These features can thereby reduce manufacturing costs due to shared components.
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Schematic 200 of the attachment assembly and tensioning assembly of
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Also within device 24 of
In some embodiments of
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In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a second gripping wedge 9_2 may be configured to be fixedly attached to any of the first through third collars 2_1, 2_2, and 2_3, as shown in
In some embodiments, a third gripping wedge 9_3 may be configured to be fixedly attached to any of the first through third collars 2_1, 2_2, and 2_3, as shown in
As shown in
The fittings disclosed herein are fabricated from stainless steel. In some implementations, the disclosed mounting plates are either 316 L or 304 L low carbon grade for welding. The backing plate is either 316 or 304 stainless steel. Although the disclosed implementations, are made from stainless steel, it should be understood that various alternative implementations may be made from other metals, such as brass, bronze, aluminum and the like.
Elements of different implementations described may be combined to form other implementations not specifically set forth previously. Elements may be left out of the systems described previously without adversely affecting their operation or the operation of the system in general. Furthermore, various separate elements may be combined into one or more individual elements to perform the functions described in this specification.
Other implementations not specifically described in this specification are also within the scope of the following claims.
The present application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 63/464,422, filed May 5, 2023.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63464422 | May 2023 | US |