Patent Application
20100212784
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Copper theft poses a threat to customer safety in the utility industry. Power companies use copper wire to ground high-voltage apparatus that sit atop wooden utility or power poles. This copper wire is traditionally stapled to a wood pole from the top of the pole to just below the ground line, where it is attached to a ground rod buried perhaps eight feet into the earth. These ground wires provide system protection from lightning strikes, supply an alternate path for the neutral conductor in alternating current systems, and ground the metal cases of transformers and related equipment.
Ground wires on existing wood utility poles that connect to the earth's crust can become broken or stolen. Traditionally, such a broken or stolen ground wire is replaced by a lineman. The lineman scales the pole with a line and staples, runs an entirely new line, and staples the new line to the pole working down the pole. This new line runs the entirely same risk (as the ground line that has just been replaced) of being broken or stolen in the future.
For purposes of this application “hot stick” shall mean an insulated pole (normally, but not limited to, round in cross-section) usually made of fiberglass (or other suitable insulating material) allowing utility workers to safely perform operations on high-voltage electric power line(s) while energized or without knowing the energized state of such power line(s).
An existing or new wood pole is selected for installation of a grounding wire. The grounding wire slot cutting device is mounted on the wood pole and a groove is cut along the wood pole. This procedure can be repeated until a continuous groove of the desired length is cut along the wood pole. A grounding wire is pushed into the groove, and a sealer is applied over the grounding wire to fill the groove and to seal the grounding wire. This results in a grounding wire that is not visible or accessible on the outside of the pole.
The grounding wire slot cutting device generally has two bases, two suitable elongate guide members, the trolley, and a power tool mounted in the trolley. The two bases are adapted to be strapped to the wood pole. Two suitable elongate guide members shown in this embodiment as hot sticks are attached to the bases. The elongate guide members extend in the direction parallel to the center axis of the pole and function to guide the trolley along the wood pole. The trolley supports the power tool and travels along the two suitable elongate guide members. The power tool cuts the groove along the wooden pole.
With reference to
By way of example, a common utility pole 10 may include all or portions of the following. A static wire 16 extends across the top of the utility pole 10 to bleed lightning surges off the power lines during a storm. A grounding wire (conductor) 18 is connected to the static wire 16 and to a grounding rod 20. The grounding wire 18 runs the entire length of the wood pole 12. Transmission lines 22a, 22b, 22c carry high voltage electricity (69-500 kilovolts) in three phases to substations (not shown). Primary phase conductors 24 convey electricity (5-30 kilovolts) from the substations and are part of the distribution system wires (which can be one, two or all three phases). On older poles the primary phase conductors 24 are often supported by crossbars (not shown). A step down transformer 26 (for converting to lower voltages used in homes or businesses) is connected to one of the primary phase conductors 24 with the transformer case 26a connected to the grounding wire 18 on the wood pole 12. A neutral grounded conductor 28 is also part of the distribution system and provides a return path for electricity. The neutral grounded conductor 28 may be referred to as a multi-grounded neutral if also connected to the grounding wire 18. A secondary service drop 30 conveys electricity (120/240 volts) to the end user/load (not shown). The secondary service drop 30 consists of three wires including a bare neutral wire 30a connected to the grounding wire 18 at the wood pole 12. Communication lines 32 may be attached to the wood pole 12 normally along a lower space or area of the wood pole 12. The grounding rod 20 is buried in the earth's crust 14 proximate the base of the wood pole 12, and is connected to the grounding wire 18.
For purposes of the present application it is noted that the grounding wire 18 on the wood pole 12 runs the risk of becoming broken or stolen. Hence the motivation for the subject matter of the present disclosure.
Referring to
Bases 42a and 42b each include a boom body 43, a prehensile surface 44, and attachment pieces 48a and 48b. The prehensile surface 44 is adapted for mounting or saddling to the curvature of pole surface 13 of wood pole 12 (the prehensile surface 44 is V-shaped as shown, although other shapes could be used such as, for example, U-shaped or semi-circular). The prehensile surface 44 may be made of a length of angle iron 45 (
The trolley 60 (which in the embodiment shown is adapted for the mounting of a router) has a mounting bracket 62 (U-shaped in the embodiment shown), two guide brackets 64a and 64b, and at least two rollers 66 (in the embodiment shown six rollers are implemented with three of the rollers 66a, 66b and 66c viewable in
Angle iron 45 may extend outwardly beyond boom body 43 to provide an extension 45a over which strapping 38 (e.g. nylon strapping) may be mounted so as to wrap around wood pole 12 thereby releasably securing grounding wire slot cutting device 40 against surface 13. It is understood that strapping 38 may be resilient or flexible straps or belts and/or other tensioners which may be wrapped around or mounted to wood pole 12. Strapping 38 is releasably secured and tensioned for example by ratcheting latches 38a or other tightening means known in the art so as to hold grounding wire slot cutting device 40 in position sufficiently securely so that power tool 70 may be employed to cut groove 88 along the length of wood pole 12 between the pair of bases 42a and 42b. Strapping 38 can be sequentially released and the grounding wire slot cutting device 40 can be reset so that a continuation of groove 88 may be cut.
With reference to
A plowing, harrowing, brushing, blowing or vacuuming device 74 (e.g. a spring-loaded U-shaped piece (
The following procedures or instructions are intended to explain how to replace a broken or stolen grounding wire 18 from existing wood poles 12 that connect with the earth's crust 14 with an embedded (and somewhat camouflaged) wire 90 to maintain the integrity of the electrical system. When the grounding wire 18 is replaced by embedment, such is also intended to reduce or eliminate the load on the neutral grounded conductor 28 caused by the loss of the original grounding wire 18.
First, a lineman 80 climbs the wood pole 12 (this discussion assumes the pole is vertical although other orientations are possible) up to the neutral grounded conductor 28 (e.g. twenty-two feet above the ground) and drops a hand line 82.
Next, the ground man 84 attaches the hand line 82 to the top of the grounding wire slot cutting device 40 and raises it to the lineman 80, who attaches the grounding wire slot cutting device 40 to the wood pole 12 and secures it (e.g. using strapping 38 through the bases 42a and 42b, chains, screws, or the like). Once attached, the hot sticks 50a and 50b may, for example, extend for twenty feet along the wood pole 12 to the ground. Then the lineman 80 adjusts the power tool 70 to the correct depth for the slot or groove 88 desired.
While the lineman 80 is climbing the wood pole 12, the ground man 84 is excavating around the wood pole 12 to find the ground rod 20 and removes the ground rod clamp or locates the end of the butt wrap grounding wire 18.
The lineman 80 then climbs above the grounding wire slot cutting device 40 to be out of harms way for a period of time while the device 40 is cutting the groove 88 in the wood pole 12.
The ground man 84 then activates the power tool 70 and pulls it along with the trolley 60 to the earth's crust 14. This procedure cuts the groove 88 in the wood pole 12. The groove 88 is cut to a size sufficient to house or embed the grounding wire 90.
The ground man 84 then attaches the new ground wire 90 and a split bolt connector to the hand line 82 and carefully, keeping the ground wire 90 taunt, raises the items to the lineman 80.
The lineman 80 staples the ground wire 90 above the slot 88, with a pigtail long enough to clamp to the neutral grounded conductor 28.
The lineman 80 detaches the ground wire slot cutting device 40 and lowers it to the surface of the earth's crust 14.
The lineman 80 then applies the furnished epoxy, glue, compound, rigid or semi-rigid cover 92 (e.g. an off the shelf glue sold under the brand name GORILLA GLUE), all of the foregoing for sake of convenience being referred to as “glue” or a “sealer”, into the groove or slot 88 allowing it to run into the slot 88 and, by way of example, hammers or taps the wire 90 into the slot and glue 92 as he descends the wood pole 12 to embed the wire 90 into the glue 92 and the slot 88 in the wood pole 12. The color of the glue 92 may be selected such as to camouflage the existence of the groove 88 (for example, from those who would seek to remove the wire for the value of the copper).
When the lineman 80 reaches the surface of the earth's crust 14; the connection is made to the ground rod 20 or the tail from the butt wrap.
Should the glue 92 expand profusely from the wood pole 12 while drying, the extruded portion can be knocked-off.
Last, the workers backfill the excavated soil to rework the area as needed.
The embedded ground wire 90 is almost impossible to remove from the wood pole 12 and therefore prevents theft and breakage. The wood pole 12 can be worked on either with the wood pole 12 in a vertical or a horizontal position but is discussed above as if the arrangement were vertical.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/155,015 filed Feb. 24, 2009.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61155015 | Feb 2009 | US |
