Patent Application
20110146222
The present novel technology relates generally to electrical wires, and more particularly to devices for simultaneously twisting together two or more electrical wires.
Electrical cables used in industrial, commercial, and residential applications generally consist of a plurality of wires twisted together to form a single cable. Examples of such cables include non-metallic sheath (NM) such as Romex® (a registered trademark of the Southwire Company, a Delaware corporation doing business at One Southwire Drive, Carrolton, Ga., 30119), armored cable, and other types of twisted and/or braided cable. Cable is traditionally run in a building or other job site to a junction box, breaker panel, electrical apparatus, or other suitable electrical connection. It is often necessary to untwist the individual wires that make up the cable in order to make the appropriate electrical connections.
Frequently more than one wire is required to be connected to a single electrical contact point. One way to accomplish connecting two or more wires to a single connection is to twist the wires together. For example, multiple ground wires are typically twisted together to connect to a single ground at a junction box. Traditionally, twisting is accomplished manually, such as by gripping the wires with lineman's pliers and rotating the pliers until the wires are sufficiently twisted. However, manual wire twisting with pliers is time consuming, labor intensive, and can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, it is difficult to generate sufficient torque to simultaneously twist more than two wires together, especially where the wires are of a large gauge. Alternative methods of twisting wires using mechanical devices typically involve rotating devices which use clips, clamps, or other securing methods to hold the wires in place while twisting. Such devices are time consuming to use as individual wires must be secured to the devices prior to twisting, and must then be released from the devices after twisting. Other such devices secure wires into slots, which do not snugly and securely engage the wires, which are prone to disengagement upon jiggling or impact of the device, or by double looping the wires through a pair of apertures formed into rotatable discs, which require the excess wire to have to either be manually disengaged (a time-consuming procedure that obviates most of the time saved by the twisting device) or cut away from the twisting device (again requiring time and effort and wasting wire).
What is needed is a device that securely engages the wires to be twisted, facilitates the efficient simultaneous twisting of multiple strands of electrical wire, and allows for the quick and easy disengagement of the wires therefrom once twisted. The claimed novel technology addresses these needs.
The following is not in any way to limit, define or otherwise establish the scope of legal protection. In general terms, the claimed technology relates to twisting electrical wires. In one embodiment, a wire twisting device is provided that comprises a plate having a wire engaging face, a tool engaging face, and a plurality of wire ports extending therethrough. Each wire to be twisted is inserted through an appropriately sized wire port. A shaft extending from the tool engaging face is then rotated either manually or using a suitable mechanical device such as an electric drill, thereby rotating the plate and twisting the wires.
In another embodiment, a wire twisting device is provided that includes a plurality or wire ports appropriately sized to accept wires of various gauges.
One object is to provide and improved wire twisting device and method for using the same.
Further objects, embodiments, forms, benefits, aspects, features and advantages of the claimed technology may be obtained from the description, drawings, and claims provided herein.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the claimed technology and presenting its currently understood best mode of operation, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the claimed technology is thereby intended, with such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device and such further applications of the principles of the claimed technology as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the claimed technology relates.
One example of a wire twisting device 10 is shown in
Plate 30 further includes a plurality of wire ports 16, 18, 20 which extend through plate 30 from wire engaging face 12 to tool engaging face 22. Wire ports 16, 18 and 20 are typically respectively sized to snugly engage wires of three different diameters or gauges. In this particular example, plate 30 includes three wire ports 16 sized and configured so as to substantially snugly allow passage of 10-gauge wire therethrough. The 10-gauge wire ports 16 are disposed on plate 30 so as to be substantially equidistant from each other. That is, approximately 120 degrees separate each 10-gauge wire port radially. Plate 30 further includes three wire ports 18 sized and configured so as to substantially snugly allow passage of 12-gauge wire therethrough. The 12-gauge wire ports 18 are disposed on plate 30 so as to be substantially equidistant from each other. That is, approximately 120 degrees separate each 12-gauge wire port radially. Plate 30 still further includes three wire ports 20 sized and configured so as to substantially snugly allow passage of 14-gauge wire therethrough. The 14-gauge wire ports 20 are disposed on plate 30 so as to be substantially equidistant from each other. That is, approximately 120 degrees separate each 14-gauge wire port radially.
Continuing with the present example, wire twisting device 10 further includes a shaft 24 operably connected to the tool engaging face 22 of plate 30 such that rotation of shaft 24 causes rotation of plate 30. Shaft 24 is joined to plate 30 using a bolt 14 in this particular example. In other examples, shaft 24 is joined to plate 30 using screws, rivets, a threaded shaft, welds, glue, epoxy, or other suitable joining means. Alternatively, shaft 24 and plate 30 form a single, unitary structure.
Shaft 24 includes a plate engaging portion 26 and a tool engaging portion 28. Plate engaging portion 26 is shown with a conical shape to provide increased strength to the joint between shaft 24 and plate 30 and increased stability to plate 30 when wire twisting device 10 is rotated. The conical shape of plate engaging portion 26 is shown for illustrative purposes only and other plate engaging portions having other shapes and configurations are also contemplated. Tool engaging portion 28 is shown as a hex-shaped member configured and sized to engage with the chuck of an electric drill or other suitable apparatus to facilitate mechanical rotation of shaft 24.
In another example, as shown in
Continuing with the present example, wire twisting device 60 is engaged with three individual wires 70, 72, 74 by insertion of the wires through wire ports 68a, 68b, 68c, respectively, so that a length of wire 76, 78, 80 extends through plate 84. Wire ports 68a, 68b, 68c are sized and configured to allow wires 70, 72, 74 to snugly fit therethrough such that when plate 84 is rotated, wires 70, 72, 74 do not inadvertently withdraw from wire ports 68a, 68b, 68c and disengage plate 84 prematurely. Rotation of plate 84 imparts rotational motion on wires 70, 72, 74 thereby twisting the individual wires about one another to form a twisted braid 82.
An example of twisting wires together using one example of a wire twisting device will now be described. In this example, three 12-gauge copper wires are provided to be twisted together using a twisting device 10, such as that shown in
A wire twisting device 10 such as that shown in
Continuing with the present example, rotational motion is imparted to the wire twisting device 10 by rotation of the shaft 24. In one example, the shaft 24 is manually rotated, such as by twisting a handle. In another example, the shaft 24 is mechanically rotated using an electric drill. In still other examples, the shaft 24 is rotated using other suitable mechanical means for imparting rotational motion. Typically, engagement of the wires with apertures 16, 18, 20 and/or the shaft 24 with a mechanical rotation device (such as a drill) imparts a rapid series of linear and/or rotational motions of varying directions onto the already-engaged wires (i.e., the engaged wires are jiggled when additional wires are engaged and/or when the device is engaged to a drill); once engaged with the apertures 16, 18, 20, the wires are snugly held against clockwise and counterclockwise rotational motions as well as motions in the plane perpendicular to that defined by the plate 30. Once the wires have been twisted together to the desired degree, the individual wires are withdrawn from the wire ports 16, 18, 20 of the plate 30, leaving a twisted braid of three wires having substantially straight end portions.
The preceding description has detailed wire twisting devices 10 configured to twist 10, 12, and 14 gauge wires. This description is for illustrative purposes only and wire twisting devices configured to twist wires of other gauges are also contemplated. In other examples, it is possible to twist wires of non-uniform gauges together such as two 10-gauge wires and one 12-gauge wire. In still other examples, it is possible to twist two, four, or more wires together simultaneously.
While the claimed technology has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the claimed technology are desired to be protected.
