US4509233A — Rope clamp construction

Claim 1

Independent Claim 196 words

An improved rope clamp construction including: (a) an elongated sleeve having first and second ends and formed with an internal tapered bore converging toward the second end; (b) a tapered plug slidably mounted within the tapered bore of the sleeve for gripping a nonmetallic fibrous rope within a bore formed in an extending axially throughout the length of the plug; (c) the plug having an annular collar formed at one end and a plurality of tapered segments formed integrally with the collar and extending outwardly therefrom, said plug having a length between ten and twenty times greater than the diameter of the plug bore, with the annular collar being located toward the second end of the sleeve and with the taper of the tapered segments extending in the same direction as the taper of the internal tapered bore of said sleeve; (d) a friction reducing, corrosive resistant coating on the plug and on the internal bore of the sleeve to facilitate the sliding movement of the plug within the sleeve bore; and (e) attachment means removably mounted on the first end of the sleeve for attaching the sleeve and internally mounted plug to a termination structure.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 196 words

An improved rope clamp construction including: (a) an elongated sleeve having first and second ends and formed with an internal tapered bore converging toward the second end; (b) a tapered plug slidably mounted within the tapered bore of the sleeve for gripping a nonmetallic fibrous rope within a bore formed in an extending axially throughout the length of the plug; (c) the plug having an annular collar formed at one end and a plurality of tapered segments formed integrally with the collar and extending outwardly therefrom, said plug having a length between ten and twenty times greater than the diameter of the plug bore, with the annular collar being located toward the second end of the sleeve and with the taper of the tapered segments extending in the same direction as the taper of the internal tapered bore of said sleeve; (d) a friction reducing, corrosive resistant coating on the plug and on the internal bore of the sleeve to facilitate the sliding movement of the plug within the sleeve bore; and (e) attachment means removably mounted on the first end of the sleeve for attaching the sleeve and internally mounted plug to a termination structure.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the plug bore is formed with serrations.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the plug has four tapered segments, each generally equal in cross section to the quadrant of a circle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the annular collar has a length of approximately 8% of the total axial length of the plug.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the reduced friction, corrosive resistant coating is a filled fluorcarbon.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the taper of the outer surface of the plug and inner surface of the sleeve bore is 4° or less.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the taper of the plug is equal to or greater than the taper of the sleeve bore.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 19 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the plug has a greater axial length than the sleeve.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the tapered segments are separated by generally axially extending slots which extend partially into the annular collar.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 1 in which the first end of the sleeve is externally threaded; and in which the attachment means is formed with an integrally threaded opening which is engaged with the threaded sleeve end for removably mounting the attachment means on said sleeve.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 10 in which the attachment means is a clevis.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 66 words

The clamp construction defined in claim 10 in which the other end of the plug extends outwardly beyond the first end of the sleeve and terminates within the internally threaded opening of the attachment means; and in which the attachment means is engageable with said other end of the plug to limit the movement of the plug out of tapered engagement with the tapered sleeve bore.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 203 words

An improved rope and clamp combination including: (a) a length of nonmetallic rope; (b) a clamp having an outer sleeve formed with a smooth continuously straight tapered internal bore converging from a first end toward a second end of said sleeve, and a plug telescopically mounted within said tapered bore; (c) said plug having an annular collar at one end located generally adjacent the second end of the sleeve, and at least three tapered segments having smooth continuously straight tapered outer surfaces complementary to the tapered internal bore of the sleeve formed integrally with the collar and extending upwardly outwardly therefrom toward the first end of the sleeve; (d) a cylindrical-shaped internal bore formed in the plug by the tapered segments with the rope being telescopically mounted in said bore and with the taper of the segments being complementary to the taper of the sleeve bore whereby the segments grip the rope as the plug moves along the sleeve bore and is slidably mounted therein; (e) said plug bore having a length between ten and twenty times greater than the diameter of the rope; and (f) attachment means engaged with the first end of the sleeve for attaching the clamp to a structure.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 203 words

An improved rope and clamp combination including: (a) a length of nonmetallic rope; (b) a clamp having an outer sleeve formed with a smooth continuously straight tapered internal bore converging from a first end toward a second end of said sleeve, and a plug telescopically mounted within said tapered bore; (c) said plug having an annular collar at one end located generally adjacent the second end of the sleeve, and at least three tapered segments having smooth continuously straight tapered outer surfaces complementary to the tapered internal bore of the sleeve formed integrally with the collar and extending upwardly outwardly therefrom toward the first end of the sleeve; (d) a cylindrical-shaped internal bore formed in the plug by the tapered segments with the rope being telescopically mounted in said bore and with the taper of the segments being complementary to the taper of the sleeve bore whereby the segments grip the rope as the plug moves along the sleeve bore and is slidably mounted therein; (e) said plug bore having a length between ten and twenty times greater than the diameter of the rope; and (f) attachment means engaged with the first end of the sleeve for attaching the clamp to a structure.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 59 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which the tapered segments of the plug and the sleeve bore are coated with a friction reducing and corrosive resistant material whereby the axial component of the wedging force between the plug and sleeve is less than the axial component of the compression gripping force between the rope and tapered plug segments.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which the plug bore is formed with serrations to increase the gripping efficiency of the segments.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 13 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which there are four tapered segments.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

The combination defined in claim 16 in which the tapered segments of the plug are separated by generally axially extending slots.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination defined in claim 17 in which the plug slots extend partially into the annular collar.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which the taper of the plug segments and sleeve bore is 4° or less.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which the rope is formed of a continuous filament, impregnated fiberous material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The combination defined in claim 13 in which the rope is covered with a jacket of synthetic nonmetallic material.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

The combination defined in claim 21 in which the jacket is formed of neoprene.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-04-08	1988-10-08	1989-04-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-04-08	1992-10-08	1993-04-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-04-08	1996-10-08	1997-04-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rope clamp construction

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