, June 24, 1930. ’ ~ ‘T. BIRKENMAI'ER 1,765,397 SLACK FULLER Filed Sept. 13, 1926 2 sheé'?s'i-sheet l . ...................- June 24, 1930.v ‘v T.'BIRKENMA|ER 1,765,397 SLACK FULLER ‘Filed Sept. 13, .1926 - 2‘ Sheets-Sheet 2 E: l Away-:22: v V!!!I (4745*? J6 %W "$21! \ ' Patented June 24, 1930 1,765,397 A srfrss sorrel; ‘ THEODORE BIRKENMAIER, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO W. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF 'MISSOURI, " SLACK FULLER Application ?led September 13, 1926. Serial No. 135,112. This invention relates to slackpullers, and iron or like frame bent to an are ‘of one hun with regard to certain more speci?c features dred and eighty degrees at a section 3 there to a slack puller for wire, ‘cable and‘ similar of. The section 3is located substantially strands. ' midway between the two ends of the channel Among the several objects of the‘ inven-. 1. The two ends of said channel 1 are bolted ‘ tion may be noted the provision of‘an 1m?’ to a housing casting 5. ,The mid-section 3' proved slack puller which employs certain of the channel 1 has a boss or brace mem- ' split nut features of the class- used‘ in a co her 7 riveted thereto for the purpose of car pen'ding application of Walter A.‘ Heinrich, rying a swiveled clevis 9.’ The clevis 9 is Serial No. 106,286, filed May 3, 1926, but held by means of a conventional nut~and-bolt. 60 which introduces an improved means for combination 11 and carries a coupling pin 13 holding the nut closed, said means to be inde- I for purposes of fastening it to cable ends and‘ pendent of the driving force; a slack puller the like. The brace ‘member 7 is formed to of the class described employing a minimum engage , completely the" one hundred and ' number of parts; and one which can conse eighty degrees of an arc of the section 3, ‘for quently be built more ruggedly and is simpler purposes‘ of positively preventing inward in operation. Other objects will be in part collapse of the members under end strains. obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. ,Longitudinally located with respect to The invention accordingly comprises the the c'hannel‘lisi provided a take-‘up or draw 20 elements and combination of elements, fea screw‘ 15» having an acme or likev type of 70 tures of construction, and arrangements of thread rcut thereon. Any suitable type of‘ parts which will be exempli?ed in the struc thread of proper strength may be used. I The ture hereinafter described, and the scope of screw 15 passes through'the casting 5 and‘v the application of which will be indicated in parts associated therewith (to be described)‘ Y the following claims. and emerges at the lower ‘end of the device. 75 In the accompanying drawings, in which It is provided at its outside orlower end with are illustrated two ofvarious possible em~ a preferably non-swiveling clevis 17, which bodiments of the invention, ‘ carries a coupling pin 19 for the purposeof Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the slack puller; fastening to "another end of the cable to be 30 ‘ Fig. 2 is a front elevation-thereof; stretched. The other end of the screw 15 _ Fig. 3 is a left end View of Fig. 2;v has a cross-head 16 pinned. thereto which Fig. 4: is a section taken on'line d-Jl of slidably engages the vgrooves of the sides of Fig. 2 and shows a worm ‘wheel drive; the channeled frame 1.‘ ‘The screw 15~can Fig. 5 is an enlarged lateral section taken not rotate but it may move longitudinally. 35 on line 5—5 of Fig. 1 and shows a split nut The casting 5 carries a- reducing gearyandv in closed position; ' ‘ ‘ a 'split‘nut driven thereby, adapted to engage Fig. 6 is a right end ‘view of Fig. 5; and» disengage the said screw 15. V ‘ Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 5 and Referring now more particularly to Figs. shows the split nut in a partially open po— 2, 3 and 4:, there is shown a’sidewardly ex 40 sition; I tending portion 21 of the casting 5, formed 90 Fig. 8 is a right end View of Fig. 7; integrally therewith. The portion 21 is cored Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on line 95-9 out to receive a worm gear 23 and a thrust of Fig. 7 but shows, a slightly greater open ‘bearing 25 therefor. The bearing is'screwed ing of a split nut; ' home and acts as a cap.- 'It is held in a pre-. Fig. 10 is a fragmentaryview similar to determined position by means of a locking Fig. 7 but shows a modi?ed form with the screw 27 , (see Fig. 4). 'The bearing 25 also split nut in open position; and ‘ has a supporting portion or socket 29 for Fig. 11 is a right end view of Fig. 10.. rotatably supporting a'shaft ‘31, to which the Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, worm v23is keyed. This shaft 31 passes out- 50 there is illustrated at numeral 1 a'channel wardly' from the portion ‘.21 and is there 100 i 2 1,765,397 provided with a ratchet wheel 33 fastened 69 is adapted to cooperate with another coni tightly thereto. Rotatably borne on a stub cal surface 75 forming part of a recess 77. end 35 of the shaft 31, and on the end of the This cooperation takes place when'the split portion 21, is a ratchet housing 37 ofa crank nut is drawn to the right 7). The arm 39. The crank arm39 is provided with recess 77 is cut into a split nut housing H. 70 a conventional hand grip 41 (Figs. 1 and 2). The conical surfaces 73 and 75 are in e?ect Within the housing 37 is pivoted a pawl43. camming surfaces. The pawl 43 is provided with two opposite The split nut is provided rearwardly with 1y ratcheting lugs either one of which may another shoulder 79, the outside peripheral 10 engage the teeth of the ratchet 33. A spring surface of which is adapted to slidably co~ 75 45 reacts from a pivot shaft 44 in the lions operate with a second wall 81 in the housing ing 37 opposite to the pivot of the pawl, H. A conical surface 83 of said shoulder 79 against said pawl at a point near and‘ above is adapted (when the split nut is expanded) ' the pivot thereof. This point near and above to cooperate with a conical surface 85 cut in 15 the pivot is provided with a lug 47 adapted wardly in said'housing H. _ to pinch and hold-the spring 45 in position Extending from the shoulder 79 is a thumb ' on the pawl. The spring is of the ?at leaf nut, 87. 1' This thumb nut 87 slidably ?ts a type. It is evident that if the spring 45 be radial slot 89in a cam plate 91 when the split initially in a state ofv strain, the pawl 43 will nut N is positioned to the right as shown in 20 tend to'be over~centered either. one way or Fig. 7. 1V hen said'nut is positioned farther theother, depending upon the initial lateral to the right than shown inFig. 7 the stem 93 curvature manually given to the spring 45. of said thumb nut 87 is adapted to cooperate This initial curvature is given to the spring with a circular slot 95 forming any extension by setting a handle 46 on the shaft 44 over of said wider slot 89. The cam plate 91_is center one way or another. The movement screwed down to the casting 5 and is pro 90' of this handle 46 is resisted in part by fric vided with a- passage 97 which permits free tionally engaging with lugs 48. By the above slidable movement of the non-rotatable screw described, means the worm gear 23 may be 15. Positioning of the nut 87 with respect rotated in either direction, that is, it may be to the slots 89, 95,- may normally be regulated 3 O ratcheted in either direction by setting the manually by a finger pressure at said nut, 95 handle 46. A nut 49 prevents the crank 39 that is7 whensaid nut can be reached. from ' being inadvertently removed end As illustrated in Fig; 9 the split nut hous wardly. ' ‘ . ing H is made'up of a suitable plurality of The gear 23 meshes with a worm wheel 51 segments 99 which are held to the casting 5 i 3 which has a bronze‘bushing 53 ?tted there by setscrews 101. .By' thus constructing the 100 to adapted to permit rotation of the worm housing H in segments, the assembly of the wheel with respect to, and around the screw device is facilitated. It is to be understood‘ ' member 15 (Figs. 5 to 8). The worm wheel that it is not absolutely necessary'that the. 51‘ is ‘adapted to normally react against an segmental pieces 99 be’ fashioned as a com‘ 40 endthrust bearing 55 supported in the cast plete circle. They may be separatedsubstan 105 a ing '5; It has ‘screwed thereto apair of op t-ial distances.‘ The axes of the dowel pins positely'disposed split nut keys 57 ,‘ each one 63 are positioned atrightangles tothe part— of which.