US 11,919,738 B1
Apparatus for lateral cable pulling and pipe replacement
Rod Herrick, Whitefish, MT (US); and Jared W Shappell, Kalispell, MT (US)
Assigned to RODDIE, Inc., Columbia Falls, MT (US)
Filed by RODDIE, INC., Columbia Falls, MT (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/386,250.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/696,785, filed on Jul. 11, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/658,723, filed on Apr. 17, 2018.
Int. Cl. H02G 1/02 (2006.01); B65H 51/08 (2006.01); F16L 1/028 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 51/08 (2013.01) [F16L 1/028 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for pulling cable horizontally through space, comprising:
(b) two cable gripping mechanisms having a laterally accessible, open and closable central cable passage bore for laterally inserting a cable into each said bore;
(c) a cable pulling component comprising
a pair of laterally opposing, juxtaposed piston cylinders, each said cylinder having a free terminal piston end and a rod end, said rod ends linked together and disposed about at least one said cable gripping mechanism;
(c) a chassis component comprising
a rotating mechanism having a circumference comprising a channel competent to receive a cable such that said cable direction can convert said cable direction from horizontal to vertical when said rotating mechanism rotates
said chassis component dimensioned to receive said cable pulling component such that said cylinder free terminal piston ends straddle said rotating mechanism and said cable pulling gripping mechanisms are vertically aligned with said rotating mechanism, and
(d) an integrated mechanical means for modulating vertical cable angle during a cable pulling operation,
such that, when said cable is in said rotating mechanism channel and engaged with said cable gripping mechanisms through said cable passage bores, said cable pulling component is competent to pull said cable in a horizontal direction.