US 12,492,097 B2
Portable drill puller
Austin Peck, Rockford, IL (US); Andrew Troy, Rockford, IL (US); Fernando Paz, Rockford, IL (US); Joshua Kerns, Rockford, IL (US); and Natalie Adele Hendrix, Rockford, IL (US)
Assigned to GREENLEE TOOLS, INC., Rockford, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/605,829
Filed by Greenlee Tools, Inc., Rockford, IL (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 22, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/029337
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 22, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/219558, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/839,135, filed on Apr. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0267116 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. H02G 1/08 (2006.01); B65H 75/30 (2006.01); B65H 75/38 (2006.01); B65H 75/40 (2006.01); B66D 1/74 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 75/305 (2013.01) [B66D 1/7447 (2013.01); H02G 1/08 (2013.01); H02G 1/081 (2013.01); H02G 1/085 (2013.01); B65H 75/40 (2013.01); B65H 2402/412 (2013.01)] 31 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A portable drill puller used for installation of communication and electrical cables, comprising:
a frame having a first surface and a second opposite surface;
a capstan mounting shaft extending from the second surface of the frame and rotatably driven relative to the frame during use;
a capstan having first and second opposite ends and being mounted on the capstan mounting shaft for rotation therewith, wherein a centerline is defined between the first and second ends, an upstanding end flange at the first end and a body extending from the end flange, the body having an angled wall portion which has a greatest diameter proximate to the first end and a smallest diameter proximate to the second end, wherein a pull string can be wound around the capstan;
an upstanding end wall removably attached to the second end of the capstan which, wherein the end wall prevents the pull string from falling off of the capstan when the end wall is attached thereto, and wherein the pull string is allowed to slide off of the capstan when the end wall is detached from the capstan; and
an attachment structure configured to attach the end wall, the capstan and the capstan mounting shaft together, the attachment structure comprising a shaft extending through the end wall and threadedly engaged with the capstan mounting shaft, wherein the shaft of the attachment structure is releasable from the capstan mounting shaft;
an engagement structure configured to engage the end wall with the capstan to cause the end wall to rotate with the capstan, the engagement structure including a tab which extends through a slot; and
a handle extending from the second surface of the frame and parallel to the centerline, the handle being gripped by an operator when in use.