Patents by Inventor William T. Bigbee

William T. Bigbee has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9815658
    Abstract: An apparatus for spooling wire including an inner flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly includes a first inner supporting wall and a second inner supporting wall, wherein the first inner supporting wall includes an inner locking hole. The apparatus including an outer flange assembly, wherein the inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly, and wherein the outer flange assembly includes a first outer supporting wall and a second outer supporting wall, wherein the first outer supporting wall includes an outer locking hole. The apparatus also including a locking plug for insertion into the inner and outer locking holes, wherein the inner flange assembly cannot freely rotate relative to the outer flange assembly when the locking plug is inserted into the inner and outer locking holes and wherein the locking plug, when inserted, extends between only one outer supporting wall and the adjacent inner supporting wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 9738485
    Abstract: A reel apparatus and method comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to the inner and outer flange assemblies. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 9676587
    Abstract: A reel apparatus and method comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to the inner flange assemblies. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Publication number: 20170077685
    Abstract: An enhanced apparatus and method for securing a wire to a pulling cable for pulling wire. Specifically, the pulling cable and wire are attached via a pulling head body. The wire is inserted into an end of the pulling head body and secured by crimping the pulling head body against the wire. Further, crimp zone indicators positioned on the outer surface of the pulling head body indicate the optimal zone of crimping to achieve substantial contact between the pulling head body and the wire. A pulling cable is secured to the pulling head body via a ball swage that comprises a tapped surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, JR.
  • Patent number: 9537293
    Abstract: An enhanced apparatus and method for securing a wire to a pulling cable for pulling wire. Specifically, the pulling cable and wire are attached via a pulling head body. The wire is inserted into an end of the pulling head body and secured by crimping the pulling head body against the wire. Further, crimp zone indicators positioned on the outer surface of the pulling head body indicate the optimal zone of crimping to achieve substantial contact between the pulling head body and the wire. A pulling cable is secured to the pulling head body via a ball swage that comprises a tapped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9458404
    Abstract: A composition and method for reducing the coefficient of friction and required pulling force of a wire or cable are provided. A composition of aqueous emulsion is provided that is environmentally friendly, halogen free and solvent free. The composition is compatible with various types of insulating materials and may be applied after the wire or cable is cooled and also by spraying or submerging the wire or cable in a bath. The composition contains lubricating agents that provide lower coefficient of friction for wire or cable installation and continuous wire or cable surface lubrication thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Sheri H. Dahlke, Ronald A. Raedeke, Jason Drew Gillen, Melvin Glen Debord
  • Patent number: 9452908
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for dispensing wire from any surface. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly and the external bay. The external bay is capable of freely rotation relative to the outer flange assembly and the inner flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. In yet another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 9446877
    Abstract: A system for applying labels to cable or conduit including at least one label and a label applicator. The label applicator including at least one guide roller, at least one tamping device comprising at least one tamping pad for applying at least one label onto the moving cable or conduit, and a guide shoe assembly. The guide shoe assembly comprises a guide shoe, the guide shoe comprises a rounding member, a plurality of springs for providing flexibility to the rounding member when the moving cable or conduit passes the at least one guide shoe, a support mount for supporting the at least one guide shoe, a plurality of pivots disposed between the rounding member and the rounding member support for adjusting the set of springs, and a fitted member for providing an anchor for the at least one guide shoe to connect with the support mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Steve Griffin
  • Patent number: 9352371
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing finished wire and cable having reduced coefficient of friction and pulling force during installation, includes providing a payoff reel containing at least one internal conductor wire; supplying the at least one internal conductor wire from the reel to at least one extruder; providing the least one extruder, wherein the at least one extruder applies an insulating material and a polymerized jacket composition over the at least one internal conductor wire, wherein the polymerized jacket composition comprises a predetermined amount by weight of nylon; and at least 3% by weight of a silica; providing a cooling device for lowering the temperature of the extruded insulating material and the polymerized jacket composition and cooling the insulating material and the polymerized jacket composition in the cooling device; and, reeling onto a storage reel the finished, cooled, wire and cable for storage and distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Stephen S. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9305683
    Abstract: A process and system for printing sequences of alpha-numeric characters on segments of wire or cable during production. In one embodiment, the process and system comprises printing a sequence of alpha-numeric values onto a first segment of wire up to an input target value. The process and system further comprises printing a sequence of alpha-numeric values onto a second segment of wire up to a second input target value. In one embodiment, the process and system is capable of printing sequences on segments of wire or cable up to variable target values without requiring a shutdown of the production process, and without requiring lag time between printing on subsequent wire or cable segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Mark D. Bennett
  • Patent number: 9004392
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for spooling wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for spooling wire from any surface. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 8827676
    Abstract: An apparatus for extruding a jacket and/or insulative material onto an extruded product with one or more longitudinal stripes incorporated onto the surface of said extruded product comprising a body, a primary feed conduit for conveying a primary extrusion material, a striping die, a secondary feed conduit for conveying a secondary extrusion material, a striping die adapter, a striping feed conduit extending through the striping die adapter for conveying striping extrusion material. The striping die adapter may also include a thermocouple for maintaining the viscosity of the striping extrusion material and a thermocouple for monitoring the temperature of said striping die adapter. The striping die includes one or more striping extrusion outlets for conveying striping extrusion material onto the extruded product. The striping die may also include a wishbone-shaped trough for delivering equal amounts of striping extrusion material to said extrusion outlets for extrusion onto the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Mark Bennett
  • Publication number: 20130221298
    Abstract: An enhanced apparatus and method for securing a wire to a pulling cable for pulling wire. Specifically, the pulling cable and wire are attached via a pulling head body. The wire is inserted into an end of the pulling head body and secured by crimping the pulling head body against the wire. Further, crimp zone indicators positioned on the outer surface of the pulling head body indicate the optimal zone of crimping to achieve substantial contact between the pulling head body and the wire. A pulling cable is secured to the pulling head body via a ball swage that comprises a tapped surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, JR.