Patents Assigned to Encore Wire Corporation
  • Patent number: 10296818
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the printing on wire or cable. The apparatus including a processor, a bus connected to the processor, a user input connected to the bus, a display screen connected to the user input and the bus, a first storage system connected to the bus, data stored in the first storage system and displayable on the display screen, wherein the data includes manufacturing and print information, a printer connected to the bus, wherein the printer prints the data on the wire or cable, a communication device connected to the bus, and an identification device connected to the bus, wherein identification device receives information from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Clifton S. Thompson, Ferrin E. Gomez, Tony Ornelas, III
  • Patent number: 10280031
    Abstract: An apparatus for the transportation and payoff of coiled wire and cable, the apparatus comprising a clamshell package, an inner void formed by the clamshell package, the inner void comprising a compartment within for containing coiled wire and cable during transportation and payoff of the wire and cable, a payoff port is coupled to the clamshell package, wherein the coiled wire and cable is extracted from the clamshell package through the payoff port on an axis substantially similar to the axis of the extracted wire and cable, and wherein the payoff port extends from the clamshell package through the coiled wire and cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Rhoads, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Troy D. Skidmore, Karolina Zuraw
  • Patent number: 10272616
    Abstract: A method for applying a label to an electrical cable having an outermost sheath with convolutions defining alternating peaks and valleys, the method including attaching the label to the sheath. The label includes a label substrate, the label substrate includes an attaching side, the attaching side being attached through an adhesive; and the label attaches to the peaks and spans across the valleys and circumferentially wraps around the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Eugene Brooks
  • Patent number: 10276279
    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: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Sheri H. Dahlke, Ronald A. Raedeke, Jason Drew Gillen, Melvin Glenn Debord
  • Patent number: 10207891
    Abstract: An apparatus for the dispensing and retraction of wire or cable. The apparatus including a first and second plate, at least one shaft attached to the first plate and the second plate, a spool gear attached to the shaft, a power gear shaft attached to the first or second plate, and a power gear attached to the power gear shaft and in mesh with the spool gear, wherein when the power gear is rotated, the spool gear is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads, Andrew P. Hull
  • Patent number: 10131515
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing wire or cable, the apparatus including an enclosure with a top and a bottom portion and at least three side portions of a first height, a plurality of holes located in both the top and bottom portions of the enclosure, and a core of a second height located within the enclosure, wherein the core forms an area, wherein at least one of the plurality of holes has a first hole diameter and is located in the top and bottom of the enclosure and is located within the area formed by the core, and wherein the wire or cable is placed around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Weatherford, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Clifton S. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10124982
    Abstract: An apparatus for the transportation and payoff of coiled wire and cable, the apparatus comprising a clamshell package, an inner void formed by the clamshell package, the inner void comprising a compartment within for containing coiled wire and cable during transportation and payoff of the wire and cable, a payoff port is coupled to the clamshell package, wherein the coiled wire and cable is extracted from the clamshell package through the payoff port on an axis substantially similar to the axis of the extracted wire and cable, and wherein the payoff port extends from the clamshell package through the coiled wire and cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Rhoads, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Troy D. Skidmore, Karolina Zuraw
  • Patent number: 10103524
    Abstract: An apparatus for the movement of a barrel pack containing spooled wire or cable. The apparatus comprising a frame, a handle attached to the frame, a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the frame, securing structures attached to the frame, the securing structures securing the barrel pack to the frame and a footage counting assembly attached to the handle. The footage counting assembly counts the amount of footage of wire or cable passing through the footage counting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Justin Abraham Hrbacek, John Lamar Rhoads, David Wayne Maxey
  • Patent number: 10102947
    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: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Stephen S. Griffin
  • Patent number: 10062475
    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: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Sheri H. Dahlke, Ronald A. Raedeke, Jason Drew Gillen, Melvin Glenn Debord
  • Patent number: 10056742
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus lubricating a wire or cable during manufacturing, wherein the wire is aligned with an entry to a spraying enclosure and passes through a first seal of the spraying enclosure. Lubricant is sprayed onto the wire inside of the spraying enclosure while the unapplied, but sprayed, lubricant is collected at the bottom of the spraying enclosure. The wire passes through a second seal of the spraying enclosure, is aligned, and exits from the spraying enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: ENCORE WIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Douglas Bennett, William Thomas Bigbee, Jr., Ramon Valenzuela Hernandez
  • Patent number: 10046879
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a label to a moving cable, the apparatus comprising: an attaching device for applying a label onto a moving cable and a roller for pressing the label against the moving cable, wherein the roller comprises a first roller for pressing one label against the moving cable, wherein the first roller comprises a U shape hollow portion and is mounted at an angle with the U shape hollow portion directly facing a side of the moving cable and wherein the label is formed into a U shape a first edge of the U shape longer than a second edge of the U shape; a first roll down roller for folding the second edge of the label against the moving cable and the first edge of the label; and a second roll down roller for folding the first edge of the label against the folded second edge of the label and wherein the first roll down roller is mounted to overlap the second roll down roller to overlap the label edges onto the moving cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Eugene Brooks
  • Patent number: 10040304
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a print head implemented on a wire and cable manufacturing line, the apparatus comprising a sleeve, wherein the sleeve has an internal portion and an external portion and wherein the sleeve forms an internal void marginally larger than the size of the print head and wherein the sleeve further comprises an elongated surface; a front surface connected to the elongated surface, wherein the front surface comprises an ink outlet opening; a rear surface connected to the elongated surface, wherein the rear surface comprises a cable opening; a channel connected to the internal portion of the sleeve, wherein the channel comprises an open side facing the internal void and wherein the channel on the internal portion of the sleeve extends from the rear to the front of the sleeve; an air inlet compartment in communication with the channel and enclosed by the rear surface; an air inlet in communication with the air inlet compartment; and an exhaust channel connected to the sleeve and extending from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew P. Hull, Jeffrey T. Mileger
  • Patent number: 10035618
    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 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Stephen S. Griffin
  • Patent number: 10000356
    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: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: ENCORE WIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 9950826
    Abstract: A method for applying labels to a cable or conduit with a known circumference, the method including supplying at least one label, wherein the at least one label has a known label height, the label height is greater than the known circumference of the cable or conduit, and the label has a bottom, middle, and top portions, providing at least one tamping device, tamping the middle portion of the at least one label to the cable or conduit with the at least one tamping device, wherein the middle portion of the at least one label adheres to the cable or conduit, providing a guide shoe assembly, pressing the top portion of the at least one label against the cable or conduit with the guide shoe assembly, and pressing the bottom portion of the at least one label against the cable or conduit with the guide shoe assembly, wherein the top portion of the at least one label and the bottom portion of the at least one label overlap after pressed onto the cable or conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Stephen S. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9923345
    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: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bennett, William T. Bigbee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9922756
    Abstract: An electrical cable having a plurality of conductors including a grounding conductor and at least one power-carrying conductor. The plurality of conductors disposed approximately in parallel within an outer jacket such that the electrical cable has a substantially elongated horizontal cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Smith, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Jose D. Garza, Mark D. Bennett
  • Patent number: 9912129
    Abstract: An apparatus for the movement of a barrel pack containing spooled wire or cable. The apparatus comprising a frame, a handle attached to the frame, a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the frame, securing structures attached to the frame, the securing structures securing the barrel pack to the frame and a footage counting assembly attached to the handle. The footage counting assembly counts the amount of footage of wire or cable passing through the footage counting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Justin Abraham Hrbacek, John Lamar Rhoads, Jr., David Wayne Maxey
  • Patent number: 9868243
    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: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Mark D. Bennett