Patents Assigned to Southwire Company
  • Patent number: 10673214
    Abstract: A workstation and method for the installation of a pulling head assembly onto one or more conductors of a cabling system are provided. The workstation incorporates one or more of: a conductor clamp that holds the conductors of the cabling system in place during the installation of the pulling head assembly; a cutting guide having indicia marks that indicate the lengths to which to cut the conductors in order to achieve a staggered pattern of pulling eyes attached to the conductors in the pulling head assembly; a stripping tool that is used to remove a portion of the insulation from the terminal end of each conductor so that the end of the conductor may be inserted into the pulling eye; and a crimping tool that is used to crimp the pulling eyes onto the terminal ends of each of the conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Juan Galindo, Jeremy Harris, Frank Calhoun
  • Patent number: 10640846
    Abstract: Methods for degassing and for removing impurities from molten metals are disclosed. These methods can include operating an ultrasonic device in a molten metal bath, and adding a purging gas into the molten metal bath in close proximity to the ultrasonic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Victor F. Rundquist, Kevin S. Gill
  • Patent number: 10639707
    Abstract: A molten metal processing device including an assembly mounted on the casting wheel, including at least one vibrational energy source which supplies vibrational energy to molten metal cast in the casting wheel while the molten metal in the casting wheel is cooled, and a support device holding the vibrational energy source. An associated method for forming a metal product which provides molten metal into a containment structure included as a part of a casting mill, cools the molten metal in the containment structure, and couples vibrational energy into the molten metal in the containment structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Scott Gill, Michael Caleb Powell, Victor Frederic Rundquist, Venkata Kiran Manchiraju, Roland Earl Guffey
  • Patent number: 10605379
    Abstract: A conductor guide system for guiding one or more conductors is disclosed. The conductor guide system can include a first base section and a second base section. A joint can be used to assemble the first base section and the second base section in series. The conductor guide system can further include a roller assembly for holding one or more conductors. The roller assembly, when mounted on one of the first base section or the second base section, holds the one or more conductors off of the one of the first base section or the second base section to which the roller assembly is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph R. Gerardo, Andrew M. Gilmore
  • Patent number: 10577730
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for wire loom assembly are disclosed. A cable assembly device includes an inner core and an outer housing. The inner core includes a receiving member comprising a first end and a second end. The inner core further includes a splitter member attached to the first end of the receiving member. The outer housing encloses at least a portion of the inner core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Harry William Kent, Jr., Myron Deese, Chris Marlow, Franklin Clarence Calhoun
  • Patent number: 10570992
    Abstract: A coupler may be provided. The coupler may comprise a first cylindrical cavity, a first truncated conical cavity, and a second truncated conical cavity. The first truncated conical cavity may be adjacent to and concentric with the first cylindrical cavity. The first truncated conical cavity may have a first angle. The second truncated conical cavity may be adjacent to and concentric with the first truncated conical cavity. The second truncated conical cavity may have a second angle less than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Charles L. Holcombe
  • Patent number: 10569988
    Abstract: Pulling eyes are provided with integrated wiring systems suitable for installing conductors or cables. The pulling eyes may include body portions that define interior cavities that are sized to snugly engage outside portions of the conductors or cables. The body portions are sized to be deformably crimped onto the outside portions of the conductors or cables. The pulling eyes may also include head portions joined to the body portions, with the head portions defining apertures for receiving a strength member for installing the conductors or cables. These apertures place the interior cavities in communication with the exteriors of the pulling eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Carlson, David Brian McCardel, David A. Cooper, David Mercier, Allan W. Daniel, Timothy M. Andrea
  • Patent number: 10551042
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multipurpose adaptable work light, system, and method of use. The invention comprises a first housing member having an external connection port, a second housing member coupled to the first housing member, a lighting device coupled to the first housing member and disposed within the second housing member, a power source coupled to the lighting device, at least one magnet coupled to the first housing member, and an adaptor plate coupled to the first housing member. Each of the at least one magnet, the adaptor plate, the external connection port, and the second housing member may be utilized in various tandem and independent configurations in order to affix the work light to a suitable workplace environment surface, such as an overhead hook support, a tripod mount, a magnetically-active surface, a junction box, or to a wide variety of surfaces, including, without limitation, horizontal, vertical, angled, flat or curved surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventor: Barton L. Garvin
  • Patent number: 10554026
    Abstract: Pulling eyes are provided with integrated wiring systems suitable for installing conductors or cables. The pulling eyes may include body portions that define interior cavities that are sized to snugly engage outside portions of the conductors or cables. The body portions are sized to be deformably crimped onto the outside portions of the conductors or cables. The pulling eyes may also include head portions joined to the body portions, with the head portions defining apertures for receiving a strength member for installing the conductors or cables. These apertures place the interior cavities in communication with the exteriors of the pulling eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Carlson, David Brian McCardel, David A. Cooper, David Mercier, Philip Sasse, Allan W. Daniel, Timothy M. Andrea, Juan Alberto Galindo Gonzalez, Timmothy R. Bardin
  • Patent number: 10554025
    Abstract: Conductor identification may be provided. A first sleeve may be placed around a first conductor and a second sleeve around a second conductor. Next, a first tag may be placed on the first conductor and a second tag on the second conductor. Then, the first conductor and the second conductor may be pulled together through a conduit. The first conductor may slideably move through the first sleeve and the second conductor may slideably move through the second sleeve as the first conductor and the second conductor are pulled together through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Willie Franklin Fowler, Jr., Jeremy Harris, Richard Mike Temblador, Juan Alberto Galindo Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10535038
    Abstract: Determining a remaining amount of material in a material package may be provided. First, a weight of the material package may be received in response to the ingress of the material package back into an operations area. Then, based upon a beacon code received in response to the ingress of the material package back into the operations area, a material database may be queried for a material package record. Next, a remaining amount of material corresponding to the material package may be calculated based upon the received weight and data from the material package record found from the material database query. The material package record may then be updated in the material database with the calculated remaining amount of material corresponding to the material package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Lee Spruell, Charles A. Murrah, Jr., Carter Edward Smith
  • Patent number: 10523117
    Abstract: A photovoltaic power system for supplying power to an electric grid is provided, in which a plurality of photovoltaic panels are each configured for generating a DC power signal. A plurality of DC-DC power converters connected to the photovoltaic panels are provided for converting the DC power signal into a deadband DC signal having a rectified sine waveform with reoccurring deadband periods, which reduces the risk of arcing during power transmission. An electric network interface is used to convert the deadband DC signal received from the plurality of DC-DC power converters into an AC power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Hume, Brad Freeman, Dave Sykes, Aldo Della Sera
  • Patent number: 10518304
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for the production of aluminum rods from aluminum bars, aluminum wires from aluminum rods, and aluminum wires from aluminum bars are disclosed and described. Annealing steps are not needed or required in the disclosed methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Herrin, Thomas Noell Wilson, Clinton E. Watkins, Emory Barber, Tom Stephens
  • Publication number: 20190368663
    Abstract: A system for controlling a flow may be provided. The system may comprise a first flow controller and a gas density meter. The gas density meter may be in fluid communication with the first flow controller. The gas density meter may be configured to calculate a gas density for a first gas flowing through the gas density meter. In addition, the gas density meter may be configured to output a first signal configured to cause the first flow controller to alter a first flow rate of the first gas flowing through the first flow controller. Furthermore, the gas density meter may be configured to output a density signal going to the second controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventor: Bobby G. Watkins, II
  • Patent number: 10497493
    Abstract: Energy and a control signal may be provided using a coupled power and control cable. The coupled power and control cable may comprise a power cable, a control cable, and an overall jacket. The power cable may be connected between a switch and a fixture and may provide energy to the fixture from the switch. The control cable may be connected between the control circuit and the fixture and may provide the control signal to the fixture from the control circuit. The power cable and the control cable may be disposed beneath the overall jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Randy D. Kummer, Scotty Joe Ledbetter
  • Publication number: 20190304623
    Abstract: In an electrical cable of the type having an outer sheath enclosing a conductor assembly comprising a plurality of insulated conductors disposed within a binder, the binder having a crush resistance for protecting the insulated conductors, an improvement in which a strength enhancer is applied such that the binder can be removed without decreasing a crush resistance of the electrical cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Temblador
  • Patent number: 10427816
    Abstract: A method for laying multiple conductors in a container may be provided. The method may comprise receiving the multiple conductors at a monitoring station; receiving the multiple conductors at a drive; and receiving the multiple conductors at the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Temblador, Allan W. Daniel, John D. Moore, Daniel Irvin, Franklin Calhoun, Juan Alberto Galindo Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10431350
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a non-circular electrical cable having a reduced pulling force attributable to the exterior surface of an outer sheath, and method of producing the same is provided. In various embodiments, an outer sheath of the cable may comprise a first and second sheath layer, the second sheath layer being located external to the first sheath layer, and comprising a nylon material configured to reduce the pulling force necessary for installing the cable. In various embodiments, the first sheath layer may be extruded using a tube extrusion method into a substantially circular shape, and the second sheath layer may be extruded using a pressure extrusion methods onto the exterior surface of the first sheath layer while maintaining the at least substantially circular shape of the sheath. The sheath may then be pulled onto the surface of a plurality of conductors to form the non-circular electrical cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: Scotty Ledbetter, Randy Deon Kummer
  • Publication number: 20190288492
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for pushing conductors into conduit and other structures are disclosed. The apparatus (“pusher”) can include rollers to apply a pushing force to one or more conductors or bundles of conductors. One or more rollers can be coupled to a drive mechanism. The pusher is configured to pull conductors or bundles of conductors off of one or more spools, and push the conductors or bundles of conductors without de-bundling or sorting the conductors. The conductors can be fed through the pusher in any format including side-by-side, vertical on top of one another, twisted together, or other formats. The pusher can include a guiding device that is configured to route the conductors from the pusher to a conduit through which the conductors are being pushed or pulled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventors: David Scott Jordan, Michael Calvin Jordan
  • Patent number: 10418796
    Abstract: A cable stripper may be provided. The cable stripper may comprise a stripper body, a trigger assembly, a cable support body, and a blade. The trigger assembly may be slidably engaged within the stripper body. The trigger assembly may comprise a trigger assembly block. The cable support body may be attached to the stripper body. The blade may be attached to a front of the stripper body and enclosed by the cable support body. The blade may extend into a cable opening in the apparatus. The trigger assembly block may press a cable against the blade. The cable may be in the cable opening. The blade may extend into a jacket of the cable without extending to a conductor of the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
    Inventor: Travis Nelson