Patents by Inventor Jerry L. Allen
Jerry L. Allen 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).
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Patent number: 8387954Abstract: A system (10) for simultaneously introducing a cable (11) and another item (21) into a conduit (12) includes a pushing machine (13) and an air blower (15) which introduces the cable (11) into the conduit (12). The conduit (12) is split near the pushing machine (13) so that the item (21) may be attached to the cable (11) by means of an attachment device (25) carried by a bullet head (23) at the leading end of the cable (11). A block (18) then connects the split ends (16, 17) of the conduit (12), and the cable (11) and other item (21) may then be moved together through the conduit (12) by the pushing machine (13) and air blower (15).Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: WESCO Distribution, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20120073860Abstract: An innerduct (10) for insertion into a conduit includes at least one cell (11) which forms a compartment (14). A self opening stiffener (15) includes branches (16) attached at their ends (17). When the innerduct (10) is on a roll, the branches (16) are positioned adjacent to each other. When the innerduct (10) is being inserted into the conduit, the branches (16) move away from each other to open the compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventor: Jerry L. ALLEN
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Publication number: 20120073854Abstract: A device adapted to be for inserted into a conduit includes a first fabric material having a high tensile strength and a second fabric material having a low coefficient of friction. The materials are attached to each other to form an innerduct. A third fabric material of a low coefficient of friction may be attached to the first material to provide an innerduct whose outer surfaces present a low coefficient of friction. An innerduct or pull tape may also be formed by strands having an inner core of a high tensile strength and an outer sheath having a low coefficient of friction. The strands may be woven together to form the innerduct or pull tape.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventor: Jerry L. ALLEN
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Publication number: 20110227011Abstract: A projectile is utilized to introduce an item into a conduit which already has a cable therein. The projectile includes a body member having a longitudinal opening therethrough. The body member is longitudinally split so that the cable may be received in the opening. The item is attached to the body member. When the projectile with a portion of the cable received therein is put into a conduit and air under pressure is introduced into the conduit, the projectile is pushed along the cable and if the cable is undulating in the conduit, it is straightened and positioned out of the way of the item being introduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2010Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20100276650Abstract: A device in the form of a fabric tape (13) or a rope (14) is used to pull a cable or the like into a conduit (10). A plurality of spaced plastic buttons (16) are attached to at least one side of the tape (13) or spaced plastic rings (19) are attached to the rope (14). Thus, the buttons (16) or rings (19) have a coefficient of friction less than that of the tape (13) or rope (14), respectively, and present a smaller outer surface area than the tape (17) or rope (14) so that the tape (13) or rope (14) can more easily pull the cable into the conduit (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20100071678Abstract: A projectile is utilized to introduce an item into a conduit which already has a cable therein. The projectile includes a body member having a longitudinal opening therethrough. The body member is longitudinally split so that the cable may be received in the opening. The item is attached to the body member. When the projectile with a portion of the cable received therein is put into a conduit and air under pressure is introduced into the conduit, the projectile is pushed along the cable and if the cable is undulating in the conduit, it is straightened and positioned out of the way of the item being introduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2008Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20090314517Abstract: A communications cable (11) is provided with a pliant sleeve (12, 21, 31) to allow it to be more easily inserted into a conduit. One form of the sleeve (12) has hook (14) and loop (15) connected to each other so that the sleeve (12) can engage the cable (11). Another form of the sleeve (21) is spring-loaded to engage the cable (11). In a third form of the sleeve (31) has an adhesive (33) which attaches the sleeve (31) to the cable (11).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20090056122Abstract: A system (10) for simultaneously introducing a cable (11) and another item (21) into a conduit (12) includes a pushing machine (13) and an air blower (15) which introduces the cable (11) into the conduit (12). The conduit (12) is split near the pushing machine (13) so that the item (21) may be attached to the cable (11) by means of an attachment device (25) carried by a bullet head (23) at the leading end of the cable (11). Alternatively, a projectible (35) may be attached to the leading end of the cable (11) and the item (21) may be attached at the junction of the cable (11) and projectile (35). A block (18) then connects the split ends (16, 17) of the conduit (12), and the cable (11) and other item (21) may then be moved together through the conduit (12) by the pushing machine (13) and air blower (15) which moves air against the projectile (35) to assist such movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20090057628Abstract: A system (10) for simultaneously introducing a cable (11) and another item (21) into a conduit (12) includes a pushing machine (13) and an air blower (15) which introduces the cable (11) into the conduit (12). The conduit (12) is split near the pushing machine (13) so that the item (21) may be attached to the cable (11) by means of an attachment device (25) carried by a bullet head (23) at the leading end of the cable (11). A block (18) then connects the split ends (16, 17) of the conduit (12), and the cable (11) and other item (21) may then be moved together through the conduit (12) by the pushing machine (13) and air blower (15).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2007Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 6886601Abstract: A duct (10) is made up of a plurality of layers (11, 12, 13) of pliant material. The layers (11, 12, 13) are attached by stitching (20, 22) to form pockets (23, 24) between adjacent layers. One of the layers (11) is wider than the others and extends over the lateral edges (17, 19) of those layers (12, 13), and when the stitching (22) is applied, a loop (21) is formed. The loop (21) receives a strength member (26) which may be engaged by a clamp (31) carried by a bracket (34) which may be attached to a utility pole (30) to carry the duct (10) overhead. In another embodiment, a duct (40) includes enclosed loops (41, 42, 43) forming pockets (50, 51, 52). Stitching (54) connects the loops (41, 42, 43) and forms another loop (55) to receive a strength member (56). In yet another embodiment, the layers (61, 62, 63 and 64) are of different lateral widths, and the longest layer (64) extends around one of the edges of the other layers (61, 62, 63) to form a loop (71) when stitching (65) is applied.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2003Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: TVC Communications, L.L.C.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Publication number: 20030183291Abstract: A duct (10) is made up of a plurality of layers (11, 12, 13) of pliant material. The layers (11, 12, 13) are attached by stitching (20, 22) to form pockets (23, 24) between adjacent layers. One of the layers (11) is wider than the others and extends over the lateral edges (17, 19) of those layers (12, 13), and when the stitching (22) is applied, a loop (21) is formed. The loop (21) receives a strength member (26) which may be engaged by a clamp (31) carried by a bracket (34) which may be attached to a utility pole (30) to carry the duct (10) overhead. In another embodiment, a duct (40) includes enclosed loops (41, 42, 43) forming pockets (50, 51, 52). Stitching (54) connects the loops (41, 42, 43) and forms another loop (55) to receive a strength member (56). In yet another embodiment, the layers (61, 62, 63 and 64) are of different lateral widths, and the longest layer (64) extends around one of the edges of the other layers (61, 62, 63) to form a loop (71) when stitching (65) is applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: Marc Talon, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 6262371Abstract: A system for dividing a conduit (12) into a plurality of compartments (20-24) includes an insert (10) which is formed by attaching a plurality of layers of a pliant material (14-17) near their lateral edges (18). The insert can be formed with a cable (25), a rope (26) or a tape (27) pre-positioned between the layers (14-17) or the cable (25), rope (26) or tape (27) can be positioned in the respective compartments (20-22) after the insert (10) is installed in the conduit (12).Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1999Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Marc Talon, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 6251201Abstract: A system for dividing a conduit (12) into a plurality of compartments (20-24) includes an insert (10) which is formed by attaching a plurality of layers of a pliant material (14-17) near their lateral edges (18). The insert can be formed with a cable (25), a rope (26) or a tape (27) pre-positioned between the layers (14-17) or the cable (25), rope (26) or tape (27) can be positioned in the respective compartments (20-22) after the insert (10) is installed in the conduit (12).Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2000Date of Patent: June 26, 2001Assignee: TVC Communications, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 6170804Abstract: A new cable (16) may be introduced into a conduit (11) having an existing cable (13) therein by splicing the conduit (11) to form conduit ends (11A, 11B) with the existing cable (13) extending therebetween. The new cable (16) is positioned in a conduit section (58). A piston (67) may be attached to the leading end of the new cable (16) and is positioned in the conduit (11). A block (15) encloses the conduit ends (11A, 11B) and one end of the conduit section (58). The other end of the conduit section (58) is attached to a blower (70) which provides air under pressure through the conduit section (58), through the block (15) and against the piston (67) to position the new cable (16) in the conduit (11).Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: TVC Communications, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 6019351Abstract: A new cable (16) may be introduced into a conduit (11) having an existing cable (13) therein by splicing the conduit (11) to form conduit ends (11A, 11B) with the existing cable (13) extending therebetween. The new cable (16) is positioned in a conduit section (58). A piston (67) may be attached to the leading end of the new cable (16) and is positioned in the conduit (11). A block (15) encloses the conduit ends (11A, 11B) and one end of the conduit section (58). The other end of the conduit section (58) is attached to a blower (70) which provides air under pressure through the conduit section (58), through the block (15) and against the piston (67) to position the new cable (16) in the conduit (11).Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Vikimatic Sales, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 5922995Abstract: A flexible partitioning device (10) for a tubular conduit (11) includes an elongate web member (22) which can be provided with a plurality of notches (32) spaced substantially regularly along its length to permit multiplanar articulation thereof. The web member (22) may also be provided with a longitudinally extending strength member (20) and may also include at least one bore (50) in which may be positioned a transmissive element (51). The partitioning device (10) may be connected to a duct rodder (61) and pushed through the conduit (11) or alternatively, the duct rodder (61) can be attached to a paddle (64) which is pushed through the conduit (11). Then, the partitioning device (10) is attached to the duct rodder (61) and pulled back through the conduit (11). To assist in pushing the rodder (61) through the conduit (11), an air moving device (73, 76) may be attached to one of the ends of the conduit to move air in the same direction of travel as the rodder (61).Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: July 13, 1999Assignee: Vikimatic Sales, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 5587115Abstract: A conduit assembly (10) is manufactured by extruding a casing (11) through a die while at the same time feeding a web member (15) into the casing (11) as it is being extruded to form a plurality of chambers (16, 17). If the conduit assembly (10) is manufactured with a line, such as a rope (18) or a cable (19), the rope (18) and/or cable (19) is likewise fed into the casing (11) adjacent to the web member (15) into one or both of the chambers (16, 17).Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1995Date of Patent: December 24, 1996Assignee: Vikimatic Sales, Inc.Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 5442136Abstract: A flexible partitioning device (10) for a tubular conduit (11) includes an elongate web member (22) which can be provided with a plurality of notches (32) spaced substantially regularly along its length to permit multiplanar articulation thereof. The web member (22) may also be provided with a longitudinally extending strength member (20) and may also include at least one bore (50) in which may be positioned a transmissive element (51). The partitioning device (10) may be connected to a duct rodder (61) and pushed through the conduit (11) or alternatively, the duct rodder (61) can be attached to a paddle (64) which is pushed through the conduit (11). Then, the partitioning device (10) is attached to the duct rodder (61) and pulled back through the conduit (11).Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1993Date of Patent: August 15, 1995Inventor: Jerry L. Allen
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Patent number: 4865354Abstract: A conduit coupler (10) for connecting adjacent sections (12,14) of a conduit system having a plurality of inner ducts (16) contained in an outer cylindrical conduit (18). The conduit coupler (10) is a one-piece cylindrical body of resilient rubberlike material with a plurality of spaced sets of circumferentially extending gripper ribs (28) at the outer surface of each end of the coupler (10). Cylindrical chambers (30) for the inner ducts (16) have inner seals extending circumferentially around the surface of the chambers (30) to seal the space between adjacent sections of the inner ducts (32,34).Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1989Date of Patent: September 12, 1989Inventor: Jerry L. Allen