Patents by Inventor Kirk P. Wells

Kirk P. Wells 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).

  • Apparatus for installing optical fiber in conduit
    Patent number: 5234198
    Abstract: Optical fiber (20) which may be disposed in the form of a ribbon (28,30), for example, is caused to become disposed in a conduit (42) such as a duct which may exist in the field by introducing the optical fiber and a pressurized liquid transporting medium (37) into the conduit. The liquid transporting medium is effective to cause the optical fiber to be moved along in the conduit to cause a leading end of the fiber to emerge from a far end of the conduit and be accessible for connective arrangements, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Albert L. Hale, Manuel R. Santana, Kirk P. Wells
  • Apparatus for adjusting cable tension
    Patent number: 4372535
    Abstract: A capstan winch for pulling cable through conduit includes means for measuring the torque applied to the capstan and a take-up reel. The torque measuring means comprises an inner drum connected by a tension spring to a concentric outer drum. A patterned disc on the inner drum is visible through a window in the outer drum. The pattern indicates the relative position of the inner and outer drums, which is correlated to the applied torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: David W. Gibson, Albert L. Hale, Daniel L. Pope, Donald R. Rutledge, Kirk P. Wells