Abstract: A rotating conductor holder includes at least a first and second conductor retainer, which are mounted to and spaced apart along a rotating base member at a distance substantially corresponding to the separation distance between the two or more existing sub-conductors that are to be replaced during a restringing procedure. The base member is rotatably attached to a support, which may be mounted on at least one insulator. The at least one insulator may be mounted on an arm on the end of a boom. An actuator and linkage may be provided to rotate the base member about its support.

Abstract: A system is provided for use with an insulated boom section of a bucket truck. The system includes a source of high volume and pressure, dry air; one or more interior air diffusers connected to the source of high volume and pressure, dry air to direct the air into an interior of the insulated boom section. One or more exterior air diffusers connected to the source of high volume and pressure, dry air direct the air to along an exterior surface of the insulated boom section. A method is also provided for cleaning or drying both the interior and exterior surfaces simultaneously of an insulated boom section of the boom of a bucket truck. The boom of a bucket truck is further provided in another aspect that includes at least one insulated boom section, a source of high volume and pressure, dry air, one or more interior air diffusers and one or more exterior air diffusers. A pre-heating air heater may be removably mounted into the boom.

Abstract: A boom mountable breaker system and a method of using same for interrupting electrical transmission through a portion of an energized conductor downstream of a desired break location. The method includes: mounting the jumper onto the energized conductor across the desired break location so as to form an electrically conductive first parallel electrical path; installing an in-line opener in the energized conductor at the desired break location on the energized conductor; positioning the breaker at the desired break location on the energized conductor, and electrically connecting the breaker, while open, across the desired break location and across the opposite ends of the jumper so as to form a second parallel electrical path when the breaker is closed; closing the breaker to thereby complete the second parallel electrical path; removing the jumper from across the desired break location; and, opening and then removing the breaker.

Abstract: A rotating conductor holder includes at least a first and second conductor retainer, which are mounted to and spaced apart along a rotating base member at a distance substantially corresponding to the separation distance between the two or more existing sub-conductors that are to be replaced during a restringing procedure. The base member is rotatably attached to a support, which may be mounted on at least one insulator. The at least one insulator may be mounted on an arm on the end of a boom. An actuator and linkage may be provided to rotate the base member about its support.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for transferring a power load between adjacent electrical conductors using a temporary transfer bus, and the transfer bus apparatus itself, wherein the transfer bus includes first and second conductive sections rigidly mounted to and separated by a rigid bus insulator, and a selectively operable transfer bus closing device adapted to selectively electrically connect the first and second conductive sections to each other, the method including suspending the first and second conductive sections from the adjacent conductors, whether directly or using suspension insulators, electrically connecting the conductive sections to the conductors, and closing the transfer bus closing device.

Abstract: Extendable connector ports are described herein that may be implemented in thin computing devices. An extendable connector port includes a floor, tongue, and roof that expand from a closed position stored within a computing device to an open position that extends away from the computing device. An extension mechanism of the extendable connector port maintains a parallel orientation of the floor, tongue, and roof and gaps in the extendable connector port when the port extends to the open position. The extendable connector port may then be collapsed into the closed position by reducing or eliminating gaps between the floor, tongue, and roof, so that the connector port is thinner in its closed position than it is in its open position. This collapsibility of the extendable connector port allows thin computing devices to include ports that are thicker than a housing of the device.

Abstract: A grounding clamp includes a safety lock-out which locks the operation of the clamp in the absence of a hot-stick. A clamping member cooperates with a frame having an arm, and is selectively biasable by a user to translate the clamping member relative to the frame to clamp a conductor between the clamping member and arm. The lock-out cooperates with the clamping member to prevent the translation of the clamping member unless in the presence of an insulating tool such as a hot-stick.

Abstract: A boom mountable breaker system and a method of using same for interrupting electrical transmission through a portion of an energized conductor downstream of a desired break location. The method includes: mounting the jumper onto the energized conductor across the desired break location so as to form an electrically conductive first parallel electrical path; installing an in-line opener in the energized conductor at the desired break location on the energized conductor; positioning the breaker at the desired break location on the energized conductor, and electrically connecting the breaker, while open, across the desired break location and across the opposite ends of the jumper so as to form a second parallel electrical path when the breaker is closed; closing the breaker to thereby complete the second parallel electrical path; removing the jumper from across the desired break location; and, opening and then removing the breaker.

Abstract: A structure for housing electronic components. The structure includes a first layer and a second layer. One or more layers may each have a modulus of elasticity of less than 2.41 MPa. One or more layers may be at least partially affixed to form a combined layer. The combined layer may have a combined modulus of elasticity of less than 2300 MPa. The combined layer may be transparent to electromagnetic waves. The combined layer may be not electrically conductive across an entire surface area of the combined layer. The combined layer may be polycarbonate free. An outermost layer may be a textile layer.

Abstract: Extendable connector ports are described herein that may be implemented in thin computing devices. An extendable connector port includes a floor, tongue, and roof that expand from a closed position stored within a computing device to an open position that extends away from the computing device. An extension mechanism of the extendable connector port maintains a parallel orientation of the floor, tongue, and roof and gaps in the extendable connector port when the port extends to the open position. The extendable connector port may then be collapsed into the closed position by reducing or eliminating gaps between the floor, tongue, and roof, so that the connector port is thinner in its closed position than it is in its open position. This collapsibility of the extendable connector port allows thin computing devices to include ports that are thicker than a housing of the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to replacing conductors in a high-voltage power transfer system. The method provides, for example, a method for maintaining sections of electrically conductive phases in a three-phase power conductor line, wherein the three phases are parallel and spaced apart in an ordered sequence. The phases are strung between support structures and supported above the ground. Maintenance work, which include replacement or repair, is performed on sections of the three phases without interrupting a power load in any one of the three phases and without transposing the relative positions of the phases out of their ordered sequence.

Abstract: A method of using a temporary conductor as a re-usable tool in maintaining, repairing or re-conductoring at least one energized phase, includes stringing the temporary conductor between support structures at either end of a first section, then energizing the said temporary conductor by bringing the temporary conductor to the voltage potential of the phase and electrically paralleling the temporary conductor with the energized phase, de-energizing and then maintaining, repairing or reconductoring the de-energized energized phase, re-energizing and electrically paralleling said energized phase, de-energizing and removing the temporary conductor for later re-use as the re-usable tool in a second section of the energized phase.

Abstract: A manipulator for separating sub-conductors in an energized single phase bundle includes a rigid support member and first and second actuators mounted on the support member, wherein each actuator is independently actuable of the other. Insulators are mounted on each actuator. A selectively releasable coupler is mounted on each insulator for selectively releasable coupling of each insulator to a corresponding sub-conductor. The actuators extend corresponding insulators independently of one another from the support member to thereby separate from each other by an optimized separation distance the distal ends of each insulator. When the corresponding sub-conductors of the single phase bundle are releasably coupled to the corresponding distal ends of the insulators the surge impedance loading of the single phase bundle may be improved by separation of the corresponding distal ends of the insulators and the sub-conductors by the optimized separation distance.

Abstract: A boom mountable robotic arm for includes a beam pivotally mounted on a boom mounting adaptor, at least two electrically insulated support posts mounted to and spaced apart along the beam, and at least a first rotation coupling and a plurality of second rotation couplings. The first rotation coupling provides pivotal mounting of the beam on the boom mounting adaptor so as to provide selectively controllable rotation of the beam in a substantially vertical plane. The second rotation couplings provide selectively controllable rotation of the electrically insulated support posts about corresponding second axes of rotation between a retracted position substantially laid flush along the beam and a pick-up position ready to receive a conductor being supported. An actuated scissor linkage is mounted to the beam and the boom mounting adaptor for selectively adjusting an angular position of the beam relative to the boom mounting adaptor.

Abstract: A rotating conductor holder includes at least a first and second conductor retainer, which are mounted to and spaced apart along a rotating base member at a distance substantially corresponding to the separation distance between the two or more existing sub-conductors that are to be replaced during a restringing procedure. The base member is rotatably attached to a support, which may be mounted on at least one insulator. The at least one insulator may be mounted on an arm on the end of a boom. An actuator and linkage may be provided to rotate the base member about its support.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for transferring a power load between adjacent electrical conductors using a temporary transfer bus, and the transfer bus apparatus itself, wherein the transfer bus includes first and second conductive sections rigidly mounted to and separated by a rigid bus insulator, and a selectively operable transfer bus closing device adapted to selectively electrically connect the first and second conductive sections to each other, the method including suspending the first and second conductive sections from the adjacent conductors, whether directly or using suspension insulators, electrically connecting the conductive sections to the conductors, and closing the transfer bus closing device.

Abstract: A method of stringing replacement static lines on an energized overhead power line system, wherein both the old and new static wire is grounded at substantially each support structure within a pull zone during static wire maintenance and replacement operations, the method including at least the steps of (a) removing a length of an old static wire from the pull zone portion of the system; (b) stringing in a length of replacement static wire into the portion of the system; (c) maintaining an electrical connection between earth and the old static wire during step (a); and (d) maintaining an electrical connection between the earth and the replacement static wire during step (b), while at substantially all times maintaining a grounding connection from the old static wires and the new, replacement static wires to substantially each support structure, and therealong to ground, along the pull zone portion of the system.

Abstract: A manipulator for separating sub-conductors in an energized single phase bundle includes a rigid support member and first and second actuators mounted on the support member, wherein each actuator is independently actuable of the other. Insulators are mounted on each actuator. A selectively releasable coupler is mounted on each insulator for selectively releasable coupling of each insulator to a corresponding sub-conductor. The actuators extend corresponding insulators independently of one another from the support member to thereby separate from each other by an optimized separation distance the distal ends of each insulator. When the corresponding sub-conductors of the single phase bundle are releasably coupled to the corresponding distal ends of the insulators the surge impedance loading of the single phase bundle may be improved by separation of the corresponding distal ends of the insulators and the sub-conductors by the optimized separation distance.