Utility pole erection

Abstract

To erect metal utility poles, a plurality of tubular sections of utility poles are fabricated, each having tapered portions and the diameter of one being slightly larger than the diameter of another. The sections are brought to a site for erection and pulled together with short repeated strokes of a hydraulic cylinder attached to one section with its piston rod connected to another section of utility pole. In one embodiment it is not necessary to manually adjust the mechanism pulling the sections of utility poles together and in another embodiment, a light flexible cord is attached to one section and a hydraulic cylinder to another section. The hydraulic cylinder pulls the cord and when the piston rod is extended for the next retraction, the cord length is adjusted.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of erecting utility poles comprising the steps of: 
 fabricating a plurality of tubular sections of utility poles each having at least a portion tapered;    the diameter of at least one of said plurality of tubular sections being larger than the diameter of another;    bringing the tubular sections to a site for erection;    pulling the tubular sections together with an apparatus that provides short repeated pulling strokes without manually adjusting said apparatus between strokes; and    erecting the utility pole.    
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  in which the step of pulling the tubular sections together comprises the steps of: 
 attaching at least one hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod to at least a first section of a utility pole;  
 attaching a bracket to a second section of utility pole;  
 connecting the piston rod of the cylinder to an arm;  
 connecting the arm to the bracket;  
 pulling the first and second sections together by activating the hydraulic cylinder to change the position of said arm; and  
 resetting a position of said arm during one of an extension and retraction of said piston rod.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 2  further including the step of resetting said arm.  
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3  in which the step of resetting includes the step of moving said arm away from a gripping member and dropping it onto the gripping member.  
     
     
         5 . A method of pulling sections of utility poles together, comprising the steps of: 
 attaching an apparatus that provides short repeated pulling strokes to a first section;    attaching a bracket to a second section;    connecting the apparatus that provides repeated pulling strokes to bracket, whereby the first and second sections are pulled together; when the apparatus is performing a pulling stroke; and    resetting the apparatus without manually adjusting said apparatus between pulling strokes.    
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  in which the step of pulling the tubular sections together comprises the steps of: 
 attaching at least one hydraulic cylinder having a piston rod to at least a first section of a utility pole;  
 attaching a bracket to a second section of utility pole;  
 connecting the piston rod of the cylinder to an arm;  
 connecting the arm to the bracket;  
 pulling the first and second sections together by activating the hydraulic cylinder to change the position of said arm; and  
 resetting a position of said arm during one of an extension and retraction of said piston rod.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6  further including the step of resetting said arm.  
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  in which the step of resetting includes the step of moving said arm away from a gripping member and dropping it onto the gripping member.  
     
     
         9 . A method of erecting a utility pole comprising the steps of: 
 fabricating tubular sections;    bringing the tubular sections to a site for erecting the telephone pole;    pulling the sections together with short repeated strokes by manually adjusting the position of a flexible member connecting a tug bracket and a pull arm; and    erecting the utility pole.    
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 9  in which the flexible member is attached to one section at one end and has its other end adapted to be connected at different locations on the flexible member.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus for pulling two sections of utility poles together comprising: 
 a hydraulic pump;    at least one hydraulic cylinder;    at least one bracket;    at least one arm;    said arm being connected at one end to a piston rod of said at least one hydraulic cylinder and at the other end to the bracket whereby the sections may be pulled together.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  in which at least one of said bracket and arm has a plurality of cam surfaces adapted to move the tug arm to a height where it can clear the tug bracket and a plurality of gripping means for connecting to said bracket on a retraction stroke of said hydraulic cylinder.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus for pulling two sections of a utility pole together comprising: 
 a hydraulic pump;    a hydraulic cylinder;    a tug bracket;    a flexible member having one end connected to the tug bracket and the other end connected to a piston of the hydraulic cylinder;    the length of said flexible member between the piston and the tug bracket being adjustable, whereby on an extension stroke the flexible member can be adjusted and on a retraction stroke, the sections are pulled together.