Automatic Wire Lubricating Device

Abstract

An automatic wire lubricating device includes first and second components each having a body section of semi-annular configuration defining a portion of a continuous cylindrical interior reservoir formed by the body sections when they are fastened together into an annular body defining a central opening, a pipe fitting attached on an outer circumferential side of the body section of the first component in flow communication with the interior reservoir such that the pipe fitting can be coupled to a soap line coming from a pump, dispensing holes circumferentially spaced apart defined through the body sections providing flow communication from the interior reservoir to the central opening, and coupler pins formed on opposite ends of the body sections of the first and second components which fit together so as to make a tight seal of the interior reservoir when the first and second components are fastened together.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . Apparatus comprising 
 a lubricator to apply lubricant to a strand as it is pulled through the lubricator and a separate conduit, the lubricator including    a coupling feature on an internal wall of one end of the lubricator to match a corresponding coupling feature on an external wall of the conduit, and a coupling feature on an external wall of another end of the lubricator to match a corresponding coupling feature on an internal wall of a separate bushing.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which the strand comprises an insulated electrical wire.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which the coupling feature of the lubricator comprises threads.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which the threads comprise external threads.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which the lubricator also includes a second coupling feature configured to mate with a corresponding coupling feature of the conduit.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  in which the second coupling feature of the lubricator comprises threads.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  in which the threads comprise internal threads.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in which a body of the lubricator is formed of two connectable components.  
   
   
       23 . Apparatus comprising 
 a lubricator to apply lubricant to a strand as it is pulled through a separate bushing and conduit, the lubricator including 
 an external thread to match a corresponding internal thread of a bushing, and  
 an internal thread to match a corresponding external thread of the conduit.  
   
   
   
       24 . Apparatus comprising 
 a lubricator to apply lubricant to a strand as it is pulled through a conduit, the lubricator comprising two body sections that can be connected to one another to form the lubricator, each of the body sections comprising a sleeve, the sleeves of the two body sections being aligned when the two body sections are connected to form the body, and a pin that slides removably into and out of the sleeves to hold the body sections together and to permit the body sections to be taken apart.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  in which the lubricator includes an axis that is aligned along the length of the strand and the pin includes an axis that is parallel to the lubricator axis.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 24  in which each body comprises a second sleeve, the second sleeves of the two body sections are aligned when the two body sections are connected to form the body, and a second pin slides into the second sleeves to also hold the body sections together.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  in which the lubricator includes an axis that is aligned along the length of the strand and the second pin includes an axis that is parallel to the lubricator axis.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 24  in which the strand comprises an insulated electrical wire or the like.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 19  in which 
 the coupling feature to mate with the bushing includes external threads that mate with internal threads of the bushing,    the coupling feature to mate with the conduit includes internal threads that mate with external threads of the conduit, and    the internal threads and the external threads on the lubricator are of the same pitch and matching diameter.    
   
   
       30 . A method comprising 
 mounting a lubricator temporarily on an end of a conduit through which a strand is to be pulled,    pulling the strand through a bushing, the lubricator, and the conduit,    unmounting the lubricator and removing it from the strand without removing the bushing from the strand, and    mounting the bushing on the end of the conduit.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  also including mounting the bushing on the lubricator before pulling the strand.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30  also including unmounting the bushing from the lubricator before mounting the bushing on the end of the conduit.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30  in which the lubricator is mounted onto the threaded end of the conduit by threading or clamping.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  in which the bushing is mounted on the end of the conduit by threading.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30  in which the lubricator and the bushing are mounted on the end of the conduit using threads on the end of the conduit.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 30  in which the bushing is mounted on the end of the conduit without necessarily passing the bushing over a free end of the strand and along a length of the strand to reach the conduit.  
   
   
       37 . An apparatus comprising 
 a lubricator to apply a lubricant to a strand as it is pulled through a conduit, the lubricator having    two separable pieces that are joined to mount the lubricator around the strand,    a reservoir that holds a supply of a lubricant, the reservoir being split between the two separable pieces, and    a seal to seal the reservoir when the two pieces are joined, the seal comprising a silicone packing mounted in at least one of the pieces.    
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  in which the reservoir comprises a ring-shaped tube that is formed in a wall of each of the two separable pieces, the tube being split when the pieces are not joined.  
   
   
       39 . An apparatus comprising 
 an adaptor to adapt an end of a conduit to enable it to receive a coupling of a lubricator when the end of the conduit is held in a wall of a manhole, the adaptor including an annular body having one end to insert into the end of the conduit and another end having a coupling to receive the coupling of the lubricator.    
   
   
       40 . The apparatus of  claim 39  in which the coupling of the adaptor comprise threading.  
   
   
       41 . The apparatus of  claim 39  in which the one end of the annular body is tapered.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus of  claim 39  in which the adaptor comprises two pieces.  
   
   
       43 . The apparatus of  claim 39  in which the two pieces comprises halves of a cylinder.  
   
   
       44 . The apparatus of  claim 39  in which the adaptor is formed of plastic.  
   
   
       45 . A method comprising 
 mounting a lubricator on an end of a conduit,    mounting a bushing on another end of the lubricator,    pumping lubricant from a supply to the lubricator, and    pulling a strand through the lubricator and through the conduit, the lubricant being dispensed onto the strand from the lubricator during the pulling.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  also including removing the bushing from the lubricator, removing the lubricator from the conduit, and mounting the bushing on the conduit.  
   
   
       47 . A method comprising 
 pulling a strand from a supply of the strand through a conduit,    at the supply end automatically lubricating the strand as it enters the conduit, and    enabling a single person to control both the delivery of the strand from the strand supply to the conduit and the rate of delivery of lubricant from a supply of the lubricant.