Wire rope termination and tensioning for cable railing

Abstract

A cable gripping and tensioning apparatus is provided for attaching a cable to an anchor point such as a wooden post as part of a cable railing system. In one form, the apparatus includes a tubular component and a ferrule. The tubular component includes external threads to engage the wall of a hole in the post, an internal axial bore through which a cable may pass, a first end which may engage a wrench to rotate the tubular component and a second end which may provide a thrust bearing surface. The ferrule is swaged to an end portion of the cable. The ferrule provides a thrust bearing surface for contact with the second end of the tubular component, allowing for the rotation of the tubular component to tension the cable while the cable does not rotate.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for performing at least one of anchoring and tensioning a wire rope to a stationary structure comprising:
 a tubular component comprising an axial opening through which the wire rope passes, a threaded external surface configured to grip a wall of a hole in the stationary structure, a first end having a surface for engaging a wrench to rotatably urge the tubular component, and a second end having a thrust bearing surface opposite the first end, wherein the tubular component is rotatable within the hole so that the external threads of the tubular component engage with mating threads in the hole in the stationary structure to move the tubular component in an axial direction to the hole in the stationary structure while, the wire rope remains rotatably stationary as the tubular component is rotated; and 
 a ferrule located at the second end of the tubular component and near an end portion of the wire rope, the ferrule configured to be swaged to the wire rope, and comprising a first end having a thrust bearing surface, wherein the movement of the tubular component in the axial direction urges the second end of the tubular component against the first end of the ferrule, thereby performing at least one of firmly anchoring the wire rope to the stationary structure and or tensioning the wire rope. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the tubular component comprises a slot that engages at least one of a mating shape and or tabs on the wrench. 
     
     
       3. A cable termination system for connecting a wire rope to a stationary structure and for tensioning the wire rope comprising:
 a tubular component having an axial central passage for receiving the wire rope, the tubular component comprising an outer circumference along an axial length, the outer circumference having threads for engaging mating threads in a hole located inside the stationary structure, and a first end having a surface configured for engaging a mating surface of a wrench so that the wrench can urge the tubular component in a rotatable motion to move the tubular component axially inside the hole so that the external threads of the tubular component engage with the mating threads in the hole; and 
 a ferrule located at a second end of the tubular component and near an end portion of the wire rope, the ferrule being swaged to the wire rope, thereby urging wherein the second end of the tubular component is driven against one end of the ferrule to connect the wire rope to the stationary structure and to tension the wire rope in response to moving the tubular component axially inside the hole. 
 
     
     
       4. A cable termination system for connecting a wire rope to a stationary structure comprising:
 a ferrule configured to attach to the wire rope and to be inserted into a hole in the stationary structure; and   a tubular component having an axial central passage for receiving the wire rope there through, the tubular component comprising a threaded external surface, wherein the threads are configured to engage the hole of the stationary structure and to advance the tubular component into the hole of the stationary structure in response to rotation of the tubular component, wherein the ferrule is driven into the hole in the stationary structure by the tubular component in response to rotation of the tubular component within the hole.   
     
     
       5. The cable termination system of claim 4, wherein the wire rope is drawn into the hole of the stationary structure in response to the ferrule being driven into the hole. 
     
     
       6. The cable termination system of claim 5, wherein the wire rope is anchored and tensioned in response to the ferrule being driven into the hole. 
     
     
       7. The cable termination system of claim 4, wherein the tubular component rotates independently of the wire rope. 
     
     
       8. The cable termination system of claim 4, wherein the ferrule is swaged to the wire rope. 
     
     
       9. The cable termination system of claim 4, wherein the tubular component comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end is configured to be engaged by a wrench to impart rotation to the tubular component relative to the stationary structure. 
     
     
       10. The cable termination system of claim 9, wherein the second end of the tubular component is configured to engage and drive the ferrule into the hole in the stationary structure.