BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the united States, many miles of high voltage transmission lines are constructed to be elevated to a

5 sufficient height, relative to the surrounding terrain, to establish an ample safety margin to minimize ground vehicl contact with that line. These transmission lines are cur¬ rently marked by securing fiberglass shells, usually in a spherical form, of a highly visible color, to the trans-

10 mission line to increase their daytime visibility.

It would be quite desirable to increase the efficienc of these markers by making them more visible during nighttime hours. Th s increased nighttime visibility shou be accomplished in a simple and easily maintained manner.

15 Among the objectives of this invention then are:

1. to increase the usefulness of these aerial safety markers by illumination

2. to provide an illuminated safety marker that may be easily installed

20 3. to provide a long lasting, maintenance free illuminator m the safety marker 4. to provide power to the illuminator without use of secondary power devices and without u of a transformer 25 5. to be able to attach the aerial marker witho deactivation of the transmission line To accomplish these objectives, we have developed a unit that utilizes gas filled lamps and the field of force surrounding the high voltage line to internally illuminate 30 translucent plastic enclosure, wnich may be used as an aerial marker.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, one electrode of an "L" shaped neon gas lamp was attached to a four (4) foot long metallic conductor and the other 35 electrode was attached to a cylindrical metallic conductiv screen of a length of three (3) feet with a radius of fif¬ teen (15) inches. The screen was supported from the

conductor with suitable clamps and non-conductive supports so as to encase the lamps and the conductor. When the end of the conductor was connected to a high voltage source of either 23,000 or 46,000 volts, the neon lamp became 5 illuminated.

A unique feature of this invention is the direct connection of a lamp between a high voltage source and a conductive screen, which encloses the lamp and high voltag source. When the lamp was connected in series between the 10 high voltage transmission line, conductor, and the screen, the circuit developed sufficient power to illuminate the g filled lamp to a useful intensity. Normally, neon lamps operate at similar voltages but the circuit is completed o the load side to earth ground. 15 It is also possible to cause illumination of speciall coated gas filled lamps with or without the use of elec¬ trodes but high frequency excitation is necessary. We hav considered the following patents in this field:

Patent No. 2644,113 entitled LUMINOUS BODY issue 20 6/30./1953 to W. V. Etzkorn

Patent No. 2925,511 entitled COLD CATHODE VACUUM LAMP issued 2/16/196? to A. M. Skellet

Canadian Patent No. 701,422 entitled OVERHEAD WI WARNING SIGNALS FOR AIRCRAFT issued 1/5/65 to J. P. 25 Reinhardt and Baker-Roos, Inc.

Patent No. 4,474,133 entitled AIRCRAFT WARNING MARKER issued 10/2/1984 to Anderson et al.

We have considered the following patents covering various types of clamps that may be used to secure the

30 present non-illuminated markers to high voltage lines:

Netherlands - Feb 1979 NL7808-016 - pertains to movable connectors for warning a ball

Germany - Feb 1979 DT2735-648 - pertains to connector for warning spheres. 35 We find no patent or commercial device available to fill the objectives outlined. Our invention is unique bo in mounting of the marker and in the circuit used to caus

llumination of a gas illed lamp.

The invention as outlined in the description of th invention, drawings, and claims effectively meets the described objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One preferred embodiment comprises:

1. a hollow metal conductor four feet long,

5 equipped with a clamp to rigidly clamp to high voltage line to allow the conductor t hang vertically from the line

2. four insulating members extending to and a right angles to the conductor in such a

10 fashion as to support a cylindrical metall screen approximately fifteen (15) inches a from the conductor

3. three "L" shaped neon lamps connected betw the conductor and the screen with one

15 electrode of each neon lamp connected to t conductor and the other electrode fastened electrically to the screen. With this embodiment of the invention, excellent illumination was achieved when the unit was attached to 20 23,000 or 46,000 volt line.

In this embodiment a spring steel clamp with an ope slightly larger than the transmission line could be atta to the top end of the metallic conductor and so shaped t a downward pull would clamp the conductor firmly to the 25 transmission line. A threaded female connector on the l end of the conductor would allow installation using a sp cially threaded "hot stick." A "hot stick" is usually a fiberglass rod equipped with a universal tip to allow various attachments to perform various functions in refe 30 ence to high voltage transmission lines and busses. The threaded end on the "hot stick" will allow installation active or "live" transmission lines.

In a second embodiment of this invention, screen wi is embedded in a translucent, plastic split shell, where 35 shell is cylindrical with tapered ends so as to resembl sausage. This device is split longitudinally and clamp each end over the transmission line. A flexible dielec

(non-conductor) would be under the clamp at one end of unit and a conductive sheet under the clamp at the oth end. The flexible dielectric sheeting and the shell i longer than the lamps it houses so that the lamps may 5 attached to the sheet and held long tudinally along th transmission line. One electrode for the three (3) la attached to the conductive sheet which is clamped to t line and the other part of the lamp is then fastened t screen. All lamps are in parallel to each other. All 10 shaped lamps are configured so as to use the lamp conf tion to maximize the potential drop between the screen the transmission line; the skin voltage of the lamps i minimized by virtue of the glass construction and coro effectively eliminated from the transmission line to t 15 screen by a 15-inch distance between them. A stainless hose clamp may be positioned around the ends of the out shell, the shell in turn fitting over a flexible dielec elastomeric "C" ring that fits over the flexible diele sheet on one end and the flexible conductive sheet on t 20 other. A hose clamp is so constructed as to allow the to hold the shell, the "C" rings, and flexible material firmly against the transmission line.

We have described two preferred embodiments of thi device, but do not mean to be limited to the exact conf 25 uration, but only to the general manner of using the fi of force occurring in a high voltage transmission line self contained illumination unit as outlined within the claims and specifications.

In general, clamps used to clamp an aerial marker 30 high voltage transmission line are so designed as to di tribute the stress of the weight of the unit and to min wear by limiting movement relative to the line.

The steel spring clamps we have described for use a "hot stick" installation appears to be unique in this 35 application. Other types of clamps could be designed t fulfill the purpose. Additionally, an even broader var of mechanical designs can be used for clamping the devi

a line not in service. By our descriptions of one embodi¬ ment, we do not mean to be limited to exact details of design. In a second embodiment of this invention, we described clamps similar to a stainless steel hose clamp.

N D INGS

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the total This embodiment is set up to be installed on a high vo line without shutting off the power.

Fig. 2 shows more detail of a clamp designed to b "pulled on" a high voltage line.

Fig. 3 shows details of a holder for a two lamp installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows the entire unit. The clamp 1, which is shown in more detail in Fig. 2, is shown in place over a 5 high voltage wire 17, shown in cross section. The clamp

1 rigidly attaches to metallic conductor 2 which may be 1/2-inch pipe about four feet long. In one model non- conductive rods 8 were inserted through holes in the metallic conductor 2 and extended about 15 inches to 10 support a metallic screen 4 about 15 inches away from the metallic conductor 2 in such a way as to have a cylin¬ drical shape to metallic screen 4. A plastic shield 3 serves as a rain shield for the neon lamps 6. The plastic shield maybe PVC (poly inyl-chlor ide) and 15 usually would be colored and clear or translucent.

The upper electrode connector 5 to connect one elec¬ trode of the neon lamps 6 to the screen 4 may convenientl be a light metallic spring that should be of a material t withstand weather conditions — material such as plastic 20 coated steel, stainless steel, or galvanized spring metal all would be suitable. The lower end of the bent neon tu fits snug ly into a lamp holder 7 that is of ametallic material and is rigidly connected to the conductor 2. Th lamp holder 7 is shown in more detail in Fig. 3 and wll b 25 discussed in more detail later.

The connector unit 9 is threaded and may be threaded a specially fitted "hot stick" to pull the clamp 1 over a active high voltage line 17. Fig.2 shows details of the clamp 1. An elastomer ic 15 such as neoprene may be glued 30 inside the clamp 1 to minimize wear on the line 17. The clamp 1 itself may be stainless steel, galvanized spring or metals of other compositions. A metallic contact poin 16 extending through the elastomeric 15 may be used to insure contact with the line 17. Note that the clamp 1 i 35 shaped with a lip 18 that springs open as the clamp 1 is pulled down on the wire 17.

In Fig. 3 we're shown more details of the lamp holde

which is rigidly connected to the conductor 2. An ela meric seal ring 20 such as neoprene may be used to for waterproof seal when the lamp 6 is put into the holder. opening 21 provides a drain in event of failure of the 5 elastomeric seal ring 20. An electrode connector 22 is indicated without exact detail but one of normal skill mechanical arts could provide suitable design for a par ular type electrode on the lamp 6.

In general this aerial illuminator provides for: 10 1. using one or more gas filled lamps such a a neon lamp with an electrode at each end 2. connecting one electrode of each lamp to high voltage source. Note that we show i these drawings a unit connecting to a 15 conductor electrically in contact with a voltage transmission line as a high volta source but other designs such as a split "sausage" shaped unit to connect directly high voltage line would be usable. 20 3. connecting the other electrode to a scree which surrounds the high voltage source a the lamps but is electrically insulated f the high voltage source and held some sev inches away from the source. Here again 25 have shown and described one way to do th it could be done in other ways. We have designed a screen in the shape of a split sausage that would be useable for direct nection to a high voltage transmission li 30 4. using a screen that may be a perforated plate, may be imbedded in plastic, may ha windows cut therein, may itself be colore may be open at one or both ends or may be enclosed. Normally a combination of all 35 the above may be used as the object is to illuminate an aerial marker to make it easily visible at night.

We only mean to be limited to the general manner o causing illumination using lamps directly connected one end to a high voltage source and at the other end to a screen surrounded by air.