Cable Pulling Glossary
anchoring system
any item or group of items that keeps a cable pulling
component in place during the cable pull
capstan
the hollow cylinder of the cable puller that acts on the
pulling rope to generate pulling force
coefficient of friction
the ratio that compares two amounts of force:
(1) the force needed to move an object over a surface
and (2) the force holding the object against the surface
This ratio is used to describe how the capstan and the
rope work together.
connector
any item, such as a wire grip, clevis, swivel, or pulling
grip, that connects the rope to the cable
direct line of pull
the areas next to the pulling rope and along its path;
this includes the areas in front of, in back of, and
underneath the rope
maximum rated capacity
the amount of pulling tension that any component
can safely withstand, rated in kilonewtons (metric)
or pounds; the maximum rated capacity of every
component must meet or exceed the maximum pulling
force of the cable puller
Newton (N)
a metric unit of force, equivalent to 0.225 pounds of
force
pipe adapter sheave
attaches to conduit for pulling or feeding cable
pulling grip
connects the rope to the cable; consists of a wire mesh
basket that slides over the cable and grips the insulation
pulling force
the amount of pulling tension developed by the cable
puller, rated in newtons (metric) or pounds; a cable
puller is usually described by the maximum pulling force
that it can develop
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resultant force
any force that is produced when two or more forces act
on an object; applies to the sheaves of a cable pulling
system
rope ramp
a device that works with a tapered capstan; guides the
rope onto the capstan to prevent rope overlap
sheave
a pulley that changes the direction of the rope and cable
stored energy
the energy that accumulates in the pulling rope as it
stretches, described in newton-meters (metric) or
foot-pounds
support structure
any stationary object that a cable pulling system
component is anchored to, such as a concrete floor
(for the floor mount) or an I-beam (for a sheave)
tactile feedback
the way the rope feels as it feeds off of the capstan; the
feel of the rope provides information about the progress
of the pull to the operator
tail
the portion of the rope that the operator applies force
to; this is the rope coming off of the capstan, and is not
under the tension of the pull
tailing the rope
the operator's main function; this is the process of
applying force to the tail of the pulling rope—refer to the
complete explanation under "Cable Pulling Principles"
wire grip
connects the rope to the cable; some use a set screw to
clamp onto the conductors of the cable
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