Hanging cable shortener construction

Abstract

A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment of a cable having a certain diameter. The cable is arranged for supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support. The cable shortener apparatus may be comprised of a pair of rigid annular rings lockably engagable with one another. Each ring may have an inner arcuate hub flange which defines a hub surface for receiving at least one wrap of a support cable. An annular edge on each of the rings is spaced apart from one another when the rings are mated together. The spaced apart annular edges defining a gap no wider than the diameter of the cable being wrapped about the hub of the shortener.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment of a cable supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support, said cable having a certain diameter, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of rigid annular rings lockably engagable with one another, each ring having an inner arcuate hub flange which defines a hub surface for receiving at least one wrap of a support cable;    an annular outermost edge on each of said rings, spaced apart from one another when said rings are mated together, said spaced apart annular edges defining a gap less than twice said diameter of said cable.    
     
     
         2 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said rigid annular rings has at least one arcuate locking flange for securing said rings to one another.  
     
     
         3 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said arcuate locking flange and said arcuate hub flange are radially adjacent one another.  
     
     
         4 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said annular rings has at least two arcuate locking flanges, opposed to one another on an inner edge of each of said annular rings.  
     
     
         5 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said annular rings has at least two inner arcuate hub flanges, opposed to one another on an inner edge of each of said annular rings.  
     
     
         6 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said annular rings have an annular inner wall which defines a cable wrap area with said inner hub flanges, about which said cable is wrapped.  
     
     
         7 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said inner hub flanges on each of said rings are spaced apart from one another by at least 90 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said arcuate locking flanges on each of said rings are spaced apart from one another by at least 90 degrees.  
     
     
         9 . A method of adjusting a sign supporting cable holding a sign carrier from an overhead support, said cable having a certain diameter, said method comprising: 
 attaching an upper end of said cable to said overhead support;    attaching a lower end of said cable to said sign;    forming an annular hub with a first end and a second end;    arranging a rigid, radially outwardly extending flange on each end of said hub, each of said radially outwardly extending flanges having an outer peripheral lip spaced apart from said outer peripheral lip of the other of said flanges by a distance less than twice said certain cable diameter;    wrapping or unwrapping said cable about said hub and between said radially outwardly extending flanges to adjust the length of said cable supporting said sign carrier.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , including: 
 forming said hub and radially outwardly extending flanges by mating together a pair of rigid annular rings, each of said rings having an arcuate hub portion and a rigid annular edge defining an inner and an outer wall member of each of said rings;    spacing said rigid annular edges apart by less than twice said certain diameter of said cable;    wrapping said cable about said hub portion of said annular rings to change the length of said cable supporting said sign carrier.    
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , including: 
 forming an arcuate inner locking flange on each of said rings to permit said rings to lock onto one another.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , including: 
 rotating at least one of said rings about an axis of rotation so that said rings are out of phase with one another by at least 90 degrees when they are mated together.    
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , including: 
 spacing said inner locking flange on one of said rigid annular rings radially adjacent said arcuate hub flange of the other of said rigid annular rings when said rigid annular rings are mated together.    
     
     
         14 . A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment of a cable supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support, said cable having a certain diameter, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of rigid annular rings having each having an outer peripheral lip and an inner axially directed lip;    a short annular drum disposed between said rigid annular rings, said rings and said drum lockably engaged with one another, each of said axially directed lips of said rings and drum defining an inner hub for receiving at least one wrap of a support cable, each of said spaced apart peripheral lips defining a gap less than twice said diameter of said cable.    
     
     
         15 . The cable shortener apparatus as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said annular rings and said drum are press fit together.  
     
     
         16 . A cable shortener apparatus for permitting the length adjustment of a cable supporting a sign carrier from an overhead support, said cable having a certain diameter, said apparatus comprising: 
 an annular generally U-shaped channel formed of generally torroidal shape having an open outermost peripheral gap defined by a pair of radially outwardly directed walls;    an outermost peripheral lip of each of said walls heat and/or pressure formable toward on another to create a narrow rigidly spaced apart relationship of said outermost peripheral lips for squeezing release of a cable pulled therepast.    
     
     
         17 . The cable shortener as recited in  claim 16  wherein said spaced apart relationship is less than twice said certain diameter of said cable.  
     
     
         18 . The cable shortener as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said cable is flexible strand of material and is about one thirt-second of an inch in diameter.