Plastic guy wire marker apparatus, bulk guy marker material, bulk guy marker dispenser system, and tool for installing a guy marker

Abstract

A guy marker apparatus for use on an associated guy wire includes a substantial rectangular body member having opposite parallel first and second edges and is foldable along a longitudinal axis parallel with the first and second edges. First and second connection portions are disposed at the first and second edges, respectively, for selectively interlocking the edges in slidable abutment to hold the main body member in a folded tubular conformation and selectively in a helical conformation. A tool for applying a guy marker apparatus onto an associated guy wire includes a main body member, an alignment portion adapted to guide the guy marker in an unlocked state relative to the main body member, and a production portion adapted to guide the marker in a self-locked state out from the main body member. A forming wall disposed between the alignment and production portions moves. the marker material between the unlocked and self-locked state based on relative movement between the tool and the guy marker material. A dispensing system for a bulk roll of coiled guy marker material includes a housing having a cavity adapted to hold the coil of guy marker material having a shape memory. The housing includes an outlet opening whereby desired lengths of guy marker material may be drawn. The bulk roll includes coiled flattened layers of plastic guy wire marker material having an inherent shape memory characteristic.

1 . A guy marker apparatus for use on an associated guy wire, comprising: 
 a substantially rectangular main body member having opposite parallel first and second edges, the main body member being foldable along a longitudinal axis parallel with said first and second edges;    a first connection portion at the first edge of the main body member; and,    a second connection portion at the second edge of the main body member, the first and second connection portions being selectively interlockable to hold the main body member in a folded tubular conformation surrounding the associated guy wire.    
   
   
       2 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions are selectively interlockable to hold the main body member in a non-overlapping tubular conformation.    
   
   
       3 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions are selectively interlockable to hold the main body member in said folded tubular conformation with said first edge overlapping said second edge.    
   
   
       4 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first connection portion is formed continuously along said first edge of the main body member; and,    said second connection portion is formed continuously along said second edge of the main body member.    
   
   
       5 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions are defined by respective first and second edges of the main body member.    
   
   
       6 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions are selectively interlockable into a locked condition to hold the main body in a tubular conformation with the first and second edges in locked slidable abutment.    
   
   
       7 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions are selectively interlockable into said locked condition to hold the main body in said tubular conformation with the first and second edges in said locked slidable abutment and defining a helix at an interface between the first and second edges.    
   
   
       8 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 the main body member is a resilient plastic sheet having opposite first and second surfaces and is bendable between said folded tubular conformation and a substantially planar conformation.    
   
   
       9 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 said first connection portion is carried on the first surface of the plastic sheet; and,    said second connection portion is carried on the first surface of the plastic sheet.    
   
   
       10 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions extend from the first surface of the sheet substantially in parallel when the sheet is disposed in said substantially planar conformation.    
   
   
       11 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 said first connection portion is carried on the first surface of the plastic sheet; and,    said second connection portion is carried on the second surface of the plastic sheet.    
   
   
       12 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein: 
 the first and second connection portions extend from the first and second surfaces of the sheet, respectively, substantially in parallel opposite directions when the sheet is disposed in said substantially planar conformation.    
   
   
       13 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 at least one of said first and second connection portions extends outwardly from a respective first and second edge of said sheet; and,    the other of said first and second connection portions extends from at least one of said first and second surfaces of said sheet when the sheet is disposed in said substantially planar conformation.    
   
   
       14 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 the plastic sheet defines at least one ridge area extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second connection portions.    
   
   
       15 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 the first connection portion includes a tapered head member; and,    the second connection portion includes a region of said sheet defining an opening adapted to receive the tapered head member.    
   
   
       16 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein: 
 the second connection portion includes a U-shaped attachment member extending from the sheet for receiving said tapered head member.    
   
   
       17 . The guy marker apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein each of the tapered head member and the U-shaped attachment member carry at least one barb.  
   
   
       18 . A dispensing system for a coil of guy marker material comprising: 
 a housing defining a cavity;    a bulk roll of guy marker material in said housing; and,    means defining an outlet opening in said housing for paying out selected lengths of said guy marker material from said housing.    
   
   
       19 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said bulk roll of guy marker material includes coiled flattened layers of said bulk guy marker material disposed within said cavity.  
   
   
       20 . The dispensing system according to  claim 19 , wherein said guy marker material has a shape memory characteristic whereby the material is self biased to return to a curled shape from said flattened layered conformation.  
   
   
       21 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said guy marker materials includes opposite mutually interlocking edges.  
   
   
       22 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said housing includes a first portion releasably engagable with a second portion.  
   
   
       23 . The dispensing system according to  claim 22 , wherein said first portion of said housing includes a first peripheral side wall and a first sleeve, said first sleeve including a circumferential terminal edge distal to said first side wall, said first sleeve defining a first opening therethrough.  
   
   
       24 . The dispensing system according to  claim 23 , wherein said second portion of said housing includes a second peripheral side wall and a second sleeve, said second sleeve including a circumferential terminal edge distal to said second wall, said second sleeve defining a second opening therethrough.  
   
   
       25 . The dispensing system according to  claim 24 , wherein said first portion and said second portion form an outer wall in a generally circular shape in said engaged position.  
   
   
       26 . The dispensing system according to  claim 25 , wherein said outer wall includes at least one flattened section.  
   
   
       27 . The dispensing system according to  claim 26 , wherein said outer wall defines a handle integral with said housing.  
   
   
       28 . The dispensing system according to  claim 27 , wherein said first portion includes a peripheral side wall with at least a first cut-out for viewing and accessing said bulk roll.  
   
   
       29 . The dispensing system according to  claim 22 , wherein said second portion includes a peripheral side wall with at least a second cut-out for viewing and accessing said coil.  
   
   
       30 . The dispensing system according to  claim 24 , further including: 
 a capsule defining a cylindrical wall with a fixed butt cap at one end and a removable top cap at another end.    
   
   
       31 . The dispensing system according to  claim 30  wherein said housing is configured to receive said capsule within said first and second openings.  
   
   
       32 . The dispensing system according to  claim 39 , wherein said cylindrical wall includes a groove around the exterior.  
   
   
       33 . The dispensing system according to  claim 32 , wherein said groove frictionally engages a hub formed between said terminal edge of said first sleeve and said terminal edge of said second sleeve when said first half and said second half are in the engaged position.  
   
   
       34 . The dispensing system according to  claim 31 , wherein said capsule defines a chamber adapted to hold a plurality of fastening components.  
   
   
       35 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said housing includes a first half hinged with a second half.  
   
   
       36 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said housing includes a clear plastic configuration.  
   
   
       37 . The dispensing system according to  claim 18 , wherein said guy marker material may be drawn from said housing and cut to any desired length.  
   
   
       38 . The dispensing system according to  claim 37 , wherein the desired length of said guy marker material assumes said memory characteristic.  
   
   
       39 . A tool for manipulating an associated self-locking article between unlocked and self-locked states, the tool comprising: 
 a main body member;    an alignment portion on the main body member adapted to guide the associated article in said unlocked state relative to the main body member;    a production portion on the main body member adapted to guide the associated article in said self-locked state relative to the main body member; and,    a forming wall between the alignment portion and the production portion, the forming wall being adapted to move the associated article between said unlocked state and said self-locked state based on relative movement between the associated article and the main body member.    
   
   
       40 . The tool according to  claim 39  wherein: 
 the main body member includes a substantially cylindrical housing defining a longitudinal passageway therethrough, the passageway being adapted to receive the associated article therethrough and permit relative movement between the tool and the associated housing.    
   
   
       41 . The tool according to  claim 40  wherein: 
 the forming wall is tapered to urge opposite edges of the associated article into mutual abutment based on relative movement between the housing and the associated article received therethrough.    
   
   
       42 . The tool according to  claim 41  wherein: 
 the housing includes a longitudinal slot opening into said passageway and an inwardly extending longitudinal wall adapted to engage a first edge of the associated article to permit relative rotational movement between the tool and the associated article during relative longitudinal movement between the tool and the associated article.    
   
   
       43 . The tool according to  claim 42  wherein said tapered forming wall narrows from said alignment portion to said production portion.  
   
   
       44 . An article of manufacture comprising: 
 a holder member; and,    bulk guy marker material held in a coil by said holder, the bulk guy marker material being selectively unrolled from said coil and cut into sections at desired length for placement onto an associated guy wire.    
   
   
       45 . The article of manufacture according to  claim 44  wherein said bulk guy marker material is an elongate strip of plastic material defining opposite outer mutually lockable edges.