Apparatus for protecting a component of a power distribution system against wildlife

Abstract

An apparatus for protecting a component of a power distribution system against wildlife, the apparatus comprising a cover having a first wall and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall being spaced apart to receive part of the component; the first wall having an opening for receiving a pin; and a cantilever mount at the opening for supporting the pin in the first wall. Various configurations of cantilever mount and pin may be used. Opposing pins in opposing walls may be used. The pins may extend towards each other and may or may not meet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for protecting a component of a power distribution system against wildlife, comprising:
 an insulator cover part defining a space to receive a part of the component;   a slot in the insulator cover part, the slot extending from a top of the insulator cover part through a curved upper part to a bottom of the curved upper part, the slot being sized and configured to pass a power wire to the part of the component in the insulator cover part   flanges provided on the insulator cover part and beginning at the bottom of the curved upper part;   a clip that receives the flanges, wherein the clip is configured so that the power wire passes through a region of the clip when the power wire is in the slot at least at the bottom the curved upper part.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clip has an opening configured and positioned to receive a hotstick part. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the clip has funnels at a bottom, wherein the funnels facilitate placing the clip on the flanges by a sliding downwards movement of the clip with respect to the flanges. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a feature that resists dislocation of the clip from the flanges. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising fingers extending towards each other from both edges of the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of claim  5 , wherein the fingers extend along only a portion of the slot. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of claim  5 , wherein the fingers are sufficiently flexible to allow the power wire to pass through the slot without flexing the insulator cover part. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flanges are formed as flange fingers extending from the insulator cover part. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the flange fingers are sufficiently flexible to allow the power wire to pass between the flanges without flexing the insulator cover part. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the clip is configured so that the power wire passes through the region of the clip when the power wire passes between the flange fingers. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator cover part further comprises a first wall and a second wall, the first and second walls being spaced apart to define the space. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the insulator cover part further comprises:
 an opening in the first wall, the opening being configured to receive a pin;   a cantilever mount at the opening for supporting the pin in the first wall; and   a pin mounted in the cantilever mount   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the pin has a tip, and where the pin extends only part of the way between the first wall and the second wall, with a gap between the tip and the second wall. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cantilever mount comprises a first portion extending away from the first wall on at least a first side of the first wall, the first portion forming a support for holding the pin in a cantilever position in the first wall. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cantilever mount is formed at a step in the first wall. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cantilever mount comprises a tube. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cantilever mount comprises mount parts that cooperate with corresponding pin parts on the pin to secure the pin in the cantilever mount. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the mount parts and/or the pin parts comprise a depressible element. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the mount parts and pin parts cooperate by a relative twisting motion. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the second wall has an additional opening for receiving an additional pin and an additional cantilever mount at the additional opening for supporting the additional pin in the second wall.