Kit and method for encapsulating conductor splice connections

Claim 2

An encapsulating assembly for use in protecting splice connections between electrical conductors and isolating the same from liquids, gases, electrolytic reaction and the like deleterious effects, said assembly comprising an impervious wrapper having an access opening through which splice connections can be inserted, a thick-walled porous open-celled resilient liner enclosed within said wrapper, a mass of homogenous insulative material of gellike consistency embraced by said liner and into which splice connections can be inserted until submerged in said gellike mass, and means for closing the access opening of said wrapper about the conductors joined together by said splice connections.

Claim 3

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said mass of gellike material is viscous and resistant to separation into disjointed portions, said gellike material having pronounced tendencies to remain intact in a single mass despite compression pressures applied against the exterior of said wrapper sufficient to cause full penetration of said material by the thickness of said resilient liner, and outer surface portions of said resilient liner readily expanding away from the central mass of material upon relaxation of compression pressures from the exterior of said wrapper.

Claim 4

An encapSulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said wrapper comprises an envelope of flexible thermoplastic sheet material.

Claim 5

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 3 characterized in that the access opening of said envelope includes self-interlocking closure means extending along the sidewall of said access opening and readily closed by applying pressure to the interlocking parts thereof from the opposed exterior sides of said access opening.

Claim 6

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said resilient liner comprises a deep bag closed except for an inlet opening aligned with the access opening of said impervious wrapper.

Claim 7

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said gellike nonconductive material comprises a melted blend including petrolatum as its principal constituent admixed with low density polyethylene.

Claim 8

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said gellike nonconductive material comprises a melted blend of petrolatum and low density polyethylene which blend possesses pronounced coherence and viscous characteristics.

Claim 9

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said gellike nonconductive material comprises as principal ingredients in the order of 85 percent petrolatum heat-blended with the order of 15 percent low density polyethylene.

Claim 10

An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that a plurality of independent conductor splice connections are submerged in said mass of gellike material, and means holding said access opening of said wrapper contracted snugly about the conductors leading to said splice connections.

Claim 11

That method of encapsulating splice connections between conductors to protect the same from contact with moisture, corrosive atmospheres, and electrolysis potentials, said method comprising: submerging completed conductor splice connections into a mass of permanently gellike nonconductive nonsetting material having pronounced cohesive properties substantially surrounded with a thick resilient open-celled layer encased in an impervious retaining enclosure having an access opening, and closing said access opening about said conductors.

Claim 12

That method of encapsulating splice connections between conductors to protect the same from contact with moisture, corrosive atmospheres, and electrolysis potentials, said method comprising: submerging completed conductor splice connections into a mass of permanently gellike nonconductive nonsetting material having pronounced cohesive properties substantially surrounded with a thick resilient open-celled layer encased in an impervious retaining enclosure having an access opening, and closing said access opening about said conductors.

Claim 13

That method defined in claim 10 characterized in the step of withdrawing a splice connection from said mass of gellike material for servicing, inspection and the like operations while applying light finger pressure against the conductors to be withdrawn by grasping said retaining enclosure between the thumb and forefinger and applying pressure against the conductors while being withdrawn from said enclosure thereby to wipe off said gellike material and retain the same captive within said enclosure along with the main body thereof.

Claim 14

That method defined in claim 10, characterized in the step of utilizing thin-walled flexible sheet material for said impervious retaining enclosure.

Claim 15

That method of protecting splice connections against contact by fluids, vapors, stray electrical currents, contaminants and the like which method comprises: providing a mass of nonconductive nonabsorbent material of highly stable nonsetting gellike consistency, surrounded with thick resilient highly porous material enclosed within an impervious protective cover having a normally closed opening through which conductor splice connections can be inserted, submerging a prepared splice connection between a plurality of conductors through the opening in said protective cover and into said mass of gellike material, and closing said opening about the juxtaposed portions of said conductors.

Claim 16

That method of protecting splice connections against contact by fluids, vapors, stray electrical currents, contaminants and the like which method comprises: providing a mass of nonconductive nonabsorbent material of highly stable nonsetting gellike consistency, surrounded with thick resilient highly porous material enclosed within an impervious protective cover having a normally closed opening through which conductor splice connections can be inserted, submerging a prepared splice connection between a plurality of conductors through the opening in said protective cover and into said mass of gellike material, and closing said opening about the juxtaposed portions of said conductors.

Claim 17

A wire terminal protective and encapsulating kit for use about a group of insulated wire junctions, said kit comprising an outer protective enclosure of thin flexible impervious material having at least one access opening for wires, a thick walled liner of porous spongy material supported within said enclosure having an access opening aligned with said one access opening, a charge of gellike insulating compound interiorly of said thick-walled liner in the path of wire junctions to be inserted thereinto through said aligned access openings and effective to protect the wire junctions from contact with foreign fluids while submerged in said compound, and said compound retaining the gellike consistency thereof over a wide range of atmospheric temperatures and having pronounced viscous properties and tendencies to remain in place about a group of wire junctions submerged therein despite repeated compression and expansion of said thick walled liner.

Claim 18

A wire terminal protective and encapsulating kit for use about a group of insulated wire junctions, said kit comprising an outer protective enclosure of thin flexible impervious material having at least one access opening for wires, a thick walled liner of porous spongy material supported within said enclosure having an access opening aligned with said one access opening, a charge of gellike insulating compound interiorly of said thick-walled liner in the path of wire junctions to be inserted thereinto through said aligned access openings and effective to protect the wire junctions from contact with foreign fluids while submerged in said compound, and said compound retaining the gellike consistency thereof over a wide range of atmospheric temperatures and having pronounced viscous properties and tendencies to remain in place about a group of wire junctions submerged therein despite repeated compression and expansion of said thick walled liner.

Claim 19

A protective kit as defined in claim 14 characterized in the provision of means for holding said one access opening normally closed.

Claim 20

A protective kit as defined in claim 14 characterized in that said outer protective enclosure projects substantially beyond the adjacent portion of said thick-walled liner and includes said one access opening.