Terminal structure for a multiconductor cable cooled by a circulating fluid

Claim 2

A terminal structure adapted to receive a multiconductor electric cable of the type comprising two groups of conductors of different polarities separated by an insulating separating element and disposed within a sealing sheath and cooled by a fluid circulating within the sheath, said terminal structure comprising two half-terminals each having a generally semicylindrical shape, an axial cooling fluid passage defined by said half-terminals, aligned radial cooling fluid inlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial cooling fluid passage, and aligned radial second apertures in said halfterminals for means fixing the terminal structure to a terminalreceiving part, opposed inner plane faces on said two halfterminals, an elastically yieldable insulating and sealing element adapted to be in the extension of said separating element and interposed between and sealingly engaging said opposed plane faces and in a compressed condition radially of said halfterminals for sealing the cooling fluid in said inlet apertures and said axial fluid passage from the exterior, screw means radially extending through said half-terminals for assembling said half-terminals, and at least one rigid incompressible insulating element having a thickness less than the overall thickness of said sealing element in a free uncompressed condition of said sealing element, said incompressible element engaging said plane faces and constituting an abutment limiting the pressure exerted on said sealing element when radially clamping said two half-terminals against said sealing element and incompressible element by said screw means.

Claim 3

A terminal structure adapted to receive a multiconductor electric cable of the type comprising two groups of conductors of different polarities separated by an insulating separating element and disposed within a sealing sheath and cooled by a fluid circulating within the sheath, said terminal structure comprising two half-terminals each having a generally semicylindrical shape, an axial cooling fluid passage defined by said half-terminals, aligned radial cooling fluid inlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial cooling fluid passage, and aligned radial second apertures in said half-terminals for means fixing the terminal structure to a terminal-receiving part, opposed inner plane faces on said two half-terminals, an elastically yieldable insulating and sealing element adapted to be in the extension of said separating element and interposed between and sealingly engaging said opposed plane faces and in a compressed condition radially of said half-terminals for sealing the cooling fluid in said inlet apertures and said axial fluid passage from the exterior, screw means radially extending through said half-terminals for assembling said half-terminals, said sealing element comprising openings and spacer members of a hard insulating material disposed in said openings, the thickness of said spacer members being less than the thickness of said sealing element in a free uncompressed condition of said sealing element, said spacer members engaging said plane faces and constitutiNg abutments limiting the compression of said sealing element when radially clamping said half-terminals against said sealing element and spacer members.

Claim 4

A terminal structure adapted to receive a multiconductor electric cable of the type comprising two groups of conductors of different polarities separated by an insulating separating element and disposed within a sealing sheath and cooled by a fluid circulating within the sheath, said terminal structure comprising two half-terminals each having a generally semicylindrical shape, an axial cooling fluid passage defined by said half-terminals, aligned radial cooling fluid inlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial cooling fluid passage, and aligned radial second apertures in said half-terminals for means fixing the terminal structure to a terminal-receiving part, opposed inner plane faces on said two half-terminals, an elastically yieldable insulating and sealing element adapted to be in the extension of said separating element and interposed between and sealingly engaging said opposed plane faces and in a compressed condition radially of said half-terminals for sealing the cooling fluid in said inlet apertures and said axial fluid passage from the exterior, screw means radially extending through said half-terminals for assembling said half-terminals, said sealing element comprising openings and spacer members of a hard insulating material disposed in said openings, the thickness of said spacer members being less than the thickness of said sealing element in a free uncompressed condition of said sealing element, said spacer members engaging said plane faces and constitutiNg abutments limiting the compression of said sealing element when radially clamping said half-terminals against said sealing element and spacer members.

Claim 5

A terminal structure as claimed in claim 2, further comprising radial cooling fluid outlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial passage and with an outer groove in said half-terminals, one of said openings completely surrounding said outlet apertures in planes containing said plane faces for the passage of the cooling fluid and another of said openings being in radial alignment with said second apertures and said screw means to allow passage of said fixing means and screw means, a further opening being provided in said sealing element in radial alignment with said inlet apertures.

Claim 6

A terminal structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said incompressible element comprises a plate which has an aperture coincident with the fluid inlet apertures in the half-terminals and extends at least along the entire length of said axial cooling fluid passage.

Claim 7

A terminal structure adapted to receive a multiconductor electric cable of the type comprising two groups of conductors of different polarities separated within a sealing sheath and cooled by a fluid circulating within the sheath, said terminal structure comprising two half-terminals each having a generally semicylindrical shape, an axial cooling fluid passage defined by said half-terminals, aligned radial cooling fluid inlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial cooling fluid passage, and aligned radial second apertures in said half-terminals for means fixing the terminal structure to a terminal-receiving part, opposed inner plane faces on said two half-terminals, an elastically yieldable insulating and sealing element adapted to be in the extension of said separating element and interposed between and sealingly engaging said opposed plane faces and in a compressed condition radially of said half-terminals for sealing the cooling fluid in said inlet apertures and said axial fluid passage from the exterior, screw means radially extending through said half-terminals for assembling said half-terminals, a rigid incompressible insulating element interposed between and engaging said plane faces and comprising an aperture in alignment with said cooling fluid inlet apertures, said sealing element extending round said aperture in said incompressible element and extending on each side of said axial cooling, fluid passage and adapted to extend into said sheath, and recessed portions in said incompressible element in which said sealing element is fixed by being moulded to said recessed portions, said recessed portions having a depth which is less than the thickness of said sealing element disposed in said recessed portions, when in a free uncompressed condition, whereby said incompressible element constitutes an abutment limiting the pressure exerted on said sealing element when radially clamping said half-terminals against said sealing element and incompressible element by said screw means.

Claim 8

A terminal structure adapted to receive a multiconductor electric cable of the type comprising two groups of conductors of different polarities separated within a sealing sheath and cooled by a fluid circulating within the sheath, said terminal structure comprising two half-terminals each having a generally semicylindrical shape, an axial cooling fluid passage defined by said half-terminals, aligned radial cooling fluid inlet apertures in said half-terminals and communicating with said axial cooling fluid passage, and aligned radial second apertures in said half-terminals for means fixing the terminal structure to a terminal-receiving part, opposed inner plane faces on said two half-terminals, an elastically yieldable insulating and sealing element adapted to be in the extension of said separating element and interposed between and sealingly engaging said opposed plane faces and in a compressed condition radially of said half-terminals for sealing the cooling fluid in said inlet apertures and said axial fluid passage from the exterior, screw means radially extending through said half-terminals for assembling said half-terminals, a rigid incompressible insulating element interposed between and engaging said plane faces and comprising an aperture in alignment with said cooling fluid inlet apertures, said sealing element extending round said aperture in said incompressible element and extending on each side of said axial cooling, fluid passage and adapted to extend into said sheath, and recessed portions in said incompressible element in which said sealing element is fixed by being moulded to said recessed portions, said recessed portions having a depth which is less than the thickness of said sealing element disposed in said recessed portions, when in a free uncompressed condition, whereby said incompressible element constitutes an abutment limiting the pressure exerted on said sealing element when radially clamping said half-terminals against said sealing element and incompressible element by said screw means.

Claim 9

A terminal structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sealing element forms one single piece with said element separating the conductors of opposed polarities.

Claim 10

A terminal structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing element is separate from said separating element and secured thereto.

Claim 11

A terminal structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sealing element is adhered to said separating element.