Service line branchout facility for communication cables

Claim 2

That improvement in a service line branchout facility for communication cables of the type having a conductive shield beneath the cable sheath which facility includes a rigid main frame to which the cable is anchorable and supporting terminal board means all enclosed within a protective enclosure, said improvement comprising: means including a threaded stud insertable through and clamped to punchout openings through the cable shield and sheath for detachably gripping and compressing the cable shield and sheath therebetween, electrically conductive means detachably connected to said main frame near one end thereof and having an opening therein for loosely accommodating said threaded stud, and means for holding said stud clamped to said last named means.

Claim 3

That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said electrically conductive means comprises a metal adapter member located in a generally upright position at one end of said main frame and having threaded fastener means holding the same assembled to said main frame, and said adapter member having a plurality of oPenings therethrough in any one of which said electrically conductive means is clampable.

Claim 4

That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that said openings in said adapter member include an elongated slot with notches opening through one lateral edge thereof each adapted to seat the shank of fastener means for clamping said electrically conductive adapter member thereto.

Claim 5

That improvement defined in claim 3 characterized in that said slot extends lengthwise and generally parallel to said cable.

Claim 6

That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that said electrically conductive means includes a metal strip having a row of holes therealong one of which is clampable over said threaded stud and another of which can accommodate the shank of clamping bolt means securing said metal strip to said adapter member.

Claim 7

That improvement defined in claim 5 characterized in that said adapter member has a plurality of openings in any one of which the clamping bolt means for said metal strip is securable.

Claim 8

That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said threaded stud means for gripping said cable sheath is clamped in firm electrical contact with a metallic shield surrounding the cable conductors and located immediately beneath the cable sheath.

Claim 9

That method of anchoring the sheath of a shielded multiple conductor cable to a service line branchout facility of the type having an elongated metallic main frame having a protective cover enclosing the frame and a terminal board means for making connections between cable conductors and one or more service lines, said method comprising removing a length of the cable sheath and electrical shield along a portion thereof to be enclosed within said branchout facility, slitting the cable sheath and shield lengthwise thereof adjacent at least one of the new-formed ends thereof, forming a hole through the sheath and shield generally opposite said slit, clamping the portion of said sheath and shield surrounding said hole between a pair of metal shoes by threaded stud means extending through said hole, and connecting said threaded stud to the main frame of said branchout facility by high strength electrically conductive means effective to hold the cable anchored thereto and said shield in electrically conductive relation therewith.

Claim 10

That method of anchoring the sheath of a shielded multiple conductor cable to a service line branchout facility of the type having an elongated metallic main frame having a protective cover enclosing the frame and a terminal board means for making connections between cable conductors and one or more service lines, said method comprising removing a length of the cable sheath and electrical shield along a portion thereof to be enclosed within said branchout facility, slitting the cable sheath and shield lengthwise thereof adjacent at least one of the new-formed ends thereof, forming a hole through the sheath and shield generally opposite said slit, clamping the portion of said sheath and shield surrounding said hole between a pair of metal shoes by threaded stud means extending through said hole, and connecting said threaded stud to the main frame of said branchout facility by high strength electrically conductive means effective to hold the cable anchored thereto and said shield in electrically conductive relation therewith.

Claim 11

That method defined in claim 8 characterized in the step of serving the slit end of said cable sheath with multiple convolutions of tape to hold said sheath snugly in place about the underlying shield and electrical conductors in the area to either side of said threaded stud.

Claim 12

That method defined in claim 8 characterized in the steps of similarly anchoring both of the new-formed ends of the cable sheath to the adjacent end of said metallic main frame and utilizing said main frame as an electric path interconnecting the electric shields of the cable entering the opposite ends of said branchout facility.

Claim 13

That method defined in claim 8 characterized in the step of clamping said threaded stud means selectively directly to said main frame means or to a metal strip having a row of holes therealong depending on the location of said threaded stud means to said main frame means when these parts are in readiness for anchorage to one another, and using threaded fastener means to clamp said metal strip to said main frame means when the spacing between the threaded stud and the main frame means requires the use of said metal strip.

Claim 14

A service line branchout facility for use in connecting a main communication cable to one or more service lines, said facility having a horizontally disposed main frame provided at its ends with separate upright bracket means adapted to encircle a main cable extending therethrough, said bracket means including a rear member and a front plate-like adapter member spaced apart to accommodate at least one main cable passing therebetween, fastener means for clamping the end portions of said adapter member to said bracket means, said adapter mEmber having a plurality of openings therein to receive fastener means, and fastener means separably attached thereto and securable to the sheath of said main cable and effective to anchor the cable sheath to a selected opening of said adapter member.

Claim 15

A service line branchout facility for use in connecting a main communication cable to one or more service lines, said facility having a horizontally disposed main frame provided at its ends with separate upright bracket means adapted to encircle a main cable extending therethrough, said bracket means including a rear member and a front plate-like adapter member spaced apart to accommodate at least one main cable passing therebetween, fastener means for clamping the end portions of said adapter member to said bracket means, said adapter mEmber having a plurality of openings therein to receive fastener means, and fastener means separably attached thereto and securable to the sheath of said main cable and effective to anchor the cable sheath to a selected opening of said adapter member.

Claim 16

A branchout facility as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said adapter member is formed with a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced openings any one of which may be used selectively in anchoring the cable sheath thereto.

Claim 17

A branchout facility as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said front adapter member includes means holding the same detachably secured to the rear member of said bracket means.

Claim 18

A branchout facility as defined in claim 14 characterized in that said front adapter member includes at least one elongated slot formed with notches spaced therealong each adapted for use in anchoring said fastener means therein.

Claim 19

A branchout facility as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said rear bracket member and said front adapter member are spaced apart sufficiently to receive cables of a range of diameters.

Claim 20

In a service line branchout splice facility for use in connecting a main communication cable to one or more service lines extending to a phone station, said branchout splice facility being of the type having an elongated metal main frame provided at its ends with separate upright metal bracket means and with a detachable jaw member cooperating with each thereof to clamp a main cable thereto and entering the opposite ends of said facility, wherein the improvement comprises: a converter adapter member detachably and rigidly securable to said bracket means in lieu of said jaw member with a broad rigid mid-portion thereof widely spaced from said bracket means, and adjustable means secured to the mid-portion of said adapter member for anchoring a cable sheath firmly thereto without need for compressing the cable against said bracket means.

Claim 21

In a service line branchout splice facility for use in connecting a main communication cable to one or more service lines extending to a phone station, said branchout splice facility being of the type having an elongated metal main frame provided at its ends with separate upright metal bracket means and with a detachable jaw member cooperating with each thereof to clamp a main cable thereto and entering the opposite ends of said facility, wherein the improvement comprises: a converter adapter member detachably and rigidly securable to said bracket means in lieu of said jaw member with a broad rigid mid-portion thereof widely spaced from said bracket means, and adjustable means secured to the mid-portion of said adapter member for anchoring a cable sheath firmly thereto without need for compressing the cable against said bracket means.

Claim 22

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that said means for anchoring a cable to said adapter member includes anchor shoe means clampable to the cable sheath, and threaded fastener means for detachably connecting said anchor shoe means to said adapter member.

Claim 23

The combination defined in claim 18 characterized in the provision of an elongated strip formed with holes therealong one of which is clampable to said anchor shoe means and one of which is clampable to said adapter member by said threaded fastener means.

Claim 24

The combination defined in claim 18 characterized in that said threaded fastener means is part of said clamping shoe means and supports nut means for clamping said shoe means to the cable sheath, and separate nut means for clamping said shoe means and said cable to said adapter member.

Claim 25

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that said clamping shoe means and said adapter member are metallic and effective to provide a high capacity conductive path between the cable shielding jacket and said main frame, whereby the cable shields are electrically connected to one another when shielded cables are similarly anchored to adapter members at the opposite ends of said branchout facility.

Claim 26

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that said means in said adapter member for anchoring a cable sheath thereto includes a plurality of openings selectively usable to secure the cable sheath immovably to said adapter member.

Claim 27

The combination defined in claim 22 characterized in that certain of said openings are separate and distinct from one another.

Claim 28

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that certain of said openings are connected to one another via slot means along which anchoring fastener means is shiftable when not tightened.

Claim 29

The combination defined in claim 24 characterized in that said openings include notches opening laterally from common interconnecting slot means.

Claim 30

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that said adapter member is detachably from said bracket means while a cable remains firmly anchored to said adapter member.

Claim 31

The combination defined in claim 17 characterized in that said branchout facility is removable from a cable without disturbing the firm anchorage of a cable to said adapter member.

Claim 32

The combination defined in claim 18 characterized in that said anchor shoe means clamped to said cable sheath is located along one lateral side of the cable conductors.

Claim 33

The combination defined in claim 18 characterized in that the firm tightening of said anchor shoe means to the cable sheath is in effective to compress the cable conductors against one another or against said upright bracket means.

Claim 34

The combination defined in claim 29 characterized in that a single threaded shank is utilized to clamp said anchor shoe means to the cable and to said adapter member.