Patent US3725580A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3725580A
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US
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Protective cable splice assembly and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-09-10
•
Granted: 1973-04-03
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Expires: 1990-09-10
Abstract
Abstract A protective cable splice assembly kit and method for use in making cable splice connections with provision for access, testing, inspecting and adding other splice connections at a later time. The assembly includes a tubular housing member adapted to seat about the legs of a loop formed in a main cable and to be clamped to a cup-shaped cap member telescoped over the return bend of the loop. One or more service cables can be assembled through the tubular housing and hermetically sealed to the latter along with the legs of the main cable by potting compound applied after grounding strips have been connected to the shielding sheaths of the main cable and of the service cables. Preferably the connections to all cable sheaths are hermetically sealed within potting compound. These strips include holes for attaching testing instruments as well as grounding wires to the electrical shields of branchout service cables. The flexible cap member flexes readily to compensate for pressure differential across the junction between the two housing members. The outer end of the service cables are hermetically sealed until needed to complete a service connection and are stored along with the splice enclosure in a subsurface casing having its normally closed top flush with ground level.
Inventors
- 👤 J Thompson
- 👤 G Gillemot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/20; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/02; H02G15/04; H02G15/043; H02G15/06; H02G15/064; H02G15/068; H04Q1/02; H04Q1/11; H04Q1/116; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49194; Y10T29/49204; Y10T29/49208; Y10T29/4922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 56
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
That method of installing a communication line which comprises making an underground installation of a moisture proof main cable enclosing multiple conductor pairs therein within a continuous conductive electrical shielding jacket, leaving a loop of excess cable at intervals therealong each conveniently located to prospective customer property areas, removing the sheath from a return bend portion of at least one of said loops, coupling at least one pair of service conductors to a pair of cable conductors, providing a fluid-tight enclosure for said cable loop including a readily removable deep cup-shaped protective enclosure normally closed in a fluid-tight manner about the coupling between said service conductors and said main cable, hermetically sealing one end portion of said protective enclosure about the exterior of said service conductors and said main cable with potting compound while leaving the return bend portion of the main cable and the adjacent interior end of said service conductors accessible for testing and checking when said cupshaped portion of said separable protective enclosure is withdrawn from a snug-fitting telescopic assembly with said hermetically sealed end portion of the protective enclosure, and including provision in the completed assembly for compensation for pressure changes due to changes in atmospheric conditions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
That method of installing a communication line which comprises making an underground installation of a moisture proof main cable enclosing multiple conductor pairs therein within a continuous conductive electrical shielding jacket, leaving a loop of excess cable at intervals therealong each conveniently located to prospective customer property areas, removing the sheath from a return bend portion of at least one of said loops, coupling at least one pair of service conductors to a pair of cable conductors, providing a fluid-tight enclosure for said cable loop including a readily removable deep cup-shaped protective enclosure normally closed in a fluid-tight manner about the coupling between said service conductors and said main cable, hermetically sealing one end portion of said protective enclosure about the exterior of said service conductors and said main cable with potting compound while leaving the return bend portion of the main cable and the adjacent interior end of said service conductors accessible for testing and checking when said cupshaped portion of said separable protective enclosure is withdrawn from a snug-fitting telescopic assembly with said hermetically sealed end portion of the protective enclosure, and including provision in the completed assembly for compensation for pressure changes due to changes in atmospheric conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utiliziNg a pair of tube-like members for said protective enclosure and shaped to telescope together over the return bend portion of one said loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utilizing resilient flexible material for said deep cup-shaped portion of the enclosure and which material flexes readily to compensate for changes in pressure occurring between the interior and exterior of said protective enclosure thereby to maintain the pressure differential across the wall of said protective enclosure generally constant despite changes in the ambient temperature and pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utilizing a protective enclosure having a pressure responsive flexible wall which flexes in response to the changes in pressure acting on the opposite surfaces thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
That method defined in claim 4 characterized in the step of making the cup-shaped portion of said protective enclosure of impervious flexible resilient elastomeric material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of anchoring one end of separate metallic strips in electrical contact with an electrical shielding sheath embracing the respective legs of said cable loop prior to hermetically sealing these portions of the loop legs in said potting compound thereby to embed said one end of said metallic strips in said potting compound.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
That method defined in claim 6 characterized in the step of providing a readily separable and reclosable conductive path between the shielding sheaths of said service conductors and said metallic strips.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
That method defined in claim 7 characterized in the step of providing means for separably interconnecting said metallic strips between areas thereof located outside said potting compound.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
That method defined in claim 7 characterized in the step of utilizing as said metal strips metal strips having a plurality of openings therealong.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of hermetically sealing the outer remote ends of said service conductors closed until such time as there is need for connecting the same to customer equipment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
180 words
That method of providing for future connections to a multiple conductor shielded main cable which comprises forming a loop at a selected point therealong, unsheathing the return bend portion of said loop, connecting electrical conductive means to the cable shield at the opposite ends of the unsheathed portion of said loop, placing a plurality of shielded service conductors against the legs of said loop with one end of each terminating adjacent the return bend of said loop, encircling the legs of said loop and the adjacent portions of said service conductors and the portions of said main cable shield connected to said conductive means with tube-like housing means, charging said housing means with potting compound to a level sealing the connections of said conductive means to said cable shield thereby to provide a fluid-tight seal between said main cable said service conductors and the connections to said cable shields and said housing means, and detachably securing a housing cap over the return bend portion of said loop and to the adjacent end of said tube-like housing in a fluid-tight manner.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
180 words
That method of providing for future connections to a multiple conductor shielded main cable which comprises forming a loop at a selected point therealong, unsheathing the return bend portion of said loop, connecting electrical conductive means to the cable shield at the opposite ends of the unsheathed portion of said loop, placing a plurality of shielded service conductors against the legs of said loop with one end of each terminating adjacent the return bend of said loop, encircling the legs of said loop and the adjacent portions of said service conductors and the portions of said main cable shield connected to said conductive means with tube-like housing means, charging said housing means with potting compound to a level sealing the connections of said conductive means to said cable shield thereby to provide a fluid-tight seal between said main cable said service conductors and the connections to said cable shields and said housing means, and detachably securing a housing cap over the return bend portion of said loop and to the adjacent end of said tube-like housing in a fluid-tight manner.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
That method defined in claim 11 characterized in the step of electrically interconnecting the electrical shield of each of said service conductors in areas embedded in said potting compound, and extending an electrical conductor from the latter connection upwardly through said potting compound for convenience in connecting the same to a common ground for the shield of said main cable and each of said service conductors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
That method defined in claim 12 characterized in the step of embedding a metallic ring in said potting compound generally concentrically of said tube-like housing means and having an attached grounding conductor secured thereto, and compressing tangs carried by said ring into firm anchorage with the expoSed shields of said service conductors before charging said housing means with potting compound.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
That method defined in claim 11 characterized in the steps of completing a connection of a pair of said service conductors to a selected pair of main cable conductors by detaching said housing cap to expose the unsheathed portion of said return bend and the inner ends of said service conductors, completing a grounding connection between the shield for the selected one of said service conductors and the conductive means connected to the main cable shield, connecting the inner ends of the selected conductors to a selected pair of main cable conductors, and replacing said housing cap over one end of said tube-like housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
That method defined in claim 11 characterized in utilizing a metallic strip having a series of openings spaced therealong for the electrical connection between the ends of the main cable shield and formed when unsheathing the return bend portion of said main cable, and selecting specific openings in said strips as and when needed to secure electrical conductors between said strips and the shielding sheaths of said service conductors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
That method defined in claim 15 characterized in the step of terminating the electrical shields of said service conductors within said potting compound, and providing a common grounding connection having one end connected to the shields of all of said service conductors at points embedded in said potting compound and an exposed second end separably connectable to said metallic strip and whereby the ends of the shields for said service conductors are hermetically sealed by said potting compound.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
227 words
A protective enclosure enclosing splice connections between one or more branchout service cables and a main cable loop, said protective enclosure comprising first and second housing members of impervious material sized for telescopic assembly between one pair of ends, said first member being an open end tube sized to enclose the side-by-side legs of a shielded cable loop projecting outwardly past one end of said tube to expedite making splices to the conductors of said one or more branchout service cables, said second member being a deep cup-shaped member assembled over said one end of said tubular housing member, means detachably securing said first and second members assembled together, and potting compound filling the space between the exterior of lengths of cable passing through said first housing member and the interior walls of the latter and hermetically sealing and anchoring said branchout service cables and the legs of said cable loop in place therein, the return bend portion of said cable loop being unsheathed, means clamping separate grounding conductors to conductive means clamping the cable shield of each leg of the cable loop to the juxtaposed portion of the cable sheath, and said clamping means for said grounding conductors and the adjacent ends of the shields on the legs of said cable loop being embedded in and sealed to said potting compound and thereby anchored against loosening.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
227 words
A protective enclosure enclosing splice connections between one or more branchout service cables and a main cable loop, said protective enclosure comprising first and second housing members of impervious material sized for telescopic assembly between one pair of ends, said first member being an open end tube sized to enclose the side-by-side legs of a shielded cable loop projecting outwardly past one end of said tube to expedite making splices to the conductors of said one or more branchout service cables, said second member being a deep cup-shaped member assembled over said one end of said tubular housing member, means detachably securing said first and second members assembled together, and potting compound filling the space between the exterior of lengths of cable passing through said first housing member and the interior walls of the latter and hermetically sealing and anchoring said branchout service cables and the legs of said cable loop in place therein, the return bend portion of said cable loop being unsheathed, means clamping separate grounding conductors to conductive means clamping the cable shield of each leg of the cable loop to the juxtaposed portion of the cable sheath, and said clamping means for said grounding conductors and the adjacent ends of the shields on the legs of said cable loop being embedded in and sealed to said potting compound and thereby anchored against loosening.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
93 words
A protective splice as defined in claim 17 characterized in the provision of an arcuate length of ductile metal having tang means projecting therefrom adapted to embrace and to be clinched against the exposed terminal end of the electrical shield jacket of service conductor cables in an area encapsulated in and hermetically sealed by said potting compound, and a grounding conductor having one end connected to said ductile metal, and its other end exposed beyond said potting compound and separably connectable to said grounding conductors connected to the shields of said main cable.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 18 characterized in that said second member is molded from flexible elastomeric material responsive to changes in pressure on the opposite sides thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said second member includes a plurality of inwardLy projecting ribs encircling the same and spaced apart axially thereof, and means clamping at least one of said ribs in sealing engagement with the juxtaposed end surface of said first member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said grounding conductors each comprise conductive strips means having a plurality of holes therealong, and means for securing said strips separably together at points remote from the connection thereof to the cable shielding.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said first member is larger at one end than at the end thereof having a telescopic fit with said second member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in the provision of means including sealing tape plugging the space between lengths of said cables juxtaposed to the smaller end of said first member prior to filling said first member with potting compound.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said means detachably clamping said first and second members telescoped together comprises a clamping band positioned to apply hoop pressure to said first and second members in a plane below the top surface of said potting compound.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
45 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in the provision of stake means adapted to be driven into the ground, and said first housing member having means cooperable with said stake means for supporting said first housing member in an upright position.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
58 words
That method defined in claim 11 characterized in the step of connecting one end of a metal strip to the shielding sheath on each leg of said cable loop in an area thereof embedded in said potting compound, and leaving the main body portions of said metal strips exposed beyond said potting compound for connection to one another.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
61 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that the cable receiving end portion of said first housing member is relatively thin and flexible as compared with the flexibility of the other end thereof whereby said flexible end can be flattened sufficiently to receive a pair of cable ends of larger diameter than could otherwise be inserted therethrough.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that the rim at one end of said first housing member is formed with a wide axial taper to facilitate the assembly of components to said one end.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 28 characterized in that each end of said first housing member is formed with a wide axial taper and inclined oppositely to one another.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
65 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 17 characterized in that said first and second members are formed with complementally shaped flange and groove means having generally radially disposed interlocking surfaces effective to hold said first and second members positively locked in telescopic assembled relation, and said second member being formed of resilient elastomeric material whereby it may be forcibly expanded to permit disassembly.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
A protective splice enclosure as defined in claim 30 characterized in the provision of adjustable clamp means encircling said interlocked flange and groove means and effective to hold said second member against expansion and disassembly from said first member so long as said clamp means is tightened thereagainst.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
212 words
A cable splice assembly providing a fluid tight separable enclosure for the junction between service cable means and a loop in a main communication cable, said separable enclosure including a cup-shaped base member through which the leg portions of said loop of the main cable pass, a deep cup-shaped closure cap telescoped over said cable loop and including means clamping the rim of said closure cap to the adjacent end of said base member in a fluid tight manner, said main cable and said service cable means each including an electrical Shielding sheath, a plurality of elongated metallic strips including means anchoring one end of each to the shielding sheath of said main cable in an area on each leg of said loop of cable with the free ends of said strips projecting toward the return bend portion of the cable loop, means securing the free ends of said strips separably together in good electrical contact, means separably securing the shielding sheaths of said service cable means to said metallic strips, and potting compound filling a major portion of said base member to provide a seal about the adjacent leg portions of said cable loop and embedding the ends of said metallic strips clamped to the shielding sheath of said main cable.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
212 words
A cable splice assembly providing a fluid tight separable enclosure for the junction between service cable means and a loop in a main communication cable, said separable enclosure including a cup-shaped base member through which the leg portions of said loop of the main cable pass, a deep cup-shaped closure cap telescoped over said cable loop and including means clamping the rim of said closure cap to the adjacent end of said base member in a fluid tight manner, said main cable and said service cable means each including an electrical Shielding sheath, a plurality of elongated metallic strips including means anchoring one end of each to the shielding sheath of said main cable in an area on each leg of said loop of cable with the free ends of said strips projecting toward the return bend portion of the cable loop, means securing the free ends of said strips separably together in good electrical contact, means separably securing the shielding sheaths of said service cable means to said metallic strips, and potting compound filling a major portion of said base member to provide a seal about the adjacent leg portions of said cable loop and embedding the ends of said metallic strips clamped to the shielding sheath of said main cable.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in the provision of upright stake means temporarily supported in the ground and including means securing said base member thereto in an upright manner while said base member is being charged with potting compound.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
54 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said means clamping said closure cap to said base member is located in a plane below the upper surface of the potting compound whereby said clamping means is effective when tightened to clamp said separable closure members together against said potting compound.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that one end of the shielding sheaths of said service cable means are electrically connected to one another in an area hermetically sealed within said potting compound, and an electrical conductor interconnecting the shielding sheaths of said service and main cable means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
86 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in the provision of a strip of ductile metal having a plurality of tangs clinched about the exposed ends of the shielding sheaths of said service cable means and including conductive means extending to a point adjacent said metallic strips and separably connected thereto, and the portion of said ductile metal strip clinched to said service cable sheath means being embedded in said potting compound to thereby hermetically seal the ends of said service cable sheaths.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
39 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 36 characterized in that said ductile metal strip comprises a split metal ring housed about the legs of said main cable loop and encircling the same within said cup-shaped base member.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
47 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said cup-shaped base member is formed of flexible material readily slit crosswise of its bottom to provide an opening through which a cable loop and service cable means can be inserted with a snug fit.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
46 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said closure cap is formed with an inwardly projecting annular bead adjacent the inlet thereof sized to have a snug fit with the juxtaposed surface of said base member as it is telescoped thereover.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 39 characterized in that said closure cap includes a plurality of axially spaced apart inwardly projecting annular beads along the interior thereof.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
34 words
A cable splice as defined in claim 40 characterized in that a plurality of said annular beads are positioned to seat against the juxtaposed surface of said base member in the assembled position thereof.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said closure cap is formed of flexible non-conductive material which flexes readily to compensate for pressure changes on the opposite sides thereof due to changing temperature and atmospheric conditions.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said closure cap is formed of flexible non-conductive material, said closure cap having a plurality of spaced-apart corrugations formed in the wall thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
50 words
A cable splice assembly as defined in claim 32 characterized in that said closure cap is formed with a plurality of aNnular trough-like corrugations encircling the same at spaced apart intervals serving to strengthen the wall and effective to facilitate manually gripping the surface thereof during assembly and disassembly operations.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
154 words
That method of providing prospective present and branchout service connections from a multiple-conductor shielded main cable which method comprises: forming a loop at a selected location therealong, unsheathing the return bend portion of said loop including a length of its shield, clamping each end of said shield on each leg of said loop against a juxtaposed portion of the cable sheath and in electrical circuit with a grounding conductor extending therefrom, extending a plurality of shielded branchout service cables each having at least one pair of conductors lengthwise of and closely parallel to the legs of said loop, embedding in potting compound a longitudinal length of said loop legs including the connections of said grounding conductor to said main cable shield and the adjacent lengths of said branchout service cables, and enclosing said cable loop with a removable fluid-tight closure cap having one end telescoping about the adjacent end portion of said potting compound.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
154 words
That method of providing prospective present and branchout service connections from a multiple-conductor shielded main cable which method comprises: forming a loop at a selected location therealong, unsheathing the return bend portion of said loop including a length of its shield, clamping each end of said shield on each leg of said loop against a juxtaposed portion of the cable sheath and in electrical circuit with a grounding conductor extending therefrom, extending a plurality of shielded branchout service cables each having at least one pair of conductors lengthwise of and closely parallel to the legs of said loop, embedding in potting compound a longitudinal length of said loop legs including the connections of said grounding conductor to said main cable shield and the adjacent lengths of said branchout service cables, and enclosing said cable loop with a removable fluid-tight closure cap having one end telescoping about the adjacent end portion of said potting compound.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
29 words
That method defined in claim 45 characterized in the step of compressing the telescoped portions of said closure and potting compound together to form a separable fluid-tight seal therebetween.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
53 words
That method defined in claim 45 comprising the step of encircling the legs of said loop and the adjacent portions of said branchout service cables with an annular enclosure providing a form for said potting compound and having a seat snugly interfitting with the adjacent end of said closure for said cable loop.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
51 words
That method defined in claim 45 characterized in the step of unsheathing the shield of each of said branchout service cables and connecting the same firmly to conductive grounding means in an area embedded in said potting compound with one end of said conductive grounding means exposed beyond said potting compound.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
44 words
That method defined in claim 48 characterized in the step of separably interconnecting the exposed ends of said conductive grounding means from the shields of said main cable to either end of said cable loop and from the shields of said branchout service cables.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
45 words
That method defined in claim 45 characterized in the step of providing means for automatically compensating for pressure conditions existing on the opposite sides of the wall of the closure for said cable loop while assembled in a fluid-tight manner relative to said potting compound.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
39 words
That method defined in claim 50 characterized in the step of utilizing a closure for said cable loop having a readily flexible wall responsive to pressure differential between the interior and exterior of said closure shiftable to compensate therefor.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-02 | 1976-10-02 | 1977-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-02 | 1980-10-02 | 1981-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-02 | 1984-10-02 | 1985-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |