Molding process for splicing cable and product formed thereby

Claim 2

A cable splice assembly as in claim 2, wherein the final wrap includes a shielding layer of copper mesh.

Claim 3

A cable splice assembly as in claim 3, wherein the final wrap includes layers of semi-conducting material disposed beneath the shielding layer of copper mesh.

Claim 4

Method of making a cross-linked polyethylene-coated splice for at least two electrical cables covered by cross-linked polyethylene insulation coatings comprising: a. removing said insulation coating from the end of each of said cables, b. applying a conductor-connector to connect said cable ends in conducting relationship, c. wrapping cross-linkable polyethylene semi-conducting shielding tape around said connector and said cable ends to form a shielding layer, d. applying a confining pressure-resistant cover over said wrapped shielding layer of tape, e. heating said cover and wrapped shielding layer to fuse and effect cross-linking in said polyethylene shielding tape and to drive off gases to form a monolithic shielding layer free of voids, f. cooling and forming a smooth exterior surface on said shielding layer, g. wrapping said smooth surface shielding layer and a portion of each said insulation coatings with cross-linkable polyethylene insulating tape to form an insulating splice coating, h. applying a contining cover over said wrapped second-mentioned cross-linkable polyethylene tape, i. heating said confined cross-linkable polyethylene insulating tape to fuse and then to drive off gases, j. then heating said polyethylene tape to effect cross-linking of said cross-linkable polyethylene insulating tape and to cure and monolithically bond the same to adjacent surfaces of cross-linked polyethylene, k. cooling said heated splice to ambient temperature and removing said confining covering to recover a substantially monolithic splice homogeneous with said original cable insulation.

Claim 5

Method as in claim 5 wherein said cross-linkable polyethylene tape making up the shielding layer is heated in a first stage at a temperature of from 125* to 135* C. for a selected period of time.

Claim 6

Method as in claim 5 wherein said cross-linkable tape insulating layer is heated to fuse in a first stage at a temperature of from 110* C. to 120* C. for from two to three hours.

Claim 7

Method as in claim 5 wherein said shielding layer is heated in a second stage and while confined at a temperature of from 160* C. to 180* C. for about 1 hour.

Claim 8

Method as in claim 5 wherein said insulating layer is heated in a second stage at a temperature of from 138* C. to 142* C. for from two to three hours to drive off voids.

Claim 9

Method as in claim 5 wherein said insulating layer is heated in a third stage at a temperature of from 130* C. to 135* C. for from 4 to 8 hours, to cure and effect monolithic bonding.

Claim 10

Method as in claim 5 wherein after said second-mentioned cooling, a smooth surface is formed on said insulation coating, a layer of semi-conducting paint is applied thereover, then a layer of semi-conducting tape, a metallic shielding And a protective jacket over said metallic shielding.