Steel supported aluminum overhead conductors

Claim 2

The electrical conductor of claim 1, in which the steel core is aluminized.

Claim 3

The electrical conductor of claim 1, in which the aluminum component has a capability of ductile inelastic elongation of at least about 5 percent in ten inches.

Claim 4

The electrical conductor of claim 4, in which the aluminum component is fabricated of EC aluminum.

Claim 5

The electrical conductor of claim 1, in which the aluminum component has received a small amount of work hardening after substantially complete annealing.

Claim 6

The electrical conductor of claim 1, in coiled form but mountable between widely spaced overhead supports with the steel component carrying substantially the whole tensile load and the aluminum component substantially unstressed, whereby subseqUent sag of the cable below its initial position is minimized.

Claim 7

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the tubular aluminum conductor having an electrical conductivity no lower than 61 percent IACS.

Claim 8

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 8 wherein the tubular aluminum conductor is fabricated of EC aluminum.

Claim 9

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 9 wherein the tubular aluminum conductor, at conductor operating temperature, is in a fully annealed condition of temper.

Claim 10

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 8 wherein the tubular aluminum conductor is fabricated of aluminum having an elongation in 10 inches of not less than 5 percent.

Claim 11

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 11 wherein the aluminum has an elongation in ten inches of about 19 percent.

Claim 12

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the steel core being fabricated of zinc-coated steel wire in accordance with ASTM B 232 and having an elongation in ten inches of no greater than 4.5 percent and the tubular aluminum conductor being fabricated of aluminum having an elongation in 10 inches of not less than 5 percent.

Claim 13

The steel supported aluminum conductor of claim 13 wherein the tubular aluminum conductor is fabricated of EC aluminum, having, in use at operating temperature, a fully annealed condition of temper.

Claim 14

The steel supported aluminum conductor of claim 13 wherein the tubular aluminum conductor is fabricated of an aluminum alloy having about 0.2 percent magnesium as the principal alloying constituent, and having, in use at operating temperature, a fully annealed condition of temper, plug greater strength and lesser creep than EC aluminum in the same condition of temper.

Claim 15

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the steel core being helically stranded steel wires.

Claim 16

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 16 wherein the steel core has at least the capability for bearing tensile stress as is prescribed by ASTM B 232 for cores of conventional ACSR.

Claim 17

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor reCeived upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the tubular aluminum conductor comprising at least one layer of helically stranded aluminum wires.

Claim 18

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the tubular aluminum conductor comprises at least one integral tube of aluminum encompassing the steel core.

Claim 19

The steel supported aluminum overhead conductor of claim 9 wherein the integral tube of aluminum exists as a strip of aluminum folded until opposite edges thereof lie adjacent one another and a weldment or mechanical joining proceeding along the strip edges integrally connecting the strip edges to create the integral tube of aluminum.

Claim 20

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the tubular aluminum conductor comprising at least one layer of helically stranded aluminum wires of keystone cross-sectional shape.

Claim 21

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the tubular aluminum conductor comprising at least one layer of helically stranded aluminum strips.

Claim 22

A steel supported aluminum overhead conductor comprising: a steel core; a tubular aluminum conductor received upon said core and being of such composition and soft temper that for all conductor operating temperatures, when the ambient temperature is above that at which ice and snow would accumulate on said conductor, substantially all mechanical tension resulting from the strung-overhead disposition of the conductor is borne by the steel core, and the tubular aluminum conductor, if called upon to bear any consequential stress would, instead, elongate inelastically leaving such stress to be borne by the steel core; the outer diameter of the steel core being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the tubular aluminum conductor at the time of fabrication.