US3862349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Telephone cable pipe cable assembly and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-11-02
•
Granted: 1975-01-21
•
Expires: 1993-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A telephone cable pipe cable especially adapted for underground installation has an outer protective sheath in the form of a flexible plastic pipe and a conventional telephone cable inside of, and fixed at its ends to, the pipe, the inside diameter of the pipe being sufficiently larger than the outside diameter of the telephone cable to permit the future placement in the pipe of at least one additional cable. A pull-in wire may be provided inside the pipe, paralleling the telephone cable, for use in pulling in an additional cable after the cable pipe cable has been placed in service. The terminal ends of each length of cable pipe cable are provided with butt sleeves containing sealer compound through which extend the capped ends of the telephone cable. The interior of the pipe may be filled with colored air or gas under pressure for indicating the location of a leak or break in the pipe by rising to the top of the ground in which the cable pipe cable is buried and coloring the surface thereof adjacent the point of damage.
Inventors
- 👤 James R Watts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:07
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/4459; G02B6/46; G02B6/50; H; H02; H02G; H02G1/00; H02G1/06; H02G1/08; H02G9/00; H02G9/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
As an article of manufacture, a telephone cable pipe cable for underground installation comprising an outer protective sheath in the form of a flexible plastic pipe of finite length, a conventional telephone cable inside of said pipe, the inside diameter of said pipe being sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of said telephone cable to permit the placement in said pipe after underground installation thereof of at least one additional telephone cable, a pull-in wire inside said pipe, substantially paralleling said telephone cable, for pulling an additional telephone cable into said pipe, means closing and sealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of the telephone cable and the ends of the pull-in wire extending outwardly thereof, the end portions of said telephone cable and said pull-in wire being fixed relative to the end portions of said pipe, and a gas under pressure filling the free space within said pipe, the means for closing and sealing each end of said pipe also preventing the escape of said gas from within the pipe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
As an article of manufacture, a telephone cable pipe cable for underground installation comprising an outer protective sheath in the form of a flexible plastic pipe of finite length, a conventional telephone cable inside of said pipe, the inside diameter of said pipe being sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of said telephone cable to permit the placement in said pipe after underground installation thereof of at least one additional telephone cable, a pull-in wire inside said pipe, substantially paralleling said telephone cable, for pulling an additional telephone cable into said pipe, means closing and sealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of the telephone cable and the ends of the pull-in wire extending outwardly thereof, the end portions of said telephone cable and said pull-in wire being fixed relative to the end portions of said pipe, and a gas under pressure filling the free space within said pipe, the means for closing and sealing each end of said pipe also preventing the escape of said gas from within the pipe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A telephone cable pipe cable as claimed in claim 1 including a valve connected to one end of said pipe for supplying gas under pressure to the interior thereof, and a gauge connected to one end of said pipe for indicating the pressure of the gas within the pipe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A telephone cable pipe cable as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gas within the pipe incorporates a coloring substance which, upon the escape of gas from a buried portion of said pipe, due to a break in the pipe, discolors the surface of the earth adjacent the break.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
280 words
A method of providing an underground installation of telephone cable wherein an additional cable is installed after underground installation of a first cable comprising the steps of manufacturing a finite length of telephone cable pipe cable comprising an outer protective sheath in the form of a flexible plastic pipe, a first conventional telephone cable inside of said pipe, the inside diameter of said pipe being sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of said telephone cable to permit the placement in said pipe of an additional telephone cable, a pullin wire inside said pipe, substantially paralleling said telephone cable, means closing and sealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of the telephone cable and the ends of the pull-in wire extending outwardly thereof, the end portions of said telephone cable and said pull-in wire being fixed relatively to the end portions of said pipe, and a gas under pressure filling the free space within said pipe; burying said telephone cable pipe cable in the ground with the ends of the pipe and the outwaRdly extending ends of the telephone cable and the pull-in wire positioned above ground; removing the means closing and sealing each end of said pipe, permitting said gas to escape from the free space within said pipe, and attaching one end of an additional cable to one end of the pull-in wire; placing the additional cable in said pipe by pulling on the opposite end of the pull-in wire; reclosing and resealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of both telephone cables extending outwardly of the ends of the pipe; and refilling the free space within said pipe with gas under pressure.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
280 words
A method of providing an underground installation of telephone cable wherein an additional cable is installed after underground installation of a first cable comprising the steps of manufacturing a finite length of telephone cable pipe cable comprising an outer protective sheath in the form of a flexible plastic pipe, a first conventional telephone cable inside of said pipe, the inside diameter of said pipe being sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of said telephone cable to permit the placement in said pipe of an additional telephone cable, a pullin wire inside said pipe, substantially paralleling said telephone cable, means closing and sealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of the telephone cable and the ends of the pull-in wire extending outwardly thereof, the end portions of said telephone cable and said pull-in wire being fixed relatively to the end portions of said pipe, and a gas under pressure filling the free space within said pipe; burying said telephone cable pipe cable in the ground with the ends of the pipe and the outwaRdly extending ends of the telephone cable and the pull-in wire positioned above ground; removing the means closing and sealing each end of said pipe, permitting said gas to escape from the free space within said pipe, and attaching one end of an additional cable to one end of the pull-in wire; placing the additional cable in said pipe by pulling on the opposite end of the pull-in wire; reclosing and resealing each end of said pipe with the terminal ends of both telephone cables extending outwardly of the ends of the pipe; and refilling the free space within said pipe with gas under pressure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2236286A
Cited
US1115447A
Cited
US1928575A
Cited
US2004589A
Cited
US2348968A
Cited
US2432568A
Cited
US3084208A
Cited
US3170026A
Cited
US3132415A
Cited
US3361547A
Cited
US3694563A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |