Coupler for joining three cables

Claim 1

A coupler for mechanically and electrically interconnecting the conductors of three cables comprising in combination: a hollow, cylindrical casing having a wall at one end, an opening at the opposite end, and a chamber between said opening and said wall, said casing having a threaded portion on the cylindrical wall thereof near its open end; three electric cables, each cable having at least two insulated metallic conductors, each conductor having a bare end; a resilient plug having three parallel, longitudinal bores extending therethrough, each bore snuggly enclosing one of said cables therewithin, said plug having an external portion whose cross-sectional area is larger than the area of said opening, and an inner portion whose cross-sectional area is smaller than said opening, and said inner portion extending into said chamber; said bore ends of said conductors projecting outwardly of said inner portion of said plug and into said chamber; an anchor disc of insulating material positioned inside said chamber between said end wall and said inner portion of said plug, said disc having a plurality of holes, each hole accepting therethrough a group of the bare ends of said conductors which project into the portion of the chamber between the inner face of the disc and said end wall; three solder balls on said inner face, each ball embedding one group of bare ends thereby anchoring the conductors to the disc and mechanically and electrically interconnecting the conductors of the cables to form a coupling therebetween; a hollow, cylindrical cap having a threaded end portion on the cylindrical wall thereof in threaded engagement with said threaded portion on the cylindrical wall of said casing and being open at its opposite longitudinal ends; and said cap having means for applying pressure against said plug to seal off said opening in said casing and said bores in said plug.