Ready access closure for communication cables

Claim 1

A ready access closure and communications cable, wherein the cable has an outer dielectric sheath and an electrically conductive shield surrounded thereby and which shield is interrupted between the hereinafter recited brackets, said closure further having a strap running lengthwise of the closure, spaced apart brackets attached to the respective opposite ends of the strap and being clear of the cable, a messenger cable running lengthwise of the closure in spaced relation to said strap, a messenger cable clamp secured to each bracket for gripping the messenger cable, a grounding clamp adjacent to each bracket for removably gripping said shield, a unitary electrically conductive tie brace extending between said brackets and joined to each such that a frame structure is provided that includes with said tie brace, said brackets and said strap, and fastener means for removably connecting each said grounding clamp directly to said tie brace to form a continuous electrical connection over the interrupted portion of the shield while keeping the cable free of clamping engagement with said frame structure but retaining the cable-supporting function of the messenger cable.