Laying and binding optical waveguides onto a support filament

Claim 1

An optical waveguide laying and binding apparatus for laying at least one waveguide onto a support filament having a lay station to feed and assemble a waveguide onto filament, a binding station downstream from the lay station along a feed path of assembled waveguide and filament to wrap binding tape around the assembly of waveguide and filament, and a replacement spool station upstream from the lay station along feed paths of waveguide and filament, the apparatus comprising: a binding unit in the binding station to be supplied with a spool of binding tape from upstream and support the spool with the asembly feed path passing through the spool; replacement spool support means in the replacement spool station to support at least one replacement spool with the separate feed paths passing through the replacement spool; and a waveguide laying structure comprising an annular laying unit and a holding means detachably connectable to the laying unit in the lay station to retain the laying unit in an operational position surrounding the filament feed path and for guiding the waveguide onto the filament, the holding means movable away from the laying unit and the feed paths while the laying unit is supported by the core, to create a path for movement of a replacement spool along the feed paths from the replacement spool station, through the lay station in which the laying unit passes through the replacement spool, and into the binding station.