Submarine cable connector link

Claim 2

A hermaphroditic submarine cable connector link for coupling together a pair of adjacent elongated seismic streamer cable sections, the sections including at least one stress member, a plurality of hydrophones, a plurality of wires for transmitting hydrophone signals and an outer jacket, comprising: identical end fittings fastened to the ends of the pair of adjacent cable sections for receiving the plurality of wires; identical connector plates at the ends of the adjacent cable sections for mounting a plurality of multicontact connector plugs to which said plurality of wires are connected; means for mating the connector plates of the pair of adjacent cable sections; means for linking the mated connector plates to the end fittings of said adjacent cable sections; an outer barrel for engaging and rigidly locking together the end fittings of said adjacent cable sections; an internal lip around an internal circumference of an exposed portion of said end fittings; a pair of diametrically opposed slots in said lip; and a pair of notches near each end of the mated connector plates for engaging the lips of said end fittings after insertion of said mated connector plates through said slots.

Claim 3

The cable connector link as defined by claim 1, comprising: a plurality of detents around the periphery of the exposed portion of said end fittings; a like plurality of locking balls disposed around the circumference at each end of said barrel for engaging the detents around said end fittings; means for releasably locking said balls in said detents when said barrel engages said end fittings.

Claim 4

The cable connector link as defined in claim 2, comprising: a pair of split-ring tapered protective fairings surrounding the cable jacket and abutting the ends of said barrel.

Claim 5

A hermaphroditic undersea connector link for coupling together a pair of adjacent elongated seismic streamer cable sections, the sections including at least one stress member, a plurality of hydrophones, a plurality of wires for transmitting hydrophone signals and an outer jacket comprising: identical end fittings fastened to the ends of the pair of adjacent cable sections, the end fittings defining a passageway for receiving the plurality of wires; identical flat connector plates, at the ends of each cable section, having a plurality of multicontact connector plugs floatingly mounted thereon, each of the contacts of the plugs being connected to a corresponding one of the wires received by the end fittings; means for releasably mating the connector plates of the pair of adjacent cable sections; means for flexibly linking opposite ends of the mated connector plates with corresponding end fittings of the pair of adjacent cable sections; an outer barrel slidable over the end fittings and the outer jacket of said cable section for fixedly securing together the end fittings in a spaced-apart relationship so that said end fittings are inhibited from relative rotation and longitudinal separation when under tension; a plurality of detents around the periphery of the exposed portion of the end fittings that are secured to a pair of adjacent cable sections; a like plurality of locking balls disposed in ball-retaining orifices around the circumference at each end of said outer barrel for engaging the detents around said end fittings; a pair of axially sliding locking rings for releasably locking said balls in said detents when said barrel engages said end fittings; and a pair of circumferentially mounted split-ring keepers for maintaining said locking rings in a ball-locking position.

Claim 6

A hermaphroditic undersea connector link for coupling together a pair of adjacent elongated seismic streamer cable sections, the sections including at least one stress member, a plurality of hydrophones, a plurality of wires for transmitting hydrophone signals and an outer jacket comprising: identical end fittings fastened to the ends of the pair of adjacent cable sections, the end fittings defining a passageway for receiving the plurality of wires; identical flat connector plates, at the ends of each cable section, having a plurality of multicontact connector plugs floatingly mounted thereon, each of the contacts of the plugs being connected to a corresponding one of the wires received by the end fittings; means for releasably mating the connector plates of the pair of adjacent cable sections; means for flexibly linking opposite ends of the mated connector plates with corresponding end fittings of the pair of adjacent cable sections; an outer barrel slidable over the end fittings and the outer jacket of said cable section for fixedly securing together the end fittings in a spaced-apart relationship so that said end fittings are inhibited from relative rotation and longitudinal separation when under tension; a plurality of detents around the periphery of the exposed portion of the end fittings that are secured to a pair of adjacent cable sections; a like plurality of locking balls disposed in ball-retaining orifices around the circumference at each end of said outer barrel for engaging the detents around said end fittings; a pair of axially sliding locking rings for releasably locking said balls in said detents when said barrel engages said end fittings; and a pair of circumferentially mounted split-ring keepers for maintaining said locking rings in a ball-locking position.

Claim 7

The cable connector link as defined in claim 4, comprising: means for sealing said barrel and said end fittings from fluid invasion and fluid leakage.