Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BAC~GROUND OF THE INV~NTION
1 Field of ~he Invention
; Thls invention rela~es to a m~chanical splice for a
multiconductor cable and ~ore particularly to a mechanioal
splice ~or coupling the parted end portion~ of a single d~maged
conductor o the cable in which the other condu~tors remain
fully operable.
2 De~cri tion of the Prlor Art
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Electrical power i~ cornmonly supplied to hea~ry-duty
electxical equipment ~rom an electric:al source by an insulated
conductor cable. The cable connect~ the electrlcal equipment
to the source and may house a plurality s) individually
insulated conductors that comprlse the cable. In underground
minirlg, the conductor cable supplie~ electrical power to the
electrlcal mining equipment and i~ required to extend long
distances in the mine bet~een the pa.7er source and the location
of operation. Consequen~ly, ~he c~able must be 1exible and
resist ~he e~ects of ~oisture and abrasion to which it ~s subjec-.
ted.
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A problem is encountered in repairing a cable
that has failed due to the adverse conditions that prevail
in the mine. Generally, the cable failure is attributed
to a break in one of the conductors with a section of the
conductor being burned out. Rather than replace the entire
multiconduc-tor cable it has been the practice to sever the
cable at the point of failure and repalr the cable by splicing
each conductor individually, not only the damaged conduc-tor
but the undamaged conductors as well. Not only is this
procedure for restoring the multiconductor cable to operation
extremely time consuming in that each individual conductor
muste be spliced, it also substantially weakens the cable.
The conventional multiconduc~or cable splice
tends to reduce cable flexibility. By splicing each conductor
the diameter of the cable at the point o~ the splice is
substantially increased, thereby reducing the cable
flexibility. Furthermore, a multiconductor cable spliced ;-
; in this manner is more susceptible to the adverse conditions
that prevail, incroasing the probability of further failure.
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There is need for a mechanical splice for
coupling a single conductor comprising one of a plurality
of conductors of a multiconductor cable where the single
conductor is the only damaged conductor and the multicon-
ductor cable can be expediently restored to operation
without cutting the entire cable and splicing each of the
conductors separately.
SUMMARY OF THE IMVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there
is provided apparatus for splicing parted end portions of
a multiconductor cable that includes a conductive connec-
tor for coupling the conductor end portions that are
formed by removing the damaged portio'n of the conductor.
~he conductive connector is provided with first and
second end portions having a tubular body portion ex
~ tending therebetween. A recessed portion on the body
j portion is spaced from the conductive connector first
end portion. The conductor end portions extend into
the flrs~ and second end portions of the connector with
~ one oflthe conductor end portions being positioned
I in abutting relation with the recessed portion. In
this manner the conductor end portions are retained in
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spaced relation with the body portion. The connector
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is crimped in-to compressing contact with the parted end portions
of the conductor to secure the connector thereto.
The conductive connector is preferably a metallic
sleeve member that is fabrica-ted ~rom an electrically conductive
material and capable of being easily deformed by crimping. The
tubular body portion of the metallic sleeve member has an electri_
cal conductance of the conductor -to be spliced. Thus, the
metallic sleeve is operable to carry the full conductive capacity
of the conductor being spliced. The damaged conductor is prepared ~ -
for splicing by severing the damaged portion from the conductor
forming a pair of end portions. A suitable amount of insulation ;
is removed from the conductor end portions exposing the strands
of wire of the conductor.
The amount of insulation to be removed from theconductor end portions is determined by the length of the
metallic sleeve member. With a given quantity of insulation
removed from the conductor end portlons, the end portions are
extended into the~metallic sleeve member in abutting relation-
ship with the insulation remainîng on the conductor.
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The sleeve member first and second end portions surr~und
the respective exposed end portlons of the conductor. The sleeve
member end portions are deformed by crimping forming indentations
in the sleeve member and securin~ the sleeve to the conductor
end portions. In this manner, the exposed end portions of the
conductor are maintained in electrical contact with the metallic
sleeve member. With the conductor end po~tions secured within
the metallic sleeve member a void of up to three inches in
length may exist between the end portions of -the conductor
coupled together by the metallic sleeve member and provide a
splice that carries the full conductive capacity of the spliced
conductor. Also, the end portions o~ the metallic sleeve member
are flared and are arranged to overlap in abutting relationship
the insulation on the end portions of the broken conductor.
Thus, the metallic sleeve member is sealing engaged to the
conductor to reduce the dele-terious effects of moisture and
abrasion to which the conductor is subjected.
Accordingly, the principal ob~ect of the present
invention is to provide a mechanical splice ior a multiconductor
cable that coupled the end portions o~ a single broken conductor
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within the cable in which a portion of the damaged conductor is
removed forming a void between the end portions of the spliced
conductor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
mechanical splice for expediently connecting in the field the
broken end portions of a single conductor of a multiconductor
cable in which the parted end portions of the conductor are
joined together in spaced relation by a metallic sleeve -that
carries the full conductive capacity of the broken conductor.
n A further object of the present invention~is to provide
a mechanical splice for connecting the parted end portions of a
single damaged conductor comprising one of a plurality of
conductors retained within a multiconductor calbe whereby the
cable is efficiently and quickly restored to complete operation
in the field without requiring the undamaged conductors -to be
severed and spliced together before the cable is returned to
operation. ~-
I These and other objects of the present invention will be
more completely described and dis~losed in the Eollowing specifi~
cation, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a multi-
conductor cable, illustrating a plurality of individual cables
with the parted end portions of a single conductor coupled
together by the mechanical splice of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the multiconductor
cable taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, illustrating the
arrangement of the individual insulated conductors within the
cable. ~ , J ~
~ Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the mul-ti-
conductor cable, illustrating -the void between the parted end
portions of a single conductor within the cable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED E~BODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings 7 there is illustrated a
i multiconductor cable 10 having a plurality of individual metallic
; conductors 12, 14, 1~, 18, 20 and 22, each being enclosed with
insulation 24. Not only are the individual eonductors insulated
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from one another but they are also surrounded by cable insulation
26. The cable insulation 26 is, in turn, surrounded by an
20 insulat~on jacket 28. Both cable insulation 26 and the jaoket 26
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may be conventionally applied to the insulated conductors 12-22
- as a cont~nuous layer formed from various elastomeric materials
such as polyvinylchloride, neoprene or other rubber-like polymers.
In accordance with the present invention, a damaged
conductor such as the conductor 12 with broken end portions 30
and 32 is prepared for splioing by first cutting away the damaged
or burned out portion of the conductor 12. The end portions 30
. and 32 are then -trimmed to remove a section of the insulation and
expose a bundle of individual copper strands 25 as illustrated in
Figure 3. With this arrangement the conductor end portions 30
and 32 are spaced apart, and preferably a greater length of
- wire is exposed on one ca~le end portion than on the other. In
Figure 3 the length of exposed strands o~ end portion 32 is
shown greater than the length of exposed strands of end portion
30. A damaged or burned out section of up to three inehes in
length may be cut from the conductor 12 wi-th~:bh~e conductor end
portions 30 and 32 prepared in the above described manner for
splicing.
The bonductor end port~ons 30 and 32 are connected by a
conduotive metallic connector or sleeve 34 illustrated in Figure 1,
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having a tubular body por-tion 36 with a longi-tudinal passageway
37 and outwardly flared end portions 38 and 40. The connector
3~ is utilized as a gage in determining the amount of insulation
to be removed from the respective conductor end portions 30 and
32 so that the exposed end portions are sealed within the
connector 34. Withithis ar~angement sufficient insulation is
removed from the wires 2p so that the sleeve end portions 38 and
40 with the conductor end portions 30 and 32 positiond therein
abut the insulation 24 remaining on the wires 25. Conseq~ently,
the wires 25 of the conductor end portions 30 and 32 are enclosed
within the connector 34.
The connector body portion 36 is provided with a
recessed portion 42 tha~ is spaced a preselected distance from
the connector end por-tion 38, With this arrangement, the
conductor end por-tion 30 is i.nser-ted into the tubular body
portion 36 and is advanced therein until the end portion 30
abuts the recessed portion 42. In this manner, the recessed
por-tion which comprises a pair of indentations formed on
opposite sides of the body portion 36 serves as a stop for
the condu$tor end portion 30 ~n the -tubular body portion 36. The
flared end portion 38 is positioned in abutting rela-tion with the . `
insulation 24 on the conductor end po~tion 30 -to thereby ~etain
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the exposed end portion 30 entirely within the body portion 36
and reduce the deleterious effects of moisture and abrasion upon
the exposed conduc-tor strands.
The connector end portion 38 is deformed in a conven-
tionally known manner by forming indenta~ions 44 therein to
frictionally eng2ge the connector 34 to the~conductor end portion
30. The metallic connector 34 is fabricated from an electrically
conductive material that is easily deformed. With the conductor
end portion 30 secured within the metallic conn0ctor 34, the
conductor end portion 32 is sinserted in~o the connector end
portion 40 so that the outwardly Elared end portions thereof
overlap and abut the insulation 24 ~maining on the conductor 12
adjacent the end portion 32. Thereafter, the me-tallic connector
34 is deformed adjacent the end portion 40, forming the indenta-
-tion 46 therein to frictionally engage the connector end portion
40 to the conductor end portion 32. In this ~lmer, the exposed
conductor end portions are securely retained within the metallic
connector 34. :
As illustrated in Figure l, the connector 34 retains the ~-
coneuctor end portions 30 anù 32 in spaced relationship within the
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passageway 37 to form a void between the conductor end portions
30 and 32. The body portion 36 of the metallic connector 34 is
effective to carry the full conductor capacity of the ~onduc~or
12. Therefore~ the electrical current flowing through the
conductor end portion 30 is transmitted through the metallic
sleeve 34 to the conductor end por~ion 32 without loss of
current due to the void between the end portions 30 and 32.
After the end portions 30 and 32 of the conductor 12
are frictionally engaged ~o the metallic connector 34, the
spliced conductor 12 is electrically insulated from the remaining
undamaged conductors. The connector 34 and several inches of
the insulation 24 adjacent the connector end portions 38 and 40
are wrapped with a suitable watertight insulation tape (not shown).
The insulation tape may be of a commercial variety suchlas the
elastomeric filler tape sold by the Okanite Company of Ramsey,
New Jersey, under the tradename Okanite Filler Tape. Then the
insulated splîce and the undamaged ~onductors of cable 10 are
gathered together ~or wrapping with additional insulation tape.
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The insulation tape is wrapped around the spliced conductor 12
and the remaining conductors of the cable 10 in a helical fashion.
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The sleeve member body portion 36 has an outer diameter substan- -
tially equal to the diameter of the~.~ns.~lation 24 surr~unding
the conductor. Therefore, with the insulation tape placed around
the sleeve 34, the conductor at the point of the splice is
substantially equal to the diameter of the unspliced pvrtion
of the cable, and-thus the flexibility of the cable 10 is
not reduced by the sleeve 34 and surrounding insulation.
The conductors are wrapped with the insulation tape a
sufficient number of wraps until the outer surface of the insul-
ation wrappings has a diameter substantially equal to the diameterof the cable insulation 26. Subsequent to wrapping the conductors,
the recess remaining between the cable insulation 26 and the jacket
28 is filled with additional insulation tape. ~gain a sufficient .:
number of wraps are wound upon the wrapped conductors and the .
cable insulation 26 until the outer surface of the insulation tape
is substantially equal to the diameter of the insulation jacket 28
of the cable 10 to insure a flexible cable splice. With this ..
arrangement, the metallic connector 34 couples in spaced relation-
ship the conductive end portions 30 and 32 and i5 protected wi~h
20 the other conductors of cable 10 from the deleterious ef~ects of .
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abrasion and moisture. Even though the conductor end portions
30 and 32 are spaced apart in the connector 3~, full conductor
capacity is provided by the connector 34 without loss of current
between the end portions 30 and 32. Thus, it will be apparent
from the above described splice that a broken conductor of a
multiconductor cable can be quickly and efficiently spliced with-
out requiring that all the conductors of the multiconduct~r cable
be parted in order to return the cable to service in the field.
Fur~her~ the conductor of the present invention permits the parted
end portions of the conductor to be joined together ~y the conduc-
tive sleeve that carries the full conductor capacity of the
broken conductors.
According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I
have explained the principle, preferred construction and mode of
operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what
I now consider -to represent its best embodiments. However, it
; should be ~mderstood that, within the scope of the appended
claimsg the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically illustrated and described.
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