Abstract: A superconducting cable (1) for high power with at least one phase comprises a superconducting core (2) wherein a plurality of elements (3) are housed, which are structurally independent and magnetically uncoupled, each of which includes—for each phase—a couple of phase and neutral coaxial conductors, each formed by at least a layer of superconducting material, electrically insulated from one another by interposition of a dielectric material (8). Thanks to the distribution of the superconducting material into several coaxial conductive elements (3), the cable (1) allows to transmit high current amounts in conditions of superconductivity, while using a high-temperature superconducting material sensitive to the magnetic field.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a core with a bore which loosely contains optical fibers and includes a single strength member unit preferably embedded in an outer jacket which surrounds the core. The single strength member unit allows for relative ease of bending of the cable in directions other than the bending directions in the plane of minimum bending energy for the cable, such as bending in the plane of maximum bending energy (MAX-BP) for the cable, and provides that the neutral surface associated with bending of the cable in the MAX-BP is outside the bore core and within the outer jacket. The single strength member unit, which is at least one strength member, furthermore provides tensile strength and antibuckling properties to the cable during storage and in expected installations, including an aerial installation. The outer jacket is releasably coupled to the core to provide ease of access to the optical fibers contained within the core bore.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable core includes a buffer tube containing at least one optical fiber and reinforced by at least two substantially radially incompressible longitudinal strength members, each strength member having surface portions radially outermost with respect to the tube axis which are at or protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. If the strength members protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube, less than 50%, and preferably less than 20%, of the outer surface of the strength members protrudes from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. The positions of the strength members can be readily determined, can be visible and can be easily removed from the buffer tube prior to slitting the buffer tube to achieve midspan access.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a jacket of flame retardant and ultraviolet stabilized plastic and meets the requirements for both outdoor and indoor use. The jacket has two longitudinal portions interconnected by an intermediate longitudinal portion of a thickness less than the thickness of the two portions. One of the two portions contains a longitudinally extending strength member of sufficient tensile strength to support the cable when the cable is suspended outdoors between relatively widely spaced supports. The other of the two portions has a longitudinally extending bore which contains at least one tightly buffered, longitudinally extending optical fiber and can also contain a flexible, longitudinally extending strength member. When the cable is suspended outdoors between support, the intermediate jacket portion has sufficient strength to prevent separation of the strength member portion from the optical fiber portion.

Abstract: A process for producing a multifilamentary conductive tape of the type including a plurality of layers of a high-temperature superconducting material, incorporated in a mutually spaced relationship within a metal matrix, includes the steps of: a) submitting to plastic deformation individual metal tubes including a precursor of a superconducting material, so as to obtain a plurality of elementary tapes structurally independent from one another; b) coupling the tapes so obtained by means of a heat treatment at a temperature and for a time sufficient to establish a stable mutual connection between said tapes. The multifilamentary tape so obtained or possibly the independent tapes, are then subjected to at least one sintering step, which may be followed by one or more cycles of plastic deformation and sintering. Advantageously, the process of the invention allows to increase the fill factor of the tape, with a corresponding increase in the critical current in superconductivity conditions.

Abstract: A composite cable for conveying electrical energy and optical signals from a source or sources thereof to electrically energized units which process the optical signals. The cable has one or more buffer tubes, each buffer tube encircling at least two optical fibers for supplying optical signals to at least two of the units, each unit having electrical current and voltage requirements. The cable has a layer of S-Z stranded electrically insulated conductors around the buffer tube or tubes, and pairs of conductors are selected in size to safely supply the current and voltages required by at least two units. The number of pairs of conductors is less than the number of active optical fibers which excludes conductor spares. Preferably, the buffer tubes are S-Z stranded. The cable also includes a strength member and an outer plastic jacket encircling the buffer tubes, the conductors and the strength member.

Abstract: A composite cable for distributing electrical power to components in an optical fiber network and for transmitting optical signals between optical fiber network components includes at least one layer of insulated electrical conductors arranged in side-by-side relation to provide a layer of conductors of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the conductors. The conductors of the at least one layer of conductors are S-Z stranded and surround the optical fibers which are loosely contained in at least one plastic buffer tube to provide desirable structural and operational features to the cable and to an optical fiber network in which the cable can be included.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector module for mating optical fiber connectors includes a covering which avoids particles, dust or debris from accumulating on the end face of a fiber connector installed in the module when the installed fiber connector is not mated to another fiber connector using an optical fiber adapter. The module also allows ease of cleaning of the end face of the fiber of the unmated, installed fiber connector without removal of the module from a panel of optical instrumentation equipment to which the module has been mounted. A locking flange on the module facilitates mounting of the module to the equipment.

Abstract: Midspan access to selected optical fibers which are encapsulated in an optical ribbon or tube is achieved by placing the desired span of the encapsulated fibers to be accessed between opposing abrasive layers and controllably urging at least one of the abrasive layers in the direction of the opposing abrasive layer to cause both abrasive layers to contact the encapsulant which covers the fibers. The amount of force applied to the at least one abrasive layer is limited by the structure of a resilient element which is coupled to the abrasive surface. Stress concentrators are created in the encapsulant and the encapsulant is removed from the span portion by relative movement of the encapsulated fibers and the abrasive layers. A minimum separation distance between the opposing abrasive layers can be defined, according to the thickness of the specific encapsulated fiber medium undergoing fiber separation, to avoid contact between the abrasive surfaces and the fibers within the medium.

Abstract: The process of the invention to make miniaturized multipolar cables includes the steps of combining together a plurality of individually insulated conductors, inserting a filling in a pasty state and containing mineral fillers into the gaps existing between the conductors, partly hardening the filling and disposing the other cable components, in particular the sheath, around the conductors-filling assembly, and letting the filling become completely hard within the produced cable.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a core with a bore which loosely contains optical fibers and includes a single strength member embedded in an outer jacket which surrounds the core. The strength member allows for relative ease of bending of the cable in directions other than the bending directions in the plane of minimum bending energy for the cable, such as bending in the plane of maximum bending energy (MAX-BP) for the cable, and provides that the neutral surface associated with bending of the cable in the MAX-BP is outside the bore core and within the outer jacket. The single strength member furthermore provides tensile strength and antibuckling properties to the cable during storage and in expected installations, including an aerial installation. The outer jacket is releasably coupled to the core to provide ease of access to the optical fibers contained within the core bore.

Abstract: An automatic by-pass valving system for an electrical cable system wherein insulating fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure is supplied to an electrical power cable, such as a pipe-type or self-contained cable, having a fluid flow channel and having at least one hydraulic stop interrupting the flow of fluid between the channels of adjacent portions of the cable which are at different elevations. The valving system comprises a check valve, which allows fluid flow only in a first direction, from the lower elevation portion to the higher elevation portion, and a flow-limiting valve, which allows fluid flow only in a second direction, from the higher elevation portion to the lower elevation portion, at a reduced rate. Preferably, a relief valve is also provided to allow fluid flow in the second direction at a higher rate if the fluid pressure difference in the second direction is exceeded by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A terminal for connecting a superconducting multiphase cable, a superconducting three-phase cable for example, to a room temperature electrical equipment is described. The terminal includes a casing with cooling fluid, inside which the three cable superconductors are each connected with a resistive conductor the end of which is connected to the room temperature equipment phases at the outside of the casing. The terminal includes superconducting connectors between the three neutral superconductors and a single resistive conductor the end of which is externally associated with the room temperature equipment. The neutral superconducting connectors and the junction area of the connector of the single conductor are disposed inside the cold area of the casing.

Abstract: In high frequency welding apparatus in which high frequency electrical heating current is supplied to metal surfaces to be welded together by contacts engaging the metal which is advanced toward a weld point, the contacts engage the metal in advance of the weld point and have contact faces with downstream edges contacting the metal. The downstream edge of one of the contacts, or the downstream edges of the both of the contacts, is or are skewed with respect to the path or paths of the metal surfaces to be heated so that the downstream edge or edges extend at an acute angle of about 35.degree. to about 55 .degree. with respect to the path or paths of the metal surface or surfaces, the angle being intermediate the contacts and the weld point.

Abstract: A method of controlling insulating fluid flow between fluid channels in sections of an electrical power cable at different elevations, the channel of one section being isolated from the channel of a next adjacent section by a hydraulic stop, to limit the loss of insulating fluid when a seciton is ruptured and yet permit a limited flow from the point of rupture to protect the cable from contamination. Fluid at a high rate from a lower section to adjacent higher sections around the stop is permitted by a check valve which substantially prevents fluid flow in the opposite direction and a flow-limiting valve permits fluid flow at a low rate from the higher section to the lower section. The fluid pressure difference between the sections may be relieved by a relief valve if the difference exceeds a predetermined amount.

Abstract: Midspan access to selected optical fibers which are encapsulated in an optical ribbon or tube is achieved by placing the desired span of the encapsulated fibers to be accessed between opposing abrasive layers and controllably urging at least one of the abrasive layers in the direction of the opposing abrasive layer to cause both abrasive layers to contact the encapsulant which covers the fibers. The amount of force applied to the at least one abrasive layer is limited by the structure of a resilient element which is coupled to the abrasive surface. Stress concentrators are created in the encapsulant and the encapsulant is removed from the span portion by relative movement of the encapsulated fibers and the abrasive layers. A minimum separation distance between the opposing abrasive layers can be defined, according to the thickness of the specific encapsulated fiber medium undergoing fiber separation, to avoid contact between the abrasive surfaces and the fibers within the medium.

Abstract: The process of the invention to make miniaturized multipolar cables includes the steps of combining together a plurality of individually insulated conductors, inserting a filling in a pasty state and containing mineral fillers into the gaps existing between the conductors, partly hardening the filling and disposing the other cable components, in particular the sheath, around the conductors-filling assembly, and letting the filling become completely hard within the produced cable.

Abstract: A fog generator comprising a pump which delivers under hitch pressure a volatilizable chemical into a centrifuge-heater component which centrifuges and heats the chemical efficiently. The centrifuge forces heavier particles of the volatilizable chemical against highly heated areas of the centrifuge member to provide added pressure to the volatilizable chemical passing through the centrifuge resulting in increased production of ultra-fine fog. One embodiment describes a fog generator which includes an ice chamber through which some of the volatilized chemical may be directed to cool the volatilized chemical passing through ice particles therein and make more effective the production of low-lying fog. To make the use of the ice chamber even more efficient, the ice chamber includes means for efficient removal of water which has accumulated from melted ice.

Abstract: High frequency reactors for interconnecting a high frequency electrical power source and a load which reactors include a pair of plates having opposite surfaces with a length and width and a thickness between the surfaces which is small relative to the length and width of the surfaces. The plates are disposed with opposing closely spaced surfaces insulated from each other, and each of the plates has longitudinally aligned first and second portions with one portion of one of the plates electrically insulated from another portion of the plates and conductively interconnected by a variable reactance with another portion of the plates.

Abstract: An electrical power cable with a stranded conductor, a semi-conductive stress control layer around the conductor, a layer of insulation around the stress control layer, a semi-conductive insulation shield laser around the layer of insulation, an imperforate metal strip with overlapping edge portions around the shield layer and a polymeric jacket around the metal strip. The strip is free to move with respect to the jacket and the shield layer with expansion and contraction of the cable elements with temperature changes, and the overlapping edge portions of the strip are bonded together by an adhesive which permits the edge portions to move relative to each other with such temperature changes without creating fluid passageways between the edge portions. A cushioning layer can be between the shield layer and the strip and preferably, the cable is water sealed.