Abstract: A heating element having a positive temperature coefficient conductive polymer with positive and negative electrodes formed on opposite faces thereof includes a high tensile strength coating layer on the electrodes. Buss bars are electrically connected to their respective electrode by stapling, with staples forming burrs in the buss bar which penetrate the coating layer and electrically connect with the corresponding electrode.

Abstract: This invention provides a process and apparatus for internal deburring, definning, and other internal finishing of metal parts by immersing the metal parts in a finishing media such as aluminum oxide and vibrating the metal parts at frequencies up to about 60 cycles per second.

Abstract: A wraparound closure with closure means which can be easily re-opened, such as a zipper or Velcro-type closure, provides environmental protection for splices or branch-offs in elongate substrates, such as communications or other cables, which closure has the advantage that it can be opened and re-closed easily and quickly. The end portions of the closure are sealed around the cable substrate with a sealing material having a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10.sup.-1 mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200%. The wraparound may include a retaining means, such as a resilient plastic ring, which may be positioned to hold the wraparound closure away from the cable substrate when the closure is opened and work is being performed on the cable and may be positioned around the cable to provide support for the wraparound closure when it is in the closed position.

Abstract: An article comprises two areas of heat-recoverable woven fabric which are joined together along a line by means of a mechanical joining arrangement, such as stitches, staples or a stitched or stapled zip, which penetrates the fabric. The direction of crimp of the area penetrated is substantially perpendicular to the line of the join, or the two areas have substantially parallel directions of crimp.

Abstract: This invention provides an article for storing and dispensing tubes open at two ends and containing materials which are pure or must be protected from the environment or which are present in premeasured amounts. The article of this invention comprises a flexible tape for sealing the ends of the tubes, flexible tape being movable within a case to hold the tubes sealed in the case and discharge the tubes from the case. One embodiment is a cassette for tubes containing adhesive for splicing optical fibers.

Abstract: A branch-off between elongate substrates, such as cables, is enclosed by a recoverable sleeve. A clip is positioned over an edge portion of the conduits for the substrates. The clip comprises a tubular body having circumferentially spaced apart slits, within which the end portions of the sleeve is received.

Abstract: An optical fiber tap which is especially useful as a node in a ring topology data processing system. The tap, which does not interrupt the physical continuity of the fiber, has an open position and a closed position. In the open position, a signal passing down the optical fiber passes through the tap without alteration. In the closed position, a signal passing down the optical fiber is extracted through a first bend which is put into the fiber by the tap; the extracted signal, or an electrical counterpart thereof, is processed and a counterpart of the extracted signal, or a new signal obtained by operating on the extracted signal, e.g. in a data processor, is injected into the fiber through a second bend which is put into the fiber by the tap.

Abstract: A gasket arrangement for a two-panel door or observation window of a high temperture oven has, preferably, two gaskets disposed one on each side of one panel of the door or window around its periphery so as to provide a seal between the panels and to allow sealing of the door or window against a further member, for example frame, of the oven. A layer of vapor impermeable material extends between the gaskets so as to prevent escape of fumes from the oven. The gaskets are preferably of glass fibre, and the vapor impermeable material a metallic foil.

Abstract: An optical fiber chuck for use in an optical fiber splicer may be both accurate and inexpensive because the fiber moves through a stationary chuck rather than a moving chuck carrying the fiber. The fiber slides between precision V-grooves, and is advanced and retracted by frictional engagement with a drive wheel.

Abstract: A heat-shrinkable article comprising (1) a heat-shrinkable layer of polymeric material, (2) a laminar heater which comprises a conductive polymer layer sandwiched between apertured metal electrodes and which is secured to the inner surface of the layer, and (3) a member which is secured to the inside of the heater and which protects a substrate from damage caused by the heater when the layer shrinks. The protective member (3) has a first shape before the layer shrinks and a second shape after the layer shrinks. The member possesses sufficient strength to resist piercing by the electrodes when the layer shrinks. Such articles are particularly useful for enclosing splices in telephone cables.

Abstract: A dimensionally heat recoverable article carrying a thermoplastic polymeric material and a heat-softenable adhesive of smaller thickness and lower softening or melting point than the polymeric material is used to encapsulate objects such as joints in cables. The heat-softenable adhesive allows low installation temperature while the polymeric material allows excellent cycling performance to be maintained. The article may be in the form of a wrap-around sleeve.

Abstract: An assembly for enclosing a telecommunication cable splice comprising a wraparound sleeve having longitudinal edges which can be brought together and secured by for example a metal channel. A seal is made between these edges by an internal sealing member which bridges the abutting edges of the sleeve and is urged into contact with the sleeve by expansive urging means between the sealing member and underlying cable splice. The urging means is preferably a foam strip.

Abstract: A heat-recoverable polymeric sheet is coated with a solid sheet of heat-activatable sealant by heating the sheet preferably to a temperature above the crystalline melt point of the polymer, applying, preferably by means of a roller, the sealant sheet to the heated polymer sheet while the polymer sheet is at a temperature capable of activating the sealant so as to adhere it to the polymer sheet. The polymer sheet may be flame-brushed after heating and before application of the sheet of sealant. The technique is particularly useful for sheets intended as wrap-around sleeves for use as enclosures, and which thus have closure rails adjacent opposing longitudinal edges thereof.

Abstract: Aluminum-shielded coaxial cable is repaired by using a wraparound metallic sheet, such as copper, having a contact means on the sheet, such as "dragon skin" brass strips, and a sealing means, such as a mastic. The metallic sheet provides the electrical continuity and radio frequency shielding and the sealing means provides the environmental seal to prevent moisture from entering the opening in the aluminum shield. The sheet and contact means are held in position by compression means, such as clamps, and the sheet and compression means can then be covered with a wraparound heat-recoverable closure to protect the entire assembly.

Abstract: A method of transmitting light which has a substantial component having a wavelength below 300 nm includes passing said light through an optical fiber which has a core of synthetic fused silica containing between 500 and 1500 ppm water and a cladding of fluorine-doped synthetic fused silica. Apparatus employing such a fiber is also described.

Abstract: An article for forming a cable block or for enclosing a cable splice comprises a recoverable driver sleeve and a particulate heat-activatable adhesive temporarily restrained adjacent an inner surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: A method and device for organizing a bight of an optical fiber and the like at a splice or slack point is provided. The method comprises wrapping the bight about a cylindrical core to form a helix or a pair of helices of opposite handedness, thereby both minimizing the diameter of a container necessary to enclose that bight and maximizing the bend radius of the fiber. The bight may be laid on a sheet for convenient wrapping, and a plurality of fibers per sheet, sheets per core, or cores per splice may be used if the number of fibers to be organized is large. A ready means of encapsulation is also provided.

Abstract: A wraparound recoverable closure, wherein a portion of the closure is not recovered against a substrate, which has a flap to seal across the gap between the abutting edge portions of the closure. Where the closure does not recover against and contact a substrate, the flap does not seal adequately for some applications. This invention provides means for supporting the flap to improve the seal. The preferred embodiment is a bag inside the closure which contains a resilient liner which supplies pressure on the flap to seal the flap across said gap.

Abstract: A branch-off of at least two substrates leaving an end of a recovered sleeve is effected using a heat activatable sealant, and a thermally conductive member which has a fin-shaped protruberance by means of which heat can be conducted into the crutch region between the substrates to activate the sealant. The thermally conductive member can also function to urge together circumferentially spaced portions of the sleeve to define conduits for the substrates. This urging function can be supplemented or carried out totally by a separate clip.

Abstract: An electrically insulating, overcoated bulky sleeve is disclosed comprising a tubular sleeve prepared from bulky (i.e. low density, high surface area) continuous filament yarns and an overcoating. When an electrical conductor is positioned therewithin, the large surface area of the bulky yarns of the interior of the sleeve provides an intimate fit for an expanded range of conductor diameters. For applications where a void-free impregnation of the sleeve interior between the overcoating and the conductor is desired, the large interior surface area of these sleeves can promote retention of the impregnation composition. The overcoated sleeve can be expandable, deforming to allow pull-back and return or fold-over, and/or conforming to accept transitions in conductor diameter. The overcoated bulky sleeve can be employed in a method for electrically insulating a conductor, which method may further include an interstitial impregnation step.