Abstract: A cable branch-off sealing member for use with a heat shrinkable material that is wrapped around two closely spaced parallel cables and pinched together between the cables to one side of the cables to create a loop of heat shrink material between the cables. The cable sealing member has an elongate tongue smoothly tapered at its leading end for insertion into the loop of heat shrinkable sheet material, which tongue has a width greater than the spacing between the cables to bridge between the peripheries of the cables and is bowed centrally of its width along its length to cause the two layers of heat shrink material to bow outward midway between the cables.

Abstract: A wire-marking clip applicator includes a holder which carries a number of wands, each carrying a unique set of marked C-shaped clips that can be individually dispensed onto a wire from a flared shoe at the end of each wand. Such clip-dispensing wands have been used for the same purpose in the prior art, but the holder makes it possible for the first time to mark a wire with differently numbered clips without picking up, using, and laying down a wand. The holder preferably is formed with a central longitudinal passage into which a wire to be marked can be inserted if one end of the wire is disconnected, thus positioning every flared shoe close to the wire for quickly and easily transfering clips onto the wire.

Abstract: A method for cleaning an exposed bundle of cable ends of multi conductor transmission cable, especially grease filled telephone cables, in which one places the bundle of cable ends, preferably after separation and/or rough cleaning, into a cleaning fluid-containing manually kneadable, flexible pouch, the open end of the pouch is sealed around the cable and a forceful cleaning action is obtained by kneading the pouch around the cable ends. After sufficient interaction time, the bundle is removed from the cleaning pouch and the cable ends are preferably wiped with a cloth.

Abstract: A dual hand control actuation mechanism for a manually actuated device has a pair of opposed actuating rods that have wedge shaped ends defining forward and rearward camming surfaces to interact with forward and rearward cam surfaces on a cam member positioned between the actuating rods. If both of the actuating rods are pushed simultaneously, their forward cam surfaces engage the rearward cam surfaces of the cam member and move the cam member to cause it to engage a switch to actuate the device. If one of the actuating rods is pushed before the other, its forward camming surface engages the rearward camming surface on the cam member and pivots the cam member preventing the other actuating member from engaging the cam member in a manner that will move the cam member against the switch, thereby preventing actuation of the device.

Abstract: A buried cable splice closure comprising a rigid plastic outer shell having an opening at least at one end through which cables may extend into the closure has a lower chamber adjacent each end opening for support of portions of cables extending into the closure with the cable jacket and any cable shield terminating in the lower chamber. An upper chamber is spaced longitudinally of the closure from each end opening so as to have a lower chamber between each end opening and the upper chamber and the upper chamber has a cable splice support area spaced a distance above each lower chamber when the splice closure is in an upright position. A cable passageway within the outer shell communicates between each lower chamber and the cable splice support area in the upper chamber and means are provided for permitting introduction of an encapsulant into at least each lower chamber.

Abstract: A locator plate for positioning a plurality of different length multi-contact insulation displacement connectors for connection to multi-conductor flat cables has movable end guides for the connectors and a plurality of shims individually slidable along a shim support rod and pivotable on the shim support rod to a position between the end guides to define the proper spacing between the end guides for each of the connectors.

Abstract: A test socket for integrated circuits in rectangular packages having contact pads or leads. The test socket has an insulating body with a top opening into which a package may be inserted and latched in place by electrical contact elements that also make electrical connection to the pads or leads on the package. After the integrated circuit has been tested the package may be removed from the test socket by depressing it past the latching position to cause an unlatching cam to move the contact elements to an unlatching position and a resiliently loaded ejector member to thereafter carry the package past the latching position and out of the test socket.

Abstract: A fence connector and a method for connecting round wooden posts to round wooden rails to make a fence. The connector is a unitary sheet metal connector having a central bridge portion and a pair of connection flanges, one at each end of the bridge portion. The central bridge portion is apertured for fastening to the post or rail and the connection flanges are apertured for fastening to the other fence part (i.e. the rail or post). The connector may be preformed with its connection flanges formed into an arc about an axis parallel to the length of the connector to generally conform to the periphery of a rail or post or, in accordance with the method of the invention, the flanges may be bent around the rail or post to form the arc as the fence is being assembled.

Abstract: A hollow tubular core for supporting an elastic tubular cover member in a highly radially stretched condition comprises a cylindrical plastic tube having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending lugs on the inner wall of the tube and a continuous helical cut in the wall of the tube from the exterior surface thereof severing the tube into a continuous narrow strip with only the lugs connected axially along the length of the tube.

Abstract: A cable tie system for simultaneously assembling and applying cable ties from a continuous length of strap material and a plurality of individual cable tie heads. The cable tie heads are molded of plastic with a pair of parallel cable tie strap passages and a metal pawl retained in the plastic between the two passages and having pawl teeth that project into each of the strap passages to engage the strap material at two spaced positions when it is slid through one of the passages around a bundle of wires and into the second of the passages.

Abstract: A method of repairing damage to the sheath of a communications cable in which a heat shrinkable material is wrapped around the communications cable to bridge across the damaged area of the sheath. A flexible strip heater having a base with a heating element in a portion of its width and a parallel insulating layer overlying only a portion of the base is wrapped in a spiral around the heat shrinkable material with the portion having the insulating layer wrapped on the portion of the previous turn not having the insulating layer. The insulating layer substantially abuts itself in adjacent turns of the heater to position the portions of the base containing the heating element adjacent each other along the heat shrinkable material. The heating element is activated to cause the heat shrinkable tape to shrink tightly onto the communications cable to cover the damaged portion of the sheath and, the flexible strip heater is then removed.

Abstract: An electrical wire connector having a hollow, open-topped insulating body, an insulating cover formed to telescope with the body, the body and cover having complementary latches to retain them in an open position for insertion of wires into wire receiving channels in the cover and also to retain them in the closed position fully telescoped together. A slotted, flat plate wire connector element is retained in the body for connecting two wires supported in the channels in the cover upon telescoping of the cover and body together. At least one of the wire receiving channels is open-sided for insertion of a wire transversely into the channel when the body and cover are in their open position, and at least one deformable resilient finger is provided at the outer edge of each open-sided channel.

Abstract: A socket connector having an insulating body containing a plurality of contact elements in which each of the contact elements is stamped from sheet metal and has a connecting end and a pin contacting end. The pin contacting end of each contact element has a main body portion with a flat pin guiding and contacting surface and a pair of pin contact areas spaced from and facing the pin guiding and contacting surface and defined on a pair of spring arms that are cantilevered in opposite directions from a central bridge. The bridge is connected along one edge to a connecting link extending between the main body portion and the bridge and having a greater area of connection to the main body portion than to the bridge.

Abstract: A unitary molded plastic holder for a multiplicity of wire connectors of the type wherein a body and cover are crimped together after insertion of the wires between them. The holder has an elongate body with a multiplicity of electrical wire connector receptacles in two rows, one row on each of the opposing longitudinal surfaces of the body with each connector receptacle in one row being in back-to-back relation to a connector receptacle in the other row. An electrical connector is received, supported and releasably latched in each receptacle, both in the open and crimped positions of the connector.

Abstract: A transition connector in which all contact elements are identical has opposing teminals connected by a foldable strap to permit keeping all the terminals of each set at the same extended length. The contact elements are anchored to the insulative carrier for security during assembly.

Abstract: A communication cable applicator and method in which a communication cable component supply including two rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive tape and a plurality of lengths of communication conductors supported and guided on a frame across a resilient applicator roller on which the conductors are sandwiched between the tapes and the composite is applied to a floor prior to carpeting as a user pushes the apparatus across the floor.

Abstract: An electrical drop wire connector for facilitating the connection of drop wires to overhead communication cables has spring compression reserve connection to both drop wire and cable wire. Test ports permit electrical testing of the installation. Easy access to the contact area for removal and replacement of drop wires is provided.

Abstract: An electrical wire connector having an insulating body and cover, a conductive contact element and a wire cut-off blade. The cap and body telescope together to force wires into the contact element and to force the wires against the cut-off blade to sever the ends of the wires and the cap and body have cooperating parts to close off the end of the body adjacent the severed wire ends.

Abstract: An electrical wire connector having a hollow, open-topped insulating body and an insulating cover formed to telescope with the body, the body and cover having complementary latches to retain them in an open position for insertion of wires and also to retain them in the closed position fully telescoped together. A slotted, flat plate, copper alloy wire connector element is retained on the base of a U-shaped wire cut-off and strain relief element centrally within the body. The wire cut-off and strain relief element is formed of a metal having a hardness greater than that of the wire connector element to provide the softer metal needed for the electrical contact in the connector element while providing the desired harder metal for cutting the wires and providing strain relief.

Abstract: An electrical connector for non-prestripped wires has a lower housing part (1) with wire guides, each comprising a double channel consisting of an upper introduction channel (47) having a cross-section suited for the introduction of a wire (7) and therebelow a parallel clamping channel (49) connected to the introduction channel by a constricted transition slit (51). A projection provided at an upper housing forces the wire at least partly into and through the transition slit (51) and into a recess (37) in the lower housing part (1) upon telescoping of the upper housing part into the lower housing part, thereby clamping the wire to strain relieve it.