Abstract: A molded, thermoplastic outlet box is provided with openings near the back wall and clamp arrangements inside the openings. Each clamp arrangement includes a swingable clamp arm having teeth at the end thereof which cooperate with teeth formed on an inner wall of the box to engage a cable which has been inserted. An abutment prevents the clamp arm from swinging inwardly until a predetermined force has been exceeded. Flexibility of the arm is enhanced by parallel slots extending away from the opening on opposite sides of the clamp arm.

Abstract: A flat cable system includes at least three types of insulated cables with flat conductors, the conductor spacing being either a distance D or a multiple thereof. A connector block for electrically connecting the cables to each other or to wires leading to outside devices includes upper and lower plastic blocks, the lower block having recess with internally threaded backing nuts therein in a staggered pattern, the nuts being spaced by distances D. The upper block carries a puncturing member, a threaded bolt, a spring washer and a terminal connected to a wire. The bolt has a drill point to penetrate one or more cables and threadedly engage one of the backing nuts, forming a clamp assembly which forces the puncturing member into electrical contact with the conductor. An intermediate board for interconnecting plural cables is disclosed.

Abstract: A grip for pulling fiber optic cable having a wire mesh sleeve for engaging the outer jacket of the cable and a coupling assembly for engaging the strength member in the cable. The grip comprises a hollow member, a pulling eye at the lead end of the hollow member, a wire mesh sleeve at the tail end of the hollow member, and a coupling assembly attached to the hollow member. The hollow member forms a protective sheath supporting the coupling assembly therein. This coupling assembly can be a loop, a bore and a plug assembly or a plurality of set screws.

Abstract: A small, strong swivel coupling includes a spindle connectable to a pulling device, the spindle having a reduced diameter, axially extending central core which is threaded to receive a thrust nut and a lock nut. At the other end of the coupling, an end cap is connected to an axially extending sleeve which has an inwardly protruding flange. The flange and thrust nut form oppositely facing surfaces which are separated from each other by a low-friction washer preferably made of polytetrafluoroethylene. The coupling can withstand large axial forces and still rotate to relieve torques which might damage a cable being pulled.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and an electrical contact resiliently coupled to the housing with a blade end extending exteriorly of the housing and a wire connection end extending into an inner cavity of the housing. An externally threaded screw is rotatably coupled to the contact connection end, but is restrained against axial movement. A wire clamp threadedly engages the screw and is movable toward an away from the contact connection end. The wire clamp includes a center portion and lateral portions on its opposite sides, with the center portion having extensions that project beyond the lateral portions. Upon slight movement of the contact into the housing, the wire clamp will be placed in compression between the housing and the contact to limit retraction of the contact.

Abstract: An electrical outlet box formed of nonmetallic material which has a pair of integral bosses that angularly align, engage and retain wiring device mounting screws therein. The bosses each have a through bore for receiving the screws comprising in sequence a frustoconical surface, a first cylindrical surface having a diameter slightly larger than the crest diameter of the mounting screw threads, and a second cylindrical surface having a diameter slightly smaller than the crest diameter of the screw threads and slightly larger than the root diameter of the screw threads. The frustoconical and two cylindrical surfaces are coaxial, with the frustoconical and first cylindrical surfaces angularly aligning the screw substantially coaxially of the bore and engaging the screw to resist inadvertent removal of the screw from the bore, and the second cylindrical surface threadedly retaining the screw therein upon rotation of the screw along that surface.

Abstract: A power pole is provided with a wiring assembly including a mounting plate having openings for mounting screws and openings suitable positioned to be aligned with communication and power chambers in the pole to permit the egress of wires therefrom. The plate is supplied with threaded holes to mate with mounting holes in an extension ring to form a junction box on the plate. A separate barrier member is mountable on the same mounting screws as the plate and divides the extension ring into communication and power chambers. The wiring assembly is therefore a multi-purpose assembly permitting substantial flexibility in the connection of wires emerging from within the pole.

Abstract: An armored electrical cable which is especially useful in oil wells and provides resistance to corrosion, explosive decompression and transverse compressive forces. The cable comprises an insulated conductor, a barrier layer enclosing the insulation, a filler layer enclosing the barrier layer, and a square compression-resistant layer enclosing the filler layer. The barrier layer is a lead sheath having a closed cross section with an exterior including four right angle corners oriented in a square and four convex areas, each interconnecting a pair of adjacent right angle corners. The filler layer comprises a thermosetting tape, an open-mesh fabric tape, and a polymeric tape of low frictional coefficient.

Abstract: A detent apparatus for maintaining a draw bar in a centered position includes an indentation formed in a cylindrical surface of the pivotable taileye of the draw bar structure. A roller is arranged to ride along the surface and into the indentation, the roller being urged into the indentation by symmetrically arranged levers, pivoted as first class levers, with the inner, shorter arm of each lever urging the roller and the outer arm being urged by compression coil springs which are seated on the anchorage structure attached to a railroad car.

Abstract: A reinforced insulated electrical cable and a method of forming the cable, which is especially useful in oil wells. The reinforcement comprises a thin tape of thermosetting material imbedded with an open-mesh fabric, the tape being spirally wrapped directly around the cable's insulation. The tape is wrapped in unvulcanized form and is then vulcanized in place over the insulation. The layer of open-mesh fabric is spaced from the outer surface of the insulation so that, during vulcanization, the insulation can radially outwardly expand without contacting and thus deforming the fabric, and at the same time the insulation can push part of the thermosetting material through the spaces in the fabric.

Abstract: A high speed trolley harp assembly includes a rotatable portion at the upper end of a trolley pole with a shoe assembly held on a support structure which is pivotally connected to a lower body at the upper end of the pole. Elastomeric, resilient support cushions are held in the lower body protruding therefrom and contact the support structure to provide a cushioning effect to absorb shock, vibration and noise occurring at high speeds when the shoe assembly rides along an overhead conductor.

Abstract: An outdoor luminaire for lighting a region adjacent a vertical wall includes a housing having an upper portion for containing the circuitry to energize a lamp and a lower portion with a reflector, a lamp socket and a transparent refractor enclosing the socket and reflector region. The socket and reflector are inclined downwardly toward the rear of the assembly and the reflector is formed with a U-shaped central portion and rearwardly and outwardly extending side portions. The refractor is provided with inside and outside prisms to direct the light in a predetermined pattern which is generally laterally to both sides of the fixture.

Abstract: A luminaire of an HID lamp includes a wiring box pivotally mounted on a yoke and a lamp and reflector mounted on the box. The lamp is mounted with its axis perpendicular to a normally horizontal surface of the box. The reflector is mostly formed as surfaces of revolution but has a flat mounting surface offset from the reflector axis at a predetermined angle, preferably about 36.degree. for use with a lamp having a .+-.15.degree. operating angle deviation from vertical. Thus, the aiming angle can be between 21.degree. and 51.degree. from vertical.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism for an electrical receptacle includes two shutter members each of which has a cam surface under one blade slot of the receptacle face and a blocking member under the other blade slot. One of the blade slots is T-shaped to admit either a blade parallel with the first blade or a blade perpendicular thereto. The blocking member under that slot is split along the plane of the perpendicular blade forming a gap which is separable when that kind of blade is inserted. To prevent separation until two blades are simultaneously inserted, the separable portions have projections which are held together by arms of the other shutter member. The apparatus is usable with a plug also having a grounding blade.

Abstract: A support knuckle for a luminaire has a first body attached to the luminaire housing and a second body which can be attached to a mounting location. The first body has a recess with peripheral teeth and a passage to the housing interior. The second body has teeth which are matable with those on the first body at various angular positions. The two bodies are held together by a threaded fastener passing through an elastomeric sleeve.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making an armored electrical cable from a plurality of reinforcing struts and a plurality of electrical conductors covered by an armored jacket. The apparatus includes a series of stations along an assembly line that feed, converge, orient, combine, compress and wrap the struts and conductors into the cable configuration. The cross section of the cable so formed is rectangular, although this rectangular shape can be made arcuate by bending.

Abstract: An electrical cable especially useful in oil wells having a gas conducting channel beneath the outer sheath and a valved vent through the sheath to prevent explosive decompression. Gases entrained in the cable's insulation can exit from the insulation into the channel, move longitudinally of the cable along the channel and exit from the sheath via the vent. The cable comprises an insulated conductor, a low gas-permeable sheath surrounding the insulation, the gas conducting channel located between the insulation and the sheath, and the vent in the sheath and communicating with the channel. The channel can be formed of a plurality of filaments or fibers located closely adjacent one another to form a bundle. A plurality of bundles can be used, which can extend linearly or spirally along the insulation or in interwoven form.

Abstract: An armored cable having a plurality of individually insulated conductors and force-resisting members formed with an arcuate cross-sectional shape which substantially conforms to the curvature of the surface on which it is mounted. Opposite surfaces of each force-resisting member in the cable have different widths in cross-section to provide the desired enclosure of the underlying insulation on a conductor after the formation of the arcuate bend in the cable.

Abstract: A grip for pulling fiber optic cable having a wire mesh sleeve for engaging the outer jacket of the cable and a coupling assembly for engaging the strength member in the cable. The grip comprises a hollow member, a pulling eye at the lead end of the hollow member, a wire mesh sleeve at the tail end of the hollow member, and a coupling assembly attached to the hollow member. The hollow member forms a protective sheath supporting the coupling assembly therein. This coupling assembly can be a loop, a bore and a plug assembly or a plurality of set screws.

Abstract: A cable structure includes a plurality of insulated conductors, an exterior jacket and at least one support member within the jacket and between the insulated conductors. Each support member is made of a material which has good thermal conductivity and which is rigid to resist crushing of the cable and damage to the conductors or their insulation. Variously shaped support members are disclosed.