Abstract: Coating apparatus for coating a cable with bitumen which is self-contained except for apparatus for supplying a heated fluid to the coating apparatus. The coating apparatus includes a tank for receiving bitumen and has pipes therein to which heated fluid at a temperature sufficient to melt solid bitumen is supplied by external fluid heating apparatus and in which the heated fluid circulates. The cable passes through the apparatus in a trough to which liquid bitumen is supplied by a rotating cylinder partially immersed in the liquid bitumen and connected, for liquid bitumen delivery, to the trough by a pivotable chute. A tiltable cradle receives solid bitumen and dumps it into the tank where it is melted. A wiper in the form of a tensioned, elongate elastic body is wrapped by at least one turn around the cable where it leaves the coating apparatus and an elastic tab engages the cable adjacent the cable inlet to divert liquid bitumen which may flow toward the inlet.

Abstract: A clamp for gripping an electrical cable for the purpose of raising the cable from, or for lowering it into, the water. The clamp comprises a plurality of clamping units which are disposed in series in the direction of the length of the cable and which are held together by a pair of flexible wire ropes in a manner which permits them to articulate with respect to each other. Each unit comprises a pair of jaws for receiving the cable therebetween, and the jaws are urged against the cable by adjustable screws acting through springs to press the jaws toward each other.

Abstract: A submarine cable with optical fibers which prevents damage to the fibers due to water pressure without the use of an external armor. The cable has a central strand which provides the cable tensile strength and which is surrounded by helically wound tubes which enclose the optical fibers. A layer of plastic material may be provided intermediate the tubes and the strand and the tubes are covered by a layer of plastic material in contact with the tubes. The layer of plastic material contacting the tubes is closely surrounded by a thin metal sheath which, in turn, is closely surrounded by a layer of plastic material. The tube and any spaces radially inwardly of the tubes are filled with a practically incompressible fluid, such as a grease or jelly. The strand may include a wire of good electrical conductivity which, with the sheath, may be used to supply electrical power to repeaters along the cable length.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for forming a core for optical fiber cables, the core having a central reinforcing element surrounded and contacted by a layer of plastic having helical grooves at its surface. The helical grooves are formed by passing the reinforcing element through a plastic extruder having a groove forming die and while the plastic is being applied at the extruder, the element is alternatley rotated in opposite directions in advance of its entry into the extruder. The reinforcing element may be rotated by a pair of driven belts which frictionally engage the element and which are mounted on rotatable rings driven by an alternating rotation motor drive or may be rotated by a pulley which frictionally engages the element and which is carried by a support rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the element by an alternating rotation motor drive.

Abstract: A device for constricting an electric cable used underwater for restricting the flow of water lengthwise of the cable when its sheath is perforated intentionally or accidentally. The device comprises a rigid hollow cylinder which fits around the cable with spacing between the cable and the interior wall of the hollow cylinder and has an end wall with an opening for the passage of the cable through the hollow cylinder. The opposite end of the hollow cylinder has an exterior flange, and the space between the interior wall thereof and the cable is filled with an elastomeric or plastomeric sleeve. An annular body which fits around the cable and into the hollow cylinder so as to engage the sleeve has an external flange by which the body may be pressed into the hollow cylinder and thereby compress the sleeve and, hence, the cable.

Abstract: A process for surrounding joined cable ends with an elastic, monolithic sleeve which comprises expanding the bore of the sleeve, positioning the sleeve around the joined ends and then, permitting the bore to contract elastically, radially and progressively from one end of the sleeve toward the other. Also, apparatus for performing the process which comprises a rigid tube having a bore larger than the exterior size of the joined ends, having an ogive at one end, having a collar secured to the tube at the other end and at least two rigid, annular bodies mounted on the tube, one of annular bodies being engageable with an end of the sleeve and being slidable on the tube and the other annular body engaging the collar, and having threaded rods engaging the annular bodies through rotatable, threaded bushings for forcing the annular bodies apart in the axial direction of the tube to remove the tube from the sleeve.

Abstract: A joint between a pair of electrical cables of different types, such as an oil filled cable and a cable with extruded insulation. Both cable ends have tapered insulation and stepped layers outwardly of the insulation and the conductor of one cable is mechanically and electrically connected to the conductor of the other cable by a rod surrounded by a body of insulation. Portions of the insulation at opposite ends of the body and the tapered insulations are respectively covered by insulation applied thereto during installation of the joint. The tapered insulation of the oil filled cable is enclosed by a housing in fluid tight engagement with the body and the sheath of the oil filled cable and filled with the oil of the oil filled cable. The insulation surrounding a portion of the body and the tapered insulation of the cable with extruded insulation is adhesively bonded to such portion of the body.

Abstract: A stop joint between a pair of electrical cables of different types, such as an oil filled cable and a cable with extruded insulation. Both cable ends are terminated in a known manner except that the conductor of one cable is mechanically and electrically connected to the conductor of the other cable by a rod surrounded by a body of insulation, portions of the insulation at opposite ends thereof being respectively covered by the insulation of the terminating elements of one cable and by the insulation of the terminating elements of the other cable. The body has a flange which is clamped to one of the cable terminating elements, and to provide electrical interconnection of the cable shields, the central portion of the body is covered with a semiconductive varnish.

Abstract: Method for joining electrically and mechanically the multiple aluminum wires of a pair of electrical cable conductors in which the bared conductor ends are beveled and welded together and a metal sleeve, which is more rigid than the aluminum of the conductors, is applied around the weld and lengths of the conductors at each side of the weld and compressed until the sleeve has an outer size substantially equal to the size of the portions of the conductors at each side thereof. The sleeve has inner grooves for receiving displaced aluminum, and if the conductors have central channels, the channels are joined at the conductor ends by a relatively incompressible tube which fits into the channels and which may have peripheral grooves for receiving displaced aluminum. Also, a cable joint made by such method.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for laying optical fibers in the helical grooves of a core for an optical fiber telecommunication cable in which the rotatable bobbins carrying the optical fibers are held in axially fixed positions while the core with helical grooves and the fibers are fed to and through a rotatable fiber inserting device which has projections extending into the grooves which cause rotation of the device as the core is advanced. Between the bobbins and the fiber inserting device there is a supporting tube through which the core passes and the outer surface of which engages and supports the fibers. The downstream end of the tube terminates in advance of the fiber inserting device so that the fibers may enter the grooves in the core at the fiber inserting device.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the vulcanization of the insulation of an electric cable in which the cable core with the insulation thereon are passed through a tube filled with a liquid having a specific weight substantially equal to the specific weight of the insulation. The section of the tube nearer the entrance end is supplied with degassed liquid at vulcanizing temperature and the following section is supplied with degassed liquid at a temperature for cooling the insulation, and because the liquid has different viscosities at the two temperatures, a liquid interface is produced between the two portions which interface is maintained during the vulcanizing of the insulation. During the vulcanizing of the insulation, a portion of the liquid in at least one section is removed and treated to remove vulcanization products.

Abstract: An oil-filled electric cable in which the solid insulation is formed, at least in part, by separately applied, alternate layers of cellulose paper tape and of film tapes made of a plastic. Prior to application of the tapes around the cable conductor, the moisture content of the paper tape is selected and the swelling of the plastic tape by the oil after application is adjusted, if necessary, such as by immersing the plastic tape in the oil prior to application, so that the swelling of the plastic tape by the oil in the formed cable is offset by the shrinkage of the paper tape during drying of the cable. Also, apparatus for pre-swelling the plastic tape.

Abstract: An electric cable which is combustion resistant and which prevents the spreading of fire, the cable having insulated conductors and a sheath, the materials of the conductor insulation and the sheath being materials which emit low amounts of toxic gases and smoke when burned. The spaces between the insulated conductors and between such conductors and the sheath are filled with a filler constituted by, the sheath is made from or the sheath is covered with a layer of hydrated aluminum sulfate and a binder of elastomeric or plastomeric material.

Abstract: In laying an electric cable underwater, the finishing end of the cable is brought ashore by laying the cable end portion (from the cable laying ship) along a course parallel to the shore and as close to the shore as the ship can reach, then pulling the cable end to shore using a rope, pulling the cable end along the shore to the intended landing point, and then pulling the cable end in-land along the intended laying line until the whole cable is positioned along this line. Buoyancy devices are attached at intervals to the cable end portion for the duration of the landing process, to facilitate the sliding movement of the cable over the bottom.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for replacing flammable, insulating oil in an oil-filled electric cable by non-flammable, insulating oil in which the flammable oil is withdrawn at least from the cable oil duct under vacuum and with heating of the cable to its maximum operating temperature and thereafter, the flammable oil which was withdrawn is replaced by non-flammable oil. During operation of the cable, oil which flows out of the cable during heating of the cable is sent to a first reservoir, through a check valve and during subsequent cooling, such oil is replaced by non-flammable oil from a second reservoir containing non-flammable oil and connected to the cable duct by a check valve. Also, an oil-filled cable having its insulation impregnated with flammable, insulating oil or a mixture of such oil with non-flammable, insulating oil and having an oil duct filled with a non-flammable, insulating oil which is different from the flammable oil.

Abstract: An electric cable sealing end in which the insulator which screws into a sealing box part and the box part distal end have rings therebetween with facing, complementary, engageable saw teeth. One ring is rotatable by the insulator and the other ring is held stationary by the box part. When the insulator is tightened, the saw teeth permit rotation thereof but after tightening, the saw teeth prevent rotation of the insulator in the loosening direction unless one of the rings is intentionally broken and removed.

Abstract: Telecommunication elements each comprising one or more optical fibers surrounded by one or more layers of a plastic are wrapped with a non-metallic protective layer. The protective layer is enclosed by a metal tube which has at least portions which press into the protective layer so as to provide dimensional stability to the elements and protective layer within the tube. The metal tube may have a cylindrical inner wall or be a corrugated tube, and such tube protects the optical fibers with respect to electrical discharges.

Abstract: An electric power cable insulating fluid which is a substance corresponding to the following formula ##STR1## where R is chosen between the following two radicals: ##STR2## and an electric power cable with its insulation impregnated with such fluid.

Abstract: Method for improving the dielectric strength of insulation not subject to fluid pressure and used to insulate a conductor element, such as the conductor of a cable, an insulator, etc., subjected to direct current high voltage in which, during or prior to service use thereof, the insulation is subjected continuously or intermittently to a varying amplitude, direct current voltage. The amplitude of the variation is small relative to the average value of the direct current voltage and the frequency of the variation, preferably, is less than 60 Hz. Also, apparatus for providing the voltage of varying amplitude including an alternating current generator in series between the direct current source and the conductor element and inductor in parallel with the generator, the inductor having a low ohmic resistance and a high reactance relating, respectively, to the ohmic resistance and reactance of the generator.

Abstract: An oil-filled, multi-core, electric cable having three cores within a metal sheath. Each core has a conductor surrounded by insulation and has substantially the same outer dimensions as the other cores. One conductor is made of copper and has a central oil duct. The other conductors are made of stranded aluminum wires in side-by-side and contacting relation and the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the metal of the copper conductor to the cross-sectional area of the metal of each aluminum conductor is the reciprocal of the ratio of the electrical conductivities thereof.