Abstract: A laying head for laying a tube containing an optical fiber onto the outer surface of an elongate support. An upstream end of the laying head provides an inlet for the support and a guide passage for guiding the tube into a chamber of the laying head. The chamber extends around the passline for an angular distance greater than that of the guide passage to allow lateral movement of the tube within the head. The tube passes from the chamber onto the surface of the support as the support exits the chamber. The chamber allows for lateral tube movement to enable the tube to be laid onto the support in spiral fashion with the tube causing the head to rotate around the support.

Abstract: Laying a transmission member into a groove extending along a support while passing around the support for more than one revolution in one direction and then in the other. The transmission member is fed from a fixed storage position, through a positioning device and to a laying device while being spaced radially from a passline for the support. A shielding tube is provided around the passline downstream from the positioning device whereby the support moves through the tube on its way to the laying head whereas the transmission member twists around the tube as it is being fed, thereby holding it separated from the support before reaching the laying head. Preferably, an alignment device upstream from the laying head aligns the transmission member axially with a guide passage in the laying head. This latter arrangement is particularly useful when the transmission member is a tube containing optical fibers.

Abstract: Apparatus for assembling optical fibers into sinuous grooves of a support filament in which an annular laying head for guiding the filament has guide bores for the fibers. The bores are fixed within the head and are angularly spaced around it and inclined relative to an axis passing through the head. Groove locating projections are provided, one projection associated with each guide bore. The projections entered into a central passage of the annular head, each projection axially to one side of and adjacent the outlet end of its associated guide bore. The projections located within the filament grooves thereby aligning the bore outlet ends to feed the optical fibers directly into the grooves.