Abstract: Apparatus is provided for pulling very long lengths of optical fiber and coaxial cable from a single pulling location through a polyethylene for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) subduct which extends continuously between input and output manholes through lengths of buried duct pipe and intermediate manholes. Jacketed aramid fiber pulling tape is located in the subduct with its pulling end extending out of the output end of the subduct and connected to a power driven reel. The other end of the tape extends out of the input end of the subduct and is attached to one end of the cable. Liquid silicone lubricant is poured into the input end of the subduct ahead of the cable. The power drive is energized to cause the reel to move the tape in the subduct for pulling the one end of the cable slowly into and then rapidly through the subduct with less than a prescribed maximum pulling tension on the cable. In an alternate embodiment, the lubricant is silicone grease.

Abstract: A method is provided for pulling very long lengths of optical fiber and coaxial cable from a single pulling location through a polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) subduct which extends continuously between input and output manholes through lengths of buried duct pipe and intermediate manholes. Jacketed aramid fiber pulling tape is located in the subduct with its pulling end extending out of the output end of the subduct and connected to a power driven reel. The other end of the tape extends out of the input end of the subduct and is attached to one end of the cable. Liquid silicone lubricant is poured into the input end of the subduct ahead of the cable. The power drive is energized to cause the reel to move the tape in the subduct for pulling the one end of the cable slowly into and then rapidly through the subduct with less than a prescribed maximum pulling tension on the cable. In an alternate embodiment, the lubricant is silicone grease.