Abstract: A cover assembly for an electrical outlet includes a mounting member which can be attached to an electrical device and a cover plate. The mounting member has extensions projecting from its front surface adjacent its periphery, which extensions are unitary portions of the mounting member. The cover plate has projections extending from its rear surface adjacent its periphery. The extensions and projections mate to releasably couple the mounting member to the cover plate. Tabs and notches can be provided on the sides of the mounting member to facilitate alignment of a plurality of ganged electrical devices covered by a single cover plate.

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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: An armored cable is formed with an arcuate cross-sectional shape which substantially conforms to the curvature of the surface on which it is mounted. This shape takes maximum advantage of the annular space available, for example, between the inner wall defining the circular bore of an oil well and the cylindrical surface of a centrifugal submersible pump on which the cable is mounted. As a result, the diameter, and hence the efficiency, of the pump may be maximized.

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.