Abstract: An open end (61) of a tube (62) is disposed below a free surface of a treating solution (60) which is capable of reacting with a liquid effluent to provide a disposable reaction product. A pressurized gas which is non-reactive with the effluent and with the treating solution causes the effluent to be moved through the tube and discharged into contact with the treating solution. Also, the gas is flowed through a shroud (63) disposed concentrically about the tube. The gas envelops the effluent and the shroud prevents contact of the treating material with the effluent and the gas along a predetermined distance beyond the open end of the tube. This arrangement causes the treating material to react with the effluent at a location spaced from the end of the tube thereby preventing clogging of the tube. The discharge of the gas along with the liquid effluent into the treating solution causes a substantial mixing of the two liquids to provide a substantially complete reaction.

Abstract: A leading end portion (33) of a supply of cordage (31) is clamped to a mandrel (32) such that it is straight, after which a plurality of convolutions of the cordage are wound on the mandrel. The cordage is severed from the supply and a trailing end portion (34) of the wound cordage is clamped to the mandrel in a manner which causes it to be straight and hence suitable for termination with a modular plug (37). The coiled cordage is heated and cooled and is then removed from the mandrel while simultaneously the direction of the helices is reversed. Then the cordage is severed at a predetermined location to produce two retractile cords, for example, one including the leading end portion of the length of wound cordage and a newly formed straight trailing portion. The second cord includes a newly formed straight leading end portion and the initial trailing end portion. The newly formed end portion of each cord is caused to be held in a straight configuration and annealed to cause it to retain that configuration.

Abstract: An induction furnace (60) for reflowing a portion of an optical preform (12) in order to draw a lightguide fiber (11) therefrom includes a tubular susceptor (80) which is disposed centrally within a beaker (75) and a sleeve (82) which is disposed concentrically about the susceptor. The sleeve is spaced from the susceptor and is surrounded by insulating grain (83). A high frequency coil (84) is energized to couple its electromagnetic field to the susceptor to heat and reflow a portion of the preform. The movement of contaminating particles of the insulating grain into the interior of the susceptor is prevented substantially by annular, felt-like discs (91, 105) at the bottom and top of the beaker. The discs collect particulates which move downwardly and upwardly and because of their compliant engagement with the beaker and with the sleeve, they provide seals at those interfaces.

Abstract: An electrical connector which is capable of being used to interconnect insulated conductors in the field or in a factory during in-line processing includes a frame and contact element. The contact element which is used to establish an electrical connection between the conductors includes a center portion and two opposed bifurcated beams. A portion of each beam is upstanding from the plane of the contact element. Furcations of each beam define a slot for receiving one of the conductors to be interconnected. The contact element is attached to the frame which includes at least one deformable tang at each end. End portions of conductors to be connected are each positioned across an end of the frame. The tangs are wrapped about the conductors, the conductors are moved into the slots of the beams, and excess portions of the lengths severed.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) is provided for polishing an end of a plug-terminated lightguide fiber so that when it is disposed together with another plug-terminated fiber within a biconical sleeve (38), there is precise end separation of opposing end portions of the fibers. The apparatus includes a holder (40) in which is disposed a plug (30) with an encapsulated end portion (31) of the fiber (23) extending from the plug. A housing (80) receives the holder and causes the plug to be seated in engagement with an insert (96) in a base (81) with the encapsulated end portion extending beyond a reference plane (94) of the base. The base includes non-wearing pads (86-86) spaced about an outer surface thereof. The holder is caused to apply to the plug a force which is equal to that which the plug will experience when mounted in the biconical sleeve.

Abstract: A closure (20) for a cable splice includes two mating covers (23, 24) and two end plate assemblies (30--30). Each of two cables to be spliced is wrapped with convolutions of a sealing tape (32) disposed between two washers (34--34). The washers and sealing tape are received in a circular groove (53) formed by mating semi-circular hub portions (54--54) of two halves (42, 44) of an end plate assembly. The end plate assembly has a truncated conical shape with a smaller diameter portion terminating in a hub (52) which is disposed inside the closure. As a result of this conical shape, fasteners (64--64) inside the closure and aligned with the hub are used to secure together the halves of the end plate assembly and apply a balanced force system to the sealing tape within the hub. Longitudinally extending joints between the covers and a circumferential channel (45) in each end plate assembly are each filled with a sealing gasket. The covers are assembled together to enclose the end plate assemblies.

Abstract: A tool (20) is provided for terminating an end of a telephone cord or inside wiring with a modular plug (21). The tool includes a housing (81) having a cord or inside wiring-receiving opening at one of its ends and a plug-receiving nest (122) at an opposite end. The tool also includes a rocker (82) which is mounted pivotally in the housing and which has a first end adjacent to the cord-receiving end of the housing and a second end adjacent to the nest. After and end portion of a cord, for example, is inserted into the cord-receiving end of the housing, a user depresses the adjacent first end of the rocker to cause jacket-stripping facilities of the rocker to cut the cord jacket. When the cord is withdrawn, the jacket is removed from the end portion to expose individually insulated conductors. Then the end portion of the cord is inserted into a modular plug body which has been armed with blade-like terminals (30-30) and the plug inserted into the nest at the other end of the housing.

Abstract: A composite article of this invention is made by successive molding steps and comprises an insert assembly that includes a metallic portion and a plastic locating framework in which the metallic portion is precisely mounted with respect to references points on the locating framework. The locating framework is mounted within a housing with the insert assembly precisely positioned with respect to the housing to cause the metallic portions to be substantially precisely positioned with respect to an external surface of the housing. In one embodiment, which is a hand tool that is moved slidably along a connector to sever conductors, a cutting blade is substantially precisely positioned in the locating framework of the insert assembly. Plastic is flowed about the framework in a mold cavity to form the housing.

Abstract: An in-line tool (20) is provided with a jacket (50) which includes a flexible substrate material (53) having a plurality of ribs (51--51) adhered thereto. The jacket is such that when it is wrapped about a barrel (41) of the tool, the ribs extend longitudinally along the tool barrel. The substrate material between adjacent ribs may be cut to provide a jacket which is tailored to the barrel of a particular size tool. Strips (55, 56 and 59) of material having relatively flexible hooking and looping elements projecting therefrom are attached to the jacket and to the barrel. When the jacket is wrapped about the barrel, the hooking and looping elements interlock to secure the jacket to the barrel. Tabs (54--54) extend laterally of the barrel from an end of each of a predetermined number of ribs adjacent to a working portion (40) of the tool. A user grasps the tool in a manner to cause the ulnar side (48) of the gripping hand (43) to engage the tabs.

Abstract: A connector system of this invention is used to splice conductors of at least two groups. The system includes a base (60) having a plurality of tubular, rigid metallic contact elements (62--62) positioned in apertures (110--110) that are formed in two rows along the base. Each aperture falls in an associated groove of a plurality of parallel grooves formed transversely of the rows of the apertures. Conductors (51--51) of a first group are positioned in the grooves of the base. Then, the base is provided with a cover and the contact elements are moved in their apertures to cause the conductors to be moved into slots in the contact elements, to penetrate the cover and to sever excess end portions of the conductors. The walls of the slots are adapted to establish electrical engagement with the conductors that are moved thereinto. The cover is removed, and a carrier having a plurality of grooves in which are positioned conductors of a second group that are to be spliced to the first is assembled to the base.

Abstract: A hybrid extruder provides plastic insulation which is as uniformly and tightly disposed about a substrate as that produced in a conventional pressure extruder and accommodates irregular substrates. The hybrid extruder includes a core tube which is positioned in a die cavity to form a flow passage which includes a restriction to the flow at the end of the core tube to maximize the pressure in the plastic material. The leading end of the core tube is spaced a distance from the land of a die which is substantially less than in conventional pressure extruders to form another portion of the flow passage having a predetermined configuration. After flowing through the restriction, the plastic material expands. This avoids any backflow of the plastic material into the core tube in the event the core tube is to allow the passage of oversized spliced portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A connectorized cable includes a cable having a plurality of conductors (28-28) each of which is disposed in a tortuous path through a conductor-receiving groove (71) and an associated aligned opening between teeth (37-37) of an elongated connector which is made of a dielectric material. The grooves are formed along a shelf (45) which is spaced below the openings between the teeth. Portions (79-79) of the groove walls (73-73) are sheared to form latching tabs which are deflected inwardly into securing engagement with the conductors in the grooves and which cause portions of the conductors to extend into apertures at the bottoms of the grooves. The tortuous path of each conductor and the deflected tab portions of the walls cooperate to cause the conductor to be maintained within its groove and to prevent its inadvertent movement. Because of its connection to a wall of the connector and the interposition of displaced plastic material between it and the wall, each tab is locked in engagement with a conductor.

Abstract: Extruder tooling for directing plastic materials to enclose a conductor (26) being advanced along a path of travel through a core tube (97) and aligned dies includes disc-like flow passages (107, 129) which are disposed concentrically about and perpendicularly to the conductor. This arrangement minimizes conductor tension in a pressure extrusion arrangement by significantly reducing the length of the plastic-to-conductor contact within the extruder. The length and width of each flow passage normal to and along a path of travel are sufficient to provide a uniform distribution of plastic material circumferentially about the conductor and to dissipate stresses which have been induced in the plastic materials. In a tubing arrangement, the length of a cantilevered portion of the core tube is reduced significantly which results in improved concentricity of the plastic material about the conductor.

Abstract: A relatively small pair size cable (20) comprising at least one insulated conductor (22) is provided with a flame retardant, smoke suppressive non-metallic sheath system (30). The sheath system has a relatively low thermal conductivity and provides a predetermined delay prior to the thermal decomposition of the conductor insulation. It includes an inner layer (31) of an inorganic cellular material which has a relatively low air permeability and two tapes (41, 42) which are wrapped helically about the inner layer with overlapped sealed seams. Each tape comprises a flame retardant thermosetting material. In an alternative embodiment, the heat absorptivity of the sheath system is increased substantially to facilitate the sealing of the seams as the cable is moved along a manufacturing line. This may be accomplished by using an inorganic cellular material which has a relatively high absorptivity or by facing the inner layer or one of the tapes with a material which is heat absorptive.

Abstract: A cable which provides suitable shielding over a relatively wide range of frequencies includes a core (22), and inner shield (32), an outer shield (34) which engages electrically the inner shield, and a jacket (60). Each shield is a laminate which includes a metallic layer comprising a suitable metallic shielding material and a plastic layer. The inner shield has its plastic layer (38) disposed toward the core whereas the plastic layer (52) of the outer shield is oriented toward the jacket. Also, each shield is formed with an unjoined, longitudinal overlapped seam. In order to insure continued shielding when the cable is flexed, the longitudinal seams of the cable are displaced from each other as measured in a direction circumferentially of the core.

Abstract: In a cable stub assembly (20) which is used to interconnect two cables (22 and 24), at least one of which is pressurized with a gaseous medium, a portion of a plastic jacket is removed from an interior portion of a length (31) of cable to expose conductors (33--33) of a core (32). Heat shrinkable sleeves (61 and 66) each of which comprises an irradiation cross-linked polyolefin material are positioned over the jacket of the cable on each side of the interior portion from which the jacket has been removed. The heat shrinkable sleeves are caused to contract about the cable jacket. Inner surfaces of the sleeves are coated with an adhesive material which is helpful in providing a sealed engagement of the sleeves with the jacket. A length of tubing (81) is disposed about the cable jacket and the contracted sleeves. A polyurethane filling material (82) is introduced into the tubing and is adhered sufficiently to the sleeves to prevent substantially the escape of the gaseous medium from the at least one cable.

Abstract: In order to control the fusion of a polyvinyl chloride plastic material which is being moved along a screw of an extruder from a feed section (36) through a compression section (37) to a metering section (39) and crosshead (26), the melt pressure is measured in the compression section. The melt pressure, which is indicative of the fusion qualities of the plastic material, is used to control the temperature of the plastic material in the feed section to cause it to be substantially homogenous at the crosshead.

Abstract: A wall outlet (20), which facilitates the interconnection of lengths of inside wiring to a network interface device, includes provisions for receiving a modular plug (31) which terminates a cord (32) that is connected to customer station equipment. The wall outlet includes a tricoupler (30) and a cover (25). The tricoupler includes a housing (80) having first and second generally opposed plug-receiving cavities (82, 83) and a third cavity (87). A plurality of metallic wire-like contact elements (90-90) are disposed in the housing of the tricoupler and are engaged by blade-like terminals (60-60) of modular plugs which are inserted into the cavities. The cover includes latching tabs (164-164) which are adapted to be received in grooves (163-163) of the tricoupler housing to secure the tricoupler to the cover.

Abstract: An extrusion system is provided for covering a conductor (14) with a crystalline thermoplastic elastomer insulating material. The plastic material is tubed onto the conductor by apparatus which includes a core tube (61) that is mounted in an extruder crosshead (41) such that its free end is positioned within the interior of a die (81, 101) and is spaced from an orifice of the die a predetermined percentage of the land length of the die. A flow passage between the core tube (61) and a wall which defines the die cavity is controlled in accordance with the relative value of the thermal energy which is released by the insulating material at the onset of crystallization. In one arrangement, which has been found to be suitable for a crystalline thermoplastic elastomer having a relatively high value of released thermal energy, the die cavity and the core tube are arranged to provide a gradually converging path toward the die opening.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for making a laminate which is used to form a corrugated outer shield (60) of a sheath system (50) for a lightguide fiber cable (20). A strip (81) of a corrosion-resistant metallic material having a relatively high elongation, an oxide surface layer (65) and a relatively coarse outer surface is preheated to a temperature within a predetermined range. Afterwards, a composite adhesive strip is brought into engagement with the metallic strip and moved between a pair of rollers (91--91) which are maintained at a first temperature and which causes the strips to be subjected to a predetermined pressure. Then the two strips are moved between another pair of rollers (97--97) which are at a second temperature greater than the first and which subject the strips to the predetermined pressure. The resulting laminate (61) is corrugated by a device (104) and formed into the outer shield (60) about an inner shield (51) which is made of a highly conductive metallic material.