Abstract: A connector receives a multiconductor cable with one channel receiving ground conductors of the cable in disposition running lengthwise with the cable and another channel receiving signal conductors of the cable bent sidewise to the cable length. Individual contacts engage the cable signal conductors and a common electrical interface is obtained with the ground conductors. At least one of the individual contacts is interconnected with the common interface and all of the contacts are accessible exteriorly of the connector housing, whereby each signal conductor and the common ground are conveyed to accessory apparatus through the cable-terminating connector.

Abstract: A tool for simultaneously gripping and positioning a hollow crimping sleeve adjacent a crimping means and retaining two elongate electrical conductors with their bared ends within such hollow sleeve to allow the crimping of such sleeve and conductor ends into a mechanical and electrical joint. A base contains a central sleeve support covered by two separately operable arms, each of which contains a partial sleeve support and cable retaining means. With the sleeve fully supported and the cable positions fixed, the centrally located crimping means is activated by hammering the crimping means or tightening a fastener on a threaded stud.

Abstract: A connector for joining the conductors of a multiconductor cable to a like plurality of conductors formed of an insulating base member having an equal plurality of conductive channels therein, each channel insulated from each of the remaining channels. The conductors of the cable are distributed, one for each channel, into the channels and a like number of selectively formed conductors are simultaneously distributed among the channels with their ends separated from the ends of the cable conductors. An insulating cover, of sufficient dimensions to overlie and contact each conductor, is attached to the base member to compress all conductors therebetween. A complete conductive path is established for each cable conductor and its associated conductor by means of the conductive channel.

Abstract: A dual-in-line package assembly for interconnection with a printed circuit board includes a base having a plurality of free-standing contacts and a DIP carrier having channels extending therethrough for jointly receiving DIP lead and base contacts and for biasing resililent portions of the base contacts upon the DIP leads interiorly of the carrier. The channels of carriers stacked in the assembly have common base contacts passing therethrough in registry with a lead of each stacked package.

Abstract: An undercarpet cable assembly for use in signal transmission systems has a coaxial cable subassembly retained by but strippable from an abrasion-protective and crush-resistant resilient retention body. Stripping is facilitated by an unbonded relation between the subassembly and the retention body.

Abstract: An electrical connector for terminating a coaxial cable assembly has joinable housings, one housing providing a passage for cable assembly receipt and a second passage for receiving an insulation-piercing contact, the other housing supporting an insulating-piercing contact for entry into the first housing to electrically engage the central conductor of the coaxial cable assembly. Housing interlock means are provided for enabling registry of the contact and central conductor and for imposing strain-relief force upon the cable assembly at the same time.

Abstract: A cable tie is formed as a blank having an end extent with first teeth disposed between perforations and a body extent having second teeth extending with the first teeth from a common blank surface. The body extent is drawn through one of the perforations to form a box-like head. The body extent is then arranged about cables to be bundled and is drawn through the head whereupon the first and second teeth interlock to retain the bundled cables.

Abstract: In providing an electrically insulative covering for a cable splice, a sleeve is assembled with an outer rigid shell and is maintained in fluid-sealed relation therewith. A supply of positively pressurized air is placed with the assembled sleeve and outer member, in fluid-sealed relation with the sleeve interior. The sleeve is expanded into contiguous relation with the outer member by the pressurized air. The expanded assembly is placed over the splice and the fluid-sealed relation of sleeve and outer member is interrupted, causing the sleeve to collapse upon the splice and cables, whereupon the outer member is removed and discarded.

Abstract: A transition connection apparatus provides for electrical interconnection between round conductors in a grounded conduit in an under-floor wiring system and conductors in an insulated flat multiconductor cable in an undercarpet wiring system. A conductive base member having an undulated portion defining a crest supports an insulative member having a plurality of mounting surfaces for joining a plurality of conductors thereon. A plate-member projects from the undulated portion and extends adjacent to and in overlying relation to one of the mounting surfaces. Such plate member and at least one conductor are joined on the one mounting surface. A ground potential is established at such joint through the base member that is conductively coupled to the grounded conduit by a threaded nipple.

Abstract: A palm held tool for slitting the insulating sheath of a sheathed three-conductor electrical cable and spreading the outer conductors laterally away from the central conductor is provided. The tool comprises a housing and a pair of spaced rotary cutters, each cutter including a piercing point, a slicing edge and a curved wedge thereon. Upon rotation of the cutters, the piercing point on each cutter pierces the cable at a point in the cable and each slicing edge progressively slices the cable longitudinally unidirectionally from such pierced point between a respective outer conductor and central conductor. The curved wedge subsequently enters the slit cable progressively longitudinally unidirectionally and laterally spreads the outer conductors therealong. During a complete revolution of the cutters, the piercing points, slicing edges and curved wedges sequentially enter, pass through and exit the cable.

Abstract: In terminating an optical element, such as an optical fiber, a housing includes an entry aperture for the fiber and terminating apparatus defining mutually discontinuous surfaces in abutting relation to the fiber end face, the surfaces being spaced from one another in a circular locus having a diameter not greater than the diameter of the fiber.

Abstract: A hand-held fiber cleaving tool has an elongate channel for receiving a fiber, a shroud for exposing a part of the fiber and a fiber cleaving unit including a cutting element rotative through the shroud about an axis parallel to and spaced from the channel longitudinal axis for generally sectoral cutting of the fiber. The tool further includes a fiber puller cooperating with a fiber clamping device to separate a portion of the fiber subsequent to cleaving. The clamping device is disposed on one side of the cleaved fiber portion and the fiber puller is disposed on the opposite side. The puller has selectively movable members adapted to grasp the fiber under manual operation and to pull the grasped portion in a longitudinal direction to separate it from the fiber portion held by the clamping device.

Abstract: A connector for terminating flat cable has insulation piercing teeth adapted, by disposition on different longitudinal side margins of a web, to provide strain relief for a cable along a plurality of separate longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A power-operated tool for automatically applying a bundling tie to a plurality of wires or the like comprises an elongate rotatable tie carrier and a loading mechanism disposed adjacent thereto for positioning ties on the carrier. The loading mechanism is adapted to receive ties individually in succession from a series of ties that are webbed together head to head and to transfer the interconnected ties laterally to the carrier. A pawl is included for rotatably indexing the tie carrier to advance the ties positioned thereon to a separating station whereat the web between the heads is cut to thereby provide separated, individual ties. The ties are further advanced to a feeding position whereat an individual tie is positioned about the articles in a closed loop. A gripper is provided to tension the tie about the articles and a severing mechanism is included to suitably sever a strap portion at a predetermined tie tension.

Abstract: A die set for deforming a ferrule or similar article comprises a first die member and a cooperable second die member movable relative to the first die member along a central axis. The first die member includes first and second die elements that are disposed on opposite sides of the central axis and that are movable laterally toward and away from each other. The movable first and second elements define an expandable and contractable die nest for receiving a ferrule therein. A spring is provided for normally urging the die elements toward each other. The transverse spacing between the first and second die elements is chosen to provide an interference fit with the ferrule such that upon insertion into the die nest the ferrule is resiliently retained therein. The second die member has an anvil portion for entering into the die nest and deforming the ferrule resiliently held therein. Release of the ferrule after deformation is effected by sliding the ferrule out from the die nest.

Abstract: A rotatable tie carrier is provided in a bundling tie applying tool, the tie carrier preferably comprising an elongate, generally cylindrical drum rotatably mounted in the tool housing. The drum has a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves thereon spaced substantially equally about the periphery of the drum. The grooves are provided to accommodate individually a plurality of ties therein. The drum is rotatably indexed to suitably advance ties individually in succession from a loading position in the tool to a feeding position whereat an individual tie is positioned in a closed loop about articles to be bundled.

Abstract: Tie sensing apparatus is provided in a bundling tie applying tool for sensing presence and absence of a bundling tie on a support within the tool. The support is adjacent a tie loading apparatus in the tool whereby ties transferred from the loading apparatus are positioned thereon. The sensing apparatus, upon sensing absence of a tie on the support operates a switch that provides an indication that the tool requires replenishment of ties. The switch is operable to effectively interrupt operation of the tool until presence of ties is sensed and for actuating a light for visual indication that tie replenishment is required.

Abstract: In connecting flat multiconductor cables, one cable is placed atop another to provide a matrix of zones in which connections may be made of any conductor of one cable to any conductor of the other cable. Selection is made of one zone and it is perforated. An insulating-piercing connector is inserted through the perforation and crimped to provide an electrical connection between the pair of cable conductors in registry with the selected zone. Selection of further zones for perforation and connector insertion is made progressively from those zones which do not have in registry therewith any conductor which was in registry with any previously selected zone. Apparatus for implementing preferred connection zone selection precludes use of connecting zones other than a singular zone for connection of one conductor pair and compels use of a selective few zones individually for connection of respective other conductor pairs, thereby lessening connection error likelihood.

Abstract: A fire protective tape using a halogen-free mastic coating on a fabric support is provided, the essential components of the mastic being solids including a low fusing ceramic frit, hydrated solids having chemically bonded water which is released as a fire protective water vapor when heated, solids which expand or intumesce during the same heat application to form a porous, expanded or foamy insulating body, solids which have a fire break effect, such as antimony oxide and zinc tetraborate, and binder solids which are thermoplastic resins and serve to bind the solids into a flexible coating when applied, the binder solids being dispersed as an emulsion in water and mixed with the other solids to form a mastic. With further addition of water the mastic is converted to a selected viscosity for application by troweling, coatingor spraying.

Abstract: A multi-signal transmission line is formed of a flat cable having a plurality of generally parallel conductors embedded in a dielectric core material, with an insulator jacket encasing the flat cable and being made of a dielectric material having a higher dielectric constant than the dielectric core material of the flat cable. The resulting composite transmission line cable insures that substantially all of the transverse electromagnetic propagation field created by the passage of a fast rise time pulse in a signal conductor is confined to the geometric area of the cable and the cable functions in a manner to greatly reduce the far end line-to-line interference (crosstalk) between the signal conductor and adjacent quiet lines.