Abstract: In lightweight fabricated equipment of an overhead electric traction system, (e.g., section insulators and neutral sections), comprising at least one tension insulator mechanically connected between and electrically insulating from one another two elongate metal members, in at least one mechanical connection between the tension insulator and elongate metal member, an insulating end part of the tension insulator and an end part of the elongate metal member butt or are spaced apart and have a supplementary connecting member connected to them by separate securing bolts. The undersurfaces of the end parts of the tension insulator and elongate metal member and the undersurface of the supplementary connecting member constitute a smooth running surface.

Abstract: An elongate flexible core 1 especially suitable for use in an optical cable to be employed as an aerial cable has in its outer circumferential surface circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending grooves 3 in which optical fibres 34 will be loosely housed and comprises extruded plastics material and a multiplicity of longitudinally stressed elongate flexible non-metallic reinforcing element each substantially encapsulated in the extruded plastics material, the multiplicity of non-metallic reinforcing elements being substantially evenly distributed throughout the cross-sectional area of the core. The non-metallic reinforcing elements preferably extend helically around the axis of the core a long length of lay and preferably constitute 60 to 70% by volume of the extruded plastics material. The non-metallic reinforcing elements are preferably made of an aromatic polyamide and the plastics material may be a thermoplastics material, a thermosetting material or a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer.

Abstract: A thermally conductive module for locally extracting heat from an individual electrical component of a circuit board installation comprises a tubular metal housing of high thermal conductivity closed at one end and having at that end a screw-threaded stud for securing the housing to and in thermal contact with a thermal conductor. A spring-loaded metal piston of high thermal conductivity is slidably mounted in the bore of and protrudes from the housing and has a throughbore extending through and opening into the exposed end face of the piston. A grease-like medium of high thermal conductivity is contained in the closed bore of the housing.

Abstract: A device for cutting at least one longitudinally extending slit in the wall of a tub, which device comprises a substantially tubular thruster unit and a substantially tubular cutter unit arranged in axial alignment, which thruster unit includes a first gripping means for preventing the tube, which has been introduced through the bore of the thruster unit into the bore of the cutter unit, from moving relative to the thruster unit in a direction away from the cutter unit and which cutter unit includes at least one tooth for cutting a longitudinally extending slit in the wall of said tube and, between said tooth and the thruster unit, a second mechanism for preventing the tube from moving relative to the cutter unit in a direction towards the thruster unit; a double handled mechanism for urging the cutter unit in an axial direction relative to and a limited distance towards and away from the thruster unit; and, associated with each unit, adjustable mechanism for releasing the associated gripping mechanism.

Abstract: In the manufacture, for use in an optical cable element, of a tube of polymeric material, the drawn down extruded polymeric tube is annealed by causing it to travel through at least one elongate oven into which is injected, at a position intermediate of the ends of the oven, air or other gas which will have no deleterious effect on, and which is at a temperature sufficient to effect annealing of, the drawn down polymeric tube, and by directing the injected hot air or other gas on to the advancing drawn-down tube at a plurality of positions spaced along the length of the oven in such a way that turbulent flow and substantially even distribution of hot gas is provided around the advancing drawn-down tube. Use of this method of annealing enables the speed of manufacture to be at least twice the speed of manufacture hitherto achieved.

Abstract: A unit for transferring an electrical lead from a measuring, cutting and stripping machine 21 to a terminating machine 31 includes an electrical lead gripping device 6 which is carried by a fluid-operated piston 3 working in a cylinder 2 and which can be caused to reciprocate between a position at which the gripping device grips an electrical lead in the measuring, cutting and stripping machine and a position at which an electrical termination can be secured by the terminating machine to a stripped end of an electrical lead carried by the gripping device. The unit also includes a device 7 for ejecting a terminated electrical lead from the gripping device 6. A control system, preferably fluid-operated, effects automatic reciprocation of the gripping device 6 between said two positions and operation of the ejection device 7 in synchronization with the cycles of operations of the measuring, cutting and stripping machine 21 and of the terminating machine 31.