Patents Assigned to Bowthorpe plc
  • Patent number: 6100472
    Abstract: A cable is sealed and locked in position within an entry port, e.g., of a cable splice enclosure, by a device which includes an elongate tubular body of elastomeric material for receiving the cable therethrough. Once the cable has been passed through the device, the cable and its device are pulled into the entry port and become radially compressed between the port and the cable. Annular projections abut opposite ends of the port to prevent subsequent axial movement of the device or the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
    Inventor: Victoria Ann Foss
  • Patent number: 5783778
    Abstract: A cable locking and sealing device has an elongate body of elastomeric material formed with at least one through-passage for receiving a cable and at least one longitudinal slit extending down at least a portion of its length. The interior of the through passage is formed with a series of annular ribs which each taper in depth towards a point adjacent the longitudinal slit. When the device is pulled into an entry port, its elongate body becomes radially compressed thereby holding the cable firmly in place: however, the sealing effect of the ribs against the cable is not compromised by any relative longitudinal displacement of the portions of the body either side of the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Foss, Andrew Stephen Cammack
  • Patent number: 5768463
    Abstract: An enclosure assembly for optical fibre splices or other optical fibre components comprises a plurality of trays disposed in a stack with the trays inclined at a common angle to a longitudinal axis of the stack. Each tray is of generally elliptical shape in plan and is pivotally mounted, adjacent one end of its major axis, to an upright support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
    Inventors: Raymond Charles Foss, Andrew Stephen Cammack
  • Patent number: 5635673
    Abstract: A cable jointing enclosure is disclosed, which includes a one-piece rectangular housing formed by rotational molding. The housing has an opening in its top. A metal cover plate acts to seal over the opening. The metal cover plate acts as a firm support for equipment inside the housing, as well as acting as a heat-sink for heat generated by electrical equipment. The metal plate also shields the environment from radio frequencies emitted from within the housing. The enclosure includes a plurality of outwardly-extending tubular projections through which cables can pass into the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Bowthorpe plc
    Inventor: Raymond C. Foss
  • Patent number: 5619608
    Abstract: An enclosure assembly for optical fibre splices or other optical fibre components comprises a plurality of trays disposed in a stack with the trays inclined at a common angle to a longitudinal axis of the stack. Each tray is of generally elliptical shape in plan and is pivotally mounted, adjacent one end of its major axis, to an upright support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
    Inventors: Raymond C. Foss, Andrew S. Cammack
  • Patent number: 5610369
    Abstract: A cable splicing closure includes a base having ports for the entry of cables to be spliced, and a tubular cover for sliding axially over a peripheral surface of the base. The surface is formed with a groove which tapers towards the end from which the cover is applied and which carries an O-ring seal that is engaged by the cover and which rolls along the tapering surface of the groove as the cover is slid onto the base. The O-ring seal is rolled substantially more than 50 percent, but less than 100 percent, of its peripheral length when it is rolled into its final sealed position. Thus, the O-ring will exert a force in a direction urging the tubular cover more firmly onto the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Bowthorpe PLC
    Inventor: Raymond C. Foss
  • Patent number: 5429158
    Abstract: Tool for binding an object, especially a cable harness, by means of a strip which consists of a strip tongue and a lock which is firmly connected thereto and has a strip opening for retaining and fixing the free end of the strip tongue and at least one laterally projecting region in the bound state. In order to guide the strip tongue around the object which is to be bound, the tool comprises a loop guide which has at least one moving part for opening and closing. Provided for holding the lock during the binding process is a lock holder which is at least partially formed by a part which catches in front of the laterally projecting region of the lock. In order that this does not impede extraction of the lock from the lock holder, it is removable. In order to avoid a special bearing, drive device and controller, according to the invention, this part is connected to the moving part of the loop guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Bowthorpe plc
    Inventor: Viktor Kurmis
  • Patent number: 5417253
    Abstract: Tool for binding an object by means of a strip which, consists of a strip tongue and a lock which is firmly connected to one end of the strip tongue and has a strip opening for retaining the other end of the strip tongue. The tool comprises a binding device and a retaining device and, for guiding the strip from the strip retaining device to the binding device, a guide channel with which an elongated, flexible slide interacts which is guided via a drive roller which is provided at the end of the guide channel remote from the binding device. According to the invention, the elongated, flexible slide, or a part of the same, is formed by a flat slide strip, consisting especially of metal, which is broader than the guide channel at least in parts of its length, guide grooves being provided in the side walls of the guide channel for receiving the edges of the slide strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Bowthorpe plc
    Inventor: Viktor Kurmis
  • Patent number: 5417252
    Abstract: Tool for binding an object (19) by means of a strip which consists of a strip tongue (7) and a lock which is connected to one end of the strip tongue and has a strip opening for retaining the other end of the strip tongue. The tool, which is of elongated construction, has a loop guide (15, 16), which can be opened and closed, on the end of the tool for guiding the strip around the object (19). Provided within the loop guide on the end of the tool is a lock holder (34, 35) from which the loop guide (15, 16) originates and to which it returns. Provided in the tool body is a guide channel (5), which runs approximately parallel to its longitudinal direction, for guiding the strip in its longitudinal direction from an original position into the looping-round and binding position. According to the invention, it is provided that the lock holder (34, 35) is arranged on the end surface of the tool on the circumference of the largest circular cross-section which can be retained by the loop guide ( 15, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Bowthorpe plc
    Inventor: Viktor Kurmis
  • Patent number: 5417254
    Abstract: Tool for binding an object by means of a strip, which has a strip tongue and a strip lock with a strip opening which receives the free end of the strip tongue. The tool comprises a lock holder and a loop guide, which originates from the lock holder, returns thereto and can be opened and closed, for guiding the strip around the object to be bound. Furthermore, the tool comprises a slide for feeding the strip into a position in which the strip tongue is located in the loop guide, and the lock is located in the lock holder. According to the invention, the lock holder is at least partially formed by the slide. In consequence, other holding parts having associated drive and control means are superfluous for fixed enclosure of the lock in the holder. The part of the lock holder which is arranged on the slide may have a guide for the free strip end which enters into the lock holder region from the loop guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Bowthorpe plc
    Inventor: Viktor Kurmis