Abstract: An apparatus (20) for supporting rotatably a reel (27) of cable so that it may be turned, for example, to render ends of the cable accessible for connectorization, includes a pair of spaced, parallel cradle rolls (30, 31), which in rest positions are in engagement with a support surface of a base plate (51). A reel is moved so that its flanges are supported on a reference surface (43) which extends between the cradle rolls and which is generally coincident with a factory floor surface that is spaced above the base plate. An actuating member (60, 60') associated with each cradle roll is moved from an unoperated position toward its associated cradle roll to cause wedges (69-69) extending from the actuating member and between the cradle roll and the base plate to cam the cradle roll upwardly along inclined surfaces of the wedges and vertical surfaces of bearing blocks (56--56) adjacent one side of each cradle roll in which passive satellite rollers (53--53) are mounted rotatably.

Abstract: Industrial scissors having one handle formed with a ring through which fingers may be inserted and the other handle formed with an elongated arched bar having a convex surface against which a palm may be snugly seated and pressed.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a double crucible Czochralski crystal semiconductor growing apparatus (10). An inner crucible (14) floats in a melt within an outer crucible (13) and a single crystal semiconductor billet (23) is pulled from the melt (16) in the inner crucible. An elongated tubular member (26), having at least one small aperture (33) in the wall thereof, provides a channel between the outer and inner crucibles. The tubular member (26) permits flow of the melt in the outer crucible (14) to the inner crucible (13) while inhibiting the diffusion of dopant material from the inner to outer crucible while any gas in the member will pass through the aperture (33).

Abstract: Paper pulp insulation of uniform weight per unit length is formed simultaneously on each of a plurality of advancing electrical conductors (21--21) by the use of a dual zone headbox (23) which cooperates with a forming cylinder (24). In one zone of the headbox, the average velocity of a pulpous mixture flowing in a channel (54) is controlled by a first velocity control member (58) after which the pulpous mixture is split into a plurality of streams to form a pulp ribbon (29) below each of the conductors on the periphery of the forming cylinder. In the other zone, the pulpous mixture is passed through a channel (57) prior to being split into individual streams that are deposited as ribbons (31--31) above the conductors. The average velocity of the pulpous mixture in the channel (57) in the other zone is controlled by a second velocity control member (66) having a plurality of discrete individually adjustable sections which are aligned with the streams.

Abstract: A cable pulling eye is disclosed which comprises a tubular shell having a rounded nose end to which an eye is secured and an open tail end through which the end of a cylindrical cable may be inserted and housed for cable drawing operations through a duct. The shell has a cylindrical tail section adjacent the open tail end of a substantially uniform outside diameter approximating that of the cable. The tail section of the shell uniterally joins a cylinderical nose section of reduced outside diameter adjacent the nose end. The nose section has a relatively thick shell wall while the tail section has a relatively thin shell wall. So constructed, the shell tail section may be swaged into gripping engagement with a cable housed therein without increasing the outside diameter of the shell.

Abstract: A device (80) for sealing a furnace (50) which is used to draw a fiber (52) from a rod-like preform (51) includes a housing (82) having a cavity (121) for receiving a disc (111). The disc (111) is suspended for movement in the cavity in a plane lateral to the preform that extends through a center opening (116) in the disc and into the furnace. An inert gas is supplied to the cavity and directed inwardly through radially disposed passageways (118--118) in the disc (111) to impinge on the preform and split into two streams which move along the preform in opposite directions to prevent the entry of ambient air into, as well as the escape of gas from within, the furnace. The inert gas also causes the disc to be moved within the cavity to compensate for irregularities in the preform or for its misalignment from a vertical axis of the furnace, and provides a cushion so that contact between the disc and the preform is avoided.

Abstract: A computer controlled facility is provided to detect capacitance, and hence defective connections, between a group of wires in a telephone handset cord and terminal blades of plugs connected at both ends of the cord. The test depends upon ascertaining the capacitance between a properly connected terminal blade and wire and the other terminal blade and wire connections to provide exact indications of the terminal blades and wires which are not properly connected. Capacitance is detected by connecting a good wire and blade connection along with another wire and blade in a capacitance network associated with one stage of a free running multivibrator which produces an output wave in accordance with the capacitance between the connected pairs of wires and blades. A delayed pulse is cyclically generated to act in conjunction with the output wave to control a bank of indicator lights to provide an indication of any defective wire to blade connections.

Abstract: A plurality of individual toroidal loading or inductive coils mounted on a fiberglass dowel are positioned within a D-shaped case so that wiring spaces are provided between the peripheries of the coils and the junctures of the arcuate and straight sections of the case. Terminal strips are laid in the wiring spaces so that coil and stub cable wires may be secured to terminal posts projecting from the strips. The case is provided with openings to permit encapsulation of the coils. The D-shaped configuration of the case permits compact assembly of a number of cases within an outer casing.

Abstract: Two stacks of individual loading coils are mounted on the arms of a U-shaped bracket which is supported on a divider wall of a contoured plastic case having a pair of compartments for receiving the coil stacks. The crossarm of the bracket is shaped to fit within a correspondingly shaped notch formed in the divider wall to centrally position the stacks of coils within the compartments. In another embodiment spacer ribs project from the inner walls of the housing to provide means for accurately locating the stacks within the compartments. Encapsulating medium is introduced into the case to protect the coils and provide electrical isolation between the coil stacks.

Abstract: Solder is forced through an ejector and flow well to impinge a solder fountain against soldered leads extending through a circuit board from a component. The solder on the leads is melted to permit the removal and replacement of the component. Overflowing solder is collected and recirculated by action of the ejector. The construction of the solder fountain is such that there are no close fitting moving parts which may become clogged by solder inclusions.

Abstract: A seal is used to prevent the escape of gas from a gas pressurized plastic-jacketed, multi-conductor cable where the conductors of an unjacketed portion of the cable enter a cabinet of a terminal which is exposed to temperature cycling. The seal includes a sleeve made of an elastomeric material having one end which engages an end section of the cable jacket with the conductors of the unjacketed portion of the cable extending through the other end of the sleeve into the cabinet. The seal also includes a metallic tube which is disposed about the elastomeric sleeve with one of the end portions of the tube which is aligned with the cable jacket being in compressive engagement with the sleeve and jacket. A plugging compound in the other end portion of the tube and which is compliant with the sleeve material encapsulates the conductors and the other end of the sleeve which extends into the plugging compound.

Abstract: Beam machining methods are disclosed for adjusting the inductance of an inductive device having a core that substantially encloses coil means, and establishes a centrally located air gap. The inductance is adjusted by utilizing a high energy beam for machining a terminating end region of an inwardly extending core leg portion, the end face of which in part defines the air gap. By modifying the geometrical dimensions of the leg portion end face, the reluctance across the air gap may be readily changed by an amount that produces the desired value of inductance exhibited by the device when energized. The disclosed methods advantageously obviate the need for a tuning slug associated with the air gap, and eliminate the need for machine grinding the air gap-defining leg portions of the core prior to the assembly of the device.

Abstract: A hand-operated tool (50) for assembling stackable elements (52, 53 and 54) of a multicontact electrical connector (51) and for assembling conductors (56 and 57) to the connector includes a head (125) which is automatically positioned for effectively applying forces to the connector at each step of its assembly and to the conductors. An installer causes the head to be moved downwardly through a first incremental distance toward a support (109) into engagement with an element or conductors which are to be moved into secured engagement with an element held on the support. The movement of the head through the first incremental distance and the initiation of its movement through a second incremental distance causes the head to be spaced from the support a predetermined distance which is automatically determined as a function of the number of elements held on the support in that step of the assembly.

Abstract: A modular plug for terminating a multiconductor cord and adapted to be inserted into a jack to establish electrical connections between cord conductors and contact wires in the jack possesses superior dielectric strength. The plug includes a plastic housing having conductor-receiving cells extending between a closed end of the plug and a chamber common to all the conductors with the spacing of the cells differing from that of the jack wires. Terminal-receiving slots extend between the chamber and an exterior surface of the housing with the length of each slot being parallel to the associated cell and communicating with an exterior surface of the housing through an opening defined by at least one camming surface. The openings are spaced the same as the jack wires and the same as terminals being fed by automatic machinery for insertion.

Abstract: In winding tape on an article a preselected length of the tape is collected from a tape supply and the collected tape is severed from the supply to form a trailing end portion on the collected tape. The trailing end portion of the collected tape then is attached to the article and the article is rotated to wind the collected tape onto the article without any significant back tension in the tape which could damage the article. Preferably, the collected tape is moved from a collecting position to a position adjacent the article between the tape severing and tape attaching operations, to eliminate twisting and misalignment of the tape as it is transferred to the article, and possible damage to the article. The tape collecting operation also preferably involves winding the tape onto a rotatable tape collecting member in a small compact package, to reduce the size of the apparatus required.

Abstract: A process is taught for producing plastic jacketed cable for use in underground ducts exposed to unusually high temperatures and having a corrugated metallic shield which imprints the plastic covering includes an inner jacket capable of providing and maintaining adequate strength properties notwithstanding imprinting thereof by the corrugations of the shield contiguous thereto and an outer jacket superimposed over the inner jacket and suitable for resisting degradation while being exposed to elevated temperatures for sustained periods of time.

Abstract: Trailing wire ends of a cable supply on a pay-off reel initially are connected to respective matrix points of a controller in a preselected numerical order. The cable then is fed from the reel, and a leading end portion is desheathed, using heat. The desheathed portions of the cable wires then are pressed or "ironed" from a twisted-pair bundle configuration into an individual-wire common plane configuration. As the desheathed portions of the wires next are fanned out of the common plane configuration in random order, they are sorted into two groups, depending on the side of a connector plug on which they are to be located, in response to signals from the controller, which also identifies each wire and stores information as to its random numerical position in its respective group. The cable then is cut to length adjacent the supply reel and a new sequence of operations is initiated.

Abstract: A plastic jacketed cable; having a corrugated metallic shield which encloses a core comprising a plurality of insulated conductors, for use in underground ducts exposed to elevated temperatures includes an inner jacket which is capable of providing and maintaining adequate strength properties notwithstanding imprinting thereof by the corrugations of the shield contiguous thereto, and an outer jacket superimposed over the inner jacket and suitable for resisting degradation while being exposed to the elevated temperatures for sustained periods of time.