Abstract: A splice closure including a frame having a partition wall to define front and rear access areas for the closure. The frame carries one or more splice trays on a first surface portion making the splices accessible from the front or first access area. A slack storage compartment is provided on the second surface portion. The slack storage compartment includes one or more pairs of opposing sidewalls that define an access opening for the slack that is accessible from the rear access area. An extension member for the frame is disclosed for obtaining greater amounts of slack from the cable, such as for a taut sheath cable splice. A tandem longitudinal arrangement of splice trays is also disclosed and may be used for a taut sheath ring splice or for repairing a severed cable. A method is disclosed for making a taut sheath optical fiber splice to the severed cable.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable system, such as a preterminated fiber cable, includes a main cable and one or more drop cables connected to the main cable at spaced apart locations along the main cable. The drop cable is spliced to the main cable using a splice closure including a fiber guide that secures spliced together end portions of the respective fibers in a longitudinally extending direction and devoid of any slack coils of optical fibers. Accordingly, the overall diameter of the splice closure is relatively small thereby permitting the cable system to be stored on a reel and to be readily placed within small diameter conduits. The splice closure includes a heat recoverable housing surrounding the fiber guide. Cable sheath end portions are sealed by melting C-shaped bodies of heat flowable material positioned adjacent cable sheath end portions.