Abstract: In curing an extruded insulation layer of an electric cable by passing the cable through a catenary curing tube, a cable restraining device 8 is disposed at or just prior to the exit end of the catenary tube 11 and serves to apply to the cable 10 a restraint to oppose forces (developed by the hydrostatic pressure of the curing fluid) which tend to extrude the cable through the exit end of the curing tube. In the example shown, the device 8 comprises a set of resiliently flexible cones 9 and a clamping arrangement 12, 13 which is adjustable to adjust the degree of restraints.

Abstract: An electrical cable for very high voltage underground power transmission comprises two or more inner conductors (2) which are twisted together and are supported within the gas-filled void of a hollow extruded plastic cable sheath (4) by means of a plurality of spacers (3) which are positioned along the length of the cable, each spacer (3) being formed of solid dielectric material with a number of angularly spaced radial webs equal to the number of conductors in the cable and being engaged with the twisted conductors with the webs extending from the cable axis radially outwardly between the conductors into contact with the inner wall of the cable sheath (4) where the outermost ends of the webs engage with complementarily shaped portions (5) of the sheath (4) providing for reduction of the electrical stresses at the spacer ends.