Patents by Inventor David F. Hawkins

David F. Hawkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6880219
    Abstract: A method for installing branches in a protective ducting system in which guide tubes and cables have already been laid, wherein at a desired branch location in the protective duct, a splittable Y-branch connector with an inlet opening, an outlet opening and at least one branch opening is installed by cutting a short section from the duct at the desired branch point and exposing the guide tubes and cables, opening the splittable branch connector and arranging it around the exposed guide tubes and cables, and closing and securing the Y-branch connector with splittable coupling collars in such a manner that the inlet opening and the outlet opening engage in sealing manner over the respective cut ends of the existing duct, and the branch opening of the connector is secured by engagement of a branch stub around a branch duct through which a branch guide tube is laid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: NKF Kabel B.V.
    Inventors: Willem Griffioen, Arie Van Wingerden, Cornelis Van 'T Hul, Pieter Lock, Willem Greven, Frans Robbert Bakker, David F. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 6619697
    Abstract: An existing protective duct contains a bundle of guide tubes through which fiber optic cables are run to customers at existing service locations. In order to run a cable to a new customer at a different service location, the duct is cut at a branch point and a short section of the duct is removed to expose the guide tubes. An unused guide tube is cut and serially connected to a branch guide tube leading to the new service location. The protective duct sidewall is restored at the branch point by a splittable Y-branch connector that includes complementary housing sections, an inlet opening, an outlet opening and at least one branch opening. Splittable coupling collars seal the branch connector housing sections around the respective cut end portions of the existing duct. The Y-branch connector also includes a branch stub that is sealed around the branch guide tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: NKF Kabel B.V.
    Inventors: Willem Griffioen, Arie Van Wingerden, Cornelis Van 'T Hul, Pieter Lock, Willem Greven, Frans Robbert Bakker, David F. Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20030080555
    Abstract: A method for installing branches in a protective ducting system in which guide tubes and cables have already been laid, wherein at a desired branch location in the protective duct, a splittable Y-branch connector with an inlet opening, an outlet opening and at least one branch opening is installed by cutting a short section from the duct at the desired branch point and exposing the guide tubes and cables, opening the splittable branch connector and arranging it around the exposed guide tubes and cables, and closing and securing the Y-branch connector with splittable coupling collars in such a manner that the inlet opening and the outlet opening engage in sealing manner over the respective cut ends of the existing duct, and the branch opening of the connector is secured by engagement of a branch stub around a branch duct through which a branch guide tube is laid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: NKF KABEL B.V.
    Inventors: Willem Griffioen, Arie Van Wingerden, Cornelis Van 'T Hul, Pieter Lock, Willem Greven, Frans Robbert Bakker, David F. Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20020079697
    Abstract: A method for installing a ducting system with branches, wherein at the point of a branch in an existing duct of the system a splittable Y-branch connector with an inlet opening, an outlet opening and at least one branch opening is installed by cutting a duct portion from the existing duct at the point of the branch, opening the splittable branch connector and arranging it around a bundle of guide tubes extending between the cut end portions of the duct, and closing and securing the Y-branch connector with splittable coupling collars in such a manner that the inlet opening and the outlet opening engage in sealing manner over the respective cut ends of the existing duct, and the branch opening is secured by engagement of a branch stub around a branch duct through which a branch guide tube is laid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Willem Griffioen, Arie Van Wingerden, Cornelis Van't Hul, Pieter Lock, Willem Greven, Frans Robbert Bakker, David F. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 5933556
    Abstract: The invention provides a connector for connecting to an end of a conduit tube of the type which carries fiber optic communications cables. The connector comprising a body having a through bore through which a fiber optic cable may pass. At least one end of the body being arranged to receive therein an end of a conduit tube for carrying the cable. The body having first resilient sealing means for encircling the conduit tube and compression means for compressing the resilient sealing means and the conduit tube. Characterized in that the body has two main body portions arranged for relative axial movement therebetween, and means for drawing the two body portions together, and in that a second resilient means is disposed axially between two confronting surfaces of the two main body portions. The second resilient means being compressible by tightening the two main body portions together so as to deform the second resilient sealing means radially inwardly and into sealing contact with the fiber optic cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Inventor: David F Hawkins