Abstract: A male electrical connector with positive locking prongs and shielded blade protection. The connector comprises a plug body, a plurality of curved blades extending therefrom, and a plate carrying locking prongs and axially slidably coupled to the blades and plug body. In one embodiment, the plate is slidably received in a recess in the plug body, while in another embodiment, the plate is coupled to a tube which is slidably received on the exterior surface of the plug body. The connector can include an auxiliary lock-in assembly, a lock-out assembly, or both, as well as a seal to resist ingress of dirt or moisture.

Abstract: A male electrical connector with positive locking prongs and shielded blade protection. The connector comprises a plug body, a plurality of curved blades extending therefrom, a cover rotatably coupled to the plug body, and a shield carrying locking prongs and axially slidably coupled to the blades and plug body. The cover carries a set of cams and the shield carries a set of cam followers, rotation of the cover relative to the shield camming the shield and its locking prongs axially towards the plug body and out of locking engagement with slots in a female receptacle. In a first embodiment, the cover encloses a cable clamping assembly, while in a second embodiment the clamping assembly is outside the cover.

Abstract: A reinforced cable having hauling, electrical and hydraulic lines. The cable has a substantially rectangular cross section and includes at least one internal support to protect these lines by resisting external compressive forces, and yet is bendable about one of its transverse axes for easy storage on and deployment from a drum. The internal support also protects the hauling lines from compressive forces applied longitudinally thereof by resisting radial displacement of the hauling lines. In one embodiment, the cable comprises an armor layer, a pair of engaged channels inside the armor layer, and a pair of corrugated supports inside the channels and fixedly spaced apart. The hauling lines, in the form of wire ropes, are located inside the corrugated supports, while the electrical lines are located inside the channels between the corrugated supports. The hydraulic lines can alternatively be located inside the channels between the corrugated supports, or inside the wire ropes.

Abstract: An elongated cable structure of rigid and flat transverse cross-section for protecting conduits of various types includes interior axial lines of high tensile strength which may be used to suspend equipment from one cable end and to force the equipment axially past obstructions in a well hole. The structure may be raised and lowered in the well hole by means of exterior teeth which are firmly secured to the underlying tensile lines project from the surface of the structure to mesh with traction drives.

Abstract: A splice joins two pushing and pulling cables. Each cable has a plurality of gripping members defining a longitudinal cavity, a bendable power line housed in the cavity and elongated tensile elements enclosed and compressed by the gripping members. The adjacent ends of the tensile elements are connected by tensile element splices. Adjacent ends of the power lines are connected by a power line splice. A plurality of splice blocks are located end to end along the longitudinal axis, and enclose and compress the tensile element splices and the tensile element. The splice blocks define a longitudinally extending chamber housing the power line and the power line splice in a relatively stress free state.

Abstract: An armored cable structure which converts a plurality of stranded flexible wire ropes for suspending and retrieving the cable structure in a bore hole into members which are also rigid in longitudinal compression and constrained against birdcaging. The converted ropes serve as positively drivable members for forcing the cable structure and any equipment attached to the down-hole end thereof down-hole.

Abstract: An elongated, reinforced power cable for use in adverse environments. The cable is provided with internal structural members to resist crushing and other mechanical forces. The cable includes at least two power conductor assemblies which extend along the longitudinal axis of the cable. A protective metallic layer is provided for each conductor assembly and completely encases each conductor assembly. The conductor assemblies and protective metallic layers are aligned in a row within the cable, the row having a left end, a right end, a top plane and a bottom plane. A rigid support member is positioned at each end of the row of conductor assemblies. The support members have a height at least equal to the height of the protective layers to prevent compression of the protective layers and conductor assemblies. An armored covering is provided which fully encloses the support members, the protective layers and the conductor assemblies.

Abstract: A reinforced cable having hauling, electrical and hydraulic lines. The cable has a substantially rectangular cross section and includes at least one internal support to protect these lines by resisting external compressive forces, and yet is bendable about one of its transverse axes for easy storage on and deployment from a drum. The internal support also protects the hauling lines from compressive forces applied longitudinally thereof by resisting radial displacement of the hauling lines. In one embodiment, the cable comprises an armor layer, a pair of engaged channels inside the armor layer, and a pair of corrugated supports inside the channels and fixedly spaced apart. The hauling lines, in the form of wire ropes, are located inside the corrugated supports, while the electrical lines are located inside the channels between the corrugated supports. The hydraulic lines can alternatively be located inside the channels between the corrugated supports, or inside the wire ropes.

Abstract: An armored electrical cable which is especially useful in oil wells and provides resistance to corrosion, explosive decompression and transverse compressive forces. The cable comprises an insulated conductor, a barrier layer enclosing the insulation, a filler layer enclosing the barrier layer, and a square compression-resistant layer enclosing the filler layer. The barrier layer is a lead sheath having a closed cross section with an exterior including four right angle corners oriented in a square and four convex areas, each interconnecting a pair of adjacent right angle corners. The filler layer comprises a thermosetting tape, an open-mesh fabric tape, and a polymeric tape of low frictional coefficient.

Abstract: A resilient gasket for a weatherproof electrical outlet provides seals between the outlet box and the cover plate, between the receptacle and the cover plate, and between the cover plate and cover flap or plug connected to the receptacle. The gasket is a planar member having a peripheral configuration corresponding to the peripheral configurations of a standard outlet box and cover plate therefor and is received between the cover plate and receptacle and between the cover plate and outlet box. At least one aperture extends through the gasket and has transverse dimensions, in a relaxed condition of the gasket, less than the similar dimensions of projections on standard electrical receptacles.

Abstract: A general purpose receptacle having selective single and split circuit electrical modes is adapted for mounting in a standard floor or wall mounting box. The receptacle is formed of a molded, one-piece receptacle body and a molded, one-piece receptacle front. Selection of single or split circuit operating modes is achievable by a break-off tab which normally electrically connects two sets of female contacts as a single circuit but which can be broken off so that the female contact sets are electrically separated. The receptacle is wired by placing the unstripped ends of insulated conductors at insulation severing terminals connected to the female contacts and forcing the conductors into the terminals. To accomplish this, a pair of suitably shaped side covers are hinged to the front part of the receptacle top to provide the requisite insulation-displacement forces.

Abstract: A protective cover for an electrical connector capable of torsional flexibility and adapted for use in combination with an electrical connector having a rotatable sleeve for actuating a locking pin to lock the connector's blades. The cover is a unitary elastomeric body comprising a clamping assembly for securing to the connector cable, a gripping sleeve for engaging the rotatable sleeve on the connector, and a torsionally flexible portion joining the clamping assembly and gripping sleeve. The torsionally flexible portion includes an annular series of radial pleats and a thin-walled tubular portion extending from the pleats.

Abstract: An interlock arrangement is disclosed for a unitary molded enclosure for electrical terminals such as for the terminals for a dead-front electrical plug. The enclosure is formed of electrically insulating material and has an interior chamber for housing the terminals and additionally has at least one moveable wall portion connected to the remainder of the enclosure by an integral web hinge. The moveable wall portion pivots on the hinge to an open position which provides access to the interior chamber of the enclosure. A number of interengaging locking members are integrally formed with the moveable wall and the remainder of the enclosure and engage one another when the moveable wall portion is closed to relieve stress on the hinge when assembling and using the enclosure and to provide safety even if the web hinge is weakened or fails. The unitary molded enclosure may have two such moveable walls, each with its own web hinge and interengaging locking members.

Abstract: An integrally molded housing has a dead-front base and a pair of side covers pivotally connected to it by web hinges. The side covers fold about the web hinges to: (i) force cord conductors into insulation displacement terminals affixed to the housing and thus wire the connector; (ii) safely enclose the wiring area; and (iii) lock the side covers to the dead-front base by the engagement of mating portions of the covers and base to prevent relative motion even should the web hinges fail. The connector can have male or female contacts or both. It provides speed and convenience of wiring and assembly and ensures quality wiring by eliminating the variability in workmanship associated with conventional stripping of conductor ends and screw tightening used for screw type terminals.