Abstract: A cable of this invention includes a number of pulp-insulated conductor pairs per unit of cable cross-sectional area which is substantially greater than in prior art cables. Each pulp-insulated conductor includes a metallic conductor enclosed in a composite insulation cover which has a controlled dielectric constant and a controlled adhesion of the cover to the conductor. The composite cover comprises a pulpous material and a layer of adhesive material which is interposed between the conductor and the pulpous material. The layer of the adhesive material bonds the pulpous material to the conductor and allows a reduced thickness of pulpous material without degrading the transmission characteristics of the cable. Also, the mechanical integrity of the insulation cover permits the moisture content of the pulpous material to be reduced and the density increased over that achieved in prior art pulp-insulated conductors without causing bare spots in the insulation.

Abstract: Conditioning apparatus for a cast metal bar is disclosed which comprises a conveyor having a plurality of blocks each of which has a surface depression defining a bar support and guide channel, an endless support to which the blocks are mounted in an endless series with the block bar support and guide channels tandemly aligned, and means for driving the endless support and series of blocks along a circuitous path that extends generally linearly through a bar conditioning station. The apparatus also comprises hold down roller means located at the bar conditioning station for holding a cast metal bar in the bar support and guide channels of blocks being driven through the bar condition station; means for trimming a cast metal bar supported and guided in the bar support and guide channels of blocks at the bar conditioning station, and means for flushing bar trimmings from the bar supported on the conveyor at the conditioning station.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a relatively thin uniform thickness layer of a fluent coating material to each of a plurality of conductors includes a housing having aligned entrance and exit openings. An applicator tube is mounted within the housing transverse of the paths of the conductors and includes a plurality of spaced applicator openings through which the conductors are advanced. The tube is arranged so that each applicator opening includes aligned notches in front and rear walls of the tube and a slot in the top of the tube, the slot connecting an aligned pair of notches. The fluent coating material is supplied to the tube and is maintained at a level substantially at the top of the tube so that as the conductors are advanced through the applicator openings they are immersed in the coating material.

Abstract: A coating (28) is applied over an advancing electrical conductor (21) and partially dried by exposing it to a first temperature for a predetermined time. This renders the coating substantially insoluble in water so that it is retained on the conductor as the conductor is moved through apparatus (34) which forms a ribbon (35) of pulpous material longitudinally with the conductor. The ribbon is reshaped into an insulative cover (41) concentrically disposed about the coated conductor, after which the pulp-insulated conductor is exposed for a predetermined length of time to a second temperature which is substantially greater than the first temperature. This reduces substantially the moisture content of the pulpous material and simultaneously tackifies the coating which cause the pulp insulation to have excellent crush resistance and adheres the pulp insulation to the conductor to form an insulation cover having substantial integrity.

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: 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.