Abstract: A device and method of use for a fused joint between a pair of optical fibers. The device comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis and a generally U-shaped compressible adhesive strip located within the housing. The housing comprising a pair of elongated trough shaped sections pivotally connected to each other by a longitudinal hinge assembly. The adhesive strip is secured to the inner surfaces of the housing sections and includes an adhesive outer surface. The housing sections are temporarily held in an open position by cooperating members of the hinge so that the fused joint and contiguous sections, e.g., buffers, of the optical fiber can be inserted within the housing between portions of the adhesive outer surface of the strips. The housing are pivotable together so that housing sections assume a closed position, whereupon portions of the strip which are contiguous with the splice joint and the buffers are compressed to accommodate the splice joint and buffers.

Abstract: An optical fiber splice for splicing the free ends of a pair of optical fibers together, the device including a housing and a capillary tube supported therein. Each end of the housing is formed of a chamfered surface. A collet partially sits within the tapered surface. A locking nut tightens the collet against the tapered surface tightening the collet about an optical fiber.

Abstract: A quick disconnect water valve includes a female housing for receiving a male coupling member. The female housing is formed with a channel therein providing a water pathway. An O-ring is disposed within the channel. The O-ring is disposed between a first sleeve and a second sleeve which aligns the O-ring relative to a male coupling member received by the female housing.

Abstract: A device and method of use for splicing the free ends of a pair of optical fibers together. The device comprising a two-section housing and a capillary tube. One section of the housing includes a pair of groove supports and a recess for receipt of the capillary tube. The other section includes a pair of cantilevered arms. Each support groove is disposed adjacent a respective end of the capillary tube and aligned with a longitudinally extending portion of the passageway extending through the capillary tube. The cantilever arms are disposed over the respective support grooves to form respective spaces through with the free ends of the optical fibers may be passed to guide the fibers into the capillary tube passageway where they abut each other. The cantilever arms hold the fibers securely in the support grooves.

Abstract: An insert or sleeve is fabricated from a glass-like material as a mica-filled glass and is of a longitudinal tubular configuration having a flat front surface with an aperture for accommodating a glass optical fiber. The aperture is coextensive with a fiber accommodating channel in said insert. The insert is surrounded and anchored into an outer plastic ferrule and a fiber when accommodated in said channel is broken at said surface which surface and fiber face are then polished to assure an optically smooth and polished fiber face which is free from debris damage during polishing.

Abstract: A folding cartridge for a plurality of ligating clips adapted for removable attachment to a multiple ligating clip applier. The folding portion of the cartridge may be easily fabricated flat as a unit and then the sidewalls may be folded to form a generally U-shaped channel. Special transfer fingers are suspended at the front of the folding rack by a combined leaf spring and torsion spring support for assisting in the proper control of ligating clips as they proceed from the cartridge to the applier.

Abstract: A multiple clip applier including a handle and a cartridge which holds a large number of ligating clips and which snaps into a cartridge-receiving channel on the handle. The handle operates like an elongted scissors with scissors handles at one end and jaws at the other to which clips may be delivered in rapid succession. Opening and closing the scissors handles operates the mechanism of the handle to open and close the jaws and to provide a long stroke motion for delivering clips from the end of the cartridge to the nose section. Clips may be indexed through the cartridge by reciprocating parts of the cartridge with respect to one another with a short stroke cocking motion captured from the long stroke delivery motion from a cooperating slot and pin mechanism. These two motions are accomplished within the envelope of motion of the normal opening and closing of the scissors handles to operate the jaws of the applier and to feed and index clips from the cartridge to the nose.