Abstract: A torque limiting slip clutch apparatus for a cable reel drive assembly includes an elongated input drive shaft, annular rotary drive member, annular drive plate, friction generating disc element and biasing force generating spring mechanism. The drive shaft is mounted to undergo rotational movement. The drive member is mounted about the shaft to undergo rotational movement relative to the drive shaft and translational movement along the shaft. The drive plate is fixedly mounted about the drive shaft adjacent to the drive member to undergo rotational movement with the shaft and relative to the drive member. The disc element is mounted between and engagable with the drive member and drive plate to generate friction therebetween that causes rotational movement of the drive member with the drive plate and drive shaft in response to translational movement of the drive member along the shaft toward the drive plate.

Abstract: A torque limiting slip clutch apparatus for a cable reel drive assembly includes an elongated input drive shaft, annular rotary drive member, annular drive plate, friction generating disc element and biasing force generating spring mechanism. The drive shaft is mounted to undergo rotational movement. The drive member is mounted about the shaft to undergo rotational movement relative to the drive shaft and translational movement along the shaft. The drive plate is fixedly mounted about the drive shaft adjacent to the drive member to undergo rotational movement with the shaft and relative to the drive member. The disc element is mounted between and engagable with the drive member and drive plate to generate friction therebetween that causes rotational movement of the drive member with the drive plate and drive shaft in response to translational movement of the drive member along the shaft toward the drive plate.

Abstract: A rotary coupling apparatus includes a stationary housing defining a chamber, an elongated hollow shaft extending through the chamber of the housing and rotatable relative thereto, a drum supported about the shaft and rotatable therewith, and an elongated coupling cable for carrying communications elements being disposed in the chamber and interconnecting the stationary housing with the rotatable drum. The stationary housing has a pair of spaced end walls and a circumferential side wall disposed therebetween. The end walls define the chamber therebetween and the circumferential side wall defines an outer periphery of the chamber. The shaft extends through the chamber between the end walls and is mounted to undergo rotation relative to the end walls. The circumferential side wall is radially spaced outwardly from and extends about the rotatable shaft and drum.

Abstract: A composite ribbon coupling cable includes a plurality of elongated strengthening elements made of a resilient springy material, a plurality of elongated communications elements disposed in alternating spaced apart relation with the elongated strengthening elements, an inner jacket of insulative material encapsulating the alternating strengthening elements and communications elements therewithin so as to dispose the encapsulated elements in a substantially common plane providing a substantially flat ribbon configuration, and an outer jacket of resilient wear-resistant protective material encapsulating the inner jacket of insulative material. The strengthening elements preferably are elongated bands of a spring metal whereas the communications elements preferably have fiber optic cores or copper cores. The inner jacket includes a pair of inner flat layers of insulative material disposed along and adhered to opposite sides of the alternating strengthening elements and communications elements.