Abstract: A flame-retardant composition is prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of a rubber or plastics free from any halogen with about 50 to about 200 parts by weight of magnesium hydroxide having an average particle diameter of about 0.3 to about 2 .mu.m and about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of carbon black powder having an oil absorption of about 0.5 to about 2.0 ml/g, and then cross-linking the mixture with an organic peroxide, sulfur, or a sulfur compound as a vulcanizing agent. By forming an electrical insulation and/or a sheath of the flame-retardant composition, there is provided a flame-retardant cable of the type including a cable core composed of an electric conductor coated with the electrical insulation or a plurality of such cores twisted together and covered, together with a filler, with the sheath.

Abstract: An exposed portion of an electrical cable is sealed by applying a sealant material to the exposed cable and then placing the ends of a split unitary cover over the sealant material in overlapped disposition. The cover is then compressed into contact with the sealant material. In repairing a damaged cable sheath, a reinforcing member may be placed over the sealant material prior to placing the cover thereover.

Abstract: A multi-conductor cable such as an electrical power cable, a signal-transmission cable or optical fiber cable, including a core made of a plurality of insulated conductors, a sheath surrounding the core, and a plurality of foamed plastic string fillers which fill the void space between the core and the sheath and between the insulated conductors.

Abstract: So as to eliminate wind dependent displacements in control cables such as are used in container loading facilities, the weight of the cable itself is increased. To this end, braided-over lead cords are arranged in the central elements of each conductor bundle and in the corner spaces of the core. The load-carrying capacity of the carrier member is ensured by high tensile strength plastic filaments in the form of a braid and optionally in the form of corner fillings.

Abstract: An electrical cable includes a core having a plurality of conductors cabled together in a unidirectional lay and a jacket which surrounds the core. The conductors of the core are insulated from one another, and the jacket includes an internal braid or double counter directional serv. The angle of the lay of the conductors and the angle of the braid or serve, both with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cable, is such that the angle of the lay of the conductors is greater than the angle of the lay of the braid or double counter directional serv. The jacket serves an important function as that of primary load-bearing component of the cable and it adapts the cable to withstand severe mechanical and other abuse over a long life.

Abstract: A reinforced electrical cable having a plurality of conductor assemblies in an armor covering, and filler material filling the interstices between the conductor assemblies and the armor covering, and the method of forming the cable. Each conductor assembly includes a core of conducting material, a layer of insulation which surrounds the core, a second layer of chemical barrier material which surrounds the first layer and a layer of reinforcing material surrounding the insulation layer. The plurality of conductor assemblies are then arranged as desired and the filler material (in the unvulcanized state) is placed around and between the conductor assemblies. The quantity of filler material placed between and around the conductor assemblies is sufficient to fill the interior of the armor covering in its unvulcanized state. The armor covering is next placed around the conductor assemblies and the filler material. The unvulcanized filler material conforms to the interior of the armor covering.

Abstract: A splice between two multiconductor cables is protected from ingress of water by a closure which is filled with an expanding foam sealant which provides pressure inside the closure sufficient to force the sealant into the interstices of the splice and the interstices between the conductors in the cable, which pressure is retained in the closure until the sealant cures or hardens.

Abstract: An electrical cable for a submersible well pump has an internal fabric layer for providing additional hoop strength. The cable has a plurality of conductors. Each conductor is surrounded by an insulating layer that is permeable to gas. A woven fabric layer surrounds each insulating layer. An elastomeric jacket is extruded over and preferably bonded to each fabric layer. The jacket has flocked fibers to allow gas desorption while pulling the cable to the surface.

Abstract: To improve the mechanical strength of a rubber hose cable, support elements are arranged between the conductors and the support elements are connected to a high tensile strength wrapping applied with a lay opposite the twisted conductors with adhesion or by cementing.

Abstract: A cable having a composite shield and armour sheath design is disclosed. The cable comprises a cable core, a sheath of corrugated laminated tape surrounding the cable core and formed by bonding a plastic coated aluminum tape to a wider steel tape with one edge of the aluminum tape registering with one edge of the steel tape, and an outer jacket of polyethylene overlying the sheath of corrugated laminated tape. The uncovered portion of the steel tape overlaps the registering edges of the laminated tape, to form a uniform unwelded overlap.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric service entrance cable comprising parallel insulated conductors, helically covered by evenly distributed uninsulated conductors, covered by longitudinally wrapped polyester glassed-backed reinforcement tape bound by helically wrapped fiberglass strand and an outer covering.

Abstract: Insulated electrical conductor for telecommunications cable in which two layers of insulation are provided. The inner of the two layers is a solid non-cellular construction and the outer layer is cellular. The nominal mutual capacitance between the conductor and an identical conductor is at a desired nominal value of 83 nanofarads/mile value between conductors above a desired minimum value while having an outside diameter across the insulation which is less than for a conductor of the same gauge which provides the same mutual capacitance and has a solid insulation of the same material as the inner layer.

Abstract: An electric cable which is combustion resistant and which prevents the spreading of fire, the cable having insulated conductors and a sheath, the materials of the conductor insulation and the sheath being materials which emit low amounts of toxic gases and smoke when burned. The spaces between the insulated conductors and between such conductors and the sheath are filled with a filler constituted by, the sheath is made from or the sheath is covered with a layer of hydrated aluminum sulfate and a binder of elastomeric or plastomeric material.

Abstract: A filling piece or plug of plastic sealing material for sealing the gore spaces between the cables of a cable fitting consisting of shrinkable material is provided wherein the filling piece is specifically dimensioned relative to the diameter of the cables, has a rectangular cross-section and has a swelling and subsiding longitudinal expanse. The plastic sealing material can be surrounded by a tensile band or ring to support the sealing compound.

Abstract: The flame-retardant cross-linked composition is produced as follows: A first compound of a metallic hydrate and a polyolefin resin free from any halogen is mixed with a silane-grafted polyolefin resin free from any halogen to form a second compound; and the second compound is silane cross-linked to form the flame-retardant cross-linked composition. The metallic hydrate is mixed in an amount of about 50 to about 200 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the polyolefin resin and the silane-grafted polyolefin resin, and the polyolefin resin is mixed in an amount of about (100-x) parts by weight where x is the amount of the silane-grafted polyolefin resin and about 10.ltoreq.x.ltoreq. about 80 parts by weight.The flame-retardant cross-linked composition is excellent in flame retardancy, thermal resistance and forming property and further advantageous in production cost as compared to the conventional flame-retardant composition.

Abstract: A microwave coupled line device constructed to equalize even and odd mode delay and comprising an outer conductor and first and second inner conductors at least one of which has insulation bonded thereto and separated by the thickness of said insulation therebetween. There is also provided an insulating sleeve disposed in the outer conductor and adapted to accommodate the first and second inner conductors. Means are provided for filling the void between the insulating sleeve and the outer conductor with an insulating material.

Abstract: In order to improve the mechanical strength of power and control cables which are subjected to high mechanical stresses in operation, the conductors are elastically fixed to a structural element of the cable. To this end, the conductor insulation is joined in a material-bonded manner to the structural element which consists of a soft elastomer. The conductors are provided, for instance, with a thin cover layer of polyethylene which can be cross-linked peroxidically and is cross-linked after the inner jacket is applied, and in the process makes a material-bonded connection to the inner jacket which consists of a vulcanizable mixture of ethylene-propylene rubber and natural rubber.

Abstract: Described is a high-flex insulated electrical cable (11) for the carriages of flat knitting machines, this cable having two concentric multi-strand twisted layers (12, 13) each of which is comprised of a plurality of insulated individual strands (17) laid in long lay at the same twist angle.To enable a cable (11) of this nature to resist torsional stresses to an increased degree while retaining its shape and also to give it an extended length of life despite such torsional stresses, the individual strands (17) of each layer (12, 13) have an outer peripheral layer of resiliently deformable soft plastic (18, 19) injected therearound which penetrates into the gussets (22) which are formed between the individual strands (17).

Abstract: An electromechanical cable capable of withstanding high pressures and temperatures of at least 200.degree. C., the cable comprising a core having a plurality of insulated conductors (3,5) covered with a conductive filler (7) which fills the voids between the conductors, the core being surrounded by a layer of conductive textile material (8) and by at least one layer of helically wound metal armor wire (9,10). The filler is a composite material comprising a silicone polymer with a semiconductor charge of carbon black.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for filling multi-conductor cables, particularly a telecommunication cable with several insulated wires surrounded by a covering and a sheath, with a mixture of powders which expand with the absorption of moisture. The conductors are fed in spaced relation into the entrance of a casing having an interior, frusto-conical wall which decreases in diameter from its entrance to its exit. The exit is small in diameter compared to the entrance so that the conductors converge as they pass from the entrance to the exit. Intermediate the entrance and the exit, the conductors are subjected to the powders which are caused to follow a helicoidal course by a screw which directs them toward the exit. Due to the shape of the casing wall, the powders are forced toward the conductors.

Abstract: In order to reach every void between the individual cable conductors, particularly when filling a multi-pair communication cable, the water repellent substance is supplied to the cable core in great excess; a filling basin surrounding the filling station proper collects the re-emerging excess substance.

Abstract: The invention provides for the waterproofing of a telephone cable by the incorporation of longitudinal strands within the sheath alongside the insulated conductors. The strands have deposited thereon a moisture sensitive swelling agent, such as ethyl hydrogen cellulose, and in the event of the sheath rupturing and the conductors being exposed to moisture the swelling agent on the strands reacts with the moisture rapidly forming a plug which prevents further ingress of the moisture.

Abstract: A void-free electrical conductor for power cables including a stranded electrical conductor formed of a central member and a plurality of abutting peripheral conducting members, the stranded conductor having a primary layer of electrical insulation heat shrunk about the exterior thereof and having an insulation material completely filling the internal space of the conductor within the primary external electrical insulation layer, the filler insulation adapted to fill all interstices between individual conducting strands outward from the abutment points between peripheral conducting members and the area inside of the abutment points being insulated by the insulation around the central conducting member to thereby form a completely void-free filling of the space within the primary electrical insulation in order to prevent the axial flow of any liquid or gaseous substance therethrough, said primary electrical insulation layer being void-free to increase the dielectric strength of the final electrical conductor c

Abstract: A high voltage cable wherein each conductive element comprises a flexible inner conductor, an insulating sheath within which the inner conductor moves freely, a flexible outer conductor encasing the insulating sheath and an insulating jacket which encases the outer and inner conductors. The cable may consist of one conductive element or a plurality of conductive elements distributed symmetrically in groups over a circular cross-sectional area.

Abstract: The conductors of a cable core unit are powder filled by passing the core unit through a fluidized bed of powder with the conductors substantially closed together. The filled cable core unit can be wrapped with tape after exit from the fluidized bed. Cable cores may be filled also by passing them through a fluidized bed. The core units of the cores may be closed together or separated, but the conductors of each unit are closed together.

Abstract: For powder filling of cables, in a fluidized powder bed, it has been proposed to pass the cable core through the bed in a substantially closed condition. There is a limit to the number of conductors a core can have for effective filling. In the present invention the cable core is opened up into a number of core units by passing through an opening member. The opening member is freely ridable on the cable core and has a hole for each unit. The opener is held against a support member and an air bearing formed between the two members. Air is also usually fed to the holes in the opener member through which the core units pass to prevent flow of powder out from the bed. The opening member can be positioned in the fluidized bed or outside immediately prior to passage of the cable core through the bed. The units are each in a substantially closed condition in the bed and the units close to a single core also in the bed.

Abstract: Petrolatum-based filling compounds are known to migrate into the insulation and jacket of telephone cables and to extract the stabilizers, and as a consequence, to affect the physical and/or electrical characteristics of those cable components. It does not seem possible to avoid these characteristics of petrolatum in commercial compounding operations. The filling compound of this specification is for use in telephone cables and is based on better resistance to dripping at elevated temperatures, compatibility with high density polyethylene insulation and low density and medium density polyethylene jacket compounds. It has processability at moderate elevated temperatures, resistance to cracking at room temperature and low temperatures, adhesiveness and desirable electric properties.

Abstract: A woven electrical multi-conductor cable is disclosed having alternating longitudinal sections having generally flat and round configurations wherein the flat section affords binding of the conductors in fixed locations for convenient termination and uni-directional routing and wherein conductors are harnessed in the round section in random order for gimbal flexibility affording omni-directional routing of the cable in the round section.

Abstract: Sealed power cables (e.g. for underground or submarine use) are often equipped with a metal sheath. A problem with some such cables is that their insulation is subject to greater thermal expansion of the cable during use than the metal sheath is capable of following. According to the present invention the metal sheath (5) is longitudinally corrugated either when the metal sheath is manufactured or by pressing a metal sheet which is originally plane over resilient ribs disposed longitudinally on the cable.

Abstract: A unitized marine umbilical cable carrying any number or combination of conventional elements such as hoses and electrical cables. A center stress member disposed along the axis of the marine umbilical cable is capable of supporting an underwater device such as a diving bell should the primary down line break. Cylindrically surrounding the stress member is a compression extrusion of a high strength highly resilient elastomer around which are helically cabled various conventional elements. Within the interstices between the high strength elastomer and the helically cabled elements is a resilient fill material. The resilient fill material and high strength highly resilient, low durometer elastomer serve as a radial shock absorber against tensional impact upon the umbilical or radial forces thereupon.

Abstract: An insulated, multi-conductor electrical cable having a low halogen content and a high degree of resistance to flame and combustion.

Abstract: A flexible, high load bearing, electrically conductive buoyant tether cable includes a center stress core having a plurality of jacketed stress bearing members which are in turn enclosed within a plastic-like core jacket. Seven conductor elements are cabled around the core, including three pairs of conductor elements and a jacketed coaxial cable. Each of the conductor element pairs includes a core, five twisted pairs of individually insulated, electrically conductive wires cabled around the conductor element core and a conductor tape binder surrounding the cabled pairs of wires. The conductor elements are cabled around the center stress core and are themselves enclosed by an outer tape binder and jacket. A plurality of intersticial stress members occupies a portion of the corresponding interstices between the cabled conductor elements and the outer tape binder.

Abstract: A method of rendering a cable having a core consisting of a plurality of conductors longitudinally watertight. A silicone rubber which vulcanizes upon exposure to moisture is used between the conductors either throughout the entire length or in blocks.

Abstract: An electric cable having a multi-stranded core and a jacket, in which the voids between and around the core are at least partially filled with a mixture of a hydrophobic powder and a hydrophilic powder. The hydrophobic powder may be coated calcium carbonate and a hydrophilic powder may be polyacrylamide, in which case the polyacrylamide should be between 8% and 30% by weight of the mixture. Preferably the individual conductors are coated with a hydrophobic oil such as a low viscosity paraffinic oil.

Abstract: A power cable comprising three insulated power conductors helically stranded together, at least two grounding conductors located in the outer interstices between the power conductors and an extensible ground check conductor also located in the interstices between the power conductors or at the center. The ground check conductor includes a plurality of metallic wire strands helically wound together in a short lay in the same direction of lay, and extensible non-metallic materials separating the metallic wire strands for substantially eliminating direct friction between the groups of metallic wire strands during flexing and twisting of the cable.

Abstract: A cable for telephone or other communication circuits comprises a number of conductor arrays, specifically pairs or quads of helically intertwined conductors, each conductor having a metal core coated with a thermoplastic sheath in which a multiplicity of short cellulose fibers are embedded; the fibers have an average length of about 1 mm and project generally radially from the sheath over the greater part of their length. The fibers of the twisted wires interpenetrate and form a mat in the intervening spaces which swells in the event of water penetration through a defective envelope, thereby limiting the propagation of moisture along the cable.

Abstract: A water blocking compound for sheathed stranded cables, the compound being a gel consisting of a major proportion by weight of a substantially non-volatile liquid in which has been dispersed a minor proportion by weight of a solid gellant which is insoluble in said liquid and which does not melt below 100.degree. C, the gel being substantially devoid of any gellant which is soluble in the liquid and/or melts below 100.degree. C.

Abstract: An electrical cable of conventional or retractable helical coil form which is relatively small in diameter and sufficiently flexible to be used to advantage on a tractor-trailer to connect the power supply on the tractor with the electrical system carried by the trailer has a polymeric sheath, an insulated 10 gauge stranded conductor substantially coaxial with the sheath, four to six insulated stranded 12 gauge conductors substantially evenly spaced about the periphery of the 10 gauge conductor, a plurality of uninsulated stranded conductors of 14 gauge disposed between the smaller insulated conductors, filler material filling the spaces between the conductors and preferably a plastic film helically wound about the conductors. The 12 and 14 gauge conductors are helically wound about the 10 gauge conductor. The assembly of conductors, filler and plastic film combine to form a cable having a substantially circular cross-section and substantially fill the sheath.

Abstract: Nonmetallic-sheathed cable is insulated and jacketed with expanded polyvinyl chloride comprising 8-24%, by volume, of gas.