Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Single duct conduits
Patent
1994-06-01
1997-06-03
Kincaid, Kristine L.
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Single duct conduits
174 50, 220 38, H02G 318
Patent
active
056356730
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a cable jointing enclosure for use underground.
There is a common need to interconnect telecommunications e.g. telephone cables on cable television lines with associated equipment. It is necessary to provide enclosures to protect cable splices or connectors and electrical and electronic equipment from moisture or foreign materials. Such enclosures are also used to provide protection to the external environment from radio frequency radiation generated by the equipment contained within the enclosures, and to dissipate unwanted heat generated by that equipment when in use. The enclosure may house one or more items of line equipment linked together by cable or other interface equipment. For example, the line equipment may include amplifiers, directional couplers, fibre optic splice organisers, copper cable splice termination blocks, and cable star and branch taps or blocks for fibre, copper and coaxial cable distribution to the premises of individual customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have now devised a cable jointing enclosure which can be mounted underground yet provides effective sealing against the ingress of moisture or foreign substances.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a cable jointing enclosure which comprises a one-piece housing formed by rotational moulding and having an opening in its top, and a metal plate for sealing over the opening in the top of the housing.
Preferably a side wall of the housing is formed with a plurality of outwardly-extending tubular projections through which cables can pass into the enclosure. In use, each of these is sealed by the application of a heat-shrink sleeve which is recovered at one of its ends onto the cable and at its other end onto the tubular projection. At least some of the tubular projections may be closed until needed for use.
Preferably the housing comprises a cross-linked polymer, which withstands the heat to which the tubular projections are subjected when applying the heat-shrink sleeves.
Preferably the metal cover plate is flat. Preferably the cover plate seats on a peripheral flange formed around the opening in the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a top view of an enclosure in accordance with this invention, shown with its top cover plate removed;
FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the enclosure;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the enclosure with the top cover plate in position;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged section through a flange of the enclosure;
FIG. 5 is a similar section through a modified flange; and
FIG. 6 is a section through a cable port of the enclosure when a cable is fitted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a cable jointing enclosure which comprises a one-piece housing 10 formed by rotational moulding. The housing 10 is generally rectangular in shape, with a bottom and four walls and an opening in its top. A peripheral flange 12 projects outwardly around this opening. The side walls of the housing may be ribbed as shown at 11. A plurality of tubular projections 14 extend outwardly from one side wall of the housing. At least some of these may be closed as shown at 15, in the as-moulded condition of the housing 10. A flat metal plate 16 fits over the opening in the top of the housing, resting on the peripheral flange 12 with the interposition of a peripheral seal 20. As shown in FIG. 4, this seal may be of flat section to fit between the flat plate 16 and a flat flange 12, or as shown in FIG. 5 the seal 20 may be of circular section to fit in a groove extending around the flange 12. The flat plate 16 is clamped in position by a series of bolts 22 which carry thumb wheels 23 and pass through the plate 16 and flange 12, outwardly of the seal 20, and screw into fixing elements 24 on the underside of the flange.
In use, the housing 10 can be installe
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Bowthorpe plc
Kincaid Kristine L.
Reichard Dean A.
Schindler Edwin D.
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