THERMOPLASTIC SEALED-SHEATH COVERING UPON ELECTRICAL BUS-BAR CONDUCTORS

• US 3,816,171 A
• Filed: 09/10/1971
• Issued: 06/11/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward M. Walker, Julius Toth
• Original Assignee: Edward M. Walker, Julius Toth
• Inventors: Toth, Julius, Walker, Edward M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosdol, Leon D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Esposito, M. F.
• Application Number:
  US05/179,353
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 174/DIG.8,11R,12R,12SR 117/5.5,6,48,43,212 156/85,86,52
• US Class Current: 427/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/42 using tubular layers or sheathings
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/062 by pulling on an insulating sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/2825 using a water impermeable sheath
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 30/14 Extreme weather resilient electric power supply systems, e.g. strengthening power lines or underground power cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 174/08 Shrinkable tubes

Abstract

An improved and relatively inexpensive electrical conductor, such as a bus-bar, or feeder conductor, of aluminum or copper, for example, is provided with a thermoplastic elongated tubular sheath, or sheath tubing, such as polyvinyl chloride heatreactive tubing of resinous material, having the ends of the sheath, or tubing, sealed, in a water-tight fashion to the busbar by a thermoplastic resinous tape material. In one method of the invention, the resinous tape may be wound adjacent the outer ends of the bus-bar at spaced areas thereon, and the thermoplastic tubing subsequently pulled, as a second operation, upon the bus-bar and heat shrunk into place over the aforesaid spaced taped areas. Another alternate method for sealing the thermoplastic sheath tubing to the bus-bar, is to heat-shrink the thermoplastic insulating tubing, or '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' upon the bus-bar after pulling it into place, scalp excess tubing to a specified dimension upon the bus-bar, and then band or tape each of the scalped ends of the tubing, or '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' with a suitable thermoplastic resinous tape material, such, for example, as polyvinyl chloride adhesive tape.

Claims

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resinous material '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' is formed of a polyvinyl chloride heat-shrinkable material.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the tape material, utilized at the ends of the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot,'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' is formed of a polyvinyl chloride adhesive tape.

4. The method of providing an electrical bus-bar having plated end portions only, comprising the steps of:

a. taping spaced portions of said bus-bar with a thermoplastic resinous-material tape;

b. pulling a thermoplastic-resinous-material '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' over the bus-bar and into contact with the spaced taped portions;

c. heat-shrinking the thermoplastic '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' to the bus-bar and also to the spaced taped portions;

d. dipping the covered bus-bar into a plating vat, whereby expensive plating solutions, of silver or tin may be conserved.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein both the tape and the thermoplastic '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'boot'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' are both formed of a polyvinyl chloride resinous material.

6. The method of providing, as an article of manufacture, an insulated bus bar having plated ends only thereby conserving the plating solutions, which comprises (1) pulling insulating preformed tubing lengthwise over the elongated bus bar with the ends of the bus bar exposed to thereby shield the major portion of the bus bar from the plating solutions, (2) providing a water-tight seal at the ends of the insulating tubing, and (3) plating only the exposed end portions of the bus bar with a plating layer.

7. The method of providing, as an article of manufacture, an insulated bus bar having plated ends only thereby conserving the plating solutions, which comprises (1) pulling insulating preformed tubing lengthwise over the elongated bus bar with the ends of the bus bar exposed to thereby shield the major portion of the bus bar from the plating solutions, (2) sealing the ends of the insulating tubing to the bus bar, and (3) plating only the exposed end portions of the bus bar with a suitable plating layer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the insulating tubing is a thermoplastic-resinous material.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the tubing is formed of a polyvinyl chloride heat-shrinkable material.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the ends of the insulating tubing are taped to the ends of the bus bar.

11. The method of providing as an article of manufacture, an insulated bus bar having plated ends only thereby conserving the plating solutions, which comprises (1) taping spaced portions of the bus bar with a thermoplastic resinous material tape, (2) pulling an insulating preformed tubing lengthwise over the elongated bus bar into contact with said spaced taped portions to form a water-tight seal therewith, (3) plating only the exposed end portions of the bus bar with a plating layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein both the tape and the thermoplastic resinous material tubing are both formed of a polyvinyl chloride resinous material.