Encapsulating splice assembly

• US 3,912,855 A
• Filed: 12/30/1974
• Issued: 10/14/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George W. Gillemot, John T. Thompson
• Original Assignee: George W. Gillemot, John T. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, John T., Gillemot, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clay, Darrell L.
• Application Number:
  US05/537,092
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 174/91-93,138F,77R,76,87 339/205 264/272 29/628
• US Class Current: 174/93
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/003 Filling materials, e.g. solid or fluid insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/18 protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable two-part covers H02G15/10 ; preforms having internal stresses B29C61/00

Abstract

An encapsulating assembly for use in providing a weather-tight protective enclosure for one or more splices between electrical conductors, cables and the like. A plastic tube having capped ends includes one or more stepped nipples the ends of which are severable to accommodate conductors of various sizes and customarily having an electrical shielding shroud. The tube itself includes one or more valved openings through which the splice assembly is charged with potting compound. The shielding shrouds of the several conductors are held in electrical contact by non-wrenchable split bolt connector means. When the assembly is fully charged, the compound seals the valved openings closed and locks the non-wrenchable connector against loosening.

Claims

1. An encapsulating assembly for use in encapsulating spliced conductors within a protective enclosure, said encapsulating assembly comprising a tubular main body of non-conductive material having a potting compound charging opening through the sidewall thereof, said charging opening having a continuous rim spaced inwardly from the ends of said main body, at least one sleeve valve having a close rotary fit with the exterior surface of said main body and at least one opening registerable with said potting compound charging opening in the sidewall of said main body, said sleeve valve being rotatable to bring the opening therein into and out of registry with said charging opening in said main body, said sleeve valve when rotated fully out of registry with said charging opening completely closing said charging opening throughout the entire continuous rim thereof, non-conductive cap means telescoped to and having a snug fit with each end of said main body and cooperating to hold said sleeve valve assembled to said tubular main body, and said end cap means having normally closed nipples sized to have a snug fit with electrical conductors adapted to extend therethrough and to be spliced together within said main body.

2. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the opposite ends of said sleeve valve terminate closely spaced to the adjacent rim ends of said end cap means and is held substantially against movement axially of said tubular main body by said end cap means.

3. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of a plurality of sleeve valves arranged in end-to-end relation with their remote ends spaced substantially inwardly from the adjacent ends of said tubular main body, each of said sleeve valves having a wide opening extending from end-to-end thereof and having a snug rotary fit with the exterior surface of said tubular main body, said tubular main body having a plurality of potting compound charging openings each havng continuous rim edges and a different one of which charging openings is positioned between the opposite ends of a respective one of said sleeve valves whereby said charging openings are sealed closed throughout the continuous rim edges thereof when said sleeve valves are rotated to their respective fully closed positions relative to the related one of said charging openings.

4. An encapsulating assembly for conductor junctions and the like comprising a length of rigid plastic tubing having capped ends at least one of which is capped by an end cap telescoped over the exterior end portion of said tubing and said end cap having provision to receive with a close fit a plurality of conductors adapted to have their ends secured together in electrically conducting relation interiorly of said tubing, said encapsulating assembly having a charging opening which is equipped with a manually manipulatable valve, which is restricted to a portion of said tubing spaced inwardly from either end thereof, and through which potting compound can be charged and air can escape as it is replaced by potting compound charged into said tubing, said valve being permanently mounted on said tubing and being movable relative to said tubing between an open position wherein it opens said charging opening and a closed position wherein it closes same, and said charging opening being adapted to be sealed closed by potting compound as the charging operation is concluded thereby to provide a weatherproof hermetically sealed encapsulating assembly.

5. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 4 characterized in that the tubing and the valve is formed of tough shockproof, shatterproof, nonconductive plastic material.

6. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 5 characterized in that the end caps on said tubing are formed separately and have a snug telescopic fit over the exterior of a respective one of the opposite ends thereof, and said potting compound being effective when charged into said assembly to bond said end caps securely assembled to said tubing.

7. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 6 characterized in that said valve includes a split resilient sleeve having a sliding fit about the exterior of said tubing with its ends disposed close to the adjacent ends of said end caps, said charging opening being exposed when said split sleeve is rotated to a position with the split aligned therewith and being closed when said sleeve is rotated through an arc in excess of the width of said charging opening.

8. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 7 characterized in that said charging opening is elongated lengthwise of said tubing, and said split sleeve having a length at least in excess of the length of said charging opening.

9. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 4 characterized in that said charging opening comprises an opening through the side wall of said tubing, said valve comprising sleeve means having a close sliding fit with the exterior oF said tubing and being movable to a position fully covering said charging opening after the tubing has been charged with a setting potting compound having pronounced adhesive properties for said tubing and said sleeve means, compound locks and seals said sleeve means.

10. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 4 characterized in that said tubing is provided with a plurality of said charging openings and a plurality of said valves which are spaced along the length of and inwardly from either end of said tubing and which are independent of each other.

11. An encapsulating assembly as defined in claim 10 characterized in that each of said valves includes a sleeve valve member encircling said tubing and having a sliding fit with the exterior thereof, said each of sleeve valve members being independently movable between a position wherein the associated charging opening is exposed to receive potting compound and a position wherein said charging opening is closed by said sleeve valve member.