Cable gland

• US 6,259,029 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hawke Cable Glands Ltd. (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hand, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H
• Application Number:
  US09/274,422
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 174/74.R, 174/74.A, 174/75.B, 174/77.R, 174/80, 174/84.R
• US Class Current: 174/74.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/043 with end caps, e.g. sleeve closed at one end
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Abstract

A removable cap is provided to cover temporarily the end of a cable during assembly of a cable gland to protect an elastomeric seal from contact with sharp conductor cores.

Claims

1. A cable gland comprising:

a seal for engaging a cable extending through the gland; and

a flexible cap provided within the gland in a temporary position upstream of said seal in a direction of insertion of the cable through the gland, said cap being adapted to receive an end of the cable during cable installation and being releasable from said temporary position by engagement with the cable end during cable installation such that the cap passes with the cable end through said seal and is removable from the cable end after passage of the cable end through the gland.

2. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein said cap is adapted for use with cables of different thickness.

3. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein said cap is resistant to tearing.

4. A cable gland according to claim 1

wherein said cap comprises an open base portion and is provided with an external lip at said open base portion for locating said cap in the gland.

5. A cable gland according to claim 4

wherein said cap comprises a closed head portion and tapers inwardly from said open base portion towards said closed head portion.

6. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein said seal is adapted for use with cables of different thickness.

7. A cable gland according to claim 6

wherein said seal has a tapered body defining a central aperture for passage of the cable at a narrower end of said tapered body.

8. A cable gland according to claim 7 wherein said aperture comprises a cylindrical bore at the narrower end of said tapered body.

9. A cable gland according to claim 7 wherein said tapered body is provided with a support.

10. A cable gland according to claim 9 wherein said support has a central opening aligned with said aperture in said seal.

11. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein clamping means is provided for clamping cable armour within the gland.

12. A cable gland according to claim 11 wherein said clamping means comprises a pair of clamping members defining opposed taper surfaces for clamping cable armour therebetween.

13. A cable gland according to claim 12 wherein said clamping members are urged into clamping engagement by threaded engagement of two gland members.

14. A cable gland according to claim 13 wherein an external boot seal mounted on one of said gland members is engageable with a second one of said gland members to protect said threaded engagement.

15. A cable gland according to claim 12

wherein said cap is located in said temporary position within the gland by engagement with one of said clamping members.

16. A cable gland according to claim 15

wherein said one clamping member comprises a tubular body having a first end and a second end spaced from said first end in the direction of insertion of the cable from said first end to said second end, said cap being located in said temporary position at said first end and extending within said tubular body towards said second end, and said seal being arranged at said second end whereby said cap is released from said temporary position by engagement with the cable end and passes with the cable end through said tubular body and said seal.

17. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein said cap is made of plastic material.

18. A cable gland according to claim 1 wherein said cap is made of paper material.

19. An assembly aid for a cable gland comprising:

a flexible cap having a first end and a second end remote from said first end, said first end being open for receiving an end of a cable and adapted for locating said cap in the gland in a temporary position upstream of a gland seal in a direction of insertion of the cable, and said second end being closed for engagement with the cable end during cable installation whereby said cap is released from said temporary position and passes with the cable through the gland seal during assembly of the gland to protect said gland seal and said cap being removable from the cable end after insertion of the cable through the gland.

20. A method of assembling a cable gland comprising:

providing a flexible cap for an end of a cable;

temporarily locating said cap in said gland upstream of a gland seal in a direction of insertion of said cable through said gland;

inserting said cable end through said gland to cause said cable end to engage and release said cap from said temporary location such that said cap passes with said cable end through said gland seal; and

removing said cap from said cable end after passage of said cable end through said gland.