Stc, Inc

Northern Telecom Europe Limited

Charles J Brown

Richard K Jones

Kenneth Taylor

A split block cable stopper comprises several split blocks (FIG. 1) each defining a bore (3, 3A) whose diameter normal to the split is slightly less than the diameter of the cable being handled. The split blocks are pivotally mounted so that they can be moved away from the cable axis to enable a repeater or joint housing to pass freely through the cable stopper.

Cable stopper

A stranded wire strength member (2, 3) has a cable locking element (4) lying in the interstice between adjacent wires of the strength member. The locking element is of mild steel and has a surface coating (4a) of carbide grit which locks the adjacent wires of the strength member together in the region of a welded joint, to improve the load sharing capacity of the wires of the strength member.

Weld reinforcing member for strands in a cable

A joint assembly for an underwater optical fibre cable provides a limited-movement sliding clamp arrangement for the kingwire ends (9, 11). The sea casing provides the main tensile strength member of the joint and a split liner provides the main compressive strength of the joint. Tapered clamps (22, 12, 27) are incorporated into bulkheads of the joint assembly and coupled with ring nuts which screw into the sea casing and cause the bulkhead to abut the split liner. First and second parallel storage plates (1,5) store excess fibre and fibre splices.

Jointing optical fibre cables

A cable anchorage for anchoring a submarine cable wire strength member comprises conically tapered parts (2,4,5), at least one of which has a surface (2C, 4B), roughened by tungsten carbine grit evenly distributed over and firmly bonded to the surface, prior to assembly of the parts of the anchorage. The grit size is chosen so that a sufficient locking mechanism is achieved but the grit indentations in the wire strength member are not deep enough to weaken the wires (3B, 3C).

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Harlow, United Kingdom

Charles J Brown