British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Powertech Labs Inc.

Christopher Paul Morton

Jack H Sawada

Vernon L Buchholz

Terence Donald Deines

Ching Wah Shum

A gapped ground safety device is provided to protect workers on de-energized underground distribution cable from ground faults or accidental energization. The device comprises a combination precision gap and an MOV surge arrester.

Gapped ground safety device

An improved cable splice of the type in which first and second ends of a casing taper conically toward the casing's longitudinal axis. First and second cable-receiving apertures are provided in the respective first and second ends of the casing. A first set of cable-gripping jaws is disposed within the first end of the casing; and, a second set of cable-gripping jaws is disposed within the second end of the casing. At least one spring is provided within the casing, between the jaws, to urge the first and second jaws toward the first and second apertures respectively. A first plug is positioned within the inner end of the first set of jaws to bias the first set of jaws against the spring by forcing the jaws radially outwardly. A second plug is positioned within the inner end of the second set of jaws to bias the second set of jaws against the spring by forcing the jaws radially outwardly. The plugs are free of connection to the jaws. This allows the plugs to be displaced from the jaws by passage of a member such as a cable through one of the apertures to contact the plug. Displacement of the plugs from the jaws relieves the aforesaid biasing and permits the spring to urge the jaws along the axis toward the apertures as aforesaid.

Growing community of inventors

Surrey, Canada

Christopher Paul Morton