Southwire Company, LLC

Jerry M Hesterlee

Bobby C Gentry

Clinton E Watkins

James H Sullivan

Raburn L Hughey, Jr

Frank R Thrash, Jr

A method of and an apparatus for making twisted electrical cable, such as 600 volt secondary distribution (UD) cable, and the twisted cable product are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first plurality of stationary payoff reels each wound with a length of stranded bare wire conductor. The stranded conductors are simultaneously payed off the reels to a pay out accumulator for accumulating a portion of the stranded conductors during replacement of spent pay out reels. An extruder apparatus arranged downstream of the accumulator applies a plastic insulation material to a respective stranded conductor as it passes through the extruder. A cooling trough through which water is flowed cools the plastic insulation. A take-up accumulator arranged downstream of the cooling trough accumulates a portion of each insulated conductor during changeover of the take-up arranged downstream of the take-up accumulator. The take-up is rotated about a first axis to twist each insulated conductor about its longitudinal axis and to simultaneously twist the insulated conductors about one another to form a twisted electrical cable. The take-up is also rotated about a second axis for taking up the twisted electrical cable. The twisted electrical cable product made according to the method of the invention comprises a plurality of insulated conductors each twisted about its longitudinal axis by the apparatus of the invention and twisted about one another.

Method of and apparatus for making twisted cable and the cable produced thereby

A method of and an apparatus for making twisted electrical cable, such as 600 volt secondary distribution cable, and the twisted cable product are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first plurality of stationary payoff reels each wound with a length of bare wire conductor. The conductors are simultaneously payed off the reels to a pay out accumulator for accumulating a portion of the conductors during replacement of spent pay out reels. At least one extrusion process arranged downstream of the accumulator applies a plastic insulation material to a respective conductor as it passes through its respective extrusion process. A cooling and/or curing trough through which water is flowed cools and/or cures the plastic insulation. A take-up accumulator arranged downstream of the cooling and/or curing trough accumulates a portion of each insulated conductor during changeover of the take-up reel arranged downstream of the take-up accumulator. The take-up reel may be rotated about a first axis to twist each insulated conductor about its longitudinal axis, and may additionally simultaneously twist the insulated conductors about one another to form a twisted electrical cable. The take-up reel may also be rotated about a second axis for taking up the twisted electrical cable.

Method of and apparatus for making twisted cable and the cable produced

A water impervious cable construction for aerial, underground, or underwater use which includes at least one central electrical conductor, an overlayer of insulation material such as a plastic, a shield layer formed of a plurality of individual conductors (or the equivalent) which may be spirally wrapped and which shield layer is embedded in a layer of semiconducting material (which may also be a plastic), a layer of overlapped moisture barrier metal foil material, and a further overlayer of insulating material. The cable is manufactured on a substantially conventional cable extrusion line in which the partially manufactured cable (insulated core or cores wrapped with the shield conductors) is introduced into an extruder and a layer of semiconducting material is extruded thereon, wrapped with metal foil tape (which may include an edge located sealant), and introduced into a subsequent extruder to form one or more outer coatings. Use of expensive or special plastic laminated metal tape in combination with 'hold' tape materials is eliminated, reducing the manufacturing cost to produce the cable.

Water resistant cable construction

An apparatus and method of storing a great length of continuously advancing elongate metallic material in a temperature controlled accumulator (40, 50) is disclosed to enable greater line speeds by exposing a greater length of material to the heat treatment. Several embodiments are disclosed in which heated cylindrical accumulator apparatus (40, 50) are used to store a multiplicity of wraps (45) around fixed or rotating cylinders (44, 51) which are maintained at the desired temperatures.

Method for controlled temperature accumulator for elongated materials

An apparatus and method of storing a great length of continuously advancing elongate metallic material in a temperature controlled accumulator (40, 50) is disclosed to enable greater line speeds by exposing a greater length of material to the heat treatment. Several embodiments are disclosed in which heated cylindrical accumultor apparatus (40, 50) are used to store a multiplicity of wraps (45) around fixed or rotating cylinders (44, 51) which are maintained at the desired temperatures.

Growing community of inventors

Carrollton, GA, United States of America

Jerry M Hesterlee