At&t Technologies, Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company, At&t Technologies, Inc.

Michael E Szymanski

Glenn A Merriman

Harvey G Hancock

A terminal block (20) includes a plurality of wells each having a protector 32) disposed therein and each having a bore which communicates with a U-shaped terminal (60) so that a portion of the protector extends through the bore into engagement with a bade (66) of the terminal. Tangs (68--68) of each terminal depend downwardly. Also, the terminal block includes a plurality of terminal posts (62--62) each having a spade (69) depending therefrom. A first plastic material (70) encapsulates the base and innermost portions of each U-shaped terminal and post. Individual conductors of a pair in a cable (50) extend to a depending tang of a terminal and to a tang of an associated terminal. A strap wire interconnects the other depending tang of each U-shaped terminal to a spade of an associated terminal post. A second plastic material encapsulates the wiring and the outermost portions of the U-shaped terminals and of the spades of the terminal posts. In making this terminal block, the use of a two step plastic encapsulation process allows the terminals and terminal posts to be held in position with wiring exposed during electrical tests. If the test results are acceptable, the remaining portions of the U-shaped terminals and terminal posts are encapsulated with the second plastic material. If the test results are not acceptable, defects are corrected and then the other portions are encapsulated with the second plastic material.

Terminal block and methods of making

In a cable stub assembly (20) which is used to interconnect two cables (22 and 24), at least one of which is pressurized with a gaseous medium, a portion of a plastic jacket is removed from an interior portion of a length (31) of cable to expose conductors (33--33) of a core (32). Heat shrinkable sleeves (61 and 66) each of which comprises an irradiation cross-linked polyolefin material are positioned over the jacket of the cable on each side of the interior portion from which the jacket has been removed. The heat shrinkable sleeves are caused to contract about the cable jacket. Inner surfaces of the sleeves are coated with an adhesive material which is helpful in providing a sealed engagement of the sleeves with the jacket. A length of tubing (81) is disposed about the cable jacket and the contracted sleeves. A polyurethane filling material (82) is introduced into the tubing and is adhered sufficiently to the sleeves to prevent substantially the escape of the gaseous medium from the at least one cable. In the event that the cable includes a metallic shield (37), grounding clamp connections are made to the shield on each side of the exposed conductors. A plastic tape (58) having an adhesive coating is used to prevent the egress of the gaseous medium where a post (56) of each grounding clamp extends through an associated sleeve.

Growing community of inventors

Elkhorn, NE, United States of America

Michael E Szymanski