At&t Bell Laboratories

Western Electric Company, Inc.

At&t Technologies, Inc.

Robert B Sprow

Manuel R Santana

Andrew J Panuska

Steven Forrest North

In the manufacture of a lightguide fiber cable (21) in which a lightguide fiber core (32) is loosely disposed in a composite sheath 40 it is important to control the ratio of the lengths of the core and sheath. A core which is shorter than the sheath and which follows a shortened path on a reel may be unduly strained when the cable is installed in the field. This problem is overcome by coupling the core to the sheath by a system (25) which includes a constant speed linear capstan (146) and a relatively large variable speed sheave (150) that is positioned between the linear capstan and a takeup reel (154). The coupling of the core to the sheath is accomplished on the sheave after the sheath is elongated between the linear capstan and the sheave. The coupling and the elongation cooperate to compensate for the inherent shortfall in core length which otherwise would occur when the cable is wound on a reel. As a result, when tension forces that have been applied to the sheath are reduced, the sheath, which includes strength members having a relatively high modulus of elasticity, recovers to its original length and the ratio of the length of the core to that of the sheath becomes a predetermined value.

Methods of and apparatus for controlling core-to-sheath length ratio in

Apparatus is disclosed for printing encoded markings on elongated material comprising a first disc (41) having raised lands (46) extending between central and peripheral disc regions, and a second disc (42) mounted to the first disc flush against the raised lands. A third disc (40) having raised lands is mounted to the second disc with its raised lands flush against the second disc. Means (61, 62) are provided for altering the radial position of the first and second discs relative to each other.

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Dunwoody, GA, United States of America

Robert B Sprow