The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 25, 1998
Bobby C Gentry, Carrollton, GA (US);
Jerry M Hesterlee, Carrollton, GA (US);
Clinton E Watkins, Villa Rica, GA (US);
James H Sullivan, Carrollton, GA (US);
Southwire Company, Carrollton, GA (US);
Abstract
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.