NZ241849A

NZ241849A - Cable armouring joint

Info

Publication number: NZ241849A
Application number: NZ24184992A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Edouard Vasseur
Original assignee: Alcatel Australia
Priority date: 1991-03-08
Filing date: 1992-03-05
Publication date: 1994-06-27
Also published as: AU1136692A; EP0503415A1; AU651175B2; FR2673774B1; FR2673774A1; EP0503415B1

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> 241849 r.iority D3to{s): .. Complete Spccificcilcn V\)c± . .$~:3;35L cims.- .Hp.mh.-..i.*wkt.ditf,.if... Publication Data P.O. Journal, No: iw ORIGINAL NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION i I I "ARMOURED CABLE JOINT" '• WE, ALCATEL AUSTRALIA LIMITED, A Company of the State of New South Wales, of 280 Botany Road, Alexandria, New South Wales, 2015, Australia, hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 241849 This invention relates to devices for jointing the armour wires of armoured cables, providing uninterrupted mechanical strength around the joint connecting the electrical and/or optical conductors of two cables. These cables are power or telecommunication cables for deep-sea application in particular. They are armoured with metal wires which must be capable of withstanding significant tensile forces as well as the impact of various objects, such as anchors and fishing apparatus with regard to mid-sea cables, or high pressure for deep-sea cables. A device is known for jointing the armour wires of two cables, this device being of the tapered clamping type. In this device, the armours of each of the two cables are clamped between a pair of shouldered tapered parts. These tapered parts are connected to similar parts mounted on each of the two extremities of an armour reconstituted around the junction of the conductors of these two cables. The link is made by two threaded rods secured by bolts placed into the shoulders of two pairs of tapered parts facing one another. These threaded rods prevent the tapered parts of these two pairs from sliding over the armours and from loosening when the cables are pulled. It is an object of the present invention is to provide for easier implementation and reinforced clamping of the parts used for jointing the armour wires of two cables. The armour wire jointing device for two armoured cables, with tapered parts clamping the armour wires of each of the said cables, is characterised in that, it is also fitted with a cylindrical support having an externally shouldered core, with a T-section, drilled with communicating holes opening on one side on its outskirts and on the other side on both of its lateral sides, below the lateral branches of the T-section, the said support being mounted around the said armour-free cable ends and the said joint, and carrying the inner rings of the two sets of tapered parts, and is 241849 characterised in that, the said inner rings are freely moving around the said support on either side of the said core and the outer cones of the said two sets of tapered parts are housed and mounted on the outskirts of the said core, and in that it also includes a pressure clamping and locking material filling at least the space, or pressure cham-5 ber, between the said core of the support and the said inner rings, making up a pressure clamping device integral to the said device. Furthermore, the device in accordance with the invention includes either one of the following features: The said material is pressure-injected via one of the said holes opening onto the 10 outskirts of the said core, to pressurise the pressure chamber and maintain it at the required pressure, until the said inner rings are locked onto the said support by the said material, this material being in particular a polymerisable resin or a low melting point metal alloy. The moving inner rings have, on their extremity having the greater diameter, an 15 end shoulder housed laterally under the lateral branches of the T-section of the support core. The armour wires of each cable being at least in two stacked layers, the device also includes at least one intermediate tapered ring belonging to each set of tapered parts, mounted between two successive layers of the said armour wire stacked layers, 20 with its extremity having the greater diameter facing the core of the said support, each intermediate ring having the advantage of being split lengthwise or pre-split lengthwise or made up of several identical sections. The support core is threaded on its outskirts and houses the outer cones which are screwed onto it. 25 3 24 1849 In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, an embodiment thereof will now be described in relation to a single figure of the accompanying drawing. This single figure shows two cables (1 and 2) both armoured by two layers of steel wires (3A, 3B and 4A, 4B) depending on the cable, these cables having their armour wires joined by the device in accordance with the invention. A joint (5) between the two cable ends without armour ensures the connection of their electrical and/or optical conductors and of their outer sheath. Preferably an insulating ribbon, or similar, surrounds the armourless ends of the two cables and the joint (5), and two tapered sleeves (7 and 8), also insulating, are threaded either side of the ribbon under the inner layers of armour wires (3A, 4A) to prevent the wires from being at sharp angles likely to damage the cable sheath. The number of armour wire layers may be greater than two, especially if these cables are deep-sea cables. The armour wire jointing device in accordance with the invention includes: a high strength cylindrical support (10) surrounding the armourless ends of the two cables and joint (5), which are preferably covered with ribbon (6). two sets of tapered parts for these two cables, depending on the cable considered (I or 2) each set comprising an outer cone (11 or 12) mounted on the outskirts of support (10), at least one intermediate tapered ring (13 or 14) placed between the different layers of armour wires (3A, 3B or 4A, 4B) of each cable, and an inner tapered ring (15 or 16), moving along the support (10) it surrounds. and a material locking the inner tapered ring (15 and 16) onto support (10) and pressure-clamping the armour wires (3A, 3B and 4A, 4B) in each set of tapered parts, as shown by items 17 and 18. 24 1 84 The cylindrical support (10) is made of high strength metal, steel in particular. It is preferably made of two identical half shells (10A, 10B) for mounting onto the cable ends already connected to joint (5). This cylindrical support (10) has a shouldered core (10C) with a T-section. This 5 core (10C) is threaded on its outskirts (10F), at least on the end parts of this core. Moreover, it is drilled with holes, to provide two axially opposed holes (20A and 20B) opening onto its outskirts between the threaded parts (10F) and extending roughly mid-length of the centre jamb of the T-section, and two holes (21A and 21B) through the centre jamb of the T-scction, at the end of holes (20A and 20B) respectively, 10 opening onto both sides of this centre jamb. These holes are used to inject the locking and clamping material under pressure shown in 17 and 18, as described below. The external surface of the outer cones (11 and 12) is cylindrical, their internal surface is tapered, except for the end part having the largest inside diameter which is 15 cylindrical and matches the outside diameter of the core (10C) of the support (10). This cylindrical end part is threaded on the inside. It is screwed onto the threaded outskirts (10F) of the core (10C). The thickness of intermediate rings (13 and 14) is constant. Each of them has its external and internal surface generators parallel to one another but at an angle in 20 relation to the cable axis. These intermediate rings have their wide diameter opening facing the support core. They are also split and either have a single slot (13A or 14A) over their entire length, or are pre-split lengthwise, or are made up of several roughly identical parts or segments, to define two symmetrical slots or several evenly spaced slots. 25 The internal surface of inner tapered rings (15 and 16) is cylindrical and matches the diameter of support (10) over which they slide either side of the support core. 5 24 1340 Their external surface is tapered, with the extremity having the larger external diameter facing the core (IOC) of the support (10) and forming a wide end shoulder (15A or 16A) on each of them. The dimensions of these end shoulders correspond closely to that of the two side notches defined by the lateral branches of the core (IOC) of the 5 T-section and by the support (10), in which they are both respectively imbedded. In the device, two seals (23 or 24) and (25 or 26) are mounted between each inner moving ring (15 or 16) and the support (10) on one side and its core (10C) on the other side, to seal the inside and outside of each of these rings. Implementation of the device in accordance with the invention is performed as 10 described below: The armour being removed from the ends of the two cables, the abovementioned two sets of tapered parts are threaded over the cables, and eventually support (10), if it is made up of a single piece, is threaded over one of the cables, before they are jointed in joint (5). Joint (5) being made and ribbon (6) and eventually the two 15 sleeves (7 and 8) being installed, the two half shells (I0A and 10B) of support (10) are slipped on and centred over the outside of joint (5), or the single piece support previously threaded over one of the cables is positioned over the joint. Then, on each side are placed in the following order, the moving inner tapered ring (15 or 16), the intermediate ring(s) (13 or 14) and the outer cone (11 or 12), by placing the armour 20 wires either side of the slotted intermediate rings. Then, the tapered parts of each set are immobilised in place, from one set to another, by screwing the outer cones (11 and 12) to the threaded outskirts (10F) of the core (10C) of the support (10), in order to slightly clamp the armour wires. The inner pressure chamber, ie. the space between core (10C) of support (10) and end 25 shoulder (15A or 16A) of each inner ring (15 or 16) moving on the support (10), is filled by injecting the locking and clamping material through one of the holes opening 6 241849 onto the outskirts of core (IOC), as shown by the arrow (F) associated with hole (20A). The air initially present in holes (20A, 21 A, 21B and 20B) and in the inner pressure chamber is discharged via hole (20B) while filling takes place. This inner chamber is pressurised such that the inner moving rings (15 and 16) are pushed away 5 from each other, as shown by opposite arrows (15F and 16F), and such that significant clamping strength is provided to clamp these inner rings onto the intermediate rings, with the armour wires between them. This locking and clamping material is a polymerisable resin or a low melting point metal alloy. 10 Pressurisation of the inner chamber can also be achieved by eventually injecting the material through the other hole (20B), after the inside air has been discharged. The pressure is set to provide the required clamping action and is maintained until final locking, ie. until the resin is polymerised or the metal alloy is solidified. The device is then locked in position, clamping the armour wires (3A, 3B and 4A, 4B) 15 of the two cables (1 and 2). The device with tapered parts for clamping the armour wires thus becomes an integrated hydraulic clamping, remaining in place in the final structure. It prevents any initial external prestressing, which had to be applied to the tapered parts in the previous known devices in order to instal their threaded rods and bolts before re-20 moving this initial prestressing. This integrated clamping in the device in accordance with the invention continues to hold the parts in position for greater safety. Moreover, the implementation of the resulting final jointing device is very simple. The invention was described in conjunction with the example illustrated in the 25 drawing. It is obvious that changes to the details may nevertheless be made without leaving the context of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the number 7 4 184 of intermediate rings per cable armour depends on the number of armour wire layers they separate. It should also be noted that the method of injection under pressure and setting of the pressure to an adequate value to obtain the required clamping action, before and during resin polymerisation are not illustrated or described in detail, since they are within the capabilities of the expert in the trade. 10 IS 20 25 8 </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> 24 What we claim is:

1. A device for jointing the armour wires of two armoured cables, each cable including a communication core surrounded by armour wires, the device jointing the armour wires around the joined communication cores, the device comprising two sets of tapered parts clamping between the parts of each set the armour wires of each of the said cables respectively, and clamp holding means for maintaining the said tapered parts clamped over the said armour wires, the said tapered parts of each set including an outer ring with an interior conical surface and an inner ring with an outer conical surface adapted to nest within the outer ring, wherein said device further includes a cylindrical support with a substantially T-sectioned annular projection around the middle of the cylindrical support, the annular projection being drilled with opposite first and second sets of communicating holes opening on its outward surface and on both sides of the stem of the T-section below the lateral branches of the T-section, the said support being mounted around the cable ends and the joint, and carrying the inner rings of the two sets of tapered parts, and wherein the said inner rings are adapted to freely move along the said support on either side of the said annular projection and the outer rings of the said two sets of tapered parts are affixed to the outward surface of the said annular projection , and wherein said device also includes a pressure clamping and locking material injected under pressure via one of the sets of communicating holes to fill a pressure chamber formed by the = " ' ' ' * 9 241 space between the said annular projection of the support and the said inner rings, making up a pressure clamping device integral to the said device and acting as the said clamp holding means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material is pressure-injected and maintained at the required pressure, until the said inner rings are locked onto the said support by the said material hardening or setting.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said material is a polymerisable resin.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said material is a low melting point metal alloy.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the internal surface of the said inner rings is cylindrical and matches the diameter of the said support over which they slide, each of the inner rings being fitted with an end shoulder at its extremity, the end shoulder having the larger external diameter facing the said annular projection of the support the end shoulders being inserted under the lateral branches of the T-section annular projection.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, including a seal mounted between the interior surface of each of the said inner rings and the support, and a further seal mounted between the exterior surface of each of the inner rings and the respective lateral branches of the T section of the support.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein .each of jhe «rio 241 said cables has at least two stacked layers of the said armour wires, said device also including at least one intermediate conical ring mounted between two successive layers of the said stacked layers of armour wires, with its extremity having the largest diameter facing the annular projection of the said support.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the said intermediate rings has a substantially constant thickness, and their external and internal surface generators are parallel to one another but at an angle in relation to the cable axis.

9. A device as claimed in claims 7 or 8, wherein each of the intermediate rings has a lengthwise slot or is pre-split at regular intervals over its entire length, or is made up of several identical parts.

10. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said support is made of high strength metal.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said support is made up of two identical half shells.

12. A device as claimed in claims 10 or 11, wherein said holes in the said annular projection of the said support comprise at least one axial hole opening on its outward surface, and at least one transverse hole in the centre jamb of the T-section communicating with each axial hole.

13. A device as claimed in claims 10 or 12, wherein said annular projection is threaded on its outward surface, the said outer rings hf^uft§£f jtapered inner 241849 surface, except for their end section having the largest diameter which is cylindrical and has a thread which screws onto the said annular projection.

14. A device for joining armoured wires, substantially as herein described with reference to the figure of the drawing. 5 ALCATEL AUSTRALIA LIMITED P.M. Conrick Authorized Agent P5/1/1703 10 'j»Ti £ C&\ 6 Sj 12 </div>