Cable gland

A method for assembling a cable to an enclosure via a cable gland, the cable gland comprising:

• a hub body having a first end, a second end and an opening extending between the first end and the second end;
• a gland nut configured to engage the second end of the hub body to define an inner cavity between the hub body and the gland nut, the gland nut having a first inner annular step and a second inner annular step spaced from the first inner annular step,
• a seal disposed in the inner cavity and having a first end positioned adjacent the first inner annular step, an opposite-facing second end;
• a sleeve disposed in the inner cavity and having a frustoconical surface and an end surface positioned adjacent the second end of the seal;
• and
• a spring disposed in the inner cavity between the frustoconical surface of the sleeve and an opposite-facing frustoconical surface fixed in the inner cavity, the method comprising:
• inserting a cable through the gland nut and the hub body;
• positioning the gland nut in a first position a first distance from the first end of the hub body, wherein the first inner annular step engages the first end of the seal and the second inner annular step is spaced from the end surface of the sleeve;
• moving the gland nut to a second position a second distance from the first end, the second distance being less than the first distance, wherein the second inner annular step engages the end surface of the sleeve and the seal is compressed by the first inner annular step and the end surface of the sleeve and deflected radially inward toward an outer surface of the cable without radially deflecting the spring;
• and
• moving the gland nut to a third position a third distance from the first end, the third distance being less than the second distance, wherein the spring is deflected radially inward by the frustoconical surface and the opposite-facing frustoconical surface toward the outer surface of the cable.

A cable gland for use in a hazardous environment, the cable gland comprising:

• a hub body having a first end, a second end and an opening extending between the first end and the second end, the first end configured to engage a mating hole in an enclosure and the second end having an external thread formed thereon;
• a gland nut configured to engage the external thread on the hub body to define an inner cavity between the hub body and the gland nut, the gland nut having a first inner annular step and a second inner annular step spaced from the first inner annular step,
• a seal disposed in the inner cavity and having a first end positioned adjacent the first inner annular step, an opposite-facing second end and an annular groove formed on an outer cylindrical surface of the seal;
• a sleeve disposed in the inner cavity and having a frustoconical surface and an end surface positioned adjacent the second end of the seal;
• and
• a spring disposed in the inner cavity between the frustoconical surface of the sleeve and an opposite-facing frustoconical surface fixed in the inner cavity,
• wherein,
• when the gland nut is in a first position a first distance from the first end of the hub body, the first inner annular step engages the first end of the seal and the second inner annular step is spaced from the end surface of the sleeve,
• when the gland nut is in a second position a second distance from the first end, the second distance being less than the first distance, the second inner annular step engages the end surface of the sleeve and the seal is compressed by the first inner annular step and the end surface of the sleeve and deflected radially inward without radially deflecting the spring, and
• when the gland nut is in a third position a third distance from the first end, the third distance being less than the second distance, the spring is deflected radially inward by the frustoconical surface and the opposite-facing frustoconical surface.