Grounding device for armored cable

A grounding clamp for a fiber optic cable, the grounding lug comprising:

• a split lug with a pair of arms extending from a base defining an open ended split, the arms including external threads;
• a compression insert positioned within the split;
• a nut threaded about the external threads and positioned about an upper end of the compression insert;
• the base within the split including a first recess flanked by a pair of shoulders, the compression insert including a lower end with a corresponding recess flanked by a pair of shoulders, the shoulders of the base and the compression insert cooperating to form a clamp for clamping to longitudinal strength members of the fiber optic cable, and the recesses of the base and the compression insert cooperating to form an opening through which a fiber core of the fiber cable may extend;
• the base including a transverse opening extending through generally parallel to the split.

A grounding clamp for a fiber optic cable comprising:

• a body with a base and a pair of externally threaded arms defining a slot, the base including a recess and a pair of shoulders on either side of the recess adjacent the arms;
• a compression insert sized to fit within the slot with an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a recess, a pair of shoulders on either side of the recess and a pair of engagement surfaces extending beyond the arms, the upper portion sized to fit within the arms;
• the recesses of the base and the compression insert cooperating to form a fiber opening through which the fiber optic cable may extend;
• the shoulders of the base and the compression insert cooperating to form clamping surfaces to engage a longitudinal strength member of the fiber optic cable and electrically connect the body to the strength members;
• a nut threadably engageable with the threads of the arms, the nut positionable about the upper portion of the compression insert and engaging the engagement surfaces of the compression insert to urge the compression insert within the slot toward the base
• the shoulders of the base and the compression insert further cooperating to limit the extent to which the nut may urge the compression insert toward the base.

A method of assembling a clamp to an optical fiber cable, the method comprising:

• providing a split lug with a pair of arms extending from a base defining an open ended split, the arms including external threads, a compression insert positionable within the split, a nut threadable about the external threads, the base within the split including a first recess flanked by a pair of shoulders, the compression insert including a lower end with a corresponding recess flanked by a pair of shoulders, the base including a transverse opening extending through generally parallel to the split;
• providing an optical fiber cable with a core including a plurality of optical fibers and a pair of linearly extending strength members enclosed within an outer sheath;
• removing the outer sheath and exposing a portion of the core and the strength members adjacent an end of the optical fiber cable;
• positioning a fiber optic cable with the split of the lug, with the exposed core of the optical fiber cable within the first recess and one of the strength members atop each of the shoulders of the lug;
• positioning the compression insert within the split with the corresponding recess over the exposed core of the optical fiber cable and the shoulders over the strength members;
• threadably engaging the external threads of the lug with the nut and advancing the nut along the threads to urge the compression insert toward the base, so that the shoulders cooperate to engage the strength members and also limit the advancement of the compression insert on the core;
• engaging an electrically conductive rid within the transverse opening, the split lug electrically connecting the strength members to the rod.