US 4,055,616 A · Method for separating sections of a covering on a cable

Abstract

A leading end portion of a thermoplastic jacketed cable is desheathed by applying heat from a movable, continuously operating annular radiant heat source to heat-soften a narrow (e.g., on the order of 1/8 of an inch or less) annular section of the jacket without contacting the jacket. A gripper slide assembly is moved parallel to the cable to grip and apply tension on the leading end portion of the jacket to separate the jacket along the heat-softened section and to remove the leading end portion of the jacket from the cable. After the slide assembly has moved sufficiently to cause separation of the jacket, the heat source is moved axially of the cable from the area of jacket separation so as to preclude damage to the insulation on the cable conductors and to permit the heat softened material of the jacket remaining on the cable to reharden and form a smooth edge along the line of separation. In another embodiment of the invention, the heat source may be energized and subsequently de-energized to achieve the heat-softening of the jacket and to preclude damage to the insulation on the cable conductors.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method of desheathing a round cable formed of a thermoplastic cable jacket enclosing a plurality of conductors having thermoplastic insulation thereon, which comprises:

surrounding an annular section of the thermoplastic cable jacket adjacent a leading end portion of the cable with an annular heat source;
heat-softening the material of the annular cable jacket section about the entire circumference thereof without contacting the jacket and without softening the thermoplastic insulation on the conductors, the width of the heat-softened section being sufficiently narrow that it will not elongate any significant amount when the jacket is separated along a line defined by the heat-softened circumferential section upon the application of longitudinal tension to the jacket, whereby the separated heat-softened material of the section will reharden to form a relatively smooth edge along the line of separation when application of heat thereto is terminated;
applying tension to the cable jacket on opposite sides of the heat-softened annular section to separate the jacket along the heat-softened section and to expose the insulated conductors;
terminating the application of heat upon separation of said jacket and within a time sufficient to preclude damage to the exposed insulation on the cable conductors and to reharden the heat-softened material of the remaining jacket on the cable to form a smooth edge along the line of separation of the jacket;
and
removing the leading end portion of the jacket from the cable.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for separating sections of a covering on a cable

Life of this patent

Method for separating sections of a covering on a cable

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5