US 4,223,179 A · Cable termination connector assembly

Abstract

A cable termination connector assembly for physically receiving and securely retaining the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of a high voltage power cable and for making an external electrical connection to the center conductor includes a multi-barrel connector for use with many different sizes of high voltage power cables. A plurality of elongated, generally axially extending apertures are formed in the connector for receiving the wire strands of a segmented or nonsegmented center conductor of a high voltage power cable. In a specific embodiment, the apertures are canted or inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the center conductor and the multi-barrel connector to minimize the length of cable insulation that is cut away or stripped back and thereby increase the dielectric strength or reduce the size of the termination assembly and facilitate insertion of the wire strands. A plurality of oval point set screws associated with each of the apertures of the connector securely retains the wire strands within the connector and breaks-up aluminum oxide coatings existing on the wire strands of aluminum cable conductors. In a specific embodiment, each plurality of set screws are arranged so that each is at a different radial position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the associated aperture to provide improved current distribution within the multi-barrel connector and to achieve contact with a greater number of individual wire strands in each aperture.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A connector assembly for a high voltage cable termination comprising

means for receiving, electrically connecting and securely retaining the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of an insulated high voltage power cable upon termination of the power cable by said cable termination, the center conductor of the power cable to be terminated having a plurality of wire strands, said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means including a unitary conductive member having a plurality of elongated apertures formed therein, each aperture adapted to receive a desired portion of the plurality of wire strands, the desired portion comprising more than one wire strand, the longitudinal axes of said plurality of apertures each forming an acute angle with respect to each other and with respect to the longitudinal axis of the current carrying center conductor, and
means for physically supporting said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means in said cable termination, said supporting means comprising an annular metallic plate and fastening means for securing said metallic plate in said cable termination and for securing said conductive member to said metallic plate, said metallic plate including an annular recess formed therein and said conductive member having a larger cross-section than said annular recess.

A connector assembly for a high voltage cable termination comprising

means for receiving, electrically connecting and securely retaining the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of an insulated high voltage power cable upon termination of the power cable by said cable termination, the center conductor of the power cable to be terminated having a plurality of wire strands, said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means including a unitary conductive member having a plurality of elongated apertures formed therein and at least a pair of set screws being provided for and respectively associated with each one of said apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a desired portion of the plurality of wire strands, the desired portion comprising more than one wire strand, said set screws applying a compressive force to the wire strands upon termination of the power cable to force the wire strands against the interior surfaces of said apertures, said set screws associated with each one of said apertures being axially spaced and radially offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of each of said respective apertures, and
means for physically supporting said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means of said cable termination, said supporting means comprising an annular metallic plate and fastening means for securing said metallic plate in said cable termination, said metallic plate including an annular recess formed therein and said conductive member having a larger cross-section than said annular recess.

A connector assembly for a high voltage cable termination comprising

means for receiving, electrically connecting, securely retaining ahd hermetically sealing the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of an insulated high voltage power cable upon termination of the power cable by said cable termination, the center conductor having a plurality of wire strands, said receiving electrically connecting, retaining and sealing means including a unitary conductive member having a plurality of elongated apertures formed therein, at least a pair of set screws being provided for and respectively associated with each one of said apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a desired portion of the plurality of wire strands upon termination of the power cable, said set screws applying a compressive force to the wire strands to force the wire strands against the interior surfaces of said apertures upon termination of the power cable, and means for sealing said set screws, said sealing means comprising a sealing element assembly disposed over each of said set screws and means provided for each of said apertures overlaying said sealing element assemblies for applying a compressive force to each of said sealing element assemblies, one of said compressive force applying means being provided for said set screws associated with each of said respective apertures and
means for physically supporting said receiving, electrically connecting, retaining and hermetically sealing means of said cable termination, said unitary conductive member further having an overbored passage overlaying each of said set screws, each of said sealing element assemblies comprising in the order of insertion into said overbored passage a first metal disc element, an elastomeric disc element and a second metal disc element.

A connector assembly having component parts capable of being affixed onto a cable termination for terminating an elongated end portion of an insulated high voltage power cable of the type having a current carrying center conductor formed by a plurality of wire strands, said connector assembly comprising

means for receiving, electrically connecting, hermetically sealing and securely retaining the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of an insulated high voltage power cable upon termination of the power cable, the center conductor having a plurality of wire strands, said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means including a unitary conductive member having a plurality of elongated apertures formed therein, a plurality of set screws being provided for and respectively associated with each one of said apertures, said set screws associated with each of said apertures being axially spaced and radially offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of each of said respective apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a desired portion of the plurality of wire strands, the desired portion comprising more than one wire strand, said set screws applying a compressive force to the wire strands to force the wire strands against the interior surfaces of said apertures upon termination of the power cable,
and means for sealing said set screws, said sealing means comprising a sealing element assembly disposed over each of said set screws and means provided for each of said apertures overlaying said sealing element assemblies for applying a compressive force to each of said sealing element assemblies, one of said compressive force applying means being provided for said set screws associated with each of said respective apertures, said unitary conductive member further comprising an overbored passage overlaying each of said set screws and each of said sealing element assemblies comprises in the order of insertion into said overbored passage a first metal disc element, an elastomeric disc element and a second metal disc element.

A connector assembly for a high voltage cable termination comprising

means for receiving, electrically connecting and securely retaining the bared end of a current carrying center conductor of an insulated high voltage power cable upon termination of the power cable, the center conductor of the power cable to be terminated having a plurality of wire strands, said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means including a unitary conductive member having a plurality of elongated apertures formed therein and at least a pair of set screws associated with each one of said apertures, each of said apertures being adapted to receive a desired portion of the plurality of wire strands, the desired portion comprising more than one wire strand, said plurality of set screws applying a compressive force to the wire strands to force the wire strands against the interior surfaces of said apertures upon termination of the power cable, said plurality of set screws associated with each of said apertures being axially spaced and radially offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of each of said respective apertures, and
means for physically supporting said receiving, electrically connecting and retaining means of said cable termination, said supporting means comprising an annular metallic plate and fastening means for securing said metallic plate in said cable termination, said metallic plate including an annular recess forced therein and said conductive member having a larger cross-section than said annular recess.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cable termination connector assembly

Life of this patent

Cable termination connector assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32