Splice assembly tool and method of splicing

A splice assembly tool of a type for assembling component parts of an electrical connection for producing a splice connection between a pair of electrical cables comprising:

• (a) a first structural member adaptable for supporting a first force applying means thereon, said force applying means enabling a rotary force applied manually thereto to be converted into a longitudinal force for application against a first elastomeric component part of said electrical connection,
• (b) a second structural member adaptable for engaging a second elastomeric component part of said electrical connection in a manner to assist said first structural member in assembling said first component part relative to said second component part of said electrical connection, said first and second elastomeric component parts being assembled relative to one another via an interference fit;
• and
• (c) a substantially flexible transmission means coupled between said first and second electrical members, said transmission means conveying said longitudinal force between said first and said second structural members, and wherein said first component part is an adapter sleeve positioned on one of said cables, said second component part is a tubular elastomeric sleeve, and said tubular elastomeric sleeve is axially positioned about said adaptor sleeve with an interference fit, wherein said second structural member is adaptable for being movable with respect to said first structural member, said second structural member engaging said tubular elastomeric sleeve in a manner to be in abutting engagement therewith and in a manner to enable said second structural member to continuously move said sleeve member from a first position to a second position, when under an influence of said longitudinal force, said tubular elastomeric sleeve being assembled over said adaptor sleeve with said interference fit when moved into said second position, wherein said force applying means includes first gearing means mounted on said first structural member and said first gearing means includes at least one drive gear member and at least one follwer gear member, said at least one drive gear member being in meshed engagement with said at least one follower gear member said at least one follower gear member being driven by said at least one drive gear member when said rotary force is applied thereto, said at least one follower gear member including a first sprocket gear member coupled thereto, and wherein said second structural member supports second gearing means thereon, said transmission means being coupled between said first and said second structural members in a manner to operatively engage said first and said second gearing means such that said first structural member is adaptable for being in abutting engagement with said adaptor sleeve and said first structural member being immovably retained by said adaptor sleeve when under said influence of said longitudinal force.

A splice assembly tool of a type for assembling component parts of an electrical connection for producing a splice connection between a pair of electrical cables comprising:

• (a) a first structural member adaptable for supporting a first force applying means thereon, said force applying means enabling a rotary force applied manually thereto to be converted into a longitudinal force for application against a first component part of said electrical connection;
• (b) a second structural member adaptable for engaging a second component part of said electrical connection in a manner to assist said first structural member in assembling said first component part relative to said second component part of said electrical connection;
• and
• (c) transmission means for operatively coupling said first and second structural members for conveying said longitudinal force between said first and said second structural members, and wherein said first component part is an adaptor sleeve positioned on one of said cables, said second component part is a tubular elastomeric sleeve, and said tubular elastomeric sleeve is axially positioned about said adaptor sleeve with an interference fit, and wherein said second structural member is adapted for being movable with respect to said first structural member, said second structural member engaging said tubular elastomeric sleeve in a manner to be in abutting engagement therewith and in a manner to enable said second structural member to continuously move said sleeve member from a first position to a second position, when under an influence of said longitudinal force, said tubular elastomeric sleeve being assembled over said adaptor sleeve with said interference fit when moved into said second position, and wherein force applying means includes first gearing means mounted on said first structural member and said first gearing means includes at least one drive gear member and at least one follower gear member, said at least one drive gear member being in meshed engagement with said at least one follower gear member, said at least one follower gear member being driven by said at least one drive gear member when said rotary force is applied thereto, said at least one follower gear member including a first sprocket gear member coupled thereto, and wherein said second structural member supports second gearing means thereon, said transmission means being coupled between said first and said second structural members in a manner to operatively engage said first and said second gearing means such that said first structural member is adaptable for being in abutting engagement with said adaptor sleeve and said first structural member being immovably retained by said adaptor sleeve when under said influence of said longitudinal force wherein said second gearing means comprises at least one second sporcket gear member, and said transmission means comprises a chain member, said chain member having a first end operatively connected to said first sprocket gear member and having a second end operatively connected to said at least one second sprocket gear member, said chain member being adapted at said first end to be reeled in by said first sprocket gear member and being adapted at said second end to pull said second structural member at said at least one second sprocket gear member in a longitudinal direction towards said first structural gear member from said first position to said second position when under said influence of said longitudinal force.

A method of assembling elastomeric component parts of an electrical connection for producing a splice connection in the field between a pair of electrical cables, with the elastomeric component parts in assembled engagement, one over the other, in an interference fit, at least one of the elastomeric component parts being generally tubular and having an internal surface and an external surface including a cylindrical end external surface portion, a further external surface portion and an external shoulder between the end external surface portion and the further external surface portion, said method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a first structural member to said one of the elastomeric component parts by receiving the cylindrical end external surface portion thereof within a complementary means on the first member, with the complementary means abutting the external shoulder of the external surface of said one of the elastomeric component parts whereby the first structural member is coupled solely to the cylindrical end external surface portion of said one of the elastomeric component parts to render the entire internal surface thereof and the further external surface portion of the external surface thereof available for said assembled engagement with another component part of the connection;
• coupling a second structural member to the other of said elastomeric parts;
• providing the first structural member with a force applying means enabling a rotary force applied manually thereto to be converted into a longitudinal force;
• coupling a substantially flexible transmission means between the first and second structural members for transmitting said longitudinal force between said first and second structural members;
• engaging said one of the elastomeric component parts with said other of the elastomeric component parts;
• applying a rotary force to said force applying means to generate said longitudinal force and establish and assembly force provided solely by the longitudinal force transmitted by the transmission means during assembly;
• and
• continuing the application of said rotary force until said other of the elastomeric component parts is engaged fully with at least one of said entire available internal surface and further external surface portion of said one of the elastomeric component parts.