Self-supporting aerial cable and method of making same

A communications cable which is self-supporting when strung between two support points, said cable comprising:

• a core which comprises a plurality of individually insulated conductors, said core being in an undulated form having a predetermined amplitude;
• a first metallic strip which is wrapped longitudinally about said core to form a longitudinal seam;
• an inner jacket which encloses said first metallic strip, said inner jacket comprising a polymeric material;
• a second metallic strip which is disposed about said inner jacket to form a longitudinal overlapped unjoined seam;
• a metallic support strand which extends longitudinally with said second metallic strip and which is spaced therefrom;
• and
• an outer jacket which is made of a polymeric material and which encloses said second metallic strip and said support strand.

A method of making a communications cable, which is self-supporting when strung between two support points, said method comprising the steps of:

• advancing a core which includes a plurality of individually insulated conductors along a path;
• causing said core to assume an undulated configuration;
• wrapping successive portions of a first metallic tape about the core to form a first shield having a longitudinal seam;
• enclosing said first shield in an inner jacket of plastic material;
• wrapping successive portions of a second metallic tape about the inner jacket to form a second shield having a longitudinal overlapped unjoined seam;
• while,
• controlling the formation of the overlapped unjoined longitudinal seam of said second metallic tape to cause compressive forces to be applied to the inner jacket and the first shield so that they contract a predetermined amount about the core and cause the first shield to engage portions of the core;
• advancing a metallic strand into juxtaposition with said core;
• and
• enclosing the strand and the core in an outer jacket having a portion which encloses said second shield and a portion which encloses said strand, said portions spaced from each other by a web.