Slotted grounding ferrule

A grounding ferrule for connecting in common the shields of a plurality of cables, the ferrule comprising:

• a generally cylindrical hollow conductive member having a substantially constant wall thickness throughout its axial length, the member having a first and a second axial end thereon with a bore of a predetermined diameter extending therethrough, the bore being sized such that the conductive member is able to recieve and to surround all of the cables being connected, at least three equiangularly circumferentially spaced axially extending slots provided therein, the slots extending for generally the same axial distance intermediate the first and second axial ends of the ferrule thereby to define a plurality of circumferentially adjacent webs, each of the webs having an inner surface thereon, at least one radially inwardly extendly protrusion being disposed on the inner surface of each web.
• the ferrule being able to respond to a radially inwardly directed crimping force applied circumferentially to the exterior surface of the webs by deflecting radially inwardly to define a constricted central region having a diameter less than the diameter of the member in the uncrimped state, in the crimped state the protrusions on the inner surface of each web being disposed in electrically conducting contact with the sheilds of some of the cables surrounded by the hollow conductive member.