US 5,095,176 AGranted

Aerial metallic shielded cable having waterblocking provisions

AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories

InventorsPaul W. Harbrecht, Frederick L. Henklein, David M. Mitchell, Cecil G. Montgomery, Francis J. Mullin, James J. Riordan

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Abstract

An aerial cable (20) includes a transmission portion and a supporting portion. The transmission portion includes a core (21) comprising at least one transmission medium enclosed in a relatively flexible dielectric wrapping material (23). The wrapping material is enclosed by two metallic shields (31, 40) between which is interposed a layer (42) of a waterblocking material. An outer one (40) of the shields is formed with overlapping longitudinal edge portions at least one of which is turned inwardly toward the core. A cavity (44) between those edge portions is provided with a waterblocking material which inhibits the longitudinal flow of water. The supporting portion includes a longitudinally extending strand material (60) capable of supporting a length of the cable which is supported by poles, for example, at ends of the length. A plastic jacket (45) encloses the supporting portion and the transmission portion. A portion (62) of the jacket which encloses the supporting portion is connected by a relatively thick web (66) to a portion which encloses the transmission portion.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A cable which is suitable for aerial use, said cable comprising:

a core comprising at least one longitudinally extending transmission medium;
a relatively supple system having a core wrap portion which encloses said core and a portion which includes an elongated waterblocking member which is disposed about said core wrap portion and which is effective to inhibit the longitudinal flow of water;
a metallic shielding system which encloses said portion of said supple system which encloses said core, said shielding system being such as to provide a substantially high conductivity and a relatively high tensile strength;
a jacket which is made of a plastic material and which encloses and which is bonded to at least that portion of said shielding system which has a relatively high tensile strength, wherein said shielding system includes a metallic inner shield which is interposed between said core wrap portion and said elongated waterblocking member and a metallic outer shield which encloses said elongated waterblocking member and which is bonded to said jacket;
and
a longitudinally extending support strand which is spaced from said outer metallic shield and which is capable of supporting a length of said cable spanning aerially between two supporting structures;
said jacket including a first portion which encloses and is bonded to said outer metallic shield and a second portion which encloses said support strand, said first and second portions of said jacket being connected by a web of said plastic material.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.