Apparatus for avoiding torque build-ups in deploying ocean cable

In the deployment of an ocean cable comprising two torsionally disparate cable sections rigidly connected by a cable junction member, a method for effecting a delay in the time at which any torque build-up in the second cable section is applied to the first cable section to create a torque-induced rotation of said first cable section as said sections and junction member transition over a cable engine drum and travel toward the bow sheave of the cable-laying ship, comprising the steps of:

• rigidly connecting an array of rods to one end of said junction member and extending said rods helically along a predetermined length of said first cable section to form a flexible torsionally stiff tube having an operating clearance between the outside diameter of said first cable section and the inside diameter of said tube of armor rods;
• and
• paying out said ocean cable so that a substantial length of said first cable section has transitioned beyond said drum before said drum directly contacts said first cable section;
• said torque-induced rotation of said first cable section occurring only after said rods frictionally disengage from said engine drum.

An undersea communications cable comprising:

• first and second communications cable termini each located within a national border;
• said communications cable including first and second torsionally dissimilar cable sections;
• a cable junction member installed at the transition point between, and rigidly connecting the two cable sections;
• a first array of armor rods rigidly connected to one end of said junction member and extending helically over a predetermined length of said first cable section to form a flexible, torsionally stiff tube enveloping said first cable section, said tube having an operating clearance between the outside diameter of said first cable section and the inside diameter of said tube, for restraining rotation of said first cable section induced by torque buildup in said second connected cable section during deployment of said first and second cable sections;
• and
• means for communicatively connecting said first and second cable sections to respective ones of said termini.

Apparatus for restraining rotation of a first communications cable during ocean deployment over a pair of cable ship capstans, said rotation being induced by torque build-up in a second communications cable applied to said first cable through a cable junction member that rigidly joins the two cables, said apparatus comprising:

• a set of elongate armor rods having a length substantially less than the distance between said capstans, said rods extending over a predetermined length of said first communications cable, each rod comprising:
• a first section formed with a predetermined helical pitch and preselected inside helix diameter to envelop a specific outside diameter of first communications cable, and
• a second linearly straight section adapted to engage a concentric ring of receiving holes in said junction member;
• said rods when assembled onto said junction member as a set forming a flexible, torsionally stiff tube over said first cable, said tube having an operating clearance between the outside diameter of said first cable and the inside diameter of said tube of armor rods;
• said tube adapted to delay the application of said torque-induced rotation of said first communications cable as said first cable transitions over the first of said capstans during deployment.