Fiber optic cable payout system

A method for assembling a cable pack comprising the steps of:

• winding cable onto a removable core, two-flanged spool;
• attaching stand-offs to said flanges of said spool, said stand-offs extending from a first flange of said spool to a second flange of said spool and being disposed to press against an outer diameter periphery of said cable wound upon said spool;
• wrapping an adhesive tape over said stand-offs and a portion of said outer diameter periphery of said cable wound on said spool so that said tape adheres to both said stand-offs and said cable;
• removing said core from said flanges of said spool to expose an inner diameter periphery of the cable wound on said spool and to define a circular aperture in said second flange that is coaxially aligned with said inner diameter periphery of the cable wound on said spool;
• inserting a pay-out stabilizing tube between said inner diameter periphery of the cable wound on said spool, said pay-out stabilizing tube being attached to said first flange of said spool and being of a diameter such that a tubular shaped void exists between said pay-out stabilizing tube and said inner diameter periphery of said cable wound on said spool;
• fastening a payout guide to said second flange to partially enclose one axial end of said tubular shaped void, said payout guide being axially offset from said pay-out stabilizing tube so as to define a cable guide gap therebetween through which said cable may payout;
• and
• feeding said cable through said cable guide gap.

A method for assembling a fiber optic cable pack comprising the steps of:

• winding fiber optic cable onto a collapsible core, two-flanged spool thereby forming a coil of cable, said winding being non-precision level wound at a winding pitch set within the range of 0.5" to 1.0" and at a winding tension of approximately 3 pounds, said cable being twisted so that one axial cable twist is introduced into said cable for each wind of cable around said spool;
• attaching stand-offs to said flanges of said spool that extend from a first flange of said spool to a second flange of said spool and that are disposed to press against an outer diameter periphery of said cable wound upon said spool;
• wrapping an adhesive tape over said stand-offs and a portion of said outer diameter periphery of said cable wound on said spool so that said tape adheres to both said stand-offs and said cable;
• installing a protective and reenforcing shroud over said tape;
• removing said collapsible core from said flanges of said spool to define a circular aperture in said second flange that is coaxially aligned with said inner diameter periphery of the fiber wound on said spool and to expose an inner diameter periphery of said coil of cable;
• inserting a pay-out stabilizing tube between said inner diameter periphery of said coil of cable, said pay-out stabilizing tube being attached to said first flange of said spool and being of a diameter such that a tubular shaped void exists between said pay-out stabilizing tube and said inner diameter periphery of said coil of cable;
• fastening a payout guide defining a cable guide opening to said second flange to partially enclose one axial end of said tubular shaped void, said payout guide being axially offset from said pay-out stabilizer tube so as to define a cable guide gap therebetween through which said cable may payout;
• fastening a rubber diaphragm about the periphery of said cable guide opening so that said cable can rub upon said rubber diaphragm when travelling through said cable guide opening;
• and
• feeding said cable through said cable guide gap and through said cable guide opening.