Heating cable assembly and connector for railroad switch heating system
AssigneeThermal-Flex Systems, Inc.
InventorDaniel A. Santagata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heating cable assembly includes a connector having a sleeve, and a heat-absorbing electrically conductive core member within said sleeve. The assembly also includes a heating cable having an electrical resistance heating wire extending from said core member out a first end of the sleeve, and a water-proof, heat conductive, spirally fluted tube encasing said heating cable. According to one embodiment, the connector further includes an electrically conductive expansion joint extending from said core member opposite said heating wire. According to an additional embodiment, the assembly includes a weld connecting said spirally fluted tube to said first end of said sleeve.
Claims19
An electrical heating cable assembly comprising:
- A) a connector including,
- a sleeve, and
- a heat-absorbing electrically conductive core member within said sleeve;
- B) an electrical heating cable including an electrical resistance heating wire, the heating wire extending from said core member out a first end of the sleeve;
- C) a water-proof, heat conductive, spirally fluted tube encasing said heating cable;
- and
- D) a fluid-tight coupling connecting said spirally fluted tube to said first end of said sleeve.
An electrical heating cable assembly comprising:
- A) an electrical heating cable including,
- an electrical resistance heating wire, and
- a heat conductive electrical insulating layer encasing the heating wire;
- and
- B) a water-proof, heat conductive, bendable spirally fluted tube encasing said heating cable.
A rail-heating unit comprising:
- A) a heating cable assembly for being positioned against a rail including,
- 1) an electrical heating cable including,
- an electrical resistance heating wire, and
- a heat conductive electrical insulating layer encasing the heating wire, and
- 2) a water-proof, heat conductive spirally fluted tube encasing said heating cable;
- and
- B) an insulating mat for encasing the heating cable assembly against the rail.
A crib heating unit comprising:
- A) a thermally conductive support;
- and
- B) a heating cable assembly secured to a surface of the support, the assembly including,
- 1) a connector including,
- a protective sleeve,
- a heat-absorbing electrically conductive core member received within said protective sleeve, and
- an electrically conductive expansion joint extending from the core member,
- 2) an electrical heating cable including,
- an electrical resistance heating wire extending from said core member out of said sleeve of said connector, and
- a heat conductive electrical insulating layer encasing the heating wire, and
- 3) a water-proof, heat conductive, spirally fluted tube encasing said heating cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.