A telecommunications cable having no metal sheath, but having a plurality of equally pre-tensioned and inextensible tensile members embedded in the cable jacket. These members are spaced apart around the core and extend longitudinally of the cable to apply an axially compressive force upon the jacket. The members may be glass fibers and each member is preferably a roving of fibers. The filaments may be coated with a material which sticks them to the jacket and the core may be filled with a moisture blocking material.
The disclosed communications cables have tensionproof jackets which consist of tensionproof and axial-compression-resistant tape and an outer plastic covering extruded over the tape. The tape includes lengthwise threads of aramid or glass, lengthwise threads of aramid- or glass-fiber-reinforced plastic or a liquid-crystal polymer, and cross threads of a different plastic material. It may be designed as a open-mesh tape. The tape has a longitudinal seam which may deviate in alternating direction from the longitudinal axis of the cable by a small angle to improve flexibility.
A method for covering at least one optical fiber with a protective layer comprises extruding the protective layer and embedding reinforcing elements in the protective layer to form a composite covering and simultaneously introducing the optical fiber into the composite covering. The method includes introducing a single waveguide or a plurality of waveguides, which may be formed into a bundle with a filling compound.
Extrusion die assembly and method of insulating conductor in which tensile reinforcing elements are introduced into the conductor insulation as it is being extruded. During extrusion, the reinforcing element engage outwardly against a position control member to limit their outward movement. The extrudate flows to either side of the position control member and recombines into a single unitary mass downstream of the control member.
Aircraft structures and avionics are formed of a conductive loaded resin-based material. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers in a base resin host. The percentage by weight of the conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination thereof is between about 20% and 50% of the weight of the conductive loaded resin-based material. The micron conductive powders are formed from non-metals, such as carbon, graphite, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from metals such as stainless steel, nickel, copper, silver, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from a combination of non-metal, plated, or in combination with, metal powders. The micron conductor fibers preferably are of nickel plated carbon fiber, stainless steel fiber, copper fiber, silver fiber, aluminum fiber, or the like.
A method of and an apparatus for applying a moisture block compound to a stranded electrical conductor using a double twist buncher apparatus are disclosed. An oil, such as drawing oil, is applied to the outer layer of wires to prevent "rolling" of the moisture block compound to the exterior of the stranded conductor. An improved applicator is also disclosed for applying the moisture block compound to the core of the stranded conductor in a coating having a precisely controlled thickness.
