Strain relief assembly

Claim 1

In a strain relief assembly for use with an elongate article having a resiliently deformable outer covering and of the type having a body member having a first end, a second end, a center portion therebetween, threads disposed about at least a portion of the periphery of said body member adjacent at least said first end thereof, and a passageway extending between said first and second ends of said body member and terminating in a tapered portion adjacent said body member first end; a gland nut having a first end, a second end, a restrictive aperture extending axially through said second end, and internaL threads adjacent said first end for threadable engagement with said first end of said body member; a compressible member having a passageway extending generally longitudinally therethrough, and having a selectively tapered portion contoured to fit within said tapered portion of said body member passageway, the improvement comprising: a nonmetallic pressure ring positionable intermediate said compressible member and said gland nut second end, said pressure ring having an enlarged diameter portion adjacent one end thereof, a reduced diameter portion adjacent its opposite end, and a selectively proportioned passageway extending generally longitudinally through said pressure ring between said ends thereof, said enlaged diameter portion being at least partially defined by a first surface remote from said reduced diameter portion, and a second surface generally adjacent said reduced diameter portion, said pressure ring first surface being selectively formed for nonrotatable engagement with said compressible member, said pressure ring second surface being selectively contoured for sliding engagement with the surface of said gland nut adjacent said second end as said gland nut is threadably engaged with and tightened upon said body member; the wall defining said compressible member passageway being proportioned to at least partially collapse about, and seize the adjacent resiliently deformable outer covering of a generally elongate member inserted therethrough to provide a strain relief and a seal thereat as said gland nut is tightened upon said body member and said pressure ring is urged against said compressive member, said pressure ring being provided with gripping means disposed on at least a portion of said first surface thereof, said gripping means comprising a plurality of discrete protrusions extending outwardly from at least a portion of said pressure ring first surface.