Re-enterable splice enclosure

Claim 2

A re-enterable splice enclosure restricting entrance of moisture into a splice between at least two lengths of jacketed communication cable, comprising a pair of anchor members, each of said anchor members being in secure engagement with one of said cables adjacent the terminal end thereof; a separable housing comprising two arcuate walls having axially aligned pairs of edges shaped for and in mating engagement, and having spaced ends engaged with said anchor members to define an enclosed splice cavity therebetween containing the splice between said cables; attaching means releasably attaching said arcuate walls to said anchoR members and to each other including a plurality of projections along one edge of each pair of mating edges, and a plurality of flexible, resilient U-shaped members attached at their ends to the other edge of each pair of mating edges, each U-shaped member being releasably hooked over one of said projections to retain said mating edges in engagement; and a water restricting layer of water insoluble non-absorbant dielectric material within said splice cavity around the splice, which layer is easily removable to afford re-entry to the splice.

Claim 3

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said water restricting layer around the splice is manually compacted from a powder of particles having a major diameter or less than 10 micrometers.

Claim 4

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said material is a grease having a viscosity which will produce a penetrometer reading from 200 to 280 and having a generally uniform viscosity over the temperature range of -40* to +60* centigrade.

Claim 5

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said material is a closed cell foam having a density in the range of 2 to 20 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 6

An enclosure according to claim 4, wherein said foam has a density in the range of 2 to 4 pounds per cubic foot.

Claim 7

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said layer of material is jelly-like.

Claim 8

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein each of said anchor members has a set of exterior spaced radially projecting annular rings, said arcuate walls have adjacent each end a set of inwardly projecting spaced annular rings nesting in the interstices between the rings on one of said anchor members, and said attaching means includes a pair of clamps engaged about the ends of said two part housing to secure said housing to said anchor members via engagement of said sets of annular rings.

Claim 9

An enclosure according to claim 7, wherein said arcuate walls have a plurality of sets of inwardly projecting rings formed at predetermined axially spaced intervals along their inner surfaces, each set of rings being adapted for engagement with the set of rings on one of said anchor members, and said walls are adapted to be severed adjacent any of said sets of rings to provide a shortened splice cavity.

Claim 10

An enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said arcuate walls have spaced slots along said edges between the engaged arcuate walls to afford insertion of a flat tool to separate said arcuate walls.

Claim 11

A re-enterable splice enclosure restricting entrance of moisture into a splice between at least two lengths of jacketed communication cable, comprising: anchor members in secure engagement with said cables adjacent the terminal ends thereof, each of said anchor members comprising: a shell engaged over the jacket of at least one cable and shaped to provide an annular cavity about said cable; and a hard resinous material within said annular cavity, said resinous material adhering to said cable and conforming to the inner surface of said shell to provide a rigid anchor member; a separable two part housing having spaced ends engaged with said anchor members to define an enclosed splice cavity therebetween to contain the splice between said cables; attaching means for releasably attaching said housing parts to said anchor members; and a layer of viscous water restricting dielectric material within said splice cavity around a splice, with respect to water said material being non-absorbing and insoluble, said material having the properties of wetting and adhering to polycarbonate, polyethylene and polypropylene, and having a generally uniform viscosity over a temperature range of from -40* to +120* F.

Claim 12

A re-enterable splice enclosure restricting entrance of moisture into a splice between at least two lengths of jacketed communication cable, comprising: anchor members in secure engagement with said cables adjacent the terminal ends thereof, each of said anchor members comprising: a shell engaged over the jacket of at least one cable and shaped to provide an annular cavity about said cable; and a hard resinous material within said annular cavity, said resinous material adhering to said cable and conforming to the inner surface of said shell to provide a rigid anchor member; a separable two part housing having spaced ends engaged with said anchor members to define an enclosed splice cavity therebetween to contain the splice between said cables; attaching means for releasably attaching said housing parts to said anchor members; and a layer of viscous water restricting dielectric material within said splice cavity around a splice, with respect to water said material being non-absorbing and insoluble, said material having the properties of wetting and adhering to polycarbonate, polyethylene and polypropylene, and having a generally uniform viscosity over a temperature range of from -40* to +120* F.

Claim 13

An enclosure according to claim 10, wherein each of said anchor members has a set of exterior spaced radially projecting annular rings, said two part housing has arcuate walls having adjacent each end a set of inwardly projecting spaced annular rings nesting in the interstices between the rings on one of said anchor members, and said attaching means includes a pair of clamps engaged engagement about the ends of said two part housing to secure said housing to said anchor members via engagement of said sets of annular rings.

Claim 14

A splice enclosure assembly according to claim 10, wherein said housing comprises a pair of arcuate walls having axially aligned edges shaped for and in mating engagement to form said housing, said attaching means includes a plurality of projections along the edges on one of said arcuate walls, and a plurality of flexible, resilient, U-shaped members attached at their ends to the other of said arcuate walls and each releasably hooked over one of said projections to retain said edges in engagement.