Patent ID: 6619697
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: F16L,G02B,H02G,Y10T

Abstract:
In a protective duct containing a bundle of guide tubes through which communication cables can be run to customers at service locations, wherein the duct has been cut at a branch point and a section of the duct has been removed to provide access to the guide tubes between first and second severed end portions of the protective duct and one of the guide tubes has been cut and serially connected to a branch guide tube allowing a communication cable to be run in the serially connected guide tubes through a protective branch duct to a customer at a service location, an improved cable branch assembly comprising a branch connector including, first and second separable housing sections closed together in an operative position on the severed end portions of the protective duct, thereby forming a duct restoration sidewall around the guide tubes, the separable housing sections when closed together in the operative position providing an inlet portion disposed in a serial union with the first duct end portion, an outlet portion disposed in a serial union with the second duct end portion and at least one branch should disposed in a serial union with the branch duct, and including first and second coupling collars sealing the serial unions between the duct end portions and the housing inlet and outlet portions, respectively, and including a third coupling collar sealing the serial union between the branch sub and the branch duct.