Buried conductor cable energy distribution system with conductor loop enclosure

An energy conducting cable loop enclosure which receives and retains an above-ground loop of a flexible conductor cable in an underground energy distribution system, particularly in a system for the supplying of electrical energy. The main body structure, which is upright in normal placement, is of elongate rectangular shape with an above-ground and a below-ground portion and having an open bottom and a closed top. At the junction of these two portions, supporting feet are located which bridge a hole in the ground, in which the below-ground portion is inserted, to rest on the surrounding ground. A removable front plate provides access to the interior of the above-ground portion. The above-ground portion contains a cable hoop having a radius at least as great as the minimum allowable bending radius of the cable on which a loop of cable is trained after being led through the open bottom and out through the open above-ground front. The depth of the hoop is substantially equal to the depth of the body structure so that the cable loop is captured on the hoop when the front plate is secured in place. The structure is held in place by the anchoring effect of the buried cable by way of the captured cable loop. The dimensional interaction of the structural elements combine for the provision of cable loops of desired size for interfacing with system components. Means are provided to prevent unauthorized removal of the plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to outdoor conductor cable loop enclosures used in 
connection with buried conductor cable energy distribution systems 
employing conductor cables of various types such as electric cable, 
coaxial cable, telecommunications cable or flexible gas conducting cable. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The external transmission cables of an energy distribution system are 
either constructed as an aerial system or a buried system. In the aerial 
configuration, the cable and its associated devices are carried by and 
mounted on elevating means, usually the conventional utility pole. In an 
underground system, the transmission cables are buried, but above-ground 
means must be provided to permit interfacing means for distribution of the 
transmitted energy to the user and for other operating components. 
Buried systems have become practical with the development of improved cable 
and methods of burying the cable, and, especially, with the development of 
improved insulation and covering impervious to water resulting in cables 
having a much longer life in subterranean service conditions. 
From an operating point of view, the buried system has many advantages. 
Ice, snow, lightning storms, floods and other natural similar catastrophes 
and phenomena do not affect or interrupt service to customers. In seacoast 
and adjacent areas, severe corrosion problems which are encountered in 
aerial systems due to salt water conditions are reduced to a point where 
they are practically eliminated. Thus, they are more reliable, an 
important system characteristic. Buried systems also are more cost 
effective in that they have lower maintenance costs, and, lastly, they are 
relatively safer than the aerial type which can offer serious hazards to 
life and health in the event of conductor cable casualties or failures. 
Besides the reliability and operating advantages of buried systems, aerial 
systems are in conflict with a widespread movement to improve our visual 
environment. It may be admitted that many aerial systems constitute an 
eyesore. Consequently, much effort is being expended to place overhead 
electrical, telephone, CATV cables and the like in underground 
installations. Indeed, many governmental bodies have adopted legal 
requirements that all new residential, commercial and industrial 
subdivisions be initially constructed with complete buried systems and 
further require that existing aerial systems currently in operation be 
buried on a scheduled timetable. 
In an underground energy distribution system of any type, whether for 
power, telecommunications or other purposes, provision must be made for 
the interfacing of the main primary system to the end user by the 
interfacing of energy conductors and interfacing components. As a result, 
in the installation of buried cable systems, it is essential to provide 
access to the cable at certain predetermined locations. In a 
telecommunications system, such access is necessary to permit splicing of 
cable ends, to facilitate the attachment of branch lines to the main line, 
to provide means for the installation of electrical protectors to guard 
against lightning damage, to permit the installation of loading coils and 
repeaters for signal improvement and for maintenance and testing. In a 
fiber optic cable system, as well as the foregoing, such access is 
necessary for the connection of branch lines and possibly for the 
installation of conversion means such as an optoelectronic detector like a 
photo diode or a de-multiplexor or an integrated optoelectronic circuit 
combining the two types of devices into one integrated optoelectronic 
circuit. In a system for the distribution of electric power, access is 
needed for the installation of step-down transformers interfacing to 
customer service lines and for the installation of power factor correcting 
capacitors. 
To provide access to accomplish such interfacing, it has been customary to 
provide a loop in the buried cable during its installation underground at 
predetermined locations for future use. Such cable loops are 
conventionally either totally buried in the ground for later retrieval by 
exhumation of the loop or, alternatively, the cable loops may be located 
above the ground. 
Above-ground cable loops must be protected from mechanical damage, without 
which they would be subject to fracture through forceful entanglement or 
impact damage, as well as from brush fires or the like. As a result, 
above-ground cable loops should be held upright and be enclosed for their 
protection. In the case of power distribution systems, above-ground cable 
loops must be enclosed for safety reasons. 
To illustrate the prior art and the problems which it has not solved, an 
underground electric power system is presented as an example. 
In the installation of underground electric power distribution cables which 
serve pad-mounted step-down transformers, it is desirable to defer the 
actual installation of specific transformers until such time as these 
transformers are required for electric power service to customers. 
Typically, a coil or loop of cable is fashioned at each future transformer 
location to facilitate above-ground connection of the cable to the 
transformer without the necessity of splicing a tap into the buried cable. 
As previously stated, it is necessary to cover or mechanically protect 
these loops of cable for a variety of reasons. Previously, this protection 
has been accomplished in various ways, such as completely burying the loop 
or by using a box pedestal structure to enclose an above-ground loop. 
Current practice utilizes, ordinarily, a box pedestal that is normally 
anchored to the ground by cooperating additional structure, either by the 
use of one or more anchoring stakes that are driven into the ground or by 
the use of an outwardly turned anchoring flange extending around the 
bottom portion of the box pedestal which is placed a relatively 
substantial distance below the ground plane and over which the earth is 
backfilled and compacted by tamping. 
These methods of protecting the cable loop present several inherent 
problems. 
Both the completely buried loop and the box pedestal with buried flange 
require extensive removal, backfill and compacting of the surrounding 
earth during installation and retrieval of the cable loop. This practice 
requires the use, and presence, of additional earth moving equipment and 
their operators. Likewise, driven anchor stakes require special equipment 
for their installation and removal. This serves to increase the cost of, 
and prolong the time involved, in such operations. 
An added problem arises in the case of enclosures employing anchoring 
stakes. The usual practice is to force the stakes into the ground by 
pounding. Where the stakes are separate from the enclosure, their location 
must be precisely determined prior to driving them so that the enclosure 
will be properly located when it is attached to its corresponding driven 
stake. Further, additional labor is required to properly connect and 
attach the enclosure to its already fixed in place anchoring stake. To 
solve this problem, and thus save costs, some enclosures have their 
anchoring stakes attached before being driven into the ground. When the 
stakes are already attached to their corresponding enclosure prior to 
their being driven, such pounding is applied to the top cover of the 
enclosure. In the event an unanticipated sub-soil obstruction such as a 
stone or other buried object is encountered by a stake, severe structural 
damage to the enclosure will occur, which can in some cases destroy its 
utility and certainly will cause it to lose its designed shape. This, too, 
has its cost aspects. 
Further, it has been found in operating use that the channel shaped stake 
type pedestal ordinarily employed lacks rigidity and robustness and, thus, 
does not adequately protect the cable loop against vandalism or tampering. 
Another problem associated with the prior art is the disturbance of the 
compactness of the soil around the cable loop caused by the 
above-mentioned digging, which increases the likelihood of undesirable 
settling or soil wash-out occurring after the installation of a 
pad-mounted transformer. 
Yet another problem associated with the prior art is the difficulty 
involved in obtaining cable loops of the exact size desired. If the cable 
loop is too small to reach the interfacing device, such as a transformer, 
one or more jumper sections of cable must be spliced in. If too large a 
loop is provided, expensive cable must be pruned and, consequently, 
wasted. While these difficulties can be minimized by careful individual 
measurement of each and every loop of the many in a system, this 
measurement must be carefully done and requires skilled labor using 
special tooling and measuring gauges. This, too, has cost aspects. 
Still another problem associated with the prior art is that no provisions 
are made in the pedestal enclosures which serve to prevent the cable loop 
from being bent past its minimum allowable bending radius and thereby 
suffering structural and conductive damage. 
Besides lacking preventive structure to avoid excessive bending of the 
cable, the prior art teaches the use of multiple component clamping means, 
post means or combinations thereof for supporting the cable forming a 
loop. Such construction requires multiple adjustments of these components 
and the cable until the cable is properly positioned. This, too, requires 
additional time, more skilled labor and the use of special tools, with 
their attendant costs. 
The foregoing emphasized the problems encountered by the electric power 
utility industry in providing an underground energy distribution system. 
However, it is readily apparent to those skilled in the art that these 
problems are not unique to the electric power industry. Similar problems 
are also encountered by other utility industries that employ underground 
energy distribution systems using flexible conductor means such as 
multiple conductor communications cables, coaxial cables, fiber optic 
cables and flexible gas pipelines. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention consists of a flexible energy conducting cable loop 
enclosure for use in a buried or underground system for the distribution 
of energy by means of such cable. In particular, it relates to a system 
and a cable component thereof used for the supply of electrical energy for 
an electric power system. However, the invention as disclosed will provide 
a cable loop enclosure that is adapted to a wide variety of underground 
conductor facilities and to a wide variety of cables for use therein. In 
addition to electric power systems, the invention may be used in 
underground systems for telecommunications data, CATV and the like which 
may employ multiple conductor cable, coaxial cable or fiber optic cable. 
It may be also be used in systems employing flexible gas lines as a 
conductor cable. 
The cable loop enclosure is an enclosing structure which receives and 
retains an above-ground loop of the buried cable and which is of elongate 
rectangular shape and is normally upright in placement. It has a main body 
consisting of above-ground and below-ground portions assembled into a 
uniform cross-sectional enclosure. At the junction of these two portions, 
a supportive foot is located on each side of the enclosing structure which 
bridges the hole in the ground above the cable through which the cable 
loop protrudes above the ground and into which the below-ground portion of 
the enclosure is inserted. These feet extend a distance beyond the lip of 
the hole. The above-ground portion has an open front and the below-ground 
portion has an open bottom. A removable cover plate fits over the open 
front of the above-ground portion and is secured in place by locking 
means. The above-ground portion has a closed top. The above-ground portion 
contains an internal cable loop hoop attached to its inside rear wall on 
and around which a loop of cable is trained after being brought into the 
enclosure through the open bottom and out through its open above-ground 
front. The depth of the cable loop hoop is substantially equal to the 
depth of the main body structure so that when the removable cover plate is 
placed over the open front to complete the enclosure, the loop is captured 
and cannot escape from the hoop. 
During installation the loop is trained tightly over the hoop. As a result, 
the structure is held in place by the anchoring effect of the buried cable 
by way of the captured cable loop. The feet serve to transfer the load to 
the ground plane and to anchor the enclosure in place by engagement with 
the ground. Such anchoring eliminates the labor and equipment associated 
with the installation and removal of enclosures stabilized by buried 
flanges and also eliminates the need for special equipment and additional 
labor associated with the installation and removal of enclosures anchored 
by driven stakes. 
The dimensional interaction of the structural elements automatically 
results in the provision of cable loops of a desired size for interfacing 
with service provisions or system components. The cable hoop is located a 
predetermined distance on the rear wall with respect to the feet, which in 
turn, locate the hoop with respect to the ground plane. Thus training the 
cable loop over the hoop (which is located a predetermined distance from 
the ground plane by the feet which rest on the ground plane) allows and 
assures the correct length of cable in the above-ground loop as is 
required for future use. This approach eliminates the problems of the 
prior art wherein a desired size of cable loop was not automatically 
provided with consequent waste of time and money. 
Further, the use of cable loop enclosures according to the invention having 
similar dimensions throughout a system results in the unfailing provision 
of cable loops of a predetermined optimum size. This provides a saving in 
time and labor over the prior art. 
Removal of the cable loop from the cable hoop by simply pulling it out the 
open front of the enclosure and then feeding it through the open bottom 
releases the enclosure of the invention and allows the enclosure to be 
simply lifted from the ground. This method avoids any significant 
disturbance of soil compactness in contrast to the prior art which 
requires backfilling and tamping of the soil disturbed by the removal of 
prior art enclosures. The foregoing applies not only to the removal of 
buried flange type enclosures, but also to the disturbance in the 
surrounding soil caused by the loosening and removal of driven stakes. 
Again, the hoop, over which the cable loop is trained, is constructed with 
a sufficiently large radius so as to prevent the cable forming the loop 
from being bent past its minimum allowable bending radius. Such 
construction serves to automatically eliminate a source of cable damage or 
failure not found in the constructions of the prior art. 
Likewise, the use of the simplified single structural element of a cable 
hoop for retaining and supporting the cable loop eliminates the 
multi-component structures of clamps and supporting posts found in the 
prior art, as well as the multiple adjustments necessary to fit the cable 
loop into place in such constructions. Such simplified structure not only 
reduces the number of parts required, but reduces the time involved in the 
installation of the enclosure of the invention by simplifying the 
operations required, eliminates the need for special tools for such 
operations and permits the use of unskilled labor. All these advantages 
provide significant cost savings. 
As is readily apparent, use of the invention eliminates the earth moving 
operations involved in the installation and removal of buried cable loops, 
as well as the extensive disturbance of the soil involved in the use of 
this method of protecting the cable loop. As previously stated, these 
problems are also eliminated in the cases of enclosures anchored by buried 
flanges. 
Likewise, the use of the invention removes the requirement of the prior art 
for special equipment and extra labor when stake supported or stake 
mounted enclosures are used. In the case wherein the stakes are separately 
driven into the ground, the labor of fitting the enclosures to the stakes 
is also eliminated. In the case wherein the stakes are integral with the 
enclosure, the stakes are usually driven into the ground by a series of 
forceful impacts on the top of the enclosure. This operation not only 
requires special driving equipment and additional labor, but can cause 
damage to, or even structural failure of, the enclosure. 
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide an 
improved cable loop enclosure that overcomes the problems of the prior art 
described in the Background of the Invention, and, in addition, has other 
important advantages and features. 
A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved 
construction which is more cost effective than the constructions of the 
prior art. 
Thus, a particular object of this invention is to provide an improved 
enclosing structure for an above-ground cable loop so constructed as to 
offer an anchoring means which will significantly reduce the labor 
associated with the installation and removal of the enclosure, especially 
the labor associated with soil removal and backfill. 
It is again an object of this invention to provide an improved enclosure of 
the type described so constructed as to eliminate the need for special 
equipment for the purpose of installation and removal of the enclosure. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved enclosing 
structure of the type described so constructed as to virtually eliminate 
disturbance of the compactness of the soil around the cable loop during 
the removal of the enclosure. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved enclosing 
structure of the type described so constructed as to provide measuring 
means which will assure that the cable contains an ample amount of cable 
to perform future connections with system components. 
Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved 
enclosing structure of the type described so constructed as to provide 
means to prevent the cable loop from being bent past its minimum allowable 
bending radius.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings generally, and particularly to FIG. 1, a 
conductor loop enclosure 11 is illustrated embodying the principles of the 
invention, but particularly adapted for use with an underground energy 
distribution system. In general, the conductor loop enclosure, as shown in 
FIG. 1, includes a four-sided elongate main body member 20. Main body 
member 20 has an above-ground portion 40 with an open front 39 and a 
closed top 28, a below-ground portion 41 with a closed front 29 and an 
open bottom 33 surrounding open-ended box-like cavity 45, and a removable 
cover plate 21. Cover plate 21, as will hereinafter be described, is 
constructed so as to cooperate with main body 20 to close off open front 
39 of the above-ground portion 40 of main body 20. Below-ground portion 41 
is embedded in the ground 32 directly above the conductor cable line for 
which it is to be used and immediately adjacent to the point in the 
underground cable system 31b at which it is desired to include an 
above-ground loop 31a of conductor cable. Feet 23 and 23a are attached to 
the exterior surfaces of the side walls 27' of main body member 20 and are 
located at the junction of the above-ground portion 40 with the 
below-ground portion 41 of main body 20. Contained within the main body 
member 20 is a conductor cable hoop 22 attached to the rear wall 26 of 
main body 20. 
As best shown in FIG. 3, the main body member 20 is essentially a box-like 
structure designed for partial insertion in the ground. In a typical 
installation, the below-ground portion 41 extends 12 inches below the 
ground plane 32. The above-ground portion 40 of main body 20 is comprised 
of two dimensionally corresponding side walls 27 and 27a, a rear wall 26, 
an open front 39 and an enclosing top cap section 28. The below-ground 
portion 41 is composed of two corresponding extensions 27b and 27c of 
side walls 27 and 27a, a rear wall 26a comprising an extension of rear 
wall 26 and an open bottom 33 enclosing an open ended box structure 
generally rectangular in cross section. The above-ground portion 40, the 
below-ground portion 41 and the cap section 28 of main body 20 are 
assembled into a uniform cross-sectional main body 20, as shown in the 
drawings. In a typical installation, the outside depth dimension of side 
walls 27, 27a, 27b and 27c would all be 6 inches, and the above-ground 
portion 40 of main body member 20 would extend 30 inches above the ground 
plane 32. 
The main body 20 is preferably constructed of sheet metal, preferably 
galvanized, but any appropriate engineering material such as fiber glass 
reinforced plastic may be used. A typical installation would employ 
galvanized 14 gage sheet steel. In a power distribution system, such an 
enclosure has important safety features by providing a conductor loop 
enclosure at ground potential. In some applications, a non-metallic 
construction would be preferable, and the loop enclosure and its 
components may be made of fiber glass reinforced plastic or any other 
suitable non-metallic material. 
Conductor hoop 22, preferably generally an arc of a circle in cross section 
and thus cylindraceous in shape, is attached to the rear wall 26 of the 
above-ground portion 40 of main body 20, extending anteriorly towards open 
front 39 and with its axis of rotation substantially normal to the plane 
of rear wall 26. The depth of hoop 22 is typically equal to the depth 
dimensions of side walls 27 and 27a. Thus, the depth of the hoop 22 in a 
typical installation wherein the side walls are six inches deep, as 
previously described, would likewise be six inches. The location of the 
center of the arc of hoop 22 may be located at any dimensionally favorable 
point on the above-ground portion of rear wall 26. It is preferably 
located horizontally at the center of the width dimension of rear wall 26. 
However, the size of the conductor loop desired will affect the vertical 
location of its center. As will later be described in detail, the hoop 22 
must be located on the rear wall 26 at a predetermined distance with 
respect to the feet 23 and 23a to ensure a sufficient height of cable loop 
above the ground plane 32. Consequently, the center of the arc of the hoop 
is not necessarily at the geometric center of rear wall 26. 
In addition, conductor hoop 22 must be dimensioned so that the radius of 
curvature of conductor hoop 22 is larger than the minimum bending radius 
of the cable of the conductor cable 31b employed in the system thereby 
preventing the cable 31b forming the cable loop 31a from being bent past 
its minimum allowable bending radius when it is trained over and around 
cable hoop 22. This minimum allowable bending radius varies from size to 
size, construction, and type of conductor cable employed in cable system 
31b. However, data respecting this is readily available from a number of 
sources well-known to those skilled in the art, such as from the cable 
manufacturer, industry standards or electrical codes. In the typical 
installation using one inch diameter electrical primary power cable as an 
example, a minimum hoop radius of nine inches would be employed. 
Conductor hoop 22 is formed preferably from galvanized sheet metal, but may 
be formed from other appropriate engineering materials, as previously 
described. It may be attached to rear wall 26 by welding or other suitable 
means. Such attachment not only supports the hoop 22, but serves to 
stiffen rear wall 26. The exterior edges of conductor hoop 22 are fitted 
with means to prevent chafing of the cable loop 31a as it is positioned 
about hoop 22. FIG. 3 illustrates one construction for such purpose 
employing inwardly curving ends 37 of a small radius. Alternatively, a 
bead may be provided on these edges. 
A lock strut 24 extends anteriorly from an attachment point on rear wall 26 
along the inside periphery of conductor hoop 22 at its apogee past the 
open above-ground front 39 of main body 20. Lock strut 24 terminates at 
its outer end in lock tab 24a, which is provided with hole 25 and which 
corresponds to and extends through tab hole 38 in cover plate 21. An 
appropriate locking device, such as padlock 30, is engaged through hole 25 
in lock tab 24a to lock cover plate 21 securely in place as shown in FIG. 
2. Lock strut 24 is preferably constructed of galvanized sheet metal 
heavier in gage than conductor hoop 22. A grounding wire (not illustrated) 
may be fitted to run from an attachment fitting on lock strut 24 to 
appropriate grounding means as a safety feature. 
Cover plate 21 is essentially channel shaped in cross section, having a 
flat front plate member 21a substantially corresponding in its dimensions 
with the opening in open front 39 so as to completely cover the opening of 
open front 39 of the above-ground portion 40 of main body 20, thereby 
completely enclosing its interior including conductor loop 31a when cover 
plate 21 is fitted in place. The cover plate 21 is provided with integral 
side flanges 34 which overlap side walls 27 and 27a and top flange 34a 
which overlaps the closed top portion 28 of main body 20. When cover plate 
21 is installed in place, the front edges of sides 27 and 27a and top 28 
fit within these respective overlapping flanges. The lower edge of cover 
plate 21 is provided with a flat tab 35 which engages a retaining slot 36 
formed between front transverse foot bracket 42 and front wall 29 as shown 
in FIG. 4. As previously described, front plate member 21a is provided 
with tab hole 38 designed to correspond to, and to cooperate with, locking 
tab 24a. Locking tab 24a extends through tab hole 38 when cover plate 21 
is in place so that cover plate 21 may be locked in place to prevent 
unauthorized opening of the cable loop enclosure. Cover plate 21 may also 
be formed of sheet metal, preferably galvanized. As has also been 
previously described, the depth of cable hoop 22 is essentially equal to 
the depth of the side walls 27 and 27a of main body 20. As a result of 
this construction, cable loop 31a is completely captured upon conductor 
hoop 22 when cover plate 21 is installed in place covering open front 39 
in main body 20 since the flat face 21a of cover plate 21 will fit up 
against the external edge of hoop 22 leaving no room for cable loop 31a to 
escape. 
Feet 23 and 23a are located at the points where the above-ground portion 40 
of main body 20 joins the below-ground portion 41 thereof on side walls 27 
and 27a, and are attached to their respective side wall by welding or 
other appropriate means. They extend along the side walls 27 and 27a from 
the front to the rear of main body 20 in the same plane parallel to each 
other and in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of 
conductor hoop 22. As shown in the drawings, feet 23 and 23a are 
right-hand and left-hand counterparts, as are their supporting brackets 42 
and 43. 
Feet 23 and 23a are supported by feet brackets 42 and 43 extending 
transversely across the front and the back of the main body 20 
substantially in the same plane as feet 23 and 23a. Rear bracket 43 
extends across rear wall 26, being attached thereto by welding or other 
suitable means, and is joined at its extremity to feet 23 and 23a by 
similar methods. Referring to FIG. 3, front bracket 42 spans the open 
front 39 of main body 20 and is similarly joined to the feet 23 and 23a. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ends of foot brackets 42 and 43 
project beyond front and rear walls 29 and 26 of main body 20 under feet 
23 and 23a to form a supporting shelf for each foot member which cross 
over and rest on their cooperating foot brackets. Feet 23 and 23a and foot 
brackets 42 and 43 are joined together at their respective crossover 
points as, for example, by welding or other suitable means, to form a 
unitary structure. As is readily apparent from the drawings, the feet 23 
and 23a and the foot brackets 42 and 43 combine structurally to form a box 
girder providing enhanced structural capability. Such structural capacity 
is very desirable, since these elements serve in combination to transfer 
the combined load of the cable loop and the enclosure to the ground plane. 
In a typical installation, the feet and brackets are fabricated from 11/4 
inch galvanized angle iron, with the inferior bracket members facing 
downwards and the superior feet members facing upwards, as shown in FIGS. 
2 and 3. 
As is also apparent from the drawings, feet 23 and 23a extend substantially 
equal distances beyond the side walls 27 of main body member 20. Such 
extensions, bearing numerals 44, 44a, 44b and 44c, respectively, are 
necessary for the effective functioning of the loop enclosure and to 
obtain the benefits of the invention. The feet 23 and 23a must extend a 
sufficient distance on either side of sides 27 and 27a of main body member 
20 to bridge across the hole in the ground 32 into which the below-ground 
portion 41 of main body member 20 is inserted. The feet must also extend 
an appropriate distance beyond the edges of that hole to distribute the 
combined load of the cable loop plus its enclosure to the ground plane. In 
a typical enclosure in which the conductor cable is buried in a trench six 
inches wide, and thus sides 27 and 27a are both six inches wide, the feet 
extensions 44, 44a, 44b and 44c will extend nine inches beyond each edge 
of sides 27 and 27a. In such an exemplary configuration, the total length 
of feet 23 and 23a will each be 24 inches. 
Feet 23 and 23a have a plurality of important functions. They provide a 
ground plane reference correctly positioning the cable loop enclosure at 
the correct level desired with respect to the ground plane. Since feet 23 
and 23a locate the main body enclosure 20 with respect to the ground plane 
32 and being that cable hoop 22 is attached to the rear wall 26 of body 
enclosure 20, feet 23 and 23a consequently serve to locate cable hoop 22 
with respect to the ground plane 32 so as to ensure a sufficient height of 
cable loop 31a above the ground plane 32. Also, they stabilize the 
attitude of the enclosure by providing resistance to forces tending to 
displace the enclosure from its upright position. Likewise, they act as 
handles for carrying the enclosure from location to location, and for 
handling during their installation or removal. Further, since they provide 
a reference with respect to the ground plane thereby also locating the 
conductor hoop with respect to the ground plane to ensure provision of a 
cable loop of ample size for the purpose intended, they serve to align the 
conductor loop enclosure to be a cable measuring device. Thus, if a 
plurality of cable loop enclosures of uniform dimensions are employed in a 
distribution system, they will be uniformly aligned with respect to the 
ground plane and, therefore, provide cable loops of uniform size 
throughout the distribution system. The cable loops, besides being all of 
adequate size, can be uniformly no larger than required by system design 
criteria thereby saving the cost of excess expensive cable. The cumulative 
unnecessary expense of many small excessive lengths of cable can be 
dismayingly substantial in a large system employing many miles of cable 
and the use of the invention consequently eliminates the occurrence of 
this undesirable unnecessary cost. Likewise, uniform loops result in 
simplification of methods and time in introducing interface means to tap 
the energy transmitted by the cable, which provides significant cost 
advantages. 
Cable 31b, from which cable loop 31a is formed, may be selected from a wide 
variety of cable configurations. As is readily apparent to those skilled 
in the art of energy transmission systems, the cable loop enclosure of the 
invention will find utility in many different types of systems. The sole 
non-variable parameters in its employment are that it be an effective 
conductor of the type of energy to be distributed, that it be sufficiently 
flexible to be formed into a cable loop of suitable configuration and 
that, since the cable is to be buried, it be constructed so as to be 
designed for direct burial in the earth. 
Thus, while the specific embodiment previously described for the purpose of 
teaching the invention relates primarily to its use in connection with a 
system for the distribution of electrical energy for power purposes, it 
may also be used in other types of systems for the distribution of 
electrical energy. Other types of systems for the transmission of 
electrical energy in which the invention may be used include 
telecommunications systems for the transmission of information over a 
distance such as cable, telephone, radio, telegraph, data, teleprinter and 
television systems or combinations thereof. Also included are such other 
and further systems wherein electrical energy is modulated to provide 
useful information. 
In addition to the distribution of electrical energy, the cable loop 
enclosure of this invention finds utility in connection with systems for 
the distribution of other forms of energy. In particular, it is useful in 
systems employing newly developed flexible hollow cables for the 
distribution of natural or synthetic fuel energy in the liquid or gaseous 
state, such as natural gas. Likewise, it is at least as useful in systems 
employing fiber optic cable in which light energy is modulated to transmit 
useful information. Such fiber optic systems include both 
telecommunications and transducer systems. 
In view of the wide spectrum of utility for the invention, it appears to be 
significant to define the terms "cable" and "conductor cable" which are 
used interchangeably herein to describe the same construction. The term 
"cable", as used herein, is broadly defined to include cable 
configurations for the conduction of electrical energy, light energy and 
fuel energy. While the Bureau of Standards defines "electric cable" as a 
ropelike conductor of electric current composed of a group of wires 
usually twisted or braided together known as a "single conductor cable" or 
a second species of cable consisting of a combination of conductors 
insulated from each other known as "multiple conductor cable", the term as 
used herein also includes a solid wire heavily insulated and covered that 
is not included in the Bureau of Standards definition. The term "cable" 
also includes "coaxial cable", either alone or in combination with other 
types of cable. As previously stated, the term "cable" includes cable 
composed of optic fibers, including fiber optic cables of either 
multi-mode or mono-mode fibers. Further, it includes hollow flexible cable 
for the transmission of fuel energy in the gaseous or liquid state. Hence, 
the term "conductor cable" or its shortened form "cable" as used herein is 
broadly defined as flexible conductor cable adapted to be buried in the 
ground for the transmission of energy, whether electric, light or fuel 
energy. 
FIG. 1 depicts a typical installation of a fully assembled cable loop 
enclosure 11 showing a loop 31a of conductor cable 31b trained over a 
cooperating cable hoop 22. 
At the selected point of installation of the loop enclosure 11 in the cable 
system, a selected amount of cable slack is pulled up from the cable while 
it is being buried to form a cable loop 31a of sufficient height to be 
draped upon and around conductor cable hoop 22. The length of this 
selected amount of cable is dependent upon the height of the cable hoop 22 
above the ground plane 32, upon the radius of cable hoop 22 and the depth 
at which the conductor cable 31b is buried. Such length is readily 
ascertained through measurement of the depth at which the cable is buried, 
by measurement of the cable loop and the performance of simple 
calculations. When the cable loop enclosures of this invention are 
identical in construction, this length of cable to form the desired loop 
will be uniform throughout the system since it is customary to bury cable 
at the same depth throughout a system. Hence, this selected amount of 
cable will be constant and its length need only be calculated once. In a 
typical system, the cable is buried to a uniform depth of 36 inches. A 
hole is then dug in the ground 32 about the cable loop 31a to receive the 
below-ground portion 41 of the main body 20 of the loop enclosure 11. The 
hole preferably is just deep enough to comfortably receive the 
below-ground portion 41 and just large enough in cross section for the 
below-ground portion 41 of main body 20 to fit snugly therein in an 
upright position, yet small enough to be bridged by feet 23 and 23a. It is 
essential that feet 23 and 23a extend beyond the lips of this hole to 
bridge the hole and thus support the weight of the cable loop 31a and its 
enclosure 11. For a typical system in which the enclosure 11 is six inches 
wide, feet 23 and 23a extend nine inches beyond each side of sides 27 and 
27a to bridge a hole six inches wide. 
To commence the installation of the loop enclosure 11, the main body member 
20 is placed over the conductor cable loop 31a. Then, the cable loop 31a 
is guided into the open bottom 33 of the below-ground portion 41 of the 
main body member 20, and, thereafter, out through the open front 39 of the 
above-ground portion 40 of main body 20. 
After this action is accomplished, the below-ground portion 41 of the main 
body 20 of the cable loop enclosure 11 is then inserted into the hole in 
the ground 32 into which it extends a predetermined depth as determined by 
the location of feet 23 and 23a on sides 27 and 27a of the main body 20, 
which bridge the hole in the ground 32 as previously described. The feet 
23 and 23a, as likewise previously taught, function to properly support 
the full combined weights of the cable loop enclosure 11 and the cable 
loop 31a by transferring and distributing their combined load to the 
ground 32 upon which they rest and also to locate the cable loop enclosure 
11 with respect to the ground plane 32. 
The conductor cable loop 31a is then trained over and around the cable hoop 
22 and tightened into intimate contact with cable hoop 22 so as to ensure 
that the full weight of cable loop 31a is borne by cable hoop 22 and that, 
as a result of such static load, cable loop 31a is held securely in place 
by frictional engagement with cable hoop 22. 
Burying of the cable 31b then continues downstream from the cable loop 
enclosure 11 which further serves to stabilize cable loop 31a in place. 
The end result is that the cable loop 31a is then positioned in a plane 
substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the cable hoop 22 and the 
loop enclosure 11 is held fixed in place by the combined anchoring effect 
of cable conductor loop 31a and the underground cable system 31b. 
Next, the hole in the ground 32 around the below-ground portion 41 of main 
body 20 and the cavity 45 within its interior are filled with soil and the 
soil is tamped to secure the buried cable 31b and the main body 20 in 
place. 
To complete the installation of the cable loop enclosure 11, cover plate 21 
is positioned over the open front 39 of the main body member 20. Flat tab 
35 on the lower edge of cover plate 21 is inserted in retaining slot 36 as 
shown in FIG. 4. Side flanges 34 of cover plate 21 are positioned to 
overlap side walls 27 and 27a, and the top flange 34a is positioned to 
overlap top 28. This engaging action of tab 35 and flanges 34 and 34a 
serve to hold cover plate 21 in place. Cover plate 21 is further secured 
by using lock tab 24a which is an extension of lock strut 24 extending 
through tab hole 38 in cover plate 21. An appropriate locking device 30, 
like a padlock, is inserted through tab hole 25 in lock tab 24a as shown 
in FIG. 2, thereby locking the installed cover plate 21 in place. 
When the cover plate 21 is installed, as described, the cable loop 31a will 
be completely captured upon cable hoop 22 and cannot be displaced from the 
cable hoop 22 until the cover plate 21 is removed. Such capturing is the 
result of the dimensional interaction of the various elements of the 
invention, and, in particular, results from the depth of cable hoop 22 
being substantially equal in width to the width of corresponding side 
walls 27 and 27a of the main body 20 which, in turn, causes cover plate 21 
to fit substantially flush against the outboard edge of cable hoop 22. As 
a result, no room exists for the cable loop 31a through which it can 
escape. Such interaction is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4. 
A sufficient height of cable loop 31a above the ground plane 32 is assured 
by the dimensional interaction between the location of cable hoop 22 on 
the rear wall 26 of the main body 20 with respect to feet 23 and 23a. 
Cable hoop 22 is located at a selected height above feet 23 and 23a. Since 
feet 23 and 23a locate the main body 20 of the cable loop enclosure 11 
with respect to the ground plane 32, it follows that cable hoop 22 is also 
located at this selected height above ground plane 32. When the cable 31b 
is draped on and around the cable hoop 22 as previously described, the 
location of the cable hoop 22 automatically results in the formation of a 
cable loop 31a of the desired configuration. 
The cable loop enclosure 11 may be readily removed from cable loop 31a at 
the desired time. The locking device 30 is removed from lock tab 24a. 
Cover plate 21 is then disengaged from lock tab 24a and lifted, thus 
freeing flat tab 35 from its retaining slot 36. Cover plate 21 is removed 
and open front 39 of main body 20 and the cable loop 31a within it are 
exposed. By slipping cable loop 31a outwardly off hoop 22 through the open 
front 39, the main body 20 is freed from the combined anchoring effects of 
cable loop 31a and the buried cable 31b. Such action permits the cable 
loop enclosure 11 to become movable. Main body 20 is then lifted from the 
ground by engaging lifting means with feet 23 and 23a, as cable loop 31a 
is guided inwardly through open front 39 and out of open bottom 33. Cable 
loop 31a is now freely available for connection to appropriate interface 
means to provide usable energy to a secondary distribution system. 
While a particular embodiment has been disclosed herein, it will be 
understood by those skilled in the art that many variations thereof and 
modifications thereto can be made to the disclosed embodiment without 
departing from the scope of the invention. The disclosed embodiment herein 
is purely illustrative and is not, in any sense, intended to be limiting. 
Therefore, it is emphasized that the invention encompasses variations and 
modifications which fall within the spirit of the appended claims.