Cable splice assembly for connecting and branching cables, particularly telecommunication cables

A cable splice assembly for connecting and branching cables, particularly telecommunication cables. The splice assembly includes a longitudinally divided pipe sleeve and longitudinal sealing element between the abutting edges of the pipe sleeve. Transversely divided sealing members surrounded by the pipe sleeve are arranged at the ends of the pipe sleeve. The sealing members have cable passage openings adaptable to different cable diameters. The circumferential sealing elements are pressed in circumferential locking grooves between the pipe sleeve and sealing member. The circumferential sealing elements are divided O-type sealing rings with sealing tongues at the ends thereof. The O-type sealing rings have two sealing projections which engage in the abutting area of the sealing member halves. The sealing projections have locking recesses. At least one of the sealing member halves has at the locking groove a bearing bed for receiving the overlapping sealing tongue and at the abutting edge a bearing recess with a locking nose which engages the blocking recess of the sealing projection which is inserted in the bearing recess.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a cable splice assembly for connecting and 
branching cables, particularly telecommunication cables, of different 
diameters. The cable splice assembly includes a longitudinally divided 
pipe sleeve, a longitudinal sealing element which can be pressed between 
the abutting edges of the longitudinally divided pipe sleeve. Transversely 
divided sealing members surrounded by the pipe sleeve are arranged at the 
ends of the pipe sleeve. The sealing members have cable passage openings 
which can be adapted to different cable diameters. Circumferential sealing 
elements can be pressed in circumferential locking grooves between the 
pipe sleeve and the sealing members. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
In cable splice of the above-described type, the problem-free sealing of 
the pipe sleeve relative to the sealing members and to the outside is 
always a problem. This is because the assembly of the pipe sleeve closing 
of the pipe sleeve are usually carried out on location under relatively 
difficult conditions. In this connection, it is known to use plastic 
sealing material between the sealing surfaces of pipe sleeve and sealing 
member. However, the distribution of the plastic sealing material is 
difficult and time-consuming. Also, the steps required for obtaining a 
problem-free sealing action are frequently not carried out with the 
necessary care. 
The use of single-piece sealing rings is also known in the art. However, in 
this case, the entire sealing members or at least the regions of the 
sealing members in the locking groove must be elastically deformable. In 
some cases, additional plastically deformable sealing rings are used. In 
any case, the measures previously employed for sealing the joints between 
the pipe sleeve and the sealing members are unsatisfactory. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a 
cable splice assembly for connecting and branching cables, particularly 
telecommunication cables, of different diameters, in which a problem-free 
sealing action between the pipe sleeve and sealing members can be achieved 
during assembly quickly and uncomplicated with simple means. 
In accordance with the present invention, in a cable splice assembly of the 
above-described type, the circumferential sealing elements are divided 
O-type sealing rings with sealing tongues which overlap at the ends where 
the sealing rings are divided. The O-type sealing rings each have two 
sealing projections which engage on both sides in the abutting area of the 
sealing member halves. The sealing projections have locking recesses. At 
least one of the sealing member halves has in the region of the locking 
groove a bearing bed for the overlapping sealing tongues and on both sides 
in the abutting range a bearing recess with a locking nose which engages 
the locking recess of the sealing projection which is inserted in the 
bearing recess and finally pressed into the bearing recess. 
The present invention is based on the finding that the pipe sleeve can be 
sealed relative to the sealing members mounted in the pipe sleeve in a 
manner which is easy to assemble and safe to operate, if divided O-type 
sealing rings are used and the O-type sealing rings are fixed during the 
assembly, while additionally a problem-free sealing is possible also in 
the area where the O-type sealing rings are divided. The problem-free 
sealing in the area of division is possible because of the overlapping 
sealing tongues for which the blocking grooves are provided with a 
separate bearing head. The locking noses in the bearing recesses which 
engage in the locking recesses effect locking of the O-type sealing rings 
which is required for a problem-free assembly. Since the bearing recesses 
are provided on both sides in the abutting region of the sealing member 
halves, a problem-free joint seal relative to the pipe sleeve is 
simultaneously achieved by the sealing projections of the O-type sealing 
rings which engage and finally are pressed in the sealing member halves. 
In accordance with another important feature of the present invention, the 
sealing tongues are conically overlapping tongues and are also pressed 
into the bearing bed during the assembly of the pipe sleeve so as to 
provide a sealing effect. Preferably the sealing projections which are 
integrally formed in the manner of wings to O-typed sealing rings not only 
seal the abutting portions between the sealing member halves, but 
additionally an injection chamber which extends to the bearing recess and 
serves for the pressure-tight sealing of the cable passing through the 
pipe sleeve. 
In accordance with a proposal of the invention with independent 
significance, the longitudinal sealing element of the socket pipe which is 
also constructed as an O-type sealing ring has integrally formed 
attachments in the areas of intersection with the circumferential sealing 
elements or O-type sealing ring of the sealing members. The attachments 
can be pressed against the circumferential sealing element. As a result, a 
problem-free sealing effect is obtained between the pipe sleeve and 
sealing members and vice-versa even in the critical intersection areas of 
the longitudinal division of the pipe. This sealing effect is further 
optimized by the fact that the attachments are simultaneously located in 
the areas of the sealing projections of the circumferential sealing 
elements and, thus, in the areas of the bearing recesses between the 
abutting surfaces of the sealing member halves. Consequently, a 
particularly compact compression of the sealing material is obtained in 
the intersection areas of longitudinal sealing elements and 
circumferential sealing elements. 
In order to obtain an excellent pipe sleeve, the invention further provides 
that the pipe sleeve has at both ends thereof inwardly projecting 
centering noses. These centering noses either contact corresponding 
centering attachments integrally formed on the end faces of the sealing 
member in order to secure the pipe sleeve against rotation. The centering 
noses may also engage in corresponding centering recesses. Accordingly, 
centering of the pipe sleeve additionally has the result that the 
longitudinal sealing elements and the circumferential sealing elements 
actually intersect and are compressed in the region of the sealing 
projections at the circumferential sealing elements or the bearing 
recesses between the sealing member halves. 
In accordance with another preferred feature, the pipe sleeve has an 
elliptic cross-section and the sealing members are disks which have a 
corresponding elliptic shape. As a result, the cable splice assembly 
according to the present invention not only provides sufficient internal 
space for connecting and branching conventional cables, but space is also 
provided particularly for splice boxes and bending radii as they are used 
or prescribed when placing glass fiber cables. Consequently, the cable 
splice assembly according to the present invention can be used for 
connecting and branching conventional telecommunication cables as well as 
glass fiber cables. 
In addition, portions of the pipe sleeve may have stiffening corrugations 
which extend in longitudinal direction of the pipe and/or internal 
stiffening ribs which extend in circumferential direction. This prevents 
buckling under pressure which occurs when cables are sealed 
pressure-tight. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there is 
illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The figures of the drawing show a cable splice assembly 1 for connecting 
and branching cables 2, particularly telecommunication cables, as shown in 
FIG. 1 and glass-fiber cables 3, as shown in FIG. 1. The cable socket 1 
essentially is constructed of a longitudinally divided socket pipe 4 of 
bending-elastic or thermoplastic material and a longitudinal sealing 
element 6 which can be pressed between the abutting edges of the 
longitudinal division. Centrally transversely divided sealing members 7 
surrounded by the pipe sleeve are mounted in the pipe sleeve to close off 
the end faces of the pipe sleeve. The sealing members 7 have cable passage 
openings 8 which can be adapted to different cable diameters. 
The splice assembly pipe 4 is closed by means of gripping closures 9 which 
engage behind the abutting edges 5 of the longitudinal division shown in 
FIG. 6. Circumferential sealing elements 11 which can be pressed into 
circumferential locking grooves 10 are arranged between the pipe sleeve 4 
and the sealing members 7. The circumferential sealing elements are 
divided O-type sealing rings 11 with sealing tongues 12 which overlap at 
the ends where the sealing rings are divided. Each O-type sealing ring has 
two sealing projections 13 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which engage on both 
sides in the abutting area of the sealing member halves 7a, 7b. The 
sealing projections 13 have locking recesses 14. At least one sealing 
member half 7a has in the region of the locking groove 10 a bearing bed 15 
for the overlapping sealing tongue 12 and on both sides in the abutting 
area a bearing recess 16 with a locking nose 17 each which engages in the 
locking recess 14 of the sealing projection 13 inserted in the bearing 
recess 16 and pressed in after the sealing member halves 7a, 7b are 
clamped together. The sealing tongues 12 are conically overlapping 
tongues. The wing-like sealing projections 13 of the O-type sealing rings 
11 seal an injection chamber 18 of the sealing member 7 extending to the 
bearing recesses 16. This injection chamber 18 has the purpose to provide 
a pressure-tight seal for the cables 2. 
The longitudinal sealing element 6 of the pipe sleeve 4 is also an O-type 
sealing ring. The O-type sealing ring 6 has integrally formed attachments 
shown in FIG. 11 in the areas of intersection with the circumferential 
sealing elements 11 of the sealing members 7, wherein the integrally 
formed attachment 19 can be pressed against the circumferential sealing 
elements 11. Accordingly, after the pipe sleeve 4 has been assembled, the 
integrally formed attachments are located in the region of the sealing 
projections 13 of the circumferential sealing elements 11 for the bearing 
recesses 16 provided for this purpose. 
As illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 6, pipe sleeve 4 has at its two ends 
inwardly bent or projecting centering noses 20 which rest against 
centering attachments 21 integrally formed on the end face of the sealing 
member 7 in order to provide a locking means against rotation. The pipe 
sleeve 4 has an elliptic cross-section and the sealing members 7 are disks 
which have a corresponding elliptic shape. This ensures that sufficient 
interior space is available for placing glass fiber cable 3 and for the 
splice boxes 22 required for the glass fiber cables and for the required 
bending radii. Portions of the pipe sleeve 4 have stiffening corrugations 
23 which extend in longitudinal direction of the pipe and/or internal 
stiffening ribs 24 which extend in circumferential direction as shown in 
FIG. 6. 
As mentioned above, the pipe sleeve 4 is of a bending-elastic or 
thermoplastic material. Suitable materials of all components of the cable 
splice assembly are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,178; 
4,808,772; 4,933,512; 4,831,215; 4,704,499; 4,492,816; 4,424,412 and 
3,692,926. 
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described 
in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principle, it 
will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without 
departing from such principles.