Aerial storage unit for fiber optic cable

An aerial storage device for storing an extra length of fiber optic cable as a loop in a transmission line in which the storage device has an arcuate end providing the return or turn-around arc of the loop and a planar deck, the outer periphery thereof defining the loop for the cable and being joined with the top of an inner sidewall of a U-shaped channel for receiving and storing a planar loop of fiber optic cable with the sidewalls of the channel being perpendicular to the plane of the deck and extending to one side thereof. The device is a one piece molded plastic device of plastic and has openings in the channel bottom and deck for tying cable to the device and reducing wind sway. The channel bottom and inner side wall extend around end of the device where the cable portions enter and exit the loop to provide a shelf for supporting the cable portions and a smooth nose surface for providing a smooth separation therebetween. The deck has a plurality of bolt holes for selective use in suspending the device or in stacking units.

The present invention relates to storage devices for storing an extra 
length of fiber optic cable in a transmission line for data signals, and 
particularly to an aerial storage device for use in a fiber optic cable 
television transmission line. 
As is well known, for the purpose of maintenance and service, there are 
advantages to storing an extra length of cable in a fiber optic 
transmission line, particularly one used for cable television. The extra 
length of cable is commonly stored by looping it around the outer 
periphery of, and tying it to, an aerial device or bracket which is hung 
from a support strand for the fiber optic transmission line, or, 
alternatively, mounted on a transmission line pole. The stored length of 
transmission line has entering and exiting portions at one end of the 
bracket which are in proximate positions. At the end of the aerial device 
opposite to the entering and exiting end, the bracket has a relatively 
wide arcuate periphery to provide a return or turn-around loop or arc 
portion for the cable, with the sides of the device from the ends of the 
turn-around arc portion converging toward the proximate positions of the 
cable at the entering and exiting end of the device. 
In a known device, a generally U-shaped channel, constituting the outer 
periphery of the aerial device, forms a guide for the cable along the 
sides and the return arc portion of the device, the sides of the channel 
being oriented generally parallel to the plane of the cable loop, i.e., 
generally horizontal in a suspended aerial device, with the open end of 
the channel facing outwardly from the side of device. In this arrangement, 
the cable does not become trapped in the channel as a workman bends a 
strand of cable around the outside periphery of the device to put it into 
storage. Nor does the workman receive help from the channel sidewalls in 
holding the loop tight against the side of the bracket to handle internal 
forces tending to straighten the cable the channel or other forces which 
may occur while looping the cable which tend to move the cable outwardly 
away from the side of the device. 
Further, known aerial storage devices of the type described are made of 
metal and their design and metal structure has made it expensive to 
fabricate and heavy to handle and ship as well as making it difficult to 
avoid potentially cable damaging edges or corners, particularly corners 
and edges adjacent the portions of fiber optic cable where the cable 
enters and exits the storage device. 
Because the storage devices are commonly hung from support strands along 
the transmission lines, they are subject to considerable wind sway. Edges 
and corners on parts of the storage device adjacent the cable can be a 
substantial hazard to cable integrity both during wind sway and when 
putting the cable into or taking it from storage. 
In known aerial fiber optic cable storage devices, it is difficult to 
provide openings in their structure which are easily accessible and 
sufficient in number to provide flexibility in tying the cable to the 
aerial device as it is being formed into a loop to put it into storage. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
aerial device for storing extra cable length as a loop in a fiber optic 
transmission line in which channel means for receiving the cable and 
storing it as loop is such that the channel will aid the workman form and 
confine the loop of extra cable in the storage channel. 
Another object is to provide such an aerial storage device free of edges 
and other surfaces which may damage the cable. 
A further an object is to provide such an aerial storage device which is 
relatively light weight and inexpensive and easily manufactured. 
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an aerial 
storage device of the type described, which can be readily molded or 
formed, and which preferably minimizes or eliminates electrical hazards to 
workmen when handling the storage near electrical transmission lines and 
other electrical problems such as lightning as well as minimizing wind 
sway. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide easily accessible 
openings which are distributed along a channel for storing the cable which 
are easily accessed to tie the cable to the device and which also function 
to minimize wind sway. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide storage device of 
the type described which is easily stacked to form a multi-unit storage 
device for storing fiber optic cable or the like, or to facilitate 
shipping and handling. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the 
aerial storage device of the type described for storing a loop of cable is 
a molded or formed as integral one piece, preferably plastic, storage 
device with the structure having a deck, or mounting and supporting 
structure, which is essentially flat so as to lie along a plane. The deck 
has outer peripheral portions which define the loop for the cable for the 
cable to be stored and which are integrally joined with channel means for 
receiving the cable and storing it in a generally planar loop. The channel 
means is a U-shaped, open top channel means having side walls and a bottom 
for receiving and storing the cable therebetween around the outer 
periphery of the deck. The bottom of the channel means is parallel to the 
plane of the deck and the side walls of the channel means constitute 
spaced inner and outer side walls extending generally perpendicularly to 
the plane of the loop and deck with the inner side wall being integrally 
joined with the deck (by molding in the preferred embodiment) at the outer 
peripheral portions of the deck. 
The channel means has an arcuate portion at one end of the deck providing a 
return loop portion, or turn-around arc portion, for the cable. Opposite 
sides of the storage device are formed by the outer wall of the channel 
means and converge from the ends of the return loop portion toward the 
other end of the device so that the cable portions are in proximate 
positions at the other end of the device, the return arc portion and the 
angle and length of the converging sides being such as to provide a smooth 
tangential transition from the opposite ends of the arc portion into the 
channel means on the opposite sides of the loop. 
To minimize edges and corners, especially those bearing against the 
entering and exiting cable portions, the bottom of the channel means 
preferably extends around the narrow end of the device end with the outer 
channel wall terminating inwardly of the narrow end to provide an open 
shelf which extends around that end to support the cable portions entering 
and exiting the device. The inner side wall of the channel means also 
extends around the device and is preferably rounded at the narrow end to 
provide a smooth nose separating the entering and leaving cable portions 
at that end. 
In the preferred embodiment, the U-shaped channel means is a channel with 
inner and outer walls which have continuity throughout the extent of the 
loop but with the outer sidewall of the channel means terminating short of 
the entering and exit end of the device as heretofore described. 
The deck structure has openings therethrough which provide a skeletal deck 
to minimize wind sway while providing structural integrity for the aerial 
device. 
The bottom of the channel means has openings distributed along the bottom 
thereof to facilitate the tying of the cable to the device and to minimize 
wind sway because of the reorientation of the channel.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The preferred form of the aerial storage device for storing an extra length 
of cable as a loop along the transmission line is illustrated in the 
drawings and is generally designated by the reference character 10. The 
device 10 has a relatively narrow end at which the stored cable enters and 
leaves the loop of the device and a relatively wide end which is arcuate 
to provide a return arc portion or loop for the cable. The sides of the 
device converge from the ends of the arc portion toward the narrow end so 
that the stored cable enters and exits the device with entering and 
exiting portions alongside of each other. 
The device 10 is, preferably, a plastic, integrally molded, one piece 
device, which is viewed in top plan in FIG. 1, and comprises a generally 
flat, skeletal planar deck 12 whose outer periphery defines the loop to be 
followed by the cable. U-shaped channel means 14 for receiving and storing 
the cable depends from the outermost peripheral portions of the deck. The 
channel means 14 comprises inner and outer sidewalls 16 and 18, 
respectively, and a bottom 19 which is in a plane generally parallel to 
the plane of the deck. The sidewall 16, 18 extend to one side of and 
generally perpendicular to the plane of the deck structure so that the 
open top of the U-channel lies essentially in the plane of the deck. 
The channel means has a channel portion 14a at the relative wide end of the 
device which is arcuate in configuration to provide the return arc portion 
or loop for the cable being stored. In the preferred and illustrated 
embodiment the arc portion of the channel portion 14a extends beyond 
180.degree. to communicate smoothly and tangentially at it opposites ends 
with straight side channel portions 14b and 14c lying along the opposite 
of the sides of the device and converging toward the relatively narrow 
entering and exiting end of the device. 
The inner sidewall portion 16a at the arcuate end of the device lies along 
an arc portion of an appropriate diameter to provide a bending surface for 
limiting the bending of the optic fiber cable to a return arc portion of 
appropriate radius. The requirements of the arc portion are well 
understood by those in the field of the fiber optic cable handling. 
The channel portions 14b, 14c are duplicates of each other and converge 
toward the relatively narrow entering and exiting end of the deck so that 
the entering and exiting portions of the cable are in proximate positions 
along side each other. 
In the preferred embodiment, the outer side wall of the channel portions 
14b, 14c, terminate short of the narrow end of the device whereby the 
bottom of the channel provides a narrow shelf 22 extending around the 
narrow end. The inner sidewall also extends around the narrow end and is 
rounded to form a smooth nose portion 24 rising from the shelf 22 to the 
deck structure to provide a smooth separation guide portion for the 
entering and leaving portions of the cable in the channel 14. 
The deck is formed as a skeletal deck, which is symmetrical about a 
longitudinal centerline. It has openings which define the skeletal nature 
of the deck which comprises a centerline portion 28 extending from the 
nose 24 of the device to approximately the center for the radius of the 
return arc portion at the wide end of the device and which terminates at a 
cross portion 30. The centerline portion is basically defined by the 
openings 32 and 34, one on either side of the centerline portion with the 
cross portion being defined by the top boundaries of the openings 32 and 
34, as viewed in FIG. 1, on one side, and triangular openings 36, 37 and 
38 having top (as viewed in FIG. 1) arcuate boundaries along the channel 
portion 14a with their apexes along the cross portion. The openings 36 and 
37 and the openings 37 and 38 are respectively separated by deck portions 
40 and 41 which extend to the inner wall of the channel 14 from the cross 
portion generally along radii of the arcuate channel portion 14a to define 
arcs along the channel portion 14a of approximately 60.degree. for the 
openings 36,37, 38. The center of the cross portion contains the center 
for the radius of the arcuate channel portion 14a and lies along a 
diameter of the return arc which subtends the arcuate portion 14a. At its 
opposite ends, the cross-deck portion joins the top of the inner walls 16 
and integrally molded, in the preferred embodiment, with the top of inner 
wall 16. Openings are also preferably provided on either side of the 
centerline portion adjacent the nose as illustrated in FIG. 1. 
The orientation of the bottom of the channel in accordance with the present 
invention makes it relatively easy to provide openings for tying the cable 
in the storage channel as well as to minimize wind sway. The bottom of the 
channel is provided with numerous openings 50 distributed throughout the 
length of the bottom of the channel means. These openings, apart from 
tying, will also help in minimizing wind sway by providing numerous 
regularly spaced openings through the bottom of the channel means for the 
passage of air, in effect, "a swiss cheese" bottom. Preferably as 
illustrated in the drawings, the openings have a width less than, or 
about, one-half of the width if the bottom 19 and alternate between being 
adjacent the inner and outer sidewalls. This provides a structural 
continuity for the bottom and enables numerous openings and facilitates 
the tying of the cable. 
In use, the aerial cable storage device may be suspended in a conventional 
manner from a support strand for supporting the optical cable by using 
conventional hangars which are fastened to the support strand. These 
hangars have flat metal bottoms which are bolted to the top side of the 
storage device. In the preferred embodiment, there are five bolt openings 
designated 54, 54a, 54b, 54c, and 54d spaced along the cross portion of 
the deck for use in bolting hangars to the top of the deck as viewed in 
FIG. 1. The center bolt hole 54 is on the centerline of the device and at 
the radius center of the return arc portion for the channel 14a. A bolt 
hole 55 is located on the centerline portion 28 on the centerline of the 
device near but spaced inwardly of the nose end of the deck for 
accommodating the conventional second hangar. When suspending the device, 
two hangars are used, one at the arcuate end of the device which is bolted 
to the device through one of the bolt holes 54 or 54a-54d, and one at the 
nose end which is bolted to the device through the bolt hole 55. Most 
commonly bolt holes 54 and 55 are used. 
Each of the bolt holes 54, 54a-54d and 55 is flanked by a respective set of 
parallel ribs 56, 57, one on each side thereof, with the respective hole 
being longitudinally and cross-wise centered along its corresponding ribs. 
The respective set of ribs for the bolt holes 54 and 55 on the centerline 
of the device are perpendicular to the centerline of the device while the 
ribs for the bolt holes 54a, 54b, 54c. and 54d are perpendicular to a line 
through the center of the corresponding bolt hole and the center of the 
bolt hole 55. Thus, the sets of ribs for the bolt holes in the cross 
portion are angularly oriented relative to each other with the centers of 
their respective bolt holes lying along an arc having its center at the 
center of bolt hole 55. 
For suspending the device, the ribs of each bolt hole are spaced to receive 
the bottom 60 of a hangar 62, see FIG. 5, and to hold it against rotation 
relative to the deck. The bottom of the hangar has a bolt hole for 
receiving a bolt 63 extending through the hole in the hangar and the deck 
hole aligned therewith to bolt the hangar to the top of the deck. 
Each of the bolt holes in the deck has a boss 64, integral with and 
depending from the underside of the deck, See FIGS. 2 and 5. Each boss has 
an opening 66 for receiving the head 67 of the bolt 63. The openings 66 
are shaped to provide a hand press fit with the bolt head to hold the bolt 
in the hole and against turning. As shown, the openings 66 are hexagonal 
for closely receiving hexagonal bolt heads. The bottom of the boss has a 
smaller opening which is an extension of and centered with the 
corresponding bolt hole opening in the deck so that when inserted the bolt 
extends through the aligned hole in the deck and the aligned hangar hole 
to receive the nut for securing the hangar to the deck. 
In use as an aerial storage device, the device is usually suspended with 
two hangars by bolts cooperating with two of the bolt holes, one hangar 
being bolted to the device through bolt hole 55 and the other being bolted 
to the deck through one of the bolt holes 54, 54a-54d. These latter bolt 
holes provide flexibility for the bolted connections to accommodate 
various conditions met in the field, e.g., allowing the storage device to 
be suspended from a support strand with more or less of the wide end of 
the device extending to one side or the other of the support strand. 
The design of the storage device described also allows storage devices to 
be readily stacked one on another using long bolts through aligned bolt 
holes in the stacked units. It will be appreciated that while the bolt 
hole 55 and another bolt hole on the cross portion may have long bolts for 
connecting the stacked the units as well as suspending the stacked units 
from a strand. A multi-unit storage of two or more units may be tied 
together solely by long bolts extending though other bolt holes not used 
for suspending the stacked units. In the case of a two unit aerial storage 
device, the bottom unit may be connected to the top unit by using the bolt 
holes 54a and 54d in the top and bottom units to bolt the units together 
with the center holes 54 and 55 being used with a long bolt through all 
units or only bolts in the top unit for purposes of connecting to the 
hangars. The five bolt holes in the cross portion makes it possible to use 
a long bolt in the cross portion through all units for suspension purposes 
and to bolt three or more units together with other bolts which extend 
only through two units. For example, the first two units can be connected 
using the bolt holes 54a, 54d with the second and third units connected to 
each other using the bolt holes 54b, 54c. It will be understood that when 
bolts are used to only connect units together, the hangar bottom is not 
present and the nut is used directly against the deck, preferably with a 
washer. 
It can be appreciated that the illustrated storage device may be mounted 
otherwise than from a strand for use in storing an extra length of cable, 
for example, on poles, or the like, with the plane of the loop in a 
generally vertical direction. 
It can now be seen that the present invention provides a flexible aerial 
storage device for storing fiber optic cable with the loop having a 
relative wide arcuate end to provide a turn-around arc portion for the 
cable and sides converging from the arc portion of the loop to the end of 
the device opposite the arc. The storage device has channel means which 
receives the cable which is stored in the loop with the channel means 
having inner and outer opposing walls perpendicular to the plane of the 
loop. The inner and outer walls are joined by a bottom which is opposite 
an open channel open top for receiving the cable into storage between the 
opposing walls. A mounting and supporting skeletal deck inwardly of the 
channel loop joins with the inner wall of the channel means as an 
integrally formed part thereof. 
It can readily be seen by those familiar with installing fiber optic 
storage devices of the type here involved that the cable to be stored can 
be led into one side of the storage device, for example, channel portion 
14b, by laying it on the shelf 22 and the bottom of the channel to start 
the looping process. As the cable looping approaches the arc, the cable 
moved downwardly into the channel will trap it from springing outwardly as 
the cable approaches the return arc. As the looping continues into and 
through the arc, the cable is simultaneously bent with the aid of the 
inner wall of channel portion 14a and moved downwardly into the channel to 
trap it in the channel as one proceeds along the arc, much like one would 
do in laying a stiff hose or wire into a curved channel. If desired, the 
cable may, in difficult cases, be readily tied to the bottom to aid in 
bending it around the arc. However, it is contemplated that the outer 
sidewall will facilitate the trapping of the cable in the channel 
sufficiently to enable bending into the channel without the necessity of 
using ties. 
While the illustrated channel of the preferred embodiment is of essentially 
uniform configuration throughout the extent of outer wall 18, i.e. that 
shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, it will be understood that the broadest scope 
of the invention contemplates that the channel may have interruptions when 
such does not provide edges against which the cable may work to its 
detriment and the structural integrity of the aerial storage device is 
maintained.