Patent ID: 7219425

Claim:
A method of joining the interfacing ends of cables, one to another, each cable comprising a first plurality of conductor strands, said method comprising (a) providing each of said ends with an enlarged terminal portion of greater diameter than said cable adjacent said end; (b) inserting said ends into a connecting tube; (c) providing said tube with an outer layer of an explosive charge, and (d) detonating the explosive layer so as to compress the connecting tube around the conductor strands, wherein said explosive layer comprises a first portion of explosive and a second portion of explosive separated therefrom by an intervening interportion distance, wherein each of said first and second portions has a greater thickness than at said interportion distance, and wherein said first and second portions are disposed on the outside surface of said connecting tube such that said interportion surrounds each of said enlarged terminal portions of said ends of said cables and said first and second portion surround said cables adjacent said ends, prior to said detonation, as to effect a greater explosive compaction force onto said cables adjacent said ends relative to the forces exerted on said terminal portions.