Patent ID: 8506178

Claim:
An apparatus for mechanically splicing fiber optic cables, the apparatus comprising: a base frame; a track mounted on the base frame, the track comprising a plurality of track segments, including, a middle track segment containing a splicer joint mount for receiving a splicer joint; and first and second rotating track segments disposed on opposite sides of the middle track segment, the first and second rotating track segments each having (i) a cleaving orientation wherein the track segment is not aligned with the middle track segment and (ii) a splicing orientation wherein the track segment is aligned with the middle track segment; a flat edge angled cleaver mounted on the frame and aligned with the first track segment when the first track segment is in the cleaving orientation; a rounded edge angled cleaver mounted on the frame and aligned with the second track segment when the second track segment is in the cleaving orientation; and first and second fiber key holders for grasping first and second partially stripped fiber optic cables, respectively, wherein a stripped portion of each cable extends axially out of the fiber key holder and the radial orientation of the cable with respect to the fiber key holder is secured; the first track segment in the cleaving orientation slidably receiving the first fiber key holder, whereby the first fiber key holder is capable of movement into engagement with the flat edge angled cleaver for cleaving the stripped portion extending from the first fiber key holder to create a flat edge angled tip on the first fiber optic cable; the second track segment in the cleaving orientation slidably receiving the second fiber key holder, whereby the second fiber key holder is capable of movement into engagement with the rounded edge angled cleaver for cleaving the stripped portion extending from the second fiber key holder to create a rounded edge angled tip on the second fiber optic cable; the first and second track segments rotatable to the splicing orientation, whereby the first and second fiber key holders containing the cleaved first and second fiber optic cables are capable of movement toward the splicer joint from opposite directions for moving the flat edge angled tip of the first fiber optic cable and the rounded edge angled tip of the second fiber optic cable into the splicer joint and into aligned contact with one another.