Cable closure and assembly

Abstract

A cable closure is provided which adapted to accommodate different size cables and different splices. The closure includes end plates designed to receive various size cables without requiring modification during field use. The end plates are interchangeable with stainless steel and injection molded closure shells. A sealant is provided which allows multiple re-entries into closure shell. Bolts are assembled on the exterior of the closure shell to eliminate potential misalignments between the bolts and closure shell holes. Washers are used within the end plates to seal holes not used for storing cables. A cutter is provided which cuts the washers in one 360° rotation thus eliminating weak points in the washer due to multiple cuts. Alternately a plug is provided for the end plate holes which are adaptable to several size holes to reduce the number of plugs required.

1 . A re-entrable housing assembly for enclosing and storing cable splices comprising: 
 first and second end plates axially aligned and spaced apart from one another;    first and second housing members releasably and sealingly clamped to each other, said housing members enclose said end plates, said end plates being located at opposite ends of said housing members;    a sealing member extending along a length of said housing members and bonded onto a longitudinal edge of at least one of said housing members; and,    end plate seal members embedded into grooves at opposing ends of seal housing members.    
     
     
         2 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rigid bar member having opposite terminal ends joined to the first and second end plates to hold them in their axially aligned and spaced relationship.  
     
     
         3 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second housing members includes a plurality of rib elements extending from an exterior surface of said housing member to form a support for permitting said housing member to rest stably on a flat work surface.  
     
     
         4 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second housing members comprises a main body portion with peripheral clamping flanges extending outwardly therefrom and cooperatively positioned in opposed relationship to another of said housing members to be clamped together, said clamping flanges have inner end portions adjacent said main body portions and having free outer end portions.  
     
     
         5 . The housing assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said sealing member is positioned between said inner end portions of said clamping flanges, and is bonded into said inner end portions along a longitudinal axis of said first and second housing members.  
     
     
         6 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second housing members each comprise an injection molded shell.  
     
     
         7 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         8 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second housing members comprises an alignment rib extending along said longitudinal axis of said housing member.  
     
     
         9 . The housing assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a gasket extending along said longitudinal axis of one of said first and second housing members, said gasket being connected to said end plate seal members.  
     
     
         10 . The housing member of  claim 9 , wherein said gasket is recessed within a groove along said longitudinal axis of said first housing member, said gasket being located on a first side of said first housing member, said sealing member being located along a second side of said first housing member.  
     
     
         11 . The housing member of  claim 10 , wherein said second housing member carries said seal member located on a first side of said second housing member and a gasket recessed within a groove along a second, opposite side of said second housing member, wherein said gasket of said first housing member and said seal member on said second housing member are compressed together to form a seal, and wherein said seal member of first housing member and said gasket of said second housing member are compressed together to form a seal.  
     
     
         12 . The housing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said gasket comprises neoprene rubber.  
     
     
         13 . The housing assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of tabs protruding from said first and second sides of each housing member along said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         14 . The housing assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising first and second retention members including a plurality of slotted openings adapted to align with said tabs when the first and second housing members are brought together to an intermated connected position, said retention members clamping said first and second housing members together.  
     
     
         15 . The housing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each of said retention members includes a pair of members each having a plurality of slotted openings and a plurality of fastening means to secure said pair of slotted members to each other.  
     
     
         16 . The housing assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said slotted members are generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         17 . The housing assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a spacer which is compressed between said pair of slotted members to transfer a uniform load along said longitudinal axes of said housing members.  
     
     
         18 . The housing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein said retaining members are outboard of said clamping flanges of said housing members.  
     
     
         19 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a filling flange attached to an outside surface of one of said housing members.  
     
     
         20 . The housing assembly of  claim 19 , wherein said filling flange is spin welded to said housing member.  
     
     
         21 . The housing assembly of  claim 19 , wherein said filling flange includes a cap and an air valve sealed by said cap.  
     
     
         22 . The housing assembly of  claim 19 , wherein said filling flange includes a cap and a check valve for injecting encapsulant to said housing, said valve being sealed by said cap.  
     
     
         23 . The housing assembly of  claim 19 , wherein said filling flange includes a cap and a grounding plug secured within said cap for accommodating a grounding wire.  
     
     
         24 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said end plates each include fastening means located within said end plates.  
     
     
         25 . The housing assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said end plates define at least one hole for cable insertion.  
     
     
         26 . The housing assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said end plate fastening means comprises a nut strip which distributes loads required to draw end plate sections together to fasten said end plate sections to each other.  
     
     
         27 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an air and grounding insert molded into an opening within each of said end plates for connecting an associated air valve and grounding insert to said housing.  
     
     
         28 . The housing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said end plates each include at least one gripping member comprising teeth for gripping cable and a slotted elongated member which extends to accommodate cables of varying widths.  
     
     
         29 . The housing assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said end plates comprise varying outer diameters to accommodate housing members of varying sizes.  
     
     
         30 - 75 . (Cancelled)