GB2149591A

GB2149591A - Cable glands

Info

Publication number: GB2149591A
Application number: GB08426809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kimleigh George Montag Pratley
Original assignee: Pratley Investments Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Pratley Investments Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1983-10-27
Filing date: 1984-10-23
Publication date: 1985-06-12
Also published as: GB8426809D0

Abstract

A gland body is formed by working a length of tubing and has a nipple 10, an abutment shoulder 11, hexagonal enlargement 12, a spud 13 and a conical spreader 14 (Figure 1). The nipple 10 is externally threaded to engage an aperture or a lock nut securing the body to apparatus to or from which a cable is to lead. The cable end is secured to the spud 13 by having the armouring clamped by a sleeve crimped on the spud. The spreader may be a separate conical formation 15 adhered to a flange of the spud (Figure 3). The hexagonal enlargement may be formed from a separate piece of tubing 121 and crimped to the body of the gland. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cable glands Background of the invention This invention relates to cable glands of the type used to connect armoured cables to apparatus to or from which the cables lead.

The main component is a gland body which at its forward end has a screwed nipple for inserting through an aperture to which it is secured by screwing into the aperture or by means of a lock nut. At its rearward end there is means to which the armouring is clamped. The means may be a spud integral with the body or a separate cone ring. In the latter case a cone nut passing over the cone ring can screw into the body. and usually into a circumferential enlargement which provides an abutment on the side of the aperture and tool gripping surfaces, so that the body can be manipulated by means of a tool such as a spanner while the lock nut is tightened or while the cone nut is tightened, if that be present.

In a recent proposal, see SA patent No. 78/2280, it is proposed that the armouring be secured to the spud by means of a sleeve crimped on to the spud.

This does away with the need for a screwed connection over the spud.

In the common glands and the latter proposal the gland body is manufactured by machining solid bar, hollow bar, forgings or castings. This is costly in raw materials and in production facilities.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of making a cable gland which leads to relatively inexpensive gland bodies.

Summary of the invention According to the invention a method of making a cable gland body comprises the steps of selecting a suitable length of round tubing and working that length to provide at lease the spud end or the nipple end of the body.

The body may be composed of a spud and a nipple formed in one from the same length of tubing. In addition the body may include an enlargement with tool gripping surfaces or the tool gripping surfaces may be formed on an element formed from a separate length of tubing and the formed body with the spud and nipple crimped to the element.

In all these cases the spud may be formed with an integral spreader cone.

On the other hand the body may be composed of a nipple and an enlargement in which internal threading is formed to engage with a cone nut passing over an interposed cone bush. The cone bush may be machined in the conventional manner or it may be formed from a length of tubing.

In this specification and in the appended claims the term "tubing" means a length of metal with a round cylindrical bore and a round cylindrical circumference which has been drawn or extruded or which has been welded from metal strip or which has been continuously cast. In general "tubing" would have a wall thickness which is between 2% and 11% of the outer diameter of the length of metal in question.

Description of the drawings Figures 1 to 3 are half sectional views of cable gland bodies, Figure 4 is an exploded view partly in section of a cable gland, and Figure 5 is a sectional view of an alternative type of cone bush for use in the gland of Figure 4.

Description of embodiments Figure 1 shows a gland body which has been upset from tubing and is suitable for use with the method of SA patent No. 78/2280. The finished body is formed with an externally threaded nipple 10, an abutment shoulder 11, an enlargement 12 formed to hexagonal shape, a spud 13 and integral conical spreader 14.

Figure 2 shows a modification of the embodiment of Figure 1 in which a spreader 15 made of plastics is adhesively secured to a flange 16 at the end of the spud 13.

In the embodiment of Figure 3 the body is composed of a nipple 10, a spud 13 and a flange 16.

Once more a spreader 15 is secured to the flange 16. In this case an enlargement 121 is formed separately from tubing and crimped in position between shoulders 17 and 18. The enlargement 121, as before, is formed to hexagonal shape.

The embodiment of Figure 4 has a body formed with a nipple 10 and an enlargement 122. The latter is formed to hexagonal or octagonal shape and the inside surfaces of the flats are formed with threads 19 so that a cone nut 20 can screw into the enlargement 122. In use a cone bush 21 is interposed between the body and the nut 22. The bush 21 illustrated in Figure 4 has been machined in the conventional manner.

Figure 5 shows a cone bush 211 which has been formed from tubing and which is suitable for replacing the bush 21 in Figure 4.

1. A method of making a cable gland body comprising the steps of selecting a suitable length of round tubing and working that length to provide at least the spud end or the nipple end of the body.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 in which the body is composed of a spud and a nipple formed in one from the same length of tubing.

3. The method claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the body includes an enlargement with tool gripping surfaces.

4. The method claimed in claim 3 in which tool gripping surfaces are formed on an element formed from a separate length of tubing and the formed body with the spud and nipple are crimped to the element.

5. The method claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the spud is formed with an integral

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cable glands Background of the invention This invention relates to cable glands of the type used to connect armoured cables to apparatus to or from which the cables lead. The main component is a gland body which at its forward end has a screwed nipple for inserting through an aperture to which it is secured by screwing into the aperture or by means of a lock nut. At its rearward end there is means to which the armouring is clamped. The means may be a spud integral with the body or a separate cone ring. In the latter case a cone nut passing over the cone ring can screw into the body. and usually into a circumferential enlargement which provides an abutment on the side of the aperture and tool gripping surfaces, so that the body can be manipulated by means of a tool such as a spanner while the lock nut is tightened or while the cone nut is tightened, if that be present. In a recent proposal, see SA patent No. 78/2280, it is proposed that the armouring be secured to the spud by means of a sleeve crimped on to the spud. This does away with the need for a screwed connection over the spud. In the common glands and the latter proposal the gland body is manufactured by machining solid bar, hollow bar, forgings or castings. This is costly in raw materials and in production facilities. It is an object of the invention to provide a method of making a cable gland which leads to relatively inexpensive gland bodies. Summary of the invention According to the invention a method of making a cable gland body comprises the steps of selecting a suitable length of round tubing and working that length to provide at lease the spud end or the nipple end of the body. The body may be composed of a spud and a nipple formed in one from the same length of tubing. In addition the body may include an enlargement with tool gripping surfaces or the tool gripping surfaces may be formed on an element formed from a separate length of tubing and the formed body with the spud and nipple crimped to the element. In all these cases the spud may be formed with an integral spreader cone. On the other hand the body may be composed of a nipple and an enlargement in which internal threading is formed to engage with a cone nut passing over an interposed cone bush. The cone bush may be machined in the conventional manner or it may be formed from a length of tubing. In this specification and in the appended claims the term "tubing" means a length of metal with a round cylindrical bore and a round cylindrical circumference which has been drawn or extruded or which has been welded from metal strip or which has been continuously cast. In general "tubing" would have a wall thickness which is between 2% and 11% of the outer diameter of the length of metal in question. Description of the drawings Figures 1 to 3 are half sectional views of cable gland bodies, Figure 4 is an exploded view partly in section of a cable gland, and Figure 5 is a sectional view of an alternative type of cone bush for use in the gland of Figure 4. Description of embodiments Figure 1 shows a gland body which has been upset from tubing and is suitable for use with the method of SA patent No. 78/2280. The finished body is formed with an externally threaded nipple 10, an abutment shoulder 11, an enlargement 12 formed to hexagonal shape, a spud 13 and integral conical spreader 14. Figure 2 shows a modification of the embodiment of Figure 1 in which a spreader 15 made of plastics is adhesively secured to a flange 16 at the end of the spud 13. In the embodiment of Figure 3 the body is composed of a nipple 10, a spud 13 and a flange 16. Once more a spreader 15 is secured to the flange 16. In this case an enlargement 121 is formed separately from tubing and crimped in position between shoulders 17 and 18. The enlargement 121, as before, is formed to hexagonal shape. The embodiment of Figure 4 has a body formed with a nipple 10 and an enlargement 122. The latter is formed to hexagonal or octagonal shape and the inside surfaces of the flats are formed with threads 19 so that a cone nut 20 can screw into the enlargement 122. In use a cone bush 21 is interposed between the body and the nut 22. The bush 21 illustrated in Figure 4 has been machined in the conventional manner. Figure 5 shows a cone bush 211 which has been formed from tubing and which is suitable for replacing the bush 21 in Figure 4. CLAIMS

5. The method claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which the spud is formed with an integral spreader cone.

6. The method claimed in claim 1 in which the body is composed of a nipple and an enlargement in which internal threading is formed to engage with a cone nut passing over an interposed cone bush.

7. The method claimed in claim 6 including the step of forming the cone bush from a length of tubing.

8. A method of making a cable gland body substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 or 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.