Importance

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Abstract

Method for joining thermoplastic cores having spaced, longitudinal surface grooves for receiving optical fibers or electrical wires. A heat shrinkable plastic sleeve is applied over the end of one of the cores. A piece of a core selected so that the ends of the grooves match, at each end, the grooves of the cores to be joined, is inserted between the ends of the cores in abutting relation with the cores, and malleable metal elements, longer than the piece and having the cross-sectional shape of the grooves are inserted in the grooves of the piece with the ends thereof in the grooves of the cores. The sleeve is slid over the elements-piece assembly and heated so that it shrinks therearound, so that the plastic of the piece and the cores is softened and the grooves conform to the shape of and embed the elements and so that the ends of the piece fuse with the ends of the cores. If the cores have a central resistant element, the resistant elements are bared so that their combined lengths equal that of the length of the piece and are mechanically joined, before the piece, which is a longitudinally slit sleeve, is inserted between the core ends and over the joined resistant elements.

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First Claim