CABLE SPLICE WITH CLAMP COUPLING MEMBERS

Abstract

A cable splice includes a cover having a central portion and a first end with a first opening. The cover defines an internal cavity. A jaw assembly is positioned in the internal cavity and can be moved between a loading position and a termination position to engage with a conductor. A thrust member pushes the jaw assembly into the termination position. The jaw assembly includes a jaw member with a jaw body, a curved projection extending from the jaw body, and a curved notch extending into the jaw body. The projection and notch align with each other and are configured to establish a positional relationship with a respective notch and projection of an adjacent jaw member.

Description

CABLE SPLICE WITH CLAMP COUPLING MEMBERS RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial no. 62 / 991,825, filed on March 19, 2020, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference and from which priority is claimed. FIELD The invention relates to splices for connecting a first and a second public transmission line cable. et CRQn / zznz / q / uιλι BACKGROUND Splice connectors can be used to join a variety of electrical conductors, including high-voltage power lines. Some splice connectors allow the user to simply insert two different conductors into the connector. These splice connectors, commonly known as automatic splices, can be used by utility linemen to quickly connect lengths of suspended cable during the installation or repair of live power lines. An automatic splice typically includes a housing with an opening at each axial end to receive wires. After the wires are inserted, the housing includes clamps to hold them in a specific position. The automatic splice is then able to conduct electricity from one wire to the other. Proper wire placement within the housing is crucial to ensure a secure and durable connection. This placement is especially important for exposed wires subjected to stress from various directions, such as wind, ice, or excessive or additional loads that may occur during normal use. Utility linemen use automatic splices in normal or emergency power restoration situations under various environmental conditions. Applying considerable force to insert the wires or determining if a wire is fully inserted can be difficult for the lineman. Automatic splices often have opaque covers or housings, making visual inspection of wire placement impossible. If a wire is not properly or fully inserted, the retaining clamps will not function as expected. A failed splice can release live wires, creating hazardous conditions for people and property, especially on live power lines. et CAQn / zznz / q / υιλι COMPENDIUM According to several aspects, a cable splice includes a sheath having a central portion and a first end with a first opening. The sheath defines an internal cavity. A jaw assembly is placed in the internal cavity and can be moved between a loading position and a termination position to engage with a conductor. A thrust member pushes the jaw assembly into the termination position. The jaw assembly includes a jaw member with a jaw body, a curved projection extending from the jaw body, and a curved notch extending into the jaw body. The projection and notch align with each other and are configured to establish a positional relationship with a respective notch and projection of an adjacent jaw member. According to several aspects, a cable splice includes a cover having a central portion and a first end with a first opening. The cover defines an inner cavity. A first jaw is positioned in the inner cavity and can be moved between a loading position and a termination position. The first jaw has a first projection and a first notch. A second jaw is positioned in the inner cavity and can be moved between the loading position and the termination position. The second jaw has a second projection and a second notch. A third jaw is positioned in the inner cavity and can be moved between the loading position and the termination position. The third jaw has a third projection and a third notch. The first, second, and third jaws are positioned so that each projection engages with a corresponding notch. According to certain specifications, a utility line cable splice clamp includes a clamp body having a front surface, a back surface, an outer curved body surface, and an inner curved body surface. The clamp body is configured to fit inside a stamped cover. A projection extends from the clamp body. The projection includes a base, a tip, an outer curved projection surface, and an inner curved projection surface. A notch extends into the interior of the clamp body. The notch includes an inner end and an outer end. The notch includes a first radius of curvature and a second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature is not equal to the second radius of curvature. et CAQn / zznz / q / υιλι BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The aspects and characteristics of various examples of modalities will become more evident from the description of those examples of modalities taken with respect to the attached figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a side view of an illustrative splice with inserted wires. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the splice in FIG. 1 without the inserted wires. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative cover. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cover in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an illustrative guide. FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the guide in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a side view of an auxiliary cup. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a rear view of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is a front view of FIG. 8. FIG. 12 is a side view of a guide cup. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a front view of FIG. 12. FIG. 15 is a rear view of FIG. 12. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative guide, the auxiliary cup, and the guide cup. FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative jaw assembly. FIG. 18 is a top view of the jaw member of FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a side view of the jaw member of FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of an illustrative carrier. FIG. 21 is a side view of FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is a top view of FIG. 20. FIG. 23 is a side view of FIG. 20. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 23. FIG. 25 is a bottom view of an illustrative jaw member of the second jaw assembly. FIG. 26 is a side view of FIG. 25. FIG. 27 is the front view of an illustrative retainer of the second jaw assembly. FIG. 28 is a side view of the second illustrative jaw assembly. FIG. 29 is a front view of FIG. 28. FIG. 30 is an illustrative top view of the carrier and second jaw assembly. FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 30. FIG. 32 is a front view of an illustrative center stop. FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the center stop on the deck. FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative splice before inserting the cable. FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the illustrative splice after the cable has been fully inserted. FIG. 36 is a top view of a dual camera carrier. FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of the dual camera carrier of FIG. 36. FIG. 38 is a side view of an illustrative modality of a closed-end splice. FIG. 39 is a partial view of the cable splice with another modality of a clamp assembly. FIG. 40 is a perspective view of the jaw assembly of FIG. 39. FIG. 41 is a rear view of FIG. 40. FIG. 42 is a top perspective view of a jaw assembly of FIG. 40. FIG. 43 is the bottom perspective view of Figure 42. FIG. 44 is a rear view of FIG. 42. FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 44 showing the notch. et CAQn / zznz / q / υιλι DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE MODALITIES Several illustrative embodiments refer to a cable splice for use with 10-strand multi-strand cables. 10-strand multi-strand cables may include an outer layer surrounding an inner layer. In one illustrative embodiment, the outer layer is made of a first material, for example, aluminum wires, while the inner layer is made of a second material, for example, steel wires. According to one illustrative embodiment, a splice includes a cover 12 having a first side and a second side, each side having an assembly of components. The cover 12 includes a substantially tubular body having a first cover end 14 and a second cover end 16, where at least a portion of the cover tapers toward the respective end of the cover 12. The cover surrounds an internal cavity that can be divided into a first chamber, a second chamber, and a central region. The components of the second chamber can be identical to those of the first. However, certain embodiments can use different components in the second chamber. The present invention can also be used as a closed-end connector having only a single chamber.Although the figures show the first and second chambers with identical components, only the components of the first chamber are described in certain cases for brevity. In an illustrative embodiment, the components may include: a guide assembly having a guide 20, an auxiliary cup 22, and a guide cup 24; a first clamp in the form of a first jaw assembly 26; a carrier assembly having a carrier 28, a second clamp in the form of a second jaw assembly 30, and a thrust member 32; and a center stop 34. A thrust member 36 is located between the carrier assembly and the first jaw assembly 26, and another thrust member 38 is located between the center stop 34 and the carrier assembly. Figures 3 and 4 show an illustrative cover 12, which is a stamped tubular body, although a variety of shapes with any number of straight or curved sides can be used. The cover 12 includes a first cover opening 40 and a second cover opening 42. The first and second cover openings 40, 42 may include a chamfered or beveled edge to allow for easy installation of additional components. The first cover end 14 tapers from the center region 18 toward the first cover opening 40, forming a first truncated conical member that defines the first chamber. The second cover end tapers similarly from the center region 18 toward the second cover opening 42, forming a second truncated conical member that defines the second chamber. Various components are housed in the first and second chambers as explained below.For the sake of brevity, only the components of the first chamber are described in certain instances. The guide 20 can be positioned so that it has a portion located outside the sheath 12 and a portion extending into the sheath 12 through the first sheath opening 40. The guide 20 receives and guides a cable 10 that is inserted into the splice. The guide 20 helps prevent the cable strands from being worn, allowing for quick, easy, and clean insertion of a length of cable. In certain embodiments, the guide 20 can be configured to extend out of the sheath to show that one or more of the jaws are properly mated with a conductor. An example of such a guide 20 is described in U.S. Patent No. 10,498,052, a description of which is incorporated herein by reference. As best shown in FIG. 5-7, the guide 20 includes a receiving end 44 having a funnel-shaped body surrounding an opening and a cylindrical shaft 46 extending from the receiving end 44. The receiving end 44 is located outside the cover 12, while the shaft 46 extends into the first chamber. In alternative illustrative embodiments, the receiving end 44 and the shaft 46 are partially or completely located within the first chamber. The guide 20 can also act as a visual indicator, providing information to the user. For example, the receiving end 44 and / or the shaft 46 may include a colored portion, where the color is indicative of a conductor type used for splicing. et CAQn / zznz / q / υιλι The receiving end 44 can have a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on relevant factors such as the shape and size of the cable. The inner surface of the guide 20 can include one or more curved transitions between the outer edge of the receiving end 44 and the axis 46. In an illustrative configuration where there is more than one curved transition, the transitions can have different radii of curvature. For example, a transition near the outer edge can have a first radius of curvature, while a transition near the axis 46 can have a second radius of curvature larger than the first. The shaft 46 has a first inner surface defining a first section 48 with a first diameter and a second inner surface defining a second section 50 with a second diameter. The diameter of the first section 48 is smaller than the diameter of the second section 50, forming a projection 52 at the transition between the two. The first section 48 includes a notch 54. The outer surface of the shaft 46 includes one or more projections 56. The projections 56 engage with the inner surface of the cover, providing a secure fit between the cover 12 and the guide 20, helping to retain the guide 20 in position and preventing unwanted movement relative to the cover 12. Figures 8-11 show an illustrative embodiment of an auxiliary cup 22. The auxiliary cup 22 is positioned behind the guide 20 to receive the conductor 10 when it is inserted into the cover 12. The auxiliary cup 22 may be laterally connected to, adjacent to, or laterally separated from the guide 20. After a cable is inserted into and passed through the guide 20, the cable enters the auxiliary cup 22 to travel through the first jaw assembly 26. At least a portion of the auxiliary cup 22 may initially be positioned in the first jaw assembly 26. The auxiliary cup 22 includes a front end 58 with an opening for receiving a cable and a rear axle 60. The front end 58 has a substantially cylindrical outer surface and an inner surface with a tapered section forming a truncated conical region. The tapered section allows for the proper coupling of conductors of different sizes. A notch 62 is formed around the rear axle. The rear axle 60 is hollow with a substantially cylindrical configuration. The auxiliary cup 22 helps prevent the outer strands of the cable 10 from separating. Figures 12-15 show an illustrative embodiment of a guide cup 24. The guide cup 24 is positioned behind the guide 20 and the auxiliary cup 22 to receive the conductor 10 when it is inserted into the cover 12. The guide cup 24 may be laterally connected to, adjacent to, or laterally separated from the auxiliary cup 22. After a cable 10, or a portion thereof, is inserted and passes through the guide 20 and the auxiliary cup 22, it enters the guide cup 24 to travel through the first jaw assembly 26. At least a portion of the guide cup 24 may initially be positioned in the first jaw assembly 26. According to the illustrative embodiment, the guide cup 22 has a cylindrical outer surface with a first open end of a first diameter and a second open end with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. In alternative embodiments, a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations may be used. The guide cup 24 has a first inner surface surrounding a first chamber 64 with a first diameter near the first end and a second tapered inner surface surrounding a second chamber 66 with a variable diameter near the second end. The tapered second chamber 66 allows for the proper coupling of conductors of different sizes. The diameter of the first chamber 64 is larger than the diameter of the second chamber 66, resulting in the guide cup 24 having a thicker inner back wall 68.When the guide cup 24 is placed in the first jaw assembly 26, the thicker back wall 68 provides additional support against the force exerted by the first jaw assembly 26 on the guide cup 24, helping to prevent the guide cup 24 from being crushed, deformed, or displaced. The guide cup 24 helps prevent the inner strands of cable 10 from separating. As best shown in FIG. 16, in an initial or loaded position, the guide 20, the auxiliary cup 22, and the guide cup 24 are connected to form a guide assembly. The auxiliary cup 22 is initially positioned at least partially within the second section of the guide 20, with a front end of the auxiliary cup engaged with the projection 52. The rear axle 60 of the auxiliary cup 22 is positioned at least partially within the guide cup 24 so that a portion of the guide cup 24 is received in the outer notch 62. When a cable 10 is inserted, the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24 are disengaged from the guide 20, thereby moving through the first jaw assembly 26. In some embodiments, the position and separation of the guide 20, the auxiliary cup 22, and the guide cup 24 may vary. The first jaw assembly 26 is positioned between the guide assembly and the first outer thrust member 36. As best shown in FIG. 17-19, the first jaw assembly 26 includes an upper jaw member 76 and a lower jaw member 78. Although two jaw members 76, 78 are shown in this illustrative embodiment, a single jaw member or more than two jaw members may also be used. Certain embodiments may use other cable retainers, instead of or in combination with the jaw members 76, 78, as would be understood by a person skilled in the art. The upper jaw member 76 and the lower jaw member 78 are substantially identical, as shown in FIG. 17, and the same part numbers will be used for similar parts when describing jaw members 76 and 78. Jaw members 76 and 78 have a front jaw surface 80, a rear jaw surface 82, and a jaw body 84 extending between them. The jaw body 84 has an inner surface and an arched outer surface. At least a portion of the jaw body 84 is shaped like a half-funnel, tapering toward the front jaw surface 80. This taper is similar to or corresponds to the taper of the inner surface of the cover, which allows jaw members 76 and 78 to slide into the first chamber. At least part of the inner surface of the jaw body 84 contains a series of teeth 86.The teeth 86 can have any shape, slope, length, width, or spacing. In the illustrative embodiment, the teeth 86 extend from the inner surface at an angle toward the rear jaw surface 82. The jaw members 76, 78 include one or more radially extending projections 88 and one or more corresponding openings 90. The projections 88 and openings 90 can have a variety of sizes or shapes. The projections 88 and openings 90 are staggered so that a single piece can be used for the upper jaw member 76 and the lower jaw member 78. When placed together, the projections 88 of the upper jaw member 76 mate with the openings 90 of the lower jaw member 78 and vice versa. This mating relationship couples the upper jaw member 76 to the lower jaw member 78 to prevent one jaw member from moving axially relative to the other, thus ensuring substantially uniform axial movement between the jaw members 76, 78.The projections 88 extend radially inwards and are of a length that prevents disconnection, as the jaw members 76, 78 move radially away from each other when pushed towards the central region 18, but also prevents the projections 88 from interfering with the movement of the jaw members 76, 78 as they are pushed towards the first end of the cover 16 by extending through the openings 90 and coming into contact with the surface of the inner cover 42. According to an illustrative embodiment, the thrust member 36 has a first end for contacting the rear jaw surface 82 and a second end for contacting the carrier 28. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the thrust member 36 is a coil spring, although the thrust member 20 may be other devices or made of other materials. The outside diameter, thread diameter, slope, length, and material type of the spring may vary according to the application. Figures 20-24 show an illustrative embodiment of carrier 28. Carrier 28 has a body surrounding an interior with a front section facing the first opening 40 and a second end facing the central stop 34. The body has a substantially tubular configuration with a nose 92, a rear wall 94, and one or more ridges 96. A window 98 is formed near the rear wall 94. In an illustrative embodiment, the interior includes a first region 100, a second region 102, and a third region 103. The first region 100 includes an opening 100 to receive the auxiliary cup 22. Although a bell-shaped opening is shown, the configuration of the opening may vary, for example, to accommodate auxiliary cups 22 of different sizes and shapes. The second region 102 has a truncated conical shape that widens from the first region 100 toward the third region 103. The third region 103 has a substantially cylindrical configuration and is in communication with the window 98. An opening 106 is provided in the rear wall 94. The second jaw assembly 30 is positioned inside the carrier 28. In an illustrative embodiment, the second jaw assembly 30 includes three jaw members 108 and a retainer 110. The jaw members 108 have a front jaw surface 112, a rear jaw surface 114, and a jaw body 116 extending between them. The jaw body 116 has an inner surface and an arched outer surface. At least a portion of the jaw body 116 tapers or narrows toward the front jaw surface 112, allowing the jaw member 108 to move or slide within the carrier 28. At least a portion of the inner surface of the jaw body 116 contains a series of teeth 118. The teeth 118 may have any shape, slope, length, width, or spacing. The first and second grooves 120 are formed in the jaw body 116 to receive the retainer 110.The retainer 110 has three grooves 122 configured to engage with the grooves 120 in the jaw member 108 and three curved sections 124 having an outer edge that substantially aligns with the outer edge of the jaw body 116 to give the assembly a substantially circular configuration as shown in FIG. 29. As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the second jaw assembly 30 and the inner thrust member 32 are located inside the carrier 28. The second jaw assembly 30 and the thrust member 32 can be loaded into the carrier 28 through the carrier window 98. Figures 32 and 33 show an illustrative embodiment of the center stop 34. The center stop 34 has a center wall 126, a first opening 128, and a second opening 130. The first opening 128 receives a second end of the second outer thrust member 38 and surrounds at least partially a portion of the thrust member 38. The partial closure helps to hold the thrust member 38 in place, preventing it from shifting and failing to exert the appropriate thrust force in the correct direction. According to several illustrative embodiments, the central stop 34 is substantially cylindrical and has corresponding first and second cylindrical openings 128, 130, although any shape, or combination of shapes, of central stop 34 and of the first and second openings 128, 130 may be used. The central stop 34 is held in position in the central chamber by a first and second set of dimples 132A, 132B. In an alternative embodiment, the carrier 28 can be a dual-chamber carrier 200 comprising a first side with the configuration shown in Figures 30 and 31 and a second side with a substantially identical opposite-face configuration. In this embodiment, the center stop 34 and thrust members 38 can be eliminated. The first and second sides of the dual chamber can be separated by a single back wall 94 or other structure. In an illustrative embodiment, the structure separating the first and second sides can be configured to interact with the first and second sets of dimples 132A, 132B to hold the carrier in place. An example of the dual-chamber carrier is shown in Figures 36 and 37. For example, the dual camera carrier 200 has a body 202 surrounding a first interior 204 and a second interior 206. et CRQn / zznz / q / uιλι The first interior 204 and the second interior 206 are separated by a central wall 208. The central wall 208 may be closed as shown in FIG. 38 or may include an opening as shown in FIG. 24. The body 202 has a substantially tubular configuration, with a first nose 210 opposite the first opening 40 and a second nose 212 opposite the second opening 42. The first interior 204 includes a first region 214, a second region 216, and a third region 218. The first region 214 includes an opening to receive the auxiliary cup 22. Although a bell-shaped opening is shown, the configuration of the opening may vary, for example, to accommodate auxiliary cups 22 of different sizes and shapes. The second region 216 has a truncated conical shape that widens from the first region 214 toward the third region 218. The third region 218 has a substantially cylindrical configuration and is in communication with a window 220. The second interior 206 has the opposite configuration. A second jaw assembly 30 is positioned in the first interior 204 and the second interior 206 as with the single-chamber carrier 28 described above. Figure 34 shows an illustrative example of the splice in the initial or loaded position. The guide 20 extends into the cover 12, the auxiliary cup 22 is placed in the guide 22, and the guide cup 24 is connected to the auxiliary cup. 22. A portion of the guide cup 24 and the auxiliary cup 22 are positioned in the first jaw assembly 26, for example, between the upper and lower jaw members 76, 78. The position of the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24 prevents the upper jaw member 76 and the lower jaw member 78 from approaching each other and from moving toward the first opening 40, keeping the jaw assembly 26 open to receive a cable 10. In this position, the jaw assembly 26 compresses the thrust member 36 into a loading position. With the automatic splice in the initial, or loading, position, a first cable 10 and a second cable 10 can be loaded onto the respective ends of the sheath 12. In an illustrative embodiment, a portion of the outer cable layer is stripped to expose the inner layer. The guide 20 that receives the end 44 acts to contain the wires of the cable 10 and guides them inwards and through the first respective opening of the cover 40. During insertion, the inner layer of the cables 10 passes through the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24. The inner layer of the cable 10 fits into the guide cup 24 and the outer layer of the cable 10 fits into the auxiliary cup 22. Both the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24 have tapered inner parts to accommodate cables of different sizes 10. Once cable 10 is fully attached to the guide cup et CAQn / zznz / q / uili 24, the axial pressing force by a user pushes the guide cup 24, the auxiliary cup 22, and the cable 10 through the first jaw assembly 26. After the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24 clear the first jaw assembly 26, the thrust member 36 will push the jaw assembly 26 into the first opening 40 to engage with the outer layer of the cable 10. As the first jaw assembly 26 advances, the tapered jaw body 84 slides along the tapered inner surface, forcing the upper jaw 76 and the lower jaw 78 radially closer together. It is possible for cable 10 to move towards the center of the splice, with the first jaw members 26 having angled teeth 86, which allows cable 10 to slide along the teeth 86 towards the center of the splice, but resisting movement in the opposite direction. Since the guide cup 24 is already positioned in the first jaw assembly 26, the user does not need to exert considerable force to open the jaw assembly 26 or load the thrust member 36. The rounded outer edge also helps move the auxiliary cup 22 through the first jaw assembly 26. Furthermore, securing the auxiliary cup 22 and the guide cup 24 in the first jaw assembly 26 helps prevent slack and also prevents any loose cable ends 10 from interfering with the jaw assembly 26 or the thrust member 36, which could adversely affect the connection made by the splice. The rear insertion causes cable 10 and guide cup 24 to enter carrier 28. Auxiliary cup 22 is received in the opening in the first region 100 of carrier 28. Guide cup 22 and cable 10 pass through the second jaw assembly 30, causing the second jaw assembly to engage with the inner layer of the cable. Cable 10 can terminate in carrier 28 or guide cup 24, and cable 10 can pass through the back wall 94 and the opening 106 depending on the cable length. Guide cup 24 can initially move the second jaw assembly 30 within the carrier, expanding the second jaw assembly 30 until it reaches a predetermined point where guide cup 24 will pass through jaw members 108 and retainer 110. In an alternative embodiment, guide 20, auxiliary cup 22, and guide cup 24 can be removed from the cover 12 before inserting cable 10. Because certain cables tend to spread significantly, the cables can be at least partially inserted into guide 20, and then the outer layer can be removed to expose the inner layer. After properly securing the cable—that is, after sliding auxiliary cup 22 over the outer wires and guide cup 24 over the inner wires—guide 20, auxiliary cup 22, and guide cup 24 can be reinserted into the cover 12 along with cable 10. As best shown in FIG. 38, the splice configuration can also be used in a closed-end connector 300. The closed-end connector 300 includes half of a self-splice 310 with a cover 312. Although not shown, the closed-end splice 310 can include any combination of the internal splice components described herein. The closed end of the closed-end connector 300 can be considered the center portion. The cover 312 is connected to a closed-end connector 314. In this illustrative embodiment, a clevis-type closed-end connector is used, although other types of connectors may be used as understood by a person skilled in the art. The closed-end connector 314 includes a retaining washer 316, a clevis 318, and a stirrup 320. A clevis pin 322 is attached to the stirrup 320 and secured by a cotter pin 324. Figures 39-45 show an illustrative example of a 400 clamp assembly that can be used as one or both of the clamp assemblies described above. Figure 39 shows the 400 clamp assembly placed in a cover 402 (half of the splice is shown). An indicator 404 is placed on the end of the cover 402. The indicator 404 can be color-coded to provide information to the user, such as the type of conductor to be spliced. A conductor is inserted. A guide cup 408 is connected to the end of the conductor 406. A center stop 410 is placed on the cover 402. A push member 412 is placed between the center stop 410 and the jaw assembly 400. The push member 412 pushes the jaw assembly 400 toward the end of the cover 402. As stated above, the jaw assembly 400 can also be configured to operate on the carriers 28, 200 described above. The 420 jaw members are substantially identical as best shown in FIG. 40 and 41, and the same part numbers will be used for similar parts when describing the 420 jaw members. Although three 420 jaw members are shown in this illustrative embodiment, other quantities of 420 jaw members may also be used. As best shown in FIGS. 42 and 43, the jaw members 420 have a jaw body 422, with a front jaw surface 424 and a rear jaw surface 426. The jaw body 422 has an arched outer surface 428 and an arched inner surface 430 relative to the cover 402. At least a portion of the jaw body 422 tapers toward the front jaw surface 424. This taper is similar to or corresponds to the taper of the inner surface of the cover or the inner surface of the carrier, which allows the jaw members 420 to slide into the first chamber or the carrier, as required. At least a portion of the inner surface 430 of the jaw body 422 contains a series of teeth 432. The teeth 432 may have any shape, slope, length, width, or spacing.In the illustrative form, the teeth 432 extend from the inner surface 430 at an angle towards the rear jaw surface 426. The jaw members 420 include a projection 434 extending from the jaw body 422 and a groove 436 extending into the jaw body 422. In certain embodiments, the projection 434 and groove 436 may have a circumferential or spiral configuration. The projection 434 and groove 436 may have a variety of sizes or shapes. The projection 434 and groove 436 are aligned so that a single part can be used for the jaw members 420. When placed together, the projections 434 interlock with the grooves 436. This mating relationship couples the jaw members 420 to prevent one jaw member 420 from moving axially relative to the other, thus ensuring substantially uniform axial movement between the jaw members 420.The position and configuration of the projections 434 and the notches 436 can result in three jaw members substantially covering the entire circumference of an associated cable, taking into account any gaps or spaces between the jaw members. When used inside a CAQn / zznz / q / uili carrier 28, 200 as described above, the use of the jaw assembly 400 can eliminate the need for a retainer 110 to engage the jaws. Figure 44 shows a rear portion of the jaw member 420 and an example of the projection 434. The projection 434 includes a base 438 located on or near the jaw body 422 and a tip 440 separate from the jaw body 422. An outer surface of the projection 434 has a first radius of curvature PR1, and an inner surface of the projection 434 has a second radius of curvature PR2. The first radius of curvature PR1 may be different from the second radius of curvature PR2. The first radius of curvature PR1 may be equal to or substantially equal to the curvature of the outer surface 428 of the jaw body 422. Figure 45 best illustrates an example of notch 436. Notch 436 includes an inner end 442 located on or near the inner surface 430 of jaw body 422 and an outer end 444 located on or near the outer surface 428 of jaw body 422. Notch 436 may have a variable curvature between the inner and outer ends. For example, the notch may have a first radius of curvature GR1 near the inner end and a second radius of curvature GR2 near the outer end. In the illustrated example, the first radius of curvature GR1 is larger than the second radius of curvature GR2. The curvatures of the first and second notches GR1 and GR2 are shown for reference, since the illustrated notch 436 contains more than two curvatures. In some modalities, one curvature, two curvatures, or more than three different curvatures may be used.The curvature of the notch can also vary infinitely from the inner end 424 to the outer end 444. In the illustrated embodiment, the curvature of the notch 436 varies to match the curvature of the outer surface 428 of the jaw body 422. Any of the features described herein may also be used with other types of splices. For example, the features described herein may be used with a corrosion-resistant splice as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,799,996, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The preceding detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments has been provided to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as appropriate for the particular use contemplated. This description is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the exemplary embodiments described. Any of the embodiments and / or elements described herein may be combined with any other to form various additional embodiments not specifically described. Accordingly, further embodiments are possible and are intended to be included within the scope of this specification and the appended claims. The specification describes specific examples to achieve a more general objective that may be achieved in other ways. As used in this application, the terms "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "upward," "downward," and other words describing orientation are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the structure of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention to any particular position or orientation. Those skilled in the art understand that terms of degree, such as substantially or approximately, refer to reasonable intervals outside the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with the manufacture, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A cable splice comprising: a cover having a central portion and a first end including a first opening, wherein the cover defines an inner cavity; a jaw assembly located in the inner cavity and movable between a loading position and a termination position to engage with a conductor; and a push member pushing the jaw assembly toward the termination position, wherein the jaw assembly includes a jaw member with a jaw body, a curvilinear projection extending from the jaw body, and a curvilinear notch extending into the jaw body, wherein the projection and notch are aligned with each other and configured to establish a positional relationship with a respective notch and projection of an adjacent jaw member.

2. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein the projection has a spiral configuration and the notch has a spiral configuration.

3. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein the notch includes a first bend radius and a second bend radius, and wherein the first bend radius is different from the second bend radius.

4. The cable splice of claim 3, wherein the notch includes an inner end positioned near an inner surface of the jaw body and an outer end positioned near an outer surface of the jaw body, the first bend radius located at the inner end and the second bend radius located at the outer end.

5. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein a curvature of the notch varies to match an outer surface of the clamp body.

6. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein the projection includes a base and a tip, and wherein the projection tapers from the base to the tip.

7. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein the projection includes an outer surface having a first radius of curvature and an inner surface having a second radius of curvature.

8. The cable splice of claim 1, wherein the clamp assembly is placed within a carrier.

9. The cable splice of claim 8, wherein the carrier includes a first chamber and a second chamber.

10. A cable splice comprising: a cover having a central portion and a first end including a first opening, wherein the cover defines an inner cavity; a first jaw positioned in the inner cavity and movable between a loading position and a termination position, wherein the first jaw has a first projection and a first notch; a second jaw positioned in the inner cavity and movable between the loading position and the termination position, wherein the second jaw has a second projection and a second notch; and a third jaw positioned in the inner cavity and movable between the loading position and the termination position, wherein the third jaw has a third projection and a third notch, wherein the first, second, and third jaws are positioned so that each of the projections engages with a respective groove.

11. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein each of the projections has a spiral configuration and each of the notches has a spiral configuration.

12. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein the first notch includes a first bend radius and a second bend radius, and wherein the first bend radius is different from the second bend radius.

13. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein the first clamp has a first clamp body and a curvature of the first notch varies to match an outer surface of the first clamp body.

14. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein the first projection includes a base and a tip, and wherein the projection tapers from the base to the tip.

15. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein the first projection includes an outer surface having a first radius of curvature and an inner surface having a second radius of curvature, and wherein the first radius of curvature is different from the second radius of curvature.

16. The cable splice of claim 10, wherein the first clamp, the second clamp, and the third clamp are placed within a carrier.

17. The cable splice of claim 16, wherein the carrier includes a first chamber and a second chamber.

18. A clamp for a utility line cable splice comprising: a clamp body with a front surface, a rear surface, an outer curved body surface and an inner curved body surface, wherein the clamp body is configured to be placed within a stamped cover; a projection extending from the clamp body, wherein the projection includes a base, a tip, an outer projecting curved surface and an inner projecting curved surface; and a notch extending within the clamp body, wherein the notch includes an inner end and an outer end, wherein the notch includes a first radius of curvature and a second radius of curvature, and wherein the first radius of curvature is not equal to the second radius of curvature.

19. The clamp of claim 18, wherein the projection has a spiral configuration and tapers from the base to the tip.

20. The jaw of claim 20, wherein a curvature of the notch varies to match an outer surface of the jaw body.

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