PULP-INSULATED CONDUCTOR CABLE WITH AN INTERPOSED ADHESIVE COAT

DURR-22-9 PULP-INSULATED CONDUCTOR CABLE A cable of this invention substantially increases the number of pulp-insulated conductor pairs per unit of cable cross-sectional area. This permits a reduction in the outside diameter of a cable without reducing the number of conductor pairs or an increase in the number of pairs in a given area such as in an existing underground duct by utilizing substantially more of the cross-sectional area of the duct than had been used in the past. Each pulp-insulated conductor includes a metallic conductor enclosed in a composite insulative cover which has a controlled dielectric constant and which comprises a pulpous material and a coated layer of adhesive material interposed between the conductor and the pulpous material. The coated layer causes the pulpous material to adhere to the conductor with substantial integrity so that the moisture content of the pulpous material can be reduced over that achieved in prior art processes. This results in a smaller cross-section of each pulp-insulated conductor which allows the use of an increased number of conductive pairs in a given cable cross-section and without any significant increase in mutual capacitance characteristics of the insulated conductor pairs. A cable system for providing an increased number of conductor pairs in an existing duct includes a cable of this invention and a pulling eye attached to an end portion of the cable with the diameter of the cable and of the pulling eye being substantially equal.