Pothead-less terminals for high-voltage aerial cable design considerations

A modern high-voltage aerial cable has, around its copper conductor, a high-voltage synthetic rubber insulation such as, Butyl; metallic shielding (copper tape, tapes, or braid); and a protective jacket overall such as, Neoprene. Two types of terminals for such cable are in use: the time-honored pothead with a compound-filled cast metal bell and porcelain insulator, and a splicer-made field termination using tapes, paint, a soldering iron etc. The task with which we were confronted was to develop a simple outdoor terminal for shielded cable, reliable electrically and mechanically but light, inexpensive, and easily and quickly installed by linemen (not by splicers) using ordinary line tools.