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Apparatus for accessing a length of a selected one or more of a plurality of optical fibers within an outer protective jacket of a cable including the plurality of optical fibers and at least one strength member extending longitudinally therein include a cable positioning fixture. The cable position

Apparatus for accessing a length of a selected one or more of a plurality of optical fibers within an outer protective jacket of a cable including the plurality of optical fibers and at least one strength member extending longitudinally therein include a cable positioning fixture. The cable positioning fixture is configured to receive a portion of the cable therein and to establish a desired orientation of the portion of the cable in the fixture relative to the at least one strength member therein while a cutting member removes a scalloped segment from the outer protective jacket.

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That which is claimed: 1. An apparatus for accessing a length of a selected one of a plurality of optical fibers within an outer protective jacket of a cable including a buffer tube with the plurality of optical fibers therein and a pair of strength members outside the buffer tube and extending lon

That which is claimed: 1. An apparatus for accessing a length of a selected one of a plurality of optical fibers within an outer protective jacket of a cable including a buffer tube with the plurality of optical fibers therein and a pair of strength members outside the buffer tube and extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the cable, the apparatus comprising: a cable positioning fixture configured to receive a portion of the cable therein and to establish a desired orientation of the portion of the cable in the fixture relative to the pair of strength members therein while a cutting member removes a scalloped segment from the outer protective jacket and the buffer tube. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the desired orientation is with the opposite sides of the cable including the strength members extending in a plane with each of the strength members displaced by a substantially same vertical distance from a path followed by the cutting member relative to the portion of the cable when removing the scalloped segment so that a vertical position of the strength members in the portion of the cable relative to the path followed by the cutting member limits a vertical depth of the scalloped segment by substantially concurrent mechanical interference of the cutting member with both of the strength members. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable positioning fixture includes an arched segment and the cable positioning fixture is configured to receive the portion of the cable wrapped into an arch abutting the arched segment to orient the cable in the desired orientation. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cable positioning fixture further includes a drive coupling configured to move the portion of the cable along a defined path relative to the cutting member to remove the scalloped segment from the outer protective jacket and a securing member to limit movement of the portion of the cable relative to the drive coupling while the portion of the cable is moved along the defined path. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the securing member includes the arched segment and wherein the cable positioning fixture further includes an anti-backup member configured to allow the portion of the cable to pass therethrough in a first direction to receive the portion of the cable in the cable positioning fixture and to limit movement of the portion of the cable in a second, opposite, direction and wherein the securing member is configured to allow the drive coupling to return the securing member to the start position from the finish position without moving the portion of the cable away from the cutting member. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the securing member includes the arched segment and wherein the securing member further includes a grip member, the securing member having an open position in which the portion of the cable can pass between the grip member and the arched segment and a closed position in which the portion of the cable is rigidly gripped between the grip member and the arched segment. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the drive member is further configured to move the securing member from the open position to the closed position before moving the portion of the cable along the defined path. 8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cable positioning fixture further includes the cutting member and wherein the cutting member is pivotally coupled to the cable positioning member for movement between a cutting orientation selected to cut into the outer protective jacket when the portion of the cable is moved along the defined path and an extracted orientation selected to allow removal of the cutting member from the outer protective jacket. 9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the drive coupling is configured to move the securing member with the portion of the cable secured therein from a start position to a finish position, wherein the finish position is closer to the cutting member than the start position and wherein the drive coupling is configured to repeatedly move the securing member with the portion of the cable therein from the start position to the finish position to provide a longitudinal length of the scalloped segment exceeding a longitudinal displacement of the portion of the cable when the securing member is moved from the start position to the finish position. 10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the securing member is displaced from the arched segment and wherein the drive coupling is configured to move the securing member with the portion of the cable secured therein from a start position to a finish position, wherein the finish position is closer to the arched segment than the start position and wherein the arched segment is positioned between the securing member and the cutting member. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cable positioning fixture further includes an anti-backup member configured to allow the portion of the cable to pass therethrough in a first direction to receive the portion of the cable in the cable positioning fixture and to limit movement of the portion of the cable in a second, opposite, direction and wherein the securing member is configured to allow the drive coupling to return the securing member to the start position from the finish position without moving the portion of the cable away from the cutting member. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the anti-backup member comprises a leaf spring extending from a pivot point fixed to the cable positioning fixture to an end proximate the arched segment and oriented at an angle selected to allow the portion of the cable to move along the defined path toward the cutting member and to limit movement of the portion of the cable along the defined path away from the cutting member. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cable positioning fixture is configured to allow rotation about a central axis of the cable to establish the desired orientation with a selected rotational orientation of the portion of the cable relative to the pair of strength members. 14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cable positioning fixture includes a securing member that secures the portion of the cable wrapped into the arch around the arched segment and wherein the cable positioning fixture includes two arched segments displaced by a distance selected to provide a desired distance between two scalloped segments removed from the cable by the cutting member without moving the portion of the main cable from its secured orientation in the cable positioning fixture. 15. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cable positioning fixture further comprises an actuable cutting member movably connected to the arched segment for movement along a defined path relative thereto to cause the cutting member to remove the scalloped segment while moving along the defined path when actuated. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cable positioning fixture further comprises a drive coupling linked to the cutting member so that movement of the drive coupling moves the cutting member along the defined path and wherein the drive coupling comprises a rotary drive coupling and wherein the fixture further comprises a translation mechanism that translates rotation of the drive coupling to movement of the cutting member along the defined path. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the fixture further comprises a cable positioning roller coupled to the cutting member for movement therewith and oriented to press the portion of the cable into a determinate position relative to the cutting member while the cutting member removes the scalloped segment. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the fixture further comprises a load responsive attachment member that connects the cutting member to the arched segment to control the vertical depth of the scalloped segment by limiting penetration of the cutting member into the portion of the cable responsive to a load on the cutting member imparted by the portion of the cable during movement of the cutting member along the defined path. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the fixture further comprises a clamp member having a closed position that secures the portion of the cable to the arched segment and an open position that releases the portion of the cable from the arched segment and wherein the clamp member comprises a movable securing member, a clamp drive coupling and a clamp translation mechanism that translates rotary movement of the clamp drive coupling to movement of the securing member between the open and closed positions. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cable positioning fixture further comprises a cutting member drive coupling linked to the cutting member so that movement of the cutting member drive coupling moves the cutting member along the defined path and a cutting member translation mechanism that translates rotary movement of the drive coupling to movement of the cutting member along the defined path and wherein the clamp drive coupling and the cutting member drive coupling are configured for activation by a same driver. 21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cable positioning fixture further comprises a cutting member drive coupling linked to the cutting member so that movement of the cutting member drive coupling moves the cutting member along the defined path and a cutting member translation mechanism that translates rotary movement of the drive coupling to movement of the cutting member along the defined path, wherein the translation mechanism comprises: a threaded screw member; and a cutting member mounting block mounted on the screw member for linear movement along the screw member responsive to rotary movement of the screw member, wherein the cutting member is connected to the cutting member mounting block. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises an optical fiber ribbon including the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers and wherein the apparatus further comprises a ribbon splitting member sized to extend movably within the outer protective jacket proximate the ribbon, the ribbon splitting member having a cutting member at a first longitudinal end thereof, configured to travel between the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers and others of the optical fibers in the ribbon, and a second, opposite, longitudinal end displaced by a longitudinal distance selected to separate a selected length of the selected one of the plurality of fibers from the others of the optical fibers in the ribbon. 23. An apparatus for accessing a length of a selected one of a plurality of optical fibers within an outer protective jacket of a cable including the plurality of optical fibers and at least one strength member extending longitudinally therein, the apparatus comprising: a cable positioning fixture configured to receive a portion of the cable therein and to establish a desired orientation of the portion of the cable in the fixture relative to the at least one strength member therein while a cutting member removes a scalloped segment from the outer protective jacket; and wherein the at least one strength member comprises a pair of strength members extending along opposite sides of the cable and wherein the desired orientation is with the opposite sides of the cable including the strength members extending in a plane with each of the strength members displaced by a substantially same vertical distance from the cutting member when the portion of the cable is moved along a defined path relative to the cutting member to remove the scalloped segment from the outer protective jacket so that a vertical position of the strength members in the portion of the cable relative to the path followed by the cutting member limits a vertical depth of the scalloped segment by substantially concurrent mechanical interference of the cutting member with both of the strength members. 24. A method of accessing an optical fiber within an optical fiber cable, comprising: accessing a portion of the cable at a selected location, wherein the cable includes a buffer tube with a plurality of optical fibers and a pair of strength members outside the buffer tube and extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the cable within an outer protective jacket; securing the portion of the cable in a fixture configured to establish a desired orientation of the portion of the cable in the fixture relative to the pair of strength member members therein; and removing a scalloped segment of the outer protective jacket and the buffer tube at a selected location on the portion of the cable while the portion is secured in the fixture without cutting any of the plurality of optical fibers or the pair of strength member members to provide an opening allowing access to the plurality of optical fibers. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising accessing a selected one of the plurality of optical fibers through the opening. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the cable comprises an outdoor cable and wherein the desired orientation is with the opposite sides of the cable including the strength members extending in a plane substantially parallel to an underlying contact surface of the fixture and wherein removing the scalloped segment comprises forming the opening to a vertical depth relative to the underlying contact surface not exceeding a vertical position of the strength members in the portion of the cable. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein removing the scalloped section comprises advancing a cutting member longitudinally along the portion of the cable while advancing the cutting member into the portion of the cable until the cutting member contacts the strength members to establish the vertical depth of the scalloped segment. 28. The method of claim 24, wherein removing the scalloped segment comprises removing a first scalloped segment and the opening comprises a first opening and the selected location comprises a first location and wherein the method further comprises: removing a second scalloped segment of the outer protective jacket and the buffer tube at a second location on the portion of the cable, longitudinally displaced from the first location, while the portion is secured in the fixture without cutting any of the plurality of optical fibers or the strength members to provide a second opening; accessing a selected one of the plurality of optical fibers through the first opening; cutting the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers at the first opening; accessing the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers at the second opening; and drawing a length of the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers from the second opening to provide a selected length of the selected one of the plurality of optical fibers extending from the second opening to be spliced to another optical fiber. 29. A method of accessing an optical fiber within an optical fiber cable, comprising: accessing a portion of the cable at a selected location, wherein the cable includes a buffer tube with the plurality of optical fibers therein and a pair of strength members outside the buffer tube and extending longitudinally within an outer protective jacket along opposite sides of the cable; arching the portion of the cable while allowing rotation about a central axis of the cable to establish a desired orientation of the portion of the cable relative to the pair of strength members; removing a scalloped segment of the outer protective jacket and the buffer tube at a selected location on the portion of the cable while the portion is in the desired orientation without cutting any of the plurality of optical fibers or the pair of strength members to provide an opening, wherein the desired orientation is with the opposite sides of the cable including the strength members positioned at a substantially same vertical position relative to a cutting member used to remove the scalloped segment and wherein removing the scalloped segment comprises forming the opening with the cutting member to a vertical depth not exceeding the vertical position of the strength members in the portion of the cable. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the cable comprises an outdoor cable and wherein the desired orientation is with the opposite sides of the cable including the strength members extending in a plane substantially parallel to an underlying contact surface of the fixture and wherein removing the scalloped segment comprises forming the opening to a vertical depth relative to the underlying contact surface not exceeding a vertical position of the strength members in the portion of the cable. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein removing the scalloped section comprises advancing a cutting member longitudinally along the portion of the cable while advancing the cutting member into the portion of the cable until the cutting member contacts the strength members to establish the vertical depth of the scalloped segment.