US2433346A - Ribbon cable and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1947.

G. DEAKvlN RIBBON CABLE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME Filed Feb. 5, 1945 INVENToR. kau fA/r//v 46E/YT Patented Dec. 30, 1947 RIBBON CABLE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME Gerald Deakin, New York, N. Y., assignor to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y,. a corporation of Delaware Application February 5, 1943, Serial No.. 474,817

l This invention relates to a ribbon cable for multipling switch'terminals banks in automatic telephone and other tele-communication systems y and to methods of fabricating such cables.

An object of the invention is the provision of a ribbon cable which is inexpensive to manufac- 4 claims. (o1. 15e-2.24)

'between a further block I'I and plate lbetween a punch block 'l and base plate 8 and IIl. A member I8 then depresses' the punches I9 and punches eight elongated holes 3 as shown in Fig. 1

ture, which is simple in construction, which permits the use of non-hygroscopic insulating matespaced bare wire conductors running parallel along the length of the strip, each wire being formed with loops which extend through holes punchedl in the strip and then bent to project over an edge thereof. Thinribbons ofi plasticized paper, i. e. a paper impregnated With an y insulating and plasticizer compound or other suitable inslating material secure the wire to the surfaces of the strip.

The ribbon cable is composed of patterns, each a multiple-of the other. Each pattern is completed iny four operations; (1) holes are punched in the'stripof insulating material, (2) loops are formed in the-wire conductors, (3) the loops are flattened against a surface of the strip, and (4) thewire conductors and loops arev secured in position and insulated. "r l In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of a ribbon cable according to the invention showing the different stages in its production, whilst Fig. 2 is an elevation illustrating diagrammatically the method of manufacture.

The cable consists essentially of a thin plasticv or treated fiber paper strip I, eight or any desired other number of thin bronze or copper wires 2 which run down the length of the strip K are then covered by plasticized insulating strips 4 as shown at C.

in manufacturing the cable, the strip or tape I from roll 5, Fig. 2, is drawn under a roller 6 vtrally acrossv one of vthepunched holes 3.

in the tape I. The tape I is then stepped to position A together'l with eight wires 2 from eight rollers such als. 9:.the wires 2 are spaced across the width of theY Itape I so that each passes cen- The member I1 is drilled with eight holes which register with the holes 3, whilst the base plate I0 is provided with eight plungers or pins II which also register with the holes 3 but are of slightly smaller cross-sectional area. The ends of the pins II are rounded and-formed 4with gropves-or slots to engage the wires] wherejth'ey fext'end lacross the holes3. By ,means fof plungefrsv 2Qthe l pins II are forced against `the tensionof'springs I2 against the eight wires 2, forcing them 11pwardly through the holes in member I'l .to form loops of graduated lengths as shown at I6. The

plungers 20 are then retracted, the pins II are withdrawn under the action of the springs I2 and the, member I1 is lifted leaving the loops I6 'elevated. When this operation is going on member I8 is punching a series of holes for the folof eight loops a series of pins or hooks I3 shown at B in Fig'. 1.

The tape I and the attened loops I6 are then advanced a further andiinal step to position C in which two thin ribbons 4 of plasticized paper or other suitable insulating material are applied one to each surface of the tape I to hold the wires 2 and loops I6 in position. The assembly then passes between two rollers I4 where the ribbons 4 are firmly attached to the tape I by heat or pressure or both.

It will be appreciated that all the various stages of operation may be simultaneously carried out after each forward movement of the assembled ribbon. Moreover the loops may be formed and flattened against the stripfwhilst the assembly is in the same position. A

Semi-circular indentatlons I5 in the edge of the tape are spaced to register with corresponding grooves in the base of the terminal bank and may be automatically punched out during the manufacture of the ribbonv cable.

The cable may be cut into sections of suitable length and placed in flat trays without being rolled. The construction of the cable permits cutting between patterns without fear of causing short-circuits. The wire should be of a gauge as small as possible consistent with the required mechanical strength and should be suitable for effecting electrical connection with the terminals by welding or soldering.

Since, in practice, the distance between patterns or a series of patterns will vary, it is necessary that the space between patterns be adjustable. This may be carried out in the manufacture of the cable by displacing the punch block l and base plate 8 the required additional distance to the right as necessary, as for example by means of suitable cam-controlled mechanism.

What I claim is:

1. The method of fabricating ribbon cable for a telecommunication system which comprises feeding lengthwise thereof a continuous strip of insulating material having a series of holes in spaced relation and aligned lengthwise of said strip, delivering a continuous length of bare conductor wire so as to extend along a face of said strip lengthwise thereof in register with said holes, projecting portions of said continuous wire through said holes one after the other to form successive loops in said Wire at the opposite face of said strip, laying said loops in flat relation to said opposite face of said strip and extending transversely of the length of the strip, and fastening said loops imposition on said 4face of the strip.

2. The method of fabricating ribbon cable for terminal banks in a telecommunication system which comprises punching a set of holes in a strip of insulating material in spaced relation transversely of the length of the strip, extending a plurality of continuous lengths of bare conductor wires .along a face of said strip lengthwise thereof in spaced parallel relation to each other and respectively in register with said holes, projecting portions of said'continuous Wires through the respective holes to form loops of said wires at the opposite face of said strip, laying said loops in flat relation to said opposite face of said strip with the loops of the respective wires extending transversely of the strip in spaced relation to each other, and fastening upon said strip and looped Wire assembly a strip of insulating material extending along the length thereof to provide an insulating covering for said loops.

3. The method of fabricating ribbon cable for terminal banks in a telecommunication system which comprises punching holes in a strip of insulating material in spaced relation in a row extending diagonally of the length of said strip, extending parallel to the length of the strip along a face thereof a plurality of'continuous lengths oi.' bare conductor wires in spaced relation to each other and respectively in line with and spanning said holes, pressing upon the portions o! the respective wires which span said holes to form loops of said wires projecting from said holes at the opposite face of said strip, and laying said loops upon said opposite face of the strip in parallel relation to each other and extending transversely oi the length of the strip, said pressing step being effective to produce lengths of the respective loops which are sufiicient when laid upon said opposite face to extend beyond the edge of said strip.

4. A continuous process for the manufacture of multiple-conductor ribbon cable suitable for use in switch terminal banks of automatic telecommunication systems which includes feeding a continuous thin fiat strip of insulating material in intermittent advancing movements, forming at a first station a set of perforations in said strip spaced from` each other transversely of the strip, delivering a plurality of continuous bare electrical conductors into contact with one face of said strip so that they extend lengthwise thereof in spaced relation transversely of said strip with each conductor spanning one of said perforations,

' projecting at a second station the portions of said conductors which span said perforatlons through the respective perforations to form loops of conductor extending beyond the opposite face of said strip at right angles thereto, laying said loops upon the opposite face of said strip so that they lie parallel to each other transversely of said strip and extend slightly Vbeyond one edge of said strip, feeding a ribbon of insulating material into contact with each of the faces of said conductor-strip assembly and, at a nal station, combining said ribbons with said conductor-strip assembly under pressure, said perforating, projecting and laying operations occurring simultaneously, at their respective stations, between successive advancing movements of the strip.

GERALD DEAKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of `record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 782,391 Hanson Feb. 14, 1905 1,257,394 R'eynolds Feb. 26, 1918 1,127,741 Dixon A Feb, 9, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 235,072 Great Britain June 11, 1925

Images