US2548206A - Loading coil terminal - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1951 E. L. DROM 2,548,206

LOADING COIL TERMINAL Filed Dec. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fill [N708 E L. DRUM ATTOR/Vfy April 10, 1951 DROM 2,548,206

LOADING COIL TERMINAL Filed Dec. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IAN 17701? Patented Apr. 10, 1951 LOADING con. TERMINAL Edwin L. Drom, Brookfield, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 20, 1946, Serial No. 717,527

14 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical devices and more particularly to loading coils and associated terminal supports and to a method of making the same.

When connecting coils wound of fine wire into electrical circuits, it is necessary to devise a means of connecting the fine wire electrically to the relatively heavier connecting wires of a circuit without straining the fine wire or breaking it. In many types of mounted transformers and coils the ends of the coils are soldered to permanent terminals secured to insulatin strips fastened to the coil mountings or to containers in which the coils are disposed.

In the manufacture of dowel-mounted toroidal loading coil assembliesdisclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of E. J. Crane and R. P. Cross, Jr., Serial No. 717,526, filed December 20, 1946, and which are to be used in splice loaded telephone cables, an important consideration is the reduction in the bulk of the loading unit that is to be sheathed in the cable. All the known practical methods of coil end connection to telez around the block, the spaced-apart relation being maintained by the specially placed grooves in the block. The turn of the pair of wire is continued to permit the wires to again cross the surface of the washer in a definite spaced-apart relation after which another insulating washer is placed directly over the first one, thereby sandwiching the wires between, them. Heatand pressure are then applied to form a solid Washer, having lead wires radiating therefrom.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accom:

' panying drawings, in which phone lines involve the fastening of a coil end to a I terminal located on some type of terminal support and then securing the telephone line to the terminal, a time wasting process involving a bulky double connection on eachterminal.

Objects of this invention are to provide a new and efiicient terminal support and connection for electrical devices and a method of making the same.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a toroidal coil is provided having a terminal support formed from a pair of fibrous washers impregnated with a thermosetting insulating compound between which washers insulated wire leads are placed, the whole then being pressed together between hot plates so that the two washers will adhere to each other trapping the wire leads therebetween. This forms a composite washer having insulated wires radiating Fig. l is an illustration of a dowel-mounted toroidal coil loading unit in which one embodiment of the invention is used;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the loading coil unit shown in Fig. 1 and taken on the line 22 of that figure;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the loading coil unit taken on the line 3-'-3 of Fig. 2 to illustrate in more detail the spacer and washer arrangement between adjacent coils;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the fragmentary portion shown in Fig. 3 and taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows the spaced-apart portion of a "pair of telephone lines;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the assembling fixture showing the first washer in place and the spacedapart portion of the telephone lines wrapped around the assembling fixture; v

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the fixture shown in Fig. 6 and showing in detail the grooves for guiding the wire;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the fixture shown in Fig. 6 showing the two washers with the conductors interposed therebetween being conipressed between the fixture and the upper block; and

Fig. 9 shows the invention embodied in a terminal supporting washer.

As shown in the drawings -(Fig. 1) one embodiment of the invention comprises a terminal supporting washer 29 made of insulating material, which has embedded therein portions of four insulated electrical conductors 2|, 22, 23 and 24, which are cut from a pair of conductors 25 and 26 (Fig. 5) as hereinafter described. One end of each conductor'is cut short near the periphery of the washer to form stub terminals 30, 3!, 32 and 33 to which coil ends may be soldered. The combination of this terminal support and its associated toroidal coil is especially useful in the construction of dowel-mounted toroidal loading coil units of a type shown generally at 3 (Fig. 1). Since these loading units are to be spliced and fitted directly into cables, it is imperative that all components be as small and compact as possible to adequately control the bulk of the entire unit.

The loading unit 3 comprises a plurality of toroidal coils 35 wound on annular cores 36 and mounted on a dowel 45, each of said coils usually having two windings of relatively thin wire. The coils are separated by insulating spacers H and iron washers 42 (Figs. 3 and 4). Each terminal supporting washer 20 is spaced from its associated coil first by an iron washer and then by an insulating spacer 4! between the iron washer 42 and the coil 35. The ends 43 of the relatively thin coil windings are soldered to the relatively heavy stub terminals 30, 3|, 32 and 33. The other ends of the conductors 2!, 22, 23 and 24 are brought out at the ends of the loading coil unit 34, as shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of this terminal washer 29 are readily apparent. the conductors 2 l, 22, 23 and 24 will stand a substantial amount of abuse without in any way aiTecting the connection between the stub terminals and the ends of the coil windings which are of relatively thin wire. Another advantage is that the connecting' lead and the stub terminal are the same conductor thus eliminating one connection and requiring only the soldered connection between the stub terminal and the coil end. It will be remembered that other types of terminals are originally separate from both the coil end and the lead thereto, both of which must be soldered to the terminal. another advantage is the flexibility of the terminal stub which is conducive to space saving.

Loading coils are usually provided with two windings to load both sides of a telephone line, each coil being in series with one of the lines. In connectinga set of loading coils into line, it is obviously important that the lines be connected to the proper coil ends to prevent the coils from being connected across the line instead of in series with the line. It is customary to colorcode lines for identification purposes. For exmay be white and the insulation on the other line of the pair may be striped. In order to load the lines, the white line is broken and one winding of a loading coil is connected in series to the two open ends of the white line. The striped line is also cut and another coil connected in series with the open ends of that line. It will be apparent that if the insulation on the conductors 23 and 2| of the washer 20 are white in color it will greatly aid and facilitate the connection into the white telephone line of that winding of the loa ing coil which is connected to terminal stubs 30 and 33. The other two conductors 22 and 24 are striped to aid in connecting into the striped line the coil winding that is connected to the terminal stubs 3| and 32. The following method of forming a terminal supporting washer will ensure that the coil ends will be connected to the proper terminal stubs.

A circular washer 44 made from a fibrous in sulating material and impregnated with an insulating material, preferably a thermo-setting material, is placed on a guide pin 45 mounted on the lower block Mi of the a sembling fixture 4?. which guide block has grooves 5i], 5!, 52, 53, 54 and 55 formed in the top, and grooves 65 and 5! Still 4 4 along their length with an acetate bonding ma terial, and which may be color-coded white and white striped with red are spread apart for a substantial distance intermediate their ends (Fig. 5) and are laid across the washer 45 on the block 46 in the manner shown in Fig. 6 so that a part of the bonded pair up to a point of divergence 62 lies in the groove 56; The conductors begin to diverge at the rim of the washer M. and, passing over a portion of the washer, the individual conductors are laid in the grooves 55 and 55, the white in groove 55 and the striped in groove 54. The spread apart conductors are then wrapped around the block 55, the white following and being disposed in the groove 6! and the striped in the groove 50. As the conductors are brought up around the other side of the block,

ample, the insulation on one line of a pair of lines ductors 25 and 26 which may be bonded together the white is laid in the groove 5! and the striped into groove 52, and both conductors are again laid across the washer converging at a point 53 which is just outside the rim of the washer M where the bonded pair of conductors are then laid in the groove 53.

It will be seen that this method of locating the wire forces the operator to maintain a definite spaced-apart relation and will invariably end with the conductors lying in a predetermined required position. Next, another washer 65 similar to washer 44 is placed on the pin 15 to form a sandwich with the conductors between the two washers. An upper block 65 of the assembly fixture 41 provided with spacers ill and ll is placed over the washer and the whole assemblage is placed between the heated platens of a press (not shown) which are pressed together thereby forcing the blocks 56 and 65 together, the meeting of the blocks beinglimited by the spacers it and H. Sufiicient heat and pressure are applied to soften the impregnant in the washers to provide enough flow to encompass the conductors and form a composite molded washer having wires. radiating therefrom. The conductors are cut at points 12, l3, l4 and 15 and skinned to the rim of the washer thereby forming terminal stubs. The other ends of the conductors may be used to splice the loading coils to the wires of a cable.

What is claimed is:

l. A terminal support for annular shaped electrical devices, said devices having a plurality of peripherally extending terminal leads comprising an annular member made of insulating material of a diameter the same as that of the device and a plurality of conductors embedded in said member and extending from its peripheral edge, one end of each of said conductors forming stub terminals for connection to the terminal leads of the device.

2. A terminal support for annular shaped electrical devices, said devices having a plurality of peripherally extending terminal leads comprising a washer made of insulating material of a diameter the same as that of the device and a plurality of conductors embedded in said washer and having their ends extending from the peripheral edge of the washer for connection to the terminal leads of the device.

3. A terminal support for annular shaped electrical devices, said devices having a plurality of peripherally extending terminal leads comprising a washer made of fibrous material impregnated with an insulating compound of a diameter the same as that of the device and a plurality of conductors embedded in said washer and having their ends extending from the peripheral edge of the washer for c'onnectionto the terminal leads of the device.

4. A'termin'al support for annular shaped electrical devices, said devices having a plurality of peripherally extending terminal .leads comprising an annular wafer made of insulating material, a second annular wafer similar to and bonded to said first Wafer, said wafers having diameters the same as that of the device, and a wire interposed between said wafers, the ends of said wire extending from the peripheral edges of said wafers for connection to the terminal leads of the=device.

5. A terminal supportforannular shaped'electrical devices, said devices having a pluralit -of peripherally extending terminal :leads comprising a washer made of insulating material, a second washer similar to and'bonded to said washer, said washers, having diameters the same as that of the device, and a wire interposed between said washers, the ends of said wire extending from the peripheries of said Washers for connection to the terminal leads of the device.

6. A terminating element fo an annular shaped loading coil, said coil having a plurality of peripherally extending terminal leads comprising a pair of annular wafers of insulating material adhered one to the other, said wafers having diameters the same as that of the coil and a pai of relatively heavy wires out to form two pair of terminal ends placed between the wafers before they are adhered one to the other with the terminal ends extending from the peripheral edges of the wafers for connection to the terminal leads of a loading coil and with the othe ends of the pair of wires extending from the peripheral edges of the wafers for attachment to a line to be loaded.

7. A method of making a terminal support comprising placing a washer made of insulating material on a die block, winding a plurality of spaced apart conductors around said die block and washer and in engagement with the washer while maintaining the conductors in spacedapart relation, maintaining the spaced apart relation for a complete turn to form opposed loops, placing a second insulating washer directly over said first washer and on top of said conductors, forcing the two washers together under sufficient heat and pressure to cause the insulating material to flow and encompass said conductors to imbed them in the structure formed by the washers, and cutting the loops to form a composite unit having conductors extending therefrom.

8. A method of forming a terminal support comprising laying a plurality of conductors in spaced apart relation across a Washer formed from insulating material and in engagement therewith, bringing said plurality of conductors in a loop underneath said washer and in engagement therewith all the while maintaining said spaced apart relation, turning said pair. of conductors upward and again laying them across said washer in a loop, placing another similar washer over said first washer to sandwich said conductors therebetween, compressing the assemblage at a sufficient pressure and the necessary temperature to cause said insulating material to flow around said conductors to imbed them in the structure formed by the washers, and cutting the loops to form a composite washer having conductors extending therefrom.

9. A method of making a terminal mounting comprising separating for a predetermined portion along their length at a point intermediate of their ends a pair of insulated wires normally substantially joined along their entire length thereby forming a spaced apart portion of said predeter- 'minedporti'on, placing lone end -.ofr:said=;spaced apart portion -on top "of a wafer formed from thermo-setting material in such a way that one of the points of divergence of the wires lies at about the periphery of said wafer the'wires diverging from this point across the top of said wafer, wrapping said wires in a loop underneath said wafer to'maintain a spaced apart relationship between the wires in the loop,'looping across the top of said washer the remaining end of said spaced apart portion so that the wires converge across the top of said wafer to a point at about the periphery of said wafer, placing another similar wafer on top of the first wafer, the portion of the conductors lying across the top of the said first wafer thereby being interposed between said wafers, pressing said wafers together under sufficient heat and pressure'to cause said thermo-setting material to flow around said conductors and to thermo-set and cutting the loops thereby forming. a composite member having wires extending therefrom,

10. A method of making a terminal assembly for electrical devices comprising spreading apart a pair of bonded conductors for a predetermined length intermediate of their ends, placing one end of the spread apart portion of said conductors on top of a thermo-setting sheet, bringing the conductors in a loop around the bottom ofsaid sheet while maintaining a spaced relation between said conductors in said loop, looping the other end of said spread apart portion of, said conductors across another portion of the top of said sheet, placing another thermo-setting sheet over said first sheet so that the conductors will be interposed therebetween, pressing the two sheets together under suflicient heat and pressure to cause the material in said sheets to flow around said conductors and to thermo-set and cutting the loops thereby forming a composite structure having conductors leading therefrom.

11. The method of attaching paired conductors to an insulated terminal mounting which comprises providing a predetermined length of a pair of conductors, separating the two conductors at a point intermediate the ends of the length, placing them on top of a thermo-setting disc at the point where the pair of conductors diverge, maintaining a definite spacing between the conductors of the pair and looping them in spaced relation around the bottom of the disc, looping a second length of the same paired spaced apart conductors across and on top of anotherportion of the thermo-setting disc ad acent the point where they converge, applying sufiicient heat and pressure to coalesce the said discs with the conductor portions therebetween, and cutting the loops to form a composite disc with conductors extending therefrom.

12. A method of forming a terminal support comprising laying a plurality of conductors in spaced apart relation across and in engagement with a wafer of insulatin material, bringing said conductors in a loop under said wafer while maintaining them spaced apart and in engagement with the wafer, again looping the conductors across the top of and in engagement with said wafer, placing a second wafer of the same shape as the first wafer on the conductors on the first mentioned wafer, pressing the wafers together to embed the conductors therein, adhering the wafers together and cutting the loops.

13. A method of forming a terminal support comprising laying a plurality of looped conductors inspaced apart relation across and in engagement with a I wafer of insulating material, placing a second wafer of the sameshape as the first wafer on the conductors on the first mentioned wafer,

the looped portions of the conductors being ar- 5 ranged outside the peripheries of the washers, pressing the wafers together to embed the conductors therein, adhering the wafers together and cutting the loops.

14. A terminating element for toroidal coil windings comprising a washer having embedded therein a plurality of conductors, one end of each of said conductors extending from the edge of said washer and being connected to the ends of the windings of said coil, the other ends of said conductors extending from the edge of said washer for connection to wires of a cable to be loaded.

EDWIN L. DROM.

a I REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,099,480 Winter June 9, 191a 1,289,941 Shaw et a1 Dec. 31, 1918 1,587,813 Young June 8, 1926 1,675,419 Myers July 3, 1928 2,014,399 Sprague Sept. 17, 1935 2,079,697 Ranges May 11, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 861,229 France Oct. 22, 1940

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