GB1135185A - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of complex multi-conductor preformed wiring harnesses - Google Patents

Abstract

1,135,185. Work table. AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE & ELECTRIC CO. Ltd. 4 July, 1966 [23 June, 1965], No. 26482/65. Heading B4X. Apparatus for controlling the manufacture of electrical multi-conductor preformed cable forms comprises a base 1 having an array of illuminable pins 2 on one face thereof, control equipment responsive to programmed information for successively selecting the same or a different plurality of pins for illumination so as to provide, when selected pins are illuminated, successive visual indications of the paths to be followed by the wires for successive runs of the cable form and means operable by an operator for controlling the operation of the said control equipment. The pins 2 each consist of a hollow metal tube having a light-transmitting core of transparent plastics material at one end, the other end of the core being secured in a recess in the board 1 and individual electric lamps being located at the rear of the board one in each recess. Arrangements are provided for flashing the lamp associated with the pin from which a run begins and also the lamp associated with the pin at which the run ends. The cable board 1 includes a number of push buttons and key switches mounted on control panels 3, 4 at each end of the board for use by the operator. A control panel 5 mounted at the top of the board includes signal lamps such as 5A and key switches such as 5B for conditioning the automatic control equipment and for providing supervisory signals in the form of lamp indications for the operator. At the bottom of the board are two sets of holes 6, 7 through which the coloured coded wires used are threaded from individual wire reservoirs mounted behind the board 1. Mounted above each wire hole 6, 7 is an associated wire colour-indicating lamp such as LC. The display lamps associated with each cable pin 2 are individually connected on one side to sockets by way of a cable 7 on a large multi-socket field on an associated control equipment 8 and on the other side to a common source of electrical supply, similar connections being provided for the wire colour indicating lamps LC. The outputs from the control equipment are connected to individual sockets in the multi-socket field. The control equipment is arranged to operate in steps under control of uni-selectors activated by the operator's step key to provide outputs on selected sockets for each step. The connection between the control equipment sockets and the cable pin display lamps is effected by the insertion of one or more preprogrammed plug units 9, 10 into the socket unit mounted on the control equipment 8, the plug or plugs being appropriate to the cable form required. Each step of the cable-form programme indicates the colour of the wires to be used and the configuration of the wire run required. Keys KFA and KFB provide the facility of reversing the connections on the relevant pins so that both "left hand" and "righthand" cable forms may be produced for mounting on double-sided racks. The programme seequence may be controlled instead by a punched tape.