US2610607A

US2610607A - Device for color coding insulated conductors

Info

Publication number: US2610607A
Application number: US106825A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans D Isenberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-07-26
Filing date: 1949-07-26
Publication date: 1952-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-16

Description

Sept. 16, 1952 H. D. ISENBERG DEVICE FOR COLOR CODING INSULATED CONDUCTORS 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 26, 1949 COVER EXTRUDING INVENTOR. H4115 D. [serzbcry !I 8% may;

mm 3 m NW ma W I H. D. ISENBERG DEVICE FOR COLOR CODING INSULATED CONDUCTOR-S Sept. l6, 1952 Flled July 26 1949 Patented Sept. 16,- 1952 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'DEVIGE'FOR canon CODING INSULATED CGNDUCTORS ,Hans- D. Isenberg, Wilmette, Ill. AppllcationsJulyzfi; 1949', Serial No. 106,825

iaclaims. (o1..r1=8-4.12)

l hepresent invention relates to apparatus'for makinginsulated conductors and morep'articrularlyto an improved device for :forming coded stripes; on an insulated. conductor.

Color coding. of insulated conductors to facil itate: circuit. wiring operations is well. known; Onegof mostncommon. methods; of .color codingv insulated conductors. is that; or: using. differently coloredmateri'al', such, for;example,,.as. varnished.

cambrics, or. cotton braids oi'difierent; colors; as the-outer insulating .coveringsior the conductors. However. when. certain; types; or insulating; ma;- terials sucht .for example; as thermoplastic: ma.- ter als,. are; used. to. form the outer insulating: coverings "forthaconducton, thismethodof. color. coding is; not economically feasible. 'Moreoyer, the. wiring; procedures. vemploweclin. certain in dustrieszrequire. more elaboratecolor coding than isyprovided merely by solid. color identification of, conductors having; given .eleetricalpharacteristics;v

hccordingl l. it ispan object of: the present; in-.-.

' to produce a plurality of displaced spiral stripes.

of. diiferent colorsan the outer surface: 'ofa continuouslyqmoving insulated conductor andwhich is readilgradiustable to form. different. colored stripe combinations. and. is readily adaptable; for use. in color coding insulated. conductors having;

difierentoutside.diameters.:-

5 1 I Itisasstill. further object:- of-x the-inventionxiftoprovide a device of. the. character-1 describedwhiclr.

also assists informing thermoplastic. insulating materialinto' conductor coverin s of: uniform: diameteriand wall. thickness. incident. to. formation.

of: .OOIOI'ZOOGES on. the: surfaces: oi: the conductor.

coverings;

still another object. or the-.inventionitd provideadevice of the character described which,

simple in construction andjarrangement-and.

fully automatic in operation.

The invention, both as to its organization and methodof operation; together with further objfectsiand advantages thereof, will best be understood -hy reference to the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates assegment of an insulatedlconductor having spirally arranged stripes of different'colors incorporated in the insulating ma-- terial thereof through use of the proved color coding device;

- 2.: diagrammatically illustrates apparatus, including the/present improved. color c'oding'detvice,. for forming the insulated cable shown in present im- Fig.3. is .a. sectional view of the present im proved devicepfor' forming the coding stripes of difierent colors on the insulation of the insulated conductor. shown inFig. 1;

-1Eig 4; isa n end view-0f. a bushing; forming one:

of; the components ofthe device shown in Fig. 3:;

Fig. 5- is. a. side view of. the bushing shcwnin 'Fig. 6 is asectional view taken along'the lines 6-6 in Fig. 5;, and V si n is an. end View a the rotatable head. embodied: in the color coding device shown in.

Fig, 3.. I

Referri-nghow to the drawings and more par-- ticularly to Fig. 1 thereof, theinsulated conductor [0. there. illustrated is formed. by the apparatus. shown; in Fig. 2. and color coded by the. device.

embodied inthe apparatus of Fig. 2 andshown more particularly in Figs-3 to 'l, inclusive. This insulated conductor comprises a central stranded conductor. lil. having extruded thereon an insulating covering. consisting of a thermoplastic insulating material, suclnfor example, as. polyethylene, nylon or one of the polyvinyl chloride. plastic materials. .For identification purposes,

the insulated conductor 10 has. vfour colored spiral stripes 13, 1'4, 1'5 and I6 o'f difierentcoldrsimpregnated in the insulating cover l2 thereof". One of these stripes. i. e, the stripe. l3} has, a width substantially greater than the width of each ofthe other three stripes: This stripe is known as the master stripe, whereas; the three narrower'stripes M iii-and I6 of uniform width areknown as the ancillary stripes; For insulated, conductors adapted fordifierent uses or having;

different! electrical characteristics, the" wide or master stripe" 3 mayhavediiferent colors, with corresponding changes in the colors of'the ancil- .lary stripes l4,- l'5 'andl,6; Referring now morep'articulariy to Fig-;'2"of the drawings, the apparatus there illustrated for forming the insulated cable I comprises a cover extruding unit H, the present improved color coding device I8 and a cooling unit [9 arranged to operate in tandem in the order named. In the illustrated arrangement of the apparatus, the color coding device I8 is provided with a rotatable head Ida which is rotated about the cable l0 and with a mounting pedestal I8b which is employed to mount the device on the conductor exit end of the cover extruding unit ll. The cover extruding unit may be of any desired commercial type capable of extruding a uniform layer of thermoplastic insulating material upon a solid conductor or a stranded conductor in a semiplastic state and forming the insulating material into a cover of the desired thickness and diameter. A bare conductor II in the form of single strand wire or multi-strand cable is fed to the cover extruding unit H from a supply spool 29 over idler pulleys 2!, 22, 23 and 24 which are utilized to change the direction of movement of the conductor. For the purpose of rotating the rotatable head [8a of the color coding device I8 about the insulated conductor It as it exits from the extruding unit II, this head is provided with a drive pulley I80 around which the conductor I I is wrapped as it travels between the two idler pulleys 2I and 22. Upon exiting from the cooling unit I9, the insulated cable I0 is spooled on a take-up spool 25.

'In considering the operation of the above-described apparatus to form the insulated conductor I8, it will be understood that the take-up spool 25 is driven from suitable drive means, not shown, through a slip clutch, and that the supply spool 20 is frictionally braked to impede its rotation so that the conductor II is maintained under tension between the supply and take-up spools continuously during its travel through the apparatus between these two spools. As the bare conductor passes through the extruding unit I'I, thethermoplastic cover forming material is extruded onto this conductor and formed to produce an insulating wall of the desired thickness on the conductor. As the insulated cable I0 thus formed exits from the cover extruding unit I! the insulating material extruded thereon remains in a semiplastic state. Upon exiting from the cover extruding unit I7, the insulated conductor passes through the color coding device I8. In this device, the head I8a is rotated about the cable in through the driving action supplied by movement of the bare conductor II around the driving pulley 180. Thus the head 18a is rotated to produce the-diiferently colored spiral stripes I4, l5 and I6 in the surface layer of the insulating covering I2 in the manner more fully explained below. After exiting from the color coding device it the finished cable is run through the cooling unit I9 to complete the thermoplastic setting operation, following which it is spooled for shipment on the take-up spool 25. V

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 to '7, inclusive, of the drawings, the present improved color coding device I8 is there illustrated as comprising the supporting pedestal I8b, the rotatable head I8a and the driving Pulley I80, all referred to inthe preceding paragraph. In the arrangement illustrated, the pedestal [8b is used to mount the device upon the exit end of the cover extruding unit I'I. It will be understood, how-- ever, that this device may be separately supported independently of the cover extruding unit so as to be physically divorced from the other components of the cable forming apparatus. As best shown in Fig. 3, the rotatable head I311, comprises a central body member 26 having a hollow shaft portion 21 extending outwardly from the center thereof which is journaled for rotation upon a bearing extension 28 of the pedestal I8b by means of ball bearings 29.

In order to provide angularly spaced reservoirs within the central body member 26 for receiving the colored plastic materials used in forming the spiral stripes I3 to I6, inclusive, on the cable It], this member is bored radially inward from the peripheral edge thereof to the center thereof at four equally spaced points around its periphery in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and '7 of the drawings. Four plastic

material receiving reservoirs

33a, 30b, 30c and 30d for respectively receiving and holding dilferently colored plastic materials are thus formed in the part 26. It will be understood that as many such reservoirs may be provided as are required for th formation of a particular number of coding stripes on the cable I6. The inner ends of the

reservoirs

30a, 30b, 30c and 30d each communicate with an axially centered opening 3! through the member 36 within which a bushing 32 is detachably mounted;

The bushing 32 has a central opening 33 extending axially thereof through which the cable It passes in traversing the device I8 and is also provided with four circumferentially spaced ports or

channels

34a, 34b, 34c and 34d through the wall thereof which communicate with the inner ends of the

reservoirs

30a, 30b, 30c and 30d to transmit the colored plastic materials from these reservoirs to the surface of the insulating covering I2 as the cable I0 passes through the central opening 33. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the

ports

34b, 34c and 34d, are utilized informing the ancillary'stripes I4, I5 and I6. For th purpose of detachably mounting the bushing 32 in the member 26 with the master stripe forming port 3441 in registry with the opening into a desired one of the four

reservoirs

30a, 30b, 30c and 30d and with the three

other ports

34b, 34c and 34d respectively in registry with the openings into the other three reservoirs, the bushing 32 is provided with a squared end portion 35 which seats Within a squared opening formed in an internal flange 36 in the member 26. It will be understood that the squared end portion 35 of the bushing 32 is adapted to enter the squared opening in the flange 36 in any one of four right"- angularly displaced settings of the bushing 32 relative to the member 26. A cap 31 threaded 3017,3110 and-30d under pressure and of forcing,

the materials through the

ports

34a, 34b, 34c, 34d onto the surface of the insulated conductor l0, each reservoir is closed-at the outer end by a spring pressed piston which may be removable therefrom to permit refilling of the reservoir as required. Thus the outer end of the reservoir 30a is closed by a piston 38a whichlis springloaded by. means of a spiralspring 39a interposed between the pistonanda closure cap 40a threaded into the outer end of the reservoir barrel. responding components 380, 39c and 400 are .utilized to close the reservoir 30c and to maintain the plastic material deposited in this reservoir under pressure. f.

Cor-

2. Apparatus for forming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor, comprising means definin areservoir for the coding material, a bushing having a central opening of fixed size'adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, said bushinghaving a stripe forming port through the wall thereof for transmitting the coding material from said reservoir to the surface of said insulated conductor, means for moving said insulating conductor through said opening, and means for rotating said reservoir and said bushing about said insulated conductor as said insulated conductor traverses said central openinggthereby to form a spiral stripe along the surface of said conductor. r 3. Apparatus for forming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor, comprising means defining a reservoir for the coding material, a bushing having'a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, said bushing having a stripe forming port through the wall thereof for transmitting the coding materialffrom said reservoir to the surface or said insulated conductor, means for pulling said insulated conductor through the central opening of said bushing, and means for rotating said reservoir and bushing about said insulated conductor at an angular speed which is directly related to the linear speed of said insulated conductor through said bushing, thereby to form a spiral stripe on the surface of said insulated conductor.

4. Apparatus for forming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor, comprising means defining a reservoir for the coding material, a bushing having a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, said bushing having a stripe forming port through the wall thereof for transmitting the coding material from said reservoir to the surface of said insulated conductor, means for pulling said insulated conductor through the central opening of said bushing, and means actuated by linear movement of said conductor for rotating said reservoir and bushing about said insulated conductor at an angular speed which is directly related to the linear speed of said insulated conductor through said bushing, thereby to form a spiral stripe on the surface of said insulated conductor..

5. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a'striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of different colors, and a bushing carried'by said headand provided with a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof each communicating with a different one of said reservoirs for transmitting the coding materials from, said reservoirs to the surface of said'insulated conductor. 7

6; A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor,- comprising a rotatable striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of different colors, a bushing carried by said head and; provided with a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed bysaid insulated conductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through-the wall materials from said reservoirs to the'surface of said'insulated conductor, and means for rotating said headabout said insulated conductor.

7. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials'of different colors, a bushing carried by said head and provided with a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof each communicating with a different one of said reservoirs for transmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulated conductor, and means actuated by movement of said conductor'for-rotating said head about said insulated conductor at an angular speed directly related to the linear speed of said conductor through the. central opening of said bushing, thereby to form differ ently colored spiral stripes on the surface of said insulated conductor;

8. A device for forming difierently. colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with a plurality ofangularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of different colors, a bushing provided with a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof and respectively communicating with said reservoirs for transmittin the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulated conductor, and means for detachably mounting said bushing on said head with said ports communicating with said reservoirs.

9. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of difierent colors, a bushing provided with a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, and having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof and respectively communicating with said reservoirs for transmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulated conductor, means for detachably mounting said bushing on said head with said ports communicating with said reservoirs, and means for rotating said head about said insulated conductor,

thereby to form differently colored spiral stripes ductor and having angularly displaced stripe I forming ports through. thejwall thereof each communicating with a difierent one of said res ervoirs for transmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surfaceof .said insulated conductoiy'means for detachablymounting said bushing on saidhead'with-saidports communicating with said reservoirs, and means actuated by movement of said conductor for rotating said head about said insulated conductors at an angular'speed directly related to the linear speed of said conductor through the central opening of said bushing, thereby to form diiferently col'ored spiralstripes son :the surface'io'fsaid insulatedzc"onductor.,-- v

- 11.1 A: device for iforming: differently cclored coding f stripes :on an iinsul'ated': conductor, com-' prising a striping: head-provided with a plurality of; angularly displaced reservoirs forco'ding materials of difierent I rcolors, a bushing provided with a central opening adapted to be' traversed by vsaid insulatedasconductor and having angula'rly displacedstripe forming Tp'orts' through. the wall. cthereo'f for transmitting the coding imaterials'z'fromsaid reservoirs t'o thesurface of said insulated conductorpat least one of said ports having a stripe forming dimension idifferentfrom the stripe forming dimensions of the other "ports,

andmeans for rfixedly 'm'ou'riting said bushing onsaid head 'in any one of aplurality of predetermined different positions wherein said one port communicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the other ports respectively communicate with the other reservoirs.

12'. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided with one port communicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the other ports respectively communicate with the other reservoirs, and means for rotating said head about said insulated conductor, thereby to form differently colored stripes on the surface of said insulated conductor. 1

13. A device for forming differently colored i coding stripes on an insulated conductor, commeans forming afp'a'rtho said cad-and operative to heat said thermoplastic codingjmaterials to a plastic state; closure meansi'for'said reservoirs including spring l'oaded pistons for maintaining the plastic coding materials'under pressure, a

' bushing provided with a '-centralfopenin --9; apted tachably mountingl said bushing on said head,

prising a rotatable striping head provided with l a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of difierent colors; a bushing provided with a central opening adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof for transmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulated conductor, at least one of said ports having a stripe forming dimension difierent from the stripe forming dimensions of the other ports, means for fixedly mounting said bushing on said head in any one of a plurality of predetermined different positions wherein said one port communicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the other ports respectively communicate with the other reservoirs, and means actuated by movement of said conductor for rotating said head about said insulated conductor at an angular speed directly related to the linear speed of said conductor through the central opening of said bushing, thereby to form differently colored spiral stripes on the surface of said insulated conductor.

14. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes. on an insulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for thermoplastic coding materials of different colors, heating to be traversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly'displaced stripe forming ports through the wall. thereof forextruding the coding materials from said reservoirs onto the surface of 3 said insulated I conductor as 'said conductor traverses the central opening through's'aidbush ing, and means for detachably" mounting said bushing on saidhead with saidpo'rts communi-- cating with said reservoirs.v

15. A device 'for forming differently colored codin stripes on'an insulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced "reservoirs for thermos plastic coding materials of different colors,v e1ectric heating elements "disposed on'e'ither side of said head thereof for 'heatingsaid(thermoplastic coding materials to a"'plastic state, closure means for said're'servoirs includingtsprin'gjlo'aded pistons for maintaining the plastic icoding materials, un-

der pressure' a bliSllillgQl'OVidEdfWith"a. central opening adapted to be traversed b'y'insiilated con ductor and having angularly displaced stripe forming ports thro'ugh the. wan-thereof for 9X4 truding; the plastic coding "materials, from, said reservoirs onto the surface of said insulated conductor assaid' conductor traverses the central opening through said bushing, 'and'meansfor dewi'th saidport's communicating with said reservoirs.

16. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on an insulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with a plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for thermoplastic coding materials of different colors, electric heating elements disposed on either side of said head for heating said thermoplastic coding materials to a plastic state, closure means for said reservoirs including spring loaded pistons for maintaining the plastic coding materials under pressure, a bushing'provided with a central opening adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof for extruding the plastic materials from said reservoirs onto the surface of said insulated conductor, at least one of said ports having a stripe forming dimension different from the stripe forming dimensions of the other ports, and means for fixedly mounting said bushing on said head in any one of a plurality of predetermined diiferent positions whereinsaid one port communicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the other heating elements disposed on either sideof said head for heating said thermoplastic coding materials to a plastic state, closure means for said reservoirs including spring loaded pistons for maintaining the plastic coding materials under pressure, a bushing provided with a central opening adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly displaced stripe V forming ports through the wall thereof for ex- 11 truding the plastic materials from said reservoir onto the surface of said insulated conductor, at least one of said ports havinga stripe forming dimension different from; the stripe forming dimensions of the other ports, means for, fixedly,

through the central opening of said bushing,

thereby to form differently colored spiral stripes on thesurface of said insulatedconductor.

18. Appar'atus for forming a, color coded insulating covering on an electrical conductor which conductor has a covering of thermoplastic insulating material extruded thereon, abushing having a central opening adapted to be traversed by said covered conductor while the material is in a plastic state and provided with central opening walls whichassist in forming the thermoplastic insulating material mma' covering before the material sets, said bushing having a stripe forming port through the wall thereof for transmitting colored coding material to the surface of said covering,. and means for extruding color coding material onto the surface of said covering through said port while said thermoplastic insulating material is in said bushing and before said thermoplastic material has set.

19.'Apparatus for forming a color coded insulating covering on an electrical conductor,

which conductor has a covering of thermoplastic insulating material extruded thereon, abushing having a central opening adapted to 'be traversed by saidcovered conductor whilesaid material is in a plastic. state and providedwithcentral opening walls which assist informing the thermoplastic insulating material into a covering before the material sets, said bushinghaving a stripe formingport through the wall thereof for trans-' mitting colored coding materialto the surface of said covering, means for extruding color coding material onto the surface of said covering through said port while said-thermoplastic insulating material is within said. bushing'and'b'e fore said thermoplastic insulating material has set, and means for rotating'saidbushing about said conductor, whereby said port traces a, helical path around said conductor as said 'conduc'tor traverses the central opening of said bushing.

' HANS. D. 'ISENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of-this patent: V

UNITED STATES 'PA'I'ENTS Number 7 Name Date I 293,095 Sawyer Feb. 5, 1884 1,501,764 Flint July 15, 1924 2,126,810 Pugh Aug. 16, 1 938 2,366,944 7 Veit Jan. 9, 1945 2,370,314 Jenner Feb. 27, 1945 2,380,422 Frank July 31', 1945 2,429,915 Bell Oct.28, 1947 2,474,088 1949 Brown June 21,