US2729850A

US2729850A - Methods of and apparatus for making cast articles

Info

Publication number: US2729850A
Application number: US244810A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leonard S Dewees
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1951-09-01
Filing date: 1951-09-01
Publication date: 1956-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1973-01-10

Description

Jan. 10, 1956 L. s. DEWEES 2,729,850

METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST ARTICLES Filed Sept. 1, 1951 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm 1 i q I /Nl/EN7'OR L. S. DEWEES By ATTORNEY L. S. DEWEES Jan. 10, 1956 METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST ARTICLES Filed Sept. 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVE/VTOR L. 5. DE WE E .S

34 p ufi ww in ww WW up ww ATTORNEY L. S. DEW EES Jan. 10, 1956 METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 1, 1951 FIG. 8

Zig

FIG. 5

F IG. 9

INVENTOR L. S. 0 W555 ATTORNEY FIG 7 IIIIII Jan. 10, 1956 L. s. DEWEES 2,729,850

METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST ARTICLES Filed Sept. 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 //4 FIG. /0

nvvawron L. 5. DE WE [5 ATTORNEY United States Patent METHODS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST ARTICLES Leonard S. Dewees, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of N ew York Application September 1, 1951, Serial No. 244,810

9 Claims. (Cl. 18-5) This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for making cast articles, and particularly to methods of and apparatus for making cast cable terminals.

In the manufacture of certain types of cables terminals, a plurality of terminal elements are positioned within a plastic shell. The individual conductors of a cable stub are fanned out, the cable stub and the individual conductors are inserted in the shell, and the conductors are connected to the terminal elements. The shell is filled with a suitable curable resin, which surrounds the terminal elements and the portion of the cable stub within the shell, the entire assembly is heated to cure the resin, and the assembly finally is cooled to room temperature.

It is desirable to test the partial assembly at the stage where the conductors are secured to the terminal elements to make certain that all the joints therebetween are satisfactory. These several operations preferably are carried out with the shell held in a suitable fixture, but, in order to carry out such a test, the terminals should be insulated from the fixture. It has been found that elongated plastic shells suitable forthis purpose which have been filled with a resin tend to become distorted or Warped during the curing and cooling of the resin, and it is desirable to provide means for overcoming this tendency. Heretofore, no satisfactory apparatus has been available to hold such shells properly and to insulate the terminals thereof, and no suitable method had been provided to prevent distortion of the shells during the curing and cooling operations.

An object of the invention is to provide new and useful methods of and apparatus for making cast articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and useful methods of and apparatus for making cast cable terminals.

In occordance with certain features of the invention, there is provided an apparatus having means for engaging an elongated, normally shape-retaining article, and

means for flexing the article about a transverse axis. The apparatus may also be provided with means for insulating terminals carried by the article from the apparatus itself. In addition, the apparatus may be provided with means for preventing a resin from escaping through an aperture in the article.

One method illustrating certain features of the invention comprises applying to a shell, which tends to become distorted during a curing operation, a bending force in a direction opposite to that of the disorting force, introducing a curable resin into the shell, and curing the resin while maintaining the bending force on the shell.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a specific 2,729,850 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 ICC Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken along line 77 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2;

apparatus embodying the invention, when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus for making cast articles;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, side elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a reduced section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 10-40 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 11 is a reduced side elevation showing one of these apparatus stacked upon another like apparatus.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, in which is shown an apparatus for making molded cable terminals, the numeral 20 designates an elongated, rectangular base consisting of a pair of

longitudinal channels

21 and 22 and

cross bars

23 and 24. The

channels

21 and 22 preferably are made of aluminum to minimize their weight. Projecting from the left hand end of the frame 20, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, is a rectangular upright 27 having a cutout portion 28 (Fig. 9) therein, which permits the upright 27 to serve as a handle for lifting or moving the apparatus. Parellel to the upright 27 and adjacent to the right hand end of the frame 20 is a vertical, rectangular upright 30 having a cutout 31 (Fig. 4) formed therein so as to permit the upright 30 to serve as another handle for transporting the apparatus.

A vertical steel abutment 33 is provided between the

uprights

27 and 30 not far from the upright 30. The abutment 33 is provided with a shoulder 34 at the base thereof, and a groove 35 is formed in the face of the abutment adjacent to the shoulder 34.. The abutment 33 also is provided with two rectangular cutout portions 38 and 39 (Fig. 4), in the upper faces of which are formed semicircular notches 4i and 42. Latches 44 and 45 are pivotally mounted upon the abutment 33, and are provided with

semicircular notches

46 and 47 which are complementary to the

notches

41 and 42 in the abutment 33. When the latches 44 and 45 are swung into engagement with the abutment 33, they may be secured in place by

retainers

49 and 50, respectively. The

retainers

49 and 50 have vertical slots 52 and 53 (Figs. .1 and 4) formed therein through which

project thumb screws

57 and 58, which may be turned to secured the retainers 4? and 50 in any desired position.

Mounted in the upright 27 are a pair of threaded plungers 60 and 61, of identical construction. Since the plungers 60 and 61 are alike, only the plunger 61 will be described in detail. The construction of the plunger 61 is shown in Fig. 3, from which it will be apparent that the plunger is provided with a single, long pitch thread 62 of short length. An operating handle 65 is secured 1 on the outer end of the plunger 61, and the inner end thereof is provided with a hardened insert 67 having a frustoconical tip 68 thereon. The plunger 61 extends through a sleeve 70 positioned in an aperture 71 in the upright 27. The sleeve 71 is provided with a bore 73, through which projects a pin 74 having a rounded end designed to fit in the thread 62.

Positioned transversely of the frame 20 is a horizontal steel support bar 77, the top surface of which is at the same level as the top surface of the shoulder 34, as shown in Fig. 2. Intermediate the abutment 33 and the support bar 77 is a transverse block 7 8, the upper surface of which is below the upper surfaces of the shoulder 34 and the supportbar 77. The block 78 is made of phenol fabric (fabric impregnated with a phenol-formaldehyde type resin), or other suitable electrical insulating material.

Engaging the groove 35 in the abutment 33 and the support bar 77 are a pair 'of'article-supporting steel plates 81 and 82, to which elongated, box-like, plastic shells 84 and 85- maybe secured, in order that further manufacturing operations may be performed with respect to the shells, Sincethe plates 81 and 82 are identical in construction, only the plate 82 will be described in detail. The plate 82 is provided with two longitudinal grooves 88 and 89 (Fig. 6), through the bottoms of which are formed a plurality of keyhole slots 91-91 and 92-92, respectively.

Secured to the bottoms of the metal plates 81 and 82 are insulating plates 95 and 96', respectively, and, since these plates likewise are of identical construction, only I the plate 96 will be described fully. The plate 96 is of the keyhole slots 98-98 and 99-99 in the insulating plate 96 are of the same size as the corresponding portions of the slots 91-91 and 9292 in the metal plate .81, the straight portions 103-103 and 104-104 (Fig. 7),

respectively, thereof are narrower than are the corre sponding portions of the matching slots in the metal plate 82. This construction is provided so that a row of terminal posts 101-101 and another row of terminal posts 102-102, extending from the bottom of the shell 85, may project through the keyhole slots in the plates 81 and 96, and may be retained by the straight portions 103-103 and 104-104 of the slots 98-98 and 99-99, respectively, in the plate 96 out of contact with the corresponding slots in the plate 82.- Y

The

uprights

27 and 30 are made of aluminum for reasonsof lightness, but hardened steel wear plates 105 and 106 (Figs. 4, 9 and 10), respectively, are secured to the tops thereof. The wear plate 105 is provided with a circular recess 108, and the wear plate 106 is provided with a similar circular recess 109. The cross bars 23 and 24 are made of hardened steel, and are provided with slots 111 and 112, respectively, which are of the same widths as the

wear plates

105 and 106, respectively. Positioned centrally of the slot 111 is a spring-pressed detent 114, and positioned centrally of the slot 112 is a similar spring-pressed detent 115.

Operation The above-described apparatus is designed to hold plastic shells, like the

shells

84 and 85, in positionwhile the additional operations necessary to form cast cable terminals are performed. Since the operations performed on. each of the

shells

84 and 85 are identical and the shells and the components positioned therein are alike, only the making of a molded cable terminal employing the shell 85 will be described in detail.

When the 'shell 85 is inserted in this apparatus, it already has positioned in holesin the bottom thereof a row of threaded terminal posts 101-101 and a parallel row of threaded terminal posts 102-102. The terminal posts '101-101 and 102-102 extend downwardly from bases 118-118 and 119-119 (Fig. respectively,

.which project slightly below the bottom of the shell.

Projecting upwardly from the bases 118-118 and 119- 119 are flat terminals 121-121 and'122-122, respectively, and one function of the above-described apparatus is to securesuch a shell firmly while individual conductors 124-124; and 125-125, forming part of. a lead sheathed cable stub 127, are-soldered to the fiat terminals 121-121-and 122-122, respectively.

a hang the top of the latch 45, and the thumb screw 58 is This is accomplished by inserting the threaded terminal posts 101-101 and 102-102 through the large portions of the keyhole slots 91-91 and 92-92 in the steel plate 82, and through the large portions of the keyhole slots 98-98 and 99-99 in the insulating plate 96 until nuts 130-130 and 131-131 threaded loosely on the terminal posts pass completely through the keyhole slots in both' plates. The shell then is slid to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, until the nuts -130 and 131-131 are positioned beneath the straight portions 103-103 and 104-104- of the keyhole slots in the insulating plate 96, which are smaller in width than the nuts positioned therebeneath. The nuts are then tightened to hold the shell firmly in place on the two plates. Since the

plates

82 and 96 are held together by the pins 97-97, they are always positioned so that the keyholeslots in the respec tive plates match.

The shell 85 has a slot 134 formed in the right hand end thereof, as seen in Fig. 2, which slot is seen more clearly in Fig. 5. One end 135 of the cable stub 127 has a bushing 136 secured thereon, and the portion of the cable stub to the left of the bushing, as seen in Fig. l, is fanned outwith the insulation on the end of the individual conductors stripped off so that the conductors may turned to hold the latch in place.

The entire assemblyof the two plates and the shell affixed thereto is positioned so that the insulating plate 96 rests upon the shoulder 34 of the abutment 33 and upon the support bar 77 with the center terminal posts 101- 101 and 102-102 resting on the insulating block 78.

The shell 85 then will occupy a position like that occupied by the shell 84 in Fig. 1, with the right hand end thereof out of contact with the abutment 33. The handle 65then is turned so as to advance the plunger 61 towards the right, whereupon the frustoconical tip 68 thereon enters a tapered slot 138 (Fig. 3) formed in the center of the left hand end of the top face of the plate 82, and the end' of the insert 67 presses against the end of the plate 82. The plunger 61 is advanced towards the right untilthe right hand end of the shell 85 is forced tightly against the adjacent faces of the abutment 33 and the latch 45, so as to form a seal therebetween.

From an examination of Fig. 8, it will be obvious that the right hand ends of the

plates

82 and 96, while positioned within the slot 35, do'not touch the vertical face of that slot, so that the enire longitudinal pressure exered by the plunger 61 is applied to the shell 85 to urge it tightly againstthe smooth faces of the abument 33 and thelatch 45. Due to the fact that the upper face of the insulating block 78 is engaged by the ends of the terminal posts 101-101 and 102-102 near the center or the shell85, and pressure is exerted downwardly on the ends of the plate 82 by the upper face of the slot 35 in the abutment 33 and the frustoconical tip 68 on the plunger 61, the insulatingblock 78 acts somewhat as a fulcrum, and the plates" 82 and 96 and the shell 85 aifixed thereto are bent into a bow shape, such as is shown in somewhat exaggerated form in Fig. 2.

After the elements have been positioned as just described, the conductors 124-124 and 125-125 (Fig. 5) are soldered to the flat terminals 121-121 and 122-122, after which the resulting partial assembly is tested for shorts and for bad connections. Since it is undesirable tohave the entire: apparatus connected in the electrical testing circuit, the terminals should be out of electrical terminal posts 101-101 and 102-102 are held out of contact with the plate 82 by the edges of the straight sections 103-103 and 104-104 of the keyhole slots in the insulating plate 96, which slots are narrower than the adjacent slots formed in the steel plate 82. Consequently, the terminal posts do not touch the plate 82. The bases 118-118 and 119-119 project into the

grooves

88 and 89 in the plate 82, but do not contact any portions of that plate because the grooves are wider and deeper than the projecting portions of those bases. The terminal posts 101-101 and 102-102 rest upon the insulating block 78, and are insulated by the latter from the base. Since no other metallic parts of the terminals contact any metallic part of the apparatus, the connections between the terminals and the conductors, as well as the conducting paths through the terminals and the conductors in the cable stub 127, may be readily tested without any current flowing through any part of the apparatus in which the shell 85 is held.

If after being tested the connections and conducting parts are satisfactory, a suitable casting resin is introduced into the shell so as to completely surround all the elements in the shell, including the end of the bushing 136 protruding therein. The resin preferably is in the form of a thick, viscous liquid which may be poured into the shell, and which will flow into all the interstices of the elements therein. Because of the tight seal between the right hand end of the shell 85 and the smooth surfaces of the abutment 33 and the latch 45 against which the shell is pressed, the resin does not flow out of the notch 134 in the end of the shell, and the smooth surfaces of the abutment and the latch act as molds to form a smooth surface on the resin in contact therewith when the resin is cured.

Identical steps are carried out with respect to the shell 84 and the other end 140 of the cable stub 127. As a result, the apparatus has aflixed thereto a pair of plastic shells containing suitable terminals to which are soldered the individual conductors of the two ends of the cable stub 127, and in which suflicient flowable resin has been poured to cover all the elements in each shell.

At this stage, another identical apparatus on which are mounted another pair of shells and a cable stub, with the shells filled with resin, is placed on top of the apparatus just described, in the manner shown in Figs. and 11. It will be apparent that slots 211 and 212 of the uppermost apparatus fit snugly around the

wear plates

105 and 106, respectively, and that

detents

214 and 215 of the uppermost apparatus enter the

recesses

108 and 109, respectively, in the

wear plates

105 and 106, and thereby prevent the two apparatus from being slid laterally and longitudinally. It should be noted that the upright 30, while serving as a handle and a support for another like apparatus, also serves as a post around which the convolutions of the cable stub 127 are placed. Hence, the upright 30 prevents the cable stub from sliding oil? of the base 20.

The two stacked pieces of apparatus with the filled plastic shells mounted thereon are then placed in a suitable oven, wherein the entire assembly is heated at a temperature sufliciently high and for a period sufliciently long to cure the resin introduced into the shells. The stacked apparatuses are then removed from the oven and are cooled substantially to room temperature. Then they are unstacked, and the cable stubs with the cast cable terminals attached thereto are removed from the respective apparatus.

The resin that is introduced into the plastic shells preferably is one of the type known as casting resins. A typical resin of this general type might be one comprising a polyester of a linear polyhydric alcohol and an unsaturated polybasic acid, mixed with a vinyl compound and filler material. The polyester might be a propylene glycol polyester of fumaric, maleic or orthophthalic acid. The vinyl compound may be styrene, and the filler material may he powdered silica to which a small amount of glass fibers may be added. Resins of this general nature tend to polymerize, especially in the presence of small amounts of peroxide catalysts, into hard, dense products, and the polymerization reaction may be accelerated by heating them.

When an uncured resin of this type is poured into an elongated plastic shell, such as one of the

polystyrene shells

84 and 85 described hereinabove, and the resin is cured in the shell by heating it to a suitable temperature, the cured resin becomes denser than the uncured resin and shrinks .by an amount greater than that resulting from pure heating and cooling of an article. This shrinkage of the resin tends to warp the plastic shells and, unless special precautions are taken, the shells tend to become distorted. Also, because the shells and their contents are heated and subsequently cooled, the shells may become warped or distorted due to thermal changes therein. Of course the narrow, elongated configuration of the shells also contributes to their tendency to become warped during the heating and cooling steps. It was found that after the heating and cooling operations, some of the shells were bowed with the two ends thereof higher than the center portion of the bottoms of the shells, while others tended to twist sidewise.

In order to overcome this tendency and to produce finished products in which the shells are perfectly straight, the shells are bowed, in the manner described hereinabove, in a direction opposite to that in which they tend to become bowed during the curing and cooling steps. This bowing is just sutficient to counteract that produced during the heating and cooling cycles and, as a result thereof, the molded terminals which finally result are perfectly straight without any upward bowing of the ends thereof. The shells are secured rigidly to the steel plates and 96 by the nuts on the terminal posts, and the plates are wide enough and sufficiently strong to resist sidewise deflection. Consequently, the shells are prevented from being twisted sidewise during the heating and cooling steps.

It is obvious from the foregoing description that the methods of and apparatus for making molded articles described herein possess the important features of holding elements of cast cable terminals securely when soldering and testing operations are performed] thereon without the apparatus interfering with the electrical testing circuit. They, likewise, provide means for preventing leakage of molding resin from a shell having an opening in the end thereof and for molding the resin in that opening into a desired shape. Furthermore, cast cable terminals made by the use of such apparatus are not distorted, warped or bowed. These apparatus may be readily stacked one upon another, and may be handled without relative lateral and longitudinal movement therebetween while stacked together.

Obviously, various changes and modifications may be made in methods and apparatus embodying the invention in order to adapt them to produce other related articles, in the manufacture of which some or all of these requirements exist. Instead of using resins consisting of mixtures of polyesters, vinyl compounds and fillers, previously described, other suitable casting resins, or even thermoplastic resins, may be introduced into the plastic shells. Obviously, the resin employed must meet the physical and electrical requirements of the product that is to be made, and must be compatible with the plastic of which the shells are made. The resin may be introduced into the shells in granular or powder form, rather than in a flowable state, if desired. In any event, the plastic shell with the resin therein is not heated to a temperature high enough to soften the plastic shell.

In one commercial embodiment of the invention, the steel plates 81 and 82 are approximately 18 inches long, from 2 to 2% inches wide and about A inch thick, while the insulating

plates

95 and 96 have substantially the same dimensions. Such a combination of plates is sutfieiently' rigid to resist any sidewi'se deflectionthereof by the forces exerted dileflto the shrinking of the resin as it is cured or to thermal changes. However, a two-plate structure of these dimensions is thin enough to permit it to be bent slightly when forces are applied to the ends thereof and it is supported approximately at its center by a member, such as the insulating bar 78, which acts as a' fulcrum for the bending moments.

What is claimed is: p

1. Apparatus for making ,a cast article including an elongated, plastic shell having a plurality of cylindrical elements projecting from one side thereof, which comprises a base, a bar of insulating material mounted on the base, anelongated metal plate having apertures therein through which the elements of sucha' shell may project, an elongated insulating plate secured to the metal plate andprovided with matching apertures of smaller dimensions than the apertures in the metal plates for receiving the elements and holding themout of'conta'ct with the metal plate, andmeans for engaging the metal plate and bending it about the bar so as'to cause such a shell positioned thereon to be bowed.

'2. Apparatus for making a cast cable terminal including an elongated plastic shell having extending from the bottom thereof a plurality of terminals with nuts threaded thereon, which comprises an elongatedmetal plate having a plurality of keyhole slots extending therethrough,

an insulating plate secured to the metal plate and having a plurality of keyhole slots matching those in the plate but of smaller internal dimensions whereby such a shell may be secured to the. platesby projecting the terminals and the nuts through the enlarged portions of the keyhole slots inboth plates and shifting the shell along the slots until the nuts are beneath the small portions of the keyhole slots with the terminals held out of contact with the metal plate by the insulating plate,.and means for bending the plates substantially about their transverse axes so as to bow such a plastic shell secured to the plates.

3. Apparatus for making, a cast article including a plastic shell having a'slot in one end thereof, which comprises means for supporting such a shell, asmooth-faced abutment having a semicircular notch in the upper'edge thereof, a latch pivotally mounted on the abutment and having a smooth face and a semicircular notch complementary to those of the abutment whereby a'cable may be secured in the notches so as to project through the slot base, an elongated metal plate having a plurality of keyhole slots extending therethrough whereby such a shell may be secured to the plate by projecting the terminals and the nuts through the enlarged portions of the slots and shifting the shell until the nuts are beneath the small portions of the slots, said plate being designed to have one end thereof inserted in the slot in the abutment so that'the terminals rest upon the transverse bar, and means for exerting force on the opposite end-of the plate to bend the plate about the bar so as to cause a shell positioned thereon to be bowed;

'5. Apparatus for making a castterminal including an elongated, box-like, plastic shell having extending from thebottom thereof a plurality of terminaliposts with nuts threaded thereon, which" comprises a base; an upright mounted on-the base. having a transverse groove formed therein; asecond upright" mounted: on the base parallel to the first upright, 21 bar mounted on the base parallel to' and'intermediate the two uprights, an elongated metal plate having a plurality of apertures therein by means of which such a shell may be securedto the pla'tethrough the agency of the terminal posts and nuts threaded there on, said plate also being provided with a tapered notch in one end thereof and being designed to have the unnotched end inserted in the slot in the first upright with the terminal posts resting on the bar, a plunger movably mounted in the second upright and having a frusto'conical tip thereon designed to enter the tapered notch in the plate whereby when the plunger is moved towards the plate the frustoconical tip thereof coacting with the tapered notch cams the end of the plate downwardly and bends the plate about the bar so as to how a shell secured to the plate. I V

6. Apparatus for making cast cable terminals including a pair of elongated plastic shells each having terminal elements therein, which comprises an elongated base, means on said base for retaining a coiled cable stub having the ends thereof projecting parallel to each other in the same direction, means for holding the pair of plastic shells adjacent to the ends of a stub positioned on the base so that the conductors of the cable stub may be soldered to the terminals in the shell, and means for flexing the shells about their transverse axes and for holding the shells rigidly against sidewise deformation.

7. The method of making cast articles from elongated, box-like,'plastic shells tending to become bow-shaped when a resin is heated therein, which comprises securing such a shell firmly to an elongated metal plate of sufficient rigidity to prevent deflection thereof about its shorter transverse axis, bending the plate about its longer transverse axis sufiiciently to cause the shell to become bow-shaped in a direction opposite to that occurring because of such heating, substantially fillingtheshell with a fiowable, curable resin, heating the filledshell to cure the resin, cooling the resulting assembly, and maintaining the shell bowed during the heating and cooling steps'whereby the resulting article will be substantially straight.

8. The method of making a cast cable terminal in cluding an elongated, polystyrene shell tending to become bowed when a polymerizable resin is cured therein, which comprises securing a plurality of terminal elements in sucha shell, attaching individual conductors of a multiconductor cable to the terminals, bowing the shell in a direction opposite to that caused by such curing, introducing sufficient fiowable, polymerizable resin into the shell to' cover the terminals and conductors, said resin comprising a polyester of a linear polyhydrie alcohol and an unsaturated polybasic acid, a vinyl'compound and filler material, heating the resulting assembly to accelerate the curing of the resin, cooling the assembly, and holding the shell against lateral bending and maintaining the shell bowed during the heating and cooling steps whereby the resulting finished article will be substantially straight.

9. Apparatus for making a cast article including an elongated pastic shell having a plurality of terminals projecting from one: side thereof, which comprises an elongated base having a fulcrum member extending transversely thereacross intermediate the ends thereof, an elon- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Zeidler et a1. Mar. 11, 1890 753,553 Damm Mar. l, 1904 816,144 Ames Mar. 27, 1906 (Other references on following page) Rodgers Ian. 18, 1921 Roiderer Dec. 26, 1922 Donegan July 6, 1937 Novotny June 20, 1939 Kaplan Oct. 1, 1940 Steinmetz June 11, 1940 Kraft Sept. 1, 1942 '10 Lohrand et al. iuly 20, 1943 Egolf Aug. 31, 1943 Hauton July 10, 1945 Omansky Sept. 25, 1945 Bartoe Sept. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Apr. 1, 1941

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CAST ARTICLE INCLUDING AN ELONGATED, PLASTIC SHELL HAVING A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL ELEMENTS PROJECTING FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF, WHICH COMPRISES A BASE, A BAR OF INSULATING MATERIAL MOUNTED ON THE BASE, AN ELONGATED METAL PLATE HAVING APERTURES THEREIN THROUGH WHICH THE ELEMENTS OF SUCH A SHELL MAY PROJECT, AN ELONGATED INSULATING PLATE SECURED TO THE METAL PLATE AND PROVIDED WITH MATCHING APERTURES OF SMALLER DIMENSIONS THAN THE APERTURES IN THE METAL PLATES FOR RECEIVING THE ELEMENTS AND HOLDING THEM OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE METAL PLATE, AND MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE METAL PLATE AND BLENDING IT ABOUT THE BAR SO AS TO CAUSE SUCH A SHELL POSITIONED THEREON TO BE BOWED.

8. THE METHOD OF MAKING A CAST CABLE TERMINAL INCLUDING AN ELONGATED, POLYSTYRENE SHELL TENDING TO BECOME BOWED WHEN A POLYMERIZABLE RESIN IS CURED THEREIN, WHICH COMPRISES SECURING A PLURALITY OF TERMINAL ELEMENTS IN SUCH A SHELL, ATTACHING INDIVIDUAL CONDUCTORS OF A MULTICONDUCTOR CABLE TO THE TERMINALS, BOWING THE SHELL IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT CAUSED BY SUCH CURING, INTRODUCING SUFFICIENT FLOWABLE, POLYMERIZABLE RESIN INTO THE SHELL TO COVER THE TERMINALS AND CONDUCTORS, SAID RESIN COMPRISING A POLYESTER OF A LINEAR POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOL AND AN UNSATURATED POLYBASIC ACID, A VINYL COMPOUND AND FILLER MATERIAL, HEATING THE RESULTING ASSEMBLY TO ACCELERATE THE CURING OF THE RESIN, COOLING THE ASSEMBLY, AND HOLDING THE SHELL AGAINST LATERAL BENDING AND MAINTAINING THE SHELL BOWED DURING THE HEATING AND COOLING STEPS WHEREBY THE RESULTING FINISHED ARTICLE WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT.