Method and apparatus for producing electrical conductors
AssigneeElectrostatic Equipment Corporation
InventorDonald J. Gillette
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed by which electrical conductor cable can be produced utilizing electrostatic coating means, which method and apparatus are highly convenient, uncomplicated and economical to carry out. An outstanding and unique feature of the cable produced in accordance herewith resides in the presence of a web portion of reduced cross-section connecting the individual conductors, by which manual severence of one from another is facilitated. Most desirably, the apparatus and method provide means for producing individual insulating coatings on each of the conductors, which means ideally utilizes an electrostatic cloud coating technique.
Claims10
In a method for the production of electrical conductor cable that is adapted for severance along its axis, the steps comprising:
- (a) generating a cloud of electrostatically charged particles of a fusible dielectric material;
- (b) continuously conveying through or proximate said cloud at least two continuous length conductors along parallel rectilinear paths in closely spaced proximity to one another with a uniform gap therebetween;
- (c) maintaining said conductors at an electrical potential effectively opposite to that of said particles to cause said particles to deposit and adhere thereon, the spacing of said conductors and the conditions of coating being such that said particles completely coat said conductors and bridge said gap therebetween;
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- (d) fusing and thereafter solidifying said particles to produce a unified exterior coating upon said conductors, including a connecting web portion of reduced cross-section therebetween through which such severance can be effected.
In a system for the continuous production of electrical conductor cable that is adapted for manual severance along its axis, the combination comprising:
- (a) means for continuously conveying at least two continuous length conductors along parallel rectilinear paths in closely spaced proximity to one another with a uniform gap therebetween;
- (b) means disposed along said paths for generating a cloud of electrostatically charged particles;
- (c) means for maintaining said conductors at an electrical potential effectively opposite to that of said particles to cause said particles to deposit and adhere thereon, the spacing of said conductors and the conditions of coating being such that said particles completely coat said conductors and bridge said gap therebetween;
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- (d) means for fusing said particles, whereby, upon solidification of said fused particles, a unified exterior coating can be produced on said conductors, including a connecting web portion therebetween which may be of reduced cross-section and relatively weak to facilitate manual severance of said conductors from one another along the axis of said cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.