Nov. 15, 1938. L. B.

BUTTERFIELD ET All 2,136,609

ELECTRICAL DEVICE AND A METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

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 Patented Nov. 15, 1938
8 2,136,609

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,136,609

EAECTRCAL DEVICE ANO AMETEOD OF
MAKING TEESAME
Louis B. Butterfield, Short Hills, Robert F. Gar
rett, Cranford, and Robert E. Park, Jr., Allwood,
N. J., assignors to Western Electric Company,
incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation
of New York
Application April 10, 1936, Serial No. 73,716
5 Ciams. (C. 175-41)
This invention relates to electrical devices and The condenser proper, or other device, is as
a method of making the same and more particul sumed
larly to high precision electric condensers, coils to drivetoouthave been baked or otherwise treated
substantially all moisture; and, while
and the like and a method of making them.
s Electrical devices such as condensers, coils, still hot or otherwise ensured against entry of
moisture thereinto, it is provided with a wrap
transformers and the like used in apparatus of ping or covering
high precision, e. g. such as are components of moistureless and 24 of some suitable substantially
preferably non-hygroscopic ma
the resonant circuits employed in the Commund terial. Mineral wool in a roughly felted, roughly
cations arts, must be of a high degree of accuracy sheet form has been found eminently satisfactory
10 of predetermined value of electrical character and may be wrapped on by hand. Preferably this O
istics and of invariance of such values under Wool should have been previously baked
service conditions. Such devices are frequently otherwise dehydrated, e. g. in a vacuum desiccator also or
placed for protection against the effects of at
mospheric changes in temperature and moisture, with calcium chloride present. Preferably also,
after being wrapped, the wrapping may be se
S in containers of metal or other material and cured in place with predried textile thread or s
sealed therein with a fusible asphaltic mixture tape 25 or with metallic wire, care being taken
commonly called a "potting' compound. Pene in the latter case to avoid short circuiting the
tration of such compound into the device being terminals. However in some cases it will be found
"potted' may affect its electrical characteristics. that the mineral wool will interfelt with itself
20 An object of the present invention is to pro While being wrapped, sufficiently to make a self 20
duce such devices of a simple and reliable con retaining cover.
struction in a simple and rapid manner, to have Other substances beside mineral wool may be
the desired accuracy and invariance of Capaci- . used,
tance, inductance or whatever electrical char fibre ore. animal
g. glass Wool, asbestos, or even vegetable
fiber materials provided that these
is device.
acteristic may be of importance. in the given latter are carefully predried and that access of 25
One embodiment of the invention contemplates moisture is barred during the process. The point
covering or wrapping the device with some suit is that the wrapping 24 must be substantially free
able protective covering and potting the protected of moisture when in place, must be electrically
80 device, the covering being preferably a wrapping and non-conductive, and must be sufficiently thick 30
of fibrous non-conductive non-hygroscopic Ima dense to prevent the asphaltic potting com
terial such as mineral wool, glass wool, baked pound from coming into contact with and enter
textile tape, baked paper or the like, or being an ing between the laminae of the stack of the con
inner can or casing of metal, mica, baked card denser or other electrically active elements of an
sis board or the like. other kind of device being potted. In the case of
Other objects and features of the invention will the condenser shown it is the edges of the laminae
appear from the following detailed description of which must be protected; contact of the com
several devices constructed in accordance with pound with the Outer faces of the clamping plates
the invention, taken in connection with the ac 2 or with the screws 22 is harmless, unless the
o companying drawing in which the same refer Compound is corrosive. In the case of a coil, and
ence numerals are applied to identical parts in particularly of a coil having a core compacted of 40
the several figures and in which. granular magnetic material, it may be of im
Fig. 1 is a broken perspective view of a Wrapped portance to prevent access of the potting com
condenser ready to be potted; pound to the wound conductor and to the core
48 Fig. 2 is a similar view of a container therefor, if any. Thus the condenser, coil or other device 45
and being potted need not always be completely en
Fig. 3 is a similar view of a coil potted in a closed within the protective material so long as
double container. this is so disposed as to protect the active parts.
In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. and 2, If the Wrapping material used needs more con
an electrical condenser has an intercalated stack straint than is conveniently afforded by a thread, 50
2O of metal and dielectric laminae held between tape, wire or other strand, it may be provided
two clamping plates 2 (only one shown) which with an Outer wrapping of some suitable moisture
are held together by four screws 22. Terminal less sheet material 28. Mica has been found sat
members 23, 23 are attached to groups of alter isfactory for this purpose; but also other mate
is nate metal laminae. rials might well be used such as predried paper 55
 2 2,136,609
or cardboard, predried thin wood veneer, or even of the invention as pointed out in and limited
if care be used to prevent short circuiting, a metal only by the appended claims.
foi or thin sheet. The strands 25 if then used What is clained is:
may be applied either over or under the sheet 2 1. The combination in an electrical condenser
as most convenient. of an unimpregnated stack of metal and dielectric
The wrapped condenser, or other device, is then laminae with means to protect the same compris
preferably inserted into the container 2 which ing a protective sheath of substantially moisture
is here shown as a sheet metal box or can, open less mineral fibres substantially completely sur
at its upper end. A measured quantity of molten rounding the stack, a cast sheath of noisture
O potting compound 27 is placed in the can just proof asphaltic material thereover substantially O
prior to the introduction of the device, being such completely and seamlessly enclosing the sheath
in quantity that the device and compound will of mineral fibres on all sides and prevented from
just substantially fill the can, the compound flow entering the stack by the sheath of mineral fibres,
ing ordinarily over the top of the device generally and a preformed casing thereover. having the cast
5 within the can and thus sealing the device con sheath molded therein.
pletely therein except for the terminals 2, 2. 2. The combination in an electrical condenser
While the can 26 is shown as metal, it may also of an unimpregnated stack of metal and dielec
be of non-magnetic and electrically non-conduc tric laminae with means to protect the sane
tive material, e. g. of wood, plain cardboard, im comprising a protective sheath of fibrous sub
20 pregnated cardboard, molded resinous material, stantially noistureless electrically non-conduc
or any other mechanically and electrically suit tive material substantially completely surround
able substance. ing the stack, a wrapping of moistureless sheet
When the potting compound has set, the oper material around the sheath, a cast sheath of
ation and the device are completed. The device moisture-proof asphatic material thereover sub
proper is then completely enclosed and sealed, ex stantially completely and seamlessly enclosing the
cept for its terminals, within a seamless and Wrapping on all sides and prevented from enter
completely enveloping sheath of the solidified ing the stack by the fibrous sheath and the wrap
potting compound, while at the same time the ping, and a preformed casing thereover having
compound has not been permitted to come in the cast sheath molded therein.
30 contact with or enter between electrically active 3. The combination in an electrical condenser
parts of the device and thus affect and alter pre of an unimpregnated stack of metal and delec
determined and accurately adjusted electrical tric laminae with means to protect the same conna
characteristics and properties of the device. prising a protective sheath of substantially
Another embodiment of the same concept of moistureless mineral fibres substantially con
35 providing an electrical device with a seamless pletely surrounding the stack, a wrapping of
protective sheath enclosing it completely except moistureless sheet material around the aheath, a
for protruding terminals yet not in contact with cast sheath of moisture-proof asphatic material
the device, is disclosed in Fig. 3. Here a coll thereover substantially completely and seamlessly
or a condenser or other device, with or without enclosing the Wrapping on all sides and prevented
a core, is placed in an inner can which prefer from entering the stack by the sheath of nineral
ably completely encloses the coll on 3ll six sides fibres and the Wrapping, and a preformed casing
except for the terminals 2, 2 of the coll which thereover having the cast aheath molded therein.
are brought out through the can. The inner 4. The combination in an electrical condenser
can, with the coil sealed therein by closing all of an uninpregnated stack of metal and delec
seams as by soldering, gluting, crimping or other trice laminae with means to protect the same com 45
wise sufficiently tightly to prevent entrance of prising a protective sheath of mineral wool sub
potting compound, is then potted in an outer can stantially completely surrounding the stack, a
26 with sufficient potting compound to enclose Wrapping of sheet mica around the mineral wool
the inner can in a sheath of the compound con sheath, a cast sheath of moisture-proof asphaltic
plete except for the terminals 32. As before, the material substantially completely and seamlessly
can 26, and also the can 3 may be of any nate enclosing the wrapping on all sides and prevented
rial appropriate to the case in hand. from entering the stack by the nineral wool
In either embodiment, the potting may be done sheath and the mica Wrapping, and a preformed
as described, by placing a sufficient quantity of casing thereover having the cast aheath molded
compound in the outer can and then inserting the therein.
wrapped device or the inner can containing the 5. A method of making protected unimpreg
device into the compound; or the inner can or nated electrical condensers which comprises the
Wrapped device may be placed or suspended in steps of dehydrating a supply of fibrous electri
the outer can and the molten potting compound cally non-conductive material, wrapping the
poured around it and allowed to set. dried fibrous material about an unimpregnated
A suitable compound for use in potting is a stack of metal and dielectric laninae, and casting
mixture of 85 parts by Weight of asphalt melted a substantially seamless sheath of moisture proof
down with 10 parts by weight of rosin and 5 parts asphaltic material as a cover completely enclos
by weight of rosin oil, although any other. satis ing the wrapped device on all sides, the wrapping
factory mixture may be used, there being many of filbrous material preventing the molten asphal
Such well known in the art. tic material from entering the stack.
The embodiments disclosed are clearly illus m LOUIS B., BUT TERZ ALAD,
trative only and may be departed from in many ROBERT F. GARRT,
ways without departing from the scope and spirit ROBERT E. PARK, JR.