Solderless Wrapped Connections 

 PART I — STRUCTURE AND TOOLS 



By R. F. MALLINA 



(Manuscript received February 17, 1953) 



In the search for a better way of connecting wires to apparatus terminals 

 a new joining method has been discovered. The new method not only elimi- 

 nates soldering and its hazards but also reduces cost, improves quality and 

 conserves space. In contrast to the solder joint which depends largely on 

 human judgement and skill, the new connection is made with a calibrated 

 tool. A degree of uniformity has been obtained which virtually eliminates 

 the need for product inspection. The trend toward smaller apparatus and 

 automation may now be further intensified due to the use of this new method 

 of making electrical connections. 



INTRODUCTION 



Methods of joining wires to apparatus terminals for the purpose of 

 electrical conduction can be broadly divided into two groups: solder 

 connections and pressure connections. There are others such as welded 

 and brazed connections; however, they are relatively few in number. 

 The annual production of solder connections in the Bell System is esti- 

 mated to be one billion. In television and radio manufacture the num- 

 ber of connections made per year is in the order of ten billion. Because 

 of the high cost of manual soldering, the pressure connection is of great 

 importance to the comjnunication industry. One form of pressure con- 

 nection — the solderless wrapped connection — will be described in this 

 article. 



In order to determine the technical and economic value of a new type 

 of pressure connection it is necessary to compare it with those now ac- 

 cepted as good connections in the communication industry. A large por- 

 tion of this article will, therefore, be devoted to the analysis of pressure 

 connections some of which have been in use since the early development 

 of the telephone. 



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