WiringandCabling

FromOP2230,"WorkmanshipandDesignPracticesforElectronic Equipment",publishedbythedirectionofthechiefoftheBureauof NavalWeapons,1December,1962.pp.79714. ScannedbyGaryAllsebrook. TranscribedtoHTMLbyJeffDairiki.

HowToLaceCableHarnesses
Harnesses should be located so that circuit tracing can be readily accomplished, and accessibilitytopartsorcomponentswhichmayrequirereplacementisnotlimited. Individualwiresofaharnessshouldbearrangedtorunparalleloratrightanglestoeachother whereverpossible.Sharpbendswhichmaydamageconductorsorinsulationaretobeavoided. Harnessesareusuallyfabricatedonaharnessjigorformingboard.Theboardmaybemarked withnumbers and symbols to indicate wire sizes, color coding, routing, terminations, and wiring sequence.Pegsornails,placedinapatternwhichfollowsapictorialwiringdiagram,servetolocate wireruns. Conductorendsmaybeanchoredtotheboardbywrappingthemaboutnailsorpegs,ormay befannedoutforeasierdressingifholestoaccommodatewireendsareprovided. Atypicalapplicationforaformingboardisshownbelow.

HarnessFormingBoard

Anothermethodofanchoringconductorendsonaharnessjigistoattachspringsontheboard neartheterminationpointofthewire.Thepitchofthespringshouldbedeterminedbythesizeof thewirestobeheldinplace.Thewiremaybepushedintothespring,whereitwillbeheldfirmly. This method is rapid and minimizes drilling of holes and placing of pegs or nails in the board. Harness jigs may thus be reused many times. A typical application of a forming board utilizing springsisshownbelow.

HarnessFormingBoardwithSprings Harnessesmaybelaidoutonajigbottomsideupforeaseoflacing.Whenthisisdoneand theharnessisinstalledinagivenunit,thelacingknotsandspliceswillnotbevisiblefrom above andtheharnesswillhaveaneat,workmanlikeappearance. Forming boards are sometimes equipped with electrical checking devices to speed harness testing,asshowbelow.

HarnessFormingBoardwithElectricalCheckingDevices Ribbontypelacingcordshouldbeusedinpreferencetoroundcordtoreducethepossibilityof cuttingintowireinsulation.Oneeighthinchnylonorsimilarribbonisbestsuitedforthispurpose. Ifroundcordisused,sizesshouldbeasfollows: PrincipalCableDiameter CordSize

Updo3/8" 5/16"to3/4" 5/8"to1" 7/8"andover

#4 #6 #9 #12

The harness is laced after all wires have been cut to length, stripped, tinned, and placed in position.

AFinishedHarness Theprocessoflacingorbindingaharnesscan be started at one end with a starting tie. Alternatively, lacing can be started at the center with a lock stitch, and a terminating wrap can be usedateachend. Lacing is started by cutting a length of cord twoand onehalf times the length of the proposed harness.One end of the cord is laid alongside the principalcablepointingintotheharness.The cord endissecuredasapproximatelyfourturnsofcord are wound over it, and wrapping is continued until a total of twelve turns is wound about the principalcable. The wrap is secured by a lock stitch. This is madebyformingaloop,passingthecordoverthe loop,thenthroughtheloop,andfinallypullingthe cordtight.

Secure stitches can be formed only by lacing thecordovertheloop,neverunder,toformtheso called lock stitch. The cord is thus locked under eachloop. Lock stitches at approximately 1/2inch intervals thereafter secure other loops in the same

fashion. The foregoing describes the regulation cableman'sknot,whichisselflocking. Aslacingisadvanced,thewiresshouldbere formed to insure a neat and firmly bound cable conductors should be arranged to lie parallel without crossovers except when twisting is required.

Lacingisterminatedbythefollowingprocedure.Fourturnsofcordarewrappedadjacentto thelastlockstitch.Aseparatepieceofcordisformedintoa2inchloopandlaidalongsidethecable asshow.Eightturnsoflacingarewrappedabout the loop and the end of the lacing cord is then drawnthroughtheloop.

Both ends of the loop are then pulled to carefully draw the cord end underneath and out of thewrap.Thecordendisthenpulledtight,locking thewrap,andfinallytheendiscuttoapproximately 1/8or1/4inch. Branches and subbranches, including single leads, are usually referred to as breakouts. Single leadbreakoutsshouldbeprecededbyalockstitch withoutvariationinthedistancebetweenstitches. Anybreakoutoftwoormorewiresshouldbelaced.Whenagroupofwiresisbranchedfrom acable,alockstitchismadesixturnsarewrappedfirmlyabouttheprinciplecableadjacenttothe newstitch,andfinally,anotherlockstitchismadeadjacenttothenewturns.Afterabranchisthus secured,therunningstitchesarecontinuedalongthemaincable.

secured,therunningstitchesarecontinuedalongthemaincable.

Alllacingshouldfollowthetopoftheharness.Allknots,splices,orotherirregularitiesshould behiddenfromviewwhenthecableisinstalledintheequipment. Whenlaced,thecordshouldbesufficientlytighttominimizeslippagebutshouldnotcutinto theinsulation. Lacing may also be started with a square knot, followedbytwolockstitches. Lacing is performed as previously described, and terminatedbyalockstitchandasquareknot. Another procedure for lacing consists of making a series of individually bound wraps at equidistant points alongthecable,asrequired. Lacingcord,2incheslongerthanthelengthrequired tomaketwelveturnsabouttheharness,iscut.Oneendof thecordisformedintoa1inchloopwhichisplacedflat ontheharness,paralleltothewiring. Twelveturnsarewoundtightlyoverthisloopand,at the last turn, the cord end is pushed through the loop whichextendsfromunderthewrap. ThispageusesCSS2,andassuchwilllookbestwhenviewedusing arecentbrowser.