DE2005238A1 - Method and device for impregnating and covering stranded bodies or the like, in particular multi-conductor telecommunication cables. Aim: Connollys (Blackley) Ltd., Blackley, Manchester (Great Britain) - Google Patents

Description

PATENTANWÄLTE Phone: (0271) 32409 DIPL.-ING. ERICH SCHUBERT τ ... «, ™, ™ ^, p _a " d, ub, " DIPL-ING. DIPL-W.-ING. G. ZWIRNER

59 Siegen, P.O. Box 325 Bank accounts:

Eiserner Strasse 227 D.ut.d ,. Bank AG .. Branches in Siegen and Oberhausen (RhIa.)

70 025 Ku / Schm February 4, 1970

Connollys (Blackley) Limited, Blackley VaIe Mills, Blackley, Manchester 9 ». England

Priority is claimed for this application from British Patent Application No. 6450/69 dated Feb. 6, 1969.

Method and device for impregnating and covering stranded bodies or the like., in particular multi-conductor telecommunication cables

The invention relates to methods and devices for coating and filling the spaces between the elements of an elongated flexible body formed by stranding or bundling a plurality of elements is made with a waterproof material (hereinafter referred to as "filler material"), which is not easily under normal Temperature and pressure conditions from the body flows or drips and which a relative sliding movement of the elements on or on top of each other during the bending of the flexible

009836/1864

Body allows. Each element can be a single elongated have flexible component or two or more such components that are stranded together.

A material that is a liquid at a temperature above normal can be used as the filler material atmospheric temperature and assumes a viscous or solid state at atmospheric or room temperature. Examples for such a material are:

(a) mixtures of chalk and castor oil,

(b) microcrystalline petroleum waxes,

(c) Mixtures of microcrystalline petroleum waxes and oils, e.g. Vaseline,

(d) Low molecular weight, high melt flow index polyethylene in semi-solid or fatty form or paste-like form,

(e) mixtures of petroleum jelly, microcrystalline petroleum waxes, polyethylene, polyisobutylene and aluminum stearate,

(f) Mixtures containing coumarone-indene resins / cumerone indene resins /,

(g) a mixture of two or more filler materials (a) bis

The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to the manufacture of the so-called "full fill." Fernueldekabel ", which is a variety of plastic-insulated Has ladders enclosed in a waterproof sheath, with the spaces between the ladders and between the conductors and the sheath from one end of a cable section to the other with the filling material substantially are completely filled.

BATH ORIGINAL 009836/1864

The method according to the invention consists in that the body is impregnated and coated with the filler material is that it is sent into a bath of filler material which is in the liquid state, namely through an inlet mouthpiece, which is completely below the liquid level, through the liquid in the bath through and then out of the bath via an outlet mouthpiece, which in turn is completely below the liquid level is located, the mouthpieces ozw. Matrices are kept at a temperature such that there is no substantial leakage the liquid from the bath takes place through them,

while the body is continuously conveyed through the bath becomes · It is understandable that when the body is stationary in the bath for so long that its temperature rises increases a value close to that of the bath, the relationship between the temperature of the part of the body in the dog piece and the customer's temperature can be such that the .füllmaterial in the mouthpiece is at a temperature above its hardening point and a certain amount of leakage takes place can.

The inlet mouthpiece is preferably a closing mouthpiece or a closing die, whereby the bundle or the stranded strand of elements or an outer layer of the same is formed, and the opening of the Auslais mouthpiece is preferably slightly larger in cross-section than the inlet nozzle, albeit of the same shape. This will ... bundle cder A strand of elements given the opportunity to expand in the bathroom or to spread like a birdcage / te cira-cage / after it or he has passed the inlet mouthpiece because; .. it has drawn the liquid into the interstices and secures it is that the liquid sucked in in this way is not completely pressed out of the strand or bundle, if

009836/1864 ORIGINAL BATHROOM

this or this passes the outlet mouthpiece of larger cross-section. If the mouthpieces or matrices, as it normally would is the case, have a round cross-section, a suitable difference in diameter between the inlet and the outlet mouthpiece ten thousandths of an inch (0.025 mm). It will be understood, however, that this value is consistent with the overall dimension of the strand or bundle and with the dimensions of the individual elements changes, e.g. individual insulated conductors or pairs of twisted pairs that make up the to. Strand or bundle is built up.

It has been found that the easiest way, the inlet and outlet mouthpiece on a corresponding one Maintaining temperature, consists in attaching each of these to the free end of a metal pipe, which from the wall of the bath, and to increase the heat loss from these tubes by means of external Künlrippen. In the preparation of of plastic-insulated telecommunication cables can use massive metal mouthpieces can be used and these may conveniently be split mouthpieces which fit into the ends of such tubes fit in.

% In the manufacture of such a cable on a conventional Verse.il or bundling machine, a bath provided with inlet and outlet mouthpieces can be attached to the outlet side of each stranding or bundling head, with the Einiaam nozzle as a closing mouthpiece for the preceding stranding. or bundling head acts. When the first stranded or bundled layer of single or twin conductors on a preformed core (e.g. a twin). is applied, this core can thin a first bath

009836/1864

be conveyed before the first stranding or bundling head achieved so that it is impregnated and coated with the filler material itself.

When the cable is covered layer by layer in this way and is impregnated, the liquid in each bath can be at atmospheric pressure, but if more than one layer or the entirety of a stranded or bundled core consisting of a large number of insulated conductors at the same time is to be impregnated and coated by passing it through a single bath, then it can | It may be desirable to keep the liquid in the bath at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. Under this In the latter circumstance, and also in other circumstances, it may be considered necessary to adjust the temperature of the mouthpieces Reduce forced cooling, for example by means of a water bath, instead of relying on natural cooling leaves.

Each bath is preferably assigned to a separate storage container and is supplied from this with liquid filling material, wherein the storage container is expediently a part of a single container which is divided by a partition, is to form both the reservoir and the coating and impregnation baths. If such a subdivided If the container is used, then it is preferably encased as a whole and, if necessary, heated in order to place the filling material on the to maintain the desired temperature. The partition wall is used to let the liquid get from the storage tank into the bath preferably with one or more valve-controlled openings below the level of the one passing through the bath Body provided, and each valve (or valves) is preferably with the drive means for conveying through

009836/1864

of the cable or other flexible body through the bath in such a way that the drive means can only be energized when the valve is open.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing showing it as an example using the example of a preferred device for producing multi-core, plastic-insulated telephone cables, specifically showing

^ Fig. 1 is a section through a bath which has inlet and outlet mouthpieces and part of a

subdivided container forms,

2 shows a section through the divided container,

while

3 shows a schematic representation of the structure of the

Plant reproduces.

The container 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 has an outer heat insulating wall 2 and an inner wall 3, which forms the boundary wall of a chamber 4 which is filled nit oil which can be heated by means of an immersion heater. 5 The container 1 is divided transversely by a partition 6 in order to form a bath 7 and a storage container 8, which when the container is in use each contain a filler material, such as vaseline, which is kept in a liquid state by the heated oil jacket will.

From the opposite sides of the bath 7, a pair of metal pipes 9 and 10 protrude. A split, made of solid metal inlet mouthpiece 11, which can also serve as a closing mouthpiece for a preceding stranding head, sits in the free end of the tube 9 _t and a

009836/1864

split, solid metal outlet mouthpiece 12, which has a recess of slightly larger diameter than that of the inlet mouthpiece 11, sits in the free end of the Tube 10. The tubes 9 and 10 are provided with radially outwardly projecting cooling fins 14, which are used to Maintain mouthpieces 11 and 12 at a temperature such that there is no substantial leakage of the liquid filler material takes place through the mouthpieces during the continuous passage of a cable core G through the bath 7.

In the lower part of the partition wall 6 at such a point that it is below the level of the bath 7 passing through At the core, there is a valve-controlled recess 15 which allows a free flow of liquid filler from the reservoir 8 granted in the bathroom. The valve of the valve-controlled recess 15 is connected to a cam 16, which engages a roller 17 of a microswitch that controls the power supply for the machine, not shown, which pulls the core through the bath 7 in such a way that the machine is only subjected to current when the valve is open. Mne pump 18 is provided to remove the liquid filling material from To pump bath 7 back into the reservoir 8, if necessary. Thermocouples 19 are provided with a control device connected, which automatically interrupts the power supply to the machine that pulls the core through the bath 7, if the liquid filling material has a maximum or maximum limit Minimum temperature reached.

Filling material in liquid form is fed into the reservoir 8 through a thermally insulated pipe 21 via a supply control valve 22 supplied ^ u, which via a pneumatic Actuating device 23 by three floats 24, 25 and 26

009836/1864

is controlled, which are located at different depths in the storage container. The float 24 closes the control valve 22 when the level of the liquid cleaning material in the storage container 8 is at the required maximum, and the float 25 opens the control valve when the liquid level sic; is at the required minimum. The third float 26 is provided for controlling a heater which automatically interrupts the power supply to the machine which pulls the core through the bath 7, namely when the level of the liquid potting material in the storage container 8 drops to a dangerous level, ie a Pe _e el straight Obernalb by the upper surface of

Xerns conveyed through the bath. To rule out the possibility that in the event that the valve-controlled recess 15 is blocked inadvertently, the core continues through the bath could be drawn through if the level of liquid filler medium in the bath dropped below the top surface of the core is, kai.η on the other hand the float 26 also in bath 7 or an additional float can be provided in this bath for this purpose.

In the system shown in FIG. 3, many plastic-insulated telephone cables are made by the conventional stranding method using zv.'ei Verse iliui; machine 27 manufactured, vcr. Each dsnen \ & schir a plurality of Veraeilköpfen on we ir t, and a Bündelungsi: e 28, aie a plurality of heads having Bündelun _o £.. Each container is equipped with a device for covering and filling the spaces between the plastic-insulated conductors of the cable core under production with a filler material. Two thermostatically heated, jacketed storage tanks 31, which contain liquid filler material, are connected in parallel in a main ring line 32, the pipeline 33 is heated and jacketed, and the liquid filler material is circulated by pumps 34 around the

BATH ORIGINAL 009836/1864

Pumped ring main line. Valves 35 are provided to a storage tank 31 or a pump 34 if necessary from the Disconnect ring main line. At intervals around the main ring line, branch pipes 36 are provided through valves 37 are controlled and each with a heated and jacketed VeriEllerleitung 38 are connected, one of which is provided for each cable machine.

Each stranding machine 27 is of conventional design and contains a plurality of stranding heads 41, one Take-off roll 42 and a take-up drum 43. The wrapping machine 28 includes an input spool stand 44, a plurality of bundling heads 45, a wrapping head 46, one Take-off roller 47 and a take-up drum 48. On the outlet side each stranding head 41 in the stranding machine and on the outlet side of each bundling head 45 in the bundling machine there is a subdivided container 1 like him based on FIGS. 1 and 2 has been described, the storage container 8 of each container with liquid filling material of the assigned distribution line 38 is supplied via the jacketed pipe 21.

Instead of the main ring line 32, each branch line 38 can, if desired, also be by means of a heated feed line can be connected directly to a storage tank, and the liquid filling material can be drained from the storage tank Reservoirs can be delivered by gravity feed or by a suitable pump.

During the beaching of a stranding or bundling machine v / the impregnation baths 7 are emptied by the Liquid as these baths in their respective reservoirs egg is pumped, whereby the valves of the valve-controlled outlet

0 0 9 8 3 6/1864 _BA D ORIGINAL

fittings 15 that connect the storage tanks to the baths, are closed; When the loading process is complete, these valves are opened in order to refill the impregnation baths before the machine is started. In order to facilitate the loading, the metal pipes 9 and 10, which protrude from the baths 7 and on which the Inlet and outlet mouthpieces 11 and 12 are carried, preferably a considerably larger inner diameter than that of the mouthpiece openings, so that they are a rope and a connecting piece between such a pull cord and the one passed through the machine during the threading process Pick up cores with the mouthpieces finally being brought into position after the threading process is complete.

A fundamental advantage of the method and the device according to the invention is that recirculation or reuse of excess filler material avoided v / earth :: n, ::. with the consequence that if (like common) the filler material is petroleum jelly, there is less risk of degradation of the material.

A further advantage is that the apparatus for the use of filler materials of different hardness training points ψ can be easily adjusted or been restored. Menn have been set once the thermal Tate, which controls the heating of the feed tank, the feed lines, the reservoir and the impregnation baths, so the device is self-measuring and self-regulating / self-metering /, provided that the mouthpieces are cooled accordingly. For example, it has been found that for petroleum jelly with a dropping point of about 53 C the suitable liquid temperature is 55 ° C and that the mouthpieces are adequately cooled by placing them on ribbed metal pipes with a length of about 75 mm ( 3 inches) attached.

009836/1864

The invention also relates to modifications to the appended claim. 1 outlined execution form and refers above all to all features of the invention, which are disclosed individually - or in combination - throughout the description and drawing.

Patent claims

BAD ORiGfIMAL 009836/1864

Claims (23)

PATENT LAWYERS Telephone i (0271) 32409 DIPL-ING. ERICH SCHUBERT Jt Ti _B r _Omm -Adr, p _o tsd, «b, * DIPL-ING. DIPL-W.-ING. G. ZWIRNER 59 Siegen, P.O. Box 325 Bank accounts: Eiserner Strasse 227 Deutsche Bank AG., Branches Siegen u. Oberhäuten (RhId.) 70 023 Kü / A 4 February 1970 Claims .1 /) Procedure for covering and filling the spaces between the elements of an elongated flexible body, in particular a multi-conductor telecommunications cable core, the duroh Stranding or banding a plurality of elements or conductors is formed, characterized in that the body is impregnated and coated with a filler material by placing it in a bath (7) of filler material in the liquid state, through an inlet mouthpiece (11), which is located under the halo of the liquid level, through the liquid in the bath and then out of the bath an outlet mouthpiece (12) is conveyed which is located completely below the liquid level, the mouthpieces be maintained at such a temperature that there is no substantial leakage of liquid from the bath through them takes place through it while the body is continuously transported through the bath. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that each mouthpiece at the free end of a metal tube (9, 10) is attached, which protrudes from the wall of the bath and by means of external cooling fins (14) on the pipe on the said Temperature is maintained. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that aaa the Jinlaßmundstück is a closing mouthpiece through which the bundle or strand of elements or an outer layer thereof is formed. 009836/1864 _BAD ORIGINAL «Ο 4. When making a plastic-insulated telecommunication ekabelkerna through a stranding or bundling process using a stranding or bundling machine which has at least one stranding or bundling head Method for covering and filling the spaces between the plastic-insulated conductors of the cable core according to claim 1, characterized in that each formed layer of conductors impregnates the core with the filler material in sequence and is coated as soon as the core emerges from each stranding or bundling head (41, 45) by the fact that it is conveyed into a bath of filling material, the inlet mouthpiece of the bath as a closing mouthpiece for the preceding " Stranding or bundling head works. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the innermost layer of conductors around a preformed Core is laid, which before it enters the first stranding or bundling head, through a bath of filling material is sent, which is provided with inlet and outlet mouthpieces, whereby the preformed core itself with the Filler material is impregnated and coated. 6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the bath of filling material is kept under a pressure g above atmospheric and that at least two layers of conductors are impregnated and coated at the same time. 7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the mouthpieces at said temperature be kept by forced cooling. 8. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized characterized in that the mouthpieces are each attached to the feien end of a metal tube which extends from the wall of the bath protrudes, and are kept at the said temperature by means of external cooling fins on the tubes. 009836/1864 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the or each bath has a separate storage container (8) is assigned and is supplied by this with liquid filling material. 10. Device for covering and pulling the gaps between the elements of an elongated flexible body, in particular the gaps between the conductors of a multi-conductor telecommunications cable core, which is formed by stranding or bundling a plurality of elements or conductors, characterized in that the device is a bath (7) _{f has} an inlet mouthpiece (11) through which a body can be introduced into the bath, an outlet mouthpiece (12) through which the body can emerge from the bath, the mouthpieces being arranged so that they are completely underneath of the level of the liquid filler material when contained in the bath, and that the mouthpieces are associated with means for maintaining them at such a temperature that no substantial leakage of liquid from the bath takes place through them while the body is continuous through the bath is promoted through it. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that two metal pipes (9, 10) protrude from the wall of the bath, that on one of the tubes inlet mouthpiece is attached at the free end of the same, and that on the other of the tubes that Outlet mouthpiece is attached at the free end thereof, the tubes keeping the mouthpieces at said temperature. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that each tube has outer cooling fins (14). 13. Device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized characterized in that the bath has a separate storage tank (8) 009836/1864 is assigned for liquid filling material and that a device is provided, which the liquid from the storage container after the bath promotes. 14. For use in making a plastic insulated Telecommunication cable core by a stranding or bundling method using a stranding or Bundling machine with a large number of stranding or bundling heads, a device for covering and filling the spaces between the plastic-insulated conductors of the Cable core according to Claim 10, characterized in that a multiplicity of baths each have a stranding or bundling head (41 »45) is assigned and arranged on the outlet side that a plurality of storage containers (8) each one Bath is assigned to supply this liquid filler, and that a feed tank (31) is provided, which of the Plurality of storage containers for the delivery of liquid filling material to the storage containers belonged together. 15. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that that each mouthpiece is attached to the free end of a metal tube which protrudes from the wall of the bath. 16. Device according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized characterized in that the or each bath and its associated storage container parts of a single container (1) ^ form, which is divided by a partition (6). 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the partition wall of the or each divided container with one or more valve-controlled recesses (15) which are below the level of a body or core which is conveyed through the bath is in such a way that liquid can get from the reservoir into the bath. 009836/18 18. The device according to Anspruoh 17, characterized in that the or each valve is coupled to a drive device is, which conveys the body or core through the bath, such that the drive device is only at open valve is excitable. 19. Device according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the or each divided container encased on the whole and with a heating device. (4-) is provided, which keeps the filling material in the storage container at the desired temperature. 20. Device according to one of claims H to 19, characterized in that the storage container with a Feed valve (22) is provided, which can be actuated by a float (26), which is a relay for the automatic Switching off the power supply for the drive means conveying the core through the bath controls when the Liquid level in the bath drops just below the top surface of the core. 21. Device according to one of claims 11, 12, and 15, characterized in that the mouthpieces split massive Are metal mouthpieces that fit into the free ends of the tubes. 22. Device according to one of claims 10 to 21, characterized in that the opening of the outlet mouthpiece is slightly larger in cross-section than that of the inlet mouthpiece and of the same shape as this. 23. Device according to one of claims H to 21, characterized characterized in that a plurality of such devices for covering and filling the spaces between the 009836/18 6 Λ plastic-insulated conductors of a cable core each one from a large number of stranding or bundling machines (27, 28) is assigned that a plurality of heated branch pipes (38) each with the plurality of storage containers Coating and filling device of a stranding or bundling machine is connected, and that the feed tank is connected to the plurality is connected by heated distribution pipes via heated feed lines and a heated ring main line (32). 009836 / 186i