EP0070243B1 - Method and apparatus for easily withdrawing wire from a wire coil irrespective of the original coiling method - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method for easily unwinding reels of wire rod, aluminum or copper or any other metal, whatever the original winding mode. It also relates to the apparatus making it possible to apply said method.

Problem

It is a matter of being able to unroll quickly and without incident the wire, previously wound into a reel, in order to be able to use it in machines absorbing it with sudden starts and stops.

State of the prior art and drawbacks

The wires concerned are essentially, but not exclusively, non-ferrous metals and mainly aluminum and copper. These metals are currently continuously cast and rolled at very high speed by the well-known continuous casting and rolling process on a wheel partially surrounded by a flat metal belt.

In order to be able to quickly wind this wire as and when it is manufactured without being forced to slow down, it was necessary, in certain cases, to abandon the conventional process of circular winding by cutting along a horizontal axis supporting an expandable mandrel (Figures 1 and 2) and replace it with a vertical helical winding falling flat on a receiver (pallet or other) with or without central mandrel (1) or external basket, which gave rise to a winding by layers that shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Depending on the shape, the length, the eccentricity of the turn, the speed of rotation of the tube forming the helix, the distribution, the average diameter, the thickness of the sheets obtained by continuous or sequential rotation more or less slow, from the pallet or the receiving mandrel, various forms of winding are obtained. The more or less thick tablecloths can be arranged, laid flat in different ways, either in a spiral, in a tablecloth, in rosettes, etc. as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

All these rapid flat windings without cutting have a much lower weight / volume ratio than that of circular winding by cutting on a horizontal mandrel (Figures 1 and 2).

In wire drawing plants, it should be noted that the rewinding (2), (3) or (4) of the wire, known as machine wire, constitutes an intermediate stage between rolling and the wire drawing.

When these two operations are located in the same place, the coils (3) and (4) are used as they are. When these workshops are far enough apart from each other, it is necessary, in order to avoid costly transport costs, to increase the weight / volume ratio by vertically pressing the coil so as to tighten the turns which, given their method of manufacture, tend to form spring. This operation can trap one or more improperly placed turns and give serious trouble to the user during unwinding. Indeed, it takes place by vertical traction on the wire starting from the center of the coil where possibility of blocking, brutal unwinding of several layers, formation of knots, wire breakage.

These incidents can have serious consequences when drawing or using wire rod by injecting aluminum into a steel pocket in order to complete the deoxidation.

This last operation is carried out using machines described in French patents FR-A-2402000 of 2.09.1977, FR-A-2 433 581 of 19.07.1979, FR-A-2491364 of 3.10.1980. These machines are mainly designed for the flat but they can use wire called machine wire, whatever the diameter thereof depending on the requirements of the price and also the speed setting for a flow rate in kg / min predetermined.

It is also known and described in American patent US-A-2930541 a method and an apparatus for unwinding coils of wire according to which the coils are placed flat on a pallet placed on a plate, the axis of their central hole being arranged vertically, the wire first passes through an axial eyelet held above the spool and then passes over an upper return drum. The preambles of claims 1 for a method and 2 for an apparatus are based on this state of the art. However, according to this method, the spool of wire to be unwound is not held on the pallet and, therefore, collapses at the end of the unwinding of the last turns, as shown in FIG. 10.

In order to counter all subsequent jolts and incidents, it is essential to be certain of obtaining a correct unwinding of the reel.

Apparently, to date, only the helical winding in a rosette on a metal mandrel (1) both support and wire distributor allows a correct unwinding (Figures 5 and 6).

This process requires a significant investment in a special machine, in a metal support mandrel (1), in manual labor. Coils, very bulky, having a fairly low weight / volume ratio (hence significant transport costs) are generally obtained from a normal coil (2) obtained by circular winding and cutting or from coils obtained by winding helical without mandrel. They are then rewound in a rosette, the wire being drawn from one and distributed over the second by means of a train of drive rollers and pressers similar to that described in the patents already cited above.

It is therefore an operation that is not very logical and relatively expensive.

It is possible to unwind one or more reels (2) of one to two tonnes obtained by normal winding, that is to say by circular wound cutting on a horizontal axis. It is then a matter of doing the opposite operation, that is to say of placing on a support with a horizontal hub, and of pulling the wire from the outside (Figures 7 and 8).

The drawback of this system is linked to the weight and the diameter as well as to the speed of unwinding, and is due to the phenomenon of inertia the greater the parameters mentioned. It is therefore necessary to install on the reel (5) (Figures 7 and 8) a brake (6) with progressive or brutal tightening in order to avoid untimely unwinding of several turns, hence the risk of folds or knots forming. The investment of such an unwinder is expensive and cumbersome. It often requires additional handling since the coils (2) are often delivered flat on pallets.

The attempts made so far to use coils wound normally (2) (circular by cutting) and placed with their vertical axis on a fixed pallet (7) by vertically pulling the wire through the center (Figure 9) by passing it on a deflection drum (8) have given encouraging results due to the simultaneous arrival of several turns which determine the knots and a blockage. On the other hand, at the slightest incident, the final course results in a sudden collapse of the last five to ten windings making them practically unusable (Figure 10). A winding comprising, depending on the height of the coil and the diameter of the wire, fifty to one hundred twenty turns of large diameter, this frequent incident results in definitive by a significant fall in weight therefore very expensive given the price of the metal.

The object of the present invention is, whatever the initial winding mode of the spool of thread, to be able, by means of a very simple apparatus, to unwind it without any incident by vertically pulling the thread starting from the center , using the patented machines already mentioned.

• le ralentissement du touret supportant la bobine utilisée
• l'arrêt de la machine pendant le raboutage
• la remise en route et l'accélération du touret supportant la nouvelle bobine.

In certain manufacturing operations, for example wire drawing, it is necessary to join the final end of the thread of a reel already used with the start end of a new reel. This requires :

• the slowing down of the reel supporting the reel used
• stopping the machine during splicing
• restarting and acceleration of the reel supporting the new reel.

This results in a loss of time.

In addition, the inertia of the reel and its reel (reel) limits the speed and especially the variations in speed of the reel.

The invention also aims to avoid these drawbacks.

The method and the apparatus which will now be described are valid for spools of wire of current diameter ranging from 9.5 to 19.5 mm, with spools (2) or (3) placed with their vertical axis on a pallet handling (7).

Statement of the invention

The process which is the subject of the invention, making it possible to easily unwind spools of wire, whatever the original winding, according to which: said spools are placed flat on a pallet placed on a plate with the axis of their central hole arranged vertically,

• a) on maintient extérieurement la bobine en la serrant par un dispositif rigide et fixe en cours de déroulage,
• b) on tire le fil vers le haut, à partir du trou central, en obligeant chaque spire qui se déroule à passer sous un rouleau presseur horizontal en se rapprochant du centre et en augmentant ainsi sa courbure, le rouleau presseur étant monté radialement en porte-à-faux à l'extérieur de la bobine en appuyant sur celle-ci vers le bas, jusqu'à son dévidement complet.

the wire passes first through an axial eyelet held above the spool and then passes over an upper deflection drum, is characterized in that:

• a) the coil is held externally by tightening it by a rigid and fixed device during unwinding,
• b) the wire is pulled upwards, starting from the central hole, forcing each turn which takes place to pass under a horizontal pressure roller by approaching the center and thus increasing its curvature, the pressure roller being mounted radially in the door - overhang outside the spool by pressing it down, until it is fully unwound.

• a) un montant vertical principal, fixé fermement sur le bord de la platine, dans lequel pivotent les traverses horizontales d'un corset articulé en plusieurs battants partiellement cylindriques, comportant des montants verticaux faisant saillie vers l'intérieur pour maintenir extérieurement la bobine, les battants extrêmes comportant des moyens de fermeture et de serrage du corset, l'ouverture de ces battants s'effectuant suffisamment largement pour pouvoir introduire les bobines au-dessus de la platine et placées sur leur palette de manutention ;
• b) un rouleau presseur horizontal disposé radialement par rapport à la bobine, l'axe dudit rouleau étant rigidement fixé dans un coulisseau susceptible de se déplacer verticalement dans la partie supérieure du montant fixe sous l'effet d'un vérin approprié suivant une course suffisante pour que ledit rouleau
  • dans un premier temps, dégage l'accès de la platine pour y poser la bobine sur sa palette,
  • dans un deuxième temps, appuie constamment le dessus de ladite bobine, au cours de son dévidage,
  • la longueur dudit rouleau étant légèrement inférieure au rayon extérieur de la bobine et, à cet effet, présentant un réglage de sa longueur pour s'adapter aux différents diamètres de bobines. Avantageusement l'appareil tel que défini ci-dessus est en outre caractérisé par le fait que :
  • a) la platine est fixe,
• b) le montant vertical principal fixe a une section carrée et supporte, par des charnières, au moins deux battants ouvrant faisant chacun environ le tiers du tour de la bobine et dont les montants marginaux les plus éloignés des charnières fixes sont conçus pour s'appuyer sur la bobine et comportent des charnières mobiles d'autres battants extrêmes faisant chacun environ le sixième du tour de la bobine, les montants libres de ces battants extrêmes comportant des fermetures complémentaires assurant le verrouillage et le serrage autour de la bobine du corset articulé, si bien que la bobine est maintenue extérieurement par au moins trois montants espacés angulairement d'environ un tiers de tour,
• c) le rouleau presseur horizontal se déplace verticalement, sous l'effet d'un vérin pneumatique situé dans le montant vertical tout comme le coulisseau, ledit montant présentant, à sa partie supérieure, au niveau du coulisseau, au moins une fente verticale laissant le passage à l'axe du rouleau, l'effort du vérin étant suffisant pour maintenir le dessus de la bobine et toutes ses spires,
• d) . l'œillet est maintenu par un support horizontal fixé à la partie supérieure du montant fixe,
• e) le tambour de renvoi comporte des flasques latéraux.

The apparatus making it possible to apply the process which has just been defined, comprising a horizontal plate intended to support the spool-holder pallet, a horizontal, fixed eyelet disposed at least one meter above the center of the spool and a idler drum with horizontal axis located above the eyelet, is characterized by the fact that it comprises:

• a) a main vertical upright, fixed firmly on the edge of the plate, in which pivot the horizontal crosspieces of a corset articulated in several partially cylindrical leaves, comprising vertical uprights projecting inwards to externally hold the coil, extreme leaves comprising means for closing and tightening the corset, the opening of these leaves being sufficiently wide to be able to introduce the coils above the plate and placed on their handling pallet;
• b) a horizontal pressure roller disposed radially with respect to the spool, the axis of said roller being rigidly fixed in a slide capable of moving vertically in the upper part of the fixed upright under the effect of an appropriate jack along a sufficient stroke so that said roller
  • first, clear the access to the plate to place the coil on its pallet,
  • in a second step, constantly presses the top of said reel, during its unwinding,
  • the length of said roller being slightly less than the outside radius of the coil and, for this purpose, having an adjustment of its length to adapt to the different diameters of coils. Advantageously, the device as defined above is further characterized by the fact that:
  • a) the plate is fixed,
• b) the main vertical upright fixed has a square section and supports, by hinges, at least two leaves opening each making about a third of the turn of the coil and whose marginal amounts furthest from the tank fixed nières are designed to rest on the spool and include movable hinges of other extreme leaves each making about one sixth of the turn of the coil, the free amounts of these extreme leaves having complementary closures ensuring locking and tightening around of the spool of the articulated corset, so that the spool is held externally by at least three uprights spaced angularly by about a third of a turn,
• c) the horizontal pressure roller moves vertically, under the effect of a pneumatic cylinder located in the vertical upright just like the slide, said upright having, at its upper part, at the level of the slide, at least one vertical slot leaving the passage to the axis of the roller, the force of the jack being sufficient to maintain the top of the coil and all its turns,
• d). the eyelet is held by a horizontal support fixed to the upper part of the fixed upright,
• e) the return drum has lateral flanges.

According to a preferred embodiment, the solid fixed vertical upright consists of two irons U whose free edges of the wings are welded. The locking and tightening of the corset is effected by oscillating locks with spiral profile cam or by fixed hooks at the end of springs or by jacks, in particular pneumatic jacks.

• a) une deuxième platine,
• b) une deuxième série de battants ouvrant avec leur verrouillage et leur serrage,
• c) une deuxième série de battants ouvrant un deuxième rouleau presseur horizontal actionné par le même coulisseau et le même vérin,
• d) un deuxième oeillet maintenu par un support au-dessus du montant fixe,
• e) un deuxième tambour de renvoi permettant ainsi de dévider simultanément ou successivement deux bobines.

The device may comprise, placed symmetrically with respect to the main fixed upright:

• a) a second plate,
• b) a second series of leaves opening with their locking and tightening,
• c) a second series of leaves opening a second horizontal pressure roller actuated by the same slide and the same jack,
• d) a second eyelet held by a support above the fixed upright,
• e) a second return drum thus allowing two reels to be unwound simultaneously or successively.

Different combinations of devices of the invention can be made. We can first of all pair it with another identical device, except that there are only one or two deflection drums in total, thus allowing four coils to be unwound simultaneously and / or successively. It is also possible to associate several juxtaposed devices comprising coils, the unwound wire of which passes over a single return drum.

It is also possible to provide several plates and a single oblong-shaped eyelet disposed in a direction parallel to the plane comprising the axes of the coils. By providing a joining device between the plates, one can ensure a permanent unwinding or unwinding of the wire, without any stopping. This is done by joining the end of the end of a reel with the end of the start of the next reel, it being understood that we always start by unwinding the central turns of the reels, ending by unwinding the outer turns.

Advantages and industrial result

• 1) du profil et de la section du métal,
• 2) du mode de bobinage,
• 3) du poids et du nombre de bobines en service.

First of all the user has the free choice

• 1) profile and section of the metal,
• 2) the winding mode,
• 3) the weight and number of coils in service.

He therefore has total, but personal, freedom to source aluminum wire or other metal at the best technical and economic conditions depending on the facilities at his disposal.

This process complements the patents already cited. It can also be used to facilitate the unwinding of the wound wires during the wire drawing operation, an operation which consists in passing the wire through a succession of dies in order to reduce the original diameter so that products can be placed on the market. , wires or cables in aluminum, copper, steel, directly usable by the final consumer (industry or individual).

The device which is the subject of the invention, which has just been described, makes it possible to increase the efficiency of machines for injecting aluminum wire or flat, subject of the patents cited above. They allow a large supply of food to be obtained, the supply of a current product being obtainable at the best price. Handling is also reduced and an original product can be used without intermediate modification. The mechanism requires no energy consumption. The workforce is reduced. Storage security in a limited space at the workplace is achieved.

The manufacture of wires with a diameter of 9.5 or 12.5 is very widespread, therefore subject to serious commercial competition.

The method and the apparatus of the invention moreover avoid all the drawbacks which have been mentioned at the beginning of this specification and in particular the production of knots, blocking and the loss of metal which follows.

Devices with multiple plates also allow the storage of a large quantity of metal ensuring the supply of the devices of use by reducing the frequency of restocking.

, The use of multiple plates with splicing device makes it possible to eliminate the unwinding stops, which is particularly appreciated in certain manufacturing processes, in particular in wire drawing.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description below which gives some nonlimiting examples of practical embodiment and which are illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the figures

• La figure 1 est une vue en élévation d'une bobine de fil enroulée de façon circulaire par trancanage, ladite bobine étant posée avec son axe vertical.
• La figure 2 est une vue en plan de la bobine de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une vue en élévation d'une bobine de fil enroulée hélicoïdalement autour d'axes verticaux suivant des nappes hypocycloïdales horizontales en spirale sans mandrin central.
• La figure 4 est une vue en plan de la bobine de la figure 3.
• La figure 5 est une vue en élévation d'une bobine de fil enroulée hélicoïdalement autour d'un mandrin central se prolongeant par des supports inférieurs avec crochets extérieurs, ledit enroulement se faisant par nappes hypocycloïdales horizontales.
• La figure 6 est une vue en plan de la bobine de la figure 5.
• La figure 7 est une coupe verticale, suivant l'axe, d'un support de dévidage d'une bobine de fil enroulé circulairement par trancanage.
• La figure 8 est une vue de côté du support de la bobine représentés à la figure 7.
• La figure 9 est une coupe verticale d'une installation, avec bobine à plat enroulée par trancanage, pour le dévidage de ladite bobine dévidée par le centre.
• La figure 10 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 9 illustrant ce qu'il se produit à la fin du déroulement.
• La figure 11 est une coupe verticale d'une installation suivant le procédé de l'invention, avec une seule bobine en cours de dévidage.
• La figure 12 est une coupe verticale d'une autre installation suivant l'invention, avec deux bobines en cours de dévidage.
• La figure 13 est une vue en plan de l'installation représentée à la figure 12.
• La figure 14 est une vue schématique en plan d'une autre version de l'installation de l'invention avec quatre bobines en cours de dévidage disposées en carré.
• La figure 15 est une vue schématique en plan encore d'une autre version de l'installation de l'invention avec quatre bobines alignées en cours de dévidage.
• La figure 16 est une vue en élévation de l'installation de l'invention représentée à la figure 11.
• La figure 17 est une vue en plan d'un appareil avec des battants dont l'ouverture et la fermeture sont commandées par des vérins pneumatiques.
• La figure 18 est une vue en plan d'un appareil avec deux platines et un seul ceillet oblong permettant le raboutage en cours de déroulement ou dévidage.
• La figure 19 est une vue en élévation de l'appareil de la figure 18.

In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is an elevational view of a wire coil wound in a circular manner by cutting, said coil being placed with its vertical axis.
• Figure 2 is a plan view of the coil of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is an elevational view of a coil of wire helically wound around vertical axes along horizontal hypocycloidal sheets in spiral without central mandrel.
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the coil of Figure 3.
• Figure 5 is an elevational view of a coil of wire helically wound around a central mandrel extending by lower supports with external hooks, said winding being carried out by horizontal hypocycloid plies.
• Figure 6 is a plan view of the coil of Figure 5.
• Figure 7 is a vertical section along the axis of a support for unwinding a coil of wire wound circularly by cutting.
• FIG. 8 is a side view of the support of the coil shown in FIG. 7.
• Figure 9 is a vertical section of an installation, with flat coil wound by cutting, for the unwinding of said reel unwound by the center.
• Figure 10 is a view similar to that of Figure 9 illustrating what happens at the end of the process.
• Figure 11 is a vertical section of an installation according to the method of the invention, with a single reel being unwound.
• Figure 12 is a vertical section of another installation according to the invention, with two coils being unwound.
• FIG. 13 is a plan view of the installation shown in FIG. 12.
• Figure 14 is a schematic plan view of another version of the installation of the invention with four coils being unwound arranged in a square.
• Figure 15 is a schematic plan view of yet another version of the installation of the invention with four coils aligned during unwinding.
• FIG. 16 is an elevation view of the installation of the invention shown in FIG. 11.
• Figure 17 is a plan view of an apparatus with leaves, the opening and closing of which are controlled by pneumatic cylinders.
• Figure 18 is a plan view of an apparatus with two plates and a single oblong ring allowing the joining during unwinding or unwinding.
• Figure 19 is an elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 18.

Description of some embodiments

The apparatus of the invention comprises a horizontal plate (9) on which is placed the pallet (7) which supports the coil (2) arranged with its vertical axis. It also consists of a solid main vertical upright (10) fixed firmly on the edge of the plate (9) on which pivot, thanks to hinges (11), the crosspieces (12) of a corset articulated in several leaves (13) to (20) which have vertical uprights (21), (22), (23), (24) as well as (25), (26), (27), (28) which project towards the interior to externally hold the coils such as (2). The extreme leaves (17), (18), (19), (20) include locks (29), (30) oscillating, having a cam with a spiral profile, a device which is well known and which can moreover be replaced by any equivalent locking device such as a spring with a hook. In a preferred version (Figure 17), the oscillation of the leaves (13, 14) is ensured by pneumatic cylinders (58, 59) which open on the upright (10). The leaves (13) to (16) have a partially cylindrical plane and make about a third of the turn of the coils (2). The uprights (21) to (24) are designed to rest on the coils (2) and hold them. The coils (2) are thus held not only by the uprights (21) to (24) but also by the main upright (10). The uprights (21) to (24) comprise, as we have seen, hinges for the leaves (17) to (20) which are also partially cylindrical and each form approximately one sixth of the turn of the coil.

In this way, the reels (2) are firmly held during their unwinding.

When the reel (2) is fully unwound, the latches (29), (30) are released and the leaves (13) to (20) are opened in the direction of the arrows (31) to (42). We can then remove the empty pallets (7) and bring new coils (2) placed on their pallet (7). This maneuver is commonly done using forklifts. It must be done after lifting. of the horizontal pressure roller (43) as will be explained below.

Indeed, an important characteristic of the apparatus of the invention resides in the horizontal pressure roller (43) disposed radially with respect to the coil (2), the axis of said roller being rigidly fixed in a slide (44) (figure 11) capable of moving vertically in the upper part of the main upright (10) which is tubular, generally of square section and produced by two irons U whose edges are welded. The movement of the rollers (43) (along the arrow (45)) is possible thanks to vertical slots (46) formed in the upper part of the upright (10). It is controlled by a pneumatic cylinder (47) placed inside the main part of said upright (10). The vertical stroke of the roller (43) is of the order of ten centimeters. This roller (43) is raised when the reel (2) is placed and it is then lowered when the reel (2) is in place. The length of the roller (43) is slightly less than the radius of the coil (2).

Another feature of the apparatus of the invention resides in the horizontal eyelet (48) which is fixed and disposed at least one meter above the center of the coil (2). The eyelet (48) is connected to the upright (10) by a support (49).

A final important feature of the device is the return drum (50), with a horizontal axis, which is located a few meters above above the eyelet (48). This drum generally comprises lateral flanges (51), (52) for guiding the wires (53) to (56).

In Figures 11 and 16, there is shown a simple device capable of supporting only one coil.

In Figures 12 and 13, there is shown a double device capable of supporting two coils (2) which are arranged on either side of a single main upright (10). In this case, return drums (501) and (502) are provided for the wires (53) and (54). For the wire (53), a path has been shown in solid lines which directs it in the opposite direction to the wire (54). There is also shown a path in dotted lines (531) which directs it in the same direction as the wire (54).

In Figure 14, there is provided an arrangement of two devices such as those shown in Figures 12 and 13 and which are arranged side by side so that the coils (2) are placed in a square. There are two return drums (503), (504) which direct the wires (53) and (54) on the one hand and (55) and (56) on the other hand in two different directions. One could imagine, in the same way as that which has been represented in FIG. 12, an arrangement of the wires which direct them all in the same direction.

In Figure 15, there is shown yet another arrangement with four devices of the type which has been shown in Figures 11 and 16 which are arranged side by side so that all the wires pass over a deflection drum (505) for direct them in the same direction.

Any other arrangement could be imagined without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The upright (10) is generally welded to the horizontal plate (9) which is then sealed by any means at a location chosen as being the most suitable for supplying most simply, economically, correctly, the machine for injecting or drawing the metal (copper, aluminum, steel, etc.). This location is always at a level lower than that of the machines to be fed, the proper functioning of the system being all the better the greater the level difference, that is to say the distance between the eyelet (48 ) and the return drum (50) will be important.

The horizontal pressure rollers (43) rotate on ball bearings and have a length slightly less (from 100 to 150 mm) than the outside radius of the spool (2) to be unwound from the center. As this radius can vary, the length of the roller (43) is adjusted, by sliding it axially in its support and locking it in the desired position.

In a version intended for manufacturing where there is a need for continuous reeling, as is the case in wire drawing, the apparatus shown in Figures 18, 19 is used and which comprises at least two plates side by side to support the coils (2a and 2b). Each of these plates corresponds to an upright (10) and a horizontal pressure roller (43). On the other hand, there is only one oblong eyelet (481) supported at a sufficient height by the bracket (60) and the support (491). A guide 61 is also provided in the form of a funnel before the drum (506).

To join the outer end (62) of the coil wire (2b) with the inner end (63) of the coil wire (2a), a splicer (64) is provided which performs an electric welding. - only by resistance or sparking.

The oblong eyelet (481) can advantageously be produced by two parallel rollers.

Device operation

The apparatus being fixed at the chosen location, a coil (2) of two tonnes of wire, for example, with the simplest winding, therefore the cheapest, is placed on each side of the uprights (10) constituted by welding two U irons. So there are four tonnes of wire.

At the upper part of each coil (2), the radial roller (43), pushed vertically by the jack (47), is applied to the upper face of the coil (2) and firmly holds all the turns when an effort upward traction is exerted on the wire (53) or the profile. Each turn (57) is then forced to pass one by one under the roller (43) while approaching the center before engaging in the direction eyelet (48).

This operation has the effect of clearing any trapped turns.

On the other hand, the main tensile force acting on the roller (43) makes it possible to reduce that acting on the reel by reducing the angle of attack of the wire on the internal wall of the cut turns. As a result, thanks to the radial holding roller (43) combined with the uprights (21), (22), (23), (24) and (10) distributed every 120 ° around the coil (2), this can be done until the end without the slightest incident. On the other hand, the eyelet (48) placed at the top of the uprights (10) (one eyelet per reel) makes it possible to obtain a correct unwinding of each reel (2) located on each side of said upright (10) and whatever its initial winding (right or left).

In the case of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, if it is assumed that the spool (2b) is being unwound and that a spool (2a) has been placed on the adjacent plate, the strand ( 53b) passes through the eyelet (481), the guide (61) and the drum (506). During this time, the outer end (62) of the coil (2b) and the inner end (63) of the coil (2a) are released in order to join them in a spark-splicer (64), for example. One then releases the ends (62, 63) of the planer (64) so that when the spool (2b) is completely unwound, the wire being unwound takes the position (53a) to unwind the reel (2a) by the interior.

Another coil can then be brought to the location where the coil was (2b). The inner strand of this new coil is then pulled to the planer (64) to weld it to the outer strand of the coil (2a). We always manage to pass these strands over the leaves (14).

In this way, continuous reeling is carried out without any stopping.

It follows that, whatever the purpose of the unwinding, injection, pocket or drawing, the process is applicable regardless of the original winding of the coil. Circular winding by cutting (Figures 1 and 2), unwinding from the inside by successive turns from top to bottom (Figures 3 and 4) and from bottom to top, helical winding, unwinding by successive turns and plan by plan from l inside.

This method and these devices can be applied to unwind cored wire, that is to say a wire inside which has been incorporated a powder (silico-calcium or powdered magnesium, in particular) coated in a strip, for example made of steel or aluminum shaped as a relatively flexible continuous tube inside which the powder (fodder) has been incorporated before the tube is closed.

Claims (11)

1. A process allowing to easily unwind spools of wire (2), whatever the winding of origin may be, according to which :

said spools (2) are placed flat on a palette laid down on a plate (9), the axis of their central hole being vertically disposed,

the wire (53) at first passes in an axial eyelet-hole (48) maintained above the spool and then passes on an upper reversing drum (50) ; characterized in that :

a) the spool (2) is outwardly maintained by tightening it with a rigid and fixed device (12-28) during the unwinding, and

b) the wire (53) is drawn up, from the central hole, by constraining each single turn which comes unwound to pass beneath a horizontal pressure roll (43) by drawing nearer to the centre and so increasing its curve, the pressure roll being radially mounted overhanging outside the spool (2) by leaning against this down, up to its complete unwinding.

2. An apparatus allowing to apply a process according to claim 1, comprising a horizontal plate (9) intended for supporting the spool-holder palette (7), a horizontal fixed eyelet-hole (48) disposed at the very least from one meter above the centre of the spool (2) and a reversing drum (50) having a horizontal axis and located above the eyelet-hole (48), characterized in that it comprises :

a) a main vertical upright (10), firmly fastened on the edge of the plate (9), in which pivot the horizontal cross-bars (12) of an articulated corset in several partially cylindrical slabs (13 to 20), comprising vertical uprights (21 to 28) projecting inside for outwardly maintaining the spool (2), the utmost slabs (17, 18, 19, 20) comprising closing and tightening means of the corset (29, 30), the opening of these slabs being sufficiently widely executed in order to be able to introduce the spools above the plate (9) and placed on their handling palette (7), and

b) a horizontal pressure roll (43) radially disposed with respect to the spool (2), the axis of said roll (43) being rigidly fastened in a slide (44) apt to vertically move about in the upper part of the fixed upright (10) by the effectiveness of an appropriate jack (47) according to a sufficient travel in order that said roll (43), firstly, disengages the access of the plate (9) for laying down here the spool (2) on its palette (7), and, secondly, constantly leans against the upper part of said spool (2), during its unwinding, the length of said roll being lightly inferior to the outer radius of the spool and, to this end, having an adjusting of its length in order to be suited to the different diameters of the spools.

3. An apparatus, such as defined in claim 2, characterized in that :

a) the plate (9) is fixed,

b) the main fixed vertical upright (10) has a square section and supports, by means of hinges (11), at least two opening slabs (13, 14) each being about the third of the circumference of the spool (2) and whose the marginal uprights (21, 22, 23, 24) the firthermost of the fixed hinges (11) are carried out to lean against the spool (2) and comprise movable hinges of other utmost slabs (17, 18, 19, 20) each being about the sixth of the circumference of the spool, the free uprights (25, 26) of these utmost slabs (17, 18) comprising complementary closing means (29, 30) ensuring the bolting and tightening round the spool (2) of the articulated corset, so that the spool is ou- wardly supported by at least three uprights (10, 21, 22) angularly spaced of about a third of circumference or 120°,

c) the horizontal pressure roll (43) vertically moves about by the effect of a pneumatic jack (47) situated in the vertical upright (10) like the slide (44), said upright (10) having, in its upper part, at slide (44) level, at least a vertical slit (46) allowing the passage for the axis of the roll (43), the jack effort being sufficient for supporting the upper part of the spool (2) and all its turns,

d) the eyelet-hole (48) is maintained by a horizontal support fastened on the upper part of the fixed upright (10), and

e) the reversing drum (50) is provided with lateral cheeks (51, 52).

4. An apparatus, such as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the main fixed vertical upright (10) is composed of two channel irons whose the free edges of the flanges are welded.

5. An apparatus, such as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the bolting and tightening of the corset are carried out by means of oscillatory bolts (29, 30) with a cam having a spiral profile.

6. An apparatus, such as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the bolting and tightening of the corset are carried out by means of jack, in particular pneumatic jacks.

7. An apparatus, such as defined in any one of the claims 3-6, characterized in that it comprises, symmetrically disposed with respect to the main fixed upright :

a) a second plate (9),

b) a second series of opening slabs (15, 16, 19, 20) with their bolting and tightening,

c) a second horizontal pressure roll (43) operated by the same slide (44) and the same jack (47),

d) a second eyelet-hole (48) maintained by a support above the fixed upright, and

e) a second reversing drum (502) so allowing to simultaneously or successively unwind two spools (2).

8. An apparatus, such as defined in claim 7, characterized in that it is paired with an other identical apparatus, except that on the whole there only is two reversing drums (503, 504), so allowing to simultaneously or successively unwind four spools.

9. An apparatus, such as defined in any one of the claims 3 to 6, characterized in that it is associated with several side-by-side-placed apparatus comprising spools whose the unwound wire passes on a sole reversing drum (505).

10. An apparatus, such as defined in any one of the claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises at least two plates (91, 92) and a sole eyelet-hole (481) in the oblong shape, disposed in a direction parallel with the plane comprising the axes of spools and clearly maintained above said spools, and an end-to-end-joining device is provided between the plates (91, 92).

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