EP0118882A1 - Fixed semi-automatic apparatus for coiling a cable - Google Patents

Abstract

Semi-automatic machine (10) with fixed station for coiling a cable (4) inside a tank (1), the cable being distributed vertically in the center of the tank comprising an external wall (3) delimiting a coiling area. This machine is characterized in that it comprises, a bracket (70) rotating around an axis placed vertically from the axis of the tank, an oblique coiling arm (20) attached to the bracket (70) and rolling on the outer wall (3) of the tank (1), a carriage (30) sliding along the coiling arm to distribute the cable in the coiling area, a cable guide bracket (60), the cable passing successively through the cable guide bracket (60) and in the carriage (30). This machine is mainly used for the storage of large electric cables in tanks.

Description

The present invention relates to a semi-automatic stationary machine for coiling a cable inside a tank, the cable being distributed vertically at the center of the tank comprising an external wall delimiting a coiling area.

Electric cables manufactured and delivered in very long length in one piece cannot be wound on reels because the dimensions of these would become exorbitant. They are therefore stored in storage tanks by an operation called coiling.

During the coiling of a cable, it is twisted around its axis by one turn per turn.

This torsion is more or less well supported by the internal constitution of the cable, so that one endeavors to reduce it on the one hand and to distribute it on the other hand. To reduce it, the mean diameter of the turns is increased. To distribute it, we raise the altitude of the starting point of the twist which is generally the exit point of a pulley or a chute with or without hawser, delivering the cable in the vertical axis of the tank.

The coiling operation is traditionally done by hand. For heavy cables up to 70 kg / m, fully manual lifting is no longer possible.

We know, in particular from document FR-A-1.433.701 and by its 1st certificate of addition n ° 88.593, a mechanical device for assisting in the coiling of a cable, using several pulleys adjustable in spacing, mounted on a support rotating around a vertical axis which is also the axis of the tank.

This device has drawbacks such as the use of a small number of pulleys which imposes heavy bending stresses on a heavy cable or even collapse between two successive support points, or the obligation to use this device coiler in coater due to the permanent presence on the ground, in the center of the tank, of said structure which hinders the natural unwinding of the cable.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a semi-automatic machine providing the cable with a path with numerous support points on a deformable structure allowing the cable to be distributed over turns whose diameter can vary in a ratio of 1 to 3, and allowing the retraction of a cable guide bracket to release the cable at the hatchet and thus carry out the natural unwinding of the cable.

The present invention relates to a semi-automatic machine with a fixed station for coiling a cable inside a tank, the cable being distributed vertically in the center of the tank comprising an external wall delimiting a coiling area. , characterized in that it comprises a bracket rotating about an axis placed vertically on the axis of the tank, an oblique coiling arm hooked to the bracket and rolling on the external wall of the tank, a carriage sliding the along the coiling arm to distribute the cable in the coiling area, a cable guide bracket, the cable passing successively through the cable guide bracket and in the carriage.

Advantageously, the cable guide bracket is retracted during unwinding and the carriage has at its end on the tank side, a distribution curve.

Preferably, the cable is guided from its exit from a chute to the distribution curve, between four multiple roller paths forming a parallelepiped cage.

• La figure 1 représente schématiquement une machine selon l'invention, au cours d'une opération de lovage.
• La figure 2 est une vue de côté de la machine selon la figure 1 montrant l'entraînement du bras sur la cuve.
• La figure 3 représente la même machine au cours d'une opération de délovage.
• La figure 4 représente de façon plus détaillée la machine au cours d'une opération de lovage.
• La figure 5 montre, en vue agrandie, le détail V de la figure 4.
• La figure 6 montre, en vue agrandie, le détail VI de la figure 4.
• La figure 7 est une coupe selon VII de la figure 4 qui montre le dispositif d'entraînement du chariot.
• La figure 8 est une coupe suivant VIII de la figure 7.

It is described below, by way of example and with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, a semi-automatic coiling machine according to the invention.

• FIG. 1 schematically represents a machine according to the invention, during a coiling operation.
• Figure 2 is a side view of the machine according to Figure 1 showing the drive of the arm on the tank.
• Figure 3 shows the same machine during a unwinding operation.
• Figure 4 shows in more detail the machine during a coiling operation.
• FIG. 5 shows, in an enlarged view, the detail V of FIG. 4.
• FIG. 6 shows, in an enlarged view, the detail VI of FIG. 4.
• Figure 7 is a section along VII of Figure 4 which shows the carriage drive device.
• FIG. 8 is a section along VIII of FIG. 7.

In Figure 1, there is shown a circular tank 1 having a central portion 2 slightly conical to promote the unwinding of a cable, and an outer portion 3 in the form of a crown on which a drive device 11 is supported. a coiling arm 20 of a coiling machine 10. This drive device is provided with a motor 12. The coiling arm 20 is hooked at its upper part to a bracket 70 which rotates around a bearing 90 placed at the vertical to the central axis of the tank by means of a bearing 91. This coiling arm comprises a carriage 30 and a cable guide bracket 60.

A cable 4 therefore passes through the bearing 90, then in a chute 80, crosses the retractable cable guide bracket 60, then the carriage-30, leaves the carriage by a distribution curve 31 and finally falls vertically into the tank to form turns. The carriage 30 is moved back and forth which distributes the cable vertically from the point of formation of the turn. The position of the carriage 30 corresponds to the position of formation of the largest turn and the position 30a corresponds to the formation of the smallest turn.

In FIG. 2, the external wall 3 of the tank 1 can be seen on which the driving device 11 of the coiling arm 20 rolls. This device 11 supports the motor 12 which drives a driving wheel 13. A second wheel 14 provides stability of the device 11. It is also noted that the distribution curve 31 allows the cable 4 to assume a natural position during the coiling operation.

In FIG. 3, showing the position of the coiling machine 10 during the coiling operation, it is noted that the stem. cable guide 60 is retracted against the bracket 70 and the carriage 30 is in the position for forming the largest turn, the cable 4 can therefore be dislodged without risk of snagging, by simply pulling it through the chute 80.

Figure 4 shows in more detail the coiling machine mounted on the tank 1 composed of its central part 2 and its outer wall-3. This outer wall has a path 5, allowing an operator to monitor the machine, protected by a barrier 3. '. Always to monitor or intervene on the machine, an operator has platforms 100, 102, 104 and ladders 101, 103, installed on the coiling arm 20, or on the bracket 70, all of the platforms and ladders turning with the machine. The coiling arm 20 supports the carriage 30 driven by two chains 24 (24 'not shown) stretched between two pairs of toothed wheels 23 (23' not shown) and 22 (22 'not shown), 22 and 22' being toothed wheels drive wheels driven by a motor 21. Between the two chains 24, 24 ′ and over a certain length, rollers are mounted 25. This carriage 30 also includes horizontal rollers 41 and vertical rollers 42 for guiding the cable. This moving carriage takes an extreme position 30a, which is the formation position of the smallest turn.

The end on the tank side of the carriage 30 has a distribution curve 31 making it possible to bring the cable 4 vertically and close to the wall 3 of the tank.

The cable guide bracket 60 also includes horizontal rollers 62, 62 'for cable guide and perpendicular rollers 61 (61' not shown) to the previous ones to form a closed cable guide cage. This parallelepiped cage is made over the entire length of the cable guide bracket.

The operator has at his disposal a control box 6 supported by a cable 7 fixed to a small hoist 8 which moves on a rail 9, radially to the tank. This rail 9 is obviously liftable (position 9a) by a jack 8 ', so as not to hinder the cable during the unwinding operation.

Figure 5 shows the lower end of the coiling arm 20. The carriage 30 is driven by two chains 24 (24 'not shown) rotating on two pulleys 23 (23' not shown). These pulleys are mounted on a spring device 26 which permanently tends these two chains. The carriage 30 carries at its end the distribution curve 31 provided with horizontal rollers 33, vertical rollers 32 supported at their two ends and small rollers 35 supported at one end. All these rollers guide the cable as it leaves the carriage and give it a curvature in the vertical direction and a curvature in the circumferential direction, better visible in FIG. 2.

Figure 6 shows more precisely the upper part of the coiling machine where we see the cable guide bracket 60, provided with its rollers 61, 62, 62 '(61' not shown) and a basket 63, articulated along the axis 64 and operated by the jack 65. The release position 60a is shown in broken lines.

The bracket 70 is connected to the coiling arm 20 by an articulation 71 which makes it possible to absorb the defects of concentricity or flatness of the external wall 3 of the tank 1 because this bracket 70 and this coiling arm 20 rotate together but according to different guides , the bracket around the bearing 91 (FIG. 1) and the arm 20 resting on a circular crown.

The coiling arm 20 supports the carriage 30 which rolls in two guide rails 54 (54 'not shown) by means of rollers 55 (55' not shown). The cable is therefore trapped between the rollers 41, 42, 42 '(not shown) and the rollers 25 mounted between the chains 24, 24' (not shown), thus forming a parallelepiped cage over most of the length of the carriage.

Figure 7 shows more clearly the arrangement of all the carriage guiding devices and the different drives.

Note the motor 21 having an output shaft 27, and driving through a chain 28 a shaft 29 on which is mounted the two toothed wheels 22, 22 '. A casing 21 'hides the chain 28.

The coiling arm 20 consists of metal beams 57, 57 ', 58, 58', 59.

The shaft 29 is mounted on bearings 49, 49 'integral with the beams of the coiling arm.

The two toothed wheels 22, 22 'each drive a chain 24, 24', better visible in this figure by their guide links 50, 50 '. These two chains are guided in upper angles 51, 51 'and in lower angles 53, 53', part of which is the guide rail 54, 54 'of the carriage 30. This carriage 30 is guided in the rails 54, 54' by rollers 55, 55 '.

The two chains drive the rollers 25, 25 ', and the lower roller 25' produces, in this position, the fourth side of a cage parallelepiped enclosing the cable 4. The other three sides of the cage are, the lower roller 41 of the carriage and the lateral rollers 42, 42 'fixed to angles 56, 56'.

We also see in this figure, in fine lines, the position of the cable guide bracket 60 provided with its horizontal rollers 62, 62 'and its perpendicular rollers 61, 61'. This is obviously narrower than the carriage 30 which can thus roll along the arm 20 and take the position 30a (Figure 4).

The rollers 25, integral with the chains, are of course retracted and do not meet the cable guide bracket 60.

In Figure 8, we can see in more detail the carriage 30 comprising horizontal rollers 41, vertical rollers 42 supported by angles 56 '. We also see in broken lines, the guide rollers 55 'of the carriage. 30, which roll in the angles 54'.

The toothed wheel 22 'rotating on its axis 29 guided in the bearing 49', drives the chain 24 '. This chain comprises links 50 'guided between two upper angles 51' and between the lower angle 53 'and the guide rail 54'. This chain comprises rollers 25, 25 ′ and in this position 25 ′ forms the fourth side of a parallelepipedal cage enclosing the cable.

The coiling operation is carried out as follows.

The cable leaving the chute 80 passes through the cable guide bracket 60, then through the carriage 30. It leaves the carriage via the distribution curve (31) giving it two different curvatures, one in the direction of the height and the other in a circumferential direction, then it falls into the tank where an operator manually forms the turns. The carriage 30 is moved by a motor and ⁱ operator has at hand a control box. For the unwinding operation, the cable does not pass either through the carriage or through the cable guide bracket which is then retracted.

Claims (6)

1 / Semi-automatic machine (10) with fixed station for coiling a cable (4) inside a tank (1), the cable being distributed vertically in the center of the tank comprising an external wall ( 3) delimiting a coiling area, characterized in that it comprises, a bracket (70) rotating around an axis placed vertically on the axis of the tank, an oblique coiling arm (20) attached to the bracket (70) and rolling on the outer wall (3) of the tank (1), a carriage (30) sliding along the coiling arm to distribute the cable in the coiling area, a cable guide bracket (60), the cable passing successively through the cable guide bracket (60) and into the carriage (30). 2 / semi-automatic machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable guide bracket (60) is retracted during unwinding. 3 / semi-automatic machine according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the carriage (30) comprises. its end on the tank side, a distribution curve (31). 4 / semi-automatic machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cable is guided from its exit from a chute (80) to the distribution curve (31), between four paths of multiple rollers forming a parallelepiped cage. 5 / semi-automatic machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the rectangular cage is formed over the entire length of the cable guide bracket. 6 / semi-automatic machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the parallelepiped cage is formed over the major part of the length of the carriage.

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