EP0150546B1

EP0150546B1 - Method and apparatus for fixing an end of a coiled wire on a take-up spool

Info

Publication number: EP0150546B1
Application number: EP19840300539
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masahisa Noguchi; Kazuji Kaneda
Original assignee: Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 1984-01-27
Filing date: 1984-01-27
Publication date: 1988-05-11
Also published as: EP0150546A1; DE3471083D1

Description

This invention relates to a method of fixing an end of a coiled wire on a take-up spool and an apparatus thereof.
A terminal end of a coiled wire on a take-up spool should be fixed so that it is not loose during its carriage and storage. In one known method the terminal end of the coiled wire, which is relatively thinner, is secured by adhesive tape to the wire coil. However, in this prior method, since the adhesive tape has to be cleanly removed when the wire is utilised in the next step, the operation is troublesome; in addition, the portion of the wire coil from which the adhesive tape is removed tends to be dirtied. Furthermore, the adhesive tape is difficult to firmly adhere to a wet coil. If the wire is highly rigid, other complicated fixing means is required because it cannot "be fixed by the adhesive tape.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for fixing a terminal end of a coiled wire so as to easily and rigidly fix the end even though it has considerable rigidity.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus forfixing the initial and terminal ends of a coiled wire to each other so that the terminal end of the coiled wire is positively fixed without any damage due to heat.
US 4015785 discloses continuous wire take-up apparatus whereby the terminal end portion of a wire can be secured, the apparatus comprising a pair of drive shafts for supporting two bobbins and rotating in opposite directions, a flange ("pawl wheel") being fixed on the shafts beneath the bobbins and each having near its edge a pawl for catching the end of a cut wire; a pair of covers are provided which are removed towards each other so as to overlap and enclose the free wire end as the wire is cut and thus to surround the free terminal end of the wire and prevent it from being damaged or entangled if it does not engage the pawl without injury to a fully coiled bobbin of wire.
GB 1292912 ( = DE-A-2014793) discloses continuous wire take-up or spooling apparatus, which again comprises a pair of supports for two bobbins, a flange projecting beyond the bottom of each bobbin and bearing at its edge a catch for catching and cutting the wire when a bobbin is full; the catch and lower part of the bobbin can be surrounded by a generally cylindrical cover of a varying wall height which at its greatest height has an opening for catching several ends of the curve and the wire is pushed by centrifugal force into a groove inside the cover.
JP-A-57-42931 (1982) discloses similar double spool apparatus wherein there is rotated with each spool a catching plate having a catching pawl which includes a stationary pawl and a movable portion normally held againstthe stationary part by a spring and disengageable therefrom by a hydraulic means.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of fixing a loose terminal end of a coiled wire on a take-up spool of a wire take-up apparatus which comprises a catching plate, integrally rotating with said take-up spool and having a catching pawl to catch a loose initial end of said coiled wire on said take-up spool (JP-A-5742931) said method comprising the steps of:

advancing a wire introduction cover so as to cover said take-up spool when winding of the wire on said take-up spool nearly ends;
introducing said terminal end of said wire along an inner face of said wire introduction cover so that the end reaches said catching plate;
catching said terminal end of said wire with said catching pawl by a wire drawing member on a wire drawing plate which is positioned near said take-up spool so that said initial and terminal ends of said wire intersect on said catching plate; and
fixing intersecting portions of said initial and terminal ends of said wire to each other.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for securing a loose end of a coiled wire on a take-up spool on a wire take-up apparatus which comprises a catching plate integrally rotatable with said take-up spool having a catching pawl to catch an initial end of said coiled wire on said take-up spool (JP-57-42931);
characterised in that said catching pawl is on a wire drawing plate and has a catching portion shaped to catch said terminal end of said coiled wire and further comprising wire introduction means including a wire introduction cover disposed so as to cover said catching plate and said take-up spool and having means to introduce said terminal end of said wire along an inner face of said wire introduction cover toward said catching pawl and a wire drawing member on a wire drawing plate positioned near the take-up spool to cause the terminal end of said wire to catch with said catching pawl so that said initial and terminal ends of said wire intersect, and a power source arranged to move said wire introduction cove between an advanced position in which said wire introduction cover surrounds said take-up spool and a retracted position in which said take-up spool is not surrounded by said introduction cover; and means to fix intersecting portions of said initial and terminal ends of said wire to each other.
The invention will be illustrated by reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a double spooler take-up apparatus;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus for fixing a terminal end of a coiled wire;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a catching plate with a portion broken away;
Fig. 4 and 5 are enlarged front and cross-sectional views of wire introduction means, respectively;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of wire drawing means with a half portion thereof omitted;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wire drawing means of Fig. 6 taken along the line 7-7 thereof;
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the wire drawing means of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a clutch relief mechanism;
Fig. 10 is a front view of the clutch relief mechanism of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the clutch mechanism of Fig. 9;
Fig. 12 (A) to (C) schematically and sequentially illustrates the operation of the apparatus of the invention;
Fig. 13 illustrates how the terminal end of the wire is fixed;
Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of another form of the apparatus of the invention in which the wire introduction means is modified;
Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of a wire binder used for the apparatus of the invention with a portion shown in section;
Fig. 16 is a top view of the wire binder of Fig. 15; and
Fig. 17 is a side elevational view of the wire binder of Fig. 15.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a double spooler type wire take-up apparatus to which the invention is applied. The wire take-up apparatus comprises two shake-up sections supporting take-up spools 10 and 10'. A wire 1 is alternately wound on the take-up spools 10-and 10'. Catching (or snagger) plates 12 and 12' having catching pawls such as snaggers 14 and 14', respectively, are mounted on the apparatus so that they are integrally rotated together with the respective take-up spools 10 and 10'.
A wire 1 such as a thin electric wire, bare or insulated, is wound up on the spool 10, for example, while it is distributed from a distributor 16. Before or immediately before the wire 1 is fully wound up on the take-up spool 10, that is, when the wire winding nearly ends, the distributor 16 is transferred from the dotted line position to the solid line position in Fig. 1. At that time, the spool 10' begins to rotate so that the wire 1 is caught by the catching pawl 14' on the catching plate 12'. Simultaneously, the wire 1 is cut at the position by a cutter (not shown). Thus, the wire 1 continues to be wound up on the spool 10'.
Fig. 2 illustates in detail one of the wire take-up sections having the take-up spool 10; the other take-up section is constructed in identical manner. The take-up spool 10 is supported by a spindle 22 which is in turn rotatably supported by bearings 20 and 20' on a frame 18. The catching plate 12 is secured through a collar 24 to the spindle 22. The spindle 22 has a sprocket (or pulley) 26 mounted at the right-hand end thereof. The sprocket 26 is driven by a power source such as an electric motor (not shown) through a chain (or belt, also not shown) so as to rotate the spindle 22. As shown in Fig. 3 the catching pawl 14 (or 14') has two pawl portions at the tapered faces 14a and 14b (or 14'a and 14'b) so as to catch the terminal and initial ends of the wire 1 between the pawl portions and the catching plate 12. It should be noted that although, in the illustrated embodiment,. two pawl portions of the catching pawl 14 (or 14') are integrally provided on the pawl they may be separately provided.
The wire introduction means 27 comprises (Fig. 2) a wire introduction cover 28 disposed to cover the catching plate 12 and the take-up spool 10 and a power source 30 to move the wire introduction cover 28 between an advanced position (shown in broken line in Fig. 2) in which the take-up spool 10 is covered and a retracted position (shown in solid line in Fig. 2) in which the take-up spool 10 is uncovered. In the illustrated embodiment, the power source 30 comprises two cylinders mounted on the frame 18. As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the cylinders have piston rods 30a connected through arms 31 to the wire introduction cover 28 on both sides thereof. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the wire introduction cover 28 has means to transfer the wire 1 toward the catching plate 12. In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the transferring means comprises a spiral wire guide 32 provided on the inner surface of the wire introduction cover 28. Thus, when the terminal end of the wire 1 rotates within the wire introduction cover 28 in the advanced position, it is transferred along the spiral wire guide 32 by centrifugal force in a rightward direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5 and then caught by the catching pawl 14.
Although the transferring means comprises the spiral wire guide 32 in the embodiment of Fig. 2, it may alternatively comprise a circular ring 32A as shown in Fig. 14. In the embodiment of Fig. 14, the circular ring 32A is connected through a bracket 35A to a piston rod 35b of a cylinder 35B which is in turn mounted on the frame 18. It will be understood that, in the embodiment of Fig. 14, the spiral wire guide 32 is omitted.
Wire drawing means 33 serves to draw up the terminal end of the wire 1 toward the catching pawl 14 on the catching plate 12. The drawing means 33 comprises a wire drawing plate 34 disposed near the catching plate 12 on the outside thereof and rotatably supported by a bearing 36 on the collar 24, a clutch 35 to engagably join the wire drawing plate 34 with the catching plate 12 and wire drawing levers 38 to hook the terminal end of the wire 1. As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the wire drawing plate 34 has rotatable shafts 40 rotatably supported by bearings 37 and 37' on the wire drawing plate 34. The wire drawing levers 38 are secured to the rotatable shafts 40 at the upper end thereof.
The clutch 35 has clutch levers 42 secured to the rotatable shafts 40 at the inner end thereof. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the clutch levers 42 are moved between a clutch engaging position in which the clutch levers 42 are forced against a frictional plate 44 on the catching plate 12 to rotate together with the catching plate 12 and clutch disengaging position in which the clutch levers 42 are disengaged away from the frictional plate 44 to rotate separately from the catching plate 12. Springs 46 are provided betwen a rib 34a of the wire drawing plate 34 and a pin 42a of the clutch levers 42 to urge the clutch levers 42 to be moved toward the clutch engaging position. As seen from Fig. 8, the wire drawing levers 28 are in the solid line position in the clutch engaging position of the clutch levers 42, but when the clutch levers 42 are moved to the clutch disengaging position as shown by an arrow in Fig. 7, the wire drawing levers 38 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 8 to reach an advanced position as shown in dotted line in Fig. 8, in which the terminal end 1b of the wire 1 is drawn up toward the catching pawl 14 by the drawing levers 38.
The clutch 35 further comprises a disengaging plate 48 to drive the clutch levers 42 to the clutch disengaging position. As shown in Figs. 9 to 11, the clutch disengaging plate 48 engages rollers 43 mounted on the clutch levers 42 at the rear ends thereof and has a pair of drive shafts 52 supported by bearings 50 and 50' on the frame 18. The drive shafts 52 engage levers 60 which are in turn secured to shafts 58 supported on the frame 18. One of the levers 60 is secured to a lever 56 which is in turn joined with a piston rod 54a of a cylinder 54 mounted on the frame 18. Thus, when the piston rod 54a of the cylinder 54 is contracted, the shaft 58 is rotated in a clockwise direction in Fig. 7 so that the clutch disengaging plate 48 is retracted so as to disengage from the rollers 43. Therefore, the clutch levers 42 are moved to the clutch engaging position and, at the same time, the wire drawing levers 38 are retracted. Reversely, when the piston rod 54a of the cylinder 54 is extended, the clutch levers 42 are moved to the clutch disengaging position while the wire drawing levers 38 are moved to the advanced position.
In operation, when the wire 1 is fully wound up on the take-up spool 10, it is out at the position x while it is carried by the distributor 16 as aforementioned. It should be noted that the wire introduction cover 28 is advanced as shown in Fig. 12(A) before the wire 1 is cut. After the wire 1 is cut, the terminal end 1 of the wire 1 is introduced by centrifugal force along the spiral wire guide 32 in the right-hand direction as viewed in Fig. 12(B) as the take-up spool 10 rotates. It will be understood that in the embodiment of Fig. 14, the terminal end 1b of the wire 1 is introduced by righward movement of the circular ring 32A driven by the cylinder 35B. Thus, it will be noted that the terminal end 1 of the wire 1 is moved close to the catching plate 12. Thereafter, the clutch disengaging plate 48 is advanced to disengage the clutch lever 42 and, at the same time, the spindle 22 for the take-up spool 10 is braked. Thus, only the wire drawing plate 34 rotates by inertia force. Sicne the wire drawing levers 38 are advanced as shown in Fig. 12(B) at the same time that the clutch is disengaged, the terminal end 1b of the wire 1 is pulled into the catching pawl 14 as shonw in Fig. 13, so as to be caught by catching pawl 14. The wire drawing levers 38 are braked by the rigidity of the terminal end 1b of the wire 1 with the result that the wire drawing plate 34 is stopped.
As the terminal end 1 of the wire 1 is caught in this manner, it intersects the initial end 1a of the wire 1 to form the intersected portions 1c. Thus, it will be noted that the intersected portions 1c of the wire 1 can be fixed (to each other) to fix the terminal end 1 of the wire 1.
Figs. 15 to 17 show a wire end binder 62 for binding the intersected portion 1c of the wire 1. The binder 62 comprises a base 70 supported on a frame 64 and slidably and rotatably moved by a caster 66 about a shaft 68 between an operating position which is close to the wire take-up apparatus and a non-operating position which is away from the wire take-up apparatus. An electric motor 72 is mounted on the underside of the frame 84 to drive the shaft 68.
A cylindrical case 76 is secured through an auxiliary frame 74 to the base 70. A rotatable shaft 80 is mounted on the cylindrical case 78 through bearings 78. The portion of the rotatable shaft 80 that forwardly protrudes from the cylindrical case 76 has a cylindrical cover 82 screwed to the cylindrical case 76. As shown in Fig. 7, an S-shaped blade 84 is screwed to the front end of the rotatable shaft 80 that protrudes from the cylindrical cover 82. A rotary motion source 86 is connected to the rear end of the rotatable shaft 80 which protrudes from the cylindrical case 76 to rotate the rotatable shaft 80.
- In the illustrated embodiment, the rotary motion source 86 comprises a manual handle 88 connected to directly to the rear end of the rotatable shaft 80 and an electric motor 90 mounted on the base 70. The motor 90 has a sprocket 92 mounted thereon. The rotatable shaft 80 has a sprocket 96 rotatably mounted through a bearing 94 at the portion of the shaft 80 in front of the manual handle 88. A chain 98 is provide between the sprockets 92 and 96. A clutch 100 is provided between the rotatable shaft 80 and the sprocket 96. Thus, it will be noted that the blade 84,can be rotated either by the manual handle 88 or by the electric motor 90 when the clutch 100 is engaged.
As aforementioned, after the terminal and initial ends 1b and 1a of the wire 1 intersect as shown in Fig. 13, the electric motor 72 of the binder 62 is driven to move the base 70 to the operating position as shown in Figs. 15 through 17. In this case, since the blade 84 is in the horizontal position as shown in Fig. 17, the blade 84 enters the space between the terminal and initial ends 1 and 1a a of the wire 1 as the base 70 moves to the operating position. In the operating position, the center of the blade 84 is aligned with the intersecting point 1c of the wire ends 1a and 1b. In this condition, when the manual handle 88 rotates or when the clutch 100 is engaged to drive the electric motor 90, the blade 84 is rotated. Thus, the wire ends 1a a and 1b are twisted about the intersecting point 1c to be bound to each other. In this manner, the initial and terminal ends 1 a and 1 b of the wire coil on the take-up spool 10 are bound to be fixed to each other. Although, in the illustrated embodiment, the rotary power source 86 for the blade 84 comprises the manual handle 88 and the electric motor 90, it may comprise only one of them.

Claims

1. A method of fixing a loose terminal end (1 b) of a coiled wire (1) on a take-up spool (10, 10') of a wire take-up apparatus which comprises a catching plate (12,12') integrally rotating with said take-up spool and having a catching pawl (14, 14') to catch a loose initial end (1 a) of said coiled wire on said take-up spool (10), said method comprising the steps of:

advancing a wire introduction cover (28) so as to cover said take-up spool (10) when winding of the wire on said take-up spool nearly ends;

introducing said terminal end (1b) of said wire along an inner face of said wire introduction cover (28) so that the end reaches said catching plate (12);

catching said terminal end (1b) of said wire with said catching pawl (14) by a wire drawing member (33) on a wire drawing plate (34) which is positioned near said take-up spool (10) so that said initial (1a) and terminal (1b) ends of said wire intersect on said catching plate; and

fixing intersecting portions (1c) of said initial and terminal ends of said wire to each other.

2. A method of fixing an end of a coiled wire as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said introducing of the terminal end (1b) of said wire is effected by centrifugal force along a spiral wire guide (32) on the inner face of the said wire introduction cover (28) as said take-up spool rotates.

3. A method of fixing an end of a coiled wire as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said introducing of the terminal end (1b) of said wire is effected by a circular ring (32A) which is driven by a linear power source.

4. A method of fixing an end of a coiled wire as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said intersecting portions (1c) of said wire ends are fixed by a blade (84) entering a space between said wire ends and rotating about the intersecting point so that said wire ends are twisted so as to be secured to each other.

5. An apparatus for securing a loose terminal end of coiled wire on a take-up spool (10, 10') on a wire take-up apparatus which comprises a catching plate (12, 12') integrally rotatable with said take-up spool having a catching pawl (14, 14') to catch an initial end of said coiled wire on said take-up spool;

characterised in that said catching pawl (14) is on a wire drawing plate (34) and has a catching portion (14a) shaped to catch said terminal end of said coiled wire and further comprising wire introduction means including a wire introduction cover (28) disposed so as to cover said catching plate (12) and said take-up spool (10) and having means (32/32a) to introduce said terminal end of said wire along an inner face of said wire introduc-

tion cover (28) toward said catching pawl and a wire drawing member (33) on a wire drawing plate (34) positioned near the take-up spool (10) to cause the terminal end (1 b) of said wire to catch with said catching pawl (14) so that said initial (1b) and terminal (1a) ends of said wire intersect, and a power source (30) arranged to move said wire introduction cove between an advanced position in which said wire introduction cover (28) surrounds said take-up spool (19) and a retracted position in which said take-up spool is not surrounded by said introduction cover (28); and means (62) to fix intersecting portions (1c) of said initial and terminal ends of said wire to each other.

6. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said wire introduction cover has a spiral wire guide (32) provided in the inner face thereof so as to introduce said terminal end of said wire as said take-up spool rotates.

7. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said wire introduction means further comprises a circular ring (32A) connected to a linear power source (35) arranged to move said terminal end of said wire along said inner face of said wire introduction cover (28).

8. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein said catching portion (14a) of said catching pawl (14) arranged to catch said terminal end of said wire is provided integrally with the initial end catching portion (46).

9. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein said catching portion (14a) of said catching pawl (14) to catch said terminal end of said wire is separately provided from the portion (14b) for catching the initial end.

10. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 9, which further comprises wire drawing means to draw up said terminal end of saidwiretoward said catching portion (14a) of said catching pawl (14).

11. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said wire drawing means comprises a wire drawing plate (34) disposed coaxially of said take-up spool and rotatably supported outside said catching plate (12), a clutch (35) arranged to engagably join said wire drawing plate (34) with said catching plate (12) and wire drawing lever means (38) which are retreated when said clutch (35) is engaged and are advanced so as to pull said terminal end of said wire into said catching portion of said catching pawl when said clutch (35) is disengaged.

12. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, wherein said clutch (35) comprises clutch lever means (42) pivotally supported on said wire drawing plate (34) and normally urged by springs . (46) so as to frictionally engage said catching plate (12) and a clutch disengaging plate (40) disposed to force said clutch lever means (42) at the rear end thereof and advanced to disengage said clutch (35) against said spring-urging.

13. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein each wire drawing lever means (38) is secured to a rotatable shaft (40) which pivotally supports said clutch lever means (38).

14. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 13, wherein said means to connect intersecting portions comprises a base (70), a case (76) mounted on said base (70), a rotatable shaft (68) rotatably supported on said case (76), a blade (84) mounted on said rotatable shaft (68) at the front portion protruding from said case so as to enter the point of intersection of said terminal and initial ends of said wire, and a rotary motion source (86) connected to said rotatable shaft (80) at the rear portion protruding from said case.

15. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, wherein said rotary motion source comprises a manual handle (88) connected to said rotatable shaft (80) at the rear end thereof.

16. A wire fixing apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 or 15, wherein said rotary motion source comprises an electric motor (90) connected through power transmission (92, 96, 98) to said rotatable shaft (80) at the rear portion thereof.