EP3307938B1 - Stranding unit for a stranding machine and basket for a stranding unit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a stranding unit for a stranding machine, with a stranding axis and with a cage, in which at least one basket is arranged, for receiving a reel with strand material wound thereon.

A corresponding stranding machine is also referred to as a cage stranding machine. Embodiments are in the EP 0 407 855 A1 and the DE 2 115 249 described.

When stranding, several strands are usually stranded together by means of a stranding machine, for example to form a cable or rope. Typically, the strands are twisted with one another around a stranding axis with simultaneous conveyance in the direction of this stranding axis, i.e. in a stranding or production direction along or towards the stranding axis. The strands are provided by a stranding unit which has a number of spools on which the strands are wound as strand material. Usually, each coil is inserted into a basket which has a so-called yoke to hold the coil. During unwinding, the basket is typically also moved on a circular path around the stranding axis in order to achieve the required twisting movement. Two rotary movements are thus generated: on the one hand, a rotation of the reel around a reel axis, for unwinding the strand material, and, on the other hand, a rotation of the reel on a circular path around the stranding axis.

Furthermore, several baskets are regularly combined in a cage, which is also referred to as a drum, and in one direction of rotation around the stranding axis arranged around. The individually unwound strands are finally brought together at a stranding nipple, which is connected downstream of the stranding unit in the stranding direction. Sometimes the stranding unit is also preceded by an unwinder which provides a core inlet that is fed through the stranding unit to the stranding nipple and around which the individual strands are stranded. Depending on the embodiment, several stranding units and stranding nipples can also be arranged one behind the other in the stranding direction, in which case the material to be stranded at a stranding nipple is fed to a subsequent stranding unit as a core inlet.

The production speed in length per time in the case of stranding machines is essentially limited due to the forces that occur during the various rotary movements. Due to the high weight of the strand material on the spools and the circular movement of the baskets, strong centrifugal forces arise during operation in the radial direction to the stranding axis. The strands conveyed out of the stranding unit and to the stranding nipple are also subject to corresponding centrifugal forces. Furthermore, the rotary movement leads to heavy loads on the baskets and the yokes, especially at high speeds, with the risk of deformation or damage.

In the EP 0 407 855 A2 For example, a cage stranding machine is described, with a support tube running along the stranding axis, on which a plurality of support shields are arranged for holding bobbins. In order to increase the operating speed, it is proposed to firmly connect the support shields to one another via longitudinal webs and in this way to increase the rigidity of the overall arrangement. Such a stranding machine can then be operated at higher speeds.

In the DE 2 115 349 describes a cage stranding machine in which the axes of rotation of the spools, ie the spool axes, are aligned parallel to the stranding axis. The turning circle of the baskets is kept as small as possible by dividing it into several coil fields with only two coils each. Thereby are the centrifugal forces that occur are lower and a corresponding increase in the speed and thus the production speed is possible.

In the DE 198 47 958 A1 describes a device for producing at least two individual lines twisted to form an electrical cable. At a spatial distance between two holding devices for the individual lines, a twisting section is provided for the individual lines to form a twisted cable. The device for producing twisted cables is assigned a corresponding number of supply reels in accordance with the number of individual lines. A winding device is locally assigned to the exit side of a winding head. A first holding device is designed as part of the winding device and the first holding device and the winding head are arranged in stationary positions with respect to one another. Each supply reel is arranged and mounted in its own cylinder-shaped housing in the winding head.

Further stranding machines are shown in JP S55 8601 U and JP S49 31933 A .

Against this background, it is an object of the invention to specify an improved stranding unit for a stranding machine. The stranding unit should be able to be operated at the highest possible speed during stranding and should have the highest possible production speed during the production of parts to be stranded.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a stranding unit for a stranding machine having the features according to claim 1. Advantageous configurations, developments and variants are the subject matter of the subclaims.

The stranding unit is designed for use in a stranding machine and has a stranding axis, which is in particular also a stranding axis of the stranding machine and along which a production of stranded material takes place.

The stranding unit has a cage, in which at least one basket, preferably a plurality of baskets, are arranged, for receiving a spool with a strand material wound thereon. During operation, this strand material is unwound from the reels and stranded to form the stranded material by means of the stranding machine. According to the invention, the stranding unit has a frame with a frame which is designed, in particular, completely encircling the cage in a direction of rotation around the stranding axis, the cage being mounted on the frame by means of a number of frame bearing elements and being rotatable around the stranding axis. In other words: the cage is rotatably mounted on the frame and preferably mounted exclusively on the frame, in particular without an additional shaft in the direction of the stranding axis. The cage is with the The frame is fixedly connected and, during operation, the cage rotates in the frame around the stranding axis.

Essential advantages of the invention are in particular that centrifugal forces occurring during operation are absorbed and distributed in an improved manner and the risk of deformation of individual components of the stranding unit is avoided or at least reduced during operation. This is achieved in particular by the fact that the cage is not mounted with a central shaft, as is customary, but is shifted out of the center and to the circumference of the cage. As a result of the advantageous full circumferential design of the frame, it optimally absorbs centrifugal forces directed perpendicular to the stranding axis in all directions. The baskets are advantageously arranged in the cage in such a way that they are arranged in approximately the same length position as the frame bearing elements in the direction of the stranding axis. The centrifugal forces that occur during the rotation of the cage and the baskets are then transmitted in a particularly optimal way directly in the radial direction, i.e. perpendicular to the stranding axis, via the frame bearing elements to the frame. A further advantage of the invention is then in particular that the frame, due to its arrangement outside the cage, can be designed to be almost arbitrarily massive and therefore particularly stable, and is expediently designed to absorb particularly high forces. For example, the frame is formed by a number of steel rings encircling the stranding axis, which are further attached to the frame. The frame then completely surrounds the cage and in particular also the baskets arranged therein. Overall, there is a departure from conventional concepts for driving the cage and the baskets and for arranging the baskets.

Due to the above-described outer and circumferential mounting of the cage, the shaft of the stranding unit, which is otherwise arranged in the center and running along the stranding axis, can also be dimensioned to be significantly smaller. A shaft with a diameter that is significantly reduced compared to conventional shafts is therefore preferably used. A shaft is preferably even completely dispensed with and the stranding unit then has a drive motor which drives the cage and is arranged outside the frame, in particular to the side thereof. This results in more free space in the center of the cage, so that the baskets can be arranged closer to the stranding axis compared to conventional stranding units and are expediently also arranged, whereby the radius of the circle of rotation of the baskets is reduced during operation. This in turn reduces the centrifugal forces during operation of the stranding unit, so that a higher speed and thus a higher production speed are advantageously possible.

When the stranding unit is in operation, the frame and the frame connected to it are fixed and immobile and form a receptacle for the moving parts of the stranding unit. The cage is mounted in the frame and is rotated around the stranding axis during operation in order to realize the twisting movement of the strand material required for stranding. The baskets are connected to the cage in such a way that when the cage rotates, the baskets are moved on one or more rotating circles around the stranding axis. The stranding axis also runs in a stranding or production direction in which the strand material is conveyed and the strand material is generally produced from the strand material. The stranding unit then has a front side which lies behind the stranding unit in the stranding direction and on which the strand material emerges from the stranding unit and is expediently fed to a stranding nipple. In the stranding direction in front of the stranding unit, the stranding unit then accordingly has a rear side on which, for example, a centrally guided core inlet is fed as a core for the material to be stranded.

According to the invention, the basket, and preferably all the baskets, are mounted in the cage so as to be rotatable about a respective longitudinal axis of the basket which runs parallel to the stranding axis. The spools stored in the baskets can also be rotated about a spool axis which also runs parallel to the stranding axis and in particular also coaxially to the longitudinal axis of the cage. This longitudinal alignment of the various axes of rotation results in a particularly optimal force effect on the individual components of the stranding unit during operation. The centrifugal forces occurring during operation act in a particularly suitable manner on any axes, namely the longitudinal axis of the basket and the coil axis only in the radial direction and precisely not in the axial direction, ie along the respective axis. Therefore, the centrifugal forces that occur are distributed particularly evenly during operation, so that the components are subjected to a correspondingly uniform load and deformation or even damage due to changing loads is avoided. A further advantage for a reel inserted in a basket then results from the fact that only radial forces act on the wound-up strand material, thereby preventing the strand material from slipping in the direction of the reel axis in a particularly simple manner. The spool, which has a spool core and spool flanges, is also spared because the rope does not slide back and forth on the spool core and, as a result, the dynamic loads on the spool core and the spool flanges in particular are reduced.

In principle, various designs are suitable for the rotatable mounting of the cage in the frame, for example mounting by means of ball bearings, slide bearings or even magnetic bearings, with appropriately suitable balls or magnetic coils as frame bearing elements. In a particularly simple and suitable embodiment, however, the frame bearing elements each have a number of frame rollers for mounting the cage. These frame rollers are firmly positioned with respect to the frame, so that the cage rolls over these frame rollers during operation. For this purpose, the cage preferably has a corresponding cage running surface on the outer circumference, on which the frame rollers are seated. The cage running surface is expediently made convex and thus sits particularly securely in correspondingly concavely profiled frame rollers in the axial direction as well.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a frame bearing element comprises two frame rollers which are combined by means of an articulated arm to form a roller unit which is then fastened to the frame. Several such roller units are then attached to the frame, distributed in the circumferential direction around the cage. The stranding unit preferably also comprises at least two frames with corresponding frame bearing elements, which are in different longitudinal positions are positioned along the stranding axis. Such a frame then forms a cylindrical cage space which extends along the stranding axis and in which the cage is rotatably arranged. The frame thus encloses the cage in particular completely, at least in the radial direction.

In order to enable a particularly simple and precise alignment of the cage with respect to the frame, the frame bearing elements are suitably each fastened to the frame by means of an eccentric bolt. As a result, the frame bearing elements can be displaced to a limited extent in a radial plane perpendicular to the stranding axis, so that any manufacturing tolerances of the frame or the cage can be easily compensated for when it is inserted into the frame. By appropriate adjustment of the frame bearing elements, particularly smooth running of the cage and thus particularly uniform forces are achieved during operation.

Since the cage, the baskets and the strand material arranged therein usually have a weight that cannot be neglected, the frame is expediently more densely populated with frame bearing elements in a lower area below the stranding axis than in an upper area. In this way, in particular the weight forces acting downward are taken into account, which are absorbed by the frame in an improved manner due to the denser occupation with frame bearing elements in this lower area. Correspondingly fewer frame bearing elements are then arranged in the upper area of the frame, since here only centrifugal forces acting during operation have to be absorbed.

In order to avoid torsional stresses in the finished goods to be stranded, the stranding takes place regularly with a so-called reverse rotation, i.e. the baskets are rotated in the opposite direction to the cage so that the baskets do not twist relative to the frame, but are only moved on the corresponding rotating circles. In a particularly preferred development, the basket is also mounted on the cage by means of a number of cage bearing elements, in particular cage rollers, in particular for realizing such a reverse rotation, which are arranged in the circumferential direction around the basket. In other words: the individual baskets are also mounted on the outside circumference of the cage, just as the cage is also mounted on the frame on the outside circumference. This advantageously results in a correspondingly uniform distribution of centrifugal forces during rotation, in particular reverse rotation of the basket with respect to the cage. This configuration is particularly advantageous with the configuration described above with longitudinal cage axes which run parallel to the stranding axis.

The cage bearing elements are expediently designed in the same way as the frame bearing elements and preferably as roller units, which are then attached to the cage accordingly by means of an eccentric bolt. In an analogous manner, several cage bearing elements are then designed as roller units, each with in particular two cage rollers, against which the basket rolls during operation.

In particular for receiving the baskets, the cage expediently has a number of cage disks which are arranged in various longitudinal positions along the stranding axis and perpendicular to it and each have an in particular circular basket recess into which the basket is inserted. The stranding unit preferably comprises as many cage disks as frames, so that exactly one cage disk is assigned to each frame, which is arranged in this frame, so that a cage disk and a frame surrounding it are arranged at different length positions. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the stranding unit, two cage disks are arranged correspondingly at two length positions, which are then surrounded by two frames. The baskets inserted in the cage then extend in particular at least over the space formed by the cage disks, preferably in such a way that the coils in the baskets are arranged in this space, which then results in optimal power transmission in the radial direction during operation. In combination with the cage and frame bearing elements, the cage washers act, in particular, as an intermediary between the cage and the baskets and, in particular, form load or force-transmitting elements.

During operation, due to the rotation of the cage, a centrifugal force acts on a respective basket, which is directed outwards with respect to the stranding axis. For particularly optimal absorption of this centrifugal force during operation, the cage bearing elements are therefore expediently arranged closer to one another in the outer area of the cage with respect to the stranding axis than in an inner area. In addition, this results in the particular advantage that correspondingly fewer cage bearing elements are arranged in the inner area, so that the baskets can be placed closer to the stranding axis overall and are expediently also so that their turning circle is advantageously reduced during operation.

The cage bearing elements can advantageously be adjusted individually according to the force and space requirements, i.e. the number of cage bearing elements actually engaging the cage is adjustable, in particular in a particularly simple manner due to the attachment via eccentric bolts. Furthermore, the construction described above with eccentric attachment of the cage bearing elements is also advantageously self-centering. The same applies accordingly to the frame bearing elements.

A particularly optimal transmission of centrifugal forces results in an advantageous development in particular in that the frame bearing elements are arranged along the stranding axis at certain longitudinal positions and the cage bearing elements are arranged in essentially the same longitudinal positions. The cage bearing elements and the frame bearing elements are thus arranged, so to speak, at the same height along the stranding axis. This is based on the idea of realizing the shortest possible force flow paths. As a result, the forces transmitted from the basket to the cage in the radial direction are then passed on directly in the radial direction to the frame during operation. A mechanical load in the axial direction, ie in the direction of the stranding axis, is thereby reduced in a particularly efficient manner. In particular, bending moments which act on the frame are avoided particularly effectively. In the present case, such bending moments are in particular not merely compensated for, but rather because of the special arrangement avoided from the outset. At a given longitudinal position, cage bearing elements and frame bearing elements are then arranged one behind the other in the radial direction. In this case, at essentially the same longitudinal positions, it is understood in particular that there is at most a slight offset between cage bearing elements and frame bearing elements in the direction of the stranding axis, with an at most slight offset corresponding in particular to a width of the bearing elements. For example, cage bearing elements and frame bearing elements are arranged offset from one another at a certain longitudinal position at most by the width of the frame bearing elements and / or cage bearing elements.

The cage, in particular its cage disks, preferably additionally have a number of strand feed-throughs for passing a corresponding number of strands, which for example emanate from a further stranding unit upstream of the stranding unit or from a correspondingly upstream unwinder.

In a preferred embodiment, the basket comprises a tube which extends along and around the longitudinal axis of the basket and into which a yoke is inserted. The yoke is used in particular to accommodate the coil, which is then surrounded by the tube in the inserted state. In particular, the tube has a closed jacket surface, as a result of which, during operation, possibly unfavorable air turbulence caused by a rotation of the basket is avoided. In particular, the tube does not serve to guide the strand material, but rather forms a stabilizing exoskeleton of the basket. Like the cage, the tube has a front side and a rear side, with the extruded material unwound during operation running out in particular over the front side. In a particularly light and robust design of the basket, the tube is preferably made of a carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced plastic, also referred to as CFRP or GFRP. To load one of the baskets with a coil, this is first inserted onto the yoke and then into the tube.

On the outside, i.e. on its outer surface, the tube expediently has a number of bearing tracks along which the cage bearing elements are guided. The bearing tracks thus serve in particular to support the basket on the cage. In this way, a particularly secure hold is also ensured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the basket. For example, for this purpose, the bearing tracks are designed as, in particular, concave roller tracks on the jacket surface of the tube and encircle it, in particular, over the entire circumference, so that correspondingly complementary cage rollers are guided along these roller tracks. For a particularly secure storage, the tube then preferably comprises two bearing tracks, which are arranged in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the basket at different length positions, so that the basket is therefore stored in the cage at two length positions overall.

In particular for fixing and holding the yoke in the pipe, the yoke preferably has at least one, but preferably two bearing rings, each with a circumferential, conical contact surface which, when the yoke is inserted, rest positively on the inside conical yoke bearing surfaces of the pipe. The contact surfaces and yoke bearing surfaces thus each form ring-shaped surfaces which are set at a certain angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cage, in order in this way to form part of a conical surface. In the inserted state of the yoke in the basket, a contact surface and a yoke bearing surface then rest against one another and in this way produce a positioning of the yoke. The basket is then loaded with a coil in particular such that the coil is placed on the yoke and the yoke is then inserted into the tube so that the contact surfaces and the yoke bearing surfaces abut one another in a form-fitting manner.

The bearing tracks are preferably arranged in the radial direction, pointing outward from the cage longitudinal axis, behind a respective contact surface, ie in particular arranged without an axial offset and at essentially the same longitudinal positions. In a manner similar to that already described above in connection with the cage bearing elements and the frame bearing elements, this results in a particularly optimal flow of force in the radial direction the contact surfaces and bearing tracks arranged directly one behind the other in this direction. The forces absorbed by the yoke bearing surfaces are passed on directly in the radial direction to the bearing tracks attached to the outside of the tube and from there also directly in the radial direction to the cage bearing elements. In this way, an axial load on the pipe is avoided particularly efficiently.

In order to enable a particularly simple loading or equipping of the basket with extruded material, the conical contact surfaces are expediently designed to taper in the same direction to the longitudinal axis of the basket. The yoke is then preferably inserted into the tube at the end, for example from the rear of the stranding unit. Particularly in combination with the longitudinal axis of the basket oriented in the direction of the stranding axis, this results in particularly uncomplicated loading of the baskets with strand material. The yoke is preferably secured in the pipe in the axial direction by means of a clamping lever which is then arranged, for example, on the rear of the basket and by means of which the yoke is reversibly clamped in the pipe. Due to the simple rear accessibility, all that is required to change a coil is to release the tensioning lever, remove the yoke from the tube and replace the coil accordingly.

To accommodate the coil, the yoke preferably has a coil holder, which is also located in an area between the two contact surfaces for positioning the coil inside the tube. This arrangement of the coil between the contact surfaces, in particular, significantly improves the force transmission of centrifugal forces that arise when the coil is unwound via the contact surfaces onto the yoke bearing surfaces. The contact surfaces are therefore arranged in edge areas and on the face of a coil placed on the yoke.

To clamp the bobbin, the bobbin holder expediently has two conical clamping heads, only one of the clamping heads being displaceable with respect to the yoke and along the longitudinal axis of the basket. The coil is then clamped and fixed axially in the yoke by means of the clamping heads. The conical clamping heads engage in correspondingly suitable recesses on the end faces of the coil. The coil can then be tightened by moving the displaceable clamping head. The displaceable clamping head can be rotated, for example via a thread, in particular a fine thread, and can be displaced along the longitudinal axis of the basket. The displaceable clamping head is expediently accessible in a particularly simple manner via the front side of the basket, in particular from the rear side of the stranding unit. The other clamping head, on the other hand, advantageously does not need to be accessible; the spool is expediently locked only by means of the displaceable clamping head.

In order to make a bobbin change particularly easy, at least one, preferably two pull-out rails are arranged on the tube, which enable the yoke to be pulled in and out reversibly from the tube and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the basket. The yoke can then be pulled out of the tube towards the rear, i.e. from the rear, and a coil placed on the yoke can then be easily exchanged. A complex dismantling of the yoke and separation from the cage is advantageously not required here. Instead, to change, the tensioning lever is first released, then the yoke is pulled out of the tube, and finally the reel holder is released and the reel is replaced.

Due to the longitudinal alignment of the coil, it is in particular not possible to unwind the strand material directly in the stranding direction during operation. Therefore, the basket preferably has a deflection mechanism for the strand material unwound from the spool, which also deflects the strand material in the direction of an end face of the basket, in particular in the direction of the front side of the stranding unit, without counterbending. When deflecting, the strand material is necessarily bent in one or more directions, for example when it is deflected by means of a deflection roller, but the mechanical load on the strand material is advantageously reduced by the fact that bending back, i.e. counterbending, does not take place, i.e. the deflection is counterbending-free is. The deflection mechanism therefore comprises a number of deflection elements, for example deflection rollers, by means of which the strand material is guided and deflected, but takes place in the case of a deflection about a certain deflection axis in a certain deflection direction in the entire deflection mechanism, no further deflection in an opposite direction. In other words: in the entire deflection mechanism, bending of the extruded material in two mutually antiparallel directions is dispensed with.

In order to compensate for a length compensation when unwinding the strand material in a particularly simple manner, the deflection mechanism suitably comprises a dancer guide with a dancer which can be displaced in the stranding direction. For this purpose, the dancer comprises an adjusting element, by means of which at least one of the deflection elements can be displaced in the stranding direction, and as a result of which a path length difference can be set for the strand material running through the deflection mechanism.

In principle, a pneumatic cylinder is suitable as an adjusting element of such a dancer position control, which has a particularly well adjustable piston pressure force which is essentially constant over the entire adjustment range of the adjusting element. Due to the high speed of the basket during operation, however, it is difficult to supply such an actuating element with compressed air. In a suitable alternative, the actuating element is therefore designed as a magnetic spring, as a linear motor or as an exchangeable compression spring package. The length fluctuations to be expected when unwinding the strand material are advantageously so small that an adjusting element with a tensile force that is not constant along the adjustment range can and is still used with sufficient accuracy.

In a preferred further development, the basket is coupled to the cage by means of a coupling mechanism, in particular for realizing the above-mentioned reverse rotation, for reverse rotation of the basket when the cage is rotated. The coupling mechanism here has a coupling which in turn has two wheels, namely a frame wheel rolling on the frame and a basket wheel driving the basket. The two wheels are firmly connected to one another via an intermediate shaft. The rotation is translated in this way of the cage relative to the frame to a rotation of the basket within the cage with a particularly fixed translation. The intermediate shaft is in particular guided parallel to the stranding direction and is preferably passed through a wall of the cage and is supported on it. In particular in combination with the design of the cage by means of a number of cage disks, the intermediate shaft is passed through a respective cage disk and is also supported on it, that is, it is rotated together with the cage around the stranding axis during operation. The coupling then comprises two wheels that are non-rotatably connected to one another, one wheel being in operative connection as a frame wheel with the stationary frame and the cage wheel with the basket.

To completely avoid a relative rotation of the basket, i.e. to achieve an optimal reverse rotation, the basket is rotated with a gear ratio of one. For this purpose, the two wheels are appropriately dimensioned with regard to their diameter and the ratio of the diameters to one another.

In a particularly inexpensive and robust embodiment, the frame wheel is designed as a chain wheel and runs off a chain that is attached to the frame. The chain is attached to the frame on the inside, for example by means of flange lugs. By using a chain, it is also possible to dispense with a toothed profile on the frame that may turn out to be particularly large in accordance with the requirements. Since the chain is also used as a static component, it is not subject to the usual restrictions in operation, for example with regard to centrifugal forces or maximum speeds. The chain is preferably a particularly inexpensive pin chain.

The connection of the coupling to the basket is expediently carried out on its outside, ie on the outer surface of the tube. The basket wheel is then preferably designed as a belt wheel and drives a belt which runs around the basket and engages a tooth contour which is attached to the outside of the basket. The tooth contour is expediently already on when the pipe is manufactured formed this, so made in one piece with the tube. The size ratio of cage wheel to frame wheel is then selected, taking into account the diameter of the cage and the diameter of the cage, in such a way that a preferably vanishing relative rotational movement with respect to the frame results for the cage, i.e. a ratio of one.

When the strand material emerges from the stranding unit on the front side, the strand material is subject to corresponding centrifugal forces due to the rotary movement. In a preferred development, these are absorbed in that the stranding unit has at least one guide element for guiding the strand material to the stranding nipple. The guide element is arranged behind the cage in the stranding direction, ie on its front side, and expediently runs with the unwound extruded material during operation in order to achieve the lowest possible relative movement of the extruded material against the guide element. In order to minimize remaining frictional forces and accordingly to reduce wear of the extruded material as far as possible when it is guided along the guide element, the guide element has a guide surface that is made of a material that generates as little friction as possible in contact with the material of the extruded material. In the present case, the guide element is, in particular, a preferably moving support element and serves primarily to avoid damage to the extruded material due to its own weight in the event of a centrifugal load. The guide element is therefore in particular not a pre-stranding disk
The basket suitably has a tube which extends along and around a longitudinal axis of the basket and in which a yoke is inserted for receiving a reel with strand material wound thereon, a deflection mechanism for the strand material being arranged at the end for unwinding the same in the side Direction with respect to the coil. Due to the frontal arrangement of the deflection mechanism, the basket is particularly built in the radial direction little, whereby the turning circle of the basket can be significantly reduced during operation and the stranding unit equipped with a corresponding basket can be operated at a significantly higher speed.

In particular, the yoke is inserted into the tube at the end face, in particular on the end face of the tube opposite the deflection mechanism. As a result, the coil is accessible and exchangeable in a particularly simple manner via the corresponding end face. Preferably, the yoke can be pulled out of the tube from the back, for removing or inserting the spool and the deflection mechanism is arranged on the front side so that the rope is unwound at the front during operation and the deflection mechanism is not in the way when changing the spool. The deflecting mechanism is expediently a part of the yoke and can therefore be pulled out of the tube together with it, so that threading the continuous material into the deflecting mechanism when a spool is inserted is significantly simplified.

Fig. 1 a - 1

d eine Verseileinheit für eine Verseilmaschine in verschiedenen Ansichten,

Fig. 2

einen Nahansicht der Umfangslagerung der Verseilmaschine,

Fig. 3

ausschnittsweise die Verseilmachine und einen Korb in einer Rückansicht,

Fig. 4

den Korb mit ausgezogenem Joch in einer perspektivischen Schnittansicht,

Fig. 5

das Joch in einer Schnittansicht, und

Fig. 6a - 6c

diverse Ansichten eines Kupplungsmechanismus der Verseilmaschine.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. They each show schematically:

Fig. 1 a - 1

d a stranding unit for a stranding machine in different views,

Fig. 2

a close-up view of the peripheral bearings of the stranding machine,

Fig. 3

a detail of the stranding machine and a basket in a rear view,

Fig. 4

the basket with the yoke extended in a perspective sectional view,

Fig. 5

the yoke in a sectional view, and

Figures 6a-6c

various views of a coupling mechanism of the stranding machine.

In the Figures 1a-1b a stranding machine 2 is shown in different views. The Fig. 1a the stranding machine 2 in a perspective rear view, the Figure 1b in a perspective front view, the Figure 1c in a side view and the Fig. 1d again in a perspective rear view and in the extended state. The stranding machine 2 comprises a frame 4 to which a frame 6 is attached, in which a cage 8 is rotatably mounted. In this cage 8, a number of here four baskets 10 are again arranged, which are rotatably mounted with respect to the cage 8. The baskets 10 serve to hold spools 12 with strand material 14 wound thereon. The stranding unit 2, more precisely the cage 8, is driven by a drive motor 15 arranged outside and to the side of the frame.

In operation, the strand material 14 is unwound from the spools 12 by means of the stranding unit 2 and fed in a stranding direction V to a stranding point P at which the strands 14 are stranded to form a stranded product 16. For this purpose, a stranding nipple, not shown here, is arranged at the stranding point P in particular. In addition, the stranding unit 2 shown here has a number of strand feed-throughs 17 for the implementation of strands 14 which are unwound in front of the stranding unit 2, e.g. from an upstream further stranding unit 2. One of the strand feed-throughs 17 is guided centrally along the stranding axis VA and is used here in particular the supply of a strand 14 as a core inlet, which is provided, for example, by an upstream unwinder, not shown here.

When stranding the strands 14, the cage 8 rotates in a direction of rotation UR about a stranding axis VA, which extends in the stranding direction V. By rotating the cage 8, the baskets 10 are moved on a turning circle DK about the stranding axis VA. In the embodiment shown here, the stranding also takes place with a so-called reverse rotation, in addition to rotating the baskets 10 around the stranding axis VA, each of the baskets 10 is additionally rotated around its own longitudinal axis KA. The rotation of a respective basket 10 about its longitudinal axis KA takes place in particular in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the cage 8 in the frame 6.

Overall, therefore, three different rotary movements are carried out here during operation of the stranding unit 2, namely firstly the unwinding of the strand material 14 from a respective reel 12, secondly the rotation of a respective basket 10 around its cage longitudinal axis KA and, thirdly, the movement of the cages 10, in particular their cage longitudinal axes KA, to a turning circle DK around the stranding axis VA. In the preferred embodiment described here, all axes of rotation are aligned parallel to one another. In particular, the coils 12 each have a coil axis which corresponds to a respective longitudinal cage axis KA. The cage longitudinal axes KA then extend in the stranding direction V and parallel to the stranding axis VA. Due to this arrangement, the centrifugal forces generated during rotation only act as radial forces on the individual components of the stranding machine and not as axial forces.

The cage 8 comprises several cage disks 18, which are particularly clear in FIG Figure 1c can be recognized. The cage disks 18 each have basket recesses 20 into which the baskets 10 are inserted. The cage 8 formed in this way is completely surrounded in the circumferential direction UR by the frame 6, which is formed by a number of rings 22 in the exemplary embodiment shown. These rings 22 are designed here in particular as steel rings which are fastened to the frame 4 and are arranged at different length positions L1, L2 along the stranding axis VA and in this way enclose an intermediate space 24 in which the cage 8 is arranged. The baskets 10 are then inserted into the cage 8 in such a way that the coils 14 are arranged in the space 24 between the two outermost length positions L1, L2.

The storage of the cage 8 in the frame 6 and the baskets 10 in the cage 8 takes place in the embodiment shown here by means of a number of frame bearing elements 26 or cage bearing elements 28. These are particularly clear in FIG Fig. 2 or. Fig. 3 recognizable. The frame bearing elements 26 and the cage bearing elements 28 are advantageously designed in the same way, namely as roller units 30 which each have a number of here two rollers 32 which are attached to an articulated arm 34 and via an eccentric bolt 36 to the frame 6 or to the cage 8. In this case, the rollers 32 each have a concave running surface which, during operation, rolls on a correspondingly convex counter surface. For this purpose, the outer circumference of the cage disks 18 is correspondingly convex formed cage running surfaces 38, while the baskets 10 each have a number of convex bearing tracks 40 circumferentially.

As especially in Figure 1c As can be clearly seen, the baskets 10 are supported by means of the cage bearing elements 28 at a number of length positions L3 and the cage 8 on the frame 6 at a number of length positions L4, which essentially correspond to the length positions L3. A respective length position L3 has only a small offset VL with respect to a respective length position L4, which here corresponds to a width B of the bearing elements 26, 28, ie in particular approximately to a width of the rollers 32. This positioning of the bearing elements 26, 28 one behind the other in the radial direction R ensures an optimal flow of force in the radial direction R when the stranding unit 2 is in operation and the load in the axial direction, ie in the stranding direction V, is particularly greatly reduced.

In order to additionally absorb weight forces in an optimal manner, the frame bearing elements 26 are arranged more densely in a lower area U of the stranding unit 2 than in an upper area O. This is particularly shown in FIG Fig. 1a recognizable. In a similar way, for particularly optimal absorption of the outwardly acting centrifugal forces, the cage bearing elements 28 are arranged more densely towards the outside in the radial direction R than towards the stranding axis VA. This is also particularly evident in Fig. 1a but also in Fig. 3 recognizable. Due to the reduced use of cage bearing elements 28 near the stranding axis VA, it is also possible to arrange the baskets 10 particularly close to the stranding axis VA and thereby advantageously reduce the radius of the turning circle DK and thus also the centrifugal forces occurring during operation.

In Fig. 4 In a perspective sectional view, a basket 10 is shown, which has a tube 42 into which a yoke 44 is inserted, for receiving a coil 12, not shown here. The tube 42 extends along the longitudinal axis KA of the basket and comprises a number of pull-out rails 46, via which the yoke 44 can be pushed into the tube 42 in the direction of the longitudinal axis KA of the basket and can be withdrawn therefrom. This pushing out and in takes place in particular on the rear side of the tube 42, ie on the rear side RS of the stranding unit 2. In Fig. 5 the tube 42 with the yoke 44 is shown in the pushed-in state.

Clearly recognizable are in Fig. 4 the bearing tracks 40 arranged on a jacket surface 45, ie on the outer circumference of the tube 42, for rolling the basket 10 on the cage bearing elements 28. The configuration, which is convex in cross section, can also be clearly seen. Starting from the cage longitudinal axis KA and outward in the radial direction R, conical yoke bearing surfaces 48 are formed in front of the bearing tracks 40 on the inside of the tube 42, for the form-fitting mounting of the yoke 44. For this purpose, the yoke 44 has a corresponding number of bearing rings 49, with outwardly pointing conical contact surfaces 50. The positive-locking arrangement is particularly shown in FIG Fig. 5 clearly. The contact surfaces 48, 50 are set at an angle W in order to be correspondingly conical and to enable an optimal form fit. In particular, the contact surfaces 48, 50 are positioned in the same direction to the cage longitudinal axis KA, so that a rearward insertion is possible. In order to prevent the yoke 44 from accidentally falling out during operation, a clamping lever 52 is arranged for locking it, by means of which the yoke 44 is clamped in the tube 42.

To accommodate a coil 14, the yoke 44 comprises a coil receptacle 54, which here has two conical clamping heads 56 spaced apart in the direction of the cage longitudinal axis KA, between which the coil 14 is then clamped. The coil receptacle 54 is arranged between the contact surfaces 50 in such a way that an inserted coil 14 is positioned between them and thus any centrifugal forces acting radially with respect to the coil 14 in an optimal manner via the contact surfaces 48, 50 initially via the cage bearing elements 28 on the cage 8 and from there finally transferred to the frame 6 via the frame bearing elements 26. Any axial forces, ie forces in the direction of the cage longitudinal axis KA and the stranding axis V, are reduced to a minimum. The clamping head 56 on the rear side can also be moved around a spool 14 by means of a thread 57 along the longitudinal axis of the basket to clamp securely. Due to the rear-side arrangement of this adjustable clamping head 56, it is also particularly easily accessible from the rear side RS of the stranding unit 2.

In operation, the strand material 14 is unwound from a respective spool 12 in the radial direction R and then deflected in the stranding direction V via a deflection mechanism 58 and conveyed out of the basket 10 at the front, i.e. via an end face S of the tube 42. For this purpose, the deflecting mechanism 58 comprises a number of deflecting elements 60, which are designed here as rollers. The deflection of the strand 14 takes place by means of the deflection mechanism 58 without counterbending, in order to avoid excessive mechanical stress on the strand material 14. In other words: the deflection elements 60 each have a deflection axis UA around which the extruded material 14 is deflected, with no deflection in different directions around respective deflection axes UA with the same direction in the entire deflection mechanism 58. In addition, the deflection mechanism 58 comprises a dancer guide 62 with an adjusting element 64 in order to ensure length compensation of the possibly unevenly unwound continuous material 14 during operation. The adjusting element 64 is designed in particular in such a way that length compensation takes place in the direction of the cage longitudinal axis KA.

To implement an additional rotation of the basket 10 and in particular a reverse rotation as described above, the stranding unit 2 has a coupling mechanism 66 between the frame 6 and the baskets 10, which is in the Figures 6a-6c is clearly visible. By means of this coupling mechanism 66, the rotation of the cage 8 relative to the frame 6 is translated into a rotation of the basket 10 relative to the cage 8. For this purpose, the coupling mechanism 66 has a coupling 67 for each of the baskets 10, with an intermediate shaft 68 which is mounted on the cage 8, more precisely on one of the cage disks 18 and on which two wheels 70, 72 are attached, namely a frame wheel 70 and a basket wheel 72. These wheels 70, 72 are rotatably connected to the intermediate shaft 68, so that a fixed translation results.

The basket wheel 70 rolls on the frame 6 during operation, in the embodiment shown here on a chain 74 which is attached to one of the rings 22 of the frame 6. The basket wheel 72 then drives one of the baskets 10 via a belt 76. For this purpose, a tooth contour 78 is formed on the outside of the jacket surface 45 of the associated tube 42. The transmission ratio of the clutch 67 results, among other things, from the ratio of the diameters D1, D2 of the wheels 70, 72. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the ratio is selected such that the transmission is one and thus a reverse rotation of the basket 10 results in such a way that that a respective basket 10 is only moved on the turning circle DK with respect to the frame 4 of the stranding unit 2, but is not itself rotated relative to the frame 4.

Claims (15)

1. Stranding unit (2) for a stranding machine, with a stranding axis (VA) and with a cage (8), in which at least one basket (10) is arranged, for receiving a reel (12) with strand material (14) wound thereon,
   wherein a rack (4) is arranged, with a frame (6), which is arranged in a revolving direction (UR) around the stranding axis (VA) and revolving around the cage (8), wherein the cage (8) is mounted on the frame (6) by means of a plurality of frame bearing elements (26) and is rotatable about the stranding axis (VA),
   wherein the basket (10) is rotatably mounted in the cage (8) about a basket longitudinal axis (KA), which extends in parallel to the stranding axis (VA), and wherein a reel (12) mounted in the basket (10) is rotatable about a reel axis, which extends parallel to the stranding axis (VA).
2. Stranding unit (2) according to claim 1,
   characterized in
   that the frame bearing elements (26) are each fastened to the frame (6) by means of an eccentric pin (36).
3. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the frame bearing elements (26) each comprise a plurality of frame rollers (32), for mounting the cage (8),
   and/or
   that a lower region (U) of the frame (6) below the stranding axis (VA) is more densely occupied with frame bearing elements (26) than an upper region (O), for absorbing weight forces.
4. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the basket (10) is mounted on the cage (8) by means of a plurality of cage bearing elements (28), in particular cage rollers (32), which are arranged around the basket (10) in the circumferential direction (UR),
   that the cage bearing elements (28) are arranged closer together in an outer region with respect to the stranding axis (VA) of the cage (10) than in an inner region, for absorbing centrifugal forces during operation.
5. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the basket (10) is mounted on the cage (8) by means of a plurality of cage bearing elements (28), in particular cage rollers (32), which are arranged in circumferential direction (UR) around the basket (10),
   that the frame bearing elements (26) are arranged along the stranding axis (VA) at specific longitudinal positions (L4) and the cage bearing elements (28) are arranged at substantially the same longitudinal positions (L3).
6. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the basket (10) comprises a tube (42), which extends along and around the basket longitudinal axis (KA) and in which a yoke (44) is inserted, for receiving the reel (12).
7. Stranding unit (2) according to claim 6,
   characterized in
   that the yoke (44) comprises at least one, preferably two, bearing rings (49), each with a circumferential, conical contact surface (50) which, in the inserted state, bear in a form-fitting manner against inner, conical yoke contact surfaces (48) of the tube (42).
8. Stranding unit (2) according to claim 7,
   characterized in that
   that the yoke (44) comprises a reel holder (54), for receiving the reel (12) and for positioning said reel (12) within the tube (42) in a region between the two contact surfaces (50),
9. Stranding unit (2) according to claim 8,
   characterized in
   that the reel holder (54) comprises two conical clamping chucks (56) for clamping the reel (12), wherein only one of the clamping chucks (56) is displaceable relative to the yoke (44) and along the basket longitudinal axis (KA).
10. Stranding unit (2) according to claim 7,
    characterized in
    that the basket (10) is mounted on the cage (8) by means of a plurality of cage bearing elements (28), in particular cage rollers (32), which are arranged in the circumferential direction (UR) around the basket (10),
    that the tube (42) has, on the outside, a plurality of bearing tracks (40) along which the cage bearing elements (28) are guided for mounting the basket (10) on the cage (8), and
    that the bearing tracks (40) are arranged in the radial direction (R) facing outwards from the basket longitudinal axis (KA) behind a respective contact surface (50).
11. Stranding unit (2) according to one of claims 6 to 10,
    characterized in
    that at least one pull-out rail (46) is arranged on the tube (42) for reversibly pulling the yoke (44) in and out of the tube (42) and in the direction of the basket longitudinal axis (KA).
12. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in
    that the basket (10) has a deflection mechanism (58) for the strand material (14) unwound from the reel (12), which deflects the strand material (14) with no counter-bending in the direction of an end face (S),
    and/or
    that the cage (8) has a plurality of cage plates (18), which are arranged perpendicular to the stranding axis (VA) and each comprise a cage recess (20) into which the basket (10) is inserted.
13. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in
    that the basket (10) is coupled to the cage (8) by means of a coupling mechanism (66) for the reverse rotation of the basket (10) during a rotation of the cage (8), with a coupling (67) comprising two wheels (70, 72), namely a frame wheel (70) rolling on the frame (6) and a basket wheel (72) driving the basket (10), the two wheels (70, 72) being fixedly connected to each other via an intermediate shaft (68), and
    that preferably the frame wheel (70) is designed as a chain wheel and runs on a chain (74), which is fastened to the frame (6).
14. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in
    that comprises at least one guide element, in particular support element, for guiding the strand material (14) to a stranding nipple.
15. Stranding unit (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
    wherein the reel axis extends coaxially to the basket longitudinal axis (KA).

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