ES2350916T3 - PERFECTED BRAIDING MACHINE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a machine wherein: the plate (P) consists of a plurality of mutually juxtaposed elementary modules (3) and comprising at least three pairs of guide paths for the yarn delivering bobbins, the paths of each pair radially intersecting one another and being tangential to or intersecting from one pair to the next in the circumferential direction, the bobbins are displaced via notched wheels associated with each pair of guide paths and, at the circumferential tangential zones, the support plate comprises removable needles.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to an improved braiding machine that allows the realization of braided structures and, in particular, of multilayer, tubular, cylindrical and / or volume-shaped two-way or three-dimensional braids.

10 revolution, straight or curved generatrix, regular or variable. It refers particularly to a new type of machine that allows braids made of a plurality of braided layers joined together or

15 simply overlapping.

Prior techniques

The attached figures 1a, 1b illustrate, schematically in perspective (figure 1a) and viewed from the front (figure 1b), a conventional braiding machine that allows

20 make a bidirectional braid consisting of two series of threads (1a, 1b), intersecting each other and forming an angle relative to the X axis of braiding, an angle that is generally between 30 and 60 °. Braid formation (T) can be performed

25 around a forming mandrel (M) which, if any, can be formed by an internal structure such as a cable, core ..., intended to be covered by said braid, said cable, core ... moving during the formation of the braid.

In a general way, to make these braids, the machine is essentially composed of a plate (P) mounted fixedly on a frame and supporting spindles (Fa, Fb) allowing to provide the threads (1a, 1b).

The plate (P) is designed to present two continuous circuits or paths (Ca, Cb) that intersect each other and inside which they move

the spindles of feeding in threads, this displacement being carried out in the opposite direction for the spindles (Fa) and (Fb) that therefore intersect mutually.

5 The general principle of such a structure is described, for example, in US-A-5,357,839. Document CH 169.324 describes a particular embodiment of this general principle.

In the description below, the crossing area

10 between the two circuits or continuous paths shall be designated by the expression "crossing or intersecting in the radial direction". The displacement of the spindles inside the roads is obtained by operating the body of each spindle

15 by means of wheels with rotationally driven notches, arranged in a circle, following the paths sensibly the gearing lines and therefore crossing each gear point. Such conventional braiding machines allow

20 make braids called "bidirectional" constituted by two series of interwoven threads forming an angle between them, and braids called "three way", ie braids in which longitudinal threads are incorporated between the two series of arranged threads

25 obliquely, said longitudinal threads being fed through holes provided in the plate. A long time ago, as highlighted especially in patent GB-A-899 117 and FR-A-1 105 915, it has been proposed to make bidirectional braids or

30 three-layer multilayers, which allows to obtain a greater wall thickness, thickness sought for numerous applications, especially when these braids are intended to constitute the reinforcement of composite materials.

In the aforementioned documents, to obtain this plurality of layers a plate is used comprising a plurality of guide paths for the spindles,

paths arranged concentrically from the central part of the plate to its outer periphery. The displacement of the spindles along these guidance paths is always obtained by means of wheels with

5 notches, and deflection plates allow to ensure the transfer of spindles from the outer path to the inner path and vice versa.

On the other hand, in such a machine if the displacement of an elementary spindle is considered, it is always

10 transferred from the external path to the internal path and vice versa, without the possibility of modifying the way in which the different layers are joined together.

Such a braiding concept has limits given that it only allows obtaining a single type of multilayer articles.

Exhibition of the invention

It has been found, and is the object of the invention, a new concept of braiding machines that allows

20 make bidirectional or three-way multilayer braids, said layers being simply superimposed on each other, preferably joined together, of the type according to US 5 357 839a. This machine is presented in the form of a set

25 essentially comprising a fixed mounted plate on a support frame, said plate supporting an even number of wire feed spindles, spindles that are displaced along circuits or continuous guide paths that cross each other. This displacement

30 is carried out in one direction for the even spindles and in the opposite direction for the odd spindles, the displacement of the support of each spindle being obtained by means of notched wheels, driven in rotation, arranged according to a circle, following the circle

35 paths substantially the gearing lines and the use being transferred from one wheel with notches to the next at the level of the tangency zone between said wheels.

The machine according to the invention comprises a plurality of pairs of guide paths for the spindles, concentric paths that cross each other, being

5 the displacement such that it can be transferred successively from the outer path to the inner path and inversely so as to constitute a plurality of overlapping braided layers that, not only intersect with each other in the sense

10 longitudinal, but also in the sense of thickness, and this in a similar way to the teaching of FR

1,105,915. The installation according to the invention refers to an improvement contributed to these machines by making them

15 particularly versatile since they allow not only to have this circuit of the wire going from the outside to the inside, but also and above all allow the realization of braided structures of great thickness, structures constituted of

20 a succession of braid layers that may be simply overlapping, be joined between them two to two. The machine according to the invention also comprises the following installations:

25 -the plate is constituted by a plurality of elementary modules juxtaposed to each other, each module comprising at least three pairs of guiding paths for the spindles provided by the wires, and preferably five even seven pairs of paths,

30 the paths of each pair intersect with each other in the radial and tangent direction or intersect from one pair to the next in the circumferential direction; -the spindles are displaced at a constant speed along the guidance paths by

35 notched wheels associated with each pair of guiding paths, wheels arranged concentrically on the front face of the support plate, the driving means being rotated of said wheels, mounted on the back of said support plate and being constituted of trains of gears associated with synchronization means driven by a single motor,

5 for an own engine to each module;

-At the level of the circumferential tangency zones between two pairs of guiding paths, the support plate includes some removable track changes that allow:

10 · is to ensure the displacement of the spindle along the same guidance path; • is to allow the transfer of the spindle that walks on one of the pairs of guidance paths to a guidance path of the adjacent pair and vice versa.

In the machine according to the invention, the guide paths are constituted by continuous throats machined in the mass of the support plate.

Each guided path is constituted by a succession of semicircles displaced one in relation to the next 20 and joined together by a short straight section at the level of the radial crossing area between two paths of the same pair, an area constituted by a change of track that, in the continuation of the description, it will be designated by "change of radial track". On the other hand, in accordance with the invention, the circumferential tangency zones between two pairs of adjacent guide paths can be equipped either by a set designated by the expression "circumferential path change without transfer" comprising two 30 curved throats that are tangents to one another and whose radius of curvature corresponds to the semicircle of each pair of guided paths, is of a “change of transfer path”, performed in a similar way to the radial path changes and comprising two straight throats 35 they cross in their middle and center and ensure the transfer of a pair of track to another pair of

track and vice versa.

In accordance with the invention, both radial and circumferential track changes, with or without transfer in the case of track changes

5 circumferential, they are constituted of removable elements that are in the form of cylindrical pawns embedded in a corresponding cage mechanized in the mass of the support plate.

In a machine according to the invention, the series of

10 notched wheels are concentrically arranged, these wheels are tangent between them and thus allow the spindles to walk in reverse direction from one another in the two circuits that constitute a pair of guiding paths.

15 The reception of the braid formed is done by any appropriate means. For example, it can be distributed around a fixed support mandrel from which it is extracted by pulling means. It can also be distributed

20 around a central element that one wishes to definitively associate with the braid, for example a cable, a core, this element being able to be either cylindrical in shape, or eventually having a revolution.

25 Summary description of the drawings The invention and the advantages it provides will be better understood thanks to the specific example of embodiment given below by way of indication, but not limitation, and which is illustrated by the

30 annexed schemes in which: Figures 1a and 1b illustrate, as seen above, the prior state of the art for making a bi-directional monolayer braid;

- Figures 2a and 2b are respectively 35 simplified views of a machine made in accordance with the invention, comprising five pairs

of guide paths, represented in front view (figure 2a) and in side elevation (figure 2b), only five spindles (F) being schematically represented in this figure 2b;

5-Figures 3 and 4 are respectively elevation and sectional views along the axis AA of Figure 3 of an elementary module entering the embodiment of a braid according to the invention, the spindles not being represented;

10 -Figure 5 is a front view showing the structure and shape of the five pairs of concentric guide paths, defining the circuits of the wire spindles and the way in which the different layers can intersect each other over the thickness

15 of the braid; -Figure 6 is a perspective view, partially fragmented, showing more precisely the overall structure of the set of means that constitute an elementary module allowing a

20 braider according to the invention, the spindles not being represented; - Figure 6a illustrates a partially fragmented perspective view of an embodiment according to the invention in which the set of means

The driving of the notched wheels is obtained by gear trains distributed over two consecutive modules or sectors; -Figure 7 is a perspective view from below, showing the driving principle in

30 rotation of the notched wheels that ensure the displacement of the spindles along the guideways;

-Figure 7a illustrates a specific and precise embodiment of the gear trains ensuring the rotation drive of the notched wheels according to an embodiment according to which said gears are distributed over two modules or sectors

consecutive;

- Figures 8 and 8a are detailed views, schematically showing in perspective the structure of the radial transfer path changes and

5 circumferential that allow to ensure the guiding of the spindles both at the level of the crossing area of a pair of guided paths and in the circumferential direction to ensure the transfer of a spindle that walks on one of the pairs of guided paths to a way of

10 guiding the pair adjacently and inversely, and this according to the invention; - Figures 9 and 9a illustrate the structure of a "circumferential path change", without spindle transfer between two pairs of consecutive tracks.

15 Way of carrying out the invention

Referring to Figures 2a and 2b, the machine according to the invention is presented in the form of an assembly comprising a plate (P) mounted on a fixed support frame designated by the general reference (2).

In this embodiment, the support plate (P) consists of sixteen identical modules (3), juxtaposed to each other.

The outer shape of these modules (3) is such that it allows a set to be made by presenting a crown, cylindrical in its central part (5) and whose diameter is of the order of 1.80 meters, the outer faces of each module they are presented in the form of cut chamfers allowing to obtain a set whose outer shape is hexadecagonal, the diameter being

30 circumscribes the order of 3.50 meters. Such a structure allows to have a particularly simple design frame, as illustrated in Figures 2a, 2b, frame comprising pairs of studs, designated by the same reference (4) ensuring

35 the perfect holding of the plate (P) in an upright position. These studs are supported by lateral uprights (6) and on a base (7) thus ensuring perfect stability.

A forming element (8) is provided in the front part of the plate and is presented, for example, in the form of a cylindrical ring inside which

the threads take support forming the braid (T).

In the illustrated embodiment, the braid according to the invention comprises five pairs of guideways and five series of notched wheels all

10 of said notched wheels is represented in Figure 2a, thus allowing to ensure the simultaneous routing of 320 spindles, 160 that move clockwise on five guideways, and the other 160 in the reverse direction of the

15 hands of a clock on the five other guidance paths. The structure of an elementary module (3) entering into the constitution of a machine according to the invention as well as the operation of the latter, clearly stands out from the attached figures 3 to 9.

In all these figures, the spindles (F) have not been represented by simplification measure and are simply schematized by their warheads in Figures 8 and 9 showing the way in which they are guided at the level of the two types of changes of track with which

The machine according to the invention may be equipped. The attached figures illustrate in detail a specific embodiment of an elementary module (3) constituting the plate (P) of an installation according to the invention, an installation composed of sixteen modules

30 together each other as seen in figure 2a. On the other hand, Figure 5 illustrates, in front view, the structure of the guide paths for the spindles as well as a concrete example of a multilayer braid made in such a machine, it being understood that

35 other types of braid could be made by simple modification of circumferential track changes as will be seen after the description.

Each module (3) is presented in the form of a mechanized plate (9) whose shape is such that after assembly on the frame, the assembly of the modules constitutes a cylindrical crown in its central part, the faces

5 exteriors of each of them are presented in the form of chamfer allowing to obtain a set whose external form is hexadecagonal.

In this embodiment, each module (3) comprises five pairs (10,11,12,13,14) of guided paths for the spindles providing the threads, spindles not shown and having a conventional general structure. These guide paths are machined in the mass of the plate (9) and are presented in the form of a throat of substantially rectangular open shape

15 towards the outside and inside of which the associated warheads are moved at the foot of each spindle. The two guidance paths (10a, 10b / 11a, 11b / 12a, 12b / 13a, 13b / 14a, 14b) of each pair are generally presented in a sequence of

20 semicircles, displaced one in relation to the following, which intersect with each other in the radial direction, areas designated by the general reference ® to figure 5 and which are tangent from one pair to the next in the circumferential direction, the tangency zones being

25 designated by the general reference (T) in Figure 5. As it appears especially in Figures 3 and 4, each pair of guideways is associated with a series of notched wheels (15,16,17,18,19) arranged concentrically and that are tangent to each other.

30 The rotating drive of the notched wheels (see figures 4,6 and 7) is obtained by gear trains, designated by the general reference (20) in figure 4, arranged at the rear of the plate (3) constituting the plate (1) actuated by one

35 or more engines (M). Figures 6a and 7a illustrate a concrete and precise embodiment of the gear trains and of

synchronization for the rotation of the five series of notched plates, said gears being, as seen in these figures, spread over several levels and over two modules or sectors (3)

5 consecutive.

The direction of rotation of the notched wheels is not only inverted from one wheel to the next for a couple of guided paths, but also reversed from one series to the consecutive series with which it is

10 tangent Consequently, in the solution according to the invention, as in the case of a conventional braiding machine as illustrated in Figures 1a, 1b, if a pair of guiding paths are considered, the spindles (Fa, Fb) travel in

In the opposite direction on each path and the threads therefore intersect at the level of the zones (R). The diameter of the notched wheels (15,16,17,18,19) is increasing from the inner circuit (10) to the outer circuit (14).

20 By way of indication, according to a specific embodiment, the notched wheels (15,16,17,18,19) associated with each pair of guide paths (10,11,12,13,14) have a diameter of 96 mm for the wheel (15), 106 mm for the wheel (16), 118 mm for

25 the wheel (17), 131mm for the wheel (18) and 166mm for the wheel (19) respectively. Each wheel comprises four notches. In each module (3) it is possible to simultaneously move twenty spindles.

30 The wheels (15) are positioned on a circle whose radius in relation to the center of the plate is equal to 980mm, the wheels are therefore positioned on a circle whose radius is 1.49 meters.

35 As indicated above, each guiding path is constituted by a succession of semicircles displaced from one in relation to the next and, at the level of the radial crossing zone between two paths of the same pair, a "radial path change" is arranged. (R) having a structure as illustrated in Figures 8 and 8a, generally presented as a

5 cylindrical pawn (21) recessed in a corresponding recess provided in the support plate.

In this pawn (21) two straight throats are made (22,23) whose ends are spliced to the portions of circles of the guided paths, of

10 way to make contiguous circuits. If the pair of guide paths (14a, 14b) is considered, such a change of transfer path thus ensures the movement of the spindles (Fa) and (Fb) along two paths (14a, 14b), and this in sense

15 inverse of each other. In accordance with the invention, the circumferential tangency zones (T) between two pairs of guiding paths are also equipped with removable track changes, said change of track being able to be

Two types, such as illustrated in Figures 8.8a and 9.9a. First, if it is desired that the spindle continue its circuit in the same way, it is arranged inside a cylindrical cage provided at the level of the area of

25 tangency (T), a change of circumferential path without transfer (23), of the type illustrated in Figure 9 and presented in the form of a cylindrical pawn.

This change of track (24) comprises two throats (25,26), which are tangent to each other, and whose radius of 30 curvature corresponds to the semicircle of each pair of

guided paths.

By way of indication, if referring to Figure 5, such a change of track (24) is for example arranged at the level of the tangency zone (T1) between the

35 paths (14a) and (13b) of the pairs (14) and (13). Therefore the spindle (Fa) that circulates on the road (14a) will continue its journey on the same road

and the spindle (Fb) that circulates in the path (13b) will also continue to circulate in said path. Instead, it can be considered to ensure the transfer of a spindle circulating on a couple of roads on a road

5 of an adjacent pair. It is enough to equip the zone (T) with a change of transfer path similar to the change of track (R) used at the level of the radial crossing zones.

Referring always to figure 5, such a change of track, referenced by reference (T2), allows

10 ensure the spindle transfer (Fa) circulating in the circuit (13a) inside the corresponding circuit (14a) of the adjacent pair (14) and conversely, transfer the spindle (Fb) of the circuit (13b) in the corresponding circuit (14b) of the pair (14).

15 Thanks to such a machine structure, it is therefore possible to make a large plurality of braided structures. First, a structure consisting of three superimposed tubular braids can be considered

20 to others putting only the referenced circuit pairs to work (10,12,14), the circumferential contact areas between each track being equipped with track changes without transfer of the type illustrated in Figure 9.

25 Consequently, each pair of circuits (10,12,14) thus allows a bidirectional or three-way braid to be made if a longitudinal thread is incorporated and when leaving the machine, a structure consisting of the simple superposition of three elementary braids is obtained.

30 It is also possible to work in a manner similar to the teaching of FR-1,105,915, providing for changes of transfer path at each point of circumferential tangency. In this case, the change of track has a structure

35 such that each spindle providing the wire follows a circuit that goes from an external guidance path (14) to an internal guidance path (10) and vice versa.

Finally, and this is the result of Figure 5, such a machine allows multilayer structures to be made in which, on the extreme tracks, that is, the (10) that is most inside and the (14) that is most outside,

5 one of the tracks (10b) and (14a) for example of the two guideways is always covered by the same series of spindles while, in the remaining two tracks (10a14b) and the three pairs of intermediate tracks (11, 12,13) of the track changes (T2) allow, in the areas of

10 circumferential tangency (T), a circulation of the spindles of a pair of tracks to the track turning in the same direction of the pair that is consecutive.

Proceeding in such a way, a ligation of two braided layers between them is thus obtained in the central part of the structure.

In relation to the previous solutions, such a machine design has a great flexibility of use and allows to obtain a multiplicity of types of articles.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the specific example given above, but encompasses all variants made in the same spirit.

Claims (2)

1. Braiding machine presented in the form of an assembly essentially comprising a plate (P) mounted fixedly on a support frame, supporting said 5 plate an even number of spindles (Fa, Fb) of wire feeding, and being constituted of a plurality of elementary modules (3) juxtaposed to each other circumferentially, in such a way to constitute a crown, said spindles being displaced to along 10 circuits or continuous guidance paths that intersect each other, this displacement being made in an inverse direction for the even spindles (Fa) relative to that of the odd spindles (Fb), the drive of the displacement of the body of each spindle being obtained 15 by means of notched wheels (15,16,17,18,19) driven in rotation, arranged in a circle, following the paths substantially the gearing lines and the spindles being transferred from one notch wheel to the next at the zone level of tangency between said 20 wheels, comprising the support plate (P) at the level of said zones (T) of circumferential tangency, removable track changes (21,24), allowing: ; 25 - it is possible to allow the transfer of the spindle that walks on one of the pairs of guidance paths of the adjacent pair and inversely, in which the spindles (Fa, Fb) are displaced at a constant speed along the guidance paths 30 by means of notched wheels associated with each pair of guide paths, wheels arranged concentrically on the front face of the support plate, the driving means being rotated of said wheels, mounted on the back of said support plate and being 35 made up of gear trains (20) associated with synchronization means driven either by a single motor, or by a motor (M) specific to each module; characterized in that: -each plate module (P) comprises at least three pairs of guide paths for the spindles (Fa, Fb) provided by the wires, the paths of each pair intersect with each other in the radial and tangent direction or intersect from one pair to the next in the circumferential sense; -and because the spindle guide paths are 10 constituted by continuous mechanized throats in the mass of the support plate, each guiding path being constituted by a succession of semicircles displaced one in relation to the next and spliced between them by a short straight section at the level of the crossing area 15 radial between two paths of the same pair, the circumferential tangency zones (T) between two pairs of adjacent guideways comprising a mechanized cage in the mass of the support plate capable of receiving a change of circumferential path (24) without transfer 20 (T1) comprising two throats that are tangent to each other, and whose radius of curvature corresponds to the semicircle of each pair of guided paths, be a change of transfer path (21) (T2) comprising two straight throats that intersect in their midst and 25 allowing to ensure the transfer of the spindle from one pair of tracks to another pair of tracks and vice versa. 2. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the support plate (P) is in the form of a crown, cylindrical in its central part (5), and whose 30 outer faces are presented in the form of cut chamfers, the support frame comprising supports (4) against the flat faces of the periphery of the plate (P), thus ensuring vertical maintenance of the latter, the spindles being 35 horizontally oriented wire distribution.