GB1581840A - Manufacture of cables - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF CABLES (71) We, NORTHAMPTON MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED, a British Company, of Balfour Road, Northampton, NN2 6JS, England, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to cables of the kind (hereafter referred to as the kind set forth) in which the cable per se is made-up from a plurality of elongate cores each having a shape that, in its cross section taken transverse to the line of the draw during laying-up, is such as to allow said cores to lie together to form generally a substantially circular form in cross section. Generally said shaped elongate cores, when seen in cross section, are sectors or truncated sectors of a circle.

Difficulties arise in the laying-up of such elongate cores for a cable of the kind set forth since they may take a straight or spiralled form on the drum or spool from which they are drawn and it is difficult accurately to ensure that the cross sectional shape of the core is correctly oriented to form the substantially circular form of the desired cable when layed-up.

According to the invention we provide a process for laying-up a plurality of cores for a cable of the kind set forth in which each core is fed from a stationary rotatable supply device to an orientation detection unit and an orientation correction means to ensure that the orientation of each core is such that the cores fit correctly together to form a cable of substantially circular cross section after which said cores leave said orientation detection units to pass into a die and then to a cable gripping device from which they pass through a flyer of a singletwist or double-twist laying-up machine prior to being wound onto a take-up device.

According to a further feature of the invention we provide apparatus for effecting said process.

The stationary rotatable supply device and the stationary rotatable take-up device are generally drums or spools depending upon the mean diameter of the core member. The term 'stationary rotatable' as used herein means that the drum or spool has its axis of rotation fixed in relation to the line of draw of the moving cable, the drum or spool being able to be rotated about said axis of rotation.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a process given by way of example and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic showing apparatus for the laying-up of a plurality of cores, and Figure 2 is a view in oblique perspective of an alternative core gripping device for use in the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing four elongate cores in the form of metal wires A, B, C and D each having a cross section, which when taken transverse to the line of drays OAI, OBI, OC1 and ODIl is a truncated sector of a circle, such a section is shown enlarged for wire A at A2. The wires A, B, C and D are drawn each from a separate stationary rotatably supply reel A3, B3, C3, D3 and pass each respectively through a flyer 11A, 11B, 1 1C and 11 D of a double-twist twisting machine and into an orientation detection unit shown generally at 12.The orientation detection unit has a front detection plate 13 which contains orifices (not shown) oriented to receive respectively the wires A, B, C and D and pass them correctly oriented to form a four component cable in a die 15 at 0. The section of the cable at 0 enlarged is shown at 14, four sectorial wires a, b, c, d being juxtaposed.

If the orientation of the sector of any wire is not correct and there is a misalignment of the core wire with the orifice in the front plate 13 an electrical signal indicative of the misalignment is sent from the orientation detection unit 12 to orientation correction means not shown to cause the respective flyer 11 A, liB, 11 C and liD to increase or decrease its speed of rotation and rotate the core sector thereby to allow the misalignment to be removed.The aligned cores of the cable now enter a closing die 15 and a cable gripping device shown generally at 16 comprising two juxtaposed belts 1 6A 16B travelling in the new line of draw OD1, as shown by the arrow 17, and which device 16 rotates in toto as shown at arrow 18 about the new line of draw ODI. The cable leaves the grip ping device 16 and enters via entry pulley 20A a flyer 20 of a double-twist twisting machine by which flyer said cable at position 19 is twisted together and rotated.

The cable comes out of the flyer 20 via pulley 20B and passes around capstan 21A and 21B and guide pulley 22 onto wind-up drum 23. The capstan 21A, 21B provides the main force for the draw not only along OD1 but also along OAI, OBI, OC1 and ODIl in the bunching operation.

When laying up straight wires, for example, the flyers 1 lea - lD are normally stationary but on receipt of a signal from the orientation detection unit 12 indicating that a wire is out of alignment in respect of the cable, the flyer concerned is caused sufficiently to rotate the core to correct the error.

When laying up pre-spiralled wires, for example, the flyers 1 lA - 11D rotate at the same speed as that of the flyer 20 but are constantly monitored by the orientation detection unit to correct any errors that develop and their speeds of rotation adjusted accordingly.

In the process of Figure 1 gripping device 16 rotates at 2 n r.p.m. when flyer 20 rotates at n r.p.m. It will be appreciated that the core shown enlarged at A2 may be and generally is electrically insulated about its periphery.

The process of Figure 1 is shown employing four flyers for a four core cable; other cables with inter-alia three and five cores may also be formed by the use of the correct number of flyers.

Clearly the apparatus shown in the Figures may mutatis mutandis employ flyers of a single-twist twisting machine in place of the flyers shown at 11A, 11B, 11C, and 20 of the double-twist twisting machines; or again e single-twist twisting machine may be used with a double-twist twisting machine, provided the speeds of rotation are altered accordingly.

The core gripping device 16 of Figure 1 may be constructed as shown in Figure 2 which provides means for pulling the core to decrease the tension in the apparatus. The longitudinal motion along line Dl, D2 of Figure 1 is now provided in part by the electric motor 101 which rotationally drives gripping rollers 102 to 102iso inclusive on their axes via suitable gearing not shown. The gripping device may be provided with a pair ofjuxtaposed belts as shown at 16 in Figure 1.

The orientation detection unit 12 in one form may comprise a roller that has or a pair of rollers that have a groove of the shape of the core that is to enter it and detects any misalignment of the core and groove against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment to correct it.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process for laying-up a plurality of cores for a cable of the kind set forth in which each core is fed from a stationary rotatable supply device to an orientation detection unit and an orientation correction means to ensure that the orientation of each core is such that the cores fit correctly together to form a cable of substantially circular cross section after which said cores leave said orientation detection units to pass into a die and then to a cable gripping device from which they pass through a flyer of a single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine prior to being wound onto a take-up device.

2. A process for laying up a plurality of cores for a cable wherein the supply device comprises a flyer of a single-twist or a double-twist core supply machine.

3. The process according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cable gripping device pulls the cable through the orientation unit.

4. The process according to any preceding claim wherein the cores are electrically insulated one from the other.

5. The process according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein a flyer of a single-twist twisting machine feeds a core to a flyer of a double-twist twisting machine or vice versa.

6. A process for laying-up a plurality of cores substantially as hereinbefore described.

7. Apparatus for carrying out the process of any one of claims 1 to 5 comprising a cable gripping device, a single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine, a plurality of flyers of a double-twist or a single-twist twisting machine adapted each to take a core, for a cable of the kind set forth, each said core being taken from a stationary rotatable supply device and, an orientation detection unit co-operating with orientation correction means able to detect any misalignment of each core against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment which signal causes the correction means to rotate the core to remove said misalignment before the cores pass to a die to form a cable that is accepted by the cable gripping device and passed to a flyer of the said single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the orientation detection unit comprise a roller or a pair of rollers that has or have a groove of the shape of the cross section of the core that is to enter it and detects any misalignment of the core and groove against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment which causes the correction means to rotate the core accordingly to remove said misalignment.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the roller or rollers is or are replaced by a plate with an orifice having the shape of the cross section of the core that is to enter it.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7, 8 and 9 wherein the cable from the laying-up machine is wound onto a stationary rotatable take-up device.

11. Apparatus constructed and arranged

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. a flyer 20 of a double-twist twisting machine by which flyer said cable at position 19 is twisted together and rotated. The cable comes out of the flyer 20 via pulley 20B and passes around capstan 21A and 21B and guide pulley 22 onto wind-up drum 23. The capstan 21A, 21B provides the main force for the draw not only along OD1 but also along OAI, OBI, OC1 and ODIl in the bunching operation. When laying up straight wires, for example, the flyers 1 lea - lD are normally stationary but on receipt of a signal from the orientation detection unit 12 indicating that a wire is out of alignment in respect of the cable, the flyer concerned is caused sufficiently to rotate the core to correct the error. When laying up pre-spiralled wires, for example, the flyers 1 lA - 11D rotate at the same speed as that of the flyer 20 but are constantly monitored by the orientation detection unit to correct any errors that develop and their speeds of rotation adjusted accordingly. In the process of Figure 1 gripping device 16 rotates at 2 n r.p.m. when flyer 20 rotates at n r.p.m. It will be appreciated that the core shown enlarged at A2 may be and generally is electrically insulated about its periphery. The process of Figure 1 is shown employing four flyers for a four core cable; other cables with inter-alia three and five cores may also be formed by the use of the correct number of flyers. Clearly the apparatus shown in the Figures may mutatis mutandis employ flyers of a single-twist twisting machine in place of the flyers shown at 11A, 11B, 11C, and 20 of the double-twist twisting machines; or again e single-twist twisting machine may be used with a double-twist twisting machine, provided the speeds of rotation are altered accordingly. The core gripping device 16 of Figure 1 may be constructed as shown in Figure 2 which provides means for pulling the core to decrease the tension in the apparatus. The longitudinal motion along line Dl, D2 of Figure 1 is now provided in part by the electric motor 101 which rotationally drives gripping rollers 102 to 102iso inclusive on their axes via suitable gearing not shown. The gripping device may be provided with a pair ofjuxtaposed belts as shown at 16 in Figure 1. The orientation detection unit 12 in one form may comprise a roller that has or a pair of rollers that have a groove of the shape of the core that is to enter it and detects any misalignment of the core and groove against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment to correct it. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A process for laying-up a plurality of cores for a cable of the kind set forth in which each core is fed from a stationary rotatable supply device to an orientation detection unit and an orientation correction means to ensure that the orientation of each core is such that the cores fit correctly together to form a cable of substantially circular cross section after which said cores leave said orientation detection units to pass into a die and then to a cable gripping device from which they pass through a flyer of a single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine prior to being wound onto a take-up device.

2. A process for laying up a plurality of cores for a cable wherein the supply device comprises a flyer of a single-twist or a double-twist core supply machine.

3. The process according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cable gripping device pulls the cable through the orientation unit.

4. The process according to any preceding claim wherein the cores are electrically insulated one from the other.

5. The process according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein a flyer of a single-twist twisting machine feeds a core to a flyer of a double-twist twisting machine or vice versa.

6. A process for laying-up a plurality of cores substantially as hereinbefore described.

7. Apparatus for carrying out the process of any one of claims 1 to 5 comprising a cable gripping device, a single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine, a plurality of flyers of a double-twist or a single-twist twisting machine adapted each to take a core, for a cable of the kind set forth, each said core being taken from a stationary rotatable supply device and, an orientation detection unit co-operating with orientation correction means able to detect any misalignment of each core against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment which signal causes the correction means to rotate the core to remove said misalignment before the cores pass to a die to form a cable that is accepted by the cable gripping device and passed to a flyer of the said single-twist or double-twist laying-up machine.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the orientation detection unit comprise a roller or a pair of rollers that has or have a groove of the shape of the cross section of the core that is to enter it and detects any misalignment of the core and groove against a master reference which misalignment produces an electrical signal indicative of the said misalignment which causes the correction means to rotate the core accordingly to remove said misalignment.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the roller or rollers is or are replaced by a plate with an orifice having the shape of the cross section of the core that is to enter it.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 7, 8 and 9 wherein the cable from the laying-up machine is wound onto a stationary rotatable take-up device.

11. Apparatus constructed and arranged

substantially as herein described and shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. Apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in Figure 1 as modified by Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.