GB2049748A

GB2049748A - Skeining Device

Info

Publication number: GB2049748A
Application number: GB7840143A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: FOULKES D L
Current assignee: FOULKES D L
Priority date: 1978-10-11
Filing date: 1978-10-11
Publication date: 1980-12-31
Also published as: CH649649A5; DE7927772U1; DE2939619C2; GB2049748B; IT7950524A0; IT1128749B; DE2939619A1

Abstract

In order to skein the leads to electrical coils there is provided a skeining device to be fitted between a coil winding machine and a reel of wire. The skeining device includes a shuttle (3) moving in a straight path between guides (5) driven by a chain 7. The shuttle carries one or more wire guides (2) reciprocable across the path of the shuttle (3) so that they execute a closed loop path as the shuttle (3) reciprocates. The wires are multiplexed over retaining members (14 and 17) as the or each wire guide (2) executes the closed loop path and one retaining member (14) of each set is then rotated to complete skeining. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved Skeining Device This invention relates to skeining devices.

The leads to electrical coils, such as solenoid and relay coils, are normally reinforced by being skeined, i.e. multiplexed and then twisted. This procedure is frequently and normally carried out by hand, which is a slow, labour-intensive, unreliable and expensive practice. It may also reduce the efficiency of coil winding machines which have to be stopped while the leads are skeined.

According to the present invention, there is provided a skeining device comprising a shuttle member carrying a wire guide eye through which the wire is adapted to pass in transit between a supply reel and a coil winding machine, the wire guide eye on the shuttle device being movable around a closed loop path surrounding retaining members for engaging the wire as the guide eye follows its looped path to multiplex the wire, one of the retaining members being rotatable to twist the miltiplexed wire into a skein, and means for releasing the skein from the retaining members.

The shuttle member is preferably driven by a chain drive and preferably also the shuttle member may carry more than one wire guide eye so that a corresponding number of wires may be skeined simultaneously. The rotatable retaining members may be in the form of hooks and the drive therefore may include a positioning motor for returning the hooks to correct orientation at the conclusion of rotation.

The controls may include a proximity switch for stopping the chain drive at a time when the shuttle is clear of the multiplexed wire and simultaneously starting the rotation of the rotatable retaining members.

The other retaining members may be in the form of retractable pins.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, which show a presently preferred embodiment of skeining device according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a skeining device; Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is one end elevation of the device of Figure 1, partly cut-away; and Figure 4 is an opposite end elevation of the device of Figure 1.

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown a duplex skeining device for skeining two wires simultaneously during their progress between a storage reel which would be to the right of Figures 1 and 2 as illustrated, and a coil winding machine which would be situated to the left of the skeining device as illustrated.

During actual coil winding, i.e. when no skeining is taking place, the wire would pass in through a ceramic eye 1 through a guide eye 2 mounted on a shuttle member 3 which would be stationary during this part of the procedure, and subsequently out through a second ceramic guide 4 to the coil winding machine. The shuttle member 3 is in the form of a slide member which runs between rails 5. A lever member carrying a pair of eyes 2 is mounted on the slide member and is pivotally connected to a link member 6 attached to an endless chain 7 which runs between a pair of chain wheels 8 and 9 the chain wheel 8 is driven by a motor 10 and the chain wheel 9 is an idler. It will be seen that when the motor 10 is running, the shuttle member reciprocates on the rails 5 and the eyes 2 follow a closed loop path.The chain carries a marker member 1 2 which co-operates with a proximity switch 1 3 so that when the proximity switch is energised, the arrival of the marker member 1 2 operates to stop the chain-drive with the shuttle in a fixed position. A pair of hollow rotor members 1 4 are each provided with backwardly turned pins 1 5 to form hook members which are in the path followed by the wire as the eyes 2 follow their closed loop path. The hook members 1 5 thus each engage the wire each time the shuttle is at their end of the device.Opposite the hook members formed by the pins 15, are a pair of pins 7 which also normally project into the path of the wire so that as the shuttle reciprocates the wire is wound round the hooks 1 5 and 17, and thereby multiplexed. The pins 1 7 are mounted on a plate 1 8 which is pivotable about an axis 1 9 under the action of a solenoid 20. The whole assembly carrying the pins 1 7 is also longitudinally adjustable so that the length of the skein may be varied as required within the limits imposed by the length of the closed loop path executed by the eyes 2. The pins 1 7 project through a plate which acts to strip the formed skein off the pins when these latter are retracted.

In order to provide the twisting of the multiplexed wires, the members 14 are rotatable by means of a belt drive 21 driven by a motor 22 and a pulley 23. A tensioning jockey pulley 24 is provided for the belt 21. Associated with the motor 22 is a positioning motor 25 having the same rotor but adapted, when its stator is energised, to come to rest in a fixed position as as to bring the hooks to a final position as illustrated, in which position the skein may, after withdrawal of the pins 17, be drawn-off through the hollow member 14 and the eye 4 upon starting of the coil winding machine.

The operation of the machine will now be briefly described. As previously indicated, while the coil winding machines are operating, the wires run through the skeining machine, entering by the guide 1, passing through the eyes 2 and passing out via the hollow members 14 and eyes 4. When the coil has been sufficiently wound, the coil winding machine is stopped and the motor 10 is started to drive the chain drive and reciprocate the shuttle. The wire is wound between the pins 1 5 and 17 for a predetermined number of turns, normally controlled by a timer and at the conclusion of the appropriate number of turns, the proximity switch. 1 3 is actuated and when the marker 1 2 reaches it, the chain drive is stopped with the shuttle member 3 approximately in the illustrated position. The motor 22 then starts to impart a predetermined number of rotations to the pins 1 5 to form a skein, and when this number has been achieved, the motor 22 switches off and the positioning motor 25 is energised to correct the final position of the pins 1 5. The pins 17 are then retracted by means of a solenoid 20 and on starting of the coil winding machine, the skein is drawn off. The cycle can then be repeated.

It is envisaged that a single skein may be used to form a reinforcement for the leads of two consecutive coils and may be cut to separate the coils.

It will be appreciated that if there are more than two coil winding machines to be serviced, then a number of skeining devices may be stacked together if required.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A skeining device comprising a shuttle member carrying a wire guide through which the wire is adapted to pass in transit between a supply reel and a coil winding machine, the wire guide on the shuttle member being movable around a closed loop path surrounding retaining members for engaging the wire as the wire guide follows its looped path to multiplex the wire, one of the retaining members being rotatable to twist the multiplexed wire into a skein, and means for releasing the skein from the retaining members.

2. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1, in which the shuttle member is constrained to reciprocate along a rectilinear path and the wire guide is reciprocable laterally of the said rectilinear path.

3. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the wire guide is in the form of an eye.

4. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the shuttle member is driven by a chain drive.

5. A skeining device as claimed in claims 2 and 4, in which the shuttle member is connected to the chain by a pivoted link which is solid with a support for the wire guide.

6. A skeining device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the shuttle member carries more than one wire guide so that a corresponding number of wires may be skeined simultaneously.

7. A skeining device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the rotatable retaining member is in the form of a hook.

8. A skeining device as claimed in claim 7, in which drive means for the hook includes a positioning motor for returning the hook to a correct orientation at the conclusion of rotation.

9. A skeining device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the controls include a proximity switch for stopping the chain drive at a time when the shuttle is clear of the multiplexed wire and simultaneously starting the rotation of the rotatable retaining member.

10. A skeining device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the non-rotary retaining member is in the form of a retractable pin.

11. A skeining device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.