GB2109022A

GB2109022A - Duplex paying-out mechanism for use in the cable industry

Info

Publication number: GB2109022A
Application number: GB08225315A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bela Ujvari
Original assignee: Diosgyori Gepgyar
Current assignee: Diosgyori Gepgyar
Priority date: 1981-09-10
Filing date: 1982-09-06
Publication date: 1983-05-25
Also published as: FR2512475A1; DE3233362C2; DD208336A5; HU181827B; FR2512475B1; IT1152828B; GB2109022B; IT8223194A0; DE3233362A1

Abstract

A duplex paying-out device for wires or cables comprises a rotatable pulley or drum (10) around which the wires or cables are entrained, a supporting mechanism (12,18; 14,34) at each side (end) of the pulley or drum (10); one of these mechanisms including a driving shaft (12) and dog (22) engageable with and disengageable from the pulley or drum (10) while the other mechanism includes a take-off arm member (36). In a first mode of operation, the take-off arm (36) is disabled by a shaft braking device (42, 48, 50, 52) while the driving shaft (12) is drivingly engaged with the pulley or drum (10); conversely, the driving dog (22) and shaft (12) are disengaged from the pulley or drum (10) by another braking device (16, 20, 28, 30) while the take-off arm (36) is actuated, in a second mode of operation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Duplex paying-out mechanism for use in the cable industry The invention concerns a paying-out mechanism for use in the cable industry that is capable of operating in two operational modes, hereinafter referred to as a duplex mechanism for paying-out a wire-like element either with a rotary pulley or by means of a take - off arm, especially for double strand stranding machines.

It is a common characteristic of the various processing machines employed in the cable industry, such as drawing, stranding and insulating machines that the wire or cable to be processed passes into the machine from a pulley disposed in the paying-out mechanism. In dependence of the area of utilization the paying - out mechanism consists in a framework which can hold a plurality of pulleys and in the course of the operating cycle enables the continuous feeding of wire or cable from the pulley to the machine; or it consists of a mechanism with generally two arms (of U-shape) in conjunction with a single pulley. For double stranding machines, wherein the number of pulleys that is required separately from the stranding machines is equal to the number of the wire - like elements to be stranded, both kinds of paying - out mechanisms are suitable.In practice, the paying-out takes place with a framework type paying - out mechanism for smaller sized (max. 400 mm outer diameter) and lighter (max. 120 kg) pulleys, while for pulleys of larger diameter and weight each strand or wire is paid - out from a discrete pulley disposed in the paying - out mechanism.

Several operational principles for paying - out mechanisms are known. In the cable industry each principle is utilized in constructing paying - out mechanisms because the most expedient area of utilization varies in dependence of the cross-section of the wires to be paid - out.

A wire or cable paying - out mechanism is known under the name of rotary pulley type wherein the pulley is freely rotatably mounted on a horizontal fixed shaft on the paying - out frame, or rotates together with a shaft journalled at both of its ends in the paying - out framework. In the course of the operating cycle the stranding machine pulls the wire while the pulley brought into rotation in this way is braked with a constant force. This constructional solution enables a fault - free operation to take place where the cross - section of the wire to be paid - out is relatively large compared to the dimensions of the pulley. However, when smaller cross - section wire is to be paid - out, on starting up the stranding machine, the wire cannot rotate the large mass of the pulley and under the effect of the inertial forces the wire is stretched.When the stranding machine is stopped, then in the absence of the necessary braking forces the pulley cannot stop synchronously with the stranding machine, but rather continues to rotate which can cause damage to the wire or cable.

To eliminate the above difficulties, wire or cable tension regulators are employed wherein on paying-out the wire and forces arising in the wire control the tension regulator and thus the brake of the paying - out mechanism. However the cable tension regulating means employed exerts its effect only on the brake of the pulley and thus the range of wire cross-section that can be paid out is widened by a small extend only.

Since on paying-out wires or cables of small cross - section it is not sufficient to reduce the braking force, it is also necessary to drive the pulley in the period of start-up and initial acceleration to prevent the wires or cables from breaking. Technical progress in recent times has enabled complicated and expensive separate mechanisms for driving and braking the pulley. With these mechanisms the paying - out mechanism is capable of operating in the complete range of cable and wire cross-sections but the cost of producing the paying - out mechanism has increased to a very great extent.

In paying-out mechanisms operating on the principle of take-off the shaft carrying the pulley and the pulley itself are fixed. The wire is taken off the pulley by a take-off arm rotated by the wire pulled by the stranding machine, the arm being arranged for rotation at one end of the shaft. In this construction solution the rotary mass is not significant and thus start-up and stopping is problem-free even in the case of paying - out wires of quite small cross section. However, taking off wires of larger cross section does cause problems. By dint of their stiffness or rigidity such wires resist the bending stresses arising on the principle of operation and the forces arising in the wires can deform the take-off arm. Because of the increase in the rotating mass the stiffness or rigidity of the take-off arm cannot be increased without limits, as would be desired.

In order to change the direction of the wire - like elements to be paid - out, wire - guiding means need to be employed between the paying - out mechanisms and the processing machines of the cable industry. The wire - guiding means is generally an arrangement of rollers provided with grooves but other constructional elements may also be expediently used to prevent more reliable guidance of the wires and for preventing them from slipping off the rollers.

One aim of the present invention has been the elimination or substantial reduction of all of the above indicated difficulties and the provision of a simple and inexpensive wire or cable paying - out mechanism which is capable of advantageously paying - out wire or cable - like elements of normal cross - section used in the cable industry.

Thus, the task to be solved by the present invention may be described as a winding, to an extent greater than hitherto, of the range of wire or cable cross - sections that can be paid - out by the paying - out mechanism.

The invention is based on the recognition that this The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy. task may be solved relatively simply when the paying - out mechanism is capable of operating, in dependence on the wire or cable cross-section to be paid - out, either as a rotary drum - type paying - out mechanism or as a take - off arm type paying out mechanism. In this way, in the range of large and medium cable cross - section as well as in the range of small cable cross - section the paying - out mechanism is fully capable of operating.

On this basis the task in the sense of the invention has been solved by the fact that the paying - out mechanism includes a pulley with its axis orientated horizontally and to support it and/or to secure it in position there is a shaft journalled in a sleeve that can be displaced in an axial direction at one arm of a two-armed framework, the displacement being effective by an actuating arm, one end of the shaft provided with a pulley drive dog and a support pin, while in the other arm of the framework there is a sleeve which during operation can be fixed and which by means of an actuating arm can be axially displaced, a shaft journalled in the sleeve carrying a take - off arm, the shaft being hollow for permitting the wire or cable element running off the pulley to be threaded through it and a fixing pin which is freely rotatablyjournalled. At the other ends of the shafts carrying the pins there are means for fixing the hollow shaft of the take - off arm in the rotary pulley operational mode and for braking the shaft provided with a drive dog with a variable torque, while in the take - off arm operating mode the mechanism includes means for fixing the shaft provided with a driving dog and for variably braking or mechanically locking the hollow shaft of the take-off arm.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for coupling to a double - strand stranding machine, and in the case of parallel paying - out mechanisms arranged in two rows, the cable guiding means employed in the take - off arm mode matches in relation to the direction of the strands arriving at the stranding machines, the cable guiding means employed in the rotary drum mode of operation of the next paying - out mechanism in the row.

The invention is described in detail, merely by waxy of example, with reference to the accompanying purely schematic drawings, wherein: Figure lisa diagrammatic layout of the paying out mechanism according to the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the arrangement of the paying - out mechanism according to the invention disposed in several units and its disposition in its rotary pulley mode of operation in relation to a double-strand stranding machine; and Figure 3 is a view of the arrangement of several units of the paying - out mechanism according to the invention and their disposition in the take-off arm mode of operation in conjuction with double - strand stranding machines.

As may be seen in Figure 1, the paying - out mechanism according to the invention includes a pulley 10 carrying the wire or cable to be paid-out which is arranged between mutually opposed conical support pins 12 and 14 so that its axis is horizontal.

The support pin 12 is fixed on a shaft 18 journalled in a sleeve 16. A disc brake 20 and a pulley driving dog 22 are fixed on the shaft 18. The sleeve 16 is arranged for axial displacement by an actuating arm 28 in a support arm 26 of a framework 24. A brake applicator 30 is fixed on the sleeve 16 for operating the disc brake 20. The disc brake 23 and the brake applicator 30 are expediently pneumatically operatable but a mechanically lockable means may also be employed.

The support pin 14 is journalled at the end of a shaft 34 which is provided with an axial bore 32. A take - off arm 36 is fixed on the shaft 34 for taking off the wire or cable stored on the pulley 10. A radially directed bore 38 permits the wire or cable taken off by the arm 36 to be passed through the shaft 34, this being facilitated by a guiding roller 40. At the other end of the shaft a disc brake 42 is fixed. A support arm 46 of the framework 24 carries a sleeve 48 in which the shaft 34 is journalled and is connected with the take - off 36 by way of a shaft 44. When the pulley is to be replaced or exchanged the sleeve 48 may be axially displaced in the support arm 46 and then fixed in place by means of an arm 50. A brake applicator 52 is secured on the sleeve 48.The disc brake 42 and the brake applicator 52 are expediently pneumatically operable devices but mechanically operating means may also be employed. The shaft 44 connecting the support arms 26 and 46 is journalled in bearings 54 fixed in the housing of the structure. To raise the pulley held between the support pins 12 and 14 from the floor of the mechanism or from the supporting mechanism to the height required for paying - out the cable or wire and for maintaining it in operation at that height.

Lifting gear 56 and 58 is provided in the structure, the lifting gear being connected with the support arms 26 and 46 and being preferably pneumatically operated.

The mode of operation of the paying - out mechanism according to the invention is as follows: When a pulley is to be replaced or exchanged the pulley 10 is rolled between the support pins 12 and 14 and be axially moving the arms 28 and 50 the pulley is clamped between the support pins 12 and 14. The lifting gear 56 and 58 are actuated so that the support arms 26 and 46 raise the pulley 10 to the height of operation.

The removal of the pulley takes place in the same way but in the reverse sequence.

In the rotary pulley mode of operation the wire or cable paid - out from the pulley 10 is led directly to a per se known guiding device. During paying - out the brake application 52 and the disc brake 42 secures the shaft 34 with the take - off arm 36 against rotation. The support pins 12 and 14, the shaft 18 and the pulley driving dog 22 rotate together with the pulley 10. During paying - out of the wire or cable the rotation of the pulley 10 induced by the paid - out wire or cable is braked by the brake applicator 30 and the disc brake 20, with a variable braking force adjusted to the valve required for obtaining the desired tension in the wire or cable.

In the take-off arm mode of operation the wire or cable to be paid out is passed from the pulley 10 to the take - off arm 36 and, via the radially directed bore 38 of the extension of shaft 34, to the underside of guide roller 40. The wire/cable guided by the roller 40 in a suitable curvature is pulled through the central bore 32 and is then led away in the desired direction to a guiding device. During paying - out the brake applicator 30 together with the disc brake 20 fix the shaft 18 as well as the dog 22 and pin 12 against rotation, the dog 22 preventing angular displacement of the pulley 10. In the course of wire/cable pay - out the pin 14 remains in a stationary position together with the pulley 10.Since whatever cable industry machine is coupled to the paying - out mechanism, that machine will pull the wire or cable and consequently the take-off arm 36 will rotate with the shaft 34 and takes the wire or cable off the pulley 10. The brake applicator 52 and the disc brake 42 brake the take-off arm 36 with the required braking force.

When employing the paying-out mechanism according to the invention in conjunction with doubie-strand stranding machines making stranded cables from a plurality of strands, the number of paying - out mechanisms agrees with the number of wires to be stranded. In the illustrated example, for stranding a cable structure with 1 + 6 wires, paying out devices i, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII are arranged in rows, expediently in two rows, on the floor of the workshop, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. To guide the wires running off from the paying-out devices I to VII into the pulling - in direction of the stranding machine 60, equispaced guiding devices VIII, IX, X, Xi and XII of known construction are disposed in the structure.The paying - out devices I to ill are so arranged relative to the guiding devices Vlil to XII that the geometrical axis of the pulley 10 of e.g. the paying - out device II is tangential to the leading roller of guiding device X, while the central plane perpendicular to the axis of the pulley 10 of this same paying - out device II coincides with the plane tangential to the leading roller of the guiding device IX. The disposition of the other paying - out and guiding devices is analogous.

The above-described arrangement makes it possible for employing with e.g. the paying - out device Il the guiding device IX in the rotary pulley mode of operation, while employing the guiding device X in the take-off arm mode of operation; at the same time the guiding device IX is used in conjunction with the paying - out device I in the take - off arm mode of operation while the guiding device X is used in conjunction with the paying - out device Ill in the rotary pulley mode of operation. By superposing two guide rollers from among the guide rollers of guiding devices VII, IX, X, Xl and XII, the paying-out devices IV, V and VI can be arranged as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but it is possible to increase or reduce the number of paying - out devices shown in the drawing.

By employing several paying - out devices for each cable - industry machine, e.g. a double - strand stranding machine, the number of wire guiding devices can be halved by disposing the machine, the paying-out devices and the wire guiding devices in the manner described above.

Despite its simplicity, the paying - out mechanism according to the invention is characterised by advan tageous properties or features which may only be achieved in known constrcions at very much greater cost. Thus the possibility is afforded of mechanised pulley replacement or exchange, the engagement of pulleys of varying diameters, while the lifting of the pulleys takes place pneumatically.

Wire pay - out can be performed over a very wide range of wire diameters without the need for particularly complicated devices, such as driving motors, wire tension regulators etc. The operation and maintenance of the machanism according to the invention are also quite simple.

Claims

1. A duplex paying-out device for paying - out wire - like elements either in a rotary pulley mode of operation or in a take-off arm mode of operation, particularly for double - strand stranding machines, comprising a framework provided with two arms capable of holding the pulley at varying heights or levels, wherein for holding the pulley with its axis horizontal and/or for securing the pulley one of the arms of the framework is provided with a shaft journalled in a sleeve which is axially displaceable by means of an actuator element, a driving dog and a pulley-supporting pin being fixed to one end of said shaft; while the other, opposite arm of the framework is provided with a sleeve that is adapted to be fixed in operation but is axially displaceable by means of an actuator element, a hollow shaft is journalled in said sleeve, the interior of the hollow shaft serving to guide therethrough wire running off the pulley in the take - off arm mode of operation, vhe hollow shaft carrying a take - off arm and a freely rotatably journalled support pin; and wherein adjustable braking or locking means are provided to co-operate with the respective other ends of the said shafts carrying the support pins, such that in the rotary pulley mode of operation the said means are effective to lock the hollow shaft of the take-off arm and to brake the shaft provided with the driving dog with a variable braking force, while in the take-off arm mode of operation the said means are effective to lock the shaft of the support pin provided with the driving dog and to brake the hollow shaft of the take - off arm.

2. An arrangement of pay - out mechanisms according to claim 1 for co-ordination with a double strand machine for stranding a plurality of wires together, for the case where two parallel rows of paying - out mechanisms are provided wherein, in relation to the direction of wire run in to said machine, the wire guiding device used in the take-off arm mode of operation matches or is the same as the wire guiding device of the pay - out mechanism next in the row, used in the rotary pulley mode of operation.

3. A duplex paying - out device for wires or cables, comprising a rotatable supply element around which the wires or cables are in use entrained, a supporting mechanism at each side (end) of said element, one of said mechanisms including a driving shaft engageable with and disengageable from said element while the other of said mechanisms including an actuatable and de-actuatable wire (or cable) take - off member, and means for dis abling, in a mode of operation wherein said element is rotated, the said take - off member while said driving shaft is drivingly engaged with the said element, and for disengaging the driving shaft from said element while the said take - off member is actuated, in a second mode of operation.

4. A paying - out device substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.