GB2140715A - Apparatus for guiding and centering a cable in a machine for laying-up preformed cables - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for guiding and centering a wire in a machine for laying-up preformed cables, this machine employing a laying finger 2, installed in a laying head, to guide a wire which is to be laid, horizontally and without play, in order to assemble a preformed cable, in a manner such that the wires, spaced at the terminations of the preformed cable, can be placed into solderless cable couplings with spacings of 2.5 mm or 0.1 inch between the contacts. For this purpose, the fixture possesses a guide sleeve 4, on the laying-finger guide 1, spring-loaded centering levers 6 being installed on that end face of the guide sleeve 4 which faces the laying-up plate, these centering levers 6 being in functional engagement with the laying finger 2. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for guiding and centering a cable in a machine for laying-up preformed cables The invention relates to apparatus for guiding and centering a cable in a machine for layingup preformed cables. Such machines include a laying finger, installed in a laying head which can move horizontally over a laying-up plate with means for shaping and fixing a preformed cable, and with connection means which are provided at the cable terminations, the functions of this laying finger being to guide, without play, a wire which is to be laid so as to produce a preformed cable, in a manner such that the terminations are correctly configured in terms of the wiring arrangement, and are as closely spaced as possible.The apparatus according to the invention is preferentially suitable for the laying-up of preformed cables, the terminations of which are provided with cable couplings or solderless push-in couplings with spacings of not less than 2.5 mm or 0.1 inch between the contacts.

Devices for laying-up preformed cables on laying-up boards are known, these devices employing a wire-guiding device, or a laying finger, installed in a laying head which can be moved, preferably horizontally, over the laying-up board, in order to shape, in an automatic process, the wire which is to be laid in order to produce a preformed cable, and which is pulled from a storage facility containing a stock of wire.

In the abovementioned devices, it is commonly known that the laying finger or the wire-guiding device is of tubular design, special conveying devices being employed to guide the wire through the interior of the laying finger, in the axial direction, and the laying finger being employed, in per se, to lay the wire onto the laying-up plate and, in order to obtain the cable shape and the required branch-points and connection-points, to position the wire around suitable means, fastened in the laying-up plate, until the required geometry and connection characteristics of the preformed cable are obtained.

In order to ensure that the laying operation proceeds in a trouble-free manner, it is necessary that the inside diameter be equal to at least 1.5 D, where D corresponds to the diameter of the particular wire which is to be laid, since, if this is not so, and D is smaller, the friction between the wire and the inner wall of the laying finger becomes so great that the wire breaks during the laying operation, or the insulation is damaged. However, as a result of the necessarily large inside diameter of the laying finger, there is a reduction in the precision with which the laying operation is performed, such that it becomes impossible to produce preformed cable-terminations which are configured in a manner requiring the wires to be placed at defined heights, and in slots which are spaced at a defined minimum distance.In such situations the play of the wire, in the laying finger, leads to laying errors, even if the laying head is positioned with absolute accuracy, and consequently leads to reworking operations and additional costs.

Furthermore, a device is known which possesses a hollow, flattened wire-guiding device, the wire, which is to be laid, being guided through the interior of this device, which is itself guided through holding means which are arranged in a comb-like manner and which shape the preformed cable.

Conditioned by the size of the wire-guiding device, the clearance between the holding means is preset to a defined minimum spacing, which prohibits appliances of this type from being used in the field of application according to the invention.

The object of the invention is to prevent wiring faults, by ensuring that the individual wires, or groups of wires, are laid out in the correct positions at the terminations of preformed cables.

The object underlying the invention is to develop an apparatus which enables the terminations of preformed cables to be configured in a manner such that the individual wires can be placed into the slots or receiving features provided in the connecting means, without introducing wiring errors, and at inter-wire spacings of 2.5 mm or 0.1 inch.

According to the invention there is provided an arrangement wherein a recieving sleeve is fastened to a laying-finger guide which is assigned to the vertically movable laying finger of the laying head, this receiving sleeve possessing a guide sleeve, which can be adjusted in the vertical direction, spring-loaded centering levers being pivotably attached to that end face of the guide sleeve which faces the laying-up plate, in a manner such that, in the rest position, their centering noses bear against one another, centrally, and are in functional engagement with the laying finger.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a section through apparatus according to the invention, the laying finger being raised; Figure 2 shows a section through apparatus according to the invention, the laying finger being lowered; Figure 3 shows the view A indicated in Fig.

1, and; Figure 4 shows the view A, indicated in Fig.

1, the apparatus being moved in the direction marked x.

As shown in Fig. 1, a laying-finger guide 1, which is installed in the laying head of the appliance for laying-up preformed cables, possesses a laying finger 2 which can move vertically. The apparatus of the present inven tion includes a base inithe form of a sleeve 3 which surrounds the laying finger 2. An adjustable guide support in the form of a sleeve 4 is mounted on the base sleeve 3 so as to be movable relative thereto in a vertical direction.

It is possible to lock the guide sleeve 4 in a defined position, by means of screws 5. That end face of the guide sleeve 4 which faces the laying-up plate possesses a guide cover 14, on the outside of which a guide 11 is located. The guide 11 contains a bore through which the laying finger 2 is guided and slots on the side facing the laying-up plate. The slots are located radially at 45" intervals to the positioning directions x and y (Fig. 3), and centering levers 6, of which there are preferably four, are mounted in respective slots by means of axles 7. These centering levers 6 possess centering noses 1 3 which point towards a wire 1 2, which is guided through the laying finger 2.Outside the centres of rotation of the axles 7, the centering levers 6 possess springs 8, these springs being attached to retaining brackets 9, which are located behind the centering levers 6 and are connected both to the guide sleeve 4 and the guide 11. In addition, stops, which are not illustrated, are provided on the guide 11, in order to limit the positions of the centering levers 6.

When the laying head of the appliance for laying-up preformed cables is in the positioning position, the laying finger 2 is adjusted to a defined vertical position, by means of an adjusting device which is not represented, such that the laying finger 2 is held above the centering noses 1 3, which are pressed, by the springs 8, against the vertically-guided wire 12, and against stops, thereby centering the wire (Fig. 3). While the wire-laying system is being positioned, in the x direction or y direction, the lateral guidance of the wire 12, which is to be laid, is continuously assured by two centering levers 6.

After completion of the positioning operation, and in order to initiate the laying operation, the laying finger 2 is shifted vertically downwards, by means of the adjusting device, thus enabling the centering levers 6 to bear against the outside diameter of the laying finger 2, and enabling the wire 1:2 to be laid in the conventional manner.

It is envisaged that, pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical actuators may be provided for transmitting forces to the centering levers, these actuators exerting forces at points outside the centres of rotation of the centering levers, while the latter are also provided with position-limiting elements.

Claims (6)

1. Apparatus for guiding and centering a cable in an appliance for laying-up preformed cables, having a laying head which can move horizontally over a laying-up plate with means for shaping and fixing a preformed cable and a laying finger for guiding the cable and which is mounted on the laying head for movement vertically relative thereto, the device including a base mounted on the laying head for movement vertically relative thereto, the device including a base mounted on the laying head and guide support mounted on said base for adjustable movement relative thereto in a vertical direction, and a plurality of opposed centering levers pivotally mounted on said guide support.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein each centering lever is biased by a spring, which is located outside its pivot point, the spring being secured at one end to the lever and at its other end to a retaining bracket secured to the guide support.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the centering levers are connected to pneumatic, hydraulic or electric actuators, the forces exerted by these actuators being applied at points outside the pivot point of a respective lever.

4. Apparatus according to Claims 1,2 or 3, wherein the centering levers are located in engagement with the laying finger.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the position of the centering levers is limited by means of stops.

6. Apparatus for guiding and centering a cable substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.