GB659957A - Cable lashing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

659,957. Supporting cables. NEALE, D. J. June 9, 1949, No. 15405. [Class 36] A machine for spinning a lashing wire about an aerial cable and its supporting strand comprises a trolley which moves along the supporting strand and which has spaced annular tracks having gaps therein to allow the application of the trolley to the supporting strand, a spinning head which has a gap which may register with those in the annular tracks, teeth arranged circumferentially of the spinning head, and a flexible driving connection in engagement with the teeth for a distance greater than the width of the gaps, which is operated by movement of the trolley along the strand. The trolley 2 (Fig. 4) includes a tube 4 having a longitudinal slot 5 and end flanges 6, 7 to which are bolted disc-like heads 8, 9 which have slots 10, 11 aligned with slot 5. Tracks 12, 13 are provided adjacent flanges 7 and 6, and together with heads 9, 8 are bolted to the tubular body 4. A wheel housing 17 having an upper fixed section 18 and a lower hinged section 19 is mounted on head 9. A circular opening 27 in this housing is aligned with the bore of tube 4. The section 19 carries a block 29 on a lug 30, which closes the gap 11 in head 9 and provides a continuation of the track 12. Spaced lugs in the section 18 carry a pin 39 on which is a wheel 40. A roller 42 is journalled on a pin 43 carried by spaced arms 44 and 45, which are mounted on lug 30. Vertically disposed rollers 49, 50 (Fig. 5) are carried on arms 51 and 52, pivotally mounted within section 18. The head 8 carries a housing 58, the side walls of which carry bearings 67 and 68 in which is mounted a shaft 69 carrying wheel 70 which has a grooved periphery 72 for mounting on the supporting strand 209. A tensioning roller 75 (Fig. 4), maintains traction between the wheel 70 and strand 209. The tension of this roller may be varied by adjusting nut 90 against spring 89 on rod 87 which is hooked to eye 85 carried by the arms supporting the roller 75. The cable 207 is guided into the body of the trolley by means of a roller 91, the shaft 92 of which is hinged so that it can be swung clear of the gap 10 and secured in position across the gap when the apparatus is mounted on the wire. The spinning head has a tubular body 101 coaxially mounted about tube 4 by means of rollers 102, 103 which engage the faces of tracks 13 and 12. Flanges 109, 110 on the tube 101 have slots therein aligned with a longitudinal slot in the tube 101. The outer peripheries of these flanges carry a cover 113. The tube 101 carries a sprocket segment having a gap coinciding with the longitudinal slot in the tube. This sprocket is driven by a chain 118 from driving sprocket 122 on shaft 131 (Fig. 5). A pinion gear 138 carried by shaft 131 meshes with a bevel gear 139 on shaft 140 which is connected with shaft 69. Rotation of the wheel 70 therefore causes rotation of the spinning head. A recess 142 in the cover 113 accommodates a spool 144 carrying the lashing wire. The wire is fed through an idle pulley 152 (Fig. 4) to a spinning wheel 153. A further wheel 164 is carried on a hub 165 of the spinning wheel, and carries a tyre 169 engaging the inner face of head 9. Paying the lashing wire from the spinning wheel thus provides an additional drive for the spinning head. Backward movement of the trolley is prevented by a pawl 178 and ratchet wheel 177 carried on shaft 69. To place the machine on the wire the spinning mechanism is locked relative to the trolley so that the slots coincide. The hinged section 19 is opened and the spool 91 and tension roller 75 are swung out of position. The machine is then placed with wheels 40 and 70 resting on the strand 209. The hinged section 19 is closed, the tension roller 75 moved back and adjusted by nut 90 and the spool 91 is moved back below the cable 207. The end of the spinning wire is attached to the adjacent pole and drawropes are secured to the front of the machine. The spinning mechanism is unlocked from the trolley. The machine is then drawn along the strand 209, causing rotation of the spinning head and application of the binding wire about the strand 209 and cable 207. At the end of the span the binding wire is secured to the pole, the machine opened and removed from the span and applied to the next span when the operation is repeated.