IL32048A

IL32048A - A method of and an apparatus for feeding a plurality of wire strands to a processing machine

Info

Publication number: IL32048A
Application number: IL32048A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Glanzstoff Ag
Priority date: 1968-05-10
Filing date: 1969-04-20
Publication date: 1972-07-26
Also published as: FR2011827A1; IE32847L; IE32847B1; GB1258627A; AT298271B; NL6906871A; US3583651A; BG16732A3; LU58610A1; DE1778547A1; DE1778547B2; ES366906A1; ES387599A1; TR16626A; SE337677B; IL32048A0; CH489421A; BE732580A

Description

A o an a of wire strands to a processing The invention generally relates to a method and to an apparatus for feeding a plurality of wire strands initially wound on a spool or warp said strands consisting of individual twisted strands or wire cables which lie parallel and closely adjacent to one the individual coiled layers of parallel adjacent strands being separated from one another by a thin metal band which has been interwound with the strands on the eed The strands are fed to a device for their especially conventional apparatus for making tire For the production of reinforcing inlays for vehicle tires or conveyor it is conventional to employ a group of wire strands or wire cables which are coated both above and below with a rubber Such inlays require about 300 to 500 or even more substantially parallel wire strands or wire cables arranged next to another at the spacing prescribed for the finished inlay and this large number of strands or cables are fed to processing device under a preferably controlled the wire strands or wire designated hereinafter as have generally been wound individually on A runoff gate known from the textile whic accommodated about 300 to 500 the delivered the strands from each individual reel to the processing apparatus for making the This runoff gate demands a considerable amount of The insertion of the full spools or reels and the removal of the empty spools is complicated and quite time When one of the 300 to 500 spools of the supply of a wire strand is longer be used as a For embedding of the group of strands as an inlay or tire cord in a layer of it is requisite that in each individual element or strand of the cord group there prevail the same tensile tensile stress or tension on the strands must be constant during the processing into an inlay structure by means of a suitable braking The level of the tensile stress or force depends on the type of produced but generally falls in the range of from 0 to 2 kilograms and in some cases even Aside from other disadvantages it has been established that the use of the above mentioned individual spools and runoff gate fails to maintain or constantly control the tensile stress in the individual elements or strands of the cord group being It has already been proposed to employ a single feed spool for the conveyance or delivery the group of wherein the wound or coiled group of parallel and adjacent strands are separated in layers from one another by an inserted or interwound metal structure and assembly of this single feed spool is fully disclosed in British Patent Utilizing this single feed spool the present invention is directed to the problem of designing a method and means for feeding the wire strand group to the processing machine in such a way that the cord group is Introduced virtually without tension into the braking device positioned before the inlay processing At this initial feed point the unwinding must take place in such a way that it can adapt itself to every variation or fluctuation as the strands 8 4 it is desirable to reuse the metal separating the individual strand layers in the feed spool after the strands have been completely Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following It has been in accordance with one aspect of the that one can achieve considerably improved results in providing a feed supply of substantially closely adjacent wire strands as they are drawn by any conventional means into a subsequent processing step provided that one employs the above noted single eed spool wound in alternate layers with the parallel strands and metal method of the invention then essentially includes the steps of unwinding the plurality of wire strands to form a planar group by indirect drive over the simultaneously unwinding metal and then supplying the planar group of wire strands over a free in which the tension of the strands results essentially from their own to a braking interval wherein a controlled tension can be imparted to the strands for further I carrying out this feed it is preferable to unwind the protective or separating metal band from the lower portion of the normally freely rotating feed spool in one direction while withdrawing the planar group of wire strands from the top portion of the spool in the opposite or feed the metal band being recovered by rewinding on a positively driven and initially empty takeup In order to be certain that there is little or no tension on the wire strands as they are initially fed into the braking it is at which they are received in the braking it is then possible to control the speed of the unwinding metal band in response to the position of the group of wire strands as they sag downwardly in the free This method according to the invention at drawoff speeds up to 25 and sometimes even a parallel running of the wire while tensile stress in the individual elements or strands of the entire group is equal and constant throughout its subsequent By avoiding any substantial tension on the other than that contributed by their own weight in the interval between the feed spool and suitable breaking slight differences in the rate of speed supply cannot be transmitted to the action of the braking means and the differences which might occur can be rapidly corrected by appropriate response to the exact position of the strands in the sagging feed Since the load of the group of wire strands sagging between the liftoff line on the feed spool and the braking device arises only through its own it is possible by means of the braking interval or braking stage to generate a uniform tension on the individual By there is meant in this context the line running transversely on the cylindrical surface the loaded feed spool parallel to the spool the line at which the group of strands is lifted off from the surface of the winding on the feed In the remainder of this the term is used in preferenc to such terms as or all of which fall within the generic expression The control of the metal band speed is accomplished in a preferred manner continuously sensing the position of arc or loop formed by the hanging group of wire strands in the free space between the liftoff line and the braking stage or length variations of the hanging arc or loop are then utilized by of conventional mechanical or devices which convert the position of a member into a variation of the band winding thereby accommodating the speed of the indirect drive to the conditions prevailing in the subsequent processing The tensile stress or tension to be adjusted o maintained in the wire preferably in the of 0 to 2 as predetermined by the subsequent processing is generated by means of a braking stage or interval in which the strands can be braked in a conventional During the unwinding of the metal the turning rate or rotational velocity of the feed spool containing the wire strands be increased in direct proportion to its decreasing So that the rate of increase in this rotational velocity of the feed spool occurs continuously rather than in discrete the runoff of the wire strands is preferably damped by a braking force counteracting the unwinding pull of the metal by applying a braking pressure to the shaft or flanges of the spool A further object of the invention is to provide suitable apparatus in a combination which is especially adapted to carry out the method of feeding the parallel wire strands under controlled tension into any typical processing apparatus which requires a warp of individual strands constitute a specific feature the present and it will be understood that it merely follows the usual braking means adapted to place a braking tension on the wire such braking means essentially representing the initial step or stage of this processing the present invention is directly concerned with the combination of particular means for initially supplying the wire strands from a unitary feed spool to the braking means of the subsequent processing Viewed in this the apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of flanged spools supported rotatably about horizontal parallel one of the spools serving as the feed spool as defined above with a continuous metal band coiled interposed between individual coiled layers of substantially parallel and closely adjacent wire other spool serves as a take up means for rewinding the metal band from the feed spool while providing an indirect drive of the feed spool over this metal drive means with controllable a variable speed are provided to positively rotate the takeup spool with the metal band being wound thereon operating to indirectly drive the feed The two spools when empty preferably have the same the same dimensions in terms of flange radius and spindle or axle between opposing end so that they can be interchangeably used as either feed spools or takeup axes of rotation preferably fall in the same horizontal plane so that each spool can be connected to a common baseplate through supporting More feed The is then unwound in a direction opposite that of the strand preferably from the lower portion of feed spool while the strands are lifted off the top portion of the feed at a lift off position of anywhere from about to preferably to from a vertical plane through the axis the feed spool in the direction of the spool Braking which can include conventional are employed to provide a controlled tension on the plurality of wire strands as they are drawn into further processing it being necessary however to arrange such braking means at a spaced distance from the second or feed spool in the feed direction so that the wire strands as a planar group will hang freely in this initial feed path between the feed spool and the braking The strands are drawn through the braking means or braking interval by any conventional drawing or transporting nip rolls or the and by applying a frictional pressure on the strands in the braking the tension of the strands can be accurately controlled at relatively high drawing or transporting braking means preferably includes a conventional comb to receive and guide the strands as they are received from the feed a flat magnetic plate which accurately positions and supports the strands adjacent the and a plurality of rollers or similar friction bearing members which contact the running wire strands so as to exert a braking tension By suitably loading one or more of these rollers with preferably so that the load can be the amount of tension can be easily regulated spool as it supplies the strands without any substantial The control of the feed spool turning rate is achieved in a highly satisfactory manner by a sensing member arranged in riding contact with the freely hanging feed path of the wire strands between the feed spool and the braking This sensing in the form of a light roller or dancer is preferably positioned at or near the lowest point of the freely hanging feed path and is pivoted or otherwise mounted to move freely along with the changing vertical position of the hanging feed Means can then be provided which are responsive to the movement of this sensing member to vary the speed of the drive The apparatus of the invention is in greater detail in connection with one preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing 1 is a partially schematic side elevational view of the and 2 is a top plan view of the same As shown in the the apparatus essentially includes the fully wound feed spool 1 and the empty takeu spool which winds up the metal band entire planar group of wire strands 4 runs off from the feed spool then forms a hanging on which there rests the dancer roller arm and then passes over a fixed arcuate guide strip into the comb 7 of the braking The wire strands 4 run with and uniform spacing from the comb 7 over the flat magnetic plate which is secured onto the frame At the opposite end of the magnetic plate there are arranged rollers 13 further carries on its shaft 15 brakedrum about which there is applied a band 17 provided with a brake This band is connected to a lever arm which carries a slidable weight 19 so as to adjust the braking effect on this She brakeheads 20 rest on rollers 12 so that the braking pressure on the wire strands can be adjusted by means of the weights 21 slidable on the lever arms Feed spool 1 and the initially empty takeup spool 2 have identical spool bodies an identical spindle and flange with oppositely disposed flanges 22 which are rigidly connected with the axle The axle of each spool is carried in the bearings 25 securely attached to the supporting trestle On the axle 23 there is mounted at one lateral end 26 a drum or belt pulley The supporting trestles 24 include skids which can slide into the mounting guides 30 attached to the baseplate 29 up to the adjustable stop 31 The spool flanges the spindle Or axle the bearings the skids 28 and the supporting trestle 24 form a single unit which can be transported and unwound in this unitary without removing the individual The drum or belt pulley 27 of the unit containing the takeup spool 2 is connected for rotation by the drive belt 32 with the driving wheel or pulley 33 on the drive shaft of the variable speed motor 34 having conventional speed control means On the drum or belt pulley 27 of the unit containing the feed spool there rests a brake 35 having a horizontally extending arm 36 which carries a movably positioned weight brake jaw 1 further indicates the swinging range of the dance roller arm a lower position of the wire strand feed path 4a near the end of the feed supply being shown in broken In the unwinding and winding of the metal band damage occurs if the metal band edges on the flanges 22 of the two Such which prevents a reuse of the metal is avoided according to the invention if the spools rotatably mounted in the supporting trestles stand opposite one another in such a way that the axial displacement between two spools is smaller the difference between the metal band width and the clear space of the flanges of the In other the two spools should have parallel spindles or axes and the distance between these axes should be sufficiently close to permit the flanges on the spools to act as guides for the metal band as it passes one spool to the In most this distance between the axes will be less than two flange braking stage for generating a drawing tension on the strands preferably contains a comb 7 which sets the same spacing between the individual strands of the group of as required for a tire In the preferred embodimen shown in the the braking stage also includes a flat magnetic plate 8 and a roller trio 13 in which system one or more of these rollers are equipped with brake preferably the large roller 13 having brakedrum partially encircled by a frictionally engaged band 17 connected to lever arm 18 carrying a slidable weight It is particularly advantageous according to the or spindle carried in the supporting in such a manner that the trestle and the associated or belt pulley form a single or replaceable The supporting trestle 24 is provided with skids 28 which are slidable in guide rails 30 on the baseplate 29 up to an adjustable It is thereby possible to easily and rapidly attach and release the entire spool and trestle unit on the In the case of larger and heavier the skids can be constructed in such a way that the spool and trestle units may be conveyed with fork The needed damping the rotary movement of the feed spool containing the layers of strands interwound with the metal band ia preferably generated with the swingable brake jaw 35 pivoted on the supporting trestle although other suitable braking means can also be The brake jaw is thus connected the spool and trestle unit fastened to the baseplate and is applied against the cylindrical surface of the drum or belt pulley Through the sliding of the weight 37 on the lever arm the required braking force can be adapted to the drawoff The takeup spool can include this same brake jaw which is merely swung out of operation so that the drum or pulley 27 can be engaged by the belt In order to reduce the spatial dimensions of the the drive with controllable speed is preferably arranged between the supporting trestles of the two The motor or drive means having a controllable speed is thus easily connected by means of a drive belt with the drum 4 As the metal 3 is wound onto the takeup spool the wire strands 4 are continuously fed in their sagging path while in contact with the dancer arm 5 which acts as a sensing member to monitor this loop or arcuate path through the entire as the feed supply of strands is depleted as the feed spool is the dancer arm 5 drops downwardly with the downward movement of the feed and this mechanical movement is relayed to the drive means 34 through a conventional speed control unit 34a so as to gradually increase the speed of rotation of the feed spool as it is Indirectly driven over the metal This variable speed control also serves to avoid any large fluctuations in the position of the wire strands 4 as they pass through the free space between the feed spool 1 and the guide strip 6 at the beginning of the braking In this the initial supply of strands as they leave the feed roll are kept substantially free of tension so that they do not interfere with the uniform braking tension which must be subsequently disturbances in subsequent processing steps do not affect the uniform rate of feed from the feed After the conclusion of the unwinding the empty feed spool on the baseplate is simply exchanged with the takeup spool which then contains the metal Shis spool wound with the metal band is used in a separate winding device for the production of a new feed Any number of minor variations can be made in the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the insufficientOCRQuality

Claims

1. A method of feeding a plurality of wire strands under controlled tension, said strands lying parallel and closely adjacent one another while wound in layers around a feed spool with the individual layers being separated from each other by a metal band interwound therebetween, said method comprising: unwinding said metal band to rotatably drive said feed spool, thereby unwinding said plurality of wire strands to form a planar group thereof which is lifted off said feed spool; supplying the planar group of wire strands over a free space, in which the tension of the strand results essentially from their own weight, to a braking interval wherein a controlled tension is commonly imparted to said strands for further processing, said group of wire strands sagging downwardly in the free space between the liftoff line on said feed spool and the braking interval, and controlling the speed of the unwinding metal band in response to the position of the group of wire strands sagging in said free space·

2. , A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the force of tension imparted to each of said strands in said braking interval amounts to not more than about 2 kilograms.

3. , A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the unwinding and runoff of the wire strands is damped by applying a braking which pressure whieh to said feed spool counteracts the unwinding pull of the metal band.

4. Apparatus for feeding a plurality of wire strands under controlled tension , said strands lying parallel and closely adjacent one another while wound in layers around a 34028/2 - 15 - ?** apparatus comprising a pair of Hanged spools supported rotatably about horizontal parallel axes, the first of said spools viewed in the feed direction of the wire strands being arranged to take up the metal band from the second of said spools which acts as the feed spool; drive means with controllable speed to positively rotate said first spool with the metal band being wound thereon operating to indirectly drive said second spool} braking means to apply a tension on said plurality of wire" strands as they are drawn into further processing, said braking means being arranged at a spaced distance from said second spool in the feed direction such that the wire strands hang freely in a feed path between said second spool and said braking means; a sensing member arranged in riding contact with the freely hanging feed path of said wire strands; and means responsive to the movement of said sensing member to vary the speed of said drive means,

5. » Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the axial displacement between the two spools is smaller than the difference between the width of the metal band and the clear width of the spool flanges,

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said braking means for the wire strands includes a comb to receive and guide the strands from said feed spool, a flat magnetic plate supporting the strands adjacent said comb, and a plurality of 34028/2 — 16 —

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein at least three rollers are in tangential contact above and below said wire strands with at least one of said rollers bearing a brakedrum partiall encircled by a frictionally engaged band which is connected to a lever arm having a weight slidable thereon to control the load placed on said brakedrum by said frictionally engaged band.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein each spool is rigidly connected to its axle which carries a brake* drum projecting axially outwardly from the flange at one end of the spool, said axle being turnably supported in a trestle-supporting means, and a frictional braking member mounted on said trestle-supporting means to frictionally engage said brakedrum on its cylindrical surface with means to vary the resulting frictional load.

9. , Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said spool, axle, brakedrum, supporting trestle and frictional braking member constitute a single movable unit for each of the two spools, and each unit is positioned on a baseplate having means to releasably fasten the units in place,

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said drive means with controllable speed is positioned between the' unit carrying the feed spool and the unit carrying the takeup spool, and said drive means is operably connected to said takeup spool by a drive belt engaging the projecting drum.

11. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the unwinding metal band is collected on a positively driven takeup spool at a controlled speed. Per the Applicants DR. BIKHOLD COHN AMD PARTNE