US1639676A

US1639676A - Method of and mechanism for winding strand material

Info

Publication number: US1639676A
Application number: US683302A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thronsen Sigurd
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1923-12-29
Filing date: 1923-12-29
Publication date: 1927-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1944-08-23

Description

. 1,639,676 7 Aug. 1 STHRQNSEN Y I 'METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR WINDING STRAND MATERIAL Filed Dec. 29, 1923 I i r i Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

PATENT O F CE! SIGURD TI-IRONSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC GOM- PANY, INCOB1?O RAT-ED, OE'NE'W" YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF AND MEOHANLESM FO B WINDING STRAND MATERIAL.

Application filed December 29 19 23. Seria1 Np. 683,302.

This invention relates. to a, method of and a. mechanism for winding strand material, and more particularly to a method for 'spool-ing. tinsel ribbon.

It is desirable in the spooling of tinsel ribbon that the layand. distribution of the ribbon be such that each layer of the ribbonwvill unwind freely and without the slightest catch on the adjacent helices, or lower layers wound, or on the flanges of the spool. In. order to attain such spooling it is essential that the distribution of the ribbon be uniform across the face of the spool, and that neither ridges. nor openings be formed adjacentto the flanges of the spool, otherwise the ribbon maybe forced underneath the lowerv layers or wedgedfadjacent to the flanges of the spool,

An object of this invention is to provide an improved method; forfspooling ribbon at high speeds and in such manner thatt-he ribbon may be readily unwound from, the spool and will not tangle or be sub ected to stresses or strains which might deform or break it.

' Another. object of this invention 1s to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism by which the above described method may be performed. 3

A mechanism made in accordance with the invention comprises, briefly, a rotatable spindle a spool capable of being mounted on said spindle, a distributor finger, a cam for guiding and moving forward said finger, and resilient means for moving said finger, guided by the said cam, back to its starting position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the fol lowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate an apparatus by which the method may be performed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a tinsel ribbon spooling mechanism and driving means thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the tinsel ribbon spooling mechanism partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a right-hand end View of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a section, on an enlarged scale,

taken through the center of the spool showing the lay of the ribbon thereon.

The improved method for'spooling tinsel ribbon will, be'readily understood by a description of an apparatus by which it may be performed. 7

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, 10 indicates a steel spool; whichis suitably mounted on a rotatable spindle 11 and held thereon tightly against a flange 12, which is secured to. the spindle 11 by a knurled clamping nut 13. Mounted loosely around the spindle 11 is a spiral gear 14 having a prolonged hub 15, on theend of which is formed a cam 16, the said gear 14 rotating the cam '16 relatively to the spool 10. The gear l l is .actuatedlby a pinion g ee-r17 se cured to a rotatable shaft 18, which is in turn driven .by-a spiral gear 19 attached thereto, the said gear meshing with a. small gear 20 suitably attached to the spindle 11. Secured to theospindle 1 1 is a friction drive pulley 21 which is driven by another friction drive pulley 22, said pulley being actuated by a, small pinion gear 23 which meshes with a spiral gear 24 securedv toa power driven shaft 25.

Suitably located.immediately beneath the spool 10 is a. distributing finger 30, which 34 and an end piece 36, which is secured to the end of the stand 33, is a compression spring 37. Covering the top of the key-way 32 and the sides of the stand 33 is aplate 38 which is suitably fastened thereon.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

The spool 10 is mounted inplace on the spindle 11 and the tinsel ribbon a0 is drawn from a supply source (not shown), threaded through the distributor finger 30 and then wrapped around the spool 10.

Upon connecting the source of power, which may be a motor (not shown), suitably connected to the shaft 25, the spindle 11 is caused to rotate, revolving the spool 10, which is secured thereto, and also causing the cam 16 to rotate through the gear train previously described. The cam 16 upon being actuated moves the finger 3O forward, distributing the ribbon 40 across the face lay of approximately .005.

of the spool 10, and causes the spring 37 to become compressed. Upon reaching the end of the forward throw of the cam 16, the finger3O is forced back, guided by the cam 16, to its normal position by the spring 37 The throw of the cam must be such as to enable the ends next to the flanges of the spool to fill evenly with the center of the spool. If the cam throw is made too great,

the ribbon piles at the ends of the spool, whereastoo short a cam throw causes the formation of openings which permits upper layers to slide underneath the lower ones, or to wedge next to the flanges of the spool.

By changing the ratio of the driving gear train, the cam 16 may be made to rotate faster or slower than the spool 10. The ratio of the speed of the cam 16 to the speed of the spool 10 determines the pitch of the ribbon lay and the amount of lag in the ribbon, the lag being directly proportioned to the pitch of the lay.

A ratio that has obtained good results is one revolution of the cam to 4L94I10/29 revolutions of the spool, or a pitch of the If the ribbon is about .012 this lay causes an overlapping of the ribbon of about .007. The ratio being uneven shifts the starting point of spooling to a different place at every turn of the cam.

By maintaining a very small pitch and lag the ribbon is wound on the spool in overlapping helices (Fig. 4), the individual turns 46 of each helix overlapping at 47. Furthermore in reducing the angle of the lag to a minimum it is possible to guide the ribbon for distribution practically clear up to the flanges of the spool, as indicated at 48 (Fig- 4;).

The advantage of winding ribbon in accordance with the present invention is readily apparent in that, due to each turn of the ribbon overlapping the adjacent turn,

the ribbon coils in belng unwound are necessarily prevented from catching upon or engaglng the edges of each other. Furthermore, tinsel ribbon so woundmaybe Wltll:

drawn at practically right angles to the face of the spool, thus decreasing the possibilities of tangling, as well as to greatly reduce the tension and stress on the ribbon. Then too,

in winding ribbon in accordance with the method disclosed the ribbon may be guided for distribution practically clear up to the flanges of the spool, reducing the number of ridges and openings adjacent to the flanges of the spool and permitting a much more uniform distribution, which results in freedom from tangling in unwinding the ribbon.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for storing tinsel ribbon in such manner that it may be withdrawn from storage without tangling, an arbor for receiving a take-up spool, means for rotating said arbor, a distributor, and means rotated about the axis of said arbor at speed to cause the movement of said distributor so that the tinsel ribbon 1s wound onthe spool in helices having ap-' proximately a 50% overlap.

, 2. In a mechanism for storing tinsel ribbon in such manner that .it may be with- SIGURD TI-IRONSEN.