US1671976A

US1671976A - Strand-tension-control mechanism

Info

Publication number: US1671976A
Application number: US709332A
Authority: US
Inventors: Avery Cordon Robert
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1924-04-28
Filing date: 1924-04-28
Publication date: 1928-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1945-06-05

Description

June 5, 1928.

C. R. AVERY STRAND TENSION CONTROL MECHANISM Filed April 28, 1924 Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

GORDON ROBERT AVERY, 01' LA GRANGE, ILIiINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OI NEW YORK.

STRAND-TENSION-CONTROL MECHANISM Application fled April as, 1924. Serial No. 708,382.

This invention relates to strand working mechanisms, and more articularly to tension control mechanisms t lerefor, which serve to maintain a strand under a substantially uniform tension as it is withdrawn from a supply spool.

An object of this inventlon is to maintain a strand under a substantially uniform tension as it is withdrawn from a supply spool, in s ite of the varying diameter and welght of t e spool, inertia at starting, momentum at stopping, and the intermittent, irregular or jerky speed at which the strand 1s be1ng withdrawn therefrom, without stretching or breaking the strand or injuring the coating, covering, or insulation thereof.

Another object of this inventlon 1s to provide a stranding machine with an improyed mechanism for automatically maintaining the strands under a practically uniform tension as they are unwound from the supply spools.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description, and W111 be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

For convenience throughout the specification and claims, the word strand will be taken to include any elongated material, such as wire, thread, string, rope, ribbon, cable, etc.; and the word spool will be taken to include any rotatable object upon which a strand may be wound and from which it may afterwards be unwound.

One embodiment of the invention may comprise a pivotal member carrying a guide roller which is positioned to normally engage the strand, said pivotal member being operatively connected to a friction brake member which normally engages the head of the supply spool. Variations in the tension or pull on the strand are partially taken up by the pivotal guide member which at the same time operates to vary the braking effeet of the brake member, thereby varying the speed of the supply spool so as to maintain the tension of the strand substantially uniform.

While the invention is herein illustrated and described as applied to a stranding machine, it is apparent that the features thereof are applicable to various other forms of strand working machines without departing In the accompanying drawings which i illustrate one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section of a stranding machine with a tension mechanism embodying the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the tension mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmenta detail view of one of the sup ly spool hea s and a part of the brake mem er.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like reference numerals are employed to designate similarparts in all the views, 10 denotes, generally, one unit of a stranding machine, such as is usedin the manufacturing of telephone cable's. A drum 11 is revolvably journaled in

bearings

12 and 13 by hol

low end trunnions

14 and 15 respectively. The

bearings

12 and 13 are rigidly supported on upright standards 16 and 17 respectively which are reinforced b a cross member 18. Guide rings 19 an 20 are mounted on the drum 11 on op osite sides of the bearing 13 in such a positlon that the openings therein are in longitudinal alignment with the opening in the trunnion 15. A polisher 21 is supported on a bracket 22 secured to the standard 17.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, a pair of annular bands 23, are rigidly supported about the drum 11 and are provided with a plurality of ually spaced bearings 24 in which a plura lty of supply spools 25 are revolvably mounted. The periphery of the drum 11 comprises a plurality of equally spaced angle irons 26, there being one for each supply spool. Since the stranding machine disclosed is of a well-known type and forms no part of this invention, it is thought that a further detailed description thereof is unnecessary.

The improved tension control mechanism, which serves to maintain the strand under a substantially uniform tension as it is withdrawn from the supply spool, will now be described; an arm 27, carrying a guide roller 28, is pivoted at 29 to the angle iron 26 and is resiliently connected by a tension spring 30 to the vertical leg of an angular member 31, the other leg of which is pivoted insulation thereof. It should be understood at 32 to the angle iron 26'. One end of a ten;

. to normally engage one of the heads 37 of g the supply spool 25. A suitable stop 38 is 27. Both the arm 27 and member 31 are provided to limit the movement of the arm provided with a plurality of

apertures

39 and 40 respectively which serve as adjusting means for properly regulating the tension of the

springs

30 and 33.

The operation of the mechanism above described is as follows: The drum 11 is revolved by any suitable source of power (not shown) through gearing indicated at 41. Strands 45, drawn from the supply spools 25, are passed over the guide rollers 28, through the guide rings 19 and 20, and then through the olisher 21, at which .point the stranding ta es place. Any suitable mechanism, such as a power driven capstan (not shown), may be employed to withdraw the strands from the supply spools and pass them through the above mentioned guide rings and polisher. .Since the tension of the spring 33 is greater than the tension of the spring 30, under normal operating conditions the brake shoe 36 constantly engages the head of the supply spool, which, while permitting its free rotation, prevents spinning thereof. By this arrangement any slight variations in the tension or pull on the strand are taken up by the spring 30 without varying the braking effect of the brake shoe 36. However, larger variations in'the tension or pull on the strand produce greater unbalances between the '

sprlngs

30 and 33 so that the arm 31 is caused to swing to the left or right on its pivot 32, thereby increasing or decreasing the braking effect of the brake shoe 36 until the tension of the strand is again restored to normal.

It is apparent from the above description that the mechanism disclosed is simple in construction and in operation and performs the function for which it is intended without in any way stretching or breaking the strand'or injuring the coating, covering, or

t ereof are applicable to various other forms of strand working machines and the invention should be limited .only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for maintaining a substantially uniform tension in a strand being withdrawn from a supply spool, comprising a brake member engaging the face of the spool head, a pivoted lever associated with said brake, two springs connected with said lever and disposed at opposite sides thereof and acting in opposite directions, a sheave over which the strand passes, and pivoted means carrying said sheave and responsive to the tension of the strand for directly acting on one of said springs for varying the position of said pivoted lever and consequently the braking eflect of said brake A 3. 'A mechanism for maintaining a substantially uniform tension in a strand being' withdrawn from a supply reel, comprising a brake mounted on one end of .a lever for controlling the rotation of the reel, a spring attached to the opposite end of the lever for engaging the brake with the reel, a second spring attached to the lever for disengaging the brake, a pivoted arm operatively connected with said lever through said second spring, a sheave carried by said arm.

for guiding the strand, and a stop for limiting the movement imparted to the arm by the springs.

4. A mechanismfor maintaining a sub-- stantially uniform'tension in a strand being withdrawn from a supply reel, comprising a brake for; engaging the supply reel, a lever arm supporting the brake, a s ring attached thereto tending to engage the rake with the reel, apivoted arm, a second spring attached to the lever arm tending to disengage the brake, said second spring attached to and actuated by the pivoted arm, and a sheave over which the strand passes carried by said arm.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of April, A. D. 1924.

GORDON ROBERT AVERY.

Ill