US1811897A - Method of and apparatus for forming cables - Google Patents

Description

EQ M. RUNQUIST ET AL 1,311,397 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CABLES June 30, 1931.

Filed NOV. 30, 1926 Patented June so, 1931 U ED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 ERNEST MARTIN RUNQUIST, OF GICERO, AND THORNTON mnwmy irlsuvcnv,- 03 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGINORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK HE'IHOD'OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CABLES I Application m d November 30, 1926. Serial No. 151,655. a

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for forming cables, and more partlcularly to methods of and apparatus for forming flat and oval types of stranded cable.

In some instances, particularly in connection with interconnecting of electrical circuits in telephone. switchboards, it is desirand in accordance with the able to employ cables composed of insulated electrical conductors and accurately formed into oval or substantially flat cross sections, to agree with the size and compact arrange ment of the associated apparatus.

The primary objects of this invention'are to (provide a simple and efiective method of an apparatus for expeditiously and accurately stranding a cable into a desirable size and shape. I p 4 In order to obtain these and other objects eneral features of the invention, one embodlment of the invention in an apparatus by means of which the method may be efiicientl practiced includes a pair of parallel rol ers adapted to form twisted strands into a cable having a substantially flat or oval cross section. These rollers are adapted to be adjusted anlgularly with respectto a second air of r ers arranged in tandem therewith for compressing strands of material to form them into a cable havin a --substantially flat cross section. By a justing the-first mentioned forming rollers angularly with re ect to themes of the second pair of roliiars in a direction which is reverse to the twist which has-been imparted to the strands, the tension of certain of the strand portions extending between thetwo pairs.

of rollers is relieved and upon passing through the second pair of rollers, a flattened or oval type of cable is formed which is very compact in structure and which con forms to a desired form of cross section.

These and other objects will be a parent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a forming mechanism which is adapted for application to conventional types of cable forming machines;

forming mec taken on lme's -5, 6-6, and 7-7, respec- Fig. 2 is;an end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Flg. 4 1s a diagrammatic representation of a'material. twisting and serving mecha-.

nism and vcable 'formmg rollers associated therewith;

F1gS. 5, 6, and 7 are-transverse sectional v1ews of the stranded cable disclosing relathey areproglressively associated with the anism, these sections being tively, of: Fig- 4.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like nu'm'erals'have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be observed that vmechanism 10 is disclosed in Fig.1 which is a forming provided with a shank 11 capable of application to the stationary sup ort (not shown) if a conventional cable servlng head 12 (Fig. ed head 14 com rising av pair of branches 15 (Figs. 1 and 3?. Positioned between these Thisshank'is formed with a bifurcatbranches 1-5- and rotatable on pins or bolt members 16 are a rollers 18. 1

A pair of'spaced forming. rollers 19 are pair of spaced forming mounted upon pins or bolts 21 which extend,

between a pair of bracket members 22.

These brackets 22 are carried by a circular plate or disc 24 having a central opening 25, said disc being adapted for association with the branches 15 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The plate 24 is provided with a circular raised portion 27 which 'fits within a companion recess 28 (Fig. 3) formed in the branches 15 and by this construction the plate 24 is retained coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation of the head 14. Bracke ets 30 secured at opposite ends of the branches 15 are provided with openings to receive clamping bolts 31 which extend throu h arcuate slots 32 formed in the plate 24 an .tion that upon the loosening of a pair of tightening nuts 33 threaded upon the bolts 31, the plate 24 and consequently the rollit will be clear from this construct1ve .posltlons of the indivldual strands as ers 19 carried thereby may be adjusted a'ngularly with respect to the rollers 18 within the head 14.

In Fig. 4 a diagrammatic representation of a conventional strand forming and twisting head 34 is disclosed and to more clearly disclose the functional characteristics of the rollers 18 and 19, said rollers have been diagrammatically shown disassociated from their supporting structures. It is common practice, in some instances, to draw strands 35, such as insulated electrical conductors, by means of a capstan 37 or any other suitable mechanism through the twisting head 34 during the rotation thereof and through a forming die normally ositioned at the point of convergence of t e strands 35 in the position occupied by the rollers 19 in Fig. 4 and then through a serving mechanism 38.

In use, the forming mechanism 10 is fixed in position upon the stationary support (not shown) of the servinghead 12 and strands 35 are drawn between the rollers 18 the rollers 18 in a direction which is reverse to that of the stranding twist imparted by the rotation of the head 34, or conversely, that the resulting angular relation of the rollers 18 with respect to the rollers 19 is in a direction similar to that of the stranding twist. The direction of rotation of the twisting head 34 is indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5. Immediatelyprior to the introduction of the strands 35 between the rollers 19, the strands will assume a spaced relation substantially as shown in Fig. 5 and immediately subsequent to the compression and passage of the strands between these rollers, they will assume a cross sectional form substantially as shown in Fig. 6. By reason of the particular angular relation between the axesof the rollers 18 and 19 disclosed, it .will be understood that more strand will be paid out from the twisting head 34 than if the rollers were parallel and that the tension in some of the strands at the outer edges as indicated; by the numeral 40 Fig. 6) will be relieved. This relieving e ect is similar to that experienced by the outermost strands of a rope or cable whenone portion thereof is held in a fixed position and another portion in proximity thereto is gripped and turned in a direction which tends to remove the twist in the rope or cable. This momentary relief in the tension of certain of the strands enables the rollers 18 to ompressoract upon the composite group 0 strands so asto form them into a very compact group having a cross section as shown in Fig.7 which is uniform in compactness and roperly shaped. By employing the metho which may be readily practiced by means of the disclosed apparatus, it has been found that any tendency of the individual strands to become distorted is eliminated and hence when the cable is brought into association with a taping or serving mechanism, the cross section thereof conforms to the desired flattened form. The relative lengths of the major and minor crosssectional dimensions of the finished cable ma be controlled within specified limits by t e angular adjustment of the pair of rollers. It has also been found that by the notice of this method fiat and oval types 0 cables may be produced which are not only more uniform in cross sectional characteristics but which are thinner and wider than those capable of being produced by the practice of methods now in common use.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction and operation of the apparatus herein described and that the appended claims have been drawn to define modifications which come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for forming stranded cables, means for twisting a plurality of strands, means for drawmg the strands through the twisting means, means'for forming the twisted strands drawn therethrough, and a second forming means disposed at an acute angle with respect to the first mentioned forming means in a direction similar to the direction of twist imparted to the strands and in tandem to the first forming means.

2. In an' apparatus for forming stranded cables means for twisting a plurality of strands,' means for drawmg the strands through the twisting means, a pair of rollers for forming the twisted strands, and a second pair of forming rollers arranged in tandem therewith, said pairs of rollers being angularly adjustable with respect to each other.

3. In an apparatus for forming stranded cables, means for twisting a plurality of strands, means for drawing the strands through the twisting means, a pair of rollers for'forming the twisted strands, and a second 0nd pair of forming rollers dis sed at an acute angle with respect to the rst pair of rollers in a direction similar to the direction of twist imparted to the strands and in tandem to the first formin rollers.

4.:In an apparatus for orming stranded cables from a plurality of strands, means forf 'advancin the strands, means for twistingthe'stran s, a roller for partiall forming the twisted strands, a second ro er disposed at an angle to the first roller for completing the formation of the twisted strands into a cable of a predetermined cross section, and means for adjustin the angular relation of the rollers with res ect to each other to form a cable of a di erent cross section.

5. In an apparatus for forming stranded cables from a plurality of strands, means for advancing the strands, means for twisting the strands, a pair of spaced rollers interposed between the advancing means and the twisting means for compressing the twisted strands into a composite cable of a predetermined cross section, a second pair of spaced rollers interposed between the twisting means and the first pair of rollers and disposed with their axes at an angle to the axes of the first rollers for consolidating the strands into a flat cable. a

6. A method of forming a fiat cable from .a plurality of strands, comprising advancing the strands in spaced lateral relation to each other, causing the advancing strands to converge into a fiat formation by exerting a lateral pressure thereagainst while twisting the strands about each other, and consolidating said formation by exerting a lateral pressure thereagainst at a point longitudinally removed along the cable from the point of convergence and disposed at an angle to the first mentioned lateral pressure.

7. A method of forming a flat cable from a plurality of strands, comprising advancing the strands in spaced lateral relation to each other, converging the strands into a flat operating surfaces disposed at an angle to the first mentioned surfaces removed longitudinally along the cable from the first pa1r of cooperating surfaces and adapted to consolidate said formationinto a flat cable.

10. An apparatus for forming flat cable from a plurality of strands, comprising a rotating head for twisting the strands about each other, a pair .of cooperating surfaces disposed forwardly of the rotating head and adapted to cause the strands to converge into a flat formation without arresting the twisting thereof, a second pair of cooperating surfaces disposed forwardly of andat an angle to the first mentioned surfaces and adapted to consolidate said formation into a fiat cable, and means for advancing the strands through the rotating head and the cooperating surfaces.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 16th day of November A.- D., 1926.

ERNEST MARTIN RUNQUIST. THORNTON MODUFFEY YANCEY.

formation by exerting opposite lateral pressures against the strands while imparting a twist to said formation, and consolidating said formation by exerting opposite lateral pressures thereagainst at an angle to the first mentioned lateral pressures and at a point longitudinally removed along the cable from the first lateral pressures exerted.-

8. An apparatus for forming flat cable from a plurality of strands, comprisin means for advancing the strands in space a lateral relation to each other, means for twistin the strands about each other during such advancement, means for exerting lateral pressure against the twisted strands to cause them to converge into a flat formation, and means disposed forwardly of the first mentioned means for exerting a lateral pressure at an angle to the first mentioned lateral pressure to consolidate said formation into a cable.

9. An apparatus for forming flat cable from a plurality of strands, comprising a twisting head, means for advancing the strands through the twisting head, a pair of cooperating surfaces disposed between the twisting head and the advancing means and adapted to exert a lateral pressure against the strands to cause them to converge into a fiat formation, and a second pair of 00-

Images