US1849705A

US1849705A - Spring coiling method and means

Info

Publication number: US1849705A
Application number: US419779A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gorman C Burd
Original assignee: AMERICAN CABLE CO Inc
Current assignee: AMERICAN CABLE CO Inc; AMERICAN CABLE COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1930-01-10
Filing date: 1930-01-10
Publication date: 1932-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1949-03-15

Description

March 15, 1932. j V BURD 1,849,705

SPRING COILING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Jan. 10, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l ilifg. .4 v 20 7' IN VEN TOR.

March 15, 1932. G. c. BURD SPRING COILING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Jan. 10, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 15, 1932.

G. C. BURD SPRING COILING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Jan. 10 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

' GOG/441V 6. 0e&

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOBMAN G. BUBD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 AITERICAN CABLE COM- PANY, INC 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SPRING COILING METHOD AND MEANS Application filed January 10, 1930. Serial No. 419,779.

My invention relates to the coiling of springs and has for an object to provide a method of and means for continuously coiling a spring, so that the spring will issue from the coiler without rotation.

When a spring is coiled by passing a wire through bending rolls, the s ring rotates as it issues from the rolls and if the spring is of considerable length it is apt to kink or twist into a snarl. When a spring is coiled upon arotary mandrel, the length of the spring is limited by the length of the mandrel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of spring forming in which the wire is coiled on a mandrel by carrying the wire about the mandrel and thereby wrapping the wire thereon. At the same time the coiled wire is fed off the end of the mandrel so that the length of the coil will not be limited by the length of the mandrel.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for pressing the wire tightly tion will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my improved spring windingmachine;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the machine.

in transverse section taken on the of Fig. 1;

Fig.4 is an enlarged view in section of certain driving mechanism, the section being line 3-3 ta-ken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1

and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings the bed of the machine comprises a pair of I-beams 10 supported on stands 11. At one end of the bed is a pair of brackets, 12 and 13 respectively, in which are roller bearings, 14 and 15 for a hollow shaft 16. The latter has a sprocket Wheel 17 fixed thereon by means of which the shaft is rotated, as will be explained hereinafter. Fitted within the "hollow shaft 16 is an inner shaft or spindle 18 and fixed upon one end of the spindle which projects from the outer end of the shaft 16, is a sprocket wheel 19. J ournaled on roller bearings 16a at the inner or opposite end of the shaft 16 is a face plate 20 which forms one end of a cradle 21. The other end of the cradle is keyed to a tubular shaft 22 which is journaled in roller bearings 23 carried by brackets 24 supported on the Lbeams 10. The

shaft 22 has a sprocket wheel 25 keyed there on, by which the cradle 21 is rotated. Power to rotate the various parts of the machine is furnished by a motor 26 which is connected by a chain belt 27 to a jack-shaft 28 through a clutch 28a. A sprocket wheel keyed upon the shaft 28 is connected by a chain belt 29 to the sprocket wheel 25. The shaft 28 is also connected by gears 30 to a shaft 31 which at its outer end has a sprocket wheel fixed thereon and connected by a chain v32 to the sprocket wheel 19 of the spindle 18. The spindle is thus driven at a fixed speed with respect to the cradle 21 but in opposite direction.

However, the shaft 16 is driven in the same;

direction as the cradle, but at a much lower speed, through mechanism. by which the speed may be accurately regulated. This speed regulating mechanism may. be of a standard type (such as that shown in Fig, 2), which comprises a driving shaft 33 and a driven shaft 34, each fitted with a pair of opposed cone pulleys 35 and 36 respectively. A belt 37 connects the pulleys on one shaft to the pulleys on the other. The pulleys are slidable on their shafts and are connected to the opposite ends of a pair of levers 38 in such manner that when one pair of pulleys spect to the other. The position of the levers 38 is controlled by a right and left handed screw 40. It will be understood that I make no claim to regulating mechanism per se and that I may use any form of speed regulator which will give a fine adjustment between the driving and driven shafts. The shaft 33 is driven by the shaft 31 through a suitable train of gears including a chain belt 42. The shaft 34 has a sprocket pinion fixed thereon which is connected by a chain belt 43 to the sprocket 17 on the shaft 16.

The shaft 16 projects from the face plate 20 into the cradle 21 and has a pinion 44 keyed thereon (see Figs. 3 and 5) This pinion is engaged on opposite sides by

gears

45 and 46 respectively, journaled on studs 47 and 48 respectively. These studs are carried by

slide blocks

49 and 50 respectively, which slide in an undercut slideway 51 running diametrically across the face plate 20. The

blocks

49 and 50 are adjusted along the slideway toward and from the pinion 44 by means of adjusting

screws

52 and 53 which are journaled in lugs carried by the face plate 20. To avoid friction the

gears

45 and 46 are preferably mounted on roller bearings 54 and they are retained on the studs by means of thrust ball bearings 55 (see Fig. 5).

As shown in Fig. 4 the spindle 18 is formed with a socket at its inner end in which may be fitted a mandrel 56 about which the spring is to be coiled. The mandrel is held in place by set-screws 56a. Mandrels of different sizes may be used to provide for variations in diameter of the springs to be coiled and a bushing 56b for each mandrel serves to center the same in the bore of the shaft 16. A thrust plate 560 secured to the end of shaft 16 serves to hold the bushing in place. The mandrel 56 projects from the end of the shaft 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and at each side thereof mounted on and secured to the

gears

45 and 46 respectively, are forming wheels or

rolls

57 and 58 respectively. The forming

wheels

57 and 58 are each provided with a stepped peripheral surface. The outer steps 57a and 58a respectively serve to press the wire against the mandrel 56, while the steps 57?) and 586 respectively are of smaller diameter and allow for expansion of the spring under its own resilience after it leaves the pressing surfaces. Owing to the fact that these rolls are driven by a common pinion 44 they will both turn in the same direction, or, in other words, the faces of the rollers adjacent the mandrel 56 will turn in opposite directions.

The cradle 21 comprises a pair of longitudinal frame members connected by struts 59. Mounted between a pair of these struts is a reel 60 from which the supply of wire is taken to form the spring. The reel turns on a hollow shaft 61 comprising two telescoping parts which are normally springpressed outward, but which may be telescoped to permit of inserting the shaft between the struts 59 and then permitting the shaft to expand into suitable journals in said struts. Mounted in a strut between the reel 60 and the face plate 20 is a tubular guide 62 which is aligned with the tubular shaft 61 and also with mandrel 56. As clearly indicated in Fig. 1, there is an open path along the axis of the cradle from the mandrel through the guide 62, spindle 61 and shaft 22, to the righthand end of the machine. Mounted on the cradle 21, adjacent the reel 60, is a hinged plate 63 which carries a sheave 64 on a stud 64a. An arm 65 is pivoted on the stud 64a and bears a guide 66. Wire from the reel passes through the guide 66 and about the sheave 64 and then-runs to a second sheave 67 mounted on the cradle 21 near the face plate 20. On the face plate 20 is mounted still another sheave 68 which serves as a guide for the wire, directing it down between the

rolls

57 and 58 and to the mandrel 56. Detachably secured to an arm 69 projecting from the face plate 20 on the opposite side of the mandrel from the sheave 68 is a gage finger 70, which projects between the mandrel 56 and the step 576 of the roll 57.

The machine is set up for coiling a spring by taking wire from the reel 60, passing it through the guide 66 and about the

sheaves

64 and 67, and then guiding it by the sheave 68 to the mandrel 56. Several turns of wire are taken about the mandrel so as to produce a certain amount of traction by the mandrel on the wire. The end of the coiled wire or helix projects far enough to clear the gage finger 70. The machine is now started by throwing in the clutch 28a. As the cradle rotates about the mandrel 56 it wraps the wire about said mandrel and the wire bearing against the thrust plate 560 forces the coil bodily outward along the mandrel. As the cradle revolves, the

rollers

57 and 58 which are carried around with the cradle, are rotated by engagement of the

pinions

45 and 46 with the pinion 44, so that they will press the wire against the mandrel with a positive rolling action. As the helix is crowded outward lengthwise of the mandrel it will be continuously passing out of engagement with the pressing surfaces of the rolls and at the point where the coils clear these surfaces they Will expand due to the resilience of the wire. This expansion would result in a torsional thrust which would put a twist in the spring in the same direction as that in which the cradle is revolving, but this twist is overcome by rotating the mandrel in the opposite direction, that is, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. The r0- tation of the mandrel must be such that the rotary advance of the forming portion of the spring will equal and counteract the reverse rotation of the formed part of'the spring,

so that the spring will issue without twist.

This counteracting effect may be regulated by adjusting the speed of the

rolls

57 and 53 which is effected by means of the screw on the speed regulating mechanism. I find that by this means the coiling mechanism can be so carefully adjusted that thewspring will issue from the mandrel without any twist. If it shows any tendency to twist, the tendency can very quickly be overcome by a slight turn of the regulating screw40 in one direction or the other.

As the spring coils issue from the pressure steps 570- and 58athcy expand into the offset space provided by the steps 57?) and 58b, and the individual coils are spread apart by the gage finger which is forced between adjacent turns of the spring by the surface 57?). Thus, the spring issues from the forming means without twist and with the coils uniformly spaced by the gage.

There a tendency for the mandrel to wear and for this reason the mandrel is preferably made of considerable length so that it may be withdrawn to present a new surface between the forming wheels. The sprocket wheel 19 is secured to the shaft 18 by means of a set-screw 19a. 'henever desired, the shaft 18 may be drawnoutward and the sprocket wheel 19 may then be adjusted on the shaft and secured at the new adjustment by means of the set-screw 19a, thus withdrawing the mandrel into the hollow shaft 16 and presenting a fresh surface on which the spring is coiled. It will be understood that the spring asit is coiled on the. mandrel 56 tends to pull the mandrel forward. that is toward, the right as viewed in Fig. l and it is not necessary to provide any means for preventing the shaft 18 from moving in the opposite direction.

'The spring as it issues from the mandrel will be fed through the guide 62. hollow stem 61 and hollow shaft 22 to the right-hand end of the machine, asshown in Fig. 1. Here the coil spring passes between a pair of rollers 72 and T3 and will operate a counter 74 which measures the length of the springformed. The spring then runs over a chute 75 and into a suitable receptacle 76.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V I 1. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, simultaneously feeding the helix ofl one end of the mandrel,

and compensating for torsion of the helix due to expansion of the coils thereof so that the helix will issue from the mandrel without rotation in space.

2. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, simultaneously feeding the helix off one end of the mandrel, and turning the helix to compensate for torsion of the helix due to expansion of the coils thereof so that the helix will issue from the mandrel without rotation in space.

3. Thejmethod of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, exerting pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof to press the wire against the mandrel, effecting relative movement between the helix and the zone of application of said pressure in the direction of the axis of the helix, and turning the portion of the helix in said zone to compensate for torsion due to expansion of the coils of the helix as they clear said zone.

4. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, feeding the helix longitudinally with respect to the mandrel,

exerting a radial pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof to press the wire against the mandrel, and turning that portion of the helix within the zone of said pressure at such rate and in such direction as to compensate for the torsion'due to expansion of the. coils of the helix as they clear said zone.

5. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, feeding the helix longitudinally with respect to the mandrel, exerting rolling radial pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof, and turning the mandrel at such rate and in such direction as to compensate for torsion of the helix as it clears the zone of said pressure. 7

6. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, feeding the helix longitudinally with respect to the mandrel, exerting rolling radial pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof, and revolving the point of application of said pressure with respect to the mandrel to compensate for torsion of the helix as it clears the zoneof said pressure.

7. The method of forming a a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a helix about a mandrel, feeding the helixlongitudinally with respect to the mandrel, exerting rolling radial pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof, revolving the point of application of said pressure with respect to the mandrel, and varying such rela-' tive revolution of the point of application of the pressure to compensate for torsion of the helix as it clears the zone of said pressure.

8. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a. wire in a close-coiled helix about amandrel, exerting pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof to press the wire against the mandrel,

eifecting relative movement between the helix and 'thezone of application of said pressure in the direction of the axis of the helix,turnmg the portion of the hehxm said zone to compensate for torsion due to expansion of the coils of the helix as they clear said zone, and spreading coils as they clear said zone to form a helix of predetermined pitch.

9. The method of forming a coil spring which includes the steps of wrapping a wire in a close-coiled helix about a mandrel, feeding the helix longitudinally with respect to the mandrel, exerting a radial pressure on the helix at the forming end thereof to press the wire against the mandrel, turning that portion of the helix within the zone of said pressure at such rate and in such direction as to compensate for the torsion due to expansion of the coils of the helix as they clear said zone, and spreading coils as they clear said zone to form a helix of predetermined pitch.

10. The method of forming a coil spring on a mandrel which comprises the steps of winding a wire about the mandrel to form a helix, providing an abutment against which the forming end of the helix will hear so as to crowd the helix lengthwise of the mandrel as the helix is wound, inserting a spreader between the coils of the helix, and revolving the spreader in afixed plane about the mandrel to spread the coils of the helix to a predetermined pitch.

11. In a machine for coiling springs, a

mandrel, a wire guide revoluble around the mandrel to wind wire in a close-coiled helix thereon, a thrust member against which the wire bears as it is led on to the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally along the mandrel, and a gage finger revoluble in a fixed plane about the mandrel to spread the coils of the helix to a predetermined pitch.

12. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel about which a wire is to becoiled, a thrust plate through which one end of the mandrel passes, the other end of the mandrel being free, a wire guide revoluble around the mandrel to wind a wire thereabout and in engagement with the thrust plate, whereby the wound wire on the mandrel will be crowded along the mandrel and off the free end thereof, and means for adjusting the mandrel lengthwise with respect to the thrust plate. I

13. In a machine for coiling springs, a

mandrel, a wire guide revoluble around the mandrel to Wind wire in a helix thereon, and means for compensating for torsion of the helix due to expansion of the coils thereof so that the helix will have no rotation in space.

14. In a machine for coiling springs, a

mandrel, a wire guide rev oluble around the mandrel to wind wire in a helix thereon, a thrust member against which the Wire bears as it is led on to the mandrel, whereby the drel without rotation in space.

15. In a machine for coiling springs, a

mandrel, means for winding a wire in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust member on the mandrel against which the wire bears as it is wound on' the mandrel, whereby the helix is crowded lengthwise of the mandrel as it is wound, means adjacent the thrust member for pressing coils of the helix against the mandrel, and means compensating the torsion of said coils due to expansion thereof as they clear the pressing means whereby the helix will have no rotation in space.

16. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel means for winding a wire in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust member on the mandrel against which the wire bears as it is wound on the mandrel whereby the helix will be crowded lengthwise of the mandrel as it is formed, a roller pressing the helix against the mandrel near the forming end of the helix, and means for rotating that part of the helix that is under pressure at such rate as to compensate for expansion thereof at the point where it issues from the roller so that the issued part of the helix will have no rotation in space.

17. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel means for winding a wire in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust member on the mandrel against which the wire bears as it is wound on the mandrel, whereby the helix will be crowded lengthwise of the mandrel as it is formed, aroller pressing the helix against the mandrel near the forming end of the helix, means for revolving the roller about the mandrel, means for rotating the roller on its axis, means for rotating the mandrel, and means for regulating the relative rotation of the roller and the mandrel to compensate for expansion of the helix where it clears the roller so that there shall be no torsion in space of that part ofthe helix which has cleared the roller. 7

18. In a machine for coiling springs, a

mandrel means for winding a wire in a helix its axis, means for rotating the mandrel and means for regulating the rotation of the roller to compensate for expansion of the helix where it clears the roller so that there shall be no torsion in space of that part of the helix which has cleared the roller.

19. In a machine for coiling springs, a manwound in a helix about the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as it is led upon the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, rollers carried by the cradle and bearing against the w helix to press the wire against the mandrel,

means for rotating the rollers, means for rotating the mandrel, and means for regulating the relative rotary speed of the mandrel and the rollers.

20. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel about which a wire is to be coiled, a thrust plate atone end of the mandrel against which the wire bears as it is wound on the mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted to carry a reel of wire, a guide on the cradle adapted to guide wirefrom the reel to the mandrel and wrap the wire thereabout in a close-coiled helix, and a gage finger revoluble with the cradle and adapted to project between the coils of the helix to spread the same to a predetermined pitch.

21. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and ,adapted to carry a reel of wire, a wire guide 0 on the cradle adapted to guide wire from the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire will be wound in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as it is wound on the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, and

rollers carried by the cradle and bearing against the helix to press the wire against the 'mandrel.

In a machine forcoilingsprings, a mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted to carry a reel of wire. a wire guide on the cradle adapted to guide wire from the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire will be wound in a helix on the mandrel a thrust plate against which the wire bears as it is led upon the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, a roller carried by the cradle and pressing the helix against the mandrel, and means for rotating the roller as it revolves about the mandrel.

23. In a machine for coiling springs. a mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted to carry a reel of wire, a wire guide on the cradle adapted to guide wire from the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire will be wound in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as it is led upon the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, a roller carried by the cradle and pressing the helix against the mandrel, means for rotating the roller as it revolves about the mandrel, and means for regulating the rotary speed of the roller.

2t In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted/to carry a reel of wire, a wire guide on the cradle adapted to guide wire from the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire will be wound in a helix on the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as it is led upon the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, rollers carried by the cradle and bearing against the helix to press the wire against the mandrel,

means for rotating the rollers, and means for rotating the mandrel.

25. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel. a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted to carry a reel of wire, a wire guide on the cradle adapted to guide wire from'the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire will be wound in a close-coiled helix about the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as wound on the mandrel whereby the helix will be'fed longitudinally of the mandrel, rollers carried by the cradle and bearing against the helix to press the wire against the mandrel, means for rotating the rollers, means for adjusting the relative rotation of the rollers and the mandrel, a gage finger carried by the cradle, and means for forcing the same between the coils of the helix.

26. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, a cradle revoluble about the mandrel and adapted to carry a reel of wire, a wire guide on the cradle adapted to guide wire from the reel to the mandrel whereby the wire-will be wound in a close coiled helix about the mandrel, a thrust plate against which the wire bears as wound on the mandrel whereby the helix will be fed longitudinally of the mandrel, rollers carried by the cradle and bearing against the helix to press the wire against the mandrel, means for rotating the rollers,'means for adjusting the-relative rotation of the rollers andthe mandrel, a gage finger carried by the cradle, and means on one of the rollers for forcing the same between the coils of the helix.

2?. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, a cradle co-axial with the mandrel,

means for supporting a reel of wire on the cradle, a driver pinion concentric with the mandrel, planetary pinions mounted on the cradle and meshing with the driver, means for rotating the cradle to wind the wire in a helix about the mandrel, rollers carried by the planetary pinions and adapted to press the helix against the mandrel, and means for rotating the driver to cause positive rolling the planetary pinions and adapted to press the helix against the mandrel, means for rotating the driver to cause positive rolling action of the rollers on the helix, and means for forcing the helix lengthwise of the mandrel under the rollers.

29. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, a cradle co-axial with the mandrel, meansfor supporting a reel of wire on the 10 cradle, a driver pinion concentric withthe mandrel, planetary pinions mounted on the cradle and meshing with the driver, means for rotating the cradle to wind the wire in a helix about the mandrel, rollers carried by the planetary pinions and adapted to press the helix against the mandrel, means for retating the driver to cause positive rolling action of the rollers on the helix, means for forcing the helix lengthwise of the mandrel under the rollers, means for rotating the mandrel, and variable speed gear for regulating the rotary speed of the driver.

30. In a machine for coiling springs, a mandrel, acradle co-axial with the mandrel,

2 means for supporting a reel of wire on the cradle, a. driver pinion concentric with the mandrel, planetary pinions mounted on the cradle and meshing with the driver, means for rotating the cardle to wind the wire in a 80 helix about the mandrel, rollers carried by the planetarypinions and adapted to press the helix against the mandrel, means for rotating the driver to cause positive rolling action of the rollers on the helix, means for forcing the helix lengthwise of the mandrel, means for rotating the mandrel, a variable speed gear for regulating the relative rotary speed of the mandrel and the rollers, and means for adjusting the position of the mandrel axially.

31. In a machine for coiling springs, a wire coiling means through which wire is passed to form a continuous helix, and means for turning the helix within the coiling means to compensate for torsion of the helix outside the coiling means due to expansion of the coils of the helix as they clear the coiling means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

60 GORMAN C. BURD.