US1895463A

US1895463A - Self-aligning strand carrier for braiders

Info

Publication number: US1895463A
Application number: US560729A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Henning
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1931-09-02
Filing date: 1931-09-02
Publication date: 1933-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1950-01-31

Description

Jem. 31, 1933 G. E. HENNING 1,895,463

SELF ALIG'NING STRAND CARRIER FOR BRAIDERS Filed sept. 2, 19:51

1 f v w y u v uuu /NVENTUR YG. E. HENN/NG B 1 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. HENNING, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC d i COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SELF-ALIGNING STRAND Application filed September This invention relates to braiding machines and particularly to machines for continuously braiding the outside sheath or covering onto insulated electrical conductors.

The object of this invention is to provide a high speed braiding machine having selfaligning carriers or supply holders for the braid strands or threads, which will reduce the number of replacements caused by the excessive wear, reduce the extremely accurate machining heretofore required, and maintain the carriers in proper alignment as they are rotated about the braiding center during the braiding operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier for the braid strands with parts having bearing contact surfaces of comparatively resilient materials adapted to reduce wear, reduce lubrication, and eliminate unnecessary weight and noise.

In attaining these objects the carriers are provided with a guiding contact shoe of comparatively resilient fibrous material, al cooperating roller of like material mounted for adjustment radially with respect to the braiding center of the machine for the purpose of ne adjustment and to compensate for any wear at both the shoe and the roller, and a self-aligning driving shoe of like material mounted for free rotation about its pivot.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a braiding machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawing the rotatable turret 1() is provided with a tubular member 11 through which the electrical conductor 12 to be braidhaving one or more marginal slots or grooves 15 for passage of the braid strands or threads CARRIER FOR BRAIDERS 2, 1931. Serial No. 560,729.

16 and at the opposite end a spiral gearl'?. The spiral gear 17 meshes with the ring gear 18, which ring gear is held stationary or may be mounted to rotate with a second rotatable turret 19 in the opposite direction from turret 10, so that rotary motion will beimparted to the spiral gear 17 and disk 14.

A track carrying casting 2O rotates with turret 19, the connection thereto notl being shown, as it forms no part of the present invention, which has formed therein an annular track 21 in which a series of slots 22 are formed at points therein adjacent the thread guide supports (not shown) for the braid strands or thread 16, as shown in Fig. 2. The annular track 21 has a groove 23 extending from its outer surface around the periphery thereof, in which an arcuate-shaped guiding contact shoe 24 of suitable material, for example fibrous material, is slidably mounted. The arcuate-shaped shoe 24 has extending therefrom a braid strand supply holder or cop 25 equipped with a paddle brake 26 of any suitable type, which engages the surface of the cop to prevent backlash in the event that the machine is suddenly stopped and to maintain a constant tension on a braid strand or thread being drawn from the cop. Secured to this arcuate-shaped.

guide shoe 24 is a supporting frame 27, which has adjustably secured therein a fixed shaft 28 upon which is rotatably mounted a ball bearing disk or thrust roller 29 adapted to engage the inner surface of the annular track member 21 when the carriers are rotated at high speed about the annular track.

The shaft 28 has integral therewith an extended arm 30 and shaft 31 off set from` shaft 28 (Fig. 3) having freely pivoted thereon the slotted driving shoe 32 of fibrous material, in which slot the slotted disk 14 rotates. The disk 14, as it travels with turret 10 about the braiding center, carries with it, because of its connection with slotted shoe 32, the entire braid strand carrier or supply holder. The shoe 82 is free to rotate about shaft 31 to compensate for any misalignment between itself and disk 14 when the machine is started or stopped, or from an unbalanced condition. of the supply of strand material, and forms a self-aligning iexible connection so the shock or jarring caused by roller 29 passing over slots 22 Will be absorbed and not be imparted to disk la and its shaft 13. The supporting frame 27 is provided With an elongated or elliptical shaped aperture 33 passing therethrough, and at its under surface With a slot 34 as shown in Fig. 3. The diameter of shaft 28 is slightly less than the smallest diameter of-aperture 33 and can thus be moved radially with respect to the braiding center. The' tongue 35 of the bushing 3G, secured to or being integral with shaft 28, slides in slot 34 When shaft 28 is adjusted. The shaft 28 is adjusted radially With respect to the braiding center by loosening the nut 37 and adjusting the screw 38 threaded in the frame 27 and which bears against fiat surface 39 of the shaft 28. The roller 29, carried by the shaft 28, is thus adjusted with respect to the annular track 2l by merely adjusting screw 38, Which is held in adjusted position by lock nut 40. After the radial adjustment has been made the nut 37 of the shaft 28 is screwed down, forcing the upper surface of bushing 3G against the lower surface of the frame 27, securely holding the shaft 28 in position. The roller 29 is provided with a ball bearing race 4l and a circular oil retainer 42. n The guide shoe 24, roller 29, and slotted shoe 32 are shown constructed entirely of iibrous material or the like, but it is understood that they may merely be provided with fibrous bearing surfaces. This construction reduces noise and Wear, especially as the roller 29 rolls at high speed over the series of slots 22 in the annular track 21. This iibrous material is also comparatively resilient and gives as the roller rides over the slots 22, thus preventing Wear, and does not require theV same amount of lubrication as a metal roller would at the bearing surfaces. The adjustability of this roller through its shaft eliminates the careful machining of the parts necessary if a fixed shaft is used. This adjustable shaft thus permits a micrometer adjustment of the roller 29 to properly position the same and for taking up any Wear sustained by the arcuate-shaped guide shoe 24 and roller 29 after prolonged use.

While the invention is illustrated and described more particularly with reference to braiding machines for electrical conductors and the like, the invention is not confined thereto but is intended to cover any other uses or modifications Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a braiding machine, a guide track, a braid strand carrier rotatable around said track, and a guide roller carried by said carrier and engaging the inner surface of said track adapted to be`\adjustably moved to- -Ward and away from the inner surface of said track.

2. In a braiding machine, a guide track, a braid strand carrier, a guide shoe on said carrier engaging the outer surface of said track, and an adjustable roller engaging the inner surface of said track adapted to be adjustably moved to and from said track.

3. In a braiding machine, a guide track having a continuous Igroove in the outer surface thereof, a braid strand carrier, a guide shoe on said carrier engaging the groove in the outer surface of said track, and an adjustable rollerrengaging the inner surface of said track adapted to be moved to and from said track to adjust the engagement of said guide shoe relative to said groove.

4. In a braiding machine, a guide track, a braid strand carrier rotatablearound said track, and a compensating thrust roller having a comparatively resilient bearing surface carried by said carrier and means whereby' carried by said frame, means for adjusting said shaft in said frame, means for locking said shaft in adjusted position, and a guidiplgfthrust roller rotatably mounted on said s a t.

7. In a braiding machine, a braid strand carrier having a supporting frame, said frame having an-elongated aperture therein, a. shaft adjustably mounted -With said aperture, and a guiding thrust roller carried by said shaft.

8. In a braiding machine, a braid strand carrier having a supporting frame, said frame having an elongated aperture therein, a shaft adjustably mounted Within said aperture, means for adjusting and locking said shaft Within said aperture, and a guiding thrust roller carried by said shaft.

9. In a braiding machine, a braid strand carrier having a supporting frame, said frame, having an elongated aperture extending therethrough and a communicating slot, a shaft adjustably mounted Within said aperture, a tongue on said shaft slidable in said slot to prevent rotation of said shaft, and a roller rotatably mounted on said shaft.

10. In a braiding machine a braid strand carrier having a supporting frame, an adjustable shaft carried by said frame having an extension, a roller on said shaft, and a shoe pivoted on said extension.

11. In a. braiding machine, a braid strand carrier .having a frame, an adjustable shaft carried by said frame having an off-set eX- tension, a roller. on said shaft, and a slotted fibre shoe pivoted on said off-set extension.

12. In a braiding machine, a guide track having a continuous groove in the outer surface thereof, a braid strand carrier, a fibrous guide shoe on said carrier engaging the groove in the outer surface of said track, a fibrous adjustable roller engaging the inner surface of said track and adapted to be moved toward and away from said guide shoe, and a fibrous slotted shoe pivoted eccentrically With respect t0 the center line of said shaft for moving said carrier around said track.

13. In a braiding machine, a braid strand carrier having a. supporting frame, a shaft carried by said frame, a roller on said shaft, and a self-aligning driving shoe carried by said shaft.

14. In a braiding machine, a guide track, a braid strand carrier adapted to be rotated around said track, a shaft carried by said carrier, a guide roller on said shaft, a pivoted self-aligning driving shoe carried by said shaft, and means contacting with said shoe for moving said carrier around said track.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this Qtth day of August, 1931.

GEORGE E. HENNING.