US1944822A - Method and machine for coating cables - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1934. w. w. CHURCH Erm. Y 1,944,822

HETHOD AND MACHINE FOR COTlHG CABLES Filed July 27, 1929 S'SheetS-Sheet 1 7 um 5mm/toas 1 .....IYWE

Jan. 23, 1934. `w. w. CHURCH Er Al.

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR COATING CABLES Filed July 27. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 `Fan. 23, 1934. w. w. CHURCH Er AL METHODAND MACHINE -FOR COATING CABLES Filed July 27. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HHHHLD w Ill? Patented Jan. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES METHOD AND MACHINE FOR COATING CABLES Application July 27, 1929. ASerial No. 381,625

Claims.

insulated wires provided with insulating wrap-` pings which are saturated with asphaltic saturants either in the form of compounds or unadulterated and processed asphalt with a comparatively thin coating of stearin pitch and to subsequently and by a separate operation apply over H thecoating of stearin pitch a 4thin coating of a non-sticker covering such as parailin or other wax-like material. The stearin pitch when applied to an insulated wire which is impregnated with an asphaltic saturant tends to remelt the saturant. to a certain extent so that this saturant, to a certain degree, runs into the stearin pitch. This is undesirable and it has been somewhat diiiicult to overcome this running-in tendency, particularly when a continuous process is attempted to be used. In the applying of multiple coatings it may be desirable to coat unsaturated braids. Certain of the running in effects are also encountered when such processes are used and accordingly, the invention is not limited to the application of coatings to already saturated insulated wire or cable.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method` and means for providing one or more coatings to insulated wires or cables, which insulated Wires and cables may have Vtheir fibrous coverings either saturated with asphaltic material or in an unsaturated condition to the general end that an improved product is secured. Y v

It is also a further object of the present invention to provide a method and means for applying a. stearin pitch coating to the asphalt saturated brous covering of insulated wires or cables 'and to minimize the tendency of the asphaltic saturant to rmelt and run into the pitch during the application of such pitch.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedmethod and means for applying over such stearin pitch a relatively thin paraffin or wax-like coating.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and means of applying mica or a coloring pigment to the cable or insulated wire. While the application of .such mica or coloring pigment is not essential, its application may be made intermediate the application of the stearin pitch and the parafn or wax-like coating if desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for the coating of cables or insulated wires with rst a preliminary coating of stearin pitch and thereafter to apply another thin coating of paraffin or wax-like material and to eiect both coating applications in one and the same run whereby the cost'of production of coated insulated wires or cables may be lowered.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and means of applying either an intermediate mica coating to the cable or insulated wire or to provide a method and means 4of applying coloring pigment which is 7o adapted to show through the outer and last applied coating and thereby give a distinguishing color characteristic to the insulated wire or cable. Such application of mica or coloring material is also effected in one continuous run with the other. i

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a method and means of coating cables or insulated wires inwhich the cable or wire is maintained straight during the coating process. l

A Other objects and advantages will behereinafter set forth in the accompanying' specification and claims and shown in the drawings, which by way of illustration show what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of the invention.

vln the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the complete machine; l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the left hand section of the machine which shows the stearin pitch applying station and the mica or coloring pigment applying station;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is, an enlarged detail elevational view of the parain applying station shown at the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4, the view being taken 100 on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 and showing certain nozzle pipes for the applying of the parain coating to the cable or insulated wire; and

Fig. @i is a top plan view-of certain parts shown ln elevation in Fig. 4, the view being taken on 105 line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

In more detail referring to Fig. l, 10 is the main driving motor. 'I'his motor through a suitable driving train drives the multiple take-up reels 1l. A supplemental driving motor 10a is provided no for driving the moving parts which are at the paraffin applying station generally designated 12, but obviously this arrangement is not essential and the moving parts at such station could be driven from the main motorio. Suitable driving connections of any desired form provides a drive from the main motor` 10 to the moving parts at the intermediate mica coating or dcoloring Apigment applying station generally designated 13 and to the moving parts at the stearin pitch applying station generally designated 14. 15 designates a series of supply reels for the cable which is to be coated. In Fig. 1 the insulated wire or cable to be coated is shown at 16. As here shown this cable or insulated wire traverses over the stearin pitch tank and through the station 13 and thence over the tank ofl paraffin at the paraflining station mow'ng in a straight' line through the coating station. According to previous practice, such cable or insulated wire was passed directly into the stearin pitch bath and the paraflln or wax-like bath, but this manner of handling the cable or insulated wire has been found not wholly satisfactory on account of the diiculty of controlling the application' of the pitch and of controlling the remelting eiect previously mentioned. In lieu of dipping the cable 16 directly down into the molten bath of stearin pitch as heretofore, according to the present invention, the cable or insulated wire passes at a point which is over and above top of the bath of molten pitch. Then to apply the pitch to the cable or-insulated wire a series of pick-up discs designated 1'7 are provided. One of these discs is provided for each run of cable or insulated wire to be coated and as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, according to the present invention, it iscontemplated that a multiplicity of cables or insulated wires 16 may be coated concurrently. The pickup discs 17 are continually rotated by motor 10 and during the operation of the machine serve to pick up the molten stearin pitch fromthe tank and carry a small supply of it to a point above the level of the pitch and to a point adjacent the insulated wire. Suitable provision is made for scrapingoff from the side of each disc the molten pitch and directing it` to a so-calledlsizing die. One die is provided for each cabley or insulated wire which is to be'coated.

Fig. 3 shows the manner of applying the pitch to the cablesor insulated wires. As shown, suitable scrapers 18 are provided, one scraper for each disc 17. These Scrapers remove the pitch from the rotating discs and direct it to the sizing dies y19 through which the cables or insulated wires pass. As here shown each sizing die is directly mounted on its associated scraper. While this construction and manner of mounting the dies is desirable, it is of course, not essential.

By employing the above method of coating the cable or wire with stearin pitch, that is by carrying the pitch up from the molten bath and at a point, above the bath applying it to the insulated wire or cable, vthe remelting diiculties heretofore encountered are obviated and the pitch can be applied to the wire with the desired thinness of coating. After traversing the sizing die l19, each cable or insulated wire passes out through a bushing 20 (see Fig. 2) which merely serves as a guide and after passing such bushing the cable or cables as the case may be, pass into the dry coating station. This dry coating station comprises a hopper generally designated 21, into which an amount of mica or coloring pigment maybe placed. The hopper 21 is proyidel with an open top portion 21a through which may be introduced into the powdered material one or more ball agitators designated 22. From time to time the workman operating the machine may pick up the ball and advance it towards the entrance end of thel applying station 13. The purpose of the agitator is to somewhat break up and prevent packing of the powdered material in the applying station 13. Beyond the hopper 2l the cable or insulated wire passes through a boxlike structure having suitable bushings in its walls to allow the cable or cables to pass therethrough and which box is provided with a screened bottom 23. During this passage over the screen excess powdered material drops off the cable or insulated wire on to this screen and the screen is agitated or jogged by any suitable means such as the cam device 24. Excess screened powdered material falls into a boxV 25 and from time to time this box of material can be dumped back into the hopper as will be readily understood.

In station 13 a coating of powdered mica can be applied to the cable or suitable pigment coatings can be applied.

Leaving station 13 the Icable 4or insulated wire passes to the parafn or waxing station generally designated 12. As before, the cable passes over the parain bath and not through lt as has heretofore been the practice. The molten parafiin is pumped out from the main heated tank generally designated 26 (see Fig. 4) in any suitable manner as by motor driven gear pump 27. From the gear pump the molten parafiin is delivered to two transversely extending nozzle pipes 28. One of these nozzle pipes is placed below the cable or cables and the other above it as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and each nozzle pipe is provided with a number of small jet-like openings to permit the molten paraffin to be thrown in a i'lne stream towards each cable and towards each sizing die 29'l To control the amount of :parafn which is applied by-pass pet cocks 30 are provided which permit the diverting back into the tank 26 of desired amounts of the liquid parain. By manipulating these valves or pet cocks just the proper amount can be caused to flow through the nozzles and be jetted upon the cable or cables. After passing the sizing die 29 which wipes off any excess 'parain which drops back into a supplementary tank 32, each cable passes out of the machine to take up reel 11, first traversing the customary snugger 33. This snugger comprises a piece of fibrous rope-like material which is loosely wrapped for several convolutions around each cable as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

.Preferably tank 32 is 'provided at its end with a screen 34 so that screened liquid paraffin can fall back from tank 32 into the supply tank 26. Provision is made for heating boththe stearin pitch tank and the paraffin tank, but as such heating means are old and well known, they need not be described. Preferably heating is effected by gas burners and suitable controlling thermostats may be used if desired. 4

According to the foregoing method and machine, multiple coatings may be applied to an insulated wire by a continuous process. The insulated wire can pass directly from "the stearin pitch applying station to the parafiin station without the necessity of being rewound or bent as has heretofore been necessary when separate applying tanks have been used and where application of the coatings has been effected by dipping methods.

The pick-up discs 17 can be coordinated for the aforementioned tanks, and means including proper speed of operation to apply just suicient and not an excess of stearin pitch. By coating the insulated wires in this manner excess applications of stearin pitch with an attendant possibility of remelting of the underlying asphaltic material is obviated. The parain or waxing station also is of such sort that just the proper amount of parafln can be applied and not an excess which would be undesirable.

By applying the molten materials as described, great speed of operation can be secured. The process also can be continuous since it is unnecessary to separately apply the stearin pitch in a different operation or run from that in which the paraflin coating is applied. Furthermore, if desired, there can be an intermediate application of mica intermediate the application `of the stearin pitch-and the application of the paraflln or in lieu of powdered material such as mica a coloring material inl powdered form can be applied to the stearin coated wire which coloring material will distinctly color the afterward applied paramn or wax-like coating.

It will also be understood that if desired -the machine can be operated in such manner that the parailin coating operation is wholly dispensedl with. This manner of operating the machine could be carried out when it was desired not to apply a nnal pairamn coat, but to end the process vwith the application of mica or some other similar powdered material.

By carrying up the Wax-like or pitch-like coating materials to the cable or insulated wire which traverses over the tanks at a point above the top of the molten baths, the heat of the material in these baths does `not have opportunity to cause substantial remelting either of the bituminous impregnating compound in `the insulation of the cable nor does the heat of the Ybath itself cause a running or blending together of the different wax coatings themselves. Furthermore', excessive application of coating material is avoided. Such coating materials can be so applied that substantially only sucient amounts to provide the desired coating are applied While excessive amounts which might cause remelting or blending of the compounds or coating materials themselves is avoided. The coating materials also by being applied to the moving insulated wire above the tanks have an opportunity to cool somewhat below the temperature of the molten baths and this cooling action which is brought about by the manner of application of the coatings improves the results obtainable by the process.

What we claim is:

11A machine for coating cable with multiple coatings and for preventing excessive remelting of underlying materials on the cable during the application of the coatings thereto, said machine comprising a pair of tanks each containing a different heated and molten coating material, means for traversing a cable to be coated first over one tank and then over the other, a rotating pick-up disk disposed in the first of the aforesaid tanks and extending in proximity to the cable traversing thereover, means for removing coating material from the pick-up disk and directing the same upon the cable, said pick-up disk and said means serving to direct regulated quantities of coatingl material upon the cable and to prevent the remelting of underlying material upon the cable attendant from the excessive application of molten material to the cable and attendant from the heat of the molten material in the tank, means for pumping up molten material from the second of in a hot molten bath of the latter, comprising materialto thereby prevent blending of the unnozzles receiving said pumped molten material and adapted to spray the same upon the previously coated cableto apply a thin coating of the second molten coating material to the coated cable and to minimize remelting of the first mentioned coating during such application.

2. A machine for applying multiple coatings to an insulated wire and for preventing reblending of the coatings one with the other or the reblending of the coating with material already on the wire, said machine comprising a pair of tanks each containing a diiferent coating material,l means for heating the coating material in each tank, means for traversing a Wire first over one tank and then with a continuous uninterrupted straight line motion over the other tank, means forapplying the molten material from the first tank to the insulated wire in such quantity and while the wire is moving so that the heat from the bath of molten material in the first tank and the heat of the applied material itself does not reblend the coating with the material already upon the wire, and means for applying and regulating the application of molten material from the second tank to the wire coated as aforesaid so that the heat of the bath of molten material in the second tank and the heat of the applied material itself does not reblend the first coating with the second coating.

3. A method of coating with thermoplastic A coating material an insulated wire or cable having insulation carrying a previously applied coatinglor impregnation susceptible of blending with said` thermoplastic coating material on immersion establishing a hot molten bath of saidcthermoplastic coating material, continuously traversing the aforesaid insulated wire past thehot molten bath, and carrying from the bath and applying to the continuously moving wire a limited quantity of said molten material while maintaining said Wire out of the zone of effective heat of the bath during application of said molten material to` thereby prevent blending of the underlying coating or impregnation with said applied material.

4. A Amethod of coating with thermoplastic coating material, a Wire or cable having a previously applied coating or impregnation susceptible of blending with said thermoplastic coating material on immersion in a hot molten bath of the latter, comprising establishing a hotmolten bath of said thermoplastic coating material, continuously traversing the aforesaid wire, and applying to the continuously moving Wire a limited quantity of said molten material from said bath while maintaining said wire out of the zone of eifective heat of the bath during application of said molten derlying coating or impregnation with said applied material.

5. The method of applying multiple coatings to a wire or cable comprising continuously advancing thewire, applying to the continuously adk vancing wire a coating susceptible of blending with adjacent coatings or impregnating material on immersionin a bath cf hot molten `coating material, establishing a hot bath of thermoplastic material, bringing a quantity of said molten material under pressure vto a point -adjacent the wire and there spraying limited quantities of said molten material over the-first applied coating while the wire is continuously moving and 156 maintaining said wire out of the -zone of effective heat of said bath to thereby prevent blending of said coating of molten material with the rst applied coating or other material on the wire.

6. A method of applying to a Wire or cable multiple thermoplastic coatingssusceptible of blending with each other or with other material on the wire on immersion in a hot molten bath of coatingmaterial, comprising continuously advancing the wire, establishing hot molten baths respectively of said thermoplastic coating materials, and While the wire is continuously advancing applying to the continuously moving wire a limited quantity of molten material from the iirst bath, and then applying to the same continuously moving wire a limited quantity.` of molten material from the second bath While maintaining said Wire out of the zone of effective heat of both baths during both applications to thereby prevent blending of the said coatings with each other and with other material which may be on the wire.

'1. A machine for 'coating previously coated or impregnated insulated wire with thermoplastic material and for preventing blendingA of the previously applied coating or impregnation with hot molten thermoplastic material, comprising a tank for holding molten thermoplastic materiaL.

heating means for maintaining the material in said tank'in molten condition, wire handling means for continuously advancing the wire and traversing the same past a point above the molten material in the tank, said wire handling means being adapted to maintain the wire-out of the zone of heat of the tank, andgmeans for applying limited quantities of the. thermoplastic material to the wire, including means for bringing up thermoplastic material under pressure from the tank to the Vicinity of the said point of wire' passage, and cooperating devices for directing againstl the continuously moving wire a spray of the material brought up by the last-mentioned means. Y

8. A machine forv coating a cable with a coating and for preventing undesired remelting of material already on the cable which is to be coated, said machine comprising a tank to hold a bath of heated and molten coating material heating means for maintaining said material in said hot molten condition, means fortraversing acable to be coated over the tankl and at a point away 'from the heat of 4the bath, a rotating pickup disk dipping into the bathof molten materialy andextending in proximity to the cable to be coated, and means for removing coating material from the disk anddirecting the same upon the cable, said last mentioned means and, said pickup serving to applyA restricted quantities of coating material to the cable and to thereby prevent remelting of meltable material already upon the cable attendant from the heat of excessive quantities of applied molten coating material and attendant from theheat of the bath.

9. A method of applying multiple coatings to an insulated wire or cable, comprising continuously advancing the wire, applying to the continuously advancing wire a coating susceptible of blending with adjacent coating or impregnating material on immersion in a bath of hot molten Ycoating material, establishing a hot molten bath of thermoplastic material, and while maintaining the same continuously advancing wire out of the zone of eiiective heat of saidbath, bringing limited quantities of said molten material under pressure to a point adjacent the wire and there spraying a limited quantity of said molten material over the iirst-applied coating while the wire is continuously advancing, for providing a coata ing of said material on the wire and therebypreventing blending of the iirst-applied coating with the thermoplastic ,coating or other material on the wire.

10. The method of coating with thermoplastic i coating material, a wire or cable having a previously applied coating or impregnating material susceptible of blending with said thermoplastic coating material when immersed in a hot bath of the latter, comprising the steps of continuously moving the aforesaid wire and applying to said moving wire a limited quantity of hot molten material while maintaining said wire in a relatively cool zoneunaffected by the heat of the molten material to thereby preve'nt blending of the underlying coating with said applied material.

11. A method. of coating a previously coated wire or cable with a second coating ofhigher melting point thermoplastic material and of restraining and minimizing blending effects between the previously applied coating material .and the second coating due to remelting of the first coating material by the second material, comprising establishing a hot molten bath of said thermoplastic coating maerial, continuously advancing the' aforesaid wire and applying to the continuously moving wire a limited quantity of said molten material from said bath while maintaining said wire out of the zone of effective heatrof the bath during application of said molten material to thereby prevent blending of the underlying coating with said applied material.

12. A method of applying to a wire or cable multiple thermoplastic coatings, each susceptible of blending With each other or with other material on the wire when immersed in a hot molten bath of coating material, comprising continuously 'advancing the wire, establishing hot molten baths of said thermoplastic coating materials and while the wire is continuously advancing applying to the said continuously moving wire a limited quantity of molten material from the iirst bath, then without intermediate cooling or interrupting the movement of the wire, applying a limited quantity of molten material from the second bath while maintaining said wirelv out of the zone of 126 effective heat during both applications of coating material from said vbaths to thereby prevent, blending of said coatings with each other and with other material which maybe on the wire.

13. A method of applying to a wire or cable 130 multiple thermoplastic coatings, each susceptible of blending with each other or with other material on the wire when immersed in a hot molten bath of coating material, comprising continuously advancing the wire, establishing hot molten bahs of said thermoplastic coating materials and while the Wire is continuouslyr advancing applying to the said continuously moving wire a limited quantity of molten material from the first bath, then without intermediate cooling, applying to the A14o same continuously moving wire a limited quantity of molten material from the second bath while mainaining said wire out of the zone of effective heat during both applications' of coating material from said baths toY thereby prevent blending of said coatings with each other and with other material which may be on the wire. and intermediate the application of molten material from said baths applying a powdered material.

14. A method of applying to a wire or cable "1'50 multiple thermoplastic coatings susceptible of blending with each other or with other material on the' wire on immersion in a hot molten bath of coating material, comprising continuously advancing the wire, establishing hot molten baths of thermoplastic coating materials of diierent melting points and while the wire iscontinuously advancing applying to said continuously moving wire a limited quantity of molten material of relatively high melting point from the first bath and then without intermediate cooling applying to the same continuously moving wire a limited quantity of relatively low melting point coating material from the second bath and during the application of both baths maintaining the wire out o1' the zone of effective heat 'of said baths to thereby prevent blending of said coatings with each other and with other materials which may be on the wire.

15. A method`of coating with wax-like material an insulated wire or cable having insulation carrying a previously applied different coating or impregnation susceptible of blending with said wax-like material on immersion in a hot molten bath of the latter, comprising establishing a hot molten bath oi said-wax-iike material, and while continuously advancing the wire and maintaining the same out of the zone of effective heat of the bath, carrying molten wax-like material from the bath and spraying the same on the continuously moving wire for applying limited quantities of said material to the wire and thereby providing the latter with a wax-like coating while preventing blending of the underlying coating or impregnation with the waxlike material.

WILLIAM W. CHURCH. WILLIAM C. ROBINSON.

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