US1954499A - Tensioning device - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1934-- E. SNYDER ET AL 1,954,499

TENSIONING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K y will Z5 Z7 Z7 26' f0 19 INVENTORS W M Q, f1 BY%ATTORNE\ Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TENSIONING DEVICE Edward Snyder and George W. Kierspe, Fort Wayne, 1nd,, assignors to General Cable Corporatlon, New York, N. Y., a corporation of This invention relates to tensioning mechanisms for use on coil winding machines of the type in which different sizes of wires are employed in winding different parts of a given coil,

although it will be apparent that certain features of the invention are equally useful on other types of Winding machines. In devices of this type,

a separate tensioning means is employed for applying the proper tension to each individual wire 1 as it is wound on an'associated mandrel. It is sometimes desirable to release the tension on one or more of the wires to permit the operator to pull or manipulate them by hand without undue effort as, for examplain starting a given coil, and an object of this invention is to provide a gang tension device constructed and arranged to permit the simultaneous release of the individual strands from the tensioning elfect thereof.

A further object is to provide generally an improved tension device for winding machines.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a tensioning device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

As illustrated in the drawings, the present in vention is shown in the form of a gang tension device having a plurality of separate tensioning mechanisms or units, each adapted to tension one of a number of individual strands or wires which are being supplied to the associated machine to wind suitable coils in the usual manner. Each tensioning unit is individually adjustable to vary the tension applied to the associated Wire: In starting a coil, or in changing the wire in forming different sections of a given coil, it

is necessary for the operator to pull or manipulate one or more of the wires which are tensioned by the tension device. To overcome the difficulty of manipulating such wires when they are under tension, and to reduce the strain upon the operator, the device is provided with a simple mechanism for simultaneously relieving all of the wires from the tensioning effect of the various units.

In the drawings, the present invention includes x5 a supporting member 5 for supporting a plurality of tensioning units each of which is arranged to apply an adjustable tension to one of a number of wire strands. Each unit includes a supporting shaft 6 extending through the supporting .165 member 5 and longitudinally movable therein.

Each shaft is provided with a collar '7 at one end engaging the outer face of a Wire engaging and tensioning pulley 8 rotatably supported upon the shaft adjacent a friction disc 9 having a friction face 10 of any suitable material adapted to engage the adjacent face of the pulley 8, the friction disc or member 9 being suitably mounted upon the supporting panel 5. On the opposite side of the panel, a helical spring 11 surrounds each shaft 6 between the adjacent face of the supporting panel and an adjustable spring compressing nut 12 threaded to the outer end of the shaft. It will be apparent that the degree of pressure with which the flange 7 presses the tensioning pulley 8 against the friction face 10 can be varied by suitable adjustment of the nut 12 to vary the degree of compression applied to the spring 11. Obviously, pressing the pulley against the friction face 10 causes the pulley to tension the associated strand 13 as it is drawn around the pulley from an associated supply spool 14 mounted on supported frame members 15 or the like. After passing around the tensioning pulleys 8 the wire passes to the usual winding arbor or other mechanism.

The present invention contemplates a device for simultaneously releasing each of the tensioning pulleys 8 from the pressure of the associated flanges 7 so as to permit free rotation of the pulleys on the supporting shafts and thus relieve the strands of any tensioning effect. As illustrated, a shaft shifting wedge 16 islocated at the lower end of a wedge-supporting plunger 17 slidably mounted in the upper end of the supporting panel 5 and positioned so that the wedge co-operates with a slot 18 formed in the associated shaft 6 so that downward movement of the plunger 17 causes the pulley supporting shaft 6 to be shifted against the pressure of the associated spring 11 and relieve the pulley from the pressure on the friction face 10. The individual plungers 17 are each connected to a gang bar 19 located above the supporting panel and connected to a single operating bar 20 extending downwardly through the panel below the bed 2151 to an operating lever 22 pivoted at one end to a supporting bracket 23 and at the other connected by a link 24 to a foot pedal 25 accessible to the operator so that pressure upon the foot pedal 25 causes the gang bar 19 to force each wedge 1601 downwardly and shifts the pulley-supporting shafts 6 to relieve the associated strands from the tensioning effect of the individual units. A helical spring 26 surrounds the operating bar 20 between the top of the panel 5 and the gang bar 19;:1

to normally maintain the wedges in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the device will be apparent. The individual strands 13 are led downwardly around the proper tensioning units and the latter are adjusted to provide the desired degree of tension on the various strands, which tension may vary if desired. When the operator wishes to manipulate one or more of the strands free of tension, it is only necessary to depress the foot pedal 25 whereupon all of the strands simultaneously will be freed from the tensioning effect of the various units.

If desired, a wheel 27 can be yieldingly supported upon a spring pressed bar or lever 28 pivoted to the supporting panel and positioned so as to bear upon the wire to keep it from springing out of the groove in the associated friction pulley. Only one of such devices is shown in the drawings, for clarity of illustration, but each of the pulleys may be provided with such a wheel if desired.

We claim as our invention:

1. The combination in a device for tensioning a plurality of separate strands, of a plurality of independent strand tensioning units for separately applying tension to each of said strands, means for individually adjusting each of said tensioning units, and means for simultaneously releasing all of said strands from the tensioning effect of said units.

2. The combination in a device for tensioning a plurality of separate strands, of a plurality of independent strand tensioning units for separately applying tension to each of said strands,

means for individually controlling the tensioning effect of each of said units, and means for simultaneously releasing all of said strands from the tensioning effect of said units.

3. The combination in a device for tensioning a plurality of separate strands, of a plurality of independent strand tensioning units, each including pulleys for applying tension to an associated strand, means for frictionally resisting rotation of said pulley to tension the associated strand, means for individually adjusting each of said tensioning units, and means for simultaneously releasing each of said pulleys from said friction means.

4. The combination in a device for tensioning a plurality of separate strands, of a plurality of separate pulleys over which said strands are drawn, means for applying a yielding resistance to the rotation of said pulleys so as to tension said strands, means for individually controlling the resistance to rotation of said pulleys, and means for simultaneously freeing said pulleys from said resistance.

5. A wire tensioning device having in combination a support, a plurality of laterally movable pulleys, friction surfaces associated with said pulleys, means for pressing said pulleys against said friction surfaces, means for individually controlling the pressure between said pulleys and said friction surfaces, and a manually operable release for separating said pulleys and said friction surfaces.

6. A wire tensioning device having in combination a supporting panel, longitudinally movable shafts supported in said panel, pulleys rotatably mounted on said shafts, friction surfaces mounted on said supporting panel adjacent said pulleys, adjustable means associated with each of said shafts for pressing the associated pulley against a friction surface so as to yieldingly re sist rotation thereof, and manually operable means for simultaneously shifting all of said shafts to release said pulleys from engagement with said friction surfaces.

7. A tensioning device having in combination a plurality of longitudinally movable slotted shafts, tensioning pulleys rotatably supported on said shafts, friction surfaces associated with each of said pulleys, and adjustable spring mechanism associated with each of said shafts for pressing said pulleys and surfaces together to resist rotation of said pulleys, means engaging the slot in each of said shafts for moving said shafts so as K to release said pulleys from said friction sur faces and a single operating mechanism for actuating said means.

8. A tension device having in combination a support, a plurality of longitudinally movable slotted shafts, strand tensioning pulleys rotatably supported on said shafts, friction surfaces, adjustable spring means on each shaft for pressing the associated pulley against a friction surface, plungers slidably mounted in said support and co-operating with said slots to move said shafts longitudinally and free said pulleys from said surfaces, and means for simultaneously actuating said plungers.

9. A tension device having in combination a support, a plurality of longitudinally movable slotted shafts, strand tensioning pulleys rotatably supported on said shafts, friction surfaces, adjustable spring means on each shaft for pressing the associated pulley against a friction surface, plungers slidably mounted in said support and co-operating with said slots to move said shafts longitudinally and free said pulleys from said surfaces, a gang bar connected to each of said plungers, and manually operable means for shifting said gang bar to simultaneously actuate said plungers,

EDWARD SNYDER. GEORGE W. KIERSPE.

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