US2349855A

US2349855A - Broken wire detector

Info

Publication number: US2349855A
Application number: US475465A
Authority: US
Inventors: Federico Salvatore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1943-02-10
Filing date: 1943-02-10
Publication date: 1944-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1961-05-30

Description

May'30, 1944. s. FEDERICO BROKEN WIRE DETECTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 54L m'ro E FEDERICO,

BY %2;:TOR

May 30,1944. D R 2,349,855

BROKEN WIRE DETECTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FILE- l INVEN'IJOR:

.. 54L I/AZiEZHFEDER 1609 ATIOR Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,349,855 BROKEN wma DETECTOR Salvatore Federico, West Haven, Conn.

Application February 10, 1943, Serial No. 475,465

Claims.

This invention relates to a broken wire detector for stranding or rope laying machines.

' In these machines a plurality of wires or strands are drawn from spools carried by a rotor through a closing die. When one of the wires or strands is broken or when there is a spool run out, the rotor must be stopped. Various types of detectors are now used for automatically stopping the rotor when the wire breaks, but they often fail to function.

It is an object of this invention to provide automatic means for shutting down the strander which will be very sensitive to any impulse received from a wire end.

This and other objects willbe more apparent after referring to the attached drawings in which Flgure'l shows the powered and of the machine with the control in diagram form; and

Figure 1" shows in section the opposite end,

- where the strand or rope is formed.

More specifically referring to the drawings, the machine includes a rotor I turned by a motor 2 and carrying spools of wire 3 journaled in cradles 4 supported on trunnions 5, the spools 2 remaining in vertical planes while the rotor I rotates. The spools 3 carry wire W which feeds over sheaves 6 longitudinally of the machine to a series of final sheaves I circumferentially mounted inside the rotor I in spaced relationship.

Upon leaving the sheaves I, the wire from the various spools mutually approach a twister head 8 from which they pass through a closing die 9 to a power capstan III. This capstan III pulls the wire, now in the form of a strand of intertwisted wires, from the die 9. This tensions the wire back to each of the various spools 3 which the rotor I is provided with a brake I2 of the type held released against spring tension by a solenoid I3, this solenoid being energized by the lines II. Therefore, when the motor 2 is deenergized, the solenoid I3 is also deenergized, this causing application of the brake l2 and consequent stopping of the rotor l A magnetically tripped switch I4 is arranged with its contacts IS in circuit with the line II, this switch having a solenoid I6 for effecting tripping and consequent opening of its contacts I. When this occurs, the circuit through the lines II is interrupted so that the motor 2 is deenergized. This also deenergizes the brake solenoid I3 so as to apply the brake I2 to stop the rotor I.

Energization of the solenoid I8 of the switch I4 is effected by a circuit controlled by a low voltage relay Il having contacts it through which the solenoid I6 of the switch I4 is energized. The relay IT has a solenoid IQ for closing its contacts I8, and this solenoid I9 is energized through lines 20 powered by the low voltage side of a transformer 2i having its high voltage side powered by the lin II. One of the lines 20 is grounded to the rotor I, as at 22, the other line connecting with a broken wire detector cable 23 which is supported adjacent the rotor on insulators 24 connected to bearings 25 and 26. A third bearing 21 is provided between the bearings 25 and 26.

In case a wire breaks or there is a spool run out, the end of the wire flies out through an opening 28 in the rotor I, striking the broken wire detector cable 23, causing it to vibrate and grounding it on the bearing 21 and, hence, closing the circuit through the lines 20. This energizes the solenoid I9 which closes the contacts I IQ of the relay II, the solenoid l6 then being energized so as to trip open the contacts l5 of the magnetically tripped switch I4. As a consequence of this action, the lines II will deenergize, this deenergizing the motor 2 and the brake solenoid I3, whereby the brake l2 functions to immediately stop the rotor I. At the same time. the transformer 2i is deenergized, this meaning that the entire machine is electrically dead. When the trouble is remedied, the magnetically tripped switch I is reset and operation of the machine resumed through the medium of the usual controller working through the lines IL While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the attached claims.

Iclaim:

1. A stranding or r'ope laying machine including the combination of a rotor, means for rotating said rotor, a circuit for powering said rotating means, means mounted by said rotor for feeding lengths of material from said rotor, a control circuit, a detector in said control circuit mounted adjacent said rotor, and a stationary element in said control circuit mounted adjacent said detector, said circuit normally being open between said detector and stationary element, said detector being adapted to vibrate sufliciently to contact said stationary element to close said control circuit when struck by a loose end of said material and thereby open said power circuit to stop the rota on of said rotor.

2. A stranding or rope laying machine including the combination 01 a rotor, means for rotating said rotor, a brake for said rotor, a circuit,

for powering said rotating means and releasing said brake, means mounted by said rotor for feeding lengths of material from said rotor, a control circuit, a detector in said control circuit mounted adiacent said rotor, and a stationary element in said control circuit mounted adjacent said detector, said circuit normally being open between said detector and stationary element, saididetector being adapted to vibrate sumciently to contact said stationary element to close said control circuit when struck by a loose end of said material and thereby open said power circuit to stop the rotation of said rotor.

3. A stranding or rope laying machine including the combination of a rotor, means for rotating said rotor, a brake for said rotor, a circuit for powering said rotating means and releasin said brake, means mounted by said rotor for feeding lengths oi. material from said rotor, said rotor having at least one opening therein, a control circuit, a detector in said control circuit mounted adjacent said rotor, and a stationary element insaid control circuit mounted adjacent said detector, said circuit normally being open between said detector and stationary element, said detector being adapted toyibrate suillciently to contact said stationary element to "close said control circuit when struck by a loose end of said material flying through said opening and thereby open said power circuit to stop the rotation of said rotor. 4. A stranding or rope laying machine includassasse 1 ing the combination of a rotor, means for rotat- I ing said rotor, an electric circuit for powering said means, a. relay for deenergizing said circuit, means mounted by said rotor for feeding wire under tension, a control circuit, a detector in said control circuit mounted adjacent said rotor, and a stationary element in said control circuit mounted adiacent said detector, said circuit normally being open between said detector and stationary element, said rotor having at least one opening therein, said cable being adapted to vibrate sufiiciently to contact said stationary element to close said control circuit when struck by a loose end of said wire flying through said opening and thereby operating said relay to deenergize said circuit to stop said motor.

5. A stranding or rope laying machine including the combination of a rotor, means for rotating said rotor, a brake for said rotor, an electric circuit for powering said motor and releasing said brake, a relay for deenergizing said circuit, a spool mounted by said rotor for feeding wire under tension, a control circuit, a detector in said control circuit mounted adjacent said rotor, and a stationary element in said control circuit mounted adjacent said detector, said circuit normally being open between said detector and stationary element, said rotor having at least one opening therein, said cable being adapted to vibrate sufliciently to contact said stationary element to close said control circuit when struck by a loose end of said wire flying through said opening and thereby operating said relay to deenergize said circuit to stop said motor and apply said brake. v

SALVATORE FEDERICO.