US2416076A - Flexible shaft fabricating machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1947. w. P. UHLER FLEXIBLE SHAFT FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet -l lA r attorney Feb. 18, 1947.

w. P. UHLER FLEXIBLE SHAFT 'FABRICATING MACHINE 4 sheets-'sheet 2 a@ a i vFiled Dec. 22, 1944 attorney Feb. 18, 1947. w. P. UHLER A 2,416,076

FLEXIBLE SHAFT FBRICATING MACHINE V 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22. 1944 .h N@ k MQW Feb. 1s, 1947. w. P. UHLER. 2,416,076-v FLEXIBLE SHAFT FABRICATING MACHINE i Fild'DeG. 22, 1944 4 'Shee'tSV-Sheet 4 2,416,016 FLEXIBLE SHAFT FABRICATING MACHINE wllme'r l, Uhler, Tottenville, N. Y.,- asslgnor to The S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Com-4 pany, a corporation of'Pennsylvania Application December z2, 1944, serial No. 569,381

iz claims. l

My 'invention relates of flexible' shaft fabricating machines wherein a plurality of wire dispensing bobbins are so conveniently disposed that wire may be drawn there-l particularly to that class (cl. s'z-lv) and will remain 'as a hump on theshaft layer being ,wound and when the next layer is coiled thereon it can be readily appreciated that it may not pass through the core guide aperture in the from and directed to the winding head which 5 winding nose, in which event it may jam and when rotated causes them to .be coiledv about a possibly cause breakage, or if it does pass through core which is being progressed longitudinally(V it will cause a. rough and irregular region which therethrough, and is especially directed to an'ovel must later be rejected and result in a loss of a form of wire winding nose over which the layer considerable length of shafting.- wires from the bobbins pass as they arehelically l0 The principal objects of my invention are to laid upon the forwardly moving core. provide a flexible shaft fabricating machine with In the fabrication of exible shafting many difa winding head having a longitudinally yielding flculties' have been encountered which have re- Wire laying nose, which for convenience of desuited in the production of 4shafting having rescription may be termed a floating nose, and to glons in its length that have such inequalities as prOvide yielding means tending to force said nose to render those portions unfit for use. v forwardly against the layer wires being wound These inequalities have been due principally upon the core. I t to variations in the tension on the core and to Other objects of my invention are to provide l variations in the tension on the individual layer a flexible Shaft Winding head with a Winding nose wires being wound in coiled relation thereon, mounted in a longitudinally reciprocating carwhich variations are -caused principally by lack rier', and to provide means arranged to limit the of uniformity of friction of the spool supporting length of such reciprocation in accordance with members both in the spools which control the the likely tensions of the core wire and the layer progression of the core and the layer wires alike, Wires being laid thereon overy said nose. and to other friction incidental to the guiding Further objects of my invention are to proof the wires to the point of fabrication. Vide preloading means which conveniently in- These variations in tension tend to cause varycludes a spring of .such compressibility as to ing forces which may either effect excessive momaintain the Winding nose forced fOrWaldlY mentary back pressure against said winding nose against the progressing layer Wires in accordance or may tend to cause the core `to momentarily With the predetermined tension of the several forge forward so that the layer wires will not be layer Wires being Wound. uniformly controlled by the winding angle of the ll/Iy invention includes wire guiding means comforward surface of the nose, but will be wound pri'sins carboloy Surfaces which may preferably with open spaces between the coils of wire ,thus include annular carboloy bushings mounted at wound on the core and thereby destroy the depredetermined Wire guiding regions, and which sired uniformity of the layers of the shaft being afford -hard substantially non-Wearing guides fabricated, whereby the wires may be progressed with but a In other words, the rate of advance of the lonminimum of substantially uniform friction. gitudinally progressed core will be momentarily My invention further includes means for effectmore rapid than the normal rate of advance 40 ing automatic stoppage of the machine ln event which is equal to the diameter of the wires being any one of the several wires be Ag drawn from laid in coiled relation on the core per revolution. the wire dispensing bobbins or spoo should break On the other hand. if back tensions against or said bobbins become depleted without being the longitudinally fixed nose become too greatv noticed bythe operator. Y then one or more layer wires will not be laid down The form of my invention as hereinafter more against the core because of the high tension respecifically described comprises a flexible shaft quired to lay the wire down into place, it may fabricating machine in which a plurality of layer then ride over the previous turn or coil of wire l wire dispensing bobbins are coaxially mounted for for a revolution or a part of a. revolution until the rotation in a iiier frame on a hollow shaft and excessive tension is relieved and it isagain perthe layer wires on said bobbins are led through mitted to drop back into its normal position on suitably disposed bushings to and throughV the the core. flier head and over the winding nose to be coiled When this condition occurs, if the layerwire about a. longitudinally progressedlcore. does not break it will be wound in raised condi- The winding head essentially includes means tion beyond the diameter of the coils being laid for permitting the winding nose to reciprocate longitudinally to-a'ilmlted extent incidental to variations in the tension -Iof the layer wires being directed thereby to be coiled on the core and further includes yielding means such as a spring tending to force said winding nose forwardly against the layer wires passing thereover 'and tending to maintain a constant tension at the Q point of fabrication with the core.

My invention also includes all. of the various L novel features of construction and arrangement l as hereinafter more denitely speciiled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a flexible shaft fabricating machine with certain parts 1 shown in side elevation for ,convenience of illustration and showing but a fragment ofthe supporting table or base; Figure' 2 is-,a transverse vertical sectional view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1,'taken on the line 2-2 in -said ligure: Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the winding head and its floating nose mechanism; Figure 4 is transverse vertical sectional view taken on the i line 4-4 in Figure 1 and showing the details of the automatic stop mechanism; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the stop plunger guide plate;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stop plunger retaining disc; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the automatic stop plungers shown in Fig. 4.

In said figures, the bose or stand I hasv supported thereon the journal supporting stand' i ards 2 and 3 terminating upwardly in the ball ing the closure caps 8 and 1.

bearing Journal boxes 4 and 5 respectively hav- The journal box 4 carries the rearwardly disposed ball bearing, comprising the inner and outer ball races 8- and 9 respectively and the balls I0,

affidare i which rotatably supports the rearwardly proiect- I ing trunnion II of the flier frame' I2, and the i journal box 5 carries the forwardly disposed ball bearing, comprising the inner and outer lball races I3 and I4 respectively and the balls I5, which rotatably supports the forwardly projecting trun.. nion I6 of the forward flier frame I 1, which i trunnion also conveniently provides `the winding j head I8.

The iiier frames I2 and I1 are conveniently` connected by the bars I8, 20, 2l and 22 and are rigidly engaged therewith by the nuts 23 and 24 to form the flier 25 which includes the shaft supporting spider 26 mounted for longitudinal adjustment on the frame connecting bars I9, 28, 2I and 22 but limited in its rearward adjustment l by the collars `21.

The several layer wire dispensing spools 28, 29,

' 1 so and al are mounted ,to rotate 1n the nier 2s upon the shaft 32 which extends through the trunnion II and is supported forwardly in the` spider 26, and said shaft 32 is provided with a i relative hard wear resisting inner tube 33 through i vwinding head I8.

which the core 34 is directed to and through the The flier 25 may be convenientlyrotated by the grooved pulley 35 which islmounted on the trunnion II, keyed thereto by the key 36 and retained thereon by the nut' 31 which is threadedly n engaged with the free end of said trunnion.

The winding head I8 which is best illustrated in the enlarged view in Fig. 3,- has the bore 38 which is provided forwardly with th yinternal screw threads 39 with which the rearwardly extending screw threaded nipple 48 of the annular tting 4I having the forwardly projecting boss 42 is threadedly engaged.

. is rotatably fitted on said boss 42 in screw threaded engagement'with the internal screw threads 52 of said bushing ring 4-3, and which'has the radially extending flange 53 engaged with the shoulder 454 formed-by the countersunk recess 55 in the .bore of saidannulus 58. The peripheral convex cheek 86 of the annulus 58 serves to direct the several layer'wires 46, 41, 48 and ,49 to the substantially conoidal winding nose 51 which lays them in coiled relation upon the core 34, while it is being progressed forwardly in a well known manner.

The layer wires 46, 41, 48 and 49 are thus drawn from their respective spools 28, 29, 30 and 8l from which they are directed through the suitably` hushed wire guides 58 and 89, thence through the guide carrier'ring 82 which register with the passageways 63 through which said wires 48, 41, 48 and 49 pass.

As said wires emerge through the outer cylinv drical Wall 0f the Winding head I8, they pass through the annulus 64. which has the wear resisting liner 65 of a non-wearing substance such i as carboloy and said wires are restrained thereby from centrifugal displacement as they pass over the respective automatic stop plungers 86, 61, 68 and 69, from which they are directed through the bushings 45 and'over the annulus 50 to the winding 'nose 51 over which they ride as they are coiled about the core 34.

The winding nose 51 which may preferably be formed'of a hard substance such as carboloy is mounted for a limited axial yielding movement so c as to compensate for the yinequalities in tension of the core and layer wires being coiled thereon and has its reduced cylindrical rearward extension 18 engaged in the socket 1I of the enlarged forward I terminal region 12 ,of thetubular-nose carrying spindle 13 which extends through the sleeve 14 and terminates rearward of the ier frame I1.

The forward end region of the sleeve 14 is engaged with the fitting 4I by the'screw threads 15 and terminates forwardly well within the outer end of the boss 42 of said fitting 4I, while the rear end region 16 is enlarged to provide the pocket 11 for'receptlon of the coiled spring 18 and is provided with the external screw threads 19 with which the .spring retaining screw cap 88 is engaged. Y

Said sleeve 14 is maintained centered inits longitudinally adjusted position 'in the bore 88 by the` annular ladjusting nut 8i which has its forward conoidal end surface 82 fitted against a similarlycountersunk cooperating rear surface of the winding head I8; thus it will be seen that the axial relative position of said sleeve 14 and winding head I8 may be varied and when adjusted to the desired relation be rigidly maintained adjusted by said nut 8I.

The winding nose carrier 13 is normally forced forwardly by the coiled spring 18 which bears, y

forwardly against the buffer ring 83 which enring 68, the ybushings 8l in the bushing circles said tubular nose carrier in engagement with the' shoulder 84 thereon.,

From the foregoing it will be winding nose 51, and its carrier 13, as illustrated in Fig. 3,' occupies a substantially medial position but may, as tensions on the wires vary,l be forced forwardly by the coiled spring 18 until the buffer ring 83 engages the forward' wall 85 of the spring pocket 11, or said winding nose 51 be forced inward until the shoulder 85 formed by the enlarged forward terminal region 12 engages the forward'end 81 of the sleeve 14. Said nose carrier 13 is also provided with the-lock ring 88 disposed in the groove 89 adjacent the rear end of said carrier. y

Referring now to the automaticstop mechanism, the stop plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 are slidably mounted for radial movement in the slots 90, 9|, 92 and 93 in the axially extended flange 94 of the annular plunger guide plate 95,

` which, asbest illustrated in4 Figs. 4 and 5, issecured to the tting 4| by the'screws 96, 91 and 98 which are extended through the countersunk apertures 99, and |0| in said plate 95, and

lsaid plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 are'retained in their respective slots 90, -9|, 92 and 93 by the plunger retaining disc |02, see Figs. 3 and 6.

As is best illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7, the automatic stop plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 are respectively provided with the stop lugs |03, |04,

obvious that the for the variance inn tension of both the core and the layer wires that said layer wires are laid in uniformly coiled vrelation about the core t'o producecontinuously progressed fabricated flexible -shaftingsubstantially free from'ilaws or in-l equalities.

Furthermore/'the automatic stop mechanism.

comprising the. centrifugally actuated plungers which are normally Amaintained retracted by the progressing layer wires -is effective to control the actuation of the machine, for should any of the |05 and |06, which cooperate with the flange 94 to limit their outward thrust and thereby to prevent them from accidentally falling out', and said plungers may be provided with the wear resisting tips |01, |08, |09 and ||0 Arespectively having the wire guiding grooves ||I, ||2, ||3 and |I4.Y

As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the stop plungers 66, 61, 68 and 69 are encircledby the collector ring I|5 which is thus supported by the angle platel I6 whose foot I1 is secured to the bracket ||8 by the stud bolts ||9 and |20 with the interposed insulation pads |2|, |22 and |23, and said ring ||5, which is securedto the angle'plate ||6 Aby the screws |24, |25, and |26, serves', in event of breakage of any of the layer wires 46, 41, 48 and 49, as a sliding contact for the individual plunger thus released by said broken layer wire l i' and is centrifugally shot outward to slidably engage said ring ||5 and thereby cause through the electrically connected wire |21 stoppage of the motive power which actuates the flier 25 comprising the connected iiier frames vI2 and |1, inl

a well known manner. e

It may here be noted that as tensions on the spools vary or increase as the tension in the core and layer wires vary, the nose piece will be depressed a greater or lesser amount. lAs the plunger retaining layer wires break, its respective 'plunger will be centrifugaliy' shot forward to engage the collector ring which is insulated from the-bed or supporting frame of the machine and is electrically connected to a solenoid, the other side of which is grounded to said bed or support- ;ing! frame, suiilcient current being introduced into the circuit to voperate such solenoid which may be connected to actuatey the switch and thereby shut oil. the power that actuates the spool carrying ier in an obvious manner, wherea wire guiding flier head, through which a core may be passed, and in Awhich is mounted for relative longitudinal movement a tubular spindle terminating in a nose arranged to direct a plurality of layer wires on to said core while moving therethrough, and a spring -tending to force said spindle forward, againstl said layer wires which are free to slide-thereover.

tensions increase,the nosepiece is depressed, thus compressing the spring so that as the nose is forced rearwardly by the` increasing tensions, the force required to wedge or draw the layer wires downinto position against the core is increased. The nose piece therefore may be said tobe floating to the extent that it is constantly'moving 'back and forth to, balance existing stresses and tensions incident kto fabrication of the layers on the core.

The so termedl floating nose, therefore, has desirable advantages in that it enables limitation.

of the forward pressure and serves as an indicator to the operator that the machine is functioning properly and producing good' shafting. My invention. is advantageous in' that the yieldingly mounted winding nose so`compeisates 2. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guiding winding head having a bore through which a core may be progressed forwardly, atubular spindle extending through said. bore guiding said core, mounted Vfor axial.

movement therein and terminating forwardly in a winding nose whose forwardfree face is arranged to direct a plurality of layer wires in coiled relation about said core, and means tending to yieldingly force said spindle forwardly.

3. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guiding winding head hav-ing a bore through which a core may be progressed forwardly, a tubular spindle 'extending through said bore and through which said core is dir :ted and which is mounted for a limited slight axial move.

ment vtherein and terminating forwardly in a conoidalwinding nose arranged to freely directi a plurality of layer wires into coiled relation about said core, and spring means tending to urge said spindlenforwardly.

4. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guiding winding head having an axial bore through which a shaft core may b e progressed forwardly and having a plurality of passageways through which layer wires may be directed, an axially adjustable sleeve extended" through said bore, a tubular spindle slidably mountedl to reciprocate in said sleeve and teriminating in a nose arranged to direct a plurality of layer wires into coiled relation about said core, and unincumbered means tending to free- -ly urge said spindle forwardly wherebyjto lay said layer wires uniformly on said core.

7 V 5. A exible shaft fabricating machine provided with a wire guiding Winding head having an l axial bore through which a shaft core may be progressed forwardly and having a plurality of 1 passageways through which layer wires may be directed, an axially adjustable sleeve .extended through said bore, and including an enlargement i `affording a pocket, a tubular spindle slidably mounted to reciprocate in said sleeve and terminating forwardly in an enlargement providing a shoulder cooperative with` the forward end of said sleeve to limit its rearward movement therejacent the forward region of said head, and means on said head arranged to circularly space ing an axially curved'outer surface disposed. ad- I a plurality of layer wires which are-drawn over l ,said inner and outer surfaces as they travel to said nose.

9. A flexible shaft fabricating machine provided with a `wire winding head, a reciprocatory hollow spindle terminating forwardly in a wire winding nose having an unincumbered forward surface, means arranged to limit the reciprocatory movement of said spindle and nose, and

in and also providing as ocket arranged to receive a replaceable wear resisting nosepiece arranged to f freely direct a plurality of layer wires into superposed coiled relation about said core, and a coiled spring enclosed in said pocket and tending to i force said spindle and its nosepiece forwardly.

6. A exible shaft fabricating machine prol vided with a wire winding head through which a core may be progressed, a sleeve extended therel through, a tubular spindle slidably mounted to reciprocate in said sleeveand terminating in a;

Iinto coiled relation about said core, yielding means tending to force said spindle forwardly,

which the layer wires are free to pass, an annulus IV ofwear resisting material disposed between said wire guide and said nose, over which said wires are passed to said nose.

7. A iiexi-bleshft fabricating machine' provided with a wire windinghead through which a l core may be progressed, a sleeve extended therethrough, a tubular spindle 'slidably mounted to reciprocate in said sleeve and terminating in a ing material disposed between the forward wire guide and said nose, over which said wires are i passed to said nose.

8. `A flexible shaft;I fabricating machine provided with a wire winding head through which a core may be progressed, a tubular spindle extended through saidVA head and mounted for limited reciprocation therein, and having a forwardly A extended nose arranged to direct a plurality of 1 layer wires into coiled relation about said core,

yielding means tending to force said spindle fornose arranged to directa plurality of layer wires a wire guide secured to said head and having a plurality of vcircularly spaced apertures throughnose arranged to direct a plurality of layer wires into coiled relation about said core, yielding means 'tending to force said spindle forwardly, Wire guides disposed closely adjacentv each end of said head and respectively having a plurality of circularly spaced apertures through which the i layer wires may pass, anannulus of wear resistwardly, an annular wire guide havingan axially curved inner surface disposed adjacent the rear region of said head, an annular wire guide havl 'working axial positions.

V Number yielding means tending to force said spindle forwardly to maintain a uniform tension between said nose and the wires passing thereover.

10. 'A flexible shaft fabricating machineprovided with a-rotatable wire winding head, an a'x- Y ially adjustable sleeve extended throughf saidhead, a .reciprocatory tubular ,spindle mounted to longitudinally reciprocate in said sleeve and tera wire guiding. nosel a spring disposed in-said pocket tending to force said nose forwardly into tensional contact with the wires freely. passing thereover. and means arranged to retain said spring in said pocket.

12. lA flexible shaftfabricating machine having a winding head through which a core and layer wires are directed, a winding nose mountf ing free to reciprocate in said head and yieldingly forced forwardly against the layer wires passing over the forward surface 'of said nose to said core,

said layer wires being lthe sole restraint of the forward thrust of said winding nose Wim/IER P. UHLER.

l vmiFEmiNcEs clTEn .The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS in its normal Name Date 16,452 f Robinson Jan. 20, 1857 276,317 l Wiswell` Apr.24, 1883 y 1,896,084 Hill Feb. 7, '1933 1,934,026V Angell et al Nov. 7, 1933 2,222,505 Ford et al Nov. 19, 1940 2,361,509

Steuber Oct. 31, 1944

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