US2547357A

US2547357A - Apparatus for continuously making retractile cordage

Info

Publication number: US2547357A
Application number: US781735A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas K Cox
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1947-10-23
Filing date: 1947-10-23
Publication date: 1951-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1968-04-03

Description

T. K. COX

A ril 3, 1951 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSILY MAKING RETRACTILE CORDAGE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl/ENTOR 7: K. C OX ATTORNE April 3, 1951 T. K. cox 2,547,357

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MAKING RETRACTILE CORDAGE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I IKCOX ATTORNEY April 3, 1951 T. K. cox 2,547,357

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MAKING RETRACTILE CORDAGEI Filed 0012. 23, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lM/EN 70A ZK. COX

By g/m A T TORNE V Patented Apr. 3, 1951 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSIJY MAKING RETRACTILE CORDAGE Thomas K. Cox, Randallstown, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, Y., a corporation of New York Applicati no t ber 23, 1941, Serial No 781,735

.12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for continuously making retractile cordage.

in the past, retractile electrical cords of a type having plastic elements therein have been made by winding cord, lengths into helices upon relatively short mandrels and heating the individual Lcords mounted on the mandrels to soften the plastic elements of the cords in helical forms so that the elements set in such helical forms when they are cooled, or by winding such cordage upon a rigid mandrel and pushing the cordage along the mandrel as it is wound therein. Obviously, the method of winding the cord lengths .on short mandrels to form individual cords requires'much manual handling of the cord lengths and the ,mandrels. When the Cordage is wound continuously upon a rigid mandrel, the cordage tends to adhere to the mandrel and resists being slid thereon, whereby the cordage is sometimes damaged. This is particularly true where a cordage having an exterior jacket of rubber, polymerized chloroprene (neoprene) or other material havin a high coeflicient of friction forms the exterior surface of the cordage.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for continuously mak' ing retractile cordage.

Another object of. the invention is to provide apparatus for continuously forming cordage in ahelix on a mandrel, for setting the cordage in such a helix and for continuously unwinding the cordage from the mandrel after the cordage has been set in such form.

An apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention may include a flexible mandrel, means for advancing a mandrel along a predetermined path, andmeans positioned at a predetermined point along .said path for coiling cerdage upon the mandrel.

, A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of an apparatus forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, front elevation of an apparatus forming one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the apparatus;

Fig. -3"-=is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line. 3-3 of Fig. '2;

Fig. 4' is an enlarged, horizontal section of anotheiwportion of the -apparatus Fig. 5. is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 5--5 of Fig. i, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of a cordage prying shoe forming a portion of the apparatus.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, cordlage In includes a plurality of conductors l I? (Fig. .3) having insulating coverings l2--l2 thereon and a jacket l3 enclosing the covered conductors II-ll. The jacket I3 is composed of a compound including rubber, synthetic rubber-like material or other material which may be set in any particular shape by heating the material and then cooling it. he cove ngs I 2.-l2 also may be made of a material which may be set by heati and cooling it. The cordage I0 is served upon an endless, flexible mandrel I 4 by a coiler l5 in the form of a helix as the mandrel I4 is advanced continuously. through the coiler IS. The mandrel i4 is advanced through the coiler l5, then through a heating oven and finally through an uncoiler Zl by a capstan 22 driven by a shaft 23. The oven .20 heats the jacket [3 and the insulating coverings l2- l2 (Fig. 3') of the .helically coiled cordage It]. This softens the jacket 13 so that it sets in the form in which it occupies in the helix on the mandrel M (Fig. 1) to form retractile cord:- age as it cools between the oven and the uncoiler 2|. 7 The uncoiler 2| then uncoils the retractile cordage from the mandrel M, which is 'advanced around the capstan 22 over a weight-biased tensioning sheave 24, and thence to .and around a guide sheave 25 and back to the coiler I5.

The coiler l5 includes a frame (Fig. 2) having aligned hollow arbors 3! and 32, which are mounted rotatably in

bearings

33 and 34, re-

.spectively. A gear 35 fastened rigidly to. the

arbor 3| and driven from a suitable source of power (not shown) serves to rotate the frame 30 around the flexible mandrel I4, which is advanced through the hollow arbors 3| and 32. A supply of the cordage In is carried by a supply reel mounted on the frame 30, and the cordage withdrawn from the reel 40 is served helically around the moving mandrel. A radial and thrust bearing 38 carried by an arm fastened to the frame 3!) supports the mandrel at a point near that at which the cordage is served on the mandrel.

The reel 40 is mounted rotatably by arbors 4| and 42 carried by a frame 43, which is se cured to and rotated by a shaft .44 projecting therefrom. A leaf spring brake 46 tensions the cordage somewhat so that the cordage is served tightly upon the mandrel l4. The shaft 44 is mountedrotatably in a thrust bearing .45 carried by the housing 30,, and a bevelled gear 50 is keyed thereto. The gear 50 is driven through a bevelled gear a shaft 52 mounted on bearings 5353 carried by the housing 30, a bevelled gear 54 and a bevelled gear 55. The bevelled gear 55 is driven through a shaft 56 mounted rotatably in

bearings

51 and 58 carried by the housing 30, a reversible differential 59, a shaft 60, a suitable adjustable gear box 6!, a shaft 62, a bevelled gear 63 and a fixed bevelled gear 64. This revolves the reel 40 around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the flexible mandrel I4 so that the cordage I0 is twisted about its longitudinal axis as it is formed into a helix on the mandrel.

This twisting increases the closeness with which the individual turns of continuous cordage are placed on the flexible mandrel I4. The reel 40 is rotated around theaxis of the shaft 44 at a predetermined rate with respect to the rate of revolution of the reel 40 around the flexible mandrel I4 due'to the above-described gear train. Hence, the twist per turn, of the helix formed upon the flexible mandrel is uniform regardless of the rate of revolution of the housing 30. This twist tends to make the helix tighter than it ;wouldbe otherwise. If it should be desired to make the helix looser, the direction in which the "reel would be rotated around the axis of the shaft 44 would be reversed.

' The continuous coiled cordage I0 travels with the mandrel I4 into and through the oven 20, which heats the jacket I3 and the coverings I2-'I2 of insulating material to soften them in the form in which they occupy in the helix in which the cordage is coiled. The oven 20 is heated by steam from a steam pipe 62 and the exhausted steam is lead therefrom by a drain :pipe 63 leading to a steam trap (not shown) The oven softens the jacket I3 and the coverings I2-I2. (Fig. 3) sufficiently to'relieve the strains therein'so that, when the jacket and the coverings are cooled, the jacket and the coverings set in the forms they occupy in the helix.

The coiled cordage and the mandrel I4 pass from the oven 20 to and into the uncoiler 2I (Fig. 4) and the jacket I3 and coverings I2-I2 :cool sufllcienly to set before they reach the uncoiler. The uncoiler includes a frame It having hollow arbors II and I2 projecting therefrom and :mounted rotatably in bearings I3 and I4, re-

spectively. A gear 80 fastened to the arbor H is driven by suitable means (no-t shown) in synchronization with the gear 35 (Fig. 2) to rotate the frame I0 around the axis of the mandrel I4 at the same rate and in the same direction as that at which the frame 30 is rotated therearound. A shaft BI is mounted in bearings 8282 carried by the frame I0, and the shaft 8| has a bevelled gear 83 keyed thereto, which meshes with a stationary bevelled gear 84. As the frame I0 is revolved about the mandrel, the

gears

83 and 84 cause the shaft 8! to rotate. Rotation of the shaft BI rotates a shaft 86 mounted in bearing 8I8'I, which are carried on the periphery of the frame I0, through bevelled gears 91 and 9|. A bevelled gear 92 secured to the shaft 86 rotates a bevelled gear 93 to rotate a reel-supporting frame 94 carried by a shaft 95 to which the bevelledgear 93 is keyed. The shaft .95 is rotatably mounted ina radial and thrust bearing 96 secured to the frame 70.

4 to a shaft I02 supported rotatably in bearing I03-I03 carried by the reel-supporting frame 94, is rotated. This rotates, through bevelled gears I06 and I0'I, a shaft I04 supported by bearings EBB-I05. The shaft I04 rotates a driving disc H0 splined thereto, which drives a reelsupporting arbor II through a driven disc H2. The reel-supporting arbor III is mounted rotatably and is held against longitudinal movement by a support H3 carried by the frame 94, and, with an adjustable arbor H4 carried by a support H5, serves to hold a takeup reel H5. When the arbor III is rotated through the discs H0 and H2, it rotates the takeup reel H5 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, to wind the coiled cordage I0 upon the takeup reel.

. A feeler I (Fig. 5) biased against the cordage A bevelled gear I00 is rigidly secured to the :;bearing 96 so that, as the reel-supporting frame 94 is, rotated, a bevelled gear-IN. which is keyed,

on the reel H5 by a tension spring I2! controls the position of the disc I I9 through a linkage I 22 in accordance with the amount of the cordage In which has been wound upon the takeup reel so that the speed of rotation of the takeup reel H6 is always just sufficient to prevent slack between the takeup reel and a cordage feeder I23.

The cordage feeder I23 includes a pair of presser belts I24 and I25 (Fig. l). The presser belt I24 is mounted on idler pulleys I26 and I21, while the presser belt I25 is mounted upon an idler pulley I28 and drive pulley I29. The pulleys I25, I27, I28 and I29 are mounted upon shafts I3I, I32, I33 and I34, respectively, secured to a tongue I formed on the frame 94. The shaft I34 is driven in synchronization with the reel H6 by the shaft I34 through bevelled gears I35 and I36, a shaft I31, a drive pulley I39, a belt I39 and a driven pulley I40 secured to the shaft I34. The feeder I23 advances the coiled cordage II! to the takeup reel at a uniform rate of speed, which rate is the same as that at which the coiled cordage I0 is uncoiled from the mandrel I4.

A distributor I positioned between the're'el H6 and the feeder I 23 includes a-guide fork I5I,

which is reciprocated adjacent to the reel H6 by a double thread screw I52 mounted rotatably in bearings I53--I53 carried by the reel supporting frame 94. The screw I52 is rotated in synchronization with the variable rate of rotation of the reel H6 by a friction disc I55 keyed to the screw I52 and bearing against the periphery of the disc H2 so that the cordage is distributed upon the takeup reel H5 uniformly.

A shoe I50 carried on the end of an arm I5I projecting from the frame I0 gently pries the cordage I0 away from the mandrel I4 as the shoe is revolved around the mandrel I4 with the frame I0. The cordage, which is temporarily straightened slightly, passes through a guide passage IE2 (Fig. 6) and a guide ring I63 formed inthe shoe I60, after which the cordage recoil s itself into a tight helix. The shoe is provided with a concave portion I55, which rests on the mandrel I4 as the shoe is revolved therearound. The concave portion I65 of the shoe I joins an adjacent curved surface I58 to form a wedgelike edge I69. Since the frame I0 is rotated about the mandrel I4 and the shoe I 60 is carried by the frame I0, the shoe I63 is rotated about the mandrel I4 as the mandrel is advanced therepast. As a result of the longitudinal movement of the mandrel I4 and the rotation of the shoe I60 about the moving mandrehthe wedge-like edge IE9 is forced between the mandrel andthe successive advancing convolutions of g the helitally wound Cordage Ill, andthe cordage-ifs thereby pried away from the mandrel.

A's the cord'age is unwound from the mandrel I 4, the unwinding tends to twist the cordage at the rate of one turn per revolution of the reel H6 around the mandrel H4. This twist is immediately removed from the coiled cordage by the revolution of the: reel H6 and the cordage opposite to that. at which the arm IGI and the:

feeder I 23 are mounted, supports the mandrel" at a point near to the shoe I60;

Operation In the operation of the apparatus described." hereinabove, the flexible mandrel I4 (Fig. 1) is advanced continuously at a uniform rate of speed through the coiler I5, the oven 26 and the uncoiler 21'. a closehelix upon the flexible mandrel I 4 and applies any desired twist to the cordage to form a loose helix or a tight helix whichever is wanted. The oven softens the plastic elements of the coiled cordage in the forms in the helix; and the plastic elements cool to set in those forms. The uncoiler 2| is continuously rotated around the mandrel I4 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5'. As the uncoiler 2I is rotated, the shoe I fill is revolved around the mandrel and the wedge-like edge I69 of the shoe gently pries and wedges the cordage It from the mandrel, partially straightening the cordage as it does so. The cordag'e reassumes its helical shape as it passes through the guide ring I63, which holds the cordage in the groove I62, and is advanced toward the takeup reel H6 by the feeder I23 at the same rate atwhich it is uncoiled from the mandrel I4.

The portion of the cordage uncoiled from the mandrel I 4 is rotated around its own axis by the feeder I23 as the feeder is revolved by" the supporting frame-94' so as to take out any twist imparted to the coiled cordage by uncoiling' it from the flexible mandrel I4. The distributor I distributes the cordage in close turns upon. the takeup' reel H6 in synchronization with the rate at which the reel H6 is rotated. which rate is varied under the control of the feeder I28 to keep the rate at which the takeup reel H6 coils the cordage thereon the same as that at which the cordage is fed thereto by the feeder I'23. The feeder advances the cordage towards the takeup reel II 6 at the same rate at-which it is uncoiled fromthe mandrel I I4 so that there is only sumcient tension upon the coiled portion of the cordage between the feeder and the reel H6 to support the weight of that portion of the cordage. The above-described method and apparatus serve to automatically and continuously coil, set and'takeup' cordage at a high. rate of speed, The apparatus is variable to control the pull of cords made from helically coiled cordage. The method and apparatus serve to uncoil cordage temporarily and take it up in recoil'ed form with all the twist effect inherently imparted to the cordage from the uncoiled operation taken out of the cordage.

What is claimed is:- I

apparatus for making continuous re- The coiler I5 coils the co'rdage Ii] into tractile cordage from cordage includingan element of plastic material, which comprises an. elongated, flexible mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serving head for coiling such cordage into a helix on the mandrel, means surrounding a portion of said path for heating cordage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, means revolvable around the mandrel for unwinding the cordage from the mandrel, and means for twisting the oordage as it is unwound from the mandrel in such a direction that the twisting being imparted to the cordage by the unwinding operation is compensated for. V

2'. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage from cordage including an element' of plastic material, which comprises an elongated, flexible mandrel, means for continuously' advancing the mandrel along a predeter mined path, a serving head for continuously coiling such cord'age into a helix on the mandrel, means surrounding a portion of said path for heating cordage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, means revolvable around the mandrel for continuously unwinding the cordage from the mandrel, and means for turning the cordage about its longitudinal axis as it is unwound from the mandrel in such a direction that twisting thereof by the revolvable means is prevented,

3. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage from cordage including an element of plastic material, which comprises an endless, flexible mandrel, means for continuously advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serving head for continuously coiling such cordage into a helix on the mandrel, means surrounding" a portion of said path for heating cordage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, means revolvable around the mandrel for continuously unwinding the cordage from the mandrel, and means for turning the coiled cordage about its longitudinal. axis as it is unwound from the mandrel in such a direction and to such an extent that twisting thereof by the revolvable means is prevented.

4 An apparatus for making continuous ret-ractile ccrdage from cordage including an element of plastic material, which comprises an elongated, flexible mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serving head for coiling such cordage into ahelix on the mandrel, means surrounding a portion of said path for heating coi'dage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, a take-up reel, means for revolving the take-up reel around the flexible mandrel to unwind the corda-ge from the. mandrel, a shoe revol'vable with the take-up reel for pryi'n'g the. cor'd'age from the mandrel, means carried by the reel-revolving means for advancing the cordage from the shoe to the take-up reel. to relieve tension thereon, a variable speed, drive responsive to the amount of cordage on the reel for rotating the take-up reel to wind the cordage thereon, and means for revolving the reel in such a direction and to such. an extent about an axis perpendieular to the longitudinal axis thereof as to take out twist in the cordage imparted thereto by the unwinding of the cordage from the mandrel'. Y

An apparatus for making continuous re the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serv 7 ing head ror coilinglosuch cordageinto a helix upon the mandrel cordage, means surrounding a portion of said path for heating cordage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, a take-up reel, means for revolving the take-up reel around the flexible mandrel to unwind the cordage from the mandrel, a shoe revolvable with the take-up reel for prying the cordage from the mandrel,- means for rotating the take-up reel to wind the cordage thereon at a constant rate of speed, means for supporting the cordage from the shoe to the take-up reel to relieve tension thereon, and means for revolving the reel about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof in such a direction and to such an extent as to prevent twist in the cordage from the unwinding thereof from the mandrel.

6. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage from cordage including an element of plastic material, which comprises an endless, flexible mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serving head positioned at one point in said path for coiling such cordage into a helix on the mandrel, means surrounding a portion of said path for heating cordage coiled on the mandrel by the serving head, a take-up reel, means for revolving the take-up reel around the mandrel to unwind the cordage from the mandrel, meansfor rotating the take-up reel to wind the helically coiled cordage thereon, means responsive to the amount of cordage on the take-up reel, means for varying the speed of the reel-rotating means inversely with respect to the amount of cordage thereon, a prier revolvable with the take-up reel for prying the cordage from the mandrel, means for advancing the cordage from the shoe to the take-up reel to relieve tension thereon, and means for revolving the reel in such a direction about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof as to prevent twisting the cordage from the unwinding of the cordage from the mandrel. '7. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage, which comprises a mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a take-up reel, means for revolving the take-up reel around the mandrel to unwind from the mandrel retractile cordage coiled into a helix on the mandrel and set in that form, means responsive to the amount of cordage on the reel for rotating the reel to wind the cordage thereon at a uniform rate of speed, and means for revolving the reel in such ,a direction about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof to prevent twisting the cordage by the unwinding thereof from the mandrel.

8. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage, which comprises a fixed base, a mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a take-up reel, a frame rotatable about a portion of such path for revolving the take-up reel around the mandrel to unwind from the mandrel retractile cordage wound in the form of a helix thereon and set in that form, means for rotating the frame around said portion of'the path, a bracket for supporting the reel, means for mounting the bracket rotatably on the frame, a gear fixed to said base, a gear train carried by the frame and operable by the fixed gear for rotating the reel-supporting bracket, a gear carried by the frame and fixed with respect thereto, a variable speed power transmission means carried by the bracket and operable by the last-mentioned gear for rotating the take-up reel, 2. feeler for controlling the variable speed power transmission meansna dis:

from the shoe to the take-up reel to relieve tension thereon.

9. An apparatus for making retractile cordage, which comprises a mandrel upon which cordage may be coiled, a take-up reel mounted parallel;

to the mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel past the take-up reel, means for prying cordage wound on the mandrel from the mandrel, means for effecting relative turning movement between the mandrel on the one hand and the cordage-' prying means and the reel on the other, means for rotating the take-up reel to wind the cordagethereon, and means for revolving the reel about an axis transverse to its longitudinal axis in a direction such as totake out twist placed in the cord by the relative turning movement between the mandrel and the reel.

10. An apparatus for making retractile cordage, which comprises a mandrel designed to have continuous cordage coiled into a helix thereon and set thereon while in the form of the helix, means for advancing the mandrel, a take-up reel, a frame rotatable about the mandrel, a reel support mounted on the frame for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the mandrel for m0unt-' ing the reel for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the support, an annulargear fixed against rotation in a position concentric with the mandrel, means for rotating the frame with respect to the mandrel and the annular gear, gearing interconnecting the reel support to the annular gear, whereby the reel support is rotated when the frame is revolvedaround the mandrel, variable speed means carried by the reel support and drivable by the rotation of the reel support for rotating the reel, feeler means responsive to the amount of cordage on the reel for regulating the rate of speed of the reel-rotating means, a pair of feeder belts carried by the reel-support in juxtaposed positions between the reel and the mandrel, and means carried by the support for driving the belts.

11. An apparatus for making retractile cordage, which comprises a flexible mandrel designed to have continuous cordage coiled into a helix thereon and set while thereon in the form of the helix, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a supply reel, a frame ro-.- tatable about the mandrel, a reel support mounted on the-frame for rotation about an axis per-I; pendicular to the mandrel for mounting the reel for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the support, an annular gear fixed against rotation in a position concentric with-the mandrel, means for rotating the frame with respect to the mandrel and the annular gear, variable speed gearing including reversing means for interconnecting the reel support to the annular gear, whereby the reel support is rotated when the frame is revolved around the mandrel, means for braking the reel so that cordage from the reel is served tightly upon the mandrel, and means carried by the frame for supporting the flexible mandrel as the cordage is served thereon.

12. An apparatus for making continuous retractile cordage from a continuous length of cordage having an element of plastic material therein, which comprises an elongated, flexible mandrel, means for advancing the mandrel along a predetermined path, a serving head revolvable about REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PA'fiiINTS Number Name Date Hanson Dec. 26, 1944