US2552594A - Coil package - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1951 -r, JR 2,552,594

COIL PACKAGE Filed June 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwua/wbom BENJAMIN B. SCOTT JR May 15, 1951 B. a. scoTT. JR

COIL PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1946 3mm 7 BENJAMIN B: SCOTT JR.

ar Q Ma Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES earENr OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to improvements in coil packaging, and more particularly to packages for coils of wire and the like, such as coils as described in my copending applications, $eria1 Numbers 674,411, 674,412 and 674,413, now Patent No. 2,490,837 issued December 13, 1949 and methods and means for accomplishing such packaging.

Although in the present application the invention will be described and illustrated in connection with the packaging of coils of insulated electrical wire, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to the packaging of many other elongated or filar materials, such as rope, twine, flexible tubular conduit for electrical wires, multiple conductor cables, uninsulated wire, flexible stranded wire rope, etc, and hence should not be deemed to be limited in its application to coils of insulated electrical wire. In the absence of a more suitable generic term, the word wire will be used herein to indicate such materials.

Further, the present invention will be disclosed and illustrated in connection with coils which are pulled out from the inside, that is the innermost turns are unwound first. However, the present invention should not be deemed limited thereto as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention set forth has a far broader application.

As used in the present application, the word coils will be used in its broadest sense, and will be deemed to include any and all types of windings of elongated materials (such as rope, wire, etc), wherein the said material is wound about an axis, irrespective of the geometrical shape (as spherical, cylindrical, etc.) and irrespective of the type of winding (as level layer wound, honeycomb, etc.) and irrespective of the pitch at which the turns are wound.

The conventional manner of paying out or laying telephone wire or the like is to unwind it from a spool or reel which is rotated about its axis during the laying process. This method has a number of drawbacks, among which are the fact that it requires a certain amount of heavy equipment, namely, the reels and equipment to rotat ably sustain the reels during unwinding, thereby greatly reducing or impairing operational scope; that friction between moving parts and the inertia of the reels and the wire thereon must be overcome as the wire is unwound so that laying at high speeds is not practicable; that it usually is noisy in operation; that continuous telephone or telegraph communication through the wire during the paying out operation is not possible; and that certain special military tactical installation requirements are not possible at all with such equipment.

Efforts to overcome the said objectionable characteristics have resulted in attempts to wind satisfactory coils of wire having hollow centers, so that the wire could be drawn out from the center without rotating said coils about their axes. This was an improvement in some respects but, prior to the invention covered in the present application and in my copending applications aforementioned, it was found that, in the use of such coils, certain other objectionable characteristics appeared. For example, during laying, particularly at high speeds (such as when laid from a motor vehicle or airplane), the wire would be lacerated and abraded and would be subiected to torsional stresses and sharp bends so as to weaken or even fracture the wire. Also the wire would come out in bunches, particularly at the end of a coil, thus resulting in snarls, knots, deformations of lay-twist, etc. As a result of the foregoing the wire might be so damaged as to be unusable for communication purposes and also the eifective length thereof might be greatly shortened.

The improvements of pretwisting, turn-toturn restraint and turn-to-package restraint, as covered in my copending applications mentioned above, eliminated most of these objectionable characteristics, but a suitable package for the improved coils was still required. Proper packaging is necessary or helpful to facilitate storage and transportation of coils, and, in the" case of some coils to assist in preventing their unintentional unwinding, and to suitably sustain them while they are being payed out so as not to interfere with the paying out operation, and to prevent damage to the wire or the like, and, in the case of tandem laying, to prevent the telescoping of successive coils.

The objects of the present invention are as follows: to provide suitable packaging for coils of elongated material, such as wire, rope, etc., which protects them against accidental unwinding during their transportation and ordinary handling, but which, nevertheless, allows them to be payed out, to the bitter end, at both high and low speeds without strain or damage to the elongated material and which enables the outermost layer thereof to be sustained so as to prevent the collapse thereof; to provide packages which expedite the laying of the coils thereof in tandem; to provide packages for coils which are light in weight and small in volume; to provide packages for coils which are inexpensive and easy to fabricate; to provide packages for cells in which the openings through which they are payed out are automatically self-adjusting, or manually adjustable, so as to produce opening sizes suitable to the speed and manner at which the coils may be payed out; and to provide a package for coils of wire, and the like, which are so versatile as to be suited to laying by plane, motor vehicle, boat, pack animal, a man on foot, etc.

These and other objects and advantages of my present invention, will be better understood as the detailed description thereof progresses.

In the accompanying specification there are described, and in the annexed drawings illustrated, What are at present considered preferred embodiments of my invention. It is however to be understood that the said invention is not to be limited to said embodiments inasmuch as changes may be made without the exercise or" invention and within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of package embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged left end View of the package of Figure 1, partly broken away and sectioned along the line 2-4 thereof;

Figure 3 is a right side elevation of the package of Figure 2, partly broken away and partly sectioned to show the inside construction thereof;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of package, wherein the pay out opening may be adjusted to the speed and conditions under which the coil is to be payed out;

Figure 5 is a perspective View, shown before.

being payed out, of another modified form of package embodying the present invention, wherein the pay-out opening is self-adjusting;

Figure 6 is a perspective view, during pay-out, of the package of Figure 5, illustrating how the opening is automatically self-adjusted; and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of a reusable form of package which may be used alone or in combination with packages of the type shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 thereof, a package embodying the present invention is there shown in connection with a coil ll of electrical communication wire. The package itself includes two end members I 3, each of which is a fiat ring of plywood or the like which has a relatively small dimension in a radial direction so that the pay-out aperture l5 therethrough is of as large a size as possible. One of said end members I3 is provided with one radially disposed slot IE5 cut into its inner surface to accommodate the outermost end [8 of the wire ll of thecoil H.

The peripheral edge of the aperture l5 through said end member i3 should preferably be rounded and smooth so as to offer as little frictional resistance as possible, to the wire I? of the coil II when it is being payed out, innermost end 29 first. If the inside diameter of said aperture 15 is sufficiently large and the wire I? is payed out substantially perpendicularly to said end member I3, the wire and end member should never actually come in contact with each other so that no damage to the wire should occur. Also, if the coil is to be payed out only all low 4 speeds, then damaging friction will not occur and the aperture i5 need not be so large.

The two end members I3 ar joined together by a tubular wall IQ of sheet metal or the like, which may be secured to the end members l3 inany suitable way as by a plurality of tacks 2i. Said tubular wall !9 should preferably be sufiiciently stiff against longitudinal compression so as to prevent longitudinal telescoping of a plurality of the packages in the event that they are payed out in tandem (such as described more specifically in my copending application, Serial Number 674,413).

Inside the tubular wall [9 is a cylindrical liner 23 of a material which may be suitably cemented to the outer layer of turns of the coil H. Said liner 23 should be stiff enough so that it will not collapse inwardly during the laying operation, but nevertheless should have some flexibility so that it may conform to minor irregularities in the contour of the outer layer of the coil H so that it can be bonded to the said outer layer. I prefer half-corrugated cardboard for the liner 23, the corrugations running parallel to the axis of the coil il. However, other suitable substances may be substituted for the half-corrugated cardboard. The said liner 23 should make a snug fit about the outermost layer of the coil Ii and should be secured thereto by a suitable adhesive means. I wind Scotch tape 25, with its adhesive surface facing inwardly, tightly around the outer cylindrical surface of the coil l i, then cover the outer, or back, surface of the Scotch tape with any suitable adhesive and then wrap the liner 23 tightly about said Scotch tape. By half-corrugated cardboard I mean that type which is made up of one flat sheet 26 and one corrugated sheet 28 secured to one surface thereof. Thus it may be flexed about an axis parallel to the corrugations, but not about an axis perpendicular thereto. I paste the said half-corrugated cardboard with its corrugated sheet 28 facing inwardly to said Scotch tape 25.

The modified package shown in Figure 4 is similar to the package already described (Fig ures 1-3) except that each end member comprises an outer end ring 29, pierced by a relatively large pay-out aperture t ll, similar tothe end member it already described above, and an inner end ring 3!, pierced by a relatively small pay-out aperture 32, which inner ring 3| nests in the aperture 39 of said outer end ring-29.

Said rings 29, 3! may be held together by any suitable means, as by the metal straps 33 which are set into the rings 29, 3! so as to be flush with the outer surfaces thereof and are fastened to both of said rings. The inner peripheries of both the apertures 39, 32 should preferably be rounded and smooth. Both of the end rings 29, M at one end of the package should be provided with a radially disposed slot (not'shown), as the slot [6 described above (see Figure 3).

The modified form of package shown in Figures 5 and 6 is similar to the cylindrical packages as used for breakfast cereals and the like, in that the tubular cover 39 is preferably made of cardboard and the circular end caps 4| are made of a suitable, easily torn or friable material, such as cardboard or preferably paper of the blotting paper type. ggcured in any suitable way to the tubular cover Each end cap AI is provided with a small Said end caps 41 may be may be payed out. A liner 23, as already described above, should preferably be installed within the tubular cover 39 of the modified form of package shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The forms of package already described (Figures 1-6) are of the type which may be used once and then discarded. However, for certain uses, it is advisable to have a permanent, reusable type, container (Figure 7) which may be used over and over again, the coils I I being sup plied with any light packaging means (such as the package of Figures 5 and 6) and then installed in said permanent container, soas to be suitable for tandem or any other type of laying.

The reusable container or package illustrated in Figure 7 comprises a tubular cover 41, of metal or the like, and a pair of end plates 49 of metal or the like. Each end plate 49 comprises a flat ring 50, the outer periphery of which is bent over to form a tubular flange 52 of a size to fit snugly over one end of the tubular cover 4?. The end plates 49 are secured to the tubular cover 4! by means of several catches 5| of any conventional type. The inner edge of the pay-out aperture 53 of each end plate 49 should preferably be rounded and smooth to prevent damage to the wire I! of a coil II.

In the use of the first form of the present invention (Figures 1-3) the innermost end 20 of the wire I1 leading from the innermost layer of the coil II is pulled out through the aperture I5 in one of the end members It and said wire I] is then payed out, preferably in a direction aligned with the axis of the package and the coil I I. The said aperture should preferably be as large as possible, the radical thickness of said end member I3 being merely sufficient to give said end member suflicient structural strength to hold the I tubular wall I!) in place and protect the coil II against blows to which it may be subjected in ordinary handling and to also prevent telescoping of the packages in the event that several of the coils II are laid in tandem (as described in my copending application, Serial Number 674,413).

If the aperture I5 in the end member I 3 is large, the wire I'I should feed out Without touching it. However, toward the latter part of the unwinding operation, as the outermost layers of the coil II are being unwound, the larger the aperture I5 the less the possibility of the wire I! hitting or rubbing against the edge of said aperture while being payed out. Said edge is preferably rounded and smooth so as to prevent any damage to the wire ll. even should contact therewith be made.

Ideally, the aperture I5 through which the coil I I is fed out should be as large as possible. However, as a practical matter, it has been found that, during the paying out operation, the wire I! will feed out fairly close to the axis of the coil I I and hence no damage will be done if the size of the aperture I5 is reduced to some extent.

In reducing the aperture, a greater measure of protection is given to the coil I I during transportation and handling preparatory to actually laying the wire. If too much of the coil I I is exposed through a larger aperture I5 in the end member I3, there is a greater likelihood that something may strike against the coil and disarrange the turns thereof so as to lead to snarls during laying. Thus it is found preferable to strike a balance between a very large aperture I5 to avoid contact between the wire I! and the 1 wire I! (as shown in Figure 6).

edge thereof and a smaller aperture to protect the coil II prior to laying.

The slot I6 on the inside of one of the end members I3 accommodates the outermost end I8- Said end I8 is then available for communication, through the wire I'I, during the of the coil II.

being no danger of damage to the wire I! while being payed out, because of the low speed. However, if high speed operation is required, as where the wire I1 is to be payed out from an airplane, for instance at speeds of miles an hour, a larger aperture I5 is advisable.

A modified form of coil package having an adjustable aperture is shown in Figure In the use of said package when the coil II is being laid at slow speed, the package is used as shown, the inner ring 3| being retained in place. However, when said coil I I is used in high speed laying (as for instance in tandem laying from an airplane as shown in my Patent 2,490,837), the inner ring 3| may be removed by removing the metal straps 33, thereby enlarging the opening to a size more satisfactory for high speed laying.

The modified form of package shown in Figures 5 and 6 is adapted to form the size of payout aperture which is best suited to the particular conditions and speed of paying out the wire I'!. Here the package is made with a relatively small pay-cut aperture 43 which preferably should be of approximately the same diameter as the diameter of the central cavity of the coil II. Then the end caps 4| completely cover the ends of the coil I I and protect the turns thereof from being dislodged from their respective positions during transportation or handling. However, during the laying of a coil I I from such a package, should the wire I! strike against the edge of the pay-out aperture 43, it will tear the material of the end cap 4i so as to enlarge said aperture. Thus the said aperture 43 will be enlarged to the extent requisite for satisfactory paying out of the No damage is done to the wire ll in striking against the blotting paper or other similar material of the end caps 4|.

The package shown in Figure 7 is of a type to suit certain special conditions where reduced weight and bulk of equipment is of paramount importance. Then a coil II should preferably be packaged in as light a package as possible. For instance, it may be packaged only by wrapping it in Scotch tape 25 and a half-corrugated cardboard liner 23 (as described above and illustrated in Figures 2 and 3), or it may be packaged in the package of Figures 5 and 6, or some similar lightweight paper package.

The coil II with or without the lightweight package (dependent upon the particular type used) may then be inserted into the container of Figure '7 for paying out. Said container suitably protects it against blows which it might receive as a result of rough handling but still allows the wire i! to he out as in the other packages already described. The pay-out apertures in the end plates 49 may be of a fixed size, if the speed and conditions of laying are determinable in advance, or it may be made up of several concentric. rings: similar to: the modified. form shown in Figure 4. ihe container of Figure '7 has sufi'icient longitudinal strength to allow laying in tandem and to prevent the telescoping of successive packages. Said container may be opened up and. used over and over again to pay out additional coils .11. Thus a plurality of coils ll, packaged for least weight and: bulk, may be payed out by the use of one of the containers of Figure '3 It should be understood that, as explained hereinabove', an ideal package will have as large a pay-out aperture as possible. However, this is only practical if the turns of the coil, particularly at the ends thereof, are suitably prevented from spilling out or unwinding prematurely and if the ends of the coil will not be subjected to blows which may displace turns of wire so as to cause the coil, subsequently, to pay out with snarls, knots, etc. The turns may be prevented from spilling out or becoming easily disarranged by means of a suitable turn-to-turn restraint (as is disclosed at length in my copending application, Serial Number 674,411). If in a particular coil, turn-to-turn restraint is not used, or is used for very slight restraint, or there is any likelihood for any other reason that, during transportation or handling in preparation for laying, etc., the wire may spill out or the turns may be upset, it is advisable, where a large payout aperture is provided in the package, to also provide additional protection, such as a sheet of tearable or friable material (as the end member 41, of blotting paper or the like, of Figures and 6) which will provide sufiicient protection for the coil, but will nevertheless not interfere with the paying out thereof.

While there have been described what are at present considered preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the inventi'on.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a coil of wire provided with a hollow center from which it may be uncoiled, a

tubular wall encircling said coil, a circular end member attached to each end of said tubular wall, at least one of said end members comprising two 8: l concentric rings, each of said rings having a central pay-out opening, for said wire, the inner ring being removable to permit the pay-out opening of the outer ring to be used for uncoiling said wire.

2. In a package for a coil of wire, a tubular wall surrounding said coil, two circular members secured to the ends of said wall, at least one of said end members being provided with a payout aperture, a tubular liner within said wall and encircling said coil and making a snug fit about the outermost layer of turns thereof, an adhesive means releasably securing the turns of said outer layer to the inner surface of said liner, said liner being at least sufficiently stiff to prevent inward collapse thereof during the paying out of the outermost layer of turns of said coil.

3. In a package for a coil of wire, a layer of Scotch tape encircling the coil with its adhesive surface in intimate contact therewith, a liner of corrugated cardboard snugly encircling the Scotch tape, an adhesive means between the outer surface of the Scotch tape and the inner surface of the liner, a substantially cylindrical container surrounding said coil and liner, said container including a pair of spaced coaxially disposed end members and a tubular wall joining said end members and encircling the liner, at least one of said end members being pierced by a payout aperture.

4. In a package as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one of said end members is provided with a substantialy radially disposed slot receivable to the outermost end of the wire of the coil.

BENJAMIN B. SCOTT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 460,745 Duchemin Oct. 6, 1891 521,080 Bates June 5, 1894 1,029,094 Ulmann June 11, 1912 1,809,029 Fulcher June 9, 1931 1,887,184 Osborn Nov. 8, 1932 1,889,011 Baumhuter Nov. 29, 1932' 2,035,930 Strong Mar. 31, 1936 2,133,122 Swain Oct. 11, 1938 2,186,981 MacKinnon Jan. 16, 1940

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