US2626111A - Takeup apparatus - Google Patents

Description

E. D. HANSON TAKEUP APPARATUS Jan. 20,1953

4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 30. 1950 INVENTOR E. 0. HANSON A 7' TORNEV |l|ll. lllll iii) Jan. 20, 1953 E. D. HANSON 2,626,111

TAKEUP APPARATUS Filed .Aug. 30, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

IN VE N TOR E 0. HANSON A 7' TORNE V Jan. 20, 1953 E. D. HANSON 2,626,111

TAKEUP APPARATUS Filed Aug. 30. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. .3

INVENTOR E. 0 HANSON A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 2,626,111 TAKEUP APPARATUS Estyle D. Hanson, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 30, 1950, Serial No. 182,227

11 Claims.

This invention relates to takeup apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for continuously winding strands, such as, for example, insulated. conductors.

In strand processing operations, such as in the extrusion of an insulated covering over a conductor and the vulcanization of the covering immediately after the extrusion operation, a strand usually is wound upon some type of holder, such as a reel, to facilitate storage or further handling of the strand. In the past, when the reel was .filled with the strand and a new reel or the like had to be substituted therefor, or a switch was effected from one reel to another, it usually was necessary to shut down the processing apparatus during such a substitution or switching. Such interruptions of the process increased the cost of production of the strands, and, in the case of extrusion and vulcanization of insulated coverings upon conductors, the portions of the coverings remaining in the vulcanizing apparatus during the interruptions were overcured and had to be scrapped. Some continuously operable takeup apparatus have been proposed in the past, but this apparatus has not been entirely satis" factory.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved takeup apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for continuously winding thereon strands, such as, for example, insulated conductors.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved strand takeup apparatus for substantially automatically switching a strand from one takeup reel to another without interrupting the Winding process.

A takeup apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention may include a coiling element, means for guiding a strand along a predetermined path adjacent to and past the coiling element, a snagger revolved with the coiling ele- .of the strand guided past the coiling element.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from 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 plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig.. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 with portions thereof broken away;

' Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, generally vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 5--5 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding with Fig. 5, but with the parts shown in another operative position.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a conductive core In (Fig. 1) is advanced from one of twosupply reels l2l 2 by a dual capstan l4, and is pulled through an extruder IS, a continuous vulcanizing tube I 8 in tandem with the extruder I6, around a guide sheave l9, and through a cooling trough 20 by the dual capstan I4. The extruder 16 forms an insulating covering 24 on the conductive core It] to form an insulated conductor 26, and the insulated conductor is continuously introduced into the vulcanizing tube [8, which vulcanizes the covering 24 as the conductor 26 is advanced therethrough.

The conductor 26 is advanced from the capstan M to a continuous takeup unit 28, and is advanced over a distributor sheave 32 of a distributor 34 either to a takeup reel mechanism 35 (Fig. 3) operable in one direction ora takeup reel mechanism 38 which is similar to the mechanism 36 but operates in an opposite direction. The distributor sheave 32 is mounted rotatably on an armAO (Fig. 3) carried by a distributor head 42 (Fig. 2) supported slidably on a shaft 44 and a rod 46. The shaft 44 and the rod Mia-re supported by slides 4 8-48 mounted slidably on guide rods 50-50 having racks, of which a rack 52 (Fig. 3) is shown, formed thereon.

A reversible electric motor 60 (Fig.2) carried with the slides 4848 rotates a distributor screw 62 in either of two directions. When the motor is actuated to rotate the distributor screw in one direction, the distributor screw moves the distributor head 42 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, so that the distributor sheave 32 is moved to a portion of distribute the conductor 26 upon a reel 64 of the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. When the distributor sheave 32 reaches its furthermost left hand position, an actuating pin 66 carried by the distributor head 42 strikes an arm 68 of a limit switch I to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor 60 and the distributor screw 62, whereby the distributor screw moves the head 42 and the sheave 32 to the right to form another layer of the conductor on the takeup reel 64.

When the sheave 32 reaches its furthermost right hand position, as viewed in Fig. 2, an actuating rod II strikes an arm I2 of a limit switch 14 to again reverse the direction of rotation of the motor 60 and the distributor screw 62. The actuating rods 66 and II are mounted slidably in bosses I6 and 18, respectively, formed on a plate 19 of the distributor head 42. The positions of the rods 66 and 'II may be adjusted by a thumb screw 80 extending through a tapped bore 82 in the plate I9 and tapped bores 86 and 88 formed in arms 90 and 92, respectively, which are rigidly secured to the actuating rods 66 and II. Thus, the length of throw of the distributor may be adjusted.

A hand Wheel 94 is keyed to the shaft 44, which carries two pinions, of which a pinion 96 (Fig. 3) is shown. The pinions 96-36 engage the racks 52-52 of the guide rods 5I353. The hand wheel 34 may be rotated to rotate the shaft 44 and the pinions 36-96 to move the slides 4346 along the rods 53-56 to the right or to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, thereby moving the distributor sheave 32 with respect to the takeup reel mechanisms 36 and 33. A pivoted latch I04 may be actuated manually to lock the distributor 34 in any desired position on the guide rods 50-50. Normally, while the covered conductor 26 is wound on the takeup reel mechanism 36, the distributor 34 is in the broken-line position thereof shown in Fig. 3, and the conductor 26 follows a path shown in broken lines to the reel 64. When the reel 64 is almost filled the latch I04 is released and the hand wheel 94 is actuated to move the distributor 34 to the full-line position thereof. This changes the path of the conductor 26 from the distributor sheave 32 to the reel 64 from that shown by the above-mentioned brokenline to the reel 64, to the path thereof shown in full lines. The portion of this path oi the conductor 26 between points A and B forms a chord with respect to flanges I09--I09 of a reel IIO of the takeup reel mechanism 38, which reel is rotated when driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3.

An electric motor II6 (Fig. 4) of the takeup reel mechanism 38 then is energized to start the rotation of the reel H0. The motor II6 rotates a centering cone I20 keyed to the reel IIO by a pin II! and an arm I I8 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and a freely rotatable centering cone I22 connected to the reel IIO by a pin I2I and a guard I24 is rotated by the reel. The centering cone I22 is rotated by the reel H0 and rotates the guard I24 therewith. The guard I24 carries a snagger I23 (Figs. 5 and 6) pivotally thereon and the snagger has a snagging notch I30 formed therein, and is guided by a pin I23 having a stop nut I3I thereon. The snagger I26 is designed to slide through a slot I32 formed in theguard I24. An arm I26 of the snagger I23 carries a cam I33, and normally is held by aleaf spring I34 in a retracted position in which the notched snagging portion of the snagger I28 does not extend beyond the near flange of the reel I I0.

5. portion of the conductor 26 extending from the A presser roller I35 is carried by a rod I36 slidably keyed in a bushing I31, and may be pushed by the rod I36 against the action of a spring I38 to a position engaging the cam I33 to move the snagger I28 further upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 5, to a position extending beyond the inner flange of the reel I I0 shortly after the snagger passes the point A (Fig. 3). However, as the snagger passes point A, the roller and cam do not push the snagger beyond the near reel flange I09 against the spring I34, but permit the snagger to remain in its retracted position so that the snagger clears the conductor 26 whenever the conductor is near that flange of the reel as the snagger approaches the portion of the conductor 26 at the point A.

A latching rod I39 (Fig. 5) is urged by a springpressed lever I40 into a notch I4I when the roller I35 is in a snagger-actuating position, and holds the roller I35 in such a position through the rod I36. The lever I40 is pivotally mounted on a stationary pin I42 secured a housing I43, and has a feeler arm I44 extending over the guard I24.

When the distributor sheave 32 advances the conductor 23, which subtends a portion of the flanges of the reel I I6, to a position in which the conductor is near the right hand flange of the reel, as viewed in Fig. 4, and the rod I36 has been actuated to push the snagger against the spring !34 and the rod 536 is latched in this position by the latching rod I39, the snagger clears the portion of the conductor at point A (Fig. 3) is moved over the conductor between the points A and B, catches the portion of the conductor at point B in the notch I36 and pulls the conductor downwardly, as viewed in Fig. The takeup reel 64 continues to be rotated and to wind the conductor 26 thereon, and the portion of the corn ductor between the snagger and the reel 54 is moved downwardly. The inrunning reel 64 and the snagger I 28 move the portion of the conductor therebetween downwardly hard againsta shear blade I to sever the conductor.

The snagger I28 continues to rotate with the reel III) and the distributor 34 distributes theconductor 26 on the reel IIEl as the snagger is rotated beyond the point B (Fig. 3) to somewherenear point C where the cam I33 (Fig. 5) moves out of engagement with the roller I35, and the spring I34 moves the notched portion of thesnagger back to a position in which it does not extend over the flange of the reel I I3. The snagger continues to hold the conductor so that the conductor is wound on the reel H6, and, as the snagger is moved past the feeler arm M4, the end snagger strikes the arm I44 and swings it in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5. This movement of the lever I40 pulls the latching rod I39 out of the notch I4I, and the rod I36 and the roller I35 are moved to unlatched, retracted positions. j

After the reel I I0 has been filled the distributor 34 is moved to its broken-line position and the above-described operation in connection with starting and winding of the conductor 26 on the reel IIO is repeated to shear the conductor and start the conductor on the reel 64 by means of a snagger and its associated elements which form a portion of the takeup reel mechanism 36, which is identical with the takeup mechanism 33 ex- 15, The motor I16 (Fig. 4) is'mounted on a slide e'pa aiir from, the motor H6 is dee'nergized and a linkage I16 is moved so as to actuate a valve I18 to supply air under pressure to the right hand end of a cylinder I80, as viewed in Fig. 4, and to pivot a latch I82 secured rigidly to a rotatable shaft I84 out of a slot I80 formed in the slide I I so that the slide may he slid to the left by a piston I94 fastened to the slide to free the reel IIO for removal. After an empty reel to be substituted for the reel I I0 has been positioned between the centering cones I20 and I22, the linkage I16 is moved to actuate the valve I18 to supply air under pressure to the leftend of the cylinder I80 and to permit the latch I82 t move into the slot I 88 whenever the slot I88 is moved thereover. The piston then moves the slide I10 to mount the empty reel on the centering cones I20 and I22, and the latch moves into the slot I88 to latch the slide in an operative position.

Operation The insulated conductor 26 is advanced over the sheave 32 of the distributor mechanism 34, which is in its broken-line position, as viewed in Fig. 3, to the reel 64 of the takeup reel mechanism 36, the motors '60 and 65 are started, the reel 64 is rotated, and the distributor 34 distributes the conductor 26 in layers extending from flange to flange of the reel 64. When the reel 64 is almost filled, an operator of the apparatus releases the latch I04 and moves the distributor mechanism 34 to the left to its full-line position. The operator then starts the motor II 6 (Fig. 2) to rotate the reel I I0 in an inrunning direction with respect to the-direction of rotation of the reel 64, and the distributor 34 continues to distribute the conductor evenly upon the reel 64.

When the reel 64 is filled, the operator actuates the rod I36 (Fig. to move the roller I35 upwardly, from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 5, until the latching rod I39 enters the notch I 4I. Then, during each revolution of the snagger I28, the notchet portion thereof is moved from its retracted position to its snagging position, as shown in Fig. 5, by the cam I33 after the notched portion has passed point A (Fig. 3) and-has not yet come to point B. After the notched= portion of the snagger is rotated past point C, the spring I34 moves it back to a position in which it does not extend beyond the near flange I09 of the reel I I 0.- When thethe snagger and the reel 64 against the shear blade I50, which severs the conductor. As the spring I34 moves the snagger I28 to its retracted position, the snagger continues to hold the newly formed end of the conductor 26 and carries it around the drum of the reel IIO. As the cut end portion of the conductor is advanced by the snagger, the centrifugal force holding this portion of the conductor outwardly causes this portion to strike the arm I44 of the lever I 40 and swing the lever in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5. This pulls the latching rod I39 out of the notch MI, and the spring I38moves the'rod I36 to its retracted position. The distributor 34 distributes the conductor on the reel IIO as it is wound thereon.

The operator then stops the takeup reel mechanism 36, removes the filled reel 64 therefrom,

- and substitutes an empty reel identical with the reel 64 for the reel 64. When the reel H0 is filled with the conductor 26, the switchover to the empty reel of the takeup reel mechanism 36 is eifected by a snagger and its associated elements of the reel mechanism 36 which are identical with but of opposite hand from the snagger I28 and its associated elements of the takeup mechanism 38, after moving the distributor 34 to its broken-line position, as shown in Fig. 3, so

that a portion of the conductor 26 between the sheave 32 and the takeup reel H0 is in a plane chordally intersecting the flanges of the reel of the takeup mechanism 36 to permit the conductor to be snagged.

The above-described takeup apparatus serves to continuously takeup the conductor 26 without interruption in or slowing of operation so that the operation of the extruder I6 and the vulcanization is not even slowed down. The transfer from one takeup mechanism to the other is almost completely automatic inasmuch as the only manual efiort necessary to make a transfer from one takeup reel mechanism to the other is to move the distributor mechanism 34 to the proper position, to start the idle takeup reel mechanism andto actuate the snagger actuating rod "of the idle takeup mechanism. There is no danger to an operator of the apparatus since the snaggers are covered and accidental contact therewith is blocked.

Certain features of the above-described apparatus are disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 57,014, filed October 28, 1948, by D. C. Robson, for Apparatus for Advancing and severing Strands, now Patent No. 2,604,942, issued July 29, 1952, and copending application Serial No. 40,226, filed July 23, 1948 by E. D. Hanson, G. Henning and S. M. Martin for Takeup Apparatus, which resulted in Patent 2,546,636, issued March 27, 1951.

What is claimed is:

l. A takeup apparatus, which comprises 'a circular coiling element, means for rotating the coiling element, means for guiding a strand past said element along a predetermined straight path forming a chord with respect to the periphery of the circular coiling element, asnagg'er revolved with the coiling element and movable from a position at one end of and not extending over the periphery of the coiling element to a position extending over said periphery, means for holding the snagger in a position not extending over the periphery of the coiling element, means selectively movable to a position for pushing the snagger over the periphery of the coiling' element at a predetermined point in the revolution of the snagger, and means for latching the snagger-pushin means in said position, whereby the snagger catches the chordal portion of the strand guided past the coiling element.

2. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a coiling element, a second coiling element, means for rotating the coiling elements, means for guidin a strand along a predetermined path near to and past the first-mentioned coiling element to the second-mentioned coiling element, a snagger revolved and associated with the first-mentioned coiling element and movable from a position at coiling lement to a position extending over that coiling element, means for urging the snagger to a position not extending over its associated coilingelement, means movable to a predetermined position for pushing the snagger against the snagger-urging means to the position in which it extends over its associated coiling element at a predetermined point in the revolution of the snagger, whereby the snagger catches the portion of the strand guided past that coiling element, means for latching the snagger-pushing means in said position thereof, and a cutter positioned in the path in which the portion of the strand between the snagger and the secondmentioned coiling element is moved by the snagger for severing the strand.

3. A takeup apparatus, which 7 comprises a coiling element, a second coiling element, means for rotating the coilin element, means for guiding a strand along a predetermined path near to and past the first-mentioned coiling element to the second-mentioned coiling element, a snagger revolved and associated with the firstmentioned coiling element and movable from a position at one end of and not extending over that coiling element to a position extending over that coiling element, means for holding the snagger in a position not extending over its associated coiling element, means selectively movable from a retracted position to an operative position for pushing the snagger over its associated coiling element at a predetermined point in the revolution of the snagger, means for holding the snagger-pushing means in said operative position, whereby the snagger catches the portion of the strand guided past its associated coiling element, a cutter against which the strand is moved by the snagger for severing the strand at a point; spaced from the snagger, and means operable by the cut end portion of the conductor for moving the snagger-pushing means to its retracted position.

4. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a coiling element, a second coiling element, means for rotating the coiling elements, means for guiding a strand along a predetermined path near to and past the first-mentioned coiling element to the second-mentioned coiling element, a snagger associated with and revolved with the firstmentioned coiling element and movable from a positon at one end of and not extending over that coiling element to a position extendin over that coiling element, means for holding the snagger in a positon not extending over its associated coiling element, means selectively movable from a retracted position to an operative position for pushing the snagger over its associated coiling element at a predetermined point in the revolution of the snagger, means for latch-'- ing the snagger-pushing means in said operative position, whereby the snagger catches the portion of the strand guided past its associated coiling element, a cutter spaced from the path of the snagger over which the portion of the strand between the snagger and the secondmentioned coilin element is moved by the snagger for severing the strand, and feeler means operable by a portion of the strand carried by the snagger for releasing the latching means.

5. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a pair of transversely aligned reels, means for rotating the reels, means for guiding a strand past one of the reels to the other reel, a snagger provided with a strand-catching-and-gripping portion revolved with the reel past which a strand is guided, a cutter positioned between the sna ger and the other reel, cam means carried by the snagger, manually operable cam means coopera-ble with the first-mentioned cam means and movable tb a snagger-projecting position for projecting the strand catching-and-gripping portion beyond the flange of the reel past which the strand is guided to catch and grip the strand, whereby the portion of the strand between the snagger and the reel to which the strand is guided is moved into engagement with the cutter and severed, means for latching the manually operable cam means in snagger-projecting position, and feeler means operable by a strand carried by the snagger for. releasing the latching means.

6. A strand takeup apparatus, which comprises a reel, means for rotating the reel, a disc connected to one end of the reel and rotated with the reel, an L-shaped snagger. provided with a strand catching notch forming in one arm thereof and having one end of the other arm thereof pivotally connected to the disc and movable between a snagging position in which the firstmentioned arm projects over the portion of the reel most adjacent thereto and a retracted position in which the first-mentioned arm does not extend over that portion of the reel, means normally urgingthe snagger to its retracted position, cam means carried by the snagger, a manually operable pusher having cam means positioned adjacent to a predetermined portion of the path of the first-mentioned cam means and cooperable with the first-mentioned cam means for pressing the snagger to its snagging position, means for guiding a strand adjacent to the snagger, means for latching the pusher in a position holding the snagger in its snagging position, means for severing a strand snagged by the snagger, and a feeler operable by a portion of the strand snagged by the snagger for actuating the pusher-latching means to release the pusher.

'7. A strand takeup apparatus, which eomprises a reel, means for rotating the reel, a disc connectedto one end of the reel and rotated with the reel, an L-shaped snagger provided with a strand catching notch forming in one arm thereof and having one end of the other arm thereof pivotally connected to' the disc and movable between a snagging position in which the first-mentioned arm projects over the portion of the reel most adjacent thereto and a retracted position in which the first-mentioned arm does not extend over that portion of the reel,'means normally urging the snagging element to its retracted position, cam means carried by the snagging element, a manually operable pusher ro'd having a notch therein, cam means carried by the pusher rod, a slide mounting the pusher rod in a position in which the cam means carried by the pusher rod is adjacent to a predetermined portion of the path of the first-mentioned 'cam means, means urging the pusher rod to a retracted position, means for guiding a strand adjacent to the snagger, a latch rod urged against the pusher rod for engaging the notch therein to latch the pusher rod in a position holding the snagger in its snagging position, means for severing a strand snagged by the snagger, and means operable by the strand snagged by the snagger for pulling the latch rod out of the notch to release the pusher and allow it to be urged to its retracted position. 8. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a coiling element, a second, coiling element, means for rotating the coiling elements, means for guiding a strand along a predetermined path near to and past the first-mentioned coiling element to the second-mentioned coiling element, a snagger revolved and associated with the first-mentioned coiling element and movable from a position at the end of and not extending over its associated coiling element to a position extending over that coiling element, means normally operable for urging the snagger to a position not extending over its associated coiling element, means selectively operable for pushing the snagger against the action of the snagger-urging means to the position in which it extends over its associated coiling element at a predetermined point in the revolution of the snagger, whereby the snagger catches the portion of the strand guided past that coiling element, and means for latching the snagger-pushing means in operative position.

9. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a winding element, means for rotating the winding element, a snagger carried by one end of the winding element and movable from a snagging position in which the snagger projects over the winding element to a retracted position in which the snagger does not project over the winding element, means for urging the snagger toward the retracted position thereof in which the snagger does not project over the winding element, means selectively operable for moving the snagger for a predetermined portion of the revolution of the snagger to the snagging position thereof in which it projects over the winding element so that the snagger clears one portion of a strand guided chordally with respect to the path of the snagger and catches a second portion of the strand, means for latching the snagger-moving means in operative position, and means respon- Sive to a portion of the strand snagged by the snagger for releasing the latching means.

10. A takeup apparatus, which comprises a rotatable reeling element, a second rotatable reeling element, means mounting the reeling elements in transversely aligned positions for rotating the reeling elements in inrunning directions, an arm carried with and mounted pivotally at the end of the first-mentioned reeling element, a snagger carried by the arm and extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the first-mentioned reeling element and radially outside that reeling element so that the snagger is projected over that reeling element when the arm is pivoted toward that reeling element, said snagger being revolved in a predetermined circular path beyond the radial limits of its associated reeling element, a distributor adjustable transversely to the axes of rotation of the reeling elements for distributing a strand upon the second-mentioned reeling element and for guiding the strand to the second-mentioned reeling element in a plane chordally intersecting the circular path of the snagger, means for normally urging the snagger to a retracted position beyond the near end of its associated reeling element so that the snagger normally clears the strand, means selectively operable for projecting the snagger to a snagging position extending over the near end of its associated reeling element and over the portion of the strand chordally intersecting the circular path of the snagger so that the snagger catches and grips the strand, means for latching the snagger projecting means in its projecting position, and feeler means responsive to a strand snagged by the snagger for releasing the latching means to allow the snagger projecting means to be retracted.

11. An apparatus for successively coiling an advancing strand upon a plurality of reels without interrupting the advancement of the strand, which comprises means for mounting a pair of reels adjacently with their axes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, means for selectively rotating the reels in opposite inrunning directions, means for alternately distributing an advancing strand upon the pair of reels as the strand is coiled upon one rotating reel until that reel is filled and then is shifted and coiled upon the adjacent reel and for alternately guiding the advancing strand in a straight path past one reel to the adjacent reel, a pair of snaggers one for each reel rotatable in circular paths concentric with and radially beyond the reels, each snagger being reciprocable substantially parallel to the axis of a reel between an inoperative retracted position and an operative projected position in which the snagger may operate to catch the strand as it is being advanced past one reel to the adjacent reel, means for normally urging the snaggers to their retracted positions, a pair of camming means one for each snagger for moving each snagger into its projected position while the snagger rotates through such a predetermined arc of its circular path that a strand may be caught, means for latching each camming means in a position in which a snagger is projected, a fixed blade positioned between the pair of reels for severing a strand caught by a rotating snagger, and means responsive to an end of a severed strand caught by a snagger for releasing the latching means to allow the snagger projecting means to be retracted.

ESTYLE D. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

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