US2694849A - Machine for the manufacturing of coaxial pairs for telecommunication cables - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 23, 1954 F A 1 DOUCHE-|- 2,694,849

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF CXIAL PAIRS FOR TELECOMMUNICATION CABLES Flled Feb 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 23, 1954 F. A. J. BOUCHET 2,594,849 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING OF COAXIAL PAIRS FOR TELECOMMUNICATION CABLES Filed Feb. 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7M x .m

Nov. 23, 1954 F. A. J. BOUCHET 2,694,849

MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING oF coAxIAL PAIRs FOR TELECONMUNICATION CABLES Filed Feb. 20, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 2,694,849 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING F COAXIAL PAIRS FOR TELECOMMUNICA- TION CABLES Florimoud Aristide Jules Douchet, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniqnes, Paris, France, a corporation of France Application February 20, 1952, Serial No. 272,683 Claims priority, application France March 5, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 29-33) In the technique of telecommunications, cables are used, comprising so-called discontinuous insulation coaxial pairs, in which a lirst conductor hereinafter called central conductor is perfectly centered inside a second conductor of tubular shape, this centering being obtained by means of insulating discs of plastic material of circular shape placed at regular intervals.

The manufacturing of coaxial pairs in eiected, in the present state of the art, in three phases, each one of which requires the use of a well detined device forming a part of an automatic machine.

The irst phase consists in arranging regularly, on the central conductor, insulating discs, previously cut and perforated to suitable dimensions, out of a strip of insulating material.

During the second phase the tubular conductor surrounding the insulating discs is formed from a metal tape previously cut.

During the third phase, finally, the assembly previously constituted is provided with metal and insulating tapes ensuring the outside protection of the coaxial pair.

In the practical carrying out of the iirst phase, dithculties arise, particularly in case the central conductor has a large diameter. The insulating discs are subjected to considerable stresses when, after being slit radially, they are made to straddle the central conductor by moving apart the edges of the slot. They therefore are in danger of taking an incorrect position if they are not firmly held during this operation.

The present invention, has, as a main object, a device for placing insulating discs regularly on a central conductor, chiefly in case this conductor has a large diameter, while avoiding the above mentioned drawbacks. To this effect, the device which is the object of the invention encloses each disc, supplied separately from a vertical feed channel, between elements associated with a wheel to which is imparted a motion of alternate rotation; each disc, after being slit during travel with the elements along the path of the latter, is then released by the elements only when the slot thus made has closed around the central conductor and the disc is firmly held by its natural resilience in a position perpendicular to the axis of the conductor.

This device comprises fundamentally, a block having a substantially semi-circular channel the plane of symmetry of which coincides with the general plane of the machine containing the central conductor of the coaxial pair, a wheel carrying on its periphery a projecting piece pushing the insulating discs and capable of sliding inside said channel, means for imparting to said wheel a motion of alternate rotation over half a turn so as to drive said projecting piece, at each run, over the whole length of said semi-circular channel, and means cooperating with said wheel and said projecting piece for enclosing the insulating discs driven along a semi-circular path corresponding to that of said projecting piece and for holding said insulating discs in a radial position until they are placed in position on said central conductor, and perpendicularly thereto. The said central conductor moves along a rectilinear path near the outlet of said channel.

Other features of the device according to the present invention will appear later in the more detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the appended drawings which illustrate schematically an example of placed on each vertical face of the wheel 1.

-make the support yassociated with the wheel 1, is

embodiment of the device according to the invention and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view, from the front, of a machine for placing insulating discs in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view, in plan, of a device limiting the movement of the wheel shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is the projection, on a vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of the wheel illustrated on Figure l, of a section of the machine taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and showing the shape of the semi-circular channel tiared at its lower portion, as well as the vertical channel used for the supplying of insulating discs.

Figure 5 is another view of the projection, on a vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of the wheel illustrated in Figure l, of a section of the machine, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and showing laterally movable ngers included in the machine in their closed position on the upper portion of this iigure and in their open position on its lower portion.

Figure 6 is a view of the driving device for the wheel illustrated in Figure 1, illustrating the stopping of said rwheel at the end of each run.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective illustrating the operation of the laterally movable or retractile fingers.

On Figure 1, 1 designates a main wheel driven in a motion of alternate rotation. This wheel is secured on a shaft 2, associated with a notched plate 3. A gear 4,

-carrying a driving stud 5 is mounted free on the same shaft; 6 is a toothed sector, 7 a driving wheel the uniform rotation motion of which is transmitted to the sector 6 through a small connecting rod 8.

Considering Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the amplitude of the angular motion of the wheel 1, and the ment; the continuous motion of the gear 4 is thus transmitted in a discontinuous manner to the plate 3 and to the wheel 1.

Two laterally movable or retractile fingers 91 and 92 are carried by two semi-circular supports 101 and 102 These two assemblies are similar and operate in an identical manner. Figure 7 shows the support 101 articulated about an horizontal axis y1y1 parallel with the face of the wheel. Two springs with pincers 131 and 131 tend to 10 pivot about the axis y1y1 so that to move the fingers 91 and 92 away in the directions indicated by the these springs tend from each other arrows f1 and f2.

VLugs 111 and 112 are extensions of the ingers 91 and 92 and are engageable by a part 12 capable of rocking about an axis ZZ perpendicular to the plane of the wheel 1 so as to oppose separation of the fingers 91 and 92. A spring 14 normally holds the rocking part 12 in the position for engagement with the lugs or extensions.

If the rocking part 12 is subjected to the action of a force in the direction indicated by the arrow F3, said lugs 111 and 112 are released and the fingers 91 and 92 can move apart under the actions of the springs 131, 13'1, and 132, 132.

The operation of the device according to the present invention will now be described with reference, tirst, to Figure l.

In this ligure, the wheel 1 is shown at the upper end of its run. projecting piece or pushing member 15, aligned with a vertical feed channel 29 for supplying the insulating discs and for pushing them.

The position of the lingers 91 and 92 is such that their distance to the projecting piece 15 is suiiicient for constituting the housing of an insulating disc 16.

The feed channel 29 opens into a semi-circular channel', concentric; with the wheel 1, comprised of two elements..181..and.182` (Figuresh l. and 2)., thelower portion.

of which is fiared as may be seen in Figure 4.

The projecting piece 15 pushes the insulating disc 16 which. participates in thus driven in the channel constituted by the elements 181 and 182.

During thewhole duration of this rotation, each insu.- lating disc 16 is constantly immobilized in aradial position by the projecting-piece15 on. theone hand and by the fingers 91 and 92 on the other hand.

On its path, each insulating disc 16 meets an arcuate edge knife 19, shown on Figures l and 4, andv held in the plane of symmetry of theY semi-circular channel by suitable notches arranged in the elements 181 and-182. The pushing member 15 is provided withia radially opening central groove f (not shown) to accommodate the knife 19 as the'pushing` member moves through the related portion of the semi-circular channel.

Each insulating` disc being thus slit radially, the edges of the slot are. moved apart and are made to straddle the central conductor2l) of the coaxial pair, said conductor 20 beingk alsoI introduced inside the. channel (Figures l, 4, 5). A shim 21 extends the knife 19 but leaves a suliicient space for the passage of theconductor Z, while preventing it from evading, the thrust of the insulating. disc 16 at the time of straddling.

At the end of the angular run of the wheel 1, the insulatingdisc 16 held by the projecting piece 154 and the fingers 91 and 92 has remained, in a radial position with respect to said wheel 1 and, consequently, is placed on the central conductor 20, in a vertical position, i. e. perpendicular to said conductor 20.

`When the wheel-1 reaches the end of vits run,V the rocking part 12 is pushed by an adjustable abutment 22, the lugs 11.1 and 112 are released. and the fingers 91 and 92 move apart under the actions of the springs 131, 132 and 131, 13'2.

The lower portion, oftFigureshows theposition, at this stage, of the retractileiingers. The'disc 16 can now be carried along by theA central conductor 20.

During the whole downward run of the4 projecting piece 15, the feed channel29 isr stopped by a latch 23 controlled by a springf24..

Theabove described half-rotation-is followed by a half rotation. in the opposite-direction,l during which the fingers 91 and: 92 bear against the walls of the semi-circular channel constituted by-fthe two elements 181 and 182.

The flared shape of the: semi-circular channel formed by the elements 181 and 182, isshown inV Figs. 2 and 4 and allows the fingersy 91 andy 92 to: be laterally urged apart after release by the rocking member 12 at the lower end of therun of the pushing member 15. onversely, when the-wheel is rotated in the opposlte d1rection to return the pushing-,member 15 to its original position, the liaring channel, in which the fingers 91 and 92 engage, urges such fingers laterally `together so that the rocking member 12, after release from the abutment 22, can again be urged by the spring 14 into locking engagement with the lugs 111 and? 112. Thus, upon return of the pushing member 15 to its. original or.v starting position (Fig. l) the fingers 91 and 92 are heldlaterally together, as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 5, so that such fingers, together with the leading face of pushing member 15 and the side walls of the semi-circular channel, form the limits of a space adaptedV to receive an insulating disc from the guide channel 29.

When the wheel 1 has been returned to its initial or original position, any extension 30 of the pushing member 15 bears against a fixed abutment 25 (Fig. l) to limit the return movement of the wheel, and the pushing member 15 engages the spring urgedtlatch-23 to push the latter' back from'the lower end ofthe guide channel 29 thereby to permit an insulating disc to fall from the latter.

Preferably, the wheel` 1 is yieldablyheld in its initial or original position, wherein the spacel between the laterally moveable lingers and the pushlng member 15 is aligned with the lower end of guide channel 29, by a detent arrangement Which-includesk a roller 28 mounted on the free end of a lever 26 which is pivoted on the abutment 25, with the roller 28 being-urged into a suitable notch on the upper surface of the pushing member 15 by a spring 27 acting upon lever 26.

During the time the wheel 1 stops in this position, a new insulating disc can fall in the housing included bethef rotation` of the; wheel-1 and; is,

..channel29a tween the projecting piece 15 and the end of the feed The device is theny back tol its initial position, and the movement of rotation motion continues, the above described cycle being repeated identically.

What I claim is:

l. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of a telecommunication cable including a central conductor of relatively large. diameter and insulating discs on the centralconductor; a, device for placing the insulating discs on the central conductor comprising means defining a feed channel for guiding the insulating discs to a delivery position, a wheel rotatableabout a fixed axis and having a pushing member projecting from itsl periphery, means defining a semi-circular channel along the periphery of said .wheel and concentric with the latter so that said pushing member can move along said semi-circular channel, in response to rotational movement ofl said wheel, one end of said semi-circular channel being disposed adjacent said feed channel so that said pushing member c an propel the discs, one at a time, from the delivery posltion, into said semi-circular channel, means for guiding the central conductor into said semi-circular channel adjacent the other end of the latter, said semi-circular channel flaring laterally from said one end to said other end thereof, means for rotationally oscillatingV said wheel so that said pushing member moves along the entire length of said semi-circular channel during each oscillation of the wheel, holding means for firmlyV holding the successive insulating discs against said pushing member while the discs are pushed, one at a time, through said semi-circular channel by said pushing member, and said holding means including two laterally movable fingers rotating with said wheell and disposed' in said semi-circular channel in advance ofv said pushing member, means yieldably urging said fingers laterally apart to provide a space therebetween which is sufiiciently wide to permit the passage of an insulatingdisc therethrough, lockingmeans operative to hold said ngers laterally close together,v a knife having an arcuate cutting edge disposed in said semi-circular channel to radially slit; the. successive insulatingl discs as, the latter are, propelled by said pushing member so that, as a propelled disc reaches the other end of the semi-circular' channel, the central conductor enters the radial slit of the disc, releasing means. rendering said locking means inoperative when said fingers and pushing member reach saidother end4 of the semi-circular channelthereby to releasesaid fingers and. permit spreading apart of the latter within the relatively wide other end of said semi-circular channel so that the insulating disc can then move away from the pushing member, said flaring semi-circular channel moving said fingersV laterally together during backwardmovement of thefingers to said one end of the semi-circular channel andl means rendering said locking means operative again when said fingers reach said Oneend of the semi-circular channel.

2. In a machine. for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunication cable including acentral conductor of relatively large diameter and insulating discsl on the central conductor; a device according to claim 1, wherein said fingers have extensions thereon, and whereinl said locking meansincludesa rockable member engageablein a first position with said extensions to holdl said fingers laterally together and releasing said extensions when rocked to a second position, said means rendering `the locking means operative includes a spring acting on said rockable member to urge the latter to said first position thereof, said releasing means includes an abutment engaging said rockable member when said fingersreach said other end of the semi-circular channel and` rocking said rockable member to said second position of the latter.

3. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunication cable including a central conductor of relativelylarge diameter and insulating discs on the central conductor; a device according Vto claim l, wherein said means for rotationally oscillatingsaid wheel includes a shaft concentric with said wheel and fixed to the latter, a gear on said shaft and angularly movable relative to the latter, a plate fixed on said shaft and having a notch therein of limited circumferential extent, a drive pin extending from said gear and engaging in said notch to provide a lost motion connection between said gear and shaft, a toothed sector meshing with said gear, a continuously rotated driving wheel, and a connecting rod from said sector to said driving wheel to convert the continuous rotation of the latter into oscillation of said sector.

4. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunication cable including a central conductor of relatively large diameter and insulating discs on the central conductor; a device according to claim 1, further comprising a latch operative to close said feed channel during the movement of said pushing member through said semi-circular channel, and means on said pushing member engaging said latch and displacing the latter away from said feed channel to an inoperative position when said pushing member returns to its original position adjacent said one end of the semi-circular channel.

5. In a machine for manufacturing a coaxial pair of telecommunication cable including a central conductor of relatively large diameter and insulating discs on the central conductor; a device according to claim 4, further comprising a iixed abutment engageable by said pushing return direction,

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 323,180 Mason July 28, 1885 2,284,690 Stern June 2, 1942 2,426,623 Larsen Sept. 2, 1947 2,515,487 Bertalan July 18, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 624,226 Great Britain May 31, 1949

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