US2929493A - Apparatus for advancing strands - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1960 e. E. HENNING 2,929,493

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDS Filed Aug. 14, ,1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. G. E. HENN/NG March 22, 1960 e. E. HENNlNG 2,929,493

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDS Filed Aug. 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

G. E. HENN/A/G BY m.

A 7' TOR/V5 V United States Patent APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDS George E. Henning, Baltimore, Md., assignmto Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N12, a corporation of New York Application August 14, 1958, Serial No. 754,989

4 Claims. (Cl. 203-400) The present invention relates to apparatus for advancing strands, and more particularly to an improved capstan for discharging a strand in one direction while revolving the strand-discharge point in the opposite direction about a given axis.

In my copending application Serial No. 509,209, filed on May 18, 1955, and entitled Apparatus for Distributing Filamentary Material into Coil Form, a capstan is required for continuously advancing a length of strand. In addition, means must be provided for causing the point where the strand leaves the capstan to revolve about the axis of a coil to be formed at substantially the same speed as the speed of the strand leaving the capstan, but in the opposite direction thereto. With this arrangement, the strand advanced by the capstan is continuously distributed in a descending helical ,path to form a coil. The present invention contemplates an improved capstan structure, especially suitable for use in place of the capstans described in my copending application.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for advancing strands.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved capstan for discharging a strand in one direction while revolving the strand-discharge point in the opposite direction about a given axis, particularly that of a coil to be formed according to the principles of my copending application.

With these and other objects in View, an apparatus for advancing strands, illustrating certain features of the invention, may include a ring-shaped track With a rotatable pulley having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the track mounted coplanarly therewithin, the strand beingwound around the periphery of the pulley. Means are provided for revolving the pulley about the center of the ring-shaped track, means for urging the pulley so that the revolution of the pulley causes rotation of the pulley about its own axis, and means for guiding the strand between the pulley and the track at a point near the point of engagement therebetween. The rotation of the pulley serves to advance the strand, and the revolution thereof functions to revolve the stranddischarge point. Preferably, a plurality of pulleys are provided having diameters smaller than half the inner diameter of the track and mounted spacedly and coplanarly therewithin, the strand being wound back and forth over a portion of the peripheries of the pulleys for advancement upon rotation of the pulleys about their own axes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus illustrating the invention, with portions of the apparatus broken away to reveal structural details;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken generally along the line 2-2 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the operation of a first embodiment of the invention employing two pulleys;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged, fragmentary vertical sections generally along the line 33 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating three exemplary surface configurations for the ring and pulleys, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 2, but illus trating different embodiments of the invention wherein three pulleys and one pulley, respectively, are employed.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, a strand-advancing means or capstan, designated generally by the numeral 19 and forming the subject matter of this application, is provided for advancing a strand 11 and for distributing the same along a descending helical path, designated generally by the numeral 12, into a barrel 13 mounted concentrically below the capstan 10. The strand 11 is collected within the barrel 13 in the form of a continuous succession of coils, designated generally by the numeral 14, which are allowed to build up in the barrel 13 to a desired depth and then the full barrel is removed and an empty barrel substituted therefor. The barrel 13 is maintained stationary during the collection operation and is preferably provided with a central core 16, so that the strand coils 14- are collected in an annular area between the outer periphery of the core 16 and the inner periphery of the barrel 13.

The barrel 13 may conveniently be mounted on a wheeled truck, designated generally by the numeral 17, to facilitate removal of a full barrel and substitution therefor of an empty barrel. As in my copendmg appli- CfltiOIl, the capstan it} is designed to discharge the strand 11 into space above the barrel 13 at a point spaced.

from the axis of the helix 12 a distance substantially equal to the radius thereof (which is also equal to the mean radius between the core 16 and the barrel 13). The capstan it) also functions to revolve the strand-discharge point about the axis of the helix 12 at substantially the same speed that the strand 11 is discharged, but in the opposite direction thereto. With this arrangement, the strand is distributed along the descending helical path 12 for collection in the barrel 13.

As viewed in Fig. l, the strand 11 advances from right to left over a guide sheave 18, which is mounted on a supporting bracket 19. The bracket 19 is mounted on a table 21, which is supported near the top of the apparatus on a plurality of columns 2222. The strand 11 passes around the sheave 18 and then downward through the center of a rotatable hollow shaft 23, mounted centrally of the capstan 16. The shaft 23 is rotated by a motor 24, through a gear box 26 and a sprocket-andchain transmission designated generally by the numeral 27. The shaft 23 is supported for rotation in bearings 23-28 at the top of the table 21 and supports various portions of the captan 10 for rotation therewith.

Referring now to both Figs. 1 and 2, the capstan 10 includes a horizontal arm 29 secured to the shaft 23 for rotation therewith and extending equal distances on opposite sides thereof. A pair of flat L-shaped supporting levers, designated generally by the numerals 3131, are mounted to the arm 29 near the opposite ends thereof by a pair of pivot pins 32--32. The L-shaped levers 31-31 are spaced just below the arm 29 and parallel thereto, being carried with the arm 29 as the shaft 23 is rotated but free to pivot with respect to the supporting arm 29.

A pair of pulleys 33 and 34 are mounted to the levers 3131 by a pair of pins 36-36 for rotation about their own axes. The pulleys 33 and 34 are spaced just below the supporting levers 31-31 and parallel thereto in a common horizontal plane, being carried for revolution about the center of the shaft 23 with the levers 31- -31 and the arm 29 as the shaft'23 is rotated.

The pulleys 33 and 34 are mounted coplanarly, as

illustrated in Fig. 1, within a fixed ring-shaped supporting track 37, which is secured by means of a plurality of that the pulleys 33 and 34 may berevolved in a common plane therewithin as the central shaft 23 is rotated by the motor 24.

The pulleys 33 and 34 are mountedto a pair of long arms 39-39 of the L-shaped. levers 3131,'which' arms are of appropriate and equal lengths so that the centers of the pulleys 33 and 34 fall along a straight line passing through the center of the shaft 23, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The levers 31-31, and thus the pulleys 33 and 34 carried thereby, are urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed'in Fig. 2, about the pivot pins 32-32 by the action of a pair of biasing springs 4141. Each of the springs 41-41 is secured between a hook on the upper surface of a short arm 42 of a corresponding one of the L-shaped levers 31--31 and a hook on the under surface of the arm-29.

Means are provided for guiding the strand 11 between For this purpose, the- Various constructions for the abutting surfaces 'between the pulleys 33 and 34 and the ring-shaped track 3 7 are illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, portions of the periphery of the pulley 33 being illustrated and it being assumed that the pulley 34 is correspondingly constructed. As illustrated in Fig. '3, the periphery of the pulley 33 may be formed with a singlegroove 46in which all of the turns ofthe strand 1-1 are received, with the frictional engagement for rotating the pulley 33 being supplied by a pair of end flanges 47-'47 formed on the periphery thereof and engaging the inner surface 0 the track 37. I I

As viewed in Fig. 4, anumber of individual'grooves 48-48 may be cut in the periphery of the pulley 33 to receive the successive turns of the strand 11, so that a plurality of raised portions 4949 of the periphery abut the inner surface of the track 37. 7 Another construction is-illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein the pulley 33 is'formed with a plurality of V-shaped grooves 5'1'51 for receiving the strand 11 and the inner surface of the track 37 is provided with a plurality of inverted tapered projections 52-52 designed to match the strand 11 advances downward through the hollow shaft 7 lower pulley 33, as viewed in Fig. 2. The guide tube 43 terminatesata point near the point of tangency between the; lower pulley 33 and the ring-shaped track 37, so that the strand 1 1- is fed from the end of the guide tube 43 and between the lower pulley 33 and the track 37 at that point.

The strand 11 is wound between the pulleys 33- and 34, as illustrated in Fig. 2, over a portion of the periph cries thereof for a desired number of turns and is discharged into space from the upper pulley 34 at the point of tangency between that pulley and the ring-shaped track 37. The number of times that thestrand 11 is wound between the pulleys 33 and 34 is not critical,

tion with respect to the pulley 33 so as to feed the strand 11 to the pulley 33 at the point of 'tangency between the pulley 33 and the track 37 at all times.

grooves 51--51 so as to retain the strand 11 and yet provide'the desired frictional engagement to rotate the hi ley 33. t

t ,7 Alternate embodiments" 7 Figs. Giand 7 are simplified drawings, somewhat similar to Fig. 2,tillustralting two alternate embodiments of the invention. Only the, hollow shaft 23, the curved guide tube 43, the track 37, andthe pulley" or pulleys employed are shown in these figures, it being'und'ers'tood that the remainder of theappara'tus corresponds td that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. As illustrated in" Fig. 6, three pulleys 56', 57 and 58 may be employed, with the g'hide" tube 43f ee'din'g" the strand 11 between the'lp'ulley' 56"and the track 37 at 5 Point near the" Point of tan ency therebetween.

Thes'haft23 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction about the center of the ring-shaped track" 37. The pulleys 56, 57 and 58 are spring biased into compressive engagement with the inner wall of the track'37,.tso that revolution of the pulleys as a unit causes rotation of the revolution of the three pulleys-56, 57 and 58 as' a unitcauses the desired revolution of the strand discharge point, as described hereinbeforewitli reference, to the -rst embodiment of'the invention. t

Fig. 7 shows a second alternative embodiment utilizing.

7 only one pulley 59. The pulley. 59' is made only slightly Since the pulley 33 and 34 are continuously urged into engagement with the inner wall of the track 37 by the biasing springs 41-41 and the resultant centrifugal force, the pulleys 33 and 34 are rotated about their own axes in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. The rotation of. the pulleys 33 and 34 causes advancement of the strand 11 woundtherebetween in a well-known manner, thexstrand being discharged in a clockwise direction adjacent to the inner surface of the track 37 at the top of Fig. 2. The revolution. of the pulleys 33 and 34 about the axis of the: shaft 23 causes. the strand-discharge pointv (the point. ofltangency between the upper pulley 34 and the track 37) to revolve in theopposite, countersmaller than theinner diameter of. the track 37 andismainta'ined in compressive engagement with the inner surface of thertrack 37' (shown tangentat the top of Fig. 7) by a single spring-biasing means corresponding to that illustrated in Fig. 2. V p 1 g The guide tube 43 is mounted for rotation with the hollow shaft 23 and just above the upper surface ofthe pulley 59 so that the strand 11 is fe'dintoa groovetin-the periphery of the pulley 59 near the top thereof (according to Fig. 3,4 or 5). The strandll is fed between the pulley 59' and the track- 37 ata pointalong the periphery of-the pulley 59 which is counterclockwise of the point of t'angency, illustrated as at the topof Fig. 7., The strand 11 is wrapped for a desired number of turnsaroundthe periphery of the pulleyto allow advancement of. the strand 1; in' well-known fashion upon rotation of pulley 5-9 about its own-axis; V

The single pulley 59: is revolvedin a counter'c'iock w'is'e direction about the center: of the ring 37,- utilizing apparatussimilar' to" that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and such revolution operates in co-opcra'tion' with the continuous com ressive engagement Betweenthe periphery of the pulley 59 and the inner wall of the track 37 to rotate the pulley 59 in a clockwise direction and advance the strand 11. The strand -11 is discharged from between the pulley 59 and the track 37 at a point clockwise of the point of tangency at the top of Fig. 7, and in a plane below that in which the strand 11 is fed by the guide 43. The strand discharge point is revolved about the center of the track 37 as the pulley 59 is revolved.

It will be manifest that this invention is not limited to the specific details described in connection with the above embodiments of the invention, but that various modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a ring-shaped track, a rotatable pulley having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of said track and mounted coplanarly therewithin, the strand being wound around the periphery of said pulley, means for revolving said pulley about the center line of said track, means for urging said pulley against the inner wall or" said track so that the revolution of said pulley causes rotation of said pulley about its own axis, and means for guiding the strand between said pulley and said track at a point near the point of engagement therebetween, the rotation of said pulley about its own axis causing advancement of the strand and the revolution of said pulley about the center line of said track causing revolution of the strand-discharge point.

2. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a ring-shaped track, a plurality of rotatable pulleys having diameters smaller than half the inner diameter of said track and mounted spacedly and coplanarly therewithin, the strand being wound back and forth over a portion of the peripheries of said pulleys, means for revolving said pulleys as a unit about the center line of said track, means for urging said pulleys against the inner wall of said track so that the revolution of said pulleys causes rotation of said pulleys about their own axes, and means for guiding the strand between one of said pulleys and said track at a point near the point of engagement therebetween, the rotation of said pulleys about their own axes causing advancement of the strand and the revolution of said pulleys about the center line of said track causing revolution of the strand-discharge point.

3. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a rotatable hollow shaft through which the strand is passed, an arm secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a lever mounted pivotably to said arm, a pulley mounted rotatably to said lever, a ring-shaped track larger in diameter than said pulley and mounted coplanarly therearound, means for pivoting said lever about said arm so that said pulley is urged into compressive engagement with the inner wall of said track, means secured to said shaft for guiding the strand out of said hollow shaft and between said pulley and said track at the point near the point of engagement therebetween, the strand being wound around said pulley, and means for rotating said hollow shaft to rotate said arm and revolve said lever and pulley about the axis of said shaft, the revolution of said pulley co-operating with the compressive engagement between said pulley and said track to rotate said pulley about its own axis to discharge the strand in one direction and the revolution of said pulley operating to revolve the strand-discharge point about the axis of said shaft in the opposite direction.

4. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a rotatable hollow shaft through which the strand is passed, an arm secured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of levers mounted pivotably to said arm, a plurality of pulleys mounted rotatably one to each of said levers in spaced coplanar relationship to each other, a ring-shaped track having a diameter more than twice that of said pulleys mounted coplanarly therearound, means for pivoting said levers about said arm so that said pulleys are urged into compressive engagement with the inner wall of said track, means secured to said shaft for guiding the strand out of said hollow shaft and between one of said pulleys and said track at the point near the point of engagement therebetween, the strand being wound back and forth over a portion of the peripheries of said pulleys, and means for rotating said hollow shaft to rotate said arm and revolve said levers and pulleys about the axis of said shaft, the revolution of said pulleys co-operating with the compressive engagement between said pulleys and said track to rotate said pulleys about their own axes to discharge the strand in one direction and the revolution of said pulleys operating to revolve the strand-discharge point about the axis of said shaft in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,514,420 Shapiro July 11, 1950 2,589,852 Overacker Mar. 18, 1952

Images