US2954179A - Tension responsive drive control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 27, 1960 R. FULGHUM 2,954,179

TENSION RESPONSI VE DRIVE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROBERT L FULGHUM ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1960 R. FULGHUM, 2,954,179

TENSION RESPONSIVE DRIVE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C &

32 E 2 g g 30 36 ax INVENTOR. ROBERT L. FULGHUM a 6 82 BY 2 7 f L/ 5 AT TORNZIY United States Patent TENSION RESPONSIVE DRIVE CONTROL MECHANISM Robert L. Fulghurn, 184 Forsyth st. sw., Atlanta, Ga. Filed Feb. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 638,996 2 Claims. '(Cl. 242-755 paper and textiles, material is frequently fed at a constant rate of speed by feed rolls operating at a' uniform speed to be wound upon a receiving roll. The receiving roll winds the material in successive layers thereover. It is of course obvious that the effective diameter of the receiving roll increases as the material builds up ',there- 1 on; hence, since the rate of feed is constant, should the receiving roll be rotated at a constant rate of speed the increased effective diameter thereof will provide increasing tension on the material, frequently to the breaking point Thus in such devices it is customary to;provide :sor'ne compensating means whereby the speed of rotation of the feeding roll will be commensurate with the increased radius of the material thereon so as toseekto establish a substantially uniform tension-on the material between the feeding rolland the receiving roll. A wide 1 variety of mechanisms have been developedand are in successful use by which compensation is introduced into the drive mechanism of the receiving roll soas to adjust the speed in accordance with the increasing effective diameter as material is supplied thereto. Since an important factor is the maintenance ofa uniform tension on the material, such compensating devices-are frequent- 1y directly responsive to such tension. 1 I 1 iModern equipment of thisitype is usually motivated by a constant speed electric motor, and compensating detvices most frequently involve a continuously variable speed-change mechanism between thesource of power and the receiving roll. One such continuously variable .transmission mechanism .is commonly known as the -Reeves drive which includes opposed cone pulleys, the effective diameters of which may be altered while in op- .eration to provide a variation in the speed transmitted therebetween. Tension responsive drive mechanisms have Jalso employed various types of hydraulic couplings ..wherein change of the torque through the hydraulic -mechanism which may produce slippage maybe responhsive to the tension applied between the feed rollerfand -the receiving rollers, thus compensating forchanges in the effective diameter of the receiving roll. Differential .dgive mechanisms have also been employed as, for instance, .where theifeed roller is driven from the 'same xsourceof power as the receiving roller, since the speed of rotation ultimately delivered to' the receiving -roller must of course vary with respect to the speed'of rotaation'of the feed roller.

Whilemany of these prior art drive effective and efficient in securing an adjustment of the [speed of the receiving roll in accordance with the increased effective diameter thereof as material is built upon the receiving roll, they have not; allbeen ideal in devices have been ,device of Fig. 1.

sensitive tension response, and for the most part such arrangements have been complicated, expensive and difficult of maintenance and adjustment. In the present arrangement, a fluid coupling is provided and the sensitive torque responsive slip thereof is utilized for the control of a differential mechanism which in turn controls a speed change mechanism through which the winding roller is driven. Since the speed change mechanism is controlled by' the slippage of the fluid drive mechanism, and since such slippage is direct- 1y responsive to tension applied, it will be seen that an ac curate and sensitive control under the influence of the load of the roller is achieved. i

It is therefore among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a drive mechanism for winding rolls and the like which includes means responsive to the change in effective diameter of such rolls by which the speed thereof may be adjusted in order to maintain a uniform winding tension.

Another object of the present inventionis to provide in a device of the character described the combination of a hydraulic transmission and a differential, the cooperating elements of which are individually driven from the positive drive of the hydraulic transmission and the slip driven side of the hydraulic transmission in order to control a final speed output. 1 i

It is also amongthe objects of the present invention to provide a winding mechanism which is torque responsive in such manner as to vary a speed-change mechanism in response to tension applied to material between feed rolls and a winding roll. I p It is also an object of the present invention to provide in a drive of the character set forth a tension responsive hydraulic coupling together with a differential between the slip side of the coupling and the constant speed drive thereof, there being a speed-change mechanisrncontrolled by the differential.

Numerous other objects, features and advantage of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail top plan view of the drive of the Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged cross-sectional view 'taken through the central shaft'of the differential of Fig: 2 taken on a plane parallel to the plane of the top plan view of Fig. 2. i

:Fig. 4 is a similar cross section taken through the auxiliary shafts of the differential. v '1 Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that that form of the present invention here shown by way of example includes a prime mover 10 preferably in the'form of a conventional alternating current constant speed electric motor. From the output shaft 11 of the motor 10, a V-beltdrive indicated at 12 rotates the constant speed positive drive shaft 13 of a torqueresponsive hydraulic coupling generally indicated at 14. The

hydraulic coupling here illustrated may be more accurately defined as a hydro-dynamic type fluid coupling wherein the torque delivered by the conversion of kinetic energy to dynamic energy'is, for all practical purposes,

proportionate to the relative rotating speed of the input and output elements so long as the'input elementis 13 will drive the impeller 15 of the coupling 14'Wl1il6 'Ihustheshafts 13 and 18 will rotate at speeds which the runner 16 of the coupling is mounted on the variable speed output shaft 18 within the rotating housing'17.

3 may vary through slippage in direct proportion to the torque required from the output shaft 18. To transmit torque there must always be present, in the fluid coupling, slip, and the amount of torque transmitted through this coupling is dependent upon the amount of slip within the coupling, therefore, there will always be a differential between the speed of rotation of shafts 13 and 18, and therefore, suitable ratios will be established in the drive 20 and the drive 36 to provide the following described results.

The constant speed and positively driven shaft 13 is also provided with a V-belt drive 20 for the rotation of a shaft 21 coupled by gearing 22 and 23 to the left hand central gear 24 of a differential which includes the supporting rectangular housing or bracket 25. The opposed counterpart central drive of the'dilferential driven by the variable speed shaft 18, comprises sprocket30 and gear 31. A chain 32 driven from shaft 33, which latter is in turn driven by V-belt 36 from the shaft 18 of the main gear 31, provides the drive for this variable speed gearing of the differential.

It will, of course, be understood that the differential mechanism is such that when the proper ratio is estab lished between shaft 13 and shaft 21, as well as a proper ratio between shaft 13 and shaft 33, in due consideration of the predetermined required amount of torque, and therefore slip, to be transmitted through the fluid coupling, generally indicated at 14, to the drive 64, the result will be that gears 24 and 31 are driven at ,equal speeds and the housing 25 of the differential will be at rest; however, upon a differential in speed between these shafts, the housing 25 will be revolved, in a clockwise, or counterclockwise, direction depending upon whether the amount of torque called upon to be delivered by the fluid coupling is more or less than the predetermined amount. 7

This rotation of the housing 25 in response to speed variations is provided for by the interrelated side gearing including a gear 40 on shaft 41 meshing with gear 24 in combination with gear 42, also on shaft 41, meshing with a gear 43 on a parallel shaft 44 and a gear 45 on the shaft 44 meshing with the gear 31. It will be understood that the gears 24 and 31 are of equal diameter and tooth number. The gears 40, and45 are equal in diameter and tooth number, as are gears 42 and 43. The shafts 41 and 44 are mounted through the end plates 46 of the housing 25 and through the parallel intermediate plate 47 thereof. The gears 23 and 24 are unitized for rotation together as by press fit, or thelike, on a sleeve 48 (Fig. 3) as are the gear 31 and sprocket 30 on their sleeve 49. Both sleeves are freely rotatable on the central differential shaft 50 to which the housing is secured for rotation therewith as by a retaining pin 51. Since such differentials are well known in the art, it is believed that its operation will be fully understood. Suffice it, therefore, to point out that, when a change in speed between shafts 13 and 18 takes place, the gears 40 and 45 with their shafts 41 and 44 will have planetary motion about the gears 24 and 3 1, respectively, to turn the housing 25 clockwise or counterclockwise in response to whichever shaft and gearing rotate faster. Such movement of the housing will be at a rate dependent upon the speed differential.

The shaft 50, to which the housing 25 is secured, carries an external sprocket 52' rotatable therewith. A chain 53 trainedover sprocket 52 is also trained over sprocket 54 of a speed control shaft 55 of a speed-change mechanism generally indicated by the numeral'56. The speedchange mechanism of the type here shown includes pairs of opposed drive and driven cones or pulleys 60 and 61, respectively, the relative effective diameters of which are adjusted by opposed arms 62 pivoted at 63 and movable by the oppositely threaded portions of the speed control shaft 55. Power is transmitted from the outlet or slip side of the hydraulic coupling 14 through shaft 18 to V- belting indicated at 64 to drive the shaft 65 mounting the pulley 60 of the variable speed transmission. The output shaft 66 of the variable speed transmission drives a chain 67 associated by gearing 68 with a chain 69 for driving the take up roll 70. The constant speed feed rollers 80 may be driven in any desired manner. As here shown they are driven from the constant speed shaft 13 by belting 81 and shaft 82.

In the operation of the illustrated form of the invention, when the motor 10 is energized its shaft 11 and hence the shaft 13 will be driven at a constant speed which will not vary in response to variation in load throughout the apparatus. Shaft 21 will likewise be driven at a constant speed, Since the gears 22, 23 and 24 of the differential mechanism are driven with the constant speed shafts 21 and 13, it will be observed that these gears will be rotated at a continuously constant speed. "The shaft 18 of the slip or runner side of the hydraulic transmission coupling 14 is arranged through the V -belting 36 to drive the differential gearing 31. As aforesaid, should the speed of rotation of gear 31 vary from that of gear 24, the differential housing 25 will be rotated. Such rotation will alter the setting of the speed change mechanism. Thus it will be seen that the torque or resistance to rotation of the roller will be reflected to the belting 64 to apply a resistance to the rotation of the hydraulic transmission as the torque of the take-up roller varies. Hence, upon variation of such torque, there will be a variation in slippage in the hydraulic transmission, and since the output of this hydraulic transmission is connected by the V-belt 36 to the opposite side of the differential it will be noted that when such slippage occurs the gearing 3th to 31 of the differential will rotate at a speed different from the gearing 22 to 24, and hence the differential housing 25 will be rotated in consequence of, and proportionately to, difference in speed of rotation by the two sets of gears of the differential. Such'rotation of the differential housing will be imparted to the shaft 50 and chain 53 to the shaft 55 which will be rotated to alter the speed responsive setting of the speed-change mechanism 56, such alterations continuing until such speed change compensates for thechange of torque, at which time the speed delivery is such as to restore the slippage'within the hydraulic coupling to the predetermined figure, the differential gearing will then rotate at a uniform speed and the housing will remain stationary until a further change in torque is applied.

In this arrangement, it will also be noted that the feed rolls 80 are driven through the V-belt 81 from the constant speed side of the hydraulic transmission; thus, there Will be a constant rate of feed at all times requiring a constant rate of take-up by the roll 55.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel, simple and improved construction and arrangement of parts whereby uniform tension is applied to material passing from the feed roll to the take up roller, and the invention further provides for the combined use of a hydraulic transmission which is sensitive to torque changes and by which such torque changes will operate the differential mechanism to pro vide for a change of take-up speed so as to maintain a uniform tension on material passing between feed rollers and take up rollers. "It will of course be understood that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:'

1. In a tension responsive drive for take up-rolls the combination with a constant speed 'source of power, a hydro-dynamic type fluid coupling driven by said source of power having a driven constant speed impeller side and a driving slip housing side, power take-off from the slip housing side of said coupling fordriving a take up roll, speed change mechanism in said take-off between the slip housing side of said coupling and said roll, a difierential including a drive from the constant speed source and a drive from the slip housing side of the coupling, a housing rotatable in response to variations of speed between the driven side of said coupling and the slip housing side of said coupling, a speed change shaft for said speed change mechanism rotatable by rotation of said housing, and a constant speed drive from said constant speed source of power to a feed roll for delivering material to the take up roll.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 in which the speed change mechanism includes a pair of opposed cones, the efiective diameters of which may be varied by rotation of said speed change shaft and a power transmitting belt therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,392,226 Butterworth et a1. Jan. 1, 1946 2,496,977 Bechle Feb. 7, 1950 2,658,692 Wolf Nov. 10, 1953 2,678,485 Browne May 18, 1954

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