US3143308A

US3143308A - Collapsible cop holder

Info

Publication number: US3143308A
Application number: US258485A
Authority: US
Inventors: George F Besnyo
Original assignee: Northern Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
Priority date: 1963-02-14
Filing date: 1963-02-14
Publication date: 1964-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-04

Description

United States Patent 3,143,308 COLLAPSIBLE COP HOLDER George F. Besnyo, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignmto Northern Electric Company Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Feb. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 258,485 12 Claims. (Cl. 242-46.2)

This invention relates to collapsible arbors adapted to clamp inwardly extending projections on the inner surface of an article disposed thereon. In particular, this invention is directed to collapsible arbor for articles such as split cop tubes of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,585,999 issued on February 19, 1952, in the name of T. T. Bunch.

Known collapsible arbors embodying a clamp have been restricted primarily to winding coils of strip material such as sheet metal, photographic film, or the like wherein the strip is wound directly on the expanded arbor without the use of a tubular core. The leading end of the strip constitutes an inward projection which is clamped between two segments of the arbor and through which the necessary pulling force is applied to draw the strip onto the arbor. These two segments are pivotally mounted on the axial core of the arbor and are collapsible to release the strip end and to shorten the arbor circumference to facilitate removal of the coil.

It has been found, however, that a satisfactory collapsible arbor for an article such as the split cop tube having more than one inward projection cannot be obtained merely by providing an appropriate number of clamping pairs of segments operating on the same principle as the single pair of segments in the known arbors. Because of the pivotal arrangement of the known segment pairs, the circumferential portions of the segments immediately adjacent the clamping portions do not move inwardly toward the arbor axis upon contraction of the segments. In most cases, these circumferential portions actually move slightly outwards. This lack of inward movement is not detrimental to the operation of the known arbors where it is confined to one small portion of the arbor circumference, provided the overall circumference is shortened. It cannot be tolerated, however, at two or more locations around the arbor circumference, especially where these locations are symmetrically spaced as in the case of the top tube since contraction of the segments in the known manner would not release the cop tube. This problem is accentuated where the radial pressure caused by winding tensions results in shrinkage of the cop tube onto the arbor.

It has been discovered in accordance with the invention that a suitable collapsible arbor is obtained when the segments are movably supported in a manner whereby every point on the outer surface of each segment moves in a common direction outwardly or inwardly with respect to the arbor axis, and when the segments are pivotally connected together such that the pivotal connection is movable therewith. The means provided for moving the segments in the prescribed manner is suitably adapted to permit the segments to rotate in opposed directions about the pivotal connection during outward or inward movement so that the space between the segments at least at the arbor circumference will decrease or increase, respectively.

In the arbor of this invention, the pair of clamping segments can be moved to collapsed positions well within the expanded circumference of the arbor. Thus, multiple segment pairs having these operational features can be used advantageously in a collapsible arbor for securely clamping two or more angularly spaced projections of a cop tube or the like disposed thereon without restricting placement and removal of the cop tube.

3,143,308 Patented Aug. 4, 1964 A preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a collapsible arbor having two pairs of segments arranged in accordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of the arbor taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

The preferred embodiment of a collapsible arbor according to this invention is particularly constructed for use with the split cop tube disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,585,999, referred to hereinabove, for winding layers of thread or other filamentary material thereon to form a cop. The cop tube, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the present application and designated by reference numeral 10, has four longitudinal ribs projecting from and equally spaced around the inner surface thereof, and is split longitudinally through the centres of two diametrically opposed ribs into two identical semi-cylindrical sections. The purpose of the arbor is to firmly support the cop tube through expansion of its circumference to provide a radial support for the inner surface of the cop tube and to hold the cop tube together by securely clamping the diametrically opposed slit ribs.

The collapsible arbor comprises, in general, a support 11 and four

arbor segments

12, 13, 14 and 15 movably disposed thereon and symmetrically arranged about the longitudinal axis of the arbor in spaced relation. Support 11 comprises a spindle 16 having an axial bore 17 and a radial flange 18 near one end. Flange 18 is provided with a knurled circumference and is spaced from said one end of spindle 16 to form a hub 19 by means of which the arbor is secured to the rotatable shaft of a suitable winding machine (not shown). At the free end of the spindle, the axial bore 17 is enlarged at 20 and is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded tubular spindle 21 having a hand wheel 22 secured to its outer end.

A pair of frusto-

com'cal surfaces

23 and 24 are formed on spindle 16 respectively at the free end thereof and contiguous with the side of flange 18 remote from hub 19. Both of these surfaces increase in diameter toward flange 18 and surface 24 extends into the flange to form the inner surface of an annular groove 25. Each of the arbor segments has a pair of longitudinally inclined surfaces 26 and 27 of arcuate cross-sections forming the inner surfaces of inwardly extending portions at each end of the segments, said surfaces being adapted to engage the

spindle surfaces

23 and 24, respectively. The tapered surface 27 is extended to form the inner surface of an arcuate flange 28 which is receivable in the annular groove 25 of flange 18. An arcuate groove 29 is formed in the other end of each segment for receiving an annular flange 30 on the hand wheel 22. The width of groove 29 is greater than the thickness of the annular flange 30 to permit unrestricted radial movement of the segment between its respective positions when the arbor is expanded or collapsed. The grooves 29 and flange 30 co-operate, as do flanges 28 and the annular groove 25 at the other end of the segments, to assist in retaining the segments on the spindle 16 while permitting unrestricted radial movement of the segments as aforesaid. A thrust Washer 31 provides a low-friction contact between hand wheel 22 and the arbor segments.

Each segment has an outer surface 32 defining a portion of the arbor circumference and having a shape which conforms to the inner cylindrical surface of cop tube 10. The outer surface 32 is bounded on its longitudinal edges by the somewhat radially extending

sides

33 and 34 of the segment. As shown in FIGURE 2, the arbor segments are arranged in pairs with the

segments

12 and 13 constituting one pair and

segments

14 and 15 constituting the other pairs. Side 33 of each segment faces the other segment of the pair while the side 34 faces the adjacent segment of the other pair. Each segment has two longitudinally spaced transverse slots 35 opening at the outer surface 32 and side 33. Bridging each slot is a pivot pin 36 by means of which the segments of a pair are pivotally connected together by a link 37 having a pair of elongated apertures adapted to slidably embrace the corresponding pivot pins 36 of the segment pair. The links 37 limit the separation of the pivot pins 36 such that, when the pair of segments is moved so that the arbor is fully expanded as shown in FIGURE 2, the space between the adjacent sides 33 at the circumference of the arbor is just less than the thickness of an internal rib of cop tube 10. The apertures in links 37 are elongated to provide added flexibility to the arbor by allowing the segments a certain degree of freedom of movement as they are moved to expand or collapse the arbor.

An aperture 38 extends from and at right angles to each of the transverse slots 35 to receive a tension spring 39 which extends between and resiliently couples the adjacent segments of different pairs, such as

segments

13 and 15. The ends of springs 39 are attached to pins 40 bridging the transverse slots 35 into which the ends of the springs extend. The longitudinal edge of each arbor segment defined by the outer surface 32 and side 34 is cut away at 41 to provide clearance between the sides 34 and the internal ribs of cop tube disposed therebetween.

In operation, cop tube 14) is slid over the arbor segments, when the arbor is collapsed, with the diametrically opposed split internal ribs positioned between the adjacent sides 33 of the paired segments. Hand wheel 22 is then rotated so that spindle 21 is threadably advanced to the right, as shown in FIGURE 1, whereupon the hand wheel bears against the outer end of each arbor segment through thrust washer 31 to force the segments to the right in the direction of increasing diameter of the

conical surfaces

23 and 24. These surfaces co-operate with tapered surface 26 and 27 to force the segments radially outwards against the action of springs 39 and thereby expand the arbor. As the segments approach the positions shown in FIGURE 2, but before these positions are reached, the pivot pins 36 are disposed in the outermost ends of the elongated apertures of links 37 and are prevented from any further separation. Thus, further outward movement of the segments results in rotation thereof about their respective pivot pins 36 to decrease the space between sides 33 at the circumference of the arbor. Thus, when the arbor is completely expanded, the spaces between sides 33 are such as to effect a clamping of the split ribs of cop tube 10. The knurled circumference of flange 18 may be gripped by hand to prevent rotation of the arbor while hand wheel 22 is operated.

To remove cop tube 10 from the arbor, the hand wheel 22 is rotated in the opposite direction and threadably advanced to the left in FIGURE 1. The arbor segments are then free to move to the left in the direction of decreasing diameter of the

conical surfaces

23 and 24, and thereby radially inwards, by the contracting force of the tension springs 39. Manual force applied in the same direction on the cop will assist the springs in collapsing the arbor segments. The radial inward movement of each segment is accompanied by a rotation thereof about its pivot pins 36 to unclamp the split ribs of the cop tube 10 whereby the cop tube is released for unrestricted removal from the arbor.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a collapsible arbor, a support, a pair of arbor segments movably mounted on the support in spaced relation about the longitudinal axis of the arbor, means for moving the segments on the support such that every point of the outer surface of each segment is moved in a common direction outwardly or inwardly with respect to the arbor axis, and means pivotally connecting the segments and movable therewith for rotation of the segments in 4 opposed directions during outward or inward movement to decrease or increase respectively the space between the segments at the circumference of the arbor the means for moving the segment in the prescribed manner being adapted to permit said rotation.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, said connecting means comprising a pivot pin on each segment and a linkage connecting the pivot pins to prevent separation thereof beyond a predetermined maxmium separation.

3. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 2, said linkage comprising a single link having slots adapted to contain the pivot pins, said slots permitting a decrease in the separation of the pivot pins from said maximum separation upon inward movement of the segments.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, said means for moving the segments in the prescribed manner including a conical surface on the support symmetrical about the arbor axis, a longitudinally inclined surface on each segment adapted to co-operate with the conical surface, and means for effecting relative movement between the segments and the conical surface axially of the arbor.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, said means for effecting relative movement between the segments and the conical surface comprising a member threadably mounted on the support for movement axially of the arbor and adapted to urge the segments in the axial direction of increasing diameter of the conical surface whereby said surfaces co-operate to move the segments radially outwards, and resilient means adapted to continuously urge the segments radially inwards and thereby move the segments in the opposite axial direction when said member is moved in said opposite direction.

6. A collapsible arbor comprising a support having a conical surface symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the arbor, two pairs of elongated arbor segments arranged in spaced relation about said longitudinal axis, each segment having a longitudinally inclined surface of arcuate cross-section adapted to co-operate with the conical surface of the support such that movement of the segments axially of the arbor in the directions of increasing or decreasing diameter of the conical surface causes the segments to move outwardly or inwardly of said longitudinal axis, means pivotally connecting the segments in each segment pair for rotation of the segments about the respective connecting means in opposed directions during outward or inward movement to decrease or increase the space between the segments at the circumference of the arbor, spring means connecting adjacent segments of different segment pairs and adapted to urge the segment pairs inwardly of said longitudinal axis, and means on the support adapted to urge the segments axially of the arbor in the direction of increasing diameter of the conical surface.

7. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 6, said connecting means comprising a pivot pin on each segment and a linkage connecting the pivot pins of the segments in a segment pair to prevent separation of the pivot pins beyond a predetermined maximum separation.

8. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 6, each segment being provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced transverse slots corresponding to like slots in the other segment of the segment pair, said connecting means comprising a pivot pin bridging each slot, and a link connecting the pivot pins in corresponding slots to prevent separation of the pivot pins beyond a predetermined maximum separation.

9. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 8, said link having slots adapted to contain the pivot pins and permitting a decrease in the separation thereof from said maximum separation upon inward movement of the segments.

10. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 6, said spring means comprising a tension spring.

11. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 6, the support having an axial spindle, and said means for urging the segments axially of the arbor comprising a hand wheel threadably mounted on one end of the spindle and adapted to bear against one end of each of the segments.

12. A collapsible arbor as defined in claim 6, the support having an axial tubular spindle internally threaded at one end, a conical surface at each end of the spindle symmetric about said longitudinal axis, said conical surfaces increasing in diameter in the same direction, each segment having a longitudinal inclined surface of arcuate cross-section at each end adapted to co-operate with the respective conical surfaces in the prescribed manner, and said means for urging the segments axially of the arbor comprising a hand Wheel and a spindle extending therefrom to be threadably received in said tubular spindle, the hand Wheel being adapted to bear against one end of each of the segments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 699,237 Redington May 6, 1902 1,928,979 Levison Oct. 3, 1933 2,146,590 Newell Feb. 7, 1939 2,265,087 Tooke Dec. 2, 1941 2,297,648 Cushman Sept. 29, 1942 3,093,338 Trapp June 11, 1963

Claims

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE ARBOR, A SUPPORT, A PAIR OF ARBOR SEGMENTS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT IN SPACED RELATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE ARBOR, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SEGMENTS ON THE SUPPORT SUCH THAT EVERY POINT OF THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH SEGMENT IS MOVED IN A COMMON DIRECTION OUTWARDLY OR INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ARBOR AXIS, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE SEGMENTS AND MOVABLE THEREWITH FOR ROTATION OF THE SEGMENTS IN OPPOSED DIRECTIONS DURING OUTWARD OR INWARD MOVEMENT TO DECREASE OR INCREASE RESPECTIVELY THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SEGMENTS AT THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE ARBOR THE MEANS