US3177905A

US3177905A - Method for making helices

Info

Publication number: US3177905A
Application number: US212360A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry L Kitselman
Original assignee: Indiana Steel & Wire Co I
Current assignee: Indiana Steel & Wire Co I; Indiana Steel & Wire Company Inc
Priority date: 1958-06-06
Filing date: 1962-07-25
Publication date: 1965-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-13

Description

A ril 13, 1965 L. KITSELMAN METHOD FOR MAKING HELICES 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HHRRY L. KITSELMAN, Y

I M A TTORNEYS.

April 1965 H. L. KITSELMAN 3,177,905

METHOD FOR MAKING HELICES Original Filed June 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY L. KITSEL'MAN,

A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,177,9ll METHOD FDR MAKENG IELECES Harry ls. Kitsehnan, Muncie, 1nd, assignor to lndiana Steel 8r Wire Company, inn, Mannie, End, a corporation of Indiana @riginal application June 6, 1953, ger. No. 74%,451, now Patent No. 3,951,202, dated Aug. 28, 1%2. Divided and this application July 25, 1962, Ser. No. 212,36li 5 Claims. (81. 1453-91)) This invention relates to the formation of long-pitch helices from relatively hard, resilient wire. Such helices frequently constitute or are embodied in splints, reinforcem nts, and supports adapted for application to line conductors and cables. This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 740,451, filed June 6, 1958, now Patent No. 3,051,202, granted August 28, 1962.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method by which such long-pitch helices can be simply and economically formed. Another object of the invention is to provide a method adapted for the formation of long-pitch helixes in portions only of a length of wire.

In carrying out my invention, I employ an elongated quill or mandrel provided with a helical groove whose base diameter and pitch correspond generally to the internal diameter and pitch of the desired helix. The wire in which the helix is to be formed is disposed in a tangential position in the quill-groove with the end portions of the wire projecting obliquely in opposite directions from the quill. With one of such projecting end portions secured in fixed position relative to the quill, the other end portion is wrapped about the quill into the helical groove. When a helix of the desired length is produced, the winding is stopped and the finished helix removed from the qu ll by unwinding it therefrom. Conveniently, the winding is stopped while the extreme end portion of the wire remains unwound and projecting from the quill, and the unwinding torque is applied to such projecting end portion while the other end portion remains secured in its fixed position relative to the quill.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description and from the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a device adapted for formation by my invention;

P18. 2 is an axial section through the helix-forming element of a machine suited for use in practicing my invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragrnental isometric view illustrating a helix in the process of formation;

PEG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating a stage in the unwinding of the helix from the quill;

FlG. 5 is a fragmental isometric view illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental elevation of a quill; and

PEG. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

The device shown in FIG. 1 is of a type in common use as a support and reinforcement for a line conductor 1%. The device is formed of a length of wire wound into a short, close-wound coil at its middle to provide an eye 11 for attachment to any convenient support. The end portions of the wire are formed into oppositely extending aligned helices 12 which have an internal diameter such that they will grip the line conductor 1% and a pitch long enough to permit the helix to be readily wrapped around the conductor when disposed beside it.

One form of apparatus for forming the helical end portions 12 of the device shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Such apparatus comprises a stationary post 15 provided at its end with a slot 16 adapted to receive 3,1719% Patented Apr. 13, 1965 the eye 11 with the axis of such eye extending generally perpendicularly to the parallel, opposed walls of the slot. At the base of the slot 16 there is secured, as by a pin 17, a quill 13 in the form of a metal rod of circular crosssection extending in both directions from the post 15. The quill 1% preferably has a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the helical portions 12 and is provided with a helical groove 19 corresponding in base diameter and pitch to the internal diameter and pitch of the helical portions 12.

The projecting end portions of the quill 18 are received respectively in

sleeves

21 and 22 mounted in fixed axial position in

suitable supports

23 and 24 for rotation about the axis of the quill. Each of the sleeves has a slot 25 extending longitudinally from the sleeve-end nearest the post 15 for a distance at least approximately equal to the length of the helix to be formed. Each slot 25 receives the quill at its base and has a width at least equal to the outer diameter of the helix to be formed.

In forming the specific device illustrated in FIG. 1, a length of wire is wound at its center to produce the eye 11, leaving the end portions ofthe wire extending from the eye as substantially straight legs 27 (FIG. 2) diverging from each other at an angle such that they are adapted to be received in the helical groove 19 on opposite sides of the quill 18. The wire so formed is then put in place in the machine with the eye 11 received in the slot 16 and the legs 27 received in the groove 19 of the quill, as shown in FIG. 2. The

sleeves

21 and 22 extend into such proximity to the post 15 that the wire-legs 27 project obliquely through the ends of the slots 25. To facilitate such positioning of the wire, the end of each of the

sleeves

22 and 23 may be provided with a notch 28 best shown in FIG. 5, and longitudinal edges of the groove 16 may be beveled as indicated at 29. The particular helices 12 shown in 1G. 1 are right-hand helices; and to form them, each of the

sleeves

21 and 22 will therefore rotate in a clockwise direction looking outward from the central post 15. In such rotation, each projecting wire-leg 27 will be engaged by the counterclockwise wall 36 of the slot and wrapped around the quill 18 into the groove 19. The notch 28 in each sleeve 22 is located at the clockwise side of the slot 25 and shortens the clockwise wall 31 of such slot. The length of'the notch 28 axially of the sleeve is desirably no greater than that necessary to facilitate positioning of the wire at the beginning of the winding operation.

With the wire positioned as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the

sleeves

21 and 22 are rotated, each in the clockwise direction as viewed looking outwardly from the post 15. After approximately one-half revolution, each projecting wire-leg Z7 is engaged by a slot-wall 30, and continued rotation of each sleeve wraps the wire about the quill into a helix in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. Rotation of the sleeves is terminated while an end portion of each wire-leg 27 remains straight and projecting obliquely outwardly from the quill in the slot 25. When the

sleeves

21 and 22 are rotated in the reverse direction (FIG. 4) such projecting ends of the legs 27 are engaged by the slot walls 31, and the formed helices are unwound from the quill 18, passing radially outwardly through the slot 25. When both helically formed end portions 12 are completely unwound, the completed device is withdrawn from the machine, the eye 11 passing upwardly through the end of the slot 16.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to machines adapted to produce the particular support shown in FIG. 1. By laying any substantially straight length of wire in the quill-groove 19 so that the ends of the wire project in opposite directions beyond the quill;

by holding the outer of the projecting wire-ends stationary while the other is positioned to be engaged by a side wall of the slot in the quill-surrounding sleeve, a helix corresponding in diameter and pitch to the diameter and pitch of the groove 19 will be formed; and if the helixforming operation is terminated while a straight end of the wire still remains in the sleeve-slot, reverse rotation of the sleeve will unwind the completed helix from the quill.

Although I have referred to the groove 19 as corresponding in pitch and base diameter to the pitch and internal diameter of the helix, some allowance must be made for the elastic nature of the wire, which will cause it to spring back slightly toward its original straight condition when relieved of winding eifort. Accordingly, the base diameter of the groove 19 should be somewhat less than the desired internal diameter of the finished helix and the pitch of the groove 19 should be somewhat less than the desired pitch of the finished helix. In some cases, a slight permanent distortion, tending to reduce the diameter of the helix, may occur as an incident to the tin winding operation; andwhen accurate control of helix diameter is required, any such distortion will have to be taken into account in determining the base diameter of the quill-groove. Since the bending of the wire incident to winding of the helix forces the wire into the base of the groove 19, the quill 18 may have a diameter and the slot 25 .a width greater than the outer diameter of the finished helix.

It is possible with my invention to form helices of noncircular cross-section. An example of such a helix is one adapted to grip a line containing a pair of parallel wires and a common insulating sheath. To produce a helix adapted to conform to and grip such a line, the base of the groove 19 may be provided at appropriate intervals with flats as shown in FIG. 7. Such flats are conveniently formed after the groove 19 is cut, by grinding the base of the groove to remove the metal lying below the dotted line of FIG. 7, which dotted line indicates the original conformation of the groove-bottom. Because of the spring-back referred to above, the interval between the flats 35, measured axially of the quill, should be somewhat more than one-half the pitch of the groove 19 or slightly more than 180 measured angularly about the axis of the quill.

It may further be noted that it is unnecessary for the groove 19 to have a uniform pitch throughout its length or for the groove 19 on one side of the post 15 to be in phase with, or of the same pitch as, the groove on the other side. Neither is it necessary, when two helices are to be simultaneously formed, that both helices be of the same hand; for, if desired, I may employ a quill having helical grooves of opposite hand on opposite sides of the post 15 or its equivalent, in which event both of the winding sleeves would rotate in the same direction about the quill-axis in forming the two helices. Again, the invention is not limited to an arrangement in which a single helix is formed by rotation of each of the slotted sleeves; for the quill may be provided with more than one helical groove.

Where, as in making the device shown, two simultaneously formed helices have the same number of turns, it is convenient to drive the

sleeves

21 and 22 at the same speed from a common power-source. In such an arrangement it will of course be advisable that the sleeves be so phased relative to each other that both slots 25 come simultaneously into position to receive the wire-legs 27.

As will be apparent from the above, my invention is extremely flexible in its capability of adaptation for the formation of helices of circular or non-circular cross-sec tion, of uniform or nonuniform pitch, and of either hand. It may be noted that separation of a helix from the quill by the unwinding operation which characterizes the method of my invention is entirely different from a separation effected by unscrewing the helix from the quill.

In my method, the progressively diminishing helix portion remaining on the quill stays stationary with respect to the quill, whereas in the latter method the entire helix rotates as a unit about its axis relative to the quill. As a result, helices of graduated pitch or of non-circular cross-section cannot be removed from the quill by an unscrewing operation; and the same is true of a unitary device embodying helices of opposite hand formed on a unitary quill.

I claim:

1. In a method of forming a wire into a helix wherein the wire is wrapped into a helical groove provided in the outer surface of an axially extended quill, the steps of interrupting the wrapping of the wire while an end of the wire still projects laterally from the quill, and then, by applying torque to said projecting wire-end, progressively unwrapping the formed helix from around the quill while maintaining the progressively lengthening unwrapped helix portion with its axis at an acuate angle to the axis of the quill as it is bodily rotated therearound, a progressively lengthening portion of the quill projecting from within the helix between adjacent helix-turns as the unwrapping proceeds.

2. In a method of forming a wire into a helix wherein the wire is wrapped into a helical groove provided in the outer surface of an axially extended quill, the steps of disposing the Wire in the quill groove with one end projecting obliquely from the quill, anchoring the other end of the wire against rotation relative to the quill, wrapping the projecting wire-end into the quill groove by applying a torque to it at a point closely adjacent to the quill to form from the wire a helix occupying the quill-groove, and then progressively unwrapping such helix from around the quill and out of the quill-groove while maintaining the progressively lengthening unwrapped helix portion with its axis at an acute angle to the axis of the quill as it is bodily rotated therearound, a progressively lengthening portion of the quill projecting from within the helix between adjacent helix-turns as the unwrapping proceeds.

3. In a method of forming a wire into a helix wherein the wire is wrapped into a helical groove provided in the outer. surface of an axially extended quill, the steps of disposing the wire in the quill groove with one end projecting obliquely from the quill, anchoring the other end of the wire against rotation relative to the quill, wrapping toe projecting wire-end into the quill groove by applying a torque to it at a point closely adjacent to the quill to form from the wire a helix occupying the quill-groove, interrupting the wrapping operation while a portion of the projecting wire-end remains unwound, and then, by applying torque to said unwound portion, progressively unwrapping the formed helix from around the quill while maintaining the progressively lengthening unwrapped helix portion with its axis at an acute angle to the axis of the quill as it is bodily rotated therearound, a progressively lengthening portion of the quill projecting from within the helix between adjacent helix-turns as the unwrapping proceeds.

4. In a method of forming the end portions of a length of wire into helices, the steps of securing the intermediate portion of the wire adjacent the intermediate portion of an extended quill having end portions provided with helical grooves, wrapping the end portions of the wire into the helical grooves of the quill to form them into helices, interrupting the wrapping of the wire while the ends of the wire remain unwrapped, and then, by applying torque to the unwrapped ends, progressively unwrapping each formed helix from around the quill while maintaining the progressively lengthening unwrapped portion of the helix with its axis at an acute angle to the axis of the quill as it is bodily rotated therearound, a progressively lengthening portion of the quill projecting from within the helix between adjacent helix-turns as the unwrapping proceeds.

5. A method of forming a wire into a helix, comprising wrapping the wire into a helical groove in the outer surface of an axially extending quill, interrupting the winding when a helix of the desired length has been thus produced, and then, by applying an unwinding torque at opposite ends of the helix, progressively unwrapping the formed helix from around the quill while maintaining the progressively lengthening unwrapped helix portion with its axis at an acute angle to the axis of the quill as it is bodily rotated therearound, a progressively lengthening portion of the quill projecting from within the helix between adjacent helix-turns as the unwrapping proceeds. 10

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,031 5/ 17 Kriesel 140-90 2,209,114 7/40 Dorr 153-66 2,898,952 8/59 Lovecky l40l24 MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, KINGSLEY CONGDON PECK, Examiners.

Claims

1. IN A METHOD OF FORMING A WIRE INTO A HELIX WHEREIN THE WIRE IS WRAPPED INTO A HELICAL GROOVE PRODIVED IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF AN AXIALLY EXTENDED QUILL, THE STEPS OF INTERRUPTING THE WRAPPING OF THE WIRE WHILE AN END OF THE WIRE STILL PROJECTS LATERALLY FROM THE QUILL, AND THEN, BY APPLYING TORQUE TO SAID PROJECTING WIRE-END, PROGRESSIVELY UNWRAPPING THE FORMED HELIX FROM AROUND THE QUILL WHILE MAINTAINING THE PROGRESSIVELY LENGTHENING UNWRAPPED HELIX PORTION WITH ITS AXIS AT AN ACUATE ENGLE TO THE AXIS OF THE QUILL AS IT IS BODILY ROTATED THEREAROUND, A PROGRESSIVELY LENGTHENING PORTION OF THE QUILL PROJECTING FROM WITHIN THE HELIX BETWEEN ADJACENT HELIX-TURNS AS THE UNWRAPPING PROCEEDS.