US3319447A - Method and apparatus for coiling wire - Google Patents

Description

y 6, 1967 R. H. WlSE 3,319,447

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE Filed Jan. 30, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY RHLPH h. (J/55 m 1 I (J/gm; $577158, Can/e QTTo/z NE vs May 16, 1967 R. H. WISE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILING WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Jan. 30, 1963 WAR/ABLE JPEED 7Rn-s MISS/0N INVENTOR. Rm PH H. (1/55 BY 41/450 .S'ETTLEQ CRmG May .16, 1967 R. H. WISE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COILlNG WIRE 3 Sheets-Sheet 25 Filed Jan. 30, 1963 INVENTOR. AALPH H. 14/455 BY /m o/v, 557725: CRH/G ,qrrokms v5 United States Patent ()fifice 3,319,454? Fatented May 16, 1967 3,319,447 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CGILING WIRE Ralph El. Wise, R0. Box 356, Grand Haven, Mich. 49417 Filed Jan. 363, 1963, Ser. No. 255,735 6 Claims. (Ci. 72140) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuously producing a dead helical coil of wire or similar filament.

When helical coils are formed merely by pushing the wire endwise through a forming tool having a helical groove of the diameter and pitch of the desired coil, the coil necessarily rotates about the axis of the helix as the coil is being formed. This produces what is termed a live coil. If the coil is to be produced continuously in indefinite lengths, this requires either an orbiting supply coil of wire, or an orbiting take-up spool, or both. This requires an awkward and expensive machine to produce any extensive length of large diameter helix. Otherwise the formed coil must be cut into short lengths because it is impractical to rotate about its own axis a coil of indefinite length.

This invention has among its objects to produce continuously indefinite lengths of dead helical coil by which is meant a coil which does not rotate about its axis as it is discharged from the machine. This makes it possible to produce indefinite lengths of helical coil which can be progressively Wound on a non-orbiting drum as the coil is formed.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved, simple, compact and economical apparatus which will continuously produce coils of helical wire from a non-orbiting supply.

Still another object is to provide an improved forming machine which can readily be adapted or adjusted to produce coils of different diameters and of dififerent pitches.

Still another object is to provide an improved forming tool which can be adjusted to make helical coils of different diameters.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, in which each reference character, wherever it occurs, always refers to the same part.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of one form of machine for forming a helical coil according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a helical coil emerging from the machine as seen from the plane represented by the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a wire coiling tool suitable for use in the machine of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation partly in section of a forming tool for making helical coils of different diameters.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of the tool as seen from the plane represented by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

Before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction nor arrangement described herein or shown in the accompanying drawings, which are for illustration only, since the invention can be embodied in other forms and can be practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is only for the purpose of description and illustration and does not constitute a limitation of the invention.

Referring to FIGURE 4, a wire 10 is fed along its axis from left to right by a pair of feed rolls l2 and through a forming tool, generally designated by 14. The forming tool has a groove 16 in one side which is substantially filled by the wire being fed. A plate 18 is secured to the tool in suitable manner to close the groove, and provide a hole through the tool and fitting the wire. The tool includes a portion 20 which is disposed substantially axially of the Wire and a portion 22 which is formed into a helix. The groove 16 runs continuously from one end of the forming tool to the other so that in the portion 22 the groove is of the form, diameter and pitch of the helix in the coil to be made. In the portion 22 the groove need not be covered by the plate 18 because in this portion of the tool the groove is on the inside of the material and the wire is held against the groove and forced against the bottom of the groove by the force which feeds the wire through the forming tool.

The apparatus as above described produces a live helical coil of wire which rotates about its axis as it is being formed, appearing to be screwing out of the tool. In order to make a dead coil, that is, one which does not rotate, the tool 14 is rotated about the axis of the wire 10 and in the sense of rotation opposite to the sense in which the coil tends to rotate as it emerges from the tool. This opposite rotation is synchronized with the speed of the feed rolls for the length of the wire which produces a given diameter of helix so that the tool is turned reversely once for each convolution of the helix being formed. This twists the wire once reversely about the axis of the wire itself for each convolution of the helix being formed and this twisting operation combined with the coiling of the wire into a helix produces a dead coil which can be formed in indefinite lengths and wound upon a non-orbiting take-off spool.

The pressure of the feed rolls 12 upon the Wire prevents the wire from being twisted prior to its entry to the feed beyond the nip of the rolls, and the bend in the helical groove at the beginning of the portion 22 of the tool serves as a gripping point for the twisting.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of apparatus for performing the process described. This includes a supply spool 30 arranged to rotate about its own axis 32 to supply wire tangentially from the spool without twisting. The spool is mounted on a stationary frame 34. The feed rolls 12 are driven through suitable gearing, as will be explained, from any suitable motor 36 mounted on the frame to draw the wire through a series of straightening rolls 33 and a straightening guide 40 which may consist of mating grooved plates urged together under any desired pressure by adjusting screws 42. The wire after passing the nip of the feed rolls 12 may be pushed through another guide 44 into the forming tool 14 which is constructed as has been previously described in connection with FIGURE 4. The guide 44 is to keep the wire straight and prevent its kinking as it is pushed from the rolls 12 into forming tool 14. The guide 44 is constructed so that twisting of the wire about its axis is permitted between the plates of the guide 44.

The forming tool 14 is mounted in a quill 46 slidable, but not rotatable in a drive tube 47 mounted in bearings 48 and rota-ted by a belt 50 from the motor 36. The tube 47 is geared to a countershaft 52 by gears 54, 56. The countershaft drives a gear 58 which drives the feed rolls 12 through a variable speed transmission 60 indicated schematically in FIGURE 2. The gearing and transmission are so arranged that the rolls 12 feed a Un1ted States Patent fifiee 3,319,454?

Patented May 16, 1967 a) 01 telnnnolcc} ued heleln 1S 0111) fox the p p W /W MW T[ j [Sigz gig! fi 5 WW? Wm 19' was l Patented May 16, we?

ology or terminology used herein of description and illustration an FOR WIRE limitation of the invention.

4, a Wire 10 is led along its is only for the purpose (1 does not constitute a APPARATUS 'ise, 1 0. Box 356, Grand Haven, g to FIGURE 49417 'r of feed rolls 12 and designated by 14 The q if 9119 rality of straightening rolls, a pair of straightening guides, a rotatable forming tool having a continuous groove therein including a straight portion and a curved portion of helical formation, a drive tube, feed rolls between said guides for feeding a Wire from said spool over said straightening rolls, through said guides and forming tool, means for driving said drive tube and feed rolls and vari-. able speed means for controlling the speed of said feed rolls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1900 Lauer 15366 6/1956 Kitselman 1364

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING A HELICAL COIL OF WIRE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION FORMING MEANS HAVING AN INSIDE HELICAL GROOVE HAVING A PITCH CORRESPONDING TO ONE HAND OF ROTATION, SAID FORMING MEANS BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID GROOVE, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING WIRE IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS LENGTH ALONG SAID HELICAL GROOVE, MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS OF THE WIRE BEING FED UP TO A FIXED POINT AHEAD OF SAID HELICAL GROOVE, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE FORMING MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE HAND OF ROTATION AT A RATE PROVIDING ONE ROTATION DURING THE TIME ONE CONVOLUTION OF THE HELIX IS BEING FORMED AND MEANS FOR CHANGING THE RATE OF WIRE FLOW TO FORM DIFFERENT DIAMETER OF HELICES.

Images