US3388725A - Wire winding device - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1968 R. E. RICHARDSON WIRE WINDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1966 INVENTOR. RA/VDEL E RICHARDSON BY W/dkZwz W June 1968 R. E. RICHARDSON WIRE WINDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1966 INVENTOR. RANDEL E RICHARDSON J1me 1968 R. E. RICHARDSON 3,338,725

WIRE WINDING DEVICE M INVENTOR.

RANDEL E RICHARDSON BY E m 65 22 6(7 yd 4 r 1 E United States Patent 3,383,725 WERE WINDING DEVICE Randal E. Richardson, 4822 Holt Drive, Memphis, Tenn. 38116 Filed Get. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 587,878 9 (Ziaims. (Cl. 14093) This invention relates to a device for winding pieces of tie Wire and is particularly adapted for the winding of such wire in the formation of articulated concrete mattresses used to line the banks of a river.

In the formation of articulated mattresses of the abovementioned type, a plurality of concrete panels or slabs having attachment wires projecting from the ends thereof are secured to a cable by means of pieces of tie wires wound or twisted around the cable and attachment wires. Heretofore, the securing of the above-mentioned pieces of tie wire was done by hand. This was a very slow and laborious task. The present invention is directed towards providing a motor-driven device for winding the abovernentioned pieces of tie wire in the formation of an articulated concrete mattress.

Thus, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a labor saving motor-driven device for winding pieces of tie wire.

A further object is to provide such a device having a carriage that can be quickly and easily rolled into place and thence actuated to wind the tie wires.

A further object is to provide such a device having unique and efficient wire winding elements.

A further object is to provide such wire winding elements in which each has a tie wire receiving notch therein and which elements rotate in opposite directions to engage opposite ends of the wire and wind same.

A further object is to provide such elements having means for preventing separation thereof and having means for locating the tie wire during the initial positioning thereof.

A further object is to provide a unique arrangement of the parts of the device wherein by a simple downward movement of the actuating assembly the tie wires can be easily and quickly wound.

A further object is to provide such a device having means for feeding the tie wires one at a time into position to be engaged by the wire winding elements.

A further object is to provide such a device having means for holding the tie wire elements during the downward movement thereof into a position over the cable and attachment wires.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention shown in use in the construction of an articulated concrete mattress.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken as on a vertical plane through the outer housing of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as on the line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the end of one of the finger members and with a group of tie wires shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as on a vertical plane through the lower portion of the actuating assembly and taken as on line V-V of FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the actuating assembly.

3,383,725 Patented June 18, 1968 FIG. 8 is a view showing the actuating elements in place and just after the tie wire has been Wound.

FIG. 9 is a view of the notch defining faces of the wire winding elements as they would appear if laid out on a flat surface and taken as on the line IX-IX of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XX of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12. is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line XII-X1I of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the device 11 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 in connection with the construction of the articulated concrete mattress 13. Mattress 13, as is known to those skilled in the art, comprises a plurality of concrete slabs 15 having attachment wires 17 that are embedded in the adjacent ends of the concrete slabs 15. Mattress 13 also includes cables 19 extending between the ends of the concrete slabs 15 and to which the attachment wires 17 are attached by the pieces of tie wires 21. The attachment wires 17 extend outwardly from an end of a concrete slab 15, thence at a right angle along a portion of the cable 19 and thence into the end of the opposite concrete slab 15 as best seen in FIG. 1. Also, in the figures a tie wire 21' which has been wound around the attachment wires 17 and cable 19 is shown. For purposes of clarity the pieces of tie wire after winding will be denoted with a prime mark, as 21, and will be denoted 21 when in the original shape before winding, as seen in FIG. 2. The adjacent ends of concrete slab 15 are indented as at 23 during the formation of the concrete slabs 15 so as to provide room for the winding or twisting of the tie Wires 21. As will be understood from the following description, it is the purpose of the device 11 of the present invention to wind the tie wires 21 in a coil around the attachment wires 17 and cable 19 as shown as at 21' in FIGS. 1 and 8.

The device 11 of the present invention comprises in general a wheeled carriage 25, which is movable over the concrete mattress 13, an actuating assembly 27 mounted for vertical movement relative to carriage 25, and a tie wire feeding mechanism 29.

Carriage 25 comprises a substantially box-like outer housing 31 which is open from the top to the bottom thereof. Also, carriage 25 includes a plurality of swiveled wheels 32 (preferably but not necessarily four in number, as shown in FIG. 1) which engage and roll on the concrete slabs 15 and which are connected to outer housing 31 by suitable support means, as the support members 33 fixedly attached to housing 31 so that the outer housing 31 can be supported above the cable 19 with the device 11 straddling the space between the ends of the concrete slabs 15, as shown in FIG. 1.

Actuating assembly 27 comprises in general an inner housing 35 telescopically and slidably mounted in outer housing 31 for vertical movement therein, wire winding elements 37, 39, a handle 41, suitable motor means as electric motor 43 mounted on handle 41, and means coupling motor 43 to wire winding elements 37, 39 for the drive thereof.

Referring now to actuating assembly 27 in more detail, the wire winding elements 37. 39 are rotatably mounted in side by side relationship in the lower end of inner housing 35 for rotation about a common horizontal axis. The elements 37, 39 are each substantially circular. The wire winding elements 37, 39 are substantially alike, and the following description of wire Winding element 37 will suifice for both. Also, corresponding parts of Wire winding element 39 will be denoted by the use of the prime mark. The inner face 45 of the main portion 47 of wire winding element 37 is vertically disposed and in sliding rotational engagement with the inner face 45 of the main portion 47' of wire winding element 39. The interior of inner housing 35 is preferably arcuately formed as at 49, 4.9 to respectively rotatably receive main portions 47, 47. On the opposite side of main portion 47 from inner face 45 element 37 is provided with a gear portion 51 integrally and concentrically formed with the main portion. Also, on the outside of gear portion 51 remote from main portion 47, the element 37 is provided with a circular bearing portion 53 integrally and concentrically formed with gear portion 51 and main portion 47. Likewise, element 39 is formed with gear portion 51 and a circular bearing portion 53. In the front wall 55 and the back wall 57 of inner housing 35 is provided substantially circular openings 59, 59 in which bearing portions 53, 53' are respectively journaled. Element 37 is provided with a tie wire receiving notch 61 provided in a segment thereof and which extends from the outer circular edge thereof inwardly and just beyond the axis of the element. Also, this notch 61 extends through the main portion 47, gear portion 51, and the bearing portion 53. In other words, notch 61 extends all the way through element 37 from inner face 45 to the outside face 63 of bearing portion 53. Notch 61 is defined by a pair of angularly disposed and substantially radially extending faces 65, 67 of the element 37 which are perpendicular to inner face 45 and which converge inwardly, as best seen in FIG. 5, with the faces 65, 67 being connected by the arcuate face 69 that extends around the horizontal axis X of element 37 as shown in FIG. 5. As will be better understood later in the specification, the face 67 is the tie wire engaging face that does the actual work along with portions of arcuate face 69. Element 39 is similarly provided with anotch 61 but since the elements 37, 39 rotate in opposite directions, the tie wire engaging face 67' of element 39 is opposite from the tie wire engaging face 67. Circularly disposed tongue and groove means concentric with the horizontal axis X of elements 37, 39 is provided coupling the elements together to prevent separation thereof. Thus, a dovetail tongue 71 circularly disposed about the above-mentioned horizontal axis X projects from the inner face 45 of element 39 into a corresponding dovetail groove 73 in element 37 so that the elements 37, 39 are free to rotate relative to each other in opposite directions but are held against separating movement. The notches 61, 61' a e normally in a first or starting position in which the notches face downwardly as shown in FIG. 5. The lower edges of front and back walls 55, 57 of inner housing 35 are notched out as at 75, '75 to correspond to notches 61, 61'. The notched out portions 75, 75, it will be understood, extend upwardly to the openings 59, 59' to correspond to the notches 61, 61' when the latter-mentioned notches are in said first or starting positions shown in FIG. 5. From the foregoing, it will be understood that due to the notches 61, 61' and notched out portions 75, 75, the actuating assembly 27 can be moved downwardly into a lower or operating position in which the tie winding elements 37, 39 straddle the cable 19 and attachment wires 17, as best seen in FIG. 8.

Two pairs of idler gears (one pair of which is shown by the numeral 77 and the other pair by the numeral 77') are rotatably mounted in inner housing 35 respectively on transverse shafts 79, 79' in spaced apart relationship. Idler gears 77 respectively engage gear portion 51 and idler gears 77' respectively engage gear portion 51'. The spacing of the two gears 77 and the spacing of the two gears 77' are such that at least one of the gears 77 and at least one of the gears 77' are always in engagement with gear portions 51 and 51, particularly while the other gear of the pair is opposite notches 61, 61'. A pair of drive gears 81, 81' are rotatably mounted in inner housing 35 on a transverse shaft 83 with the shaft being in parallel spaced relationship to transverse shafts 79, 79'. Drive gear 81 is provided with a first gear portion 85 which engages idler gears '77 and is provided with a second or beveled gear portion 87 integrally formed with gear portion 85. Similarly, drive gear 81 is provided with a first gear P I i n 85' and a second or beveled gear portion 87. First gear portion 85' is in engagement with idler gears 77'. A beveled pinion gear 89 engages beveled gear portion 87 on one side thereof and beveled gear portion 87 on the other side thereof. Pinion gear 89 is fixedly attached to the lower end of the vertically extending shaft 91 of electric motor 43 which shaft rotatably extends through the tubular portion 93 of handle 41. Motor 43 is mounted in a casing 95 fixedly attached to the upper end of tubular portion 93 and which forms part of the handle 41. Also, handle 41 includes a hand grip 97 fixedly attached to casing 95. It will be noted that the lower end of tubular portion 93 is fixedly attached to housing 35. Electric motor 43 is provided with suitable switch means and source of electricity, not shown, in the usual manner, so that the motor can be turned on which will cause shaft 91 and pinion gear 89 to rotate. This in turn will drive gears 81, 81 in the opposite direction and consequently through the remainder of the gear train best shown in FIG. 6 will drive elements 37, 39 in opposite directions. Suitable well-known switch means or stop means is preferably provided for stopping the elements 37, 39 in the heretofore-mentioned first or starting position after the end of each operation so that the device is ready for the next operation. In the example given, it will be understood that element 37 is driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5, and element 39 is driven in the opposite direction at the same rate of speed. In other words, both of the elements 37, 39 start with the notches 61, 61 facing downwardly and rotate in opposite directions with the notches coming back to the same place and aligning on each revolution. It will be understood that this is just a momentary passing or aligning of the notches 61, 61 and normally the elements 37, 39 make a plurality of revolutions during the winding of the tie wire and before they stop.

The tie wires 21before being wound are preferably in the shape or outline of notches 61, 61'. Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, tie wire 21 is formed of a single piece of bendable wire in which the legs 99, 101 thereof converge upwardly and are integrally joined adjacent the upper end thereof by the arcuate portion 103.

Referring now more in detail to feeding mechanism 29, it comprises a magazine housing 195 containing a plurality of the tire wires 21. The magazine housing 105 is preferably shaped as will be seen in FIG. 1 to correspond to the tie wires 21. In the interior of magazine housing 105 is provided a spring 107 urging a plate 109 to the left as viewed in FIG. 3. On the other side of plate 109 from spring 107 is provided the heretofore mentioned plurality of tie wires 21 in contiguous relationship. A pair of finger means or elements 111 (only one of which is shown) are movably mounted in grooves 112 in magazine housing 105 for movement between an extended position, as shown in FIG. 3, and a retracted position to the right of the position shown in FIG. 3. Suitable means is provided for moving the finger elements 111 between said extended and said retracted positions. This means, for example, preferably comprises a lever 113 mounted on a shaft 115 which is manually rotatable as by means of the crank 117 fixed to shaft 115. Lever 113 preferably is slotted as at 119 to receive a pin 121 mounted on finger element 111 so that when the crank 117 is rotated, pin 121 is cammed by the lever 113 between said retracted and extended positions. At the end of each finger element 111 is provided a projection 122 which has a sloped surface 123 defining one side of the projection and a ledge 125 defining the other side of the projec tion. For purposes of clarity, in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the different tic wires are labeled 21, 21a, 21b and 210. In FIG. 4 the finger element 111 is shown just after separating tie wire 21 from the others in the group comprising 21a, 21b, and 210, and with the finger element shown in a position during its movement to the left. FIG; 3 shows the tie wire 21 after being moved into a ready position by the extension of finger element 111. From this extended position, shown in FIG. 3, the finger element 111 is then retracted whereupon the projection 122 moves behind the legs of the tie wire 21a ready to push tie wire 21a out into the ready position. It will be understood that due to the sloped surface 123 the projection 122 when moving to the right as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4 causes the leg of the tie wire to be moved inwardly and when the ledge 125 has passed the leg of the tie wire, the leg will spring out in front of the ledge 125 ready to be pushed by the ledge. -It will be understood that when the first tie wire is moved to a ready position by extension of the finger elements 111, the others of the group of tie wires remaining will be moved forwardly one wires width into position by the spring 107. Suitable stop means, not shown, is provided for stopping the first one of the tie wires in a correct position, as for example, in the position shown by 21a in FIG. 3 ready for the finger element 111 to move it out into the ready position shown by the tie wire 21. However, first, before wire 21a is moved out into such a ready position, the actuating assembly 27 must be moved downwardly to carry wire 21 downwardly out of the way for winding or wrapping engagement with the cable 19 and attachment wires 17. In other words, the tie wires are moved out one at a time into a ready position in the path of the actuating assembly 27 and the actuating assembly is moved downwardly alternatingly with the extending movement of the finger elements 111. -It will be noted that in FIGS. 2 and 3 the inner housing 35 is in a substantially raised position relative to the outer housing 31. This is done for the purposes of clarity of illustration, but it will be understood that normally the inner housing 35 when in a starting position is such that the notches 61, 61 and 75, 75' are in horizontal alignment with magazine housing 105 and the elements 37, 39 are in the position shown by the broken line position of wire winding element 37 as at 37 in FIG. 2. From the above-mentioned starting position the actuating assembly 27 is moved downwardly by the operator grasping handle 41 and pushing downwardly thereon to carry the tie wire 21 downwardly therewith to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 in which position the tie wire 21 is straddling the cable 19 and attachment wires 17 as shown. Means is provided for holding the tie wire 21 during the above-mentioned downward movement, and this means preferably comprises a pair of members 127, 127 that are slidably mounted in inner housing 35 for vertical movement. The members 127, 127 are substantially identical and the following description of member 127 will suflice for both, with corresponding parts of member 127 being indicated by the prime marks. Member 127 comprises an upstanding barlike portion 129 slidably mounted in a vertical groove 131 provided in the wall of outer housing 31. Above bar-like portion 129 in vertical groove 131 and extending bet-ween the upper end of the bar-like portion and housing 31 is provided a spring 133 urging bar-like portion 129 up wardly. At the lower end of bar-like portion 129 is fixedly attached a horizontally extending foot portion 135 which is adapted to be contacted by the lower end of leg 101 of tie wire 21. The upper surface of foot portion 135, when the member 127 is in an upward position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, is level with the upper surface of the bottom 137 of magazine 105 and extends into closely spaced relationship to the magazine housing so that the tie wires have a platform upon which to slide out on when the tie wires are being moved outwardly by the finger elements 111 as heretofore described. It will be understood that when the actuating assembly 27 is moved downwardly from the heretofore-mentioned starting position, the tie wire 21 will push downwardly against foot portions 135, 135' and cause the members 127, 127' to move downwardly therewith until in the broken line positions shown in FIG. 2. After the tie wire 21 is in the downward or broken line position straddling the cable 19 and attachment wires 17, motor 43 is turned on which causes rotation of the elements 37, 39 whereupon the respective tie wire engaging faces 67, 67' will engage the respective legs 19]., 99 to cause the winding thereof around the cable and attachment wires. It will be understood that during this winding the legs of the tie wire will be pulled off of foot portions 135, which will allow the members 127, 127' to return to their upward position ready for another tie wire.

Means is preferably provided for slightly cocking tie wires 21 relative to the inner faces 45, 45' of the elements 37, 39 so that leg 99 is adjacent tie wire engaging face 67' and leg 1411 is adjacent tie wire engaging surface 67. This means is preferably in the form of a groove 139 which has a portion 141 in face 67 adjacent inner face 45, a portion 143 in face 57 adjacent inner face 45, and a connecting portion 145 joining the portions 141, 143 and extending diagonally across the inner faces 45, 45', as best seen in FIG. 9. Thus, when the tie wires are moved out into the position shown as at 21 in solid lines in FIG. 2, the tie wire will be slightly cocked by engagement with the groove 139.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the sequence of operations of the device 11 of the present invention is first to move the carriage 25 into the position shown in FIG. 1, move the crank 117 to extend a tie wire into a ready position in the center of the outer housing 31, turn the crank to retract the finger elements 111, move the actuating assembly 27 downwardly, turn the motor 43 on to cause the tie wire 21 to be wrapped around the cable and attachment wires as shown by the completely wound tie wire 21' in FIG. 1, turn the motor off, raise the actuating assembly 27 to the heretofore-mentioned starting position ready for reception of another tie wire.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for winding pieces of the tire wire having legs in the construction of an articulated concrete mattress comprising a carriage including an outer housing, an inner housing slidably mounted in said outer housing for upward and downward movement therein, a pair of side by side wire winding elements rotatably mounted in said inner housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, said elements each having a substantially radially extending tie wire engaging face defining one side of a tie wire receiving notch in the element, said elements being normally positioned in a first position in which said notches are aligned with one another and are facing downwardly, and means operably coupled to said elements for rotating one of said elements in one direction from said first position and for rotating the other of said elements in the opposite direction to cause said tire wire engaging faces to urge the legs of the tire wires in opposite directions for the winding thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 in which is provided dovetail means interengaging said wire winding elements for preventing said elements from being spread apart.

3. The device of claim 1 in which is provided an up standing handle including a tubular portion attached to said inner housing for moving same upwardly and down wardly, and in which said means opcrably coupled to said elements includes a motor mounted on said handle adjacent the upper end thereof, a shaft driven by said motor and turnably extending through said tubular portion, a pinion gear attached to said shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, a pair of spaced apart drive gears engaging opposite sides of said pinion gear for drive in opposite direction by said pinion gear, two pairs of idler gears respectively interposed between said drive gears and said elements for the drive thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 in which is provided means defining a locating groove in said tire wire engaging faces of said elements, said locating groove having a portion thereof on each of said elements and a connecting portion extending across the adjacent faces of said elements.

5. The device of claim 1 in which is included means attached to said outer housing for feeding pieces of tie wire into a position for engagement by said elements upon downward movement of said inner housing.

6. The device of claim 5 in which is included means movably mounted in said outer housing for holding the tie wires upon downward movement thereof during downward movement of said inner housing.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said feeding means comprises a magazine assembly including a magazine housing for receiving a plurality of tie wires therein, and at least one finger means for engaging the tie wires one at a time, and actuating means coupled to said finger means for moving said finger means laterally to push the tie wires one at a time into the path of downward movement of said elements.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said holding means includes a pair of slidably mounted members respectively having feet portions upon which the legs of the tie wires are adapted to rest during downward movement thereof, and resilient means attached to said members for urging said members upwardly to return said members after the tie wires are removed therefrom.

9. A device for winding pieces of tie wire having legs in the construction of an articulated concrete mattress comprising a wheeled carriage movable over the concrete mattress, said carriage including an outer housing, an

inner housing slidably mounted in said outer housing for upward and downward movement therein, an upstanding handle including a tubular portion attached to said inner housing for moving same upwardly and downwardly, a pair of substantially circular side by side wire winding elements rotatably mounted in said inner housing for rotation about a common horizontal axis, said elements each having a substantially radially extending tie wire engaging face defining one side of a tie wire receiving notch in the elements, said elements being normally positioned in a first position in which said notches are aligned with one another and are facing downwardly, a motor mounted on said handle, means interposed between said motor and said elements for rotating one of said elements in one direction from said first position and for rotating the other of said elements in the opposite direction to cause said tie wire engaging faces to urge the legs of the tie wires in opposite directions for the winding thereof, means attached to said outer housing for feeding the pieces of tie wire into a position for engagement by said elements upon downward movement of said inner housing, and means movably mounted in said outer housing for holding the tie wires upon downward movement thereof during downward movement of said inner housmg.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,043 7/ l 890 Frackleton 57 2,098,945 11/1937 Davis 140-122 3,169,559 2/1965 Working 140149 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR WINDING PIECES OF THE TIRE WIRE HAVING LEGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ARTICULATED CONCRETE MATTRESS COMPRISING A CARRIAGE INCLUDING AN OUTER HOUSING, AN INNER HOUSING SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OUTER HOUSING FOR UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT THEREIN, A PAIR OF SIDE BY SIDE WIRE WINDING ELEMENTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID INNER HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID ELEMENTS EACH HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING TIE WIRE ENGAGING FACE DEFINING ONE SIDE OF A TIE WIRE RECEIVING NOTCH IN THE ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENTS BEING NORMALLY POSITIONED IN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID NOTCHES ARE ALIGNED WITH ONE ANOTHER AND ARE FACING DOWNWARDLY, AND MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED TO SAID ELEMENTS FOR ROTATING ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS IN ONE DIRECTION FROM SAID FIRST POSITION AND FOR ROTATING THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO CAUSE SAID TIRE WIRE ENGAGING FACES TO URGE THE LEGS OF THE TIRE WIRES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FOR THE WINDING THEREOF.

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