US3563020A - Wire-stranding and wire-armouring machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A BOBBIN-LOADING AND UNLOADING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A CABLE-MAKING MACHINE OF THE KIND IN WHICH BOBBINS ARE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON CANTILEVERED ARBORS CARRIED ON FRAMES ROTATABLE ABOUT THE MACHINE AXIS, COMPRISES A LOADING TABLE FOR SUPPORTING A BOBBIN WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL. THE TABLE IS CONSTRAINED TO BE RECIPROCATED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE MACHINE AXIS FROM A NORMAL POSITION IN WHICH IT IS CLEAR OF A ROTATING FRAME OF THE MACHINE TO A FORWARD POSITION. AT THE FORWARD POSITION EITHER A FULL BOBBIN CAN BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE TABLE TO A CANTILEVERED ARBOR IN THE LOADING (AND UNLOADING) POSITION OR AN EMPTY BOBBIN CAN BE TRANSFERRED FROM A CANTILEVERED ARBOR TO THE TABLE. THE TABLE PREFERABLY CARRIES MEANS FOR POSITIONING A BOBBIN ON THE TABLE WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENT WITH THE AXIS OF A CANTILEVERED ARBOR IN THE LOADING POSITION AND MAY FORM PART OF A BOBBIN-CONVEYOR POSITIONED ALONGSIDE THE CABLE-MAKING MACHINE.

Description

E. HARRIS ET AL WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Feb 4 Sheets-Sheet i Filed April a, 1969 Feb. 16, 1971 E HARR|5 ET AL 3,563,020

WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 By M @M ttorne y Feb. 16, 1971 E HARRls ETAL WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Filed April 8, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. HARRIS ET Al- WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Feb. 16, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed April 8, 1969 Attarne y 5 United States Patent Office 3,563,020 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 3,563,020 WIRE-STRANDING AND WIRE-ARMOURING MACHINES Edwyn Harris, Tarvin, near Helsby, and Raymond J. Pap- Worth, Hedge End, Botley, England, assignors to British Insulated Callenders Cables Limited, London, England Filed Apr. 8, 1969, Ser. No. 814,339 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 10, 1968, 17,269/ 68 Int. Cl. D01h 9/00, 9/18 US. Cl. 57-52 20 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with a cable-making machine of the kind in which bobbins are rotatably supported on cantilevered arbors carried on frames rotatable about the machine axis, comprises a loading table for supporting a bobbin With its axis substantially horizontal. The table is constrained to be reciprocated in a direction transverse to the machine axis from a normal position in which it is clear of a rotating frame of the machine to a forward position. At the forward position either a full bobbin can be transferred from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading (and unloading) position or an empty bobbin can be transferred from a cantilevered arbor to the table. The table preferably carries means for positioning a bobbin on the table with its axis substantially coincident with the axis of a cantilevered arbor in the loading position and may form part of a bobbin-conveyor positioned alongside the cable-making machine.

This invention relates to wire-stranding machines and wire-armouring machines of the kind in which the wires are drawn oi from bobbins which are rotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried on or in a frame or frames rotatable about the machine axis and each of which, as the frame carrying it rotates, is or may be maintained in a horizontal position and passes through a loading position once during each revolution of the frame. During operation of the machine each bobbin is retained on the arbor carrying it by a releasable locking device but can be withdrawn, when its arbor is in its loading position, by releasing the locking device. The arbors may be arranged in groups with the axes of the arbors of a group lying in a plane normal to the machine axis or lying at an acute angle to such plane. The present invention is especially concerned with arrangements for loading and unloading such wire-stranding and wire-armouring machines and also machines constructed on similar principles but designed to lay up cable cores and wire rope strands, all such machines being included in the term cable-making machines of the kind described.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bobbin-loading device for cable-making machines of the kind described which will substantially eliminate manual effort from the operation of loading such machines with full bobbins and removing from such machines bobbins from which all or substantially all wire has been drawn oif.

By the present invention we provide a novel bobbin loading and unloading device for use with a cable-making machine of the kind described which device comprises a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axis substantially horizontal, means for moving said table in a direction transverse to the machine axis from a normal position in which it and its bobbin are clear of the rotating frame of the machine to a forward position and transferring a bobbin from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading position, and means for transferring a bobbin from a cantilevered arbor in the loading position to the table and returning the table to its normal position.

Where the cantilevered arbors of a group are so mounted that their axes lie in a plane normal to the machine axis, the movement of the table is in a rectilinear substantially horizontal path normal to the machine axis and means are provided for positioning a bobbin on the table with its axis coincident or approximately coincident with the axis of a cantileverd arbor in the loading (and unloading) position. In this case transfer of a bobbin from the loading table to an arbor in the loading position may be effected by moving the table forward towards the machine to a position where the table lies beneath the arbor to be loaded. The arbor may be unloaded by a retractable projection or projections on the table engaging a flange of the bobbin on the arbor and returning the table to its normal position.

Where the cantilevered arbors of a group are so mounted that their axes lie at an acute angle to a plane normal to the machine axis, the movement of the loading table may be in a rectilinear substantially horizontal path correspondingly inclined to a plane normal to the machine axis. Alternatively, it may be in an arcuate substantially horizontal path so as to bring about a change in direction of the axis of a bobbin on the table from one that is at right angles to the machine axis to a direction coincident or approximately coincident with the axis of a cantilevered arbor in its loading (and unloading) position.

To ensure that wire is drawn off the bobbins in a cable making machine under an appropriate tension it is necessary to apply a retarding torque to each bobbin. This is preferably effected by mounting the bobbin on a sleeve rotatably mounted on the arbor and providing some form of braking device between this sleeve and its arbor. 1n this way the need to adjust the braking torque before an empty bobbin is withdrawn and to readjust it after inserting a full bobbin is avoided. However, the operation of replacing an empty or nearly empty bobbin by a full bobbin involves indexing the machine to bring the empty or nearly empty bobbin to the loading position and then either cutting the wire at some convenient Point and Winding up the scrap end of the cut wire on to the bobbin before removing the bobbin or unwinding all the wire remaining on a nearly empty bobbin and coiling it down adjacent to the machine before removing the bobbin, inserting a full bobbin, drawing off the leading end of the wire on that bobbin and welding it to the tail end of the wire drawn off the previous bobbin and then rotating the full bobbin to take up the slack wire. Generally, especially in the case of heavy gauge wire, it will be diicult to rotate the bobbins without removing the braking torque, which must then be re-applied. Even if the braking torque is removed rotation of the heavy full bobbins involves the machine operator in considerable manual effort in cases where there may be as many as 72 or more bobbins to be loaded into a machine. Accordingly itis a further object of this invention to provide a novel bobbinloading and unloading device which will eliminate the need for such manual effort and in accordance with a further feature of our invention our novel bobbin-loading and unloading device comprises power operated means for driving a bobbin on the sleeve of an arbor in the loading position in rotation in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction. By such means a nearly empty bobbin in the loading position may be driven in a direction to unwind a part or the whole of the wire remaining on it and, if required, be driven in a counter direction to wind up any scrap wire trailing from the bobbin in cases where the procedure of cutting the wire is adopted in preference to that of unwinding and coiling down. Similarly a full bobbin may be driven first in a direction to unwind sufficient wire to enable the leading end of the wire to be welded to the tail end of the wire drawn off the previous bobbin and then in the counter direction to re-wind wire on to the full bobbin to an extent to take up slack in the welded wires. The means for driving the bobbins for the purposes described may comprise a rotary clutch that can be moxed axially into and out of engagement with a bobbin and/ or with the rotatable sleeve on which the bobbin is mounted, the clutch being power driven as required, preferably by a compressed air motor mounted on the loading device.

Full bobbins may be fed to the loading table of the bobbin loading and unloading device by any appropriate means but we prefer to use for such purpose a conveyor of the kind described and claimed in the complete specication of a co-pending application No. 814,333, filed Apr. 8, 1969 that is to say, by causing the full bobbin to roll on its flanges along a path parallel to the machine axis and on to the loading table, stop means being provided to arrest the rolling bobbin and position it on the table in alignment with the axis of the arbor in the loading position. Preferably the stop means are retractible so that when necessary full bobbins may roll right across the loading table and on to the loading table of another bobbin-loading device.

Empty bobbins withdrawn from the machine by the loading and unloading device may be discharged from the loading table of that device by any convenient means but we prefer to effect discharge by arranging for the loading table to be temporarily tilted about a horizontal axis at right angles to the machine axis to cause the empty bobbin to start rolling olf the loading table and on to a conveyor after retracting the stop means at the lower end of the tilted table.

Our invention also includes a cable making machine of the kind described fitted with one or more of our novel bobbin loading and unloading devices. Here it is explained that although a single loading and unloading device may be used to feed and withdraw bobbins from a number of groups of arbors in turn, we prefer to provide each group of arbors with its own bobbin-loading and unloading device. We also prefer to make the loading table of each such device a part of a conveyor system for transporting bobbins to and from the machine. Accordingly our invention also comprises the combination with a cablemaking machine of the kind described comprising a plurality of groups of cantilevered arbors, of a plurality of reciprocating bobbin-loading and unloading devices, one for each group of arbors, and a bobbin conveyor disposed alongside the cable-making machine of which sections are constituted by the loading tables of the bobbinloading and unloading devices.

To enable the invention to be more fully understood a description will now be given, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an example of a cable-making machine of the kind described, in particular a wire-armouring machine, that is, a machine for applying a plurality of steel wires helically around a sheathed electric cable, fitted with bobbin-loading and unloading devices of our preferred form and also fitted with our preferred conveyor system for effecting a supply of full bobbins to the loading devices and removing empty bobbins away from such devices. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental side elevation of the armouring machine and two bobbin-loading and unloading devices associated therewith,

FIG. 2 is a fragmental sectional view of a part of the machine taken on the line II-II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of a bobbin-loading device showing it in the forward (or loading) position,

FIG. 4 is a fragmental side elevation of a bobbin-loading device drawn to a larger scale and illustrating the operating parts of the device, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmental plan view of a bobbin-loading device.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 the armouring machine is in two axially aligned coupled sections of which a part of one section only is shown. Each section comprises a rotatable tubular shaft 1 carrying two annular discs 2, of which one only is shown, having an overall diameter of approximately ten feet, which are spaced apart axially by a centre to centre distance of about 8 feet. Each of the discs 2 has eighteen trunnions 3 (FIG. 2) uniformly spaced apart circumferentially on a pitch circle of 8 feet 3 inches diameter and rotatable relative to the disc about an axis parallel to the machine axis. Each trunnion 3 carries or is integral with a substantially L-shaped bracket 4, one limb of which projects radially outwards with respect to the trunnion and the other limb of which extends in a direction normal to the plane of the disc and carries a cantilevered arbor 5 for supporting a bobbin of Wire which extends towards and beyond the axis of the trunnion. Alternate brackets 4 of the series lie on one side of the annular disc 2; intervening brackets of the series lie on the opposite side. Each trunnion 3 is driven by suitable gearing in rotation relative to the disc in such a way that each arbor 5 remains horizontal during rotation of the disc about the machine axis. Each L-shaped bracket 4 on the downstream side of the disc has an extension terminating in a wire guide 6 whose axis is coincident with that of the trunnion to which it is coupled through the L-shaped bracket. The L-shaped bracket 4 on the upstream side of the disc each have a wire guide 7 located in the trunnion 3 itself which is tubular to permit wire to pass from the upstream to the downstream side of the disc.

Each arbor 5 carries a sleeve 11 rotatably mounted on but axially positioned relative to it, the external surface of the sleeve forming a seating or seatings for a bobbin B which is automatically locked in position on the sleeve t0 preclude both axial and angular movement with respect to the sleeve when the bobbin is slid into place on the sleeve. A plunger 12 is provided for releasing bobbinlocking latches 14, the plunger being operated by exerting a thrust on it in a direction towards the supported end of the arbor 5. Tension is maintained on wire being drawn off from a bobbin B by applying a braking torque to the rotatable sleeve 11 on which the bobbin is mounted. This is done by providing an annular friction plate (not shown) 0n an end face of the rotatable sleeve adjacent the supported end of the arbor, a brake ring for engaging the friction plate, and releasable means for locking the brake ring against rotation about the arbor axis and means for applying pressure to the brake ring.

Loading and unloading of bobbins B may be eifected whilst the arbor 5, from which an empty bobbin is to be withdrawn and replaced by a full bobbin, is in any position for which the loading device has been designed but we prefer to locate the machine frame in a pit and to load and unload each bobbin when its supporting arbor is substantially horizontal and is in such a position that the mdrside of the flanges of its bobbin are at shop floor eve The machine is preferably brought to reset with its tubular shaft 1 in any selected one of eighteen angular positions in which one or more of its bobbin-carrying arbors 5' is or are in the loading position by means of a series of cam-actuated switches and a series of angularly spaced cams (not shown) mounted on the shaft, one cam for each switch, and means for selectively rendering any one of said switches operative whereby actuation of the selected switch occurs when the shaft is in the angular position appertaining to the particular switch rendered operative. Such actuation serves either to cut-off the power drive to the shaft and apply to the shaft a braking torque which will suffice to insure that the shaft will come to a stop when the selected bobbin-carrying arbor 5 is in the required loading and unloading position or to reduce the speed of the driving motor, leaving the operations of switches off the motor and the application of the braking torque required to bring the shaft to rest in the required angular position to be initiated by actuation of a further cam switch by each one of a second series of angularly spaced cams mounted on the shaft. After the operations of unloading an empty bobbin and loading a full bobbin in its place, the actuated switch or switches may be released manually or automatically to permit the shaft to rotate further to the position in which the next bobbin, or indeed any selected bobbin, can be unloaded and replaced by a full bobbin.

Our prefererd form of bobbin loading and unloading device shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5 for use with the example of wire-armouring machine above described comprises a table 21 mounted on a wheeled carriage 22 running on a, track 23 at right angles to the machine axis. The track 23 and the carriage 22 are housed in a pit 24 in the shop floor of which the depth is such that the table 21 is at floor level, so that a bobbin B positioned on the table with its axis at right angles to the machine axis has its axis coincident or approximately coincident with that of that one of the ring of arbors that is in the loading position. The length of travel of the carriage 22 is sufficient to ensure that in its retracted position (FIG. 5) it and its bobbin lie clear of the tubular shaft l1, the disc 2 and the ring of arbors 5 and their bobbins as they planet about the machine axis and that in its forward position (FIG. 3) the table 21 lies underneath the bobbin B in the loading position. Reciprocating movement in and out of the carriage 22 to effect unloading and loading is effected by means of a ram operating in a pneumatic cylinder` 25 located in the centre of the track 23. The rails 26 of the track 23 are of inverted V-section and the wheels 27 of the carriage 22 have complementarily shaped grooved peripheries to eliminate lateral movement of the carriage and misalignment of its bobbing with the arbor 5 in the loading position. It is to be understood that there are a number of the wheeled carriages 2.2-one for each ring of arbors 'S-each running on a track 23 whose centre line lies in the plane containing the axes of all the arbors of the ring with which it is associated.

The table 21 of each loading device is formed by a pair of inverted channel irons 31 which are held in spaced relationship by cross bracing with a centre-to-centre spacing equal to the flange centre-to-flange centre spacing of the anges of a bobbin B. The channel members 31 lie at the front end of the wheel carriage 22, extend right across it from side to side and on their upper surfaces carry pads 32 of hard steel forming runways for the flanges of a bobbin B. At their ends each runway 32 is provided with an upstanding side wall 33, the spacing between which is equal to the overall axial width of a bobbin B as measured at the peripheries of its flanges plus a clearance of the order of 0.125 inch (3.2 mm.). Between the two end side walls 33 on each runway 32 are two other side walls 34 which are in alignment with the end side walls but separated from them and from one another by gaps, the central gap between the walls 34 being long enough to allow a bobbin to move axially across the table. To this end, the ends of the walls 34 defining this central gap are chamfered at an angle of about 30 to the surface of the runways 32. To arrest and centralize a bobbin B rolling on the runways 32 a pair of pivotally supported dogs 35 are projected into the paths of the flanges of an approaching bobbinthese being in the gaps at the departure ends of the runways. A second pair of pivotally supported dogs 45 are projected into the paths of the flanges after passage of a bobbin-these being in the gaps at the arrival ends of the runways 32. Each pair of dogs 35 and 45 is projected and withdrawn by means of a piston working in a pneumatic cylinder 36 whose piston rod 37 is coupled to a crank 38 on a shaft 39 extending transversely across the table 21 and which also carries two other cranks 40 set at an angle of about 60 in 6 advance of the crank 38. The free end of each of the cranks 40 carries an arm 41 which lies at an angle of about to it and near whose free end is a wall 42 projecting at right angles to form the bobbin-arresting part of the dog 35 and 45. The free end 43 itself extends beyond the wall 42 and, when the dog 35 and 45 is in its arresting position, overlaps the flange of a bobbin B on the table 21 and serves with its complementary part at the opposite end of the table as a means for pushing a bobbin on to an arbor 5 as the carriage 22 advances towards the machine or as a means for pulling a bobbin off its arbor 5 as the carriage 22 moves away from the machine, depending whether the cranks 40 are on the side of the table remote from the machine or on the side nearest the machine. The cylinders 36 of the operating pistons for the pairs of dogs 35 and 45 are beneath the table 21 and at their closed ends are, respectively, pivotally connected to a bracket 44 dependent from the table, each cylinder being approximately horizontal when the table 21 is horizontal and at the opposite end of the table from the pair of dogs which it operates, the arrangement being such that retraction of the piston rod 37 into its cylinder lowers its dogs until the walls 42 of its dogs, which engage the rim of the bobbin when the dogs are raised, lie ush with the runways 32.

The table 21 is pivoted at its delivery end 28 to the frame of the wheeled carriage 22 and normally rests on the frame. The table 21 can be tilted to a height of up to four inches (100 mm.) at its entry end 29 to give the table a slope of up to about one in five and one half when it is required to discharge a bobbin B from the table or to give impetus to a bobbin that is required to pass through the loading device to, say, a further loading device. Tilting of the table 21 is effected by a third pneumatic cylinder 63 placed below the entry end 29 of the table and pivotally mounted in a lower part of the frame of the carriage 22 and normally having its axis at an angle of to the horizontal. The piston 62 of the cylinder 63 is pivotally connected to a bracket 61 dependent from a cross brace member of the table 21.

Mounted on the rear end of the wheeled carriage 22 is a base plate 71 having an upstanding wall 72 which is at right angles to the direction of travel of the carriage. The wall 72 has a circular aperture whose centre is coincident with that of a bobbin B held in the loading position on the loading table 21. To the wall 72 is secured a hollow trunnion which projects towards the loading table 21 and is coaxial with the aperture in the wall. The trunnion is fitted with a ball thrust bearing, the outer race of which carries a cylinder 76 which projects in the direction of the table 21 beyond its bearing and terminates in a rim which is adapted to enter into a rotary driving engagement with a bobbin B on the loading table. To the rear face of this rotary cylinder 76 is secured a spur gear wheel 78 which at one side is in driving engagement with a second gear wheel 79 that is driven by a geared air motor -81 also mounted on the bed plate '71. An air cylinder 83 is secured at its front end within the hollow trunnion secured to the wall 72 and concentric with it. The piston of the cylinder 83 forms the means for exerting a thrust towards the bobbin-supporting arbor 5 to effect actuation of the plunger 12 and release of the bobbin-locking latches 14 as and when required.

Between the tables 21 of successive bobbin-loading devices of a section are non-tilting tables 20 so that with the arrestor dogs 35 and 45 in their inoperative positions a bobbin B can roll right through the four loading devices of the section on the approach side to a selected loading device of the section on the departure side. It will be appreciated that the approach side section may be upstream or downstream with respect to the machine, depending upon whether full bobbins are fed in the same direction as the direction of travel of wires through the machine or in the counter direction. Between sections, where the gap between loaders may be twelve feet or more there are two tables (not shown), each tiltable, as described in our co-pending application No. 814,333, led Apr. 8,1969.

The preferred sequence of operations for effecting a re-loading of the machine is as follows:

To unload a substantially empty bobbin B of a particular ring of bobbins the machine is indexed to bring it to rest with the bobbin to be unloaded in its unloading position. The loader carriage 22 serving that particular ring of bobbins is then caused to move in towards the machine by pressurising the pneumatic ram 30 in the appropriate direction. The air motor 81 is then energised in a direction to pay olf the remaining wire which is formed into a coil adjacent to the unloading position. The air cylinders 36 controlling the arrester dogs 35 and 45 are then pressurised to raise the dogs and locate the bobbin B with respect to the loading table 21. The air cylinder 83 that is coaxial with the bobbin support arbor is then pressurised and its piston moves forward to actuate the bobbin release plunger 12. The cylinder of the carriage traverse ram is then pressurised in a direction to pull the carriage 22 back to its normal position, the carriage taking the empty bobbin B with it. The piston of the cylinder 83 actuating the release plunger 12 then retracts. The air cylinder 63l which effects tilting of the loading table 21 is then pressurised to tilt the table. Both cylinders 36 of the piston rods 37 controlling the arrestor dogs and 45 are then pressurised in the opposite direction to lower the dogs and so allow the empty bobbin B to roll down and off the table 2,1. The table tilt cylinder 63 is then pressurised in the opposite direction to lower the table 21.

To load a full bobbin in place of the empty bobbin the cylinder 36 controlling the arrester dogs 35 at the deliver end of the table 21 is pressurised to raise the arrestor dogs and a full bobbin is allowed to roll on to the table where it is arrested by the raised dogs. Immediately the cylinder 36 controlling the bobbin retaining dogs 45 at the entry end of the table 21 is pressurised to raise these retaining dogs. The two sets of dogs 35 and 45 locate the bobbin in alignment with the arbor 5 that is in the loading position. The cylinder 25 of the carriage traversing ram 30 and the cylinder -83 of the piston operating the bobbin release plunger 12 are then pressurised to move the carriage 22 towards the machine axis and release the bobbin-locking latches 14 on the rotatable bobbin support sleeve 11 of the arbor 5 in the loading position to permit the full bobbin to move on to the bobbin support sleeve. Both cylinders 36 are then pressurised in a direction to retract the arrestor and retainer dogs 35 and 45 clear of the full bobbin and the piston of the bobbinlocking device cylinder is retracted to permit the latches 14 to lock the bobbin axially on its supporting sleeve 11. The air motor 81 then rotates in a direction to allow sucient wire to be drawn off the full bobbin by the operator to permit the leading end of that wire to be welded at a convenient place to the trailing end of the wire drawn from the previously unloaded bobbin. After the welding operation, the air motor 81 is then reversed to take up the slack in and to tension the welded lengths of wire. Finally the carriage 22 is moved back into its normal position.

The machine will afterwards be indexed to bring another empty bobbin, not necessarily the neighbouring bobbin, into the unloading and loading position and the sequence of operations is repeated, and so on until all empty bobbins in the ring have been replaced by full bobbins.

It will be appreciated that loading of two or more loading stations may be effected at the same time providing the conveyor arrangements permit of a full bobbin being stored on a table on the supply side of a loading table and that storage space for an empty bobbin is provided on a table on the delivery side of that loading table. "It will also be appreciated that the control of the various air cylinders in the required sequence may be effected by a logic electronic system and the entire operation of replacing any particular bobbin by a fresh bobbin (except the cutting and welding operations) be set in train by the pressing of a single button switch.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with a cable-making machine of the kind in which Wires are drawn off from bobbins which are rotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried by at least one frame rotatable about the machine axis and each of which, as the fame carrying it rotates, can be maintained in a horizontal position and passes through a loading position once during each revolution of the frame, which device comprises:

(a) a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axis substantially horizontal,

(b) means for moving said table in a direction transverse to the machine axis from a normal position in which it and its bobbin are clear of the rotating frame of the machine to a forward position and transferring a bobbin from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading position, and

(c) means for transferring a bobbin from a cantilevered arbor in the loading position to the table and returning the table to its normal position.

2. A ybobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is provided with means for positioning a bobbin on the table with its axis substantially coincident with the axis of a cantilevered arbor in the loading position.

3. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is provided with poweroperated means for driving a bobbin on an arbor in the loading position in rotation in both a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction.

4. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for rotatably driving a bobbin on an arbor in the loading position comprises a rotary clutch having means to be moved axially into and out of engagement with a bobbin mounted on the arbor, the clutch being power driven as required.

5. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotary clutch is driven by a compressed air motor mounted on the loading device.

6. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 1, including means for constraining the table to be moved in a rectilinear substantially horizontal path normal to the machine axis from the normal position to a forward position where the table lies beneath the arbor to be loaded.

7. A bobbin-loading and unloading device for use with a cable-making machine of the kind in which wires are drawn off from bobbins which are rotatably supported on cantilevered arbors which are carried by at least one frame rotatable about the machine axis and each of which, as the frame carrying it rotates, can be maintained in a horizontal position and passes through a loading position once during each revolution of the frame, which device comprises:

(a) a loading table for supporting a bobbin with its axis substantially horizontal,

(b) stop means for arresting a bobbin rolling on its flanges along a path parallel to the machine axis and on to the loading table and positioning the bobbin on the table with its axis substantially coincident with the axis of a cantilevered arbor in the loading position,

(c) means for moving said table in a rectilinear substantially horizontal path normal to the machine axis from a normal position in which it and its bobbin are clear of the rotating frame of the machine to a forward position where the table lies beneath the arbor to be loaded and transferring a bobbin from the table to a cantilevered arbor in the loading position, and l (d) means for transferring a bobbin from a cantilevered arbor in the loading position to the table and returning the table to its normal position.

8. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the device is incorporated in a conve'yor along which bobbins can roll on their anges and of which a part is constituted by the loading table when in its normal position, the stop means being retractable so that when necessary bobbins can roll across the loading table.

9. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stop means comprises retractable members on opposite sides of the table each adapted also to engage the outer face of a flange of a bobbin.

10. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stop means comprises two pairs of substantially L-shaped dogs pivotally supported on axes lying at right angles to the machine axis, the pairs of dogs being located at opposite ends of the table so as to project into the paths of the llanges of a bobbin with one limb of each L-shaped dog adapted to engage the outer face of a bobbin ange and being caused to pivot by means of fluid-operated pistons.

11. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim '9, wherein means is provided for temporarily tilting the loading table about a horizontal axis at right angles to the machine axis to cause an empty bobbin to roll olf the loading table and on to the conveyor after the stop means at the lower end of the tilted table has been retracted.

12. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the table-tilting means comprises a fluid-operated piston.

13. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, wherein power-operated means `is provided for driving a bobbin on an arbor in the loading position in rotation in both a clockwise and a counter-clockwise direction.

14. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the loading table is caused to reciprocate between its normal position and its forward position by means of a fluid-operated ram.

15. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the loading table is mounted on a wheeled carriage running on a track transverse to the machine axis.

16. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the track and carriage are housed in a pit of which the depth is such that the loading table is at substantially ground level.

17. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the table carries means for effecting release of a device locking a bobbin on a cantilevered arbor.

18. A bobbin-loading and unloading device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the means for releasing the bobbinlocking device is actuated by a Huid-operated piston.

19. In combination with a cable-making machine of the kind in which wires are drawn off from bobbins which are rotatably supported on a plurality of groups of cantilevered arbors carried by frames rotatable about the machine axis, each arbor, as the frame carrying it rotates, being capable of being maintained in a horizontal position and passing through a loading position once during each revolution of the frame, a plurality of bobbin-loading and unloading devices as claimed in claim 7, one device being associated with each group of arbors.

20. In combination with the cable-making machine and bobbin-loading and unloading devices claimed in claim 19, a bobbin conveyor disposed alongside the cablemaking machine of which sections are constituted by the loading tables of the bobbin-loading and unloading devices.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,451,754 10/ 1948 Larmuth et al. 57-52X 3,055,164 9/1962 Ltcke 57-58.34X 3,429,115 2/1969 Purdy et al. 57-52 3,468,115 9/1969 Goodfellow et al. 57--52 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner W. H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 57-5 8.34

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