US3661335A

US3661335A - Anti-ricochet wire guard

Info

Publication number: US3661335A
Application number: US31554A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Joseph Stefaniszyn
Original assignee: Northern Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
Priority date: 1970-04-24
Filing date: 1970-04-24
Publication date: 1972-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-09
Also published as: FR2090669A5; DE2111179B2; JPS5231503B1; FI52068C; DE2111179C3; DE2111179A1; FI52068B; GB1298426A

Abstract

An apparatus for winding wire or rod on a reel having a shield, at least a portion of which is movable, to substantially enclose and protect wire wound on the reel when the wire is cut. A circumferential gap is provided between an edge of the shield and a flange of the reel through which the cut end of the wire can extend.

Description

United States Patent Stefaniszyn 51 May 9, 1972 ANTI-RICOCHET WIRE GUARD Primary Evamiher-Stanley N. Gilre'ath Assistant Examiner-Milton Gerstein A!trneyAlan Swabey [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for winding wire or rod on a reel having a shield, at least a portion of which is movable, to substantially enclose and protect wire wound on the reel when the wire is cut. A circumferential gap is provided between an edge of the shield Inventor: John Joseph Stefaniszyn, Pointe Claire,

Quebec, Canada Assignee: Northern Electric Company Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed: Apr. 24, 1970 Appl. No.: 31,554

u.s. Cl. .Q ..242/zs A Int; Cl ..B65h 54/02 Field ofSearch ..242/'A, 25 R, 181 A, 181 PW, 242/ 181 W and a. flange of the reel through which the cut end of the wire can e ltend.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PA'TENTEDMAY 9 m2 3.661} 335 i 'K II run" INVENTOR John Joseph STEFANISZYN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to an improved winding apparatus for winding stock material onto a reel, which apparatus has a shield to protect the stock wound on the reel from being damaged by a loose end of the stock flying about when the winding operation is finished.

2. Description of Prior Art In winding apparatus, where stock is wound on a flanged reel rotating about an axis at high speed, the stock is normally guided back and forth axially along the stock receiving surface of the rotating reel between two flanges to distribute it evenly.

Once the desiredamount of stock has been wound onto the reel, the stock is cut, generally when the stock is positioned adjacent one flange, and the reel is then allowed to come to rest. The reel, together with the stock wound on it, is then removed from the apparatus and replaced with an empty reel. When the stock has been cut, and before the reel comes to rest, the cut or loose end portion of the stock is carried around by the reel and is liable to ricochet off the winding apparatus back against the stock wound on the reel, thus damaging it. For example, when the stock comprises insulated wire or cable, the loose end of the wire flaying about could cut the insulation on the wire wound on the reel.

Attempts have been made to provide shielding to try to prevent the loose end of the stock from damaging the stock wound on the reel while the reel is being brought to a halt.

' ferential gap, and even though it may ricochet oh the ap- One type of shielding is shown in US. Pat. No. 3,182,921, isv sued May I l, 1965, Alden W. Nelson, inventor. The present discloses a dual-reel winding apparatus wherein the stock is wound on one reel and then is cut and transferredtfrom the one full reel to wind on the axially aligned empty second reel without interruption in the feed of the stock. In transferring the stock, it is moved adjacent and over one flange of the full reel, nearest the other reel, by guide means and is then cut. The full first reel is removed and replaced by anempty reel while winding continues on the second reel.

Shielding is provided at each reel station during winding as shown in the patent in an attempt to guide the loose or cut end of the stock on the full reel, after the stock is cut, insuch a manner as to prevent it from ricocheting and thus damaging the stock on the reel. However, in order to permit the stock guide means to transverse back and forth between the flanges of either reel, to evenly distribute the stock on the stock receiving surface of the reels, a relatively large gap or throat must be provided in the shielding. At high winding speeds, the cut or loose end of the stock can be whipped past this gap in the shield with sufficient force to cause it to ricochet ofi the shield back onto the stock wound onto the reel, or even against the stock now being guided for winding on the second reel, thus reducing the effectiveness of the shield. In addition, in order to provide the throat, the shield must be constructed in sections, several of which must be pivotably mounted to permit handling of the reel. This increases the cost of the shielding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicant's invention is designed to overcome the prior art 1 disadvantages and provide a simple, effective and inexpensive shield means. The invention is directed toward an improved shield for stock winding apparatus whereby the shield, when the stock is to be cut, circumferentially encloses substantially the entire stock receiving surface of the reel except for a narrow, axially extending, circumferential gap between one edge paratus as the full reel is brought to a halt, it is prevented by the circumferential shield from damaging the stock already wound onto the reel. If, on the other hand, the loose end of the stock slips through the gap, the smooth, unbroken, circumferential inner surface of the shield prevents it from ricocheting back onto the wound stock.

In order to permit the guide means to traverse the stock receiving surface of the reel while the stock is being wound, the shield, or at least a portion thereof, must be removed during winding to provide a throat having a width in the axial direction of the'reel at least equal to the width of the stock receiving surface of the reel. It is, therefore, a feature of the invention to provide a circumferential shield having at least a portion of which is movable from a first non-shielding position to permit stock to be wound, to a second shielding position to .provide a shield which circumferentially encloses substantially the entire stock receiving surface of the reel immediately prior to cutting the stock. The shield may be split into two or more segments with one segment being fixed adjacent a portion of the periphery of the reel in a position to permit unhindered winding of the stock, and the other segment or segments movable into position to cooperate with the fixed segment to form a shield enclosing substantially all of the stock receiving surface of the reel when the stock is about to be cut. The movable segment or segments can be mounted to move radially or axially into position.

The invention is particularly directed toward a winding apparatus using a reel which has a stock receiving surface and end flanges. Means are provide for rotating the reel about its axis. Movable guide means are provided to feed stock evenly onto the reel. Cutting means are provided to cut the stock after the desired amount of stock has been wound onto the reel and when the stock is located adjacent one of the reel flanges. A tubular shield is mounted on the apparatus along with means to move at least a portion of the shield to an operative position in which the shield protects the stock wound on the reel when the stock is out. One edge of the shield, in the operative position, is axially spaced from said one flange of the reel a distance slightly greater than the width of the stock to provide a narrow circumferential gap through which the stock can extend.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view, in partial section, ofa dual reel winding apparatus having one embodiment of the shields of this invention with one of the shields shown in retracted inoperative position and the other shield shown in operative position;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of the dual reel winding apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the mounting of a shield in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation view of a winding mechanism showing another embodiment of a segmented shield, with one of the segments movable axially;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation view of a reel winding apparatus showing a segmented shield, with one of the segments movable radially; and

FIG. 6 is a partial front elevation view of the reel shielded winding mechanism shown in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The stock winding mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a frame 3 adapted to rotatably support a pair of axially aligned

reels

5 and 5. Means 9, 11 are mounted on the frame for driving each of the reels independently. Supported on the frame 3 above the reels is a guide means 13 for feeding stock 15 from a supply source (not shown) onto the stock receiving surfaces 17, 17' of the reels 5, 5'. The guide means 13 is supported on guide rods 19 mounted on the frame, and means are provided (not shown) for moving the guide means 13 on the rods 19 to and fro between flanges 21 or 21 on either reel 5, as the reel rotates to wind stock evenly on its

stock receiving surface

17, 17. Means (not shown) are also provided for moving the guide means along the rods from a winding position adjacent one of the

reels

5, 5 to a winding position adjacent the other reel.

When the required amount of stock has been wound onto one of the reels, reel 5 for example, the guide means 13 is moved axially away from reel 5 along rods 19 toward reel 5. When this happens, the stock is guided over flange 21A of reel 5. In this position, the stock is caught and cut by a first snagger plate 23 rotating adjacent the flange 21A of reel 5. The stock is then also caught by a second snagger plate 25 rotating adjacent flange 21B of empty reel 5 to begin winding stock on it. Full reel 5 is then brought to a halt. The apparatus thus far described is well known, particularly in the wire and cable winding art.

While the full reel 5 is being brought to a halt, the loose or cut end 26 of the stock 15 may come free of snagger plate 23 and may deflect or ricochet off the apparatus in such a manner that it hits the stock already wound onto the full reel 5 thereby damaging it. Shield means 27, 27 are, therefore, provided to protect the stock wound on each

reel

5, 5. The shield means 27, 27' associated with each reel is identical and only one will, therefore, be described. The shield means 27, as shown in FIG. 1, can, in one embodiment, comprise a tubular shield member 29 which is supported by a collar 30 on the drive shaft 22 for the reel 5, axially adjacent one side of the reel 5, opposite the snagger plate 23, in an inoperative position while stock is being wound onto the reel. The tubular shield member 29 has a width in the axial direction of the reel 5 substantially equal to the width of the stock receiving surface 17 of the reel. The shield member 29 has a smooth, unbroken, inner, circumferential surface 31. The shield 29 is circular in cross-section and sized so it can slide axially over the circular flange 21B of the reel 5 to an operative position where its inner surface 31 substantially covers the cylindrical stock receiving surface 17 of the reel.

Means are provided for guiding and moving the shield member 29 relative to the frame 3 and the reel 5 on shaft 22. The shield 29 can have an end wall 33 attached to one peripheral edge 35 of shield 29, the'opposite peripheral edge 37 of the shield being free. The end wall 33 is connected to collar 30. At least one guide rod 39 is attached to frame 3, extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel. The free end 41 of the rod extends through an aperture 43 of the end wall 33 to guide the shield member in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel.

A pneumatic or hydraulic piston and cylinder means 45 is also provided for moving the shield relative to the frame and reel along rod 39. The cylinder 45 is connected at one end to the wall 33. A rod 46 extending from the piston in the cylinder is connected to the frame 3. Actuation of the piston and cylinder moves the shield axially along rod 39 from an inoperative position (shown by dotted lines in FIG. 3) to an operative position (shown by full lines in FIG. 3) where its inner surface 31 substantially encloses the stock receiving surface l7 of reel 5.

It is important that the shield is axially moved over the reel to a position where the free peripheral edge 37 is spaced a slight distance in the axial direction from the flange 21A ofthe reel to provide a narrow, circumferential gap 47 through which the stock 15 can extend as shown in FIG. 3. In order to provide this gap, the distance the shield is moved can be controlled by the position of the cylinder 45 or by its stroke. The width of the gap 47 is slightly greater than the width of the stock being wound. The gap width can be adjusted depending upon the width ofthe stock being wound.

The shield 29 must remain in the inoperative position to the right of reel 5 as seen in FIG. 1 during the winding operation so as not to interfere with the stock 15 as it traverses the stock receiving surface 17. It must, however, be quickly moved into operative position substantially enclosing the stock receiving surface just prior to cutting the stock and after winding is substantially completed. A sensor 49, mounted on frame 3 by means not shown, can be positioned in the path of guide means 13 as it moves along the guide rods 19 from the winding position adjacent reel 5 to the winding position adjacent reel 5. When the guide means 13 contacts sensor 49, it triggers operation of the cylinder 45 to move the shield into position so that it covers the stock wound onto the reel just before the stock is cut. With the shield covering the reel when the stock is cut by the snagger plate, the cut end 26 of the stock may project through the gap 47 while the reel 5 continues rotating until braked to a stop. The shield prevents the cut end 26 of the stock from damaging the stock wound onto the reel if the wire ricochets off the apparatus back against the reel. If the cut end of the stock slips through the gap under the shield, the unbroken inner circumferential surface 31 of the shield 29 guides it smoothly and prevents it from ricocheting off the apparatus or shield against the wound stock. Once the reel 5 has stopped rotating, the shield 29 is withdrawn by operation of cylinder 45, and the fully wound reel can be removed and replaced with an empty reel.

If desired, the shield member 29 can be split into one or more segments as shown in FIG. 4. One segment 51 of the shield member 29 is connected to the frame 3 in a position extending about a portion of the stock receiving surface 17 of reel 5. The segment 51 is positioned away from the throat area 53 of the winding apparatus through which the stock 15 passes from the guide means 13 to the stock receiving surface 17. The fixed segment 51 of the shield can be located adjacent the bottom of the reel 5, for example. Edges 54 of the fixed segment 51 provide a guide means along which an axially movable segment 55 of the circumferential shield 29 can be guided by its edges 56. The segment 55 is guided and moved in the same manner as shield member 29 shown in FIG. I. The segment 55 is moved from an inoperative position axially adjacent reel 5 to an operative position where, together with fixed segment 51, shield member 29' is formed. The inner surfaces 58, 60 of the segments 51, 55 respectively, form an unbroken, circumferential inner surface 62 for shield 29 which substantially encloses the stock receiving surface 17 of the reel 5 immediately before the stock is to be cut. The free edge of shield 29 is formed from the segments 51, 55, is again spaced axially from the flange 21A of the reel 5 to provide a circumferential gap through which the cut end 26 of the stock may extend.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the shield member 29" may be formed in two segments, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, where one segment 61 is fixed to the frame 3 in spaced radial relation to the stock receiving surface 17 of the reel 5 at the rear thereof so that it does not interfere with the winding of the stock on the reel by the traversing guide means through the throat area 53. The second segment 63 is pivotably mounted by one axially extending edge 64 on the bottom axially extending edge 65 of segment 61 by a pivot pin 67. Moving means, comprising for example a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 69 and rod 71, are pivotably connected at one end to frame 3 by a pin 73 and at the other end to segment 63 by pin 75. Operation of cylinder 69 will pivot segment 63 radially about pin 67 from an inoperative position spaced away from reel 5 (as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 5) to an operative position (shown by full lines in FIG. 5) where its free axially extending edge 77 will abut free axially extending edge 79 of fixed segment 61 so both segments form shield 29" which substantially encloses the stock receiving surface of the reel. The inner surfaces 81, 83 of the segments 61, 63 form the smooth inner surface 85 of the shield 29". Again, one circumferential edge of both segments 61, 63 of the shield 29" are axially positioned away from the flange 21A of the reel 5 when in operative position to provide a circumferential gap permitting the stock 15 to pass through as the guide means moves away from the fully wound reel and is cut.

I claim:

I. An apparatus for winding stock including a frame, a reel mounted for rotation about an axis on the frame, the reel having a stock receiving surface and two end flanges, movable guide means to feed stock onto the receiving surface of the rotating reel, means for cutting the stock when a desired amount of stock has been wound onto the reel and when the stock is positioned by the guide means adjacent one flange of the reel, a tubular shield mounted on the frame, means to move at least a portion of the shield to an operative position in which the shield protects the stock wound on the reel when the stock is cut, one circumferential edge of the shield, when in the operative position, spaced axially from said one flange of the reel adjacent which the stock is located when cut, a distance slightly greater than the width of the stock to provide a narrow circumferential gap through which the stock can extend.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular shield has a smooth, circumferential, unitary inner surface slightly larger than the outer circumference of the reel, and means for mounting the tubular shield for axial movement by said moving means from an inoperative position axially adjacent the other flange of the reel to an operative position substantially enclosing the stock receiving surface of the reel except for the circumferential gap.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular shield comprises two segments, one segment being fixed to the frame adjacent the reel in a position to avoid interfering with the winding of stock on the reel, the other segment movably connected along one axially extending edge to an axially extending edge of the fixed segment and pivotably movable by said moving means from an inoperative position to said operative position to cooperate with the one segment to form the tubular shield.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular shield comprises two segments, one segment being fixed adjacent said reel in a position to avoid interfering with the winding of stock on said reel, the second segment mounted axially adjacent the reel, and means for guiding the second segment axially to said operative position to cooperate with one segment to form the tubular shield.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including sensing means mounted on the frame, said sensing means positioned to be actuated by said guide means when the guide means moves to a position where said stock is to be cut, said sensing means automatically operating said shield moving means. i

6. A winding apparatus including a frame, first and second axially aligned reels mounted on said frame to rotate on a common axis, separate means for rotating each of said first and second reels, each reel having a stock receiving surface and end flanges, single guide means to feed stock onto either the first or second reels, means between the two reels for cutting stock when one of said reels contains a desired amount of stock, and the guide means has moved the stock from said one reel so that the stock is adjacent one flange of said one reel, tubular shields mounted on the frame, one shield located axially adjacent one reel opposite the cutting means, the other shield located axially adjacent the other reel opposite the cutting means, means to move at least a portion of each shield to an operative position in which the shield protects the stock wound on its respective reel when the stock is cut, one circumferential edge of the shield, when in the operative position, spaced axially from the said one flange of the reel adjacent which the stock is located when out a distance slightly greater than the width of the stock to provide a narrow circumferential gap through which the stock can extend.

Claims

1. An apparatus for winding stock including a frame, a reel mounted for rotation about an axis on the frame, the reel having a stock receiving surface and two end flanges, movable guide means to feed stock onto the receiving surface of the rotating reel, means for cutting the stock when a desired amount of stock has been wound onto the reel and when the stock is positioned by the guide means adjacent one flange of the reel, a tubular shield mounted on the frame, means to move at least a portion of the shield to an operative position in which the shield protects the stock wound on the reel when the stock is cut, one circumferential edge of the shield, when in the operative position, spaced axially from said one flange of the reel adjacent which the stock is located when cut, a distance slightly greater than the width of the stock to provide a narrow circumferential gap through which the stock can extend.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including sensing Means mounted on the frame, said sensing means positioned to be actuated by said guide means when the guide means moves to a position where said stock is to be cut, said sensing means automatically operating said shield moving means.

6. A winding apparatus including a frame, first and second axially aligned reels mounted on said frame to rotate on a common axis, separate means for rotating each of said first and second reels, each reel having a stock receiving surface and end flanges, single guide means to feed stock onto either the first or second reels, means between the two reels for cutting stock when one of said reels contains a desired amount of stock, and the guide means has moved the stock from said one reel so that the stock is adjacent one flange of said one reel, tubular shields mounted on the frame, one shield located axially adjacent one reel opposite the cutting means, the other shield located axially adjacent the other reel opposite the cutting means, means to move at least a portion of each shield to an operative position in which the shield protects the stock wound on its respective reel when the stock is cut, one circumferential edge of the shield, when in the operative position, spaced axially from the said one flange of the reel adjacent which the stock is located when cut a distance slightly greater than the width of the stock to provide a narrow circumferential gap through which the stock can extend.