US3701244A

US3701244A - Apparatus for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand

Info

Publication number: US3701244A
Application number: US162060A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Dismon; Heinz Jansen
Original assignee: Glanzstoff AG
Current assignee: Glanzstoff AG
Priority date: 1970-07-21
Filing date: 1971-07-13
Publication date: 1972-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-31
Also published as: GB1355112A; LU63567A1; BE768774A; CA948609A; FR2103133A5; AT322026B; DE2036040A1; IE35337L; NL7109913A; ZA713687B; IE35337B1

Abstract

Apparatus for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand, in which the fine strand to be wound is drawn through the axis of a rotatable hollow shaft which is arranged coaxially with the supply reel for the coiling wire, this supply reel being mounted within an open ended pot receptacle joined to the shaft and rotating therewith, wire guiding and braking means preferably in the form of radially extending disks or rings being inserted in the path of the coiling wire as it is drawn from the supply reel over the guide and brake means to a winding point adjacent the front or exit end of the hollow shaft.

Description

United States Patent Dismon et al.

[541 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A WIRE COIL TO A FINE WIRE STRAND [72] Inventors: Peter Dismon, Porselen; Heinz Jansen, Kirchhoven, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Glanzstoff AG, Wuppertal, Germany 22 Filed: July 13,1971

21 Appl.No.: 162,060

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,457,636 12/1948 Bouget ..57/16 2,602,281 7/1952 Bunch ..57/l7 X 3,282,037. 11/1966 Barnett et a1. ..57/1 8 3,493,017 2/1970 Govaert ..57/18 X 3,512,350 5/1970 Lukas ..57/18 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney-Johnston, Root, OKeeffe, Keil, Thompson & Shurtleff [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand, in which the fine strand to be wound is drawn through the axis of a rotatable hollow shaft which is arranged coaxially with the supply reel for the coiling wire, this supply reel being mounted within an open ended pot receptacle joined to the shaft and rotating therewith, wire guiding and braking means preferably in the form of radially extending disks or rings being inserted in the path of the coiling wire as it is drawn from the supply reel over the guide and brake means to a winding point adjacent the front or exit end of the hollow shaft.

16 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures P A TENTEDHBI 3 1 I972 SHEU 2 [IF 2 FIG.3

INVENTORS: P ETER D ISM O N HEINZ JANSEN ATT'YS 1 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A WIRE COIL TO A FINE WIRE STRAND The expression fine wire strand is employed in this specification to define a structure composed of two or more individual wires, which can consist of a single-ply wire strand, of a wire cable built up of two or more strands of wires or which can also consist of single wires lying parallel or substantially parallel to one another and having substantially no twist, forming a homogeneous cord or rope of generally uniform strength in either case.

Devices for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand by throwing or wrapping one wire around a thin wire strand being conducted through an elongated hollow bore or axis of the device are in themselves known. Some of these devices operate according to the socalled flyer principle, i.e. wherein one element, which consists of a revolving arm with guide holes or grooves for the coiling wire or a revolving disk with one or more bores in the vicinity of its edge, is rotated at a speed adjusted to the chosen feed rate of the wrapped wire and the desired pitch of the coiling wire. This rotating element lifts the coiling wire from a freely turnable but braked supply reel borne coaxially to the advancing wire strand or cable and winds this coiling wire simultaneously at the winding point, i.e., at the point at which the coiling wire runs onto the fine wire strand or cable as a core receiving the coiled 'wire wrapped therearound. In another coiling or wire wrapping process, the supply reel (or reels) for the coiling wire is borne in a rotor by means of a coil cradle, from which the coiling 'wire is guided axially to the winding point. The fine wire strand or core cable runs from a different supply reel arranged outside the rotor axially through a suitable bore on the axis and is then directly conducted to the circumference of the rotor, along an inner surface thereof to the opposite end of the rotor and finally to the winding point where it is wrapped about the coiling wire and is drawn off in such a manner that the fine wire strand is straight and the coiling wire takes on the desired-helical or coiled form.

Such known devices, especially the last-mentioned device, have a complicated structure and arrangement of parts. The first described device makes necessary a separate bearing of the flyer and supply reel, in which generally the flyer is part of a central revolving spindle on which the supply reel, in turn, is borne freely turnable but in a braked manner. The wire tensioning takes place through the braking of the supply reel in this instance while the braking force itself depends on a number of influencing factors changing in part during the operation of the spindle or at any rate is subject to possible variations. Because of the resulting changes in wire tension it was not possible to actually achieve equal or uniform working conditions, especially in the case of several similar working points, or else these equal working conditions were only infrequently achieved with great difficulty. As a result, considerable differences in the quality of the finished coiling were often observed from place to place along the length of the coil wrapped strand or rope. The second type of device for interwinding the fine strand and coiling wire is likewise extremely expensive and complicated in its construction, requires much space and is very limited in its turning rate. These devices are also difficult to operate in a uniform manner.

It has now been found, in accordance with the present invention that these disadvantages of prior devices can be surprisingly avoided by means of employing a flyerless construction of the coiling or wrapping apparatus. The device of the invention for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand thus includes a rotatable hollow shaft adapted to receive the fine wire strand being wound in combination with means for drawing this strand axially through said shaft, a rotationally symmetrical pot receptacle joined securely to the shaft for rotation therewith and being open toward the wire exit end of the shaft which projects axially outwardly from the pot receptacle, a supply reel for the coiling wire seated in a fixed position on the shaft concentrically within the pot receptacle, and wire guiding and braking means positioned along the axis of the shaft between the supply reel and the axially exposed exit end of said shaft, these means including at least two annular run-over rings together with at least one disk brake means which interact with the opposing inner peripheral wall surface of the pot receptacle to apply a resilient braking pressure to the coiling wire being drawn from the supply reel to a winding-on point adjacent the exit end of the hollow shaft.

The hollow shaft is preferably conically narrowed at its exit end in order to better accommodate the path of the coiling wire as it approaches this end of the shaft, i.e., so that the coiling wire can be brought onto the core or central strand being wound at an acute angle away from or opposite to the direction of wire travel. An axial insert with a narrow bore at the tip or exit end of the hollow shaft is also of advantage in controlling the draw or pull on the fine wire strand.

In the apparatus of the invention, the pot receptacle surrounding the hollow'shaft is cylindrical from its bottorn up to a height or axial length which corresponds approximately to the length of the supply reel for the coiling wire, and from this length onwardly toward its open end widens conically outwardly, the total height or length of the receptacle being about 1.5 to 2.2 times the length of the supply reel.

The construction of the invention also preferably provides clamping means including, for example, an annular nut which can be tightened by screwing it on a threaded portion at the exit end of the hollow shaft and which simultaneously fixes the guiding and braking means in place and, in so doing, also fixes the supply reel inside the pot receptacle surrounding the hollow shaft, for example, such that the supply reel is pressed with its rear flange against the inner base or covered end of the pot.

The braking means are preferably in the shape of disks which can consist of a wearproof and resilient plastic material, for example a suitable elastomeric molded polymer such as a plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC), tetrafluorethylene or similar tough, flexible materials. These braking disks can also be coinposed of annularly positioned bristles arranged next to one another in several layers and projecting radially outward from the periphery of a flat retaining disk. The bristles can be natural fiber bristles such as animal bristles, synthetic fibrous bristles such as polyarnide bristles, metal bristles as formed by short steel wires or the like, and similar stiff but resiliently positioned bristles.

In one special embodiment of the invention, the spacing of the rear flange or face of the supply reel from the inner base end of the pot or else the spacing between front flange or face of the supply reel and the first run-over disk or ring is adjustable, whereby the axial position of the brake disk or disks in the front part of the pot receptacle is varied in such a way that with the conical formation of this front part of the pot, the braking force likewise changes in a determinable manner. In this manner, the use of interchangeable spacing means presents a simple method for accurately adjusting the braking force. The braking force is also variable by other means, for example such that with equal brake disk measurement, one can vary the difference in diameter between the brake disk or disks and the diameter of the disk or disks guiding or tensioning the coiling wire being drawn thereover. The greater the effective diameter of the disk or disks, i.e., with an increasing difference between the two diameters, the greater becomes the braking force and vice versa.

The invention is explained in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, in partly schematic form, through the longitudinal axis of the wrapping or coiling device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one disk brake embodiment containing bristles in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow sheet generally illustrating the wrapping or coiling units of the invention with means to draw the wound product therefrom.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the hollow tubular shaft 1 is illustrated in a vertical position, the shaft being joined or securely connected to a pot 2 consisting of the lower cylindrical part 3 and the upper conical part 4 opening outwardly. In the drawing, the hollow shaft 1 and the pot receptacle 2 are represented as being made of one piece, which is generally recommended when operating at rotational speeds of about 10,000 to 15,000 rpm or even higher speeds. The pot can also be made separately of materials especially adapted to resist the high strain imposed thereon and can then be connected with the hollow shaft in any suitable manner at its base or lower closed end 5 such that a faultless rotational balancing becomes possible. The channel or bore la of the hollow shafts terminates, in the embodiment shown, in an inserted nozzle member 6 converging in the form of a funnel or cone 6a down to the narrower diameter channel or bore 6b. The terminal or nozzle end of the hollow shaft is contained with the outer element 7 which is firmly connected, e.g., in threaded attachment, and axially aligned with the remainder of the hollow shaft 1. This nozzle 7 also contains at its coni- The hollow shaft or spindle 1 is supported rotatably in two ball bearings 9 and 10 inserted at a distance from each other with the help of spacing sleeves 1 1 and 12 in a bearing housing 21 securely connected with a horizontal base frame 13, this bearing assembly being closed off underneath with a cover or cap 14 in which there is a suitable positioned sealing and packing

ring

15 and 16. Another packing ring 17 is positioned adjacent the upper bearing 9. The bearings 9 and 10 can be lubricated with a suitable oil or grease introduced through the closable lube hole 22 in the housing 21. An upper sealing-ring is not essential in this vertical position of the shaft 1 and housing 21. At the lower end of the shaft 1 below the base plate or frame 13, a pinion or toothed collar 18 is secured with the aid of a spline or key 18a or the like, this pinion or collar 18 serving as a driven means in which there engages a toothed belt or other positive drive means (not represented). The pinion 18 is fastened tightly with the aid of a ring nut 19 and a retaining ring or washer 20.

In the lower cylindrical portion 3 of the pot 2, there is firmly seated on shaft 1 the supply reel 23 carrying the coiling wire 24 between the

end flanges

25 and 26. A first run-over ring 27, a

braking ring

28 or 28, an intermediate supporting or spacing ring 29, a second braking ring 30 or 30' and finally a second run-over ring 31 are all clamped in axial sequence above and together with supply reel 23 with the aid of an annular nut 33 which can be tightened on thread 34 of the hollow shaft 1 and which is preferably locked or secured against turning once the reel and various disks or rings are locked in'place. The run-over

rings

27 and 31, the two brake rings 28 and 30 (or 30' and the intermediate ring 9 are securely connected with 'one another by means of screws or bolts 32. These screws or bolts 32 extend only a short distance into the supply reel 23 so that after the nut 33 has been unlocked and removed, these screws can be just withdrawn from reel 23 while still being inserted and preferably threaded in the lowermost ring or disk member 37, thereby permitting all of the disks or rings to bewithdrawn as a single unit. The supply reel 23 which is merely slipped over the shaft 1 can then also be readily withdrawn or interchanged with another reel, or if desired, such supply reels for the coiling wire can be separately fastened to the shaft or the pot receptacle. A single clamping means such as nut 33 is of particular advantage in permitting rapid interchange of supply reels and or various disk members including brakes, run-over rings and spacing members.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the brake discs are shown schematically in the sense that there are represented on one side of the vertical section the

brake rings

28 and 30 consisting of a wearproof plastic, e.g., PVC disks, and on the other side the brake rings 28 and 30' with bristles extending radially outwardly from their edges to bend slightly in contact with the inner wall surface 35 of the conical part 4 of pot 2. The disks with bristles are especially well suited for very high turning rates, i.e., very high draw-off speeds of the wound wire 36, while the flat-shaped solid disks have special advantages for braking at lower draw-off speeds of the wound wire cable 36.

As shown in FIG. 2, the brake disks 30' provided with bristles 30a preferably contain a large number of these bristles densely packed into two or more rows and tightly held between two halves 30b and 30'c of the plate portion of the disk. For example, the bristles 30a can be bonded or set in an annular holding member 30'd to prevent them from being too easily pulled out as they frictionally engage and apply tension to the coiling wire 37 in running contact therewith.

As will be apparent from the foregoing discussion taken with FIGS. 1 and 3, the core strand or cable 38, on which the coiling wire 37 is wrapped or wound, may in fact be a multi-wire wound strand proceeding from a previous axially aligned wrapping or coiling device as indicated in phantom in FIG. 3. Likewise, a large number of these devices can be installed in parallel and operated at the same turning and drawing rates by the motors or other adjustable drive means 39 and 40, respectively. Thus, an initial core strand can be gradually built up into a multi-wound wire cable or rope.

The particular device illustrated in FIG. 1 also has two brake disks arranged one over the other separated by the intermediate ring 29. Depending on the desired run-on tension at the hollow nipple 8 i.e., at the winding-on point just beyond this nipple, it is possible .to operate, if feasible, with only one brake disk and in this case the intermediate ring 9 can be omitted. It may, however, be expedient to provide three or more brake disks, preferably with intermediate rings or spacer disks between each brake. Also, by interlaying intermediate disks or plates dimensioned to provide a certain predetermined thickness between the upper flange 26 of the reel23 and the first run-over ring 27, it is possible, as a consequence of the conically widening upper part 4 of the pot 2, to adjust the braking force at any desired level and very sensitively. With only slight changes in the axial position of a brake disk, e.g., so as to vary its pressure in interacting with the conical wall surface 35, the braking tension is easily changed. It is also feasible to separately fasten the supply reel and the guide-brake means on the hollow shaft so that the braking means can be axially adjusted independently of the supply reel, e.g., by separate threading and/or clamping means. Other variations will be readily apparent in achieving the desired axial shifting and adjustment of the outer edges or bristles of the brake disks on the conical part of the pot.

Because of the overhead draw-ofi of the coiling wire 37, indicated by a dot-and-dash line only in the drawing, the tension on wire 37 tends to change during the unwinding of the supply reel 23, as a result of the changing geometry, i.e., the tension on the wire 37 changes in such a way that it becomes greater as the winding diameter of the wire on supply reel 23 becomes smaller. In general, this is not of appreciable importance provided that the tension is sufficiently high at the commencement of the process. By choosing the dimensions of the reel in such away that the ratio of the diameter of the fully wound reel 23 and 24 to that of the empty reel, i.e., the core diameter of the reel body 23, is as small as possible, then the tensions as between the full and empty reels do not differ very greatly. Thus, for example, with a diameter ratio of 100 mm. to 80 mm. form the beginning to the end of the unwinding reel 23, there has been measured an increase of only about 40 grams (force) over the initial tension.

Therefore, it is generally desirable to maintain this diameter ratio of fully wound reel to empty reel below about 5:4.

The fine wire strand 38 wound about at the exit from hollow nipple 8 with the wire 37 is thereupon conducted as the wound wire 36 through a pressing die or compression bore 41, wherein the helically wound wire receives its final carefully shaped form adapted exactly to the circumference of the fine wire strand 38 and then drawn and wound for collection on the collecting spool means 42, if desired with guide or nip rolls 43 and/or other drawing or tensioning means.

The means for feeding the initial fine wire strand or core wire from below is quite conventional as are the drawing means illustrated in FIG. 3. The present invention is therefore adapted to be used in combination with any such feed and draw means, particularly since a separate feed and/or draw located outside of the device itself is not required for the cooling or wrapping wires. The assembly and operation of the device according to the invention is extremely simplified, much lower in cost and designed to provide excellent uniformity in sequential and/or parallel winding and coiling operations as well as in asingle winding operation.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. Apparatus for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand which comprises:

a rotatable hollow shaft adapted to receive the fine wire strand being wound in combination with means for drawing said strand axially through said shaft; rotationally symmetrical pot receptacle joined securely to said shaft for rotation therewith and being open toward the wire exit end of said shaft which projects axially outwardly from said pot receptacle;

a supply reel for the coiling wire seated in a fixed position on said shaft concentrically within said pot receptacle; and

wire guiding and braking means positioned along the axis of said shaft between said supply reel and the axially exposed exit end of said shaft including at least two annular run-over rings together with at least one disk brake means which interacts with the opposing inner peripheral wall surface of said pot receptacle to apply a resilient braking pressure to said coiling wire being drawn from said reel to a winding-on point adjacent the exit end of said shaft.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pot receptacle is substantially cylindrical over its axial length adjacent its closed end corresponding to the enclosed axial length of said supply reel and then widens conically outwardly to its opposite open end.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the total axial length of said pot receptacle is about 1.5 to 2.2 times the axial length of the supply reel.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said braking means are adjustably insertable on said hollow shaft through interchangeable spacing members.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supply reel is removably insertable over the exit end of the shaft and is fastened within said pot receptacle by clamping means.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim wherein said clamping means include a tightening nut-threaded onto the exit end of said hollow shaft to engage and clamp,

said supply reel between said wire guiding and braking means on one side of said reel and the closed base end of said pot receptacle on the other side of said reel.

7. Apparatus as claimedin claim 6 wherein individual braking disks are clamped between run-over rings arranged on either side thereof along the hollow shaft axis.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a brake disk cooperating with the wall of the pot receptacle is composed of a resilient, wearproof plastic material.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said brake disk is composed of a plasticized polyvinyl chloride.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a brake disk cooperating with the wall of the pot receptacle includes a large number of bristles arranged densely next to one another in a plurality of layers projecting radially from the outer edge of the disk.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bristles are fibrous, stifl' animal bristles.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bristles are fibrous, stiff polyamide bristles.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bristles are steel bristles.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said braking means are adjustable insertable on said hollow shaft through interchangeable spacing members.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hoilow shaft is conically narrowed at its exit end where it also contains at least one axial insert narrowing the size of the hollowbore through which the fine wire strand is axially drawn.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein coiling wire is wound on the supply reel such that the ratio of the diameter of the full reel to that of the empty reel is not substantially greater than 5:4.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying a wire coil to a fine wire strand which comprises: a rotatable hollow shaft adapted to receive The fine wire strand being wound in combination with means for drawing said strand axially through said shaft; a rotationally symmetrical pot receptacle joined securely to said shaft for rotation therewith and being open toward the wire exit end of said shaft which projects axially outwardly from said pot receptacle; a supply reel for the coiling wire seated in a fixed position on said shaft concentrically within said pot receptacle; and wire guiding and braking means positioned along the axis of said shaft between said supply reel and the axially exposed exit end of said shaft including at least two annular run-over rings together with at least one disk brake means which interacts with the opposing inner peripheral wall surface of said pot receptacle to apply a resilient braking pressure to said coiling wire being drawn from said reel to a winding-on point adjacent the exit end of said shaft.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said clamping means include a tightening nut threaded onto the exit end of said hollow shaft to engage and clamp said supply reel between said wire guiding and braking means on one side of said reel and the closed base end of said pot receptacle on the other side of said reel.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein individual braking disks are clamped between run-over rings arranged on either side thereof along the hollow shaft axis.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bristles are fibrous, stiff animal bristles.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said bristles are steel bristles.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said braking means are adjustably insertable on said hollow shaft through interchangeable spacing members.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow shaft is conically narrowed at its exit end where it also contains at least one axial insert narrowing the size of the hollow bore through which the fine wire strand is axially drawn.