US3811639A

US3811639A - Package for dispensing wire with preset tension

Info

Publication number: US3811639A
Application number: US00240427A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Jordan
Original assignee: Chicago Magnet Wire Corp
Current assignee: Chicago Magnet Wire Corp
Priority date: 1972-04-03
Filing date: 1972-04-03
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21
Also published as: CA988469A

Abstract

A combination package for use by coil manufacturers required to wind coils of wire at relatively high speed and constant tension. The package comprises a cylindrical container having a spool of wire enclosed therein, the spool adapted to be maintained in a vertical disposition during the dispensing of the wire, the wire adapted to be stripped off of the upper end of the spool through a central passageway in the cover of the container. A wire tensioning device is fixedly connected to the upper end of the spool coaxial therewith, this device comprising a disc having a plurality of radially extending resilient filaments that protrude beyond the periphery of the upper end of the spool. The upper end of the spool is a conventional annular flange. As the wire is stripped off the spool in a rotary movement, it strikes and deflects the filaments while moving around the upper annular flange. The impedance to free stripping produces the tension in the wire, such tension being a factor of the wire gauge, the thickness and density of filaments and to a much lesser degree, the diameter of the discs and the speed of stripping of the wire. The manufacturer of the package furnishes the entire combination with preset tension capability to the coil manufacturer. Various structures of wire tensioning devices are disclosed including axially spaced multiple discs and rings of filaments installed on the interior of the housing overlying the upper flange end of the spool.

Description

United States Patent [191,

Jordan [75] Inventor: [73] Assignee: Chicago Magnet Wire Corporation,

[ PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING WIRE WITH PRESETTENSION Anthony Jordan, Des Plaines, lll.

[52] U.S. Cl. 242/l29.8,'242/l37.1 [51] Int. Cl...,.. B65h 49/00, B65h 49/18 [58] Field of Search 242/129.8, 128, 137.1, 242/147 R; 66/125; 57/106-108 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,096,951 7/1963 Jensen 242/137.1 2,479,826 8/1949 Frick et a1. 242/128 2,838,922 6/1958 Gift 66/125 3,202,380 8/1965 Hosbein 242/128 3,425,647 2/1969 Kovaleski 242/128 3,632,062 1/1972 Sole 242/147 R 2,590,358 3/1952 Williams 206/46 2,919,829 l/l960 'Forrer 220/115 3/1970 Schu|z.....-..-

PrimaryExaminerLeonard D. Christian Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Silverman & Cass 57- ABSTRACT A combination package for use by coil manufacturers 1451 May 21,1974- required to wind coils of wire at relatively high speed and constant tension. The package comprises a cylindrical container having a spool of wire enclosed therein, the spool adapted to be maintained in a vertical disposition during the dispensing of the wire, the

.wire adapted to be stripped off of the upper end of the spool through a central passageway in the cover of the container. A wire tensioning device is fixedly connected to the upper end of the spool coaxial therewith, this device comprising a disc having a plurality of radially extending resilient filaments that protrude beyond the periphery of the upper end of the spool.

' The upper end of the spool is a conventional annular flange. As the wire is stripped off the spool in a rotary movement, it strikes and deflects the filaments while moving around the upper annular flange. The impedance to free stripping produces the tension in the wire, such tension being a factor of the wire gauge, the thickness and density of filaments and to a much lesser degree, the diameter of the discs and the speed of stripping of the wire. The-manufacturer of the package furnishes the entire combination with preset tension capability to the coil manufacturer. Various structures of wire tensioning devices are disclosed including axially spaced multiple discs and rings of filaments installed on the interior of the housing overlying the upper flange end of the spool.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAY 21 m4 SHEHZUFZ ,an insulated coating.

. TENSION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention herein relates generally to the art of winding coils of wire and more particularly, is concemed with structure for achieving constant tension in the wire while it is being wound upon high speed, automatic coil winding machines.

Many electrical devices utilize coils of wound wire. Typically, ballasts for fluorescent lamps utilize coils which are wound upon paper tubes. The conventional coil winding machine has a steel mandrel rotating at high speed, the mandrel being engaged within a long paper tube upon which the wire is wound. A large number of coils is wound simultaneously at spaced locations along the length of the tube, each coil being fed a wire which is derived from an independent supply. After formation, the coils are sawed apart. Thus, there are as many supplies as coils, each supply being disposed in and stripped out of its own container. Copper or aluminum wire, suitably coated with insulating enamels and the like, and of wire gauges running from very fine to coarse (for example, 35 to' 2 2 A.W.G.) must be wound simultaneously from all supplies at speeds as high as 1,000 feet per minute. Some coil winding machines will wind twenty or more coils simultaneously. i

The high speed winding of coils requires that the winding must be stopped and started quickly and without tangling or breakage. This can be achieved by accurately tensioning the wire, van effect which can be achieved by means of several different typesof tensioning devices available commercially. Such devices, requiring manual adjustment for each wire and every difit is stripped off the spool andout of the package,

thereby being impeded in such movement. Such disc means have been used for purposes of preventing the wire from dropping off the spool and to prevent tangling and breaking, but so far as is known, such disc means have not been used in a combination package which is sold with preset tension capable of being achieved when the wire is stripped out of said package.

There are many advantages of the invention in addition to those which are understood from the above description, these including: the enabling of unskilled personnelto connect the wire to the winding machine since the tension is preset; economy of floor space, since the package takes no more space than the conventional bucket without the tensioning control; and achievement of very unifonn coilsize on any given mandrel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is provided a complete package which may be purchased by thecoil manufacturer and from which he can connect the wire directly to his coil winding machine without any intervening tensioning device, the package automatically .producing a preset tension in the wire while the coils ferent gauge of wire, are normallydisposed between the wire supply and the feed wheels of the winding machine. Wire is normally suppliedin buckets at the present time, being stripped out of the buckets or off spools contained in the buckets. Some tensioning devices are installed adjacent thebucket and others elsewhere. It can be appreciated that in the event that any tensioning device is not properly adjusted, breakage'and tangling may occur. A single tangled or broken wire represents a break-down of the entire machine until that wire has been repaired. Repair is not simple since the wire has Each change inwire supply normally requires a readjustment of the wire tensioning means, and in any event, requires a rethreading of the wire through the tensioning means. Some tensioning means have capstans about which the wire must be given a complete turn; some have pinching structures which have to be opened to insert the wire, etc.

' The invention obviates prior art problems by the provision of a complete package in which the tension of are being wound. The package manufacturer preferably marks the package with the preset tension and the manufacturerof coils purchases according to his'requirements.

The package consists of a container in which the spool of wire is mounted in a vertical position with the wire being led off the upper flange end of the spool and guided through a central passageway in the cover of the container. While the wire is being stripped from the spool, the spool remains stationary and the wire uncoils in a rotary movement passing along the periphery of the upper flange end. Disc means are coaxially fastened to the upper flange end having a plurality of radially outwardly extending resilient filaments which are struck and deflected by the wire as it passes during the stripping process. The upper flange end is spaced from the inner surface of the side wall of the container, which is preferably cylindrical in configuration, and the filaments extend across the intervening annular space.

The invention comprises choosing the factors which combine to provide any desired preset tension when the wire is stripped off by the winding machine, these factors including length and density of the filaments, gauge of the wire and diameter of the disc. Obviously other factors are involved, but these will not vary greatly in the event that a manufacturer of the package uses a uniform size of spool, container, type of coating, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION or THE DRAWINGS I FIG. I is a perspective view illustrating schematically a package constructed in accordance with the invenally along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and in the indicated direction.

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded viewof the package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the inventron.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2 but illustrating still another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 6a is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIG. 6 to show details of the modified form of the invention.

'FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 and in the indicated direction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Generally, the invention comprises a complete package which is sold to the coil manufacturer. The package consists of a spool of wire of a particular gauge and metal housed within a completely enclosed container and a wire tensioning device of a particular kind being mounted upon the upper flange end of the spool in one embodiment of the invention. The user merely pulls the free end of the wire out of the central opening in the top of the container, connects it to his coil winding machine and starts the machine. The wire being stripped from the package will have a preset tension and will always maintain this tension during the winding process. When the wire has been depleted, the coil manufacturer returns the now empty package to the wire manufacturer. The advantages which accrue because of the invention have been described above, but it should be manifest that great savings in time result from the invention.

Looking now at FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the package of the invention is designated generally by the reference character 10 and is shown in FIG. 1 as including a generally cylindrical container 12 which is fully enclosed. There is a wire 14 which is shown extending from the package 10 directly to a coil winding machine 16 which is shown diagrammatically as a block. The normal disposition of the parts is such that the wire 14 is drawn out of the top of the package 10 and moved upwardly rather than at the flat angle shown in FIG. 1, this illustration being shown in order to conserve space on the drawing.

The container 12 is comprised of a lower cylindrical tube 18 having a bottom wall 20 within which there is telescopically engaged a cylindrical shell 22 that is substantially longer than the tube 18 'so that a portion protrudes above the tube 18 thereby providing a shoulder at 24. A cylindrical closed top cover member 26 is adapted telescopically to engage over the upper end of the shell 22 and if long enough will engage against the shoulder 24. There is a passageway 28 in the upperwall 30 of the cover member 26 through which the wire 14 is led during the unreeling or stripping thereof from the package 10.

A reel or spool 32 of wire of a particular gauge is vertically disposed in the container 12. The spool 32 is of conventional construction and comprises a central cylindrical or slightly conical core 34 having upper and lower annular flange ends 36 and 38, respectively. The lower flange end 38 has a central socket 40 into which there is engaged a resilient spring clip 42 of conventional construction so that the entire spool 32 may be secured coaxially of the bottom wall 20 by a suitable screw 44 passing through the central opening 46 in the said bottom wall 20 and engaging a threaded socket formed in the spring clip 42.

The upper flange end 36 also has a central socket 46 which is adapted to receive the spring clip 48 therein, this latter spring clip 48 being the means by which the tensioning device 50 is secured to the upper flange end 36. The tensioning device 50 comprises a disc 52 whose diameter is preferably somewhat smaller than the diameter of the upper flange end 36-coaxially mounted on the top of said end 36 by means of a screw 54 passing through an opening 56 in the disc 52 and into a suitable threaded socket in the spring clip 48. The disposition of the spool 32 in the container 12 is vertical, as stated, with respect to the axis of the spool and the container. The inner diameter of the shell 22 is substantially greater than the other diameter of the flange 36 or the disc 52 so that there is provided an annular ring-like space 58 between the inner surface of the shell 22 and the assembled disc 52 and flange end 36.

The tensioning device 50 includesa plurality of relatively stiff but resilient filaments 60 spaced about the periphery of the disc 52 and firmly secured thereto, these filaments 60 extending across the annular space 58. The filaments 60 lie in a plane which either comprises the plane of the disc 52 or is parallel therewith. The thickness of the disc 52 will normally be substantially greater than the thickness of the filaments 60 since the filaments are anchored in the disc in some suitable manner. Preferably the disc is made of two or more fibreboard plates cemented together with the filaments anchored therebetween. The filaments 60 are formed of monofilament nylon, somewhat heavier than heavy fishing line and hence considerably stiffer. Obviously the discs and filaments can be made of other materials than those mentioned, such as for example different plastics molded and/or cemented together.

The wire package 10 is received from the manufacturer thereof with a free end 14' as shown in FIG. 4 either within the package or threaded through the passageway 28. The passageway 28 is formed in any suitable manner, but preferably comprises the bore of a metal grommet 62 engaged in a perforation 64 in the center of the upper wall 30 of the cover member 26 by the split ring 63.

As best shown in FIG. 3, when the operation of the winding machine 16 strips the wire from the spool 32 unreeling the coils 66 that are engaged on the core 34, there will be a rotational movement-of the upper end 14 around the flange end 36 and the disc 52. As this occurs, the moving wire strikes the filaments 60 and continuously deflects them as shown. The filaments 60 recover their normal disposition after the wire passes by. The number of filaments and their stiffness will control the impedance produced and this, combined with the other factors mentioned will establish the tension which exists in the wire 14. Testing has shown that this tension can be preset with great accuracy and obtains for a wide range of feeding speeds.

In order to increase the impedance of the tensioning device, a second row of filaments may be used. Thus, for example, in FIG. 5 there is illustrated a package 10 which is identical structurally to'the package 10 except that instead of a tensioning device 50 there is a tensioning device 50 which has two rows of filaments at 60'. Using the same density and size of filaments as in the package 10, but using two rows of such filaments will substantially increase the impedance of the wire 14' while passing'around the device 50. The device 50' may be specially constructed of a plurality of discs 52 or it may simply be formed from a pair of devices identical to the device 50 secured together.

Another form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, this comprising the package In this case, the filaments 60" are anchored to a ring 70 that is mounted on the interior surface of the shell 22. A band 72 is secured at about the level of the upper flange end 36 and the ring 70 is sandwiched between the upper edge of the band 72 and a split clamping loop 74 seated in a suitable groove 76. The open split of the loop 74 is shown having the grasping eyes 78 in FIG. 7 to enable the loop to be installed or removed as desired. In this structure,'the filaments 60" are mounted to the ring 70 on the interior thereof and extend radially inwardly across the intervening space 58. They must be long enough so that they overlap the top of the flange end 36 substantially in order to provide sufficient impedance to the passage of the unreeling wire.

, Tests have been conductedas' hereafter charted to achieve preset tension values for wire included in the package. These tests were conducted using copper wire, but values may vary with difierent metal wires anddifferent wire gauges.

' Density of Disc Filaments Length Degree Diameter along Disc of of (inches) Circumference Filaments Tension (inches) (grams) Light 8 9/inch 2 5/! 6 55 Light I0 7/inch 1 5/16 65 Standard 10 2l/inch 1 SIM 200 Heavy l0 2l/inch 1 V4 600 strength of the respective wire gauge. This degree of and under their control, the tension of the wire remains constant without the use of any auxiliary tensioning device between the' wire package assembly and the winding machine.

Thetest data are as follows:

.5 P M Q 1 23M-.. i99 (speed) (Eeed) (speed) (speed) TEST 1Gauge 34 (l00 g. nominal tension) 100 95 95 (actual tension) 1 STD, l0" 2-LT-l0" l-LT-IO" l-LT-lO (type of l LT-8" I disk),

TEST 2Gauge 32 (168 g.)

Y 160 170 170 l-H-lO" l-STD-lO" i-STD-l0" l-STD-l0" l-LT- 10" l-LT-8" TEST 3Gauge 30 (263 g.)

270 a 275 260 270 2-STD-l0" 2-LT-l0" ,Z-LT-IO" 2-LT-8" l-LT-8" 7 TEST 4--Gauge 28 (427 g.)

425 420 430 420 l-STD-lO" l-STD-lO" 'lLT-IO" 24.1 10" l-LT-S 2-LT- s" l-STD- 10" l-LT-s" l'-LT- 10" The above table gives results of four tests. As an example, in Test No. Ziacopper winding wire of gauge 30 was used applying a nominal tension of 263 GMS (equal to 50 percent of the yield strength of '526 GMS). The result for-a speed of 250 FPM was two standard disks, and the tension was kept constant by the two disks at 270 GMS.

Analogously, with a speed of 500 FPM the result was two light disks of 10" and one light disk of 8". The'tension kept'constant by thethree disks was 2 7 5 QMS.

I claim:

1. A package for dispensing wire with preset tension comprising:

a. a generally cylindrical housing having an upper wall with a -central passageway forming a cover;

b. a spool of coiled wire having at least an upper annular flange end, the spool and associated flange end being nonrotatably secured in the housing coaxially therewith and the housing having a wall surrounding the annular flange and spaced therefrom to provide an annular wire confining and unreeling space between the flange and wall; and

internal wire tensioning means including at least one disc member nonrotatably secured to the upper flange and having a plurality of elongate resilient filaments thereon extending radially across said annular space impeding the normal unwinding of the wire and adapted to be struck and deflected momentarily by the rotary movement of wire being pulled out of said passageway and passing along the periphery of said flange through-said annular space while being unreeled to apply a preset tension value to the wire, the density and size of said filaments being so related to the gauge of wire and the geometric 1 characteristics of the package that the tension of 1 the wire during its unreeling will be constant and predetermined. 2. A package as described in claim 1 in which at least a pair of substantially similar disc members are secured superimposed on the end flange, said elongate resilient filaments being sandwiched between said disc members extending radially therefrom.

. 3. A package as described in claim 1 which includes: a spring clip; said spool of coiled wire having a bottom flange with a threaded opening therethrough, said spring clip being engaged in the bottom flange; and a threaded fastener is engaged from exterior of the housing into said threaded opening for keeping the spool stationary during unwinding'of the wire.

4. A package as described in claim 1 in which said disc member is removably secured to the end flange.

-7 .5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the density of filaments per inch length of the periphery of the flange ranges from 5 to 25.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of the filaments ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches.

7. A package for dispensing wire with preset tension comprising:

a. a generally cylindrical housing having an upper wall with a central passageway forming a cover; b. a spool of coiled wire having at least an upper annularflange end, the spool and associated flange end being nonrotatably secured in the housing coaxially therewith and the housing having a wall surrounding the annular flange and spaced therefrom to provide an annular wire confining and unreeling space between the flange and wall, and

c. internal wire tensioning means including a ring member nonrotatably secured to the inner wall of the housing and having a plurality of elongate resilient filaments thereon extending radially across said annular spacing impeding the normal unwinding of the wire and adapted to be struck and deflected momentarily by the rotary movement of wire being pulled out of said passageway and passing along the periphery of said flange through said annular space while being unreeled to apply a preset tension value to the wire, the density and size of said filaments being so related to the gauge of wire and the geometric characteristics of the package that the tension of the wire during its unreeling willbe constant and predetermined.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein the density of filaments per inch length of the periphery of the flange ranges from 5 to 25.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein the length of the filaments ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches.

Claims

1. A package for dispensing wire with preset tension comprising: a. a generally cylindrical housing having an upper wall with a central passageway forming a cover; b. a spool of coiled wire having at least an upper annular flange end, the spool and associated flange end being nonrotatably secured in the housing coaxially therewith and the housing having a wall surrounding the annular flange and spaced therefrom to provide an annular wire confining and unreeling space between the flange and wall; and c. internal wire tensioning means including at least one disc member nonrotatably secured to the upper flange and having a plurality of elongate resilient filaments thereon extending radially across said annular space impeding the normal unwinding of the wire and adapted to be struck and deflected momentarily by the rotary movement of wire being pulled out of said passageway and passing along the periphery of said flange through said annular space while being unreeled to apply a preset tension value to the wire, the density and size of said filaments being so related to the gauge of wire and the geometric characteristics of the package that the tension of the wire during its unreeling will be constant and predetermined.

2. A package as described in claim 1 in which at least a pair of substantially similar disc members are secured superimposed on the end flange, said elongate resilient filaments being sandwiched between said disc members extending radially therefrom.

3. A package as described in claim 1 which includes: a spring clip; said spool of coiled wire having a bottom flange with a threaded opening therethrough, said spring clip being engaged in the bottom flange; and a threaded fastener is engaged from exterior of the housing into said threaded opening for keeping the spool stationary during unwinding of the wire.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the density of filaments per inch length of the periphery of the flange ranges from 5 to 25.

7. A package for dispensing wire with preset tension comprising: a. a generally cylindrical housing having an upper wall with a central passageway forming a cover; b. a spool of coiled wire having at least an upper annular flange end, the spool and associated flange end being nonrotatably secured in the housing coaxially therewith and the housing having a wall surrounding the annular flange and spaced therefrom to provide an annular wire confining and unreeling space between the flange and wall, and c. internal wire tensioning means including a ring member nonrotatably secured to the inner wall of the housing and having a plurality of elongate resilient filaments thereon extending radially across said annular spacing impeding the normal unwinding of the wire and adapted to be struck and deflected momentarily by the rotary movement of wire being pulled out of said passageway and passing along the periphery of said flange through said annular space while being unreeled to apply a preset tension value to the wire, the density and size of said filaments being so related to the gauge of wire and the geometric characteristics of the package that the tension of the wire during its unreeling will be constant and predetermined.