WO2009118115A1

WO2009118115A1 - An automatic machine for spool rewinding having approached spiral coils

Info

Publication number: WO2009118115A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/001909
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Magnaguagno
Original assignee: Gimax S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-03-28
Filing date: 2009-03-16
Publication date: 2009-10-01
Also published as: ITVI20080073A1

Abstract

The invention regards an automatic machine for spool rewinding with approached coils, particularly intended for use with reduced-size reels and for producing spools with limited weight; such machine is characterised in that it provides for a vertical turntable (1) on which five work stations (Sl, S2, S3, S4, S5) are applied, in a circumferential manner, and in each of which the following operating steps occur in continuous succession: loading the empty reel (Sl); working the reel to obtain openings which allow the initial coupling and final locking of the wound wire (S2); winding the skein wire on the reel and final cutting (S3); coupling the final section of the wire wound in a spool on the reel (S4); unloading the wound spool (S5).

Description

TITLE

Automatic machine for spool rewinding having approached spiral coils. DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to the achievement of a machine suitable for spool rewinding, the machine having approached spiral coils, according to the general part of claim 1. In the field of industrial welding, utilizing a supply material usually called "welding wire", which may be constituted by copper-coated iron, aluminium, copper, stainless steel etc., there are used spools constituted of a basket, made of metal or plastic material, defined with the generic term "reel", on which the aforesaid wire is wound.

The welding wire producers supply the wire in spools of several quintals weight, so that a rewinding operation of the aforesaid is necessary for forming spools suitable to be mounted on the welding machines, having weight variable from a minimum of 1 Kg to a maximum of 18 Kg.

This operation of unwinding the wire from the spool of considerable dimensions and the subsequent rewinding or respooling of the aforesaid in a plurality of spools of lower weight and size is, at the state of the art, carried out by a continuous respooling line substantially constituted by three separate parts: the unwinding group, on which the spool to be unwound is situated, an intermediate group, called dancing roller, which has the task of maintaining the wire under tension between the unwinding step and the rewinding step, and the final group for winding and unloading the wound spools.

At the current state of the art, automatic respooling machines are known that are intended for producing high- weight spools, for example of 15 kg, while on the other hand the production of reduced weight spools, for example of 1 kg weight, still occurs in a semi-automatic manner. The first object of the present invention is to provide an automatic machine for spool rewinding with approached spiral coils which is particularly suitable for producing reduced weight spools.

Further object of the invention is the achievement of a spool rewinding machine that has a simple structure with reduced size, so as to meet both the economical and small- size requirements of the limited-weight spool or reel producers.

Such objects are obtained with a machine which is substantially composed of a vertical turntable on which five work stations are applied in circumferential manner. In each of these stations, the following operating steps occur in continuous succession:

- loading the empty reel; - working the reel to obtain openings which allow the initial coupling and the final locking of the wound wire;

- winding the skein wire on the reel and final cutting;

- coupling the final section of the wire wound in a spool on the reel;

- unloading the wound spool.

The same type of reel support device is mounted in each of the five work stations, substantially corresponding to a mandrel which is moved, by means of the mechanism applied on the turntable, as a function of the specific operating step underway. Structurally, the mandrel is substantially composed of three parts: a central pin on which the central hub of the reel is inserted, which retains the reel in position; a rotating flange on which one of the two lateral bands of the reel abuts and is coupled thereto, in order to rotate the reel during the winding step of the wire and a ratchet mechanism which maintains the aforesaid reel locked in the other work steps.

The first operating step, i.e. the loading of the empty reel on the turntable, first of all comprises an angular rotation operation of the empty reel so as to orient it into a position such that when it is subsequently inserted on the mandrel pin, it perfectly achieves the coupling between one of the spokes present on the hub of the reel and a pair of pins, so-called "driving plate", projecting from the flange of the mandrel and which have the function of causing the rotation of the aforesaid reel.

The second operating step occurs after the turntable is rotated 1/5 of a turn, in order to exactly position the reel at the work group equipped with tools for carrying out the working of the reel. A through hole is made on the hub of the reel, intended to receive and retain the initial portion of the wire to be wound; a concavity and through hole are also made, arranged at the outer edge of the lateral band of the reel, specifically that which abuts against the drive flange, which have the function of receiving and retaining the end of the wound wire.

The third operating step occurs after the turntable is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, so as to bring the reel in line with the supply group of the wire to be wound.

At the start of the aforesaid step, a pin inserts, inside the hole made on the hub of the reel, the end of the wire to be wound, forming a hook which retains the wire and thus allows, with the rotation of the reel, the winding of the - A -

wire with approached coils.

At the end of the winding, the wire is cut and the final piece is retained by means of a plug, which abuts against the wound skein. The fourth operating step occurs after the turntable is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, so as to bring the spool, i.e. the reel with the wound wire, to correspond with the operating group, applied on the turntable, equipped with devices which fold the final free portion of the wound wire, so as to couple it to the lateral band of the reel.

Specifically, such operating group comprises a first device which, at the concavity made on the lateral band of the reel, pushes the final portion of the wire outside the aforesaid band and positions it above the drive flange. Subsequently, a second device folds the aforesaid projecting wire piece inside a groove present on the outer circumference of the aforesaid flange, in order to then allow a third device to clasp the aforesaid wire portion and insert it, from the outside, into a hole made on the band of the reel, so that it can no longer be unthreaded.

The fifth operating step occurs after the turntable is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, in order to bring the wound spool to the machine unloading channel.

The invention will now be better explained by means of the description of a possible embodiment thereof, given only as a non-limiting example, with the aid of the attached drawing tables, where:

- Figs. 1-2 (Tables I-II) represent two views, respectively front elevation and perspective, of the machine pursuant to the finding;

- Figs. 3-4 (Table III) represent two views, respectively front elevation and perspective, of the turntable; - Fig. 5 (Table IV) represents a detailed and sectioned view of the mandrel;

- Figs. 6-7 (Tables V-VI) represent two views, respectively plan and perspective, of the reel loading step;

- Fig. 8 (Table VII) represents a perspective view of the perforated reel;

- Figs. 9-10 (Table VII-VIII) represent two views, respectively elevation and perspective, of the reel working step;

- Figs. 11-15 (Table IX-XIII) represent views, respectively plan, front elevation, perspective and detailed, of the wire winding step;

- Fig. 16 (Table XIV) represents a perspective view of the wound spool;

- Figs. 17-21 (Tables XIV-XVI) represent views, respectively perspective and detailed, of the coupling step of the wire to the band of the reel;

- Figs. 22-23 (Tables XVII-XVIII) represent two views, respectively perspective and plan, of the spool unloading step.

As shown in figs. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a rotating vertical turntable, substantially composed of a platform 1, placed in rotation on the horizontal axis by means of a motor 1.1 and mounted on a structure 1.2.

As shown in figs. 3 and 4, five work stations are mounted on the platform 1, in circumferential position and equidistant from each other, indicated with the references "S1-S2-S3-S4- S5". Such stations are structurally equivalent, each substantially being composed of a mandrel, indicated overall with the reference 2, which has the function of supporting and moving the reel K in the different work steps.

As shown in detail in figure 5, the mandrel 2 comprises an expandable central pin 2.1, on which the hub of the reel is inserted and retained, a rotating flange 2.2 on which the lateral band of the reel abuts in order to be rotated, and a ratchet mechanism 2.3, which maintains the reel locked except during wire winding.

The central pin 2.1 is made expandable by means of the action of a spring 2.5.1, which acts on the central slider with frustoconical end 2.5.

During the steps "Sl" and "S5", i.e. when the central pin 2.1 must be reclosed so to respectively allow the insertion of the reel K and the unthreading of the spool "B", the action of the spring 2.5.1 is cancelled by means of a pusher 2.5.2, so that with the axial sliding of the central slider 2.5 the frustoconical contact is eliminated, and hence the pin 2.1 returns from the expanded position to the initial cylindrical form.

As shown in figures 6 and 7, the first working step, i.e. the loading of the reel K on the machine, comprises a supply chute 3 on which the reels are arranged aligned, such chute equipped with positioners which adjust the deposition of a single reel in a coaxial manner with respect to the mandrel group. Specifically, the positioning of the reel K is achieved by means of two vertically-projecting pins 3.2, which are engaged on the hub "M", while the exact orientation occurs by means of the pins 3.3, which are anchored to the reel and cause it to angularly rotate by means of the motor group 3.4.

Then, with the return of the vertical pins 3.2 and the terminal part 3.5 of the base of the chute 3, the reel, by means of the motor group 3.6, is fit on the pin 2.1 of the mandrel, coming to be engaged, with one of the spokes R of the hub, on a fork composed of two "driving plate" pins 2.4 projecting from the flange 2.2 of the aforesaid mandrel.

As shown in figures 8-10, with a first angular rotation of the platform 1, the reel K is positioned at a work group, indicated overall with the reference 4, equipped with tools adapted to respectively make on the reel a hole K.I on the hub M, as well as a concavity K.2 and a hole K.3 at the outer edge of the lateral band brought close to the flange 2.2 of the mandrel.

Specifically, the hole on the hub is made by means of the tip 4.1 moved by the pneumatic control 4.1.1, while the two lateral openings are made by means of the cutters 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 moved by the motor group 4.3. As shown in figures 11-15, with the second further angular rotation of the platform 1, the reel K, equipped with the suitable perforations K1-K2-K3, is positioned at the work group, indicated overall with the reference 5, composed of the wire guide device 5.1 which adjusts the coil-coil winding pitch of the entering wire F, the gripping and cutting group 5.2 and the outer support arm 5.3, equipped with the idle counter-flange 5.3.1 which operates on the outer part of the reel.

As shown in fig. 14, the winding step of the wire begins with the coupling of the wire F to the hub of the reel, by means of the insertion of the end of the wire in the hole

K.I of the hub M. Such insertion occurs by means of a pusher

5.4 present on the work group which is brought along the axis in order to penetrate into the aforesaid hole, so as to make the hook Fl which prevents the unthreading of said end.

Then, as shown in fig. 15, it is achieved the spool rewinding with approached coils, obtained by rotating the mandrel 2 by means of a motor member 5.5, which drives a slidable joint 5.6 equipped with a crown gear 5.7 that during operation engages and moves the crown gear 2.6 arranged on the rear part of the aforesaid mandrel 2.

At the end of the spool rewinding with approached coils, the gripper 5.2.1 and the cutting tool 5.2.2 respectively operate in order to retain and cut the end of the entering wire, while a plug 5.6, moved by a rotating arm 5.6.1 pivoted on the platform 1, angularly rotates due to the action of a pneumatic lever 5.6.2 in order to abut against the skein and thus retain the terminal part of the wound wire (see fig. 5) .

As shown in figures 17-21, with the third further angular rotation of the platform 1, the wound spool, freed from the outer support arm 5.3, is positioned at the work group, indicated overall with the reference 6, mounted on the fixed arm 6.1 and equipped with mechanisms for achieving the final coupling of the end of the wound wire on the lateral band of the reel.

As shown in figure 16, the final coupling of the wound wire is achieved by shaping the terminal part of the wire F2, so as to first engage the concavity K.2 in order to position the wire outside the lateral band, and then, so to cause the aforesaid terminal part to return through the hole K.3, forming a hook F3 which prevents its unthreading.

Specifically, the shaping comprises a first step with which the terminal portion of the wire is thrust outside the lateral band of the reel and afterward inserted in a containment groove 2.7, made on the edge of the support flange 2.2 of the mandrel, by means of a cutter system, indicated overall with the reference 7. Such system 7 is composed of two opposite fixed blades 7.1, a movable blade sliding therein which in lowered position penetrates into the aforesaid groove, locking the wire inside the same.

Then, a punch 8, equipped with engagement head, clasps the wire and inserts it into the hole K.3, so as to make the final re-entering hook F3, retained on the inner part of the lateral band of the reel.

As shown in figures 22-23, with the fourth angular rotation of the platform 1, the wound spool "B" is positioned at the unloading zone, where a gripping group 9, equipped with a pneumatic vice 9.1, clasps the spool in order to extract it from the mandrel 2 and deposits it on the unloading chute 9.2.

Finally, with the fifth angular rotation of the platform 1, the mandrel 2 is positioned at the supply chute 3, in order to begin a new work cycle.

In a further embodiment, the finding provides that already- processed reels can be used, i.e. equipped with three openings Kl, K2 and K3, produced separately for example via moulding, so that the machine can operate by maintaining the station S2 inactive.

Of course, the structural components and details of the machines can be of various type, without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR SPOOL REWINDING HAVING APPROACHED SPIRAL COILS, particularly intended for use with reduced- size reels and for producing spools with limited weight, said machine being characterised in that it provides for a vertical turntable (1) on which five work stations (Sl, S2, S3, S4 , S5) are applied, in a circumferential manner, and in each of which the following operating steps occur in continuous succession: - loading the empty reel (Sl);

- working the reel to obtain openings which allow the initial coupling and final locking of the wound wire (S2);

- winding the skein wire on the reel and final cutting (S3);

- coupling the final section of the wire wound in a spool on the reel (S4) ;

- unloading the wound spool (S5) .

2. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that it provides that the same type of reel (K) support device is mounted on the five work stations, substantially corresponding to a mandrel which is moved, by means of the mechanisms applied on the turntable, as a function of the specific operating step underway.

3. MACHINE according to claim 2, characterised in that the mandrel (2) is composed of three parts: a central pin (2.1) on which the hub (M) of the reel is inserted, which retains the reel in position; a rotating flange (2.2) on which one of the two lateral bands of the reel abuts and is coupled thereto, in order to rotate the reel during the winding step of the wire, and a ratchet mechanism which maintains the aforesaid reel locked in the other work steps.

4. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that the first operating step (Sl), i.e. the loading of the empty reel (K) on the turntable (1) , first of all comprises an angular rotation operation of the empty reel so as to orient it into a position such that when it is subsequently inserted on the mandrel pin, it perfectly achieves the coupling between one of the spokes "R" present on the hub of the reel and a driving plate element projecting from the flange of the mandrel, with the function of causing the rotation of the aforesaid reel.

5. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that the second operating step (S2) occurs after the turntable (1) is rotated 1/5 of a turn, in order to exactly position the reel (K) at the work group equipped with tools for carrying out the working of the reel; a through hole (Kl) is made on the hub of the reel, intended to receive and retain the initial portion of the wire to be wound; a concavity (K2) and through hole (K3) are also made, arranged at the outer edge of the lateral band of the reel, specifically that which abuts against the drive flange (2.2), which have the function of receiving and retaining the end of the wound wire .

6. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that the third operating step (S3) occurs after the turntable (1) is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, so as to bring the reel (K) in line with the supply group of the wire to be wound; at the start of the aforesaid step, a pin inserts, inside the hole (Kl) made on the hub of the reel, the end of the wire to be wound, forming a hook (Fl) which retains the wire and thus allows, with the rotation of the reel, the winding of the precision layer wire; at the end of the winding, the wire is cut and the final piece is retained by means of a plug, which abuts against the wound skein.

7. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that the fourth operating step (S4) occurs after the turntable (1) is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, so as to bring the spool (B), i.e. the reel with the wound wire, to correspond with the operating group, applied on the turntable, equipped with devices which fold the final free portion of the wound wire so as to couple it to the lateral band of the reel, said operating group comprising a first device which, at the concavity (K2) made on the lateral band of the reel, pushes the final portion (F2) of the wire outside the aforesaid band and positions it above the drive flange (2.2); subsequently, a second device folds the aforesaid projecting wire piece inside a groove present on the outer circumference of the aforesaid flange, in order to then allow a third device to clasp the aforesaid wire portion and to insert it, from the outside, into the hole (K3) made on the band of the reel, so as to make a hook (F3) that prevents the unthreading from said final portion.

8. MACHINE according to claim 1, characterised in that the fifth operating step (S5) occurs after the turntable (1) is rotated a further 1/5 of a turn, so as to bring the spool (B) to the machine unloading channel.

9. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first work step, i.e. the loading of the reel K on the machine, comprises a supply chute (3) on which the reels are arranged aligned, such chute equipped with positioners (3.1) which adjust the deposition of a single reel in a coaxial manner with respect to the mandrel group (2); the positioning of the reel K is achieved by means of two vertically-projecting pins (3.2), which are engaged on the hub (M) , while the exact orientation occurs by means of the pins (3.3), which are anchored to the reel and cause it to angularly rotate by means of the motor group (3.4); then, with the return of the vertical pins (3.2) and the terminal part (3.5) of the base of the chute (3), the reel (K), by means of the motor group (3.6), is fit on the pin (2.1) of the mandrel, coming to be engaged, with one of the spokes "R" of the hub, on a fork composed of two pins (2.4) projecting from the flange (2.2) of the aforesaid mandrel, with "driving plate" function.

10. MACHINE according to claim 9, characterised in that the central pin (2.1) is made expandable by means of the action of a spring (2.5.1) which acts on the central slider with frustoconical end (2.5); on the other hand, during steps (Sl) and (S5) , i.e. when the central pin (2.1) must be reclosed so to respectively allow the insertion of the reel (K) and the unthreading of the spool (B) , the action of the aforesaid spring (2.5.1) is cancelled by means of a pusher (2.5.2), so that with the axial sliding of the central slider (2.5) the frustoconical contact is eliminated, and hence the pin (2.1) returns from the expanded position to the initial cylindrical form.

11. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that with a first angular rotation of the platform (1), the reel (K) is positioned at a work group (4) for making the openings (K1-K2-K3) on the reel

(K), where the hole (Kl) on the hub (M) is achieved by means of the tip (4.1) moved by the pneumatic control (4.1.1), while the two lateral openings (K2,K3) are made by means of two cutters (4.2.1, 4.2.2) moved by the motor group (4.3) .

12. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that with a second angular rotation of the platform (1), the reel (K), equipped with suitable perforations (K1-K2-K3), is positioned at the work group (5), composed of the wire guide device (5.1), which adjusts the coil-coil winding pitch of the entering wire (F), the gripping/cutting group (5.2) and the outer support arm (5.3), equipped with idle counter-flange (5.3.1) which operates on the outer part of the reel.

13. MACHINE according to claim 12, characterised in that the winding step of the wire begins with the coupling of the wire (F) to the hub of the reel, by means of the insertion of the end of the wire in the hole (K.I) of the hub (M), by means of a pusher (5.4) present on the work group (5) which is brought along the axis and penetrates into the aforesaid hole, so as to make the hook (Fl) which prevents the unthreading of said end from said hole.

14. MACHINE according to claim 13, characterised in that the precision layer respooling is achieved by rotating the mandrel (2) by means of a motor member (5.5), which drives a slidable joint (5.6) equipped with a crown gear (5.7) that during operation engages and moves the crown gear (2.6) arranged on the rear part of the mandrel (2) .

15. MACHINE according to claim 14, characterised in that, at the end of the respooling step, the gripper (5.2.1) and the cutting tool (5.2.2) retain and cut the end of the entering wire, while a plug (5.6), integral with a rotating arm (5.6.1) pivoted on the platform (1) and moved by means of a pneumatic lever (5.6.2), angularly rotates so to abut against the skein and thus retain the terminal part of the wound wire.

16. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that with the third angular rotation of the platform (1) , the spool (B) , freed from the outer support arm (5.3), is positioned at the work group

(6), mounted on the fixed arm (6.1) and equipped with mechanisms for achieving the final coupling of the end of the wound wire to the lateral band of the reel.

17. MACHINE according to claim 16, characterised in that the final coupling of the wound wire is achieved by shaping the terminal part of the wire (F2) so as to first engage the concavity in order to position the wire outside the lateral band, and then to cause the aforesaid terminal part to return through the hole (K.3), forming a hook F3 which prevents its unthreading.

18. MACHINE according to claim 17, characterised in that the shaping of the terminal portion of the wire comprises a first step with which said terminal portion is thrust outside the lateral band of the reel and afterward is inserted in a containment groove (2.7), made on the edge of the support flange (2.2) of the mandrel by means of a cutter system (7) composed of two opposite fixed blades (7.1) and a movable blade (7.2) sliding therein which in lowered position penetrates into the aforesaid groove, locking the wire inside the same; afterward, a punch (8) equipped with gripping head claps the wire and inserts it into the hole

(K.3), so as to make the final re-entering hook (F3), retained against the inner part of the lateral band of the reel .

19. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that with the fourth angular rotation of the platform (1), the spool (B) is positioned at the unloading zone, where a gripping group (9), equipped with a pneumatic vice (9.1), clasps the spool in order to extract it from the mandrel (2) and deposits it on the unloading chute (9.2) .

20. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that with the fifth angular rotation of the platform (1), the mandrel (2) is positioned at the supply chute (3), in order to begin a new work cycle.

21. MACHINE according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it uses reels (K) , to be positioned on the supply chute (3) , which are equipped with openings (K1,K2,K3) .

22. MACHINE according to claim 21 and one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that, during operation, the work station (S2) is inactive.