US1793104A - Strand-handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, l 93-l. E. w. LARSEN STRAND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12. 1929 Patented Feb. 11, .1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EINER WILLIAM LARSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK STRAND-HANDLING APPARATUS Application filed October 12, 1929. Serial No. 399,178.

This invention relates to strand handling apparatus, and more particularly to a coil take-up apparatus foruse with metal strand working apparatus.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for efficientlycoiling strand upon an arbor and anexpedirotatably secured at its outer end a coiling. arbor, the outer end face of the latter abutting the inner end face of a hand wheel and link actuated collapsible ring comprising a plurality of segments, each having a flanged,

tapered peripheral strand receiving face. The segments are guided radially upon the outer end face of thearbor by means of cooperating keyways and keys formed in and fixed upon thesegments and arbor, respectively. Rotatably secured to but longitudinally slidable upon the periphery of the arbor is a fluidcontrolled collar provided with a tapered outer end face which serves to form the strand being wound upon the arbor into a coil and to thereafter eject the completed coil fromthe arbor when the segmental ring -is collapsed. v

Other objects and advantagesof this invention will more fully appear from the-following detailed description, taken in connec tion with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of this invention, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the improved coil take-up apparatus, the motive fluid control mechanism for the strand coil formingcollar being illustrated in partial diagrammatic form;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section'tak'en on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail'section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1', and 1, Figs. 4'and 5 are detail sectional views on x a reduced scale of a control valve shown in i lustrates Fig. 1, for the motive fluid mechanism and ildifl'erent thereof in the operation of the apparatus.

Referring nowto the drawing in detail controlling positionswherein like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, a horizontally disposed driving spindle 10;,

fwhich is continuously rotated by suitable mechanism (not shown) is journaled adjacent each end upon roller bearings l1-11 suitably mounted in' a housing or frame 12 provided with a base 13, which in practice maybe supportedin a take-up compartment of a wire drawing machine (not shown). Fixed to a shouldered, outer or left end, as viewed in Fig. 1, of the spindle 10, by means of a key" and a keyway 14 is a cup-shaped circular coiling arbor 17, the spindle projecting through a vertical end wall 18 of the arbor. A cylindrical wall portoin 19 of the arbor 17 is of asuitable length to receive varying lengths of coiled wire 20 thereon and extends toward the right, which end is open as shown at 21. Mounted upon the vertical end wall 18 of the arbor 17'is a collapsible ring 24, comprising in the present instance eight equally spaced segmental elements 25 arranged to slide radially upon the outer face of the wall, by means of spline connections comprising keyways 26 and keys 27 (Fig. 3) formed in each of the segmental elements and fixed to the wall, respectively. Secured to the vertical end wall 18 of the arbor 17 by screws 28 are a plurality of blocks 29 which serve tov hold the segmental elements 25 in position upon the keys 27 one of the blocks being positioned between each two segmental elements (Figs. 1 and 2) to form a support or guide for the coil of wire 20 during its removal from the apparatus, at which time the ring 24 is collapsed, as will be described in the operation .of the apparatus. The position of the.

su ortin or ding end surfaces of the cel iiii'al pm 'tions l) of the blocks 29 relative to the periphery of the arbor 17 is clearly shown at the lower left corner of Fig. 1. The opposite sides of the blocks 29 serve as stop surfaces for the adjacent segmental elements 25 when the latter are moved inwardly to their collapsed position, to be referred to later.

Each of the segmental elements 25 when in its operated position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is spaced from each of the adjacent elements and serves to receive the oncoming wire from the wire drawing machine upon a tapered peripheral surface 31, which at its inner end is substantially flush with the diameter of the arbor 17 and its outer end, which is outside the diameter of the arbor, is provided with a flange 32 for retaining the wire thereon. The wire 20 is received upon the tapered surfaces 31 of the elements at the outerends thereof and spirals downward- 'ly thereon in the form of a single layer of coiled wire until it moves onto the periphery of the arbor 17, and then due to means to be presently described is caused to bulge outwardly to provide a coil of multiple layers. Rotatably mounted upon the portion of the spindle 10 which projects through the vertical wall 18 of the arbor 17 is a circular hand wheel 33 provided with a hub 34 extending from both sides of a web portion 35 upon the periphery of which is formed a circular hand grip 36. Pivotcd to the web portion 35 adiacent the periphery of the hub 34 by a plurality of equally spaced shouldered pins 38 are curved links 39, which are pivotally connected at their, opposite ends to the segmental elements 25 by shouldered screws 40, one link for each element. A ea or guard 41 is fixed to the end of the spindle 10 and serves to cover the ends of the pins 38.

Rotatably secured to the arbor 17 and longitudinally slidable thereon is a collar 44, which has fixed to its inner periphery a key 45 reciprocable in a keyway 46 formed in the outer periphery of the arbor, the key and keyway forming a spline connection. The collar 44 at its outer or left end is provided with a flange having an outer tapered end face 47 with which the wire 20 as it moves onto the periphery of the arbor 17 engages, the

flange being provided with an aperture 48 through which the end of the wire 20' to be coiled is threaded at the beginning of the coiling operation. Upon the right end of the collar 44 is fixed an outer flanged end of a tapered collar 49 which is supported at its inner end upon a roller bearing 51 reciprocably mounted upon the periphery of a cylindrical portion of the housing 12.

Formed in the housing or frame 10 below the spindle 10 is a cylinder 52 having a piston 53 therein. A. piston rod 54 is fixed to the piston 53 and the outer end of the piston rod 1s suitably secured to a lug 55 formed upon the hub of the tapered collar 49. A source of motive fluid (not shown) for example, compressed air, for actuating the piston 53 of the cylinder 52 is connected thereto through a supply pipe 58, a four-way control valve 59 and connections 60 and 61 from the valve to opposite ends of the cylinder 52. The exhaust air from either end of the cylinder escapes through one of the connections 60 and 61, through the valve 59 and out a pipe 62, except during one operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, wherein the cylinder 52 exhausts through the connection 61, a port 63 of the valve, a port 64 provided in the movable valve element and fin ally through a spring controlled blow off valve 65. The connection 60 between the cylinder 52 and the valve 59 is connected to the supply pipe 58 by a, connection which includes a pressure regulator 66 of any suitable type. The purpose of the pressure regulator 66 is to reduce the pressure of the air from the supply pipe 58 acting on the piston 53 in one operation ofthe apparatus, which will be described hereinafter.

It will be understood that by operating a control handle 67 of the valve 59 compressed air canbe admitted either at the right or left end of the cylinder 52 to reciprocate the piston 53 and thereby the piston rod 54. In the position of the control handle 67, as shown in Fig. 1, the air enters the cylinder 52 through the pressure regulator 66 and the connection 60 from the supply pipe 58, due

to the port 63 of the valve 59, which port is connected to the connection 60, being closed to the supply pipe 58. Another position of the control handle 67 is shown in Fig. 4 wherein the valve 59 has been operated to a position which will permit the full pressure of the air from the supply pipe 58 to enter the valve 59 and pass through the port 63, which is connected to the connection 60 and thereby act upon the piston 53 to move it quickly towards the left and through the connections hereinbefore described the collar 44 is likewise moved. In still. another position of the control handle 67, which is shown in Fig. 5, the full pressure of the air enters the valve 59 and passes through a port 7 2 connected to the connection 61 and acts upon the piston 53 to move it quickly towards the right, causing the collar 44 to be likewise moved in a manner. similar to that previously referred to when it is moved toward the left, the exhaust air in each of the two latter positions referred to of the control handle 67 escaping through the pipe 62.

I At the beginning of a coiling operation the reciprocable collar 44 is positioned at the forward end of the ring 24 as shown fragmentarily in dotted outline in Fig. 1 and the end of the wire to be coiled is first threaded through the aperture 48 formed in the flange of the collar and-turned back at an angle to hold it. Also the collapsible ring 24 will be in its expanded position ready for the coiling operation. Upon the spindle 10 being caused to rotate the wire 20 will be directed to the high part of the tapered peripheral surfaces 31 of in the position it assumes during the forming of a coil of wire 20, the coil being shown partially formed upon the arbor -17. At this point in the operation of the-apparatus the wire 20 is directed to the tapered surfaces 31 of the segmental elements 25 from the wire drawing machine and spirals downwardly along the tapered. surfacesin a single layer and then onto the periphery of the arbor 17 against the outer taperedend face 47 of the collar 44. The collar 44, it will be apparent, opposes the wire 20'as it is received upon the arbor 17, due to the air under suitable pressure entering the cylinder 52 through the pressure regulator 66 and exhausting through the blow off valve 65, the opposition of the" collar being suflicient to cause the wire to bulge outwardly and buildup into a coil, the

collar slowly moving rearwardly upon the arbor until it reaches the right dotted outline position (Fig. 1). This latter mentioned position of the collar 44, it will be understood, may be varied according to the length of the wire 20 to be coiled by suitable stops (not shown), but the extreme movement of the collar towards the right'will be limited by the i right end of the mounting for the roller bearing 51 engaging an angular surface 7 30f the housing 12. 7

After completingthe coil of wire 20 the rotating spindle 10 is stopped and the inner end thereof which was threaded through the aperture 48 of thecollar 44 at the beginning of the coiling operation and turned at an angle is turned back again to permit a free removal thereof, and the hand wheel 33 is ro, tated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, to cause the collapse of the ring 24, in the manner previously. described, to position the flanges 32 of the segmental elements 25 slightly withinthe periphery of the arbor 17. Thereafter,

the control handle 67 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon, as hereinbefore described, the collar 44 will be moved quickly towards the left and cause the completed coil to-be forced or stripped from the.

- arbor 17 and onto the supporting and guiding surfaces provided by the end surfaces-of. the central portions 30'of the stationary blocks 29, hereinbefore described. This'movement of the collar 44 towards the left is sufiicient to move the coil completely off the portions 30, whereupon the coil will drop onto a skid or truck positioned thereunder oronto the floor. At the end of this last described move ment of the collar 44 the left end of the mounting for the-roller bearing 51, which slides upon the housing 12, will engage the inner surface of the vertical wall 18 of the arhot- 17, thereby limiting its outward move- .ment.

Theend of the wire 20 to'be coiled in the and thereafter the control handle 67 is moved next coiling operation is secured in the aper- "ture 48 of the collar 44 as previously described to the position shown in Fig. 5. This, it will F be apparent, will cause the collar 44, through the previously described connections, tomove quickly towards the right, thecomparatively short, distance necessary to position it. as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1 at the left end of the apparatus; the control handle 67 is 'features thereof are capable of otherapplications and modifications without departin from'the spirit and scope thereof as define in'the appended claims. What is claimed is 1. In a strand handling apparatus, a ro tary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsible member adjacent one end face of the element and having a tapered peripheral face for receiving and then feeding the strand onto the element, movable means for opposing the strand \as it is fed. onto the element and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil fromthe element upon themember being collapsed, and means for causing acollapse' of the member.

"2. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a collapsible member driven by the element and adjacent one end face of the ele ment and having a flanged and tapered 'peripheral face for receiving, retaining and then feeding the strand onto the element, movable means for opposing the strand as it is fed onto the element and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the element upon themember being collapsed, and

-means for causing a'collapse of the member.

3. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsible means comprising a plurality of segmental shaped elements, each abutting one end/face of the element and having a tapered peripheral face serving as a unit to receive and thereafter feed the strand onto the driving element, movable means for coil from the driving element upon the segmental means being collapsed, means for causing a collapse of the segmental means, and means for predeterminedly guiding the segmental elements during their movement.

4. Ina strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsible means comprising a plurality of segmental shaped elements, each abutting one end face of the element and having a tapered peripheral face serving as a unit to receive and thereafter feed the strand onto the driving element, movable means for opposing the strand as it is fed thereon and thereafter being used to remove the completedcoil from the driving element upon the segmental means being collapsed, and means comprising a rotary hand wheel connected to each of the segmental elements by individual links for simultaneously operating the elements to cause a collapse of the collapsible means.

5. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsible means comprising a plurality of segmental shaped elements, each abutting one end face of the element and having a tapered peripheral face serving as a unit to receive and thereafter feed the strand onto the driving element, movable means for opposing the strand as it is fed thereon and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the driving element upon the segmental means being collapsed, means rotatably mounted upon the element and operatively connected to each of the segmental elements by individual links for operating the elements to cause a collapse of the collapsible means, and cooperating keyways and keys formed in and fixed upon the segments and driving element respectively for predeterminedly guiding the elements during their movement.

6. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsiblemember abutting one end face of the element and having a tapered peripheral face for receiving and then feeding the strand onto the element; means axially aligned and rotating with the driving element but slidable longitudinally thereof for opposing the strand as it is fed onto the element and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the element upon the member being collapsed, and means for causing a collapse of the member.

7. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving arbor for supporting a coiled strand, a rotary collapsible ring abutting one end face of the arbor and having a tapered peripheral face for receiving and then feeding the strand onto the arbor, a collar rotatably secured to and slidable longitudinally upon the arbor by means of a spline and provided with a tapered end face for opposing the strand as it is fed onto the arbor and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the arbor upon the ring being collapsed, and means for causing a collapse of the ring.

8. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving arbor for supporting a coiled strand, a rotary collapsible ring abutting one end face of the arbor and having a tapered peripheral face for receiving and then feeding the strand onto the arbor, a movable collar surrounding the arbor for opposing the strand as it is fed onto the arbor and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the arbor upon the ring being collapsed, means for causing a collapse of the ring, and motive fluid means including a pis: ton operatively connected to the collar for causing the collar to yieldably oppose the strand and for subsequently moving the collar along the arbor to remove the coil there from, and means for controlling the motive fluid means.

9. In a Wire coiling apparatus, a horizontal rotary driving arbor for supporting upon its periphery a coiled Wire, a rotary collapsible means comprising a plurality of segmental shaped elements, each adjacent one end face of the arbor and having a flanged and tapered peripheral face serving as a unit to retain, receive and thereafter feed the Wire onto the arbor, a collar rotatably secured to and slidable longitudinally upon the arbor by means of'a spline connection and provided with a tapered end face for opposing the Wire as it is fed onto the arbor and thereafter being used to remove the completed coil from the arbor upon .the segmental means being collapsed, means for causing a collapse of the collapsible means, and motive fluid means including a piston operatively connected tothe collar for causing the collar to yieldably oppose the Wire and subsequently for moving the collar upon the arbor to remove the coil therefrom, and means for controlling the motive fluid means.

a 10. In a strand handling apparatus, a rotary driving element for supporting coiled strand, a rotary collapsible means comprising a plurality of spaced elements, each adjacent one end face of the driving element and having a tapered peripheral face serving as a unit to receive and thereafter feed the strand onto the driving element, movable means for opposing the strand as it is fed onto the driving element and thereafter be ing used to remove the completed coil from a the driving element and past the outer end of guiding the completed coil as it is removed from the driving element after the collapse of the collapsible means, and means for causing a collapse of the collapsible means.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this th day of September, A. D.

EINER WILLIAM LAB SEN.

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