Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Helical or random winding of material – Alternately or sequentially wound spools
Patent
1997-07-01
1998-11-03
Mansen, Michael
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Helical or random winding of material
Alternately or sequentially wound spools
2424766, B65H 5400, B65H 7528
Patent
active
058297057
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is an apparatus for fully automatic winding or spooling of cables, wires, or other materials of extended lengths onto a drum equipped with a center hole. Since the chief aim in developing this new apparatus was the automatic spooling of cable, the following description of the invention relates to that material.
2. Description of Background Art
Cable is normally manufactured in great lengths during a continuous process. Most cables are delivered wound onto drums of various sizes. Because of production techniques, it is common today that cable which is to be delivered on small drums (mainly .O slashed.400-.O slashed.1,200 mm.) is first spooled on one large drum, only later to be re-wound on smaller delivery-drums. The reason for this awkward process is that until now no equipment has existed which automatically and speedily makes the switch from a full drum to another empty one. The problem is that currently no method is available for fastening the end of the cable to the new drum, in a manner that is efficient, automatic, and fast enough for delivery purposes.
Yet another crucial problem is how to secure the freshly cut end of the cable onto the full drum.
Further, the direct spooling on small delivery drums (mainly .O slashed.400-.O slashed.1,200 mm.) requires a great amount of manual labor, obviously reducing the production speed. In addition, the introduction of manual labor at this stage brings great risk of accidents since the work necessarily occurs close to rapidly rotating drums. The exact same problem comes up during the re-spooling procedure.
Another issue is the quality of the spooling, which is crucial since the drums are to be delivered to the end user.
There do already exist, however, some methods for automatically fastening the end of a cable onto an empty drum. One way would be to follow the example of Patent No. EP 0 369 152 A1, in which a thread or a wire is attached to the drum automatically and fairly fast. But this method does not allow simultaneous access to both ends. Such an access is essential in those cases when the cable must be tested with an instrument in each of its ends which often occurs at times of delivery of spooled drums to the end user. Thus, this and similar methods are not suitable if the thread or wire are too rigid or thick, as would frequently be the case with cables.
Another example would be Patent No. EP 0 295 230 A1. Here the problem is not lack of access to the ends of the cable but the great limitations in regard to types of cable: the method allows only very flexible and relatively thin cables. Further, this method is incapable of transferring cables from a full drum to an empty drum fast enough for an acceptable production speed in cases of small delivery drums (mainly .O slashed.400-.O slashed.1,200 mm. ) This method is also quite complicated and thus becomes relatively slow. In fact, the technical solution that clearly distinguishes this method from the invention in this patent application has the following weaknesses: the cutting mechanism is so located that the cable first has to be locked, then be given slack, and finally be guided toward the cutting tool in such a way that the cut itself does not take place next to the laying-guide, which then offers a freely suspended cable-end. This laying-guide is therefore not fixed but has to be telescoped in order to be coordinated with the capturing mechanism which passes through a hole in the side of the drum. The fastening device for the end of the cable is placed on a drive arm on the side of the drum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in this application is thus an apparatus for the spooling of cable which in an optimal manner solves the problems alluded to above and at the same time to the greatest possible extend eliminates the shortcomings associated with existing spooling principles. These effects have been reached through a series of devices, the defining characteristics of which are specified in the patent claims, which appear belo
REFERENCES:
patent: 3858817 (1975-01-01), Riekkinen
patent: 3941329 (1976-03-01), Maillefer et al.
patent: 3994058 (1976-11-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 4119278 (1978-10-01), Draizen et al.
patent: 4205800 (1980-06-01), Melan et al.
patent: 4637564 (1987-01-01), Hallenbeck et al.
patent: 4669679 (1987-06-01), Pali
patent: 4883230 (1989-11-01), Lindstrom
patent: 4979687 (1990-12-01), Birch
patent: 5593101 (1997-01-01), Varga
Mansen Michael
Windak AB
LandOfFree
Apparatus for automatic winding of cables, wires, cords and the does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for automatic winding of cables, wires, cords and the , we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for automatic winding of cables, wires, cords and the will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-681835