Tape winding apparatus

A tape winding apparatus including a rotatable spindle having an axial bore through which a core on which a tape is to be wound to produce a cable is advanced, and a reel carrying a roll of tape supported on the spindle for rotation about the core. A takeup roller is provided between the reel and the core for defining at least two areas therebetween so that the tension of the tape in one of those areas which is closer to the reel may be higher than in the other area. A wind barrier is provided between those areas for preventing transfer of a wind created by the rotation of the reel from the one area to the other area. A tension controller is provided between the takeup roller and the core for controlling the rotating speed of the takeup roller to maintain the tape therebetween at a satisfactorily low tension which ensures proper winding of the tape on the core.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an apparatus for winding a tape spirally 
on a core for insulation or other purposes in the manufacture of an 
electric wire or cable. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A conventional apparatus for winding two tapes on a core is shown in FIGS. 
1 and 2. The apparatus includes a spindle 1 having an axial bore defining 
a core passage, and supported rotatably on a stand 3 by bearings 2, 2'. A 
pulley 12 is attached to the spindle, while another pulley 14 is connected 
to the output shaft of a motor 13. A belt 15 extends between the pulleys 
to transmit the rotation of the motor to the spindle. A pair of holding 
shafts 5, 5' are provided symmetrically on the opposite sides of the 
spindle. A pair of tape reels 4, 4' are rotatably supported on the holding 
shafts, respectively, by a pair of springs 6, 6' which apply a braking 
force to the reels, and a pair of nuts 7, 7' holding the springs. The 
spindle is provided with guide rollers 9, 10 for a tape 8. A core 11 is 
passed through the axial bore of the spindle. The tape reel 4 carrying a 
supply of tape 16 is mounted on the holding shaft 5, and the tape is 
passed around the guide rollers and fastened to the core. If the spindle 
is rotated and the core is advanced in the direction of an arrow in FIG. 
1, the tape is unwound from the supply of tape and wound on the core. The 
winding mechanism on the opposite side of the spindle is used in the same 
way. 
In the apparatus hereinabove described, the tape reel is rotated about the 
core to wind the tape spirally on the core. If its rotating speed is 
increased, a centrifugal force and a wind pressure cause the failure of 
the tape to be fed smoothly and wound properly on the core. The wind 
pressure creates a particularly great amount of trouble. As the tape reel 
is relatively large and constitutes a large resistance to the air, it 
agitates the ambient air and creates a strong wind if it is rotated at a 
high speed. This wind renders the movement of the tape unstable, and even 
causes it to come off the guide rollers if the tape tension is 
insufficient. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved tape winding 
apparatus which can maintain stability in the travel of tape even if it is 
rotated at a high speed. 
The apparatus of this invention essentially comprises a device provided 
between a tape reel and a core for changing the tension of a tape in such 
a manner that its tension may be higher in an area close to the tape reel 
than in an area close to the core, and a wind barrier provided between 
those two areas. In the area close to the tape reel where a high wind 
pressure is created, the travel of tape is stabilized by its higher 
tension. In the area close to the core where the tape has a lower tension, 
the wind barrier shields the high wind pressure and ensures stability in 
the travel of the tape so that its tension may be sufficiently low when it 
is wound on the core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5 of the drawings, an apparatus embodying this 
invention includes various parts which are essentially identical to their 
counterparts in the conventional appatratus. Those parts, for example, a 
spindle, tape reels and a mechanism for rotating them, are shown in FIGS. 
3 to 5 by the same numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
According to this invention, a disk shaped wind barrier 35 is provided 
between the tape reels 4 and 4' and that portion of the core 11 at which 
the tape 8 is wound thereon. The wind barrier 35 is provided with a driven 
tape takeup roller 20 associated with a pinch roller 37. A belt wheel 21 
is connected to the takeup roller 20, and a belt 23 extends between the 
belt wheel 21 and a belt wheel 22 to drive the takeup roller 20. A block 
50 is secured to the spindle 1, and an internally toothed gear ring 27 is 
rotatably supported about the block 50 by bearings 28. A gear 25 is 
engaged with the gear 27. A shaft 24 has one end connected to the gear 25 
and extends through the wind barrier 35, while the other end of the shaft 
24 is connected to the belt wheel 22. A variable speed motor 29 has an 
output connected by a differential gear box 30, a belt wheel 31 and a belt 
32 to a belt wheel formed on the outer periphery of the internally toothed 
gear ring 27. A belt wheel 53 is secured to the spindle 1 and connected by 
a belt 34 to a correction shaft drive pulley on the differential gear box 
30. The differential gear box 30 maintains constant the difference in 
rotating speed between the spindle 1 and the gear ring 27, i.e., the ratio 
between the rotating speed of the gear ring 27 relative to the spindle 1 
and the rotating speed of the motor 29. Therefore, it is possible to 
control the rotating speed of the takeup roller 20 if the rotating speed 
of the motor 29 is controlled. 
The wind barrier 35 is provided with guide rollers 36, 39, 41 and 42. A 
tension control arm 44 is supported by a bearing ring 45 on the spindle 1, 
and rotatable in the directions of arrows in FIG. 5. Guide rollers 38 and 
40 are secured to the arm 44, and a spring 54 urges the arm 44 in one 
direction. A gear is formed on the outer periphery of the bearing ring 45, 
and engaged with a gear 47 to rotate it upon rotation of the arm 44. The 
gear 47 is connected by a shaft 55 to a displacement detector 46 secured 
to the spindle 1. 
Guide rollers 43 and 48 are provided at the end of the spindle 1, and are 
adjustable to wind the tape 8 on the core at an appropriate angle. 
In operation, the tape 8 is unwound from the tape supply 16, and passed 
about a guide roller 51 secured to the spindle 1, through a hole in the 
block 50 and a hole 49 in the wind barrier 35, about a guide roller 36 by 
which the tape is bent at right angles, and about the takeup roller 20. 
The tape 8 is firmly held between the takeup roller 20 and the pinch 
roller 37. The tape 8 extends between the guide rollers 38 and 40 on the 
tension control arm 44 and the guide rollers 39 and 41 on the wind barrier 
35, and about the guide rollers 42, 43, and 48, and is fastened to the 
core 11. If the spindle 1 is rotated, the tape 8 is wound on the core 11. 
The output signal of the displacement detector 46 is transmitted through a 
slip ring 52 to a controller not shown to control the rotating speed of 
the motor 29 to thereby adjust the rotation of the takeup roller 20. 
The apparatus shown in the drawings is so designed as to wind two tapes on 
the core. The other tape can be wound on the core in a similar way by the 
mechanisms shown by the same numerals carrying the apostrophes, for 
example, the tape reel 4'. 
In the apparatus described above, the tension of the tape 8 in the area 
between the tape supply 16 and the takeup roller 20 can be controlled 
independently of its tension in the area between the takeup roller 20 and 
the core 11 on which it is wound. In the former area, the braking force 
applied by the spring 6 to the tape supply 16 maintains a high tension 
which is, however, lower than the level at which the tape is likely to 
break. In the latter area, the spring 54 fastened to the control arm 44 
maintains a relatively low tension which is required to enable the tape to 
be wound properly on the core 11. 
The high tension of the tape in the area between the tape pad 16 and the 
takeup roller 20 protects the tape against any influence by a strong wind 
created by the fast rotation of the tape reel 4 when the spindle 1 is 
rotated at a high speed. The wind barrier 35 disposed between the tape 
reel 4 and the takeup roller 20 deflects the strong wind created by the 
tape reel 4 radially outwardly so that it may not reach the takeup roller 
20. The wind created by the tape reel 4 does not exert any influence on 
the tape in the area between the takeup roll 20 and the core 11 where its 
tension is low. Thus, the apparatus ensures stability in tape travel and 
its proper winding on the core at a satisfactorily low tension, even if 
the spindle is rotated at a high speed. 
Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred 
embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or 
variations may be easily made by anybody of ordinary skill in the art 
without departing from the scope of this invention which is defined by the 
appended claims. For example, it would be possible to consider an 
apparatus for winding a single tape, or three or more tapes. It would be 
possible to consider a greater number of areas in which the tension of the 
tape is varied. Moreover, the wind barrier may be of any other shape, for 
example, cylindrical. The influence of the wind created by the tape reel 
can also be reduced if the takeup roller is placed at a greater distance 
from the tape reel.