METHOD FOR SECURING WIRE COILED ONTO A SPOOL, APPARATUS FOR SECURING WIRE COILED ONTO A SPOOL, AS WELL AS SPOOL CONTAINING WIRE COILED THEREON

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for securing the end of wire coiled onto a spool, whereby the last winding of the wire coiled onto the spool is taken up together with at least one preceding winding and connected thereto, after which the wire is cut between the connection thus made and the wire feed apparatus, whereby the length of the windings to be connected to each other is increased under tension and the additional length of wire is concentrated where the connection is to be formed, that the additional length of the windings to be connected to each other is held under tension, and that during the connection operation the additional, free length of wire of the windings to be connected to each other is incorporated in the connection thus formed.

Description: This invention relates first of all to a method for connecting the last winding to at least one preceding winding of a wire coiled onto a spool from a wire feeding machine, after which the wire is cut between the connection thus made and the wire feeding machine. Such a method is well known. In order to secure or to connect a wire end to a preceding winding, the aforementioned wire end and the preceding winding are gripped together with a pair of pliers, the latter then being rotated so as to twist both wires around each other, thus connecting or attaching them to each other. Such a method is usually carried out manually, and has the disadvantage that the connection thus formed cannot be made in a reproducible manner and that varying lengths of wire become unsuitable for future use, depending on the skill of the operator. It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution for the above-mentioned problem, permitting a reproducible way of operation amendable to mechanisation and automation. The present invention is therefore characterized in that the length of the windings to be connected to each other is increased under tension by rotating an arm with at least one pin anti-clockwise under the last winding of the wire coiled onto a spool and at least one preceding winding of wire coiled onto the spool so that a predetermined number of windings is mounted on this pin and the additional length of wire is concentrated where the connection is to be formed, that the additional length of the windings to be connected to each other is held under tension between the wire coiled on the spool and the wire feeding machine, and that during the connection operation the additional, free length of wire of the windings to be connected to each other is incorporated in the connection thus formed. A high degree of reproducibility is obtained by first of all elongating the windings to be connected to each other by rotating an arm with at least one pin anti-clockwise under the last winding of the wire coiled onto the spool and at least one preceding winding of wire coiled onto the spool and by concentrating in this way the additional length (in comparison with the original length, whereby the windings lie side by side against each other) in one specific location, by keeping under tension this additional length of the windings to be connected to each other and by finally taking up this additional length into this connection, because the aforementioned elongation, the holding under tension and the connection of the windings are all executed while the wire is held under its normal winding tension. In particular, the additional length of wire of the windings to be connected to each other is, according to the method of the invention, held under tension over a fixed distance downstream and upstream of the connection to be formed. A method for connecting the last winding to the wire coiled onto a spool is already known from the Japanese document JP-A-61/162469. This document learns a machine which is turning in the clockwise direction for forming an additional length of wire in the form of a loop concentrated where the connection is to be formed. A grasping tool is moved within the hollow part of the machine for grasping the wire and for stretching the wire into the formed loop. In this way a special knot is formed by means of this special one part-machine. The method according to this document JP-A-61/162469 does not give acceptable results for forming a severe knot or forming a thoroughly closed knot. The invention also relates to an apparatus for connecting the last winding to at least one preceding winding of a wire coiled onto a spool from a wire feeding machine, after which the wire is cut between the connection thus made and the wire feeding machine. According to the invention, said apparatus comprises means for connecting the windings concerned to each other, comprising : means for increasing under tension the length of the windings to be connected to each other consisting of at least one pin mounted perpendicularly onto an arm, which arm can be rotated in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spool, whereby the centre of rotation of the arm can be moved in said plane from a starting position to a point on the axis of the spool and said centre of rotation then can be moved along this axis so that said pin crosses the windings to be connected to each other, and that means are provided for rotating the arm until a desired number of windings is carried on the pin, means for making the connection between the windings concerned while incorporating the additional length into the connection consisting of two clamp jaws hinging on a common axis, whereby one clamp jaw is provided with a conical protrusion and the other clamp jaw is provided with a corresponding recess, said protrusion fitting into said recess when the clamp jaws are closed, and that means are provided for rotating the closed clamping unit of jaws clamping around the windings to be attached, around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the spool onto which the wire has been coiled, and means for holding under tension the additional length of the windings to be connected to each other at the place where the connection is to be made consisting of a sliding chuck that presses the windings to be connected, while under tension, against the wire on the spool both upstream and downstream of the place of connection, simultaneously closing the means for forming the connection, by shifting the sliding chuck from a starting position to a position in which the sliding chuck lies against the wire on the spool. The pin or pins on said arm are first of all positioned at the right distance with respect to the circumference of the coil wound onto the spool. By the subsequent rotation of the arm, whereby the centre of rotation lies on the produced part or the continuation of the spool axis, a desired number of windings is wound on the pins. The arm is rotated in the same direction as the spool during the winding process. The arm can for instance be rotated pneumatically, whereby the pneumatic cylinder has a length corresponding to a desired number of rotations of this arm. If required, an additional length of wire for the connection to be formed can be obtained by a slight clockwise rotation of the spool or by feeding an additional length of wire. The connecting unit of the apparatus goes into an operation when the additional length of wire has been formed by means of the pin or the pins. Two jaws hinging on a common axis are so positioned with respect to the wire held by the pins that a conical protrusion on one of the jaws is located between the windings held by the pins and the windings on the spool. Subsequently, the second jaw is closed against the first jaw, whereby the wire held by the pins, is gripped tightly. When the wire is thus firmly held, the pins used before for introducing the additional length of wire, can be retracted or removed. The sliding chuck presses the parts of the windings outside the connection area to the surface of the wire coiled onto the spool both upstream and downstream of the clamp jaws holding the windings. All additional length of wire is now concentrated at the place of the clamp jaws holding the windings to be connected. When this stage has been reached, the clamp jaws are rotated around their axis in order to incorporate the additional length of wire into the connection thus formed between the windings. The means described above for the connection of windings are advantageously put into action in a fixed, predetermined sequence and further means are present to control the action and movements of said connecting means in a programmed manner. Such means of control are widely available and are well-known to those skilled in the art. Such control means will therefore not be discussed in detail here. The apparatus according to the invention therefore advantageously incorporates means for the programmed execution of the following steps with a stationary spool : moving the centre of rotation of an arm on which at least one pin is mounted so that the pin crosses the windings to be connected to each other, rotating the arm until it carries a sufficient number of windings, moving the unit containing the clamp jaws until the conical protrusion on one of the clamp jaws is so positioned with respect to the windings carried on the pin that when the clamp jaws are closed, said protrusion is nearer the axis of the spool than said windings. closing the clamp jaws by moving the sliding chuck towards the spool, moving the centre of rotation of the arm in such a way that the pin no longer crosses the windings to be interconnected, moving the sliding chuck further towards the spool to lie against the wire on the spool, rotating the closed clamp jaws until the additional length of wire has been incorporated into the connection thus formed, retracting the sliding chuck from the spool, opening the clamp jaws. Said programmatically controlled apparatus for connecting a securing the end of a wire coiled onto a spool to one or more preceding windings can be very advantageously incorporated into an installation for coiling wire onto a spool, said installation also comprising means to cut the wire at a predetermined point in time, to remove the fully coiled spool, to insert an empty spool and to secure wire to be coiled onto the empty spool. The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawing, wherein : figure 1 is a side view of an installation for coiling wire, including an apparatus for forming a connection between the windings or for securing the windings according to the invention, figure 2 shows in detail the means for the formation of the connection, whereby in this instance, the spool axis is parallel to the plane of the drawing, figures 3A and 3B show views of the various important elements and their relative positions during the connecting or securing operation, figure 4 shows in detail the part of the apparatus used to grip the windings to be connected to each other and to press these windings against the coil surface. A side view of a wire coiling installation 31 is represented schematically in figure 1. It comprises an apparatus 1 for connecting windings to each other, whereby in the plane of figure 1 the axis of said apparatus 1 makes an angle (generally 30°) with a vertical axis intersecting the axis of the spool 2. The wire 3 is coiled onto the spool 2 in a per se known manner. The spool 2 rotates around the axis 4 during said coiling process. The apparatus 1 has been mounted onto the frame 5 in such a way, that the apparatus 1 can be shifted parallel to its longitudinal axis towards and away from the spool axis 4 and can also be shifted parallel to the spool axis. An arm 6 serves the purpose of increasing the length of the windings to be connected to each other. In order to carry out said operation, the centre of rotation of the arm 6 must be moved to lie on the axis 4 of the spool 2. Then said centre of rotation is shifted along the axis 4 until pins 6' and 6" are opposite the wire coiled onto the spool. As will be indicated below, a predetermined number of windings will be elongated by means of the arm 6. By means of a unit 7, as will be explained below, the number of windings to be connected is gripped, whereupon the connecting operation is then executed is subsequent steps. The wire fed to the apparatus 1 is indicated by number 3. Number 9 in figure 2 indicates that part of the apparatus, on which the arm 6 and its drive are mounted, whereas number 10 indicates the part of the apparatus for connecting the windings to each other. Number 6 again shows (in figure 2) the arm with pin 6' (in view) and pin 6" (out of view). Number 11 indicates the centre of rotation of the arm. The part 10 for forming the connection between the windings consists of a unit 7 with subunits 7' and 7", whereby this unit 7 serves to grip the windings which have been elongated by means of the arm 6 and pins 6' and 6". To this end, the subunit 7" comprising a conical protrusion grips under the windings supported by the pins 6' and 6", whereupon the subunits 7' and 7" are brought together or closed by means of a sliding chuck 8. As will be indicated below, the pins 6' and 6" are removed or retracted after the subunits 7' and 7" have been closed ; whereas the element 8 preferably presses against the coil on the spool or against the wire coiled on the spool 2. As soon as said subunits 7' and 7" are closed and pressure is exerted, the unit 7 gripping the windings is rotated around its vertical axis to attach or connect the windings to each other. Figure 3A represents on a larger scale the position of the wires during the various stages of the formation of the connection between the wires. On the right hand side, the wire 3 is shown being wound and still under tension. Between said wire 3 and the spool 2 the pins 6' and 6" have been drawn in their starting position. By rotating the arm 6 anti-clockwise, a predetermined number of windings will be mounted on the pins 6' and 6", while the spool 2 is stationary. If necessary, the spool 2 can be rotated sligthly in the clockwise direction or a small amount of additional wire can be fed to obtain the desired additional length of wire in the windings to be connected or attached. The rotation of the arm 6 is stopped at a point where, as indicated in figure 2 and in figure 3A, the line connecting the centres of the pins 6' and 6" is perpendicular to the central axis of the part 10 and in addition intersects said central axis, whereby this part 10 is used to make the attachment or connection between the windings. Then the clamp jaws 7' and 7" are closed around the windings to be connected to each other, whereby a conical protrusion 17 ensures that the windings are gripped by the jaws. After the jaws 7' and 7" have been closed, the pins 6' and 6" are removed, whereupon the sliding cluck 8 is moved towards the coil surface from position E to position F, as indicated in figure 3A. In figure 3A, X indicates the wire position when the windings are carried by the pins 6' and 6". Y indicates the situation when the windings have been gripped by the clamp jaws 7' and 7" and the pins 6' and 6" have been removed, whereas Z indicates the situation when the sliding chuck 8 has been moved towards the coil surface to press the windings against the wire coiled onto the spool 2. However, it is not necessary that the sliding chuck 8 lies against the wire coiled onto the spool 2. Figure 3B illustrates once again, on enlarged scale, the relative position of the pins 6' (in view) and 6" (out of view) with respect to the subunits or clamp jaws 7' and 7". Finally, figure 4 shows details of the part 10 (as introduced in figure 2) which is used for connecting the windings to each other. It shows the clamp jaws 7' and 7" with the conical protrusion 17 and the recess 27, used for gripping the windings to be attached. The sliding chuck 8 fits closely around the clamp jaws 7' and 7" in order to make the subunits 17 and 27 fit into each other. The conical protrusion 17 on clamp jaw 7' is so shaped to ensure the easy and certain release of the wire loop that is formed when the connection or attachment is made, when the clamp jaws 7' and 7" are opened again. In the apparatus according to the invention as described above, the sliding chuck 8 preferably presses against the spool 2 provided with the coiled wire. The additional length of wire in the windings to be connected, obtained by using the pins 6' and 6", is held under tension, for instance by using the tension between the spool 2 and the wire drawing machine. It is also possible to replace the pins 6' and 6" by a single pin 6 and to use this single pin to provide the additional length in the windings to be attached to each other. It is clear that within the scope of the invention, many variations can be carried out. For instance, when the spool 2 is clamped between two clamping plates or supported at both ends instead of being supported only in one place or at one end ; then it is not always possible to use a real arm 6, whereby its real centre of rotation 11 lies on the continuation or produced part of the axis 4 of the spool 2 for increasing the length of the windings to be connected to each other. However, it is then always possible to use a small arm 6 with pins 6' and 6", whereby the imaginary continuation or produced part of the arm 6 then fulfils the same function as the real arm 6 in the figures 1 - 4. The description given above of the apparatus according to the invention is based on the assumption that the various movements and actions are effected by pneumatic or hydraulic means. It is, of course, also possible to use other sources of power for driving the various parts, such as for instance, electrical power.

Claims: Method for connecting the last winding to at least one preceding winding of a wire coiled onto a spool from a wire feeding machine, after which the wire is cut between the connection thus made and the wire feeding machine, characterised in that the length of the windings to be connected to each other is increased under tension by rotating an arm (6) with at least one pin (6', 6") anticlockwise under the last winding of the wire (3) coiled onto a spool (2) and at least one preceding winding of wire coiled onto the spool so that a predetermined number of windings is mounted on this pin (6', 6") and the additional length of wire is concentrated where the connection is to be formed, that the additional length of the windings to be connected to each other is held under tension between the wire coiled on the spool (2) and the wire feeding machine, and that during the connection operation the additional, free length of wire of the windings to be connected to each other is incorporated in the connection thus formed. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the additional length of wire of the windings to be connected to each other is held under tension over a fixed distance upstream and downstream of the connection to be formed. Apparatus for connecting the last winding to at least one preceding winding of a wire coiled onto a spool from a wire feeding machine, after which the wire is cut between the connection thus made and the wire feeding machine, characterised in that the apparatus (1) comprises means for connecting the windings concerned to each other, comprising : means (6, 6', 6") for increasing under tension the length of the windings to be connected to each other consisting of at least one pin (6', 6") mounted perpendicularly onto an arm (6), which arm can be rotated in a plane perpendicular to the axis (4) of the spool (2), whereby the centre of rotation (11) of the arm (6) can be moved in said plane from a starting position to a point on the axis (4) of the spool (2) and said centre of rotation (11) then can be moved along this axis (4) so that said pin (6', 6") crosses the windings to be connected to each other, and that means are provided for rotating the arm (6) until a desired number of windings is carried on the pin (6', 6"), means (7, 7', 7") for making the connection between the windings concerned while incorporating the additional length into the connection consisting of two clamp jaws (7', 7") hinging on a common axis, whereby one clamp jaw (7") is provided with a conical protrusion (17) and the other clamp jaw (7') is provided with a corresponding recess (27), said protrusion (17) fitting into said recess (27) when the clamp jaws (7', 7") are closed, and that means are provided for rotating the closed clamping unit of jaws (7', 7") clamping around the windings to be attached, around an axis perpendicular to the axis (4) of the spool (2) onto which the wire (3) has been coiled, and means for holding under tension the additional length of the windings to be connected to each other at the place where the connection is to be made consisting of a sliding chuck (8) that presses the windings to be connected, while under tension, against the wire on the spool (2) both upstream and downstream of the place of connection, simultaneously closing the means (7, 7', 7") for forming the connection, by shifting the sliding chuck (8) from a starting position (E) to a position (F) in which the sliding chuck (8) lies against the wire (3) on the spool (2). Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the means for connecting the windings concerned can operate in a predetermined sequence and that means are present for the programmed control of said operation and the relative movements of the respective means concerned. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that the apparatus (1) comprises means for the programmed execution of the following steps with a stationary spool (2) : - moving the centre of rotation (11) of an arm (6) on which at least one pin (6', 6") is mounted so that the pin (6', 6") crosses the windings to be connected to each other, rotating the arm (6) until it carries a sufficient number of windings, moving the unit (7) containing the clamp jaws (7', 7") until the conical protrusion (17) on one of the clamp jaws (7") is so positioned with respect to the windings carried on the pin (6', 6") that when the clamp jaws (7', 7") are closed, said protrusion (17) is nearer the axis (4) of the spool (2) than said windings. closing the clamp jaws (7', 7") by moving the sliding chuck (8) towards the spool (2), moving the centre of rotation (11) of the arm (6) in such a way that the pin (6', 6") no longer crosses the windings to be interconnected, moving the sliding chuck (8) further towards the spool (2) to lie against the wire (3) on the spool (2), rotating the closed clamp jaws (7', 7") until the additional length of wire has been incorporated into the connection thus formed, retracting the sliding chuck (8) from the spool (2), opening the clamp jaws (7', 7"). Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that this apparatus (1) has been incorporated into an installation (31) for coiling wire (3) onto a spool (2), said installation (31) also comprising means to cut the wire at a predetermined point in time, to remove the fully coiled spool (2), to insert an empty spool (2') and to secure wire to be coiled onto the empty spool (2).

Inventors: LAMBERT, ETIENNE, VERHAEGHE, JOHN, WYCKHUYS, JOZEF
Applicants: N.V. BEKAERT S.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65H65
IPC codes: B65H65, H01F41, B65B13