A GUIDING DEVICE FOR A MACHINE FOR WINDING WIRE-LIKE GOODS

Abstract: A device in a machine for winding a cable (4) on a flanged reel (2), comprising a support frame (1) for supporting the reel rotatably around its axis; and a distributor (3) for passing the cable (4) on the reel to form superimposed layers of adjacent cable turns (10). In order to wind the cable turns closely together while preventing an inadvertent climbing of the cable by means of a hold-down element (6), the hold-down element is arranged to exert on the cable a force such that the cable itself lifts up the hold-down element in the vicinity of the reel flanges (12) to begin a new cable layer; the distributor and the support frame being arranged to be displaced at constant speed with respect to each other, so that the deviation angle (A) is allowed to vary at the S-shaped transitions (11) between adjacent cable turns (10) but is kept constantly backwardly directed between the reel flanges; and the distributor (3) being arranged to displace the cable a distance equal to one cable thickness in either direction away from the axis of the cable in the vicinity of the reel flanges.

Description: A guiding device for a machine for winding wire-like goods The present invention relates to a device in a machine for winding wire-like goods, such as a cable, on a flanged reel, comprising a support frame for supporting a reel rotatably around its axis; and - a distributor for passing the cable on the reel to form superimposed layers of cable turns wound adjacent to each other between the flanges of the reel; - the support frame and the distributor being displaceable with respect to each other so that the cable is wound on the reel at a backward deviation angle with respect to adjacent cable turns and with S-shaped transitions between the cable turns. As used in this connection, the expression "wire-like goods" refers to all kinds of long narrow continuous objects which can be wound on a reel, such as cables, conductors, threads and fibres, mostly products used in the production of electrical cables and data transmission conductors. For the sake of clarity, however, the invention will be described below with reference to a cable. When a cable is wound on a reel or drum, it is guided by a guiding device so that the cable is posi¬ tioned between the flanges of the reel in super¬ imposed layers each consisting of a number of adjacent cable turns. In most prior art winding machines, including U.S. Patent 3,997,128 (FURUKAWA), the winding move¬ ments are effected by an axial displacement of a cable guide which is parallel with the axis of the reel. The cable guide guides the cable or displaces the reel in such a way that when the reel has accomplished one revolution, the guide or the reel has been displaced a distance equal to the thickness of the cable. A drawback of such a method is that the cable is positioned spirally with air spaces between parallel flanges, as a result of which the reel will be filled increasingly irregularly during the reeling in the vicinity of the flanges, where the cable can slide down into the air spaces and spoil the regular winding process, so that the reel is not filled in the best possible way and the cable is liable to mechanical damage. When the cable is unwound during a subsequent production process, it is again possible that mechanical damages occur as the cable may get wedged or overlap in the vicinity of the flanges. When a cable layer has been wound up to one reel flange and the winding direction is reversed to¬ wards the other flange, a spiral configuration is formed with an angle of pitch which is opposite to the angle of pitch of the underlying cable layer. After the direction has been reversed at one reel flange, the cable will partially follow the course of the grooves in the spiral configuration of the under- lying cable layer, as a result of which spaces are formed in the winding layer even at a distance from the cable flanges. As disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Patents 3,951,355 (SUMITOMO) and 4,143,834 (FURUKAWA), an improved winding can be obtained if the relative displacing movement between the cable guide and the reel is interrupted for a predetermined period of time in the vicinity of the reel flanges, so that the first or a few first cable turns are wound in parallel with the reel flange, whereafter the above-mentioned relative movement between the cable guide and the reel is re¬ started with a continuous sideward displacement equalling to one cable diameter for each revolution of the reel. The cable distribution obtained by this winding process is such that the cable turns are parallel with the flange of the reel and S-shaped transitions are formed between adjacent cable turns. The cable to be wound forms a backward deviation angle with respect to the axis of the reel during the winding. A drawback is that the cable to be wound tends to climb up on adjacent cable turns, particularly at the S-shaped transitions, where the backward devi¬ ation angle of the cable to be wound increases temporarily. The problem is worst with objects con¬ sisting of material having a high coefficient of friction, such as electrically insulated rubber cables or rubber hoses. The problem is even worse with large deviation angles. It is known from EP Patent Application 0 043 368 (ROSENDAHL) to keep the backward deviation angle of the cable to be wound constant in all conditions, so that variation in the deviation angle is avoided. This reduces the climbing tendency as the deviation angle does not increase at the S-shaped transitions. A measuring device changes continuously the relative displacement between the reel and the cable guide in order to compensate for variation in the deviation angle and to keep it as constant as possible. A major drawback is, however, that if the cable to be wound some time inadvertently climbs up on adjacent cable turns, due to irregularities in the cable dimensions, a high coefficient of friction with respect to the backward deviation angle, etc., the winding direction in the winding machine is reversed as the winding machine attempts to keep the deviation angle constant. Thus the deviation angle becomes forwardly directed and the cable begins to be wound in a spiral configuration back towards the wrong reel flange, where the cable strikes against the reel flange and the regular winding process is spoiled. At high winding speeds and heavy winding goods, the inertia of mass of the reel with wound layers makes it difficult for the winding machine to keep the backward deviation angle constant by axially dis¬ placing the reel. In addition, means required for keeping the angle constant are very complicated. If the cable guide only is displaced, too large bending angles occur in the cable before the cable guide if the distance between the guide and the guiding machinery positioned before the guide is not increased unreasonably. It is known from U.S. Patent 4,421,284 (NORTHERN TELECOM) to exert a downward force on the cable to be wound before the reel contacting point of the cable, which reduces the risk of the cable climb¬ ing on the adjacent cable turn. The device, however, comprises complicated guide wheels, which have to be turned beside the reel flanges, and the whole guiding device has to be displaced away from the reel when the internal diameter of the reel increases during the winding, because the guiding device would other- wise collide with the cable layers on the reel. This winding machine thus has considerable disadvantages. It is known from U.S. Patent 4,150,801 (KOBE) to press a cable against an adjacent cable turn and simultaneously downwards by means of T- or L-shaped contact members. However, this winding machine has to be provided with a cable detector which synchronizes the traversing movements so that the cable runs at an angle of 90° to the axis of the reel. In addition, it is necessary that the contact member(s) can be lifted with power-operated lifting means so as to prevent them from getting stuck at the turning points beside the reel ends. Winding machines of this type are un¬ suitable and complicated and damage the cable, in addition to which they spoil the regular winding process if the cable layer on the reel rises more than one cable thickness in the vicinity of the reel flanges on account of irregularities commonly occurring in the winding process. The object of the present invention is to provide a device in a winding machine which avoids the above-mentioned drawbacks, enables cable turns to be wound closely together while the wire-like goods to be wound is prevented from inadvertently climbing up on adjacent cable turns, and ensures controlled movement in the vicinity of the reel flanges. This is achieved by means of a device according to the inven¬ tion, which is characterized in - that the winding machine is provided with a hold-down means positioned upon the cable at its reel contacting point, said hold-down means exerting on the cable a force such that the cable itself lifts up the hold-down means in the vicinity of the reel flanges to begin a new cable layer; - that the distributor and the support frame are arranged to be displaced at constant speed with respect to each other, so that the deviation angle is allowed to vary at the S-shaped transitions between adjacent cable turns but is kept constantly back- wardly directed when the cable is displaced towards a reel flange; and - that the distributor is arranged to displace the cable a distance equal to one cable thickness in either direction away from the axis of the cable in the vicinity of the reel flanges. The invention is based on the idea that instead of aiming at keeping the backward deviation angle of the goods to be wound, such as a cable, at a constant value between the reel flanges by positive control throughout the winding process, the deviation angle is allowed to vary when the cable forms S-shaped transitions while nevertheless all the time keeping the angle backwardly directed when the cable advances towards the reel flange. The cable to be wound is prevented from climbing on adjacent cable turns by means of a hold-down means which rests gently upon the cable at the reel contacting point of the cable and which is lifted up by the cable in the vicinity of the reel flange when the cable starts a new layer. The word gently means that the cable is not forceful- ly pressed from above and from the side by the hold- down means in order to force it to follow the course of the S-shaped transition of the preceding cable turn, but the cable is allowed to form the S-shaped transitions by itself; if the cable is rigid, the transitions can be allowed to be evened out to some extent. As the position of the cable is changed in the vicinity of the reel flanges, the starting of a regular winding process is easier, so that the gentle pressing of the hold-down means is sufficient to prevent the climbing of the cable even close to the reel flanges. In the . following the invention will be described more closely with reference to the attached drawings, where Figure 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a winding machine in which a device according to the invention is used; Figures 2A and 2B show the winding process according to the present invention with the reel con- tacting point of the cable in two different rotation positions of the reel; and Figures 3A to 3F illustrate the reversing of the direction of movement of the cable in the vicinity of the reel flanges. The main elements of the winding machine shown in Figure 1 include a support frame 1 for supporting a reel 2 and a distributor 3 for passing a cable 4 on the reel. The support frame is provided with wheels and is displaceable in the axial direction of the reel by means of a machinery not shown, whereas the distributor is mounted stationary. The distributor is provided with an arm 5 mounted pivotally in the vertical plane. The outer end of the arm is provided with a rotatably mounted hold-down roll 6. A detector 7 is attached to the roll. A hold-down cylinder 8 is positioned between the arm and the frame of the distributor. In addition, a guiding device 9 for the cable is mounted upon the distributor. The cable is wound on the reel by continuously rotating the reel while displacing it in its axial direction with respect to the distributor. In this way the cable forms superimposed cable layers, each consisting of a number of adjacent cable turns 10 having S-shaped transitions 11 between them. In the vicinity of the flanges 12 of the reel the direction of displacement of the reel is reversed. The cable is guided by the guiding means 9 in such a manner with respect to its reel contacting point 13 that the cable forms a deviation angle A which is directed backwards with respect to the direction of movement of the cable towards the reel flange, as shown in Figure 2A. The reel is displaced axially at a constant speed with respect to the stationary distributor, which means that the backward deviation angle increases temporarily at the S-shaped transitions 11, as shown with an angle A' in Figure 2B. This variation is not attempted to be compensated for. The hold-down roll 6 is pressed by means of the cylinder 8 against the cable only with a force which is sufficient, together with the force of gravity of the cable and the drawing force acting on the cable, to prevent the cable from climbing on a preceding cable turn. The cable is thus pressed gently against the reel but the purpose of the hold-down roll is not to force the cable to strictly follow the course of the preceding cable turn at the S-shaped transition. The hold-down force is preferably smaller than the drawing force exerted on the cable. In this way the cable will be wound gently without forcing it in sharp S-shaped bends. After the cable layer has been completed by winding the last cable turn between the preceding cable turn and the reel flange, the cable ascends said last cable turn and lifts up the hold-down roll. The hold-down roll is mounted axially resiliently on the arm 5 so that it stops .automatically beside the reel flange due to this resiliency, and a side roll prevents friction against the reel flange. In the vicinity of the reel flange the cable is positioned against the reel flange in parallel with it, whereafter its position is changed at the follow¬ ing S-shaped transition by means of the guiding device 9. The guiding device comprises two pulleys 14 which are positioned in parallel with each other on an angled arm 15 mounted pivotally in the distributor frame. The arm is connected to a compressed air cylinder 16 communicating with a source of compressed air 17. The detector 7 of the hold-down roll is oper¬ ationally connected by means of a conductor 18 with an actuator 19 for a valve 20 positioned between the cylinder and the source of compressed air. Figure 3a illustrates the position of the guiding device when the cable is wound towards the right-hand side flange 12 of the reel. The guide pulleys 14 pass the cable on the reel at the above- mentioned backward deviation angle A. The detector measures a predetermined distance from the reel flange and sends via a conductor 21 a corresponding impulse to the electronics of the machine after this distance has been achieved. The electronics of the machine calculates that the cable will reach the reel flange after a certain number of cable turns has been wound on the reel, the number depending on the diameter of the cable, and regulates the axial displacement of the reel in such a way that the cable will be positioned in parallel with the flange, Figure 3B. After still another cable turn has been wound, the electronics causes the direction of movement of the reel to be reversed. Simultaneously the detector sends an impulse to the actuator, which influences the valve 20 so that it causes the cylinder to change the position of the guide pulleys, Figure 3C. In this position, the pulleys cause the cable to be displaced in the sideward direction over a distance equal to the thickness of the cable, thus forming the first S- shaped transition. When the cable starts the second cable turn, the detector sends an impulse to the actuator to cause it to influence the cylinder so that it returns the guide pulleys to the normal winding position to wind the cable towards the left-hand side reel flange. At the same time the electronics of the machine receives an impulse to regulate the axial displacement of the reel so that the cable is again positioned at the backward deviation angle A, as shown in Figure 3D. When the cable reaches the left flange of the reel, the same process is repeated as with the right flange, as shown in Figures 3E and 3F. The figures and the description related to them are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its ' details, the device of the inven¬ tion may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims: Claims : 1. A device in a machine for winding wire-like goods, such as a cable, on a flanged reel, comprising - a support frame (1 ) for supporting a reel (2) rotatably around its axis; and - a distributor (3) for passing the cable (4) on the reel to form superimposed layers of cable turns (10) wound adjacent to each other between the flanges of the reel; - the support frame and the distributor being displaceable with respect to each other so that the cable is wound on the reel at a backward deviation angle (A) with respect to adjacent cable turns (10) and with S-shaped transitions (11) between the cable turns, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in - that the winding machine is provided with a hold-down means (5, 6) positioned upon the cable (4) at its reel contacting point ( 13 ) , said hold-down means exerting on the cable a force such that the cable itself lifts up the hold-down means in the vicinity of the reel flanges (12) to begin a new cable layer; - that the distributor (3) and the support frame (1 ) are arranged to be displaced at constant speed with respect to each other, so that said back¬ ward deviation angle (A) is allowed to vary at the S- shaped transitions (11) between adjacent cable turns ( 10) but is kept constantly backwardly directed when the cable is displaced towards a reel flange (12); and - that the distributor (3) is arranged to dis¬ place the cable a distance equal to one cable thick- ness in either direction away from the axis of the cable in the vicinity of the reel flanges. 2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the hold-down means (5, 6) comprises a roll (6) positioned against the cable ( ), the length of said roll being greater than the thickness of the cable. 3. A device according to claim 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the roll (6) of the hold-down means (5, 6) is mounted axially resiliently in a roll support (5). 4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the distributor (3) is formed by two parallel guide pulleys ( 14) for receiving the cable (4) between them, the guide pulleys being arranged pivotally around a pivot shaft parallel with the guide pulleys and connected (18) to actuating means (16, 17, 19, 20) for pivoting the guide pulleys between two angular positions in which the guide pulleys contact from opposite sides a plane extending between the guide pulleys perpendicularly to the axis of the reel. 5. A device according to claim 4, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the actuating means comprise a compressed air cylinder (16). 6. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the hold-down means (5, 6) is provided with a detector (7) which senses the posi¬ tion of the reel flange (12) and is arranged to control a valve (20) controlling the operation of the compressed air cylinder (16) in such a way that the angular position of the guide pulleys (14) is changed in the vicinity of the reel flanges. 7. A device according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hold- down means (5, 6) is connected to a hold-down member (8) which exerts a press force on the hold-down means, the press force being smaller than the drawing force exerted on the cable (4).

Inventors: LINDEROTH GUSTAF, LINDEROTH, GUSTAF
Applicants: MAILLEFER NOKIA OY, NOKIA-MAILLEFER OY
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65H54
IPC codes: B65H54