METHOD OF ROLLING UP AT LEAST TWO CABLES, WIRES, LINES OR THE LIKE INTO A COIL AND A COIL ROLLED UP OF AT LEAST TWO CABLES, WIRES, LINES OR THE LIKE

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of rolling up cables, wires, lines or the like into a coil, where at least two cables (8a, 8b, 8c) are rolled up simultaneously on a core into a coil (38) consisting of a number of turns of cables (8a, 8b, 8c). The rolled-up cable turns of the coil (38) are fixed in relation to one another, and the core and the coil (38) are removed from one another, so that unwinding of the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) from the centre of the coil (38) is made possible. The invention also relates to such a coil of rolled-up cables, wires, lines or the like, comprising a number of cable turns of at least two cables (8a, 8b, 8c). A packaging material (39) is arranged around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c), which packaging material (39) is arranged around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) in such a manner that unwinding of the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) from the centre of the coil (38) is made possible.

Description: 01/28906 I'CT/SKOO/02025 Method of rolling up at least two cables, wires, lines or the like into a coil and a coil rolled up of at least two cables, wires, lines or the like The present invention relates to a method of rolling up cables, wires, lines or the like into a ■ coil, where at least two cables are rolled up simultaneously on a core into a coil consisting of a number of turns of cables. The invention also relates to such a coil of rolled-up cables, wires, lines or the like, comprising a number of cable turns of at least two cables . In order to make it possible to handle, store and transport cable more easily, it is rolled up into a coil. When the cable is installed, it is unwound from the coil. Several cables are often to be installed simultaneously, such as when electric cables are installed in a house. If, for example, an earthed electric socket is to be installed, three conductors are required, which extend from the socket and on to a distribution box. By positioning three coils of woundup cable at the socket, the three cables can be unwound simultaneously from the three coils and run on towards the distribution box. As the cables to be simultaneously unwound from the coils are to be provided with insulating coverings of different colours, the work of the installer requires a great deal of space and becomes impractical because he then requires several different sets of cable wound up into coils. It can also happen that the length of cable remaining in one coil is shorter than the length of cable rolled up in another coil, which causes problems during simultaneous installation of various cables, because one cable will run out sooner than the other. It is previously known to roll up a number of cables simultaneously on a cable drum. However, the handling of such cable drums is impractical, especially during installation of electric cables in a house, because the cable drum has to be arranged on a special holder so as to make possible satisfactory unwinding of the cables. When the cable has been unwound from the cable drum, the latter is recycled for reasons of cost and environmental reasons. The empty cable drums require a great deal of space and are impractical to ■ handle. This known type of cable, which is wound up on a cable drum, is intended primarily for heavy cables which are to be installed as ground or overhead lines. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coil of rolled-up cable which allows unwinding of a number of cables simultaneously during simultaneous installation of a number of cables. Another object of the present invention is to provide a coil of rolled-up cable where a number of cables are twined around one another during simultaneous unwinding of a number of cables from the coil . A further object of the present invention is to provide a coil of rolled-up cables, around which a packaging material is arranged and from which simultaneous unwinding of the cables can be performed when the packaging material is arranged around the coil of cables. This is achieved by means of a method of the type indicated in the introduction, where the rolled-up cable turns of the coil are fixed in relation to one another and where the core and the coil are removed from one another, so that unwinding of the cables from the centre of the coil is made possible. This is also achieved by means of a coil of the type indicated in the introduction, where a packaging material is arranged around the coil of cables, which packaging material is arranged around the coil of cables in such a manner that unwinding of the cables from the centre of the coil is made possible. Such a coil rolled up from a number of cables is easy to handle and requires a small amount of space during installation when unwinding of the cables from the coil takes place. The unwinding of the cables from the centre of the coil also means that packaging material arranged around the coil does not have to be removed before unwinding. A separate holder for the coil of cable is not required during unwinding of the cables from the core. When the cables are unwound from "the centre of the coil towards its outside and the coil is stationary on a surface, the cables will be twined around one another. During certain types of installation, this can be an advantage because the twined cables fix one another, which simplifies installation. The invention is described in greater detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment shown in the appended drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a coil which has been wound up from a number of cables according to the invention, and Fig. 2 shows a top view of an apparatus for winding up a coil according to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a coil 38 which is rolled up from three cables 8a, 8b, 8c according to the method according to the present invention. The invention is not limited to the coil 38 being wound up from three cables 8a, 8b, 8c, but two or more cables, wires, lines or the like wound up into a coil 38 may be present. Each cable 8a, 8b, 8c is preferably provided with an identification means, such as an insulating covering 3 arranged around each cable. According to an embodiment of the invention, the insulating covering 3 of each cable 8a, 8b, 8c has a colour or pattern which differs from the colours or patterns of the other insulating coverings 3, which results in it being possible to distinguish the cables 8a, 8b, 8c from one another. For example, the insulating covering 38 of the first cable 8a is black, the insulating covering 38 of the second cable 8b is blue, and the insulating covering of the third cable 8c is a mixture of yellow and green. It is possible, however, for all the insulating coverings 3 to be the same colour. The cables 8a, 8b, 8c are preferably rolled up into the coil 38 in such a manner that they are twined around one another on unwinding from the coil 38. It is thus easy to handle the cables 8a, 8b, 8c when they are unwound from the coil 38. The unwinding of the cables -8a, 8b, 8c preferably takes place from the centre of the coil 38 and out towards the periphery of the coil 38. A packaging material 39 is arranged around the periphery of the coil 38 and in towards the centre of the coil 38. By arranging an opening 37 in the packaging material 39 in the centre of the coil 38, the cables can be unwound from the centre of the coil 38 and out through the opening 37 in the packaging material 39. The packaging material 39 preferably consists of a plastic film which is heat-shrunk around the coil 38. When the cables 8a, 8b, 8c are rolled up, an end part of each cable is fixed between the rolled-up coil 38 of cables 8a, 8b, 8c and a surface on which the rolled-up coil 38 of cables 8a, 8b, 8c is positioned. This can be brought about using an apparatus 1 which is to be described below. Fig. 2 shows a top view of an apparatus 1 which can be used for winding up a number of cables according to the invention. Such an apparatus 1 is described in Swedish patent application SE 9901576-0. The apparatus 1 comprises a first and a second reel head 2 and, respectively, 4 which are each provided with an axially displaceable core 6. A number of cables 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged so as to be rolled up on the core 6 of each reel head 2, 4. Each core 6 comprises a gripping arrangement 10 for securing the cables 8a, 8b, 8c and a cutting arrangement 12 for cutting the cables 8a, 8b, 8c. The gripping arrangement 10 comprises a profiled element on the end surface 14 of each core 6, and the cutting arrangement 12 comprises a knife-edge arranged on the end surface 14 of each core 6. Each core β is an essentially circular cylinder and comprises a number of segments 16 arranged around its circumference, which are radially displaceable for the purpose of making it possible to vary the diameter of the core 6. The first and the second reel head 2, 4 each comprise an upper and a lower flange 18, 20. The upper flange 18 is axially displaceable together with the -core 6. However, the upper flange 18 can be axially fixed, so that the core 6 is axially displaceable in relation to the upper flange 18 and thus also to the coil 38 formed. The rolled-up cables 8a, 8b, 8c rest on the respective lower flange 20. The lower flange 20 also forms a stay for the gripping arrangement 10 and the cutting arrangement 12. The apparatus 1 also comprises a cable guide 24 which can be moved along an axis 22 and, in a first end position 26, guides the cables 8a, 8b, 8c so that the cables 8a, 8b, 8c coincide with a line 28 which extends from the cable guide 24 to the periphery of cables 8a, 8b, 8c rolled up on the second reel head 4, and which line 28 extends through a region occupied by the axial extension of the core 6 of the first reel head 2. Fig. 1 shows, for the purpose of clarification, how the cable guide 24 is positioned in a first and a second end position 26, 30. In the second end position 30 of the cable guide 24, the cable guide 24 guides the cables 8a, 8b, 8c in a corresponding manner, so that the cables 8a, 8b, 8c coincide with a line 32 which extends from the cable guide 24 to the periphery of cables 8a, 8b, 8c rolled up on the first reel head 2, and which line 32 extends through a region occupied by the axial extension of the core 6 of the second reel head 4. The apparatus 1 also comprises a plunger 34 which is arranged so as to displace an end part 36 of the cables 8a, 8b, 8c when a coil 38 of cables 8a, 8b, 8c has been rolled up on one of the reel heads 2 , 4. The cables 8a, 8b, 8c are displaced so that the level of a portion of the extent of the cables 8a, 8b, 8c ends up below a horizontal plane which coincides with the respective lower flange 20 of the reel head 2, 4. This makes it possible for the end part 36 of each cable 8a, 8b, 8c to be inserted below the lower flange 20 after the cables 8a, 8b, 8c have been cut by the cutting arrangement 12. The insertion of the end part 36 below the flange 20 is performed by a displaceable slide 40 Of the apparatus 1. By inserting the end part 36 below the lower flange 20, the cable turns of the coil 38 will be fixed in relation to one another when the coil 38 is pushed out towards a conveyor belt 48. The conveyor belt 48 is displaceable in the lateral direction. On the conveyor belt 48, cables 8a, 8b, 8c rolled up into coils 38 are transported from each reel head 2, 4 to a packing machine (not shown), in which the coils 38 are provided with said packaging material 39. By rolling up the cables 8a, 8b, 8c according to the abovementioned method, the cables 8a, 8b, 8c will be twined around one another if the cables 8a, 8b, 8c are unwound from the centre of the coil 38 when the coil 38 is stationary on a surface. It is possible to bring about the rolling-up of the cables 8a, 8b, 8c according to the method by means of an apparatus other than that described above. For example, the core can be inflatable. It is also possible for cables of different dimensions to be rolled up into a coil together.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. Method of rolling up cables, wires, lines or the like into a coil, where at least two cables (8a, 8b, 8c) are rolled up simultaneously on a core into a coil (38) consisting of a number of turns of cables (8a, 8b, "8-c), characterized in that the rolled-up cable turns of the coil (38) are fixed in relation to one another, and in that the core and the coil (38) are removed from one another, so that unwinding of the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) from the centre of the coil (38) is made possible. 2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the rolling-up of the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) is carried out in a machine in which said core is displaced axially in relation to the coil (38) after the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) have been rolled up into said coil (38) . 3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the rolled-up cable turns of the coil (38) are fixed in relation to one another by virtue of the fact that an end part (36) of each cable (8a, 8b, 8c) is fixed between the rolled-up coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) and a surface on which the rolled-up coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) is positioned. 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each cable (8a, 8b, 8c) is provided with an identification means (3). 5. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the identification means consists of an insulating covering (3) arranged around each cable (8a, 8b, 8c). 6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the insulating covering (3) of each cable (8a, 8b, 8c) has a colour or a pattern which differs from the colours or patterns of the other insulating coverings (3) . 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a packaging material (39) is arranged around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) . 8. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the packaging material (39) consists of a plastic film which is heat-shrunk around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) . 9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) are rolled up into the coil (38) in such a manner that "they are twined around one another on unwinding from the coil (38) . 10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that three cables (8a, 8b, 8c) are rolled up simultaneously into said coil (38) . 11. Coil of rolled-up cables, wires, lines or the like, comprising a number of cable turns of at least two cables (8a, 8b, 8c), characterized in that a packaging material (39) is arranged around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c), which packaging material (39) is arranged around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) in such a manner that unwinding of the cables (8a, 8b, 8c) from the centre of the coil (38) is made possible. 12. Coil according to Claim 11, characterized in that the packaging material (39) consists of a plastic film which is heat-shrunk around the coil (38) of cables (8a, 8b, 8c) . 13. Coil according to either Claim 11 or Claim 12, characterized in that each cable (8a, 8b, 8c) is provided with an identification means (3) . 14. Coil according to Claim 13, characterized in that the identification means consists of an insulating covering (3) arranged around each cable (8a, 8b, 8c). 15. Coil according to Claim 14, characterized in that the insulating covering (3) of each cable (8a, 8b, 8c) has a colour or a pattern which differs from the colours or patterns of the other insulating coverings (3).

Inventors: SKALLEBERG OEYSTEIN, SKALLEBERG, OEYSTEIN
Applicants: SKALLEBERG OEYSTEIN, SKALTEK AB, SKALLEBERG, OEYSTEIN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65H54
IPC codes: B65D85, B65H55