Patent GB-1384733-A (GB)
Title: Wire skeining apparatus
IPC: B65H67/052
Filed: 1972-03-22
Abstract: 1384733 Bending and twisting wire ESSEX INTERNATIONAL Inc 13 March 1973 [22 March 1972] 13458/72 Heading B3E A wire skeining apparatus comprises a pair of spaced projections on a rotatable mounting for folding a wire passing between them, and an element rotatably mounted on a support reciprocable with respect to the rotatable mounting and having a recess for straddling a portion of the folded wire and twisting it. The apparatus shown generally in Figs. 2 and 3 in side and front view is an attachment to a coil winder having multiple coil winding stations, and is movable to perform the skeining function at each station in turn, to form a lead portion on an end of the wire. The frame of the apparatus comprises an arm 10, mounting plate 14, bracket 12, mounting plate 30, and mounting plate 32 secured to plate 14 by spacers 34. A main shaft 24 is continuously driven by motor 20, and can be connected to gear train 36 by clutch 44, and to gear 42 and gear train 40 by clutch 46. The wire folding unit 16 comprises a bulb 62 rotatable on bracket 60 and supporting two radial arms 66 (one shown complete in Fig. 2) each having two adjustable collars 76 between which is located a non-rotatable slider 80 urged radially outwards by spring 78, the collars being located in accordance with the skein length desired. Each slider 80 supports a folding pin 82. The hub also supports a pair of ejector levers 86 each of which straddles a pin 82 at one end and has a transverse pin 90 at the other. The hub is rotatable through belt 74 by gear train 40. The twisting unit 18, see also Fig. 7, comprises a block 100 slidable on fixed rods 102 by one end of a lever 194 engaging a roller 160 located with an opening 158 in the block, the lever being pivotable by a cam 38 and follower 196 operated by gear train 38, the roller 160 being urged against lever 194 by springs (not shown) urging the block to the right (Fig. 2). Cam 38 also operates microswitches to operate sequence controls. The block 100 has a convergent slot 110 movable over the folded wire, so that the wire is engaged by a twisting gear 104 having a slot 114 and a slotted insert 118 chosen to suit the wire size. Gear 104 is driven by a motor on the coil winder (not shown) through flexible shaft 119, pulley and belt drive 106, shaft 126, and twin idler gears 130. Block 100 bears fingers 112 engageable with the pins 90. A brake 84 is operable to bring hub 62 to rest in a datum position, and block 100 is provided with mechanism to ensure that slots 114 and 110 are aligned when required. In operation, the apparatus is moved to the coil winding station where skeining is next required, and when it is in operative position, gear 42 engages the coil winding mechanism. Clutch 46 is engaged so that the wire passing between projections 82 is formed into an untwisted skein extending diametrically of the hub 62, the gear 42 causing the coil winding spindle to pay back some of the wire wound on it. The hub drive is disengaged, and brake 48 applied, by a microswitch 68 and actuator 70 after a delay which determines the number of revolutions of hub 62. Clutch 44 is then engaged so that rotation of cam 38 advances the twisting unit, starts the twisting action which is then stopped by a time delay, withdraws the twisting unit so that fingers 112 operate the ejector levers 86, and finally releases clutch 44. The springs 78 accommodate shortening of the skein during twisting.