Patent GB-850122-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to methods of and apparatus for continuously reeling stranded material
IPC: B65H51/20
Filed: 1958-05-01
Abstract: 850,122. Reeling stranded materials. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO. Inc. May 1, 1958 [May 3, 1957], No. 13930/58. Class 120(2). Apparatus for reeling stranded material comprises a plurality of reels means for rotating the reels, control a means for operating the rotating means in a predetermined sequence, an accumulator for preventing slack from forming in a portion of the strand, means controlled by the accumulator for controlling the speed of one reel while the strand is being supplied to another reel and braking means for stopping the other reel so as to provide sufficient slack in the strand to permit the strand to be transferred to said one reel. In the embodiment shown strand 31 is drawn by a capstan 81 driven by motor 85 from an extruder or the like past an automatic counter system 84. It is then fed via sheaves 86, 87 and 88, through an accumulator 91 having dancer sheaves 92-92 and stationary sheaves 93-93 to distributing apparatus 61 which distributes the strand on either the right reel 11 or the left reel 12 and guides it to the other reel during the cut-over operation. Snagger members 25 and 26 are provided adjacent each reel for gripping portions of the strand when it is transferred from one reel to the other and a knife 99 is provided to cut the portion of strand extending between the reels. A sliding door 101 is positioned in front of the reels 11 and 12 and a warning light 108 and push buttons 111 to 114 are provided for manual control. The dancer-sheaves 92-92 are operatively connected to a rheostat 116 by flexible chains 117 and 118 and the rheostat controls the speed bf motor 54. In operation, assuming the distributer 61 is directing the strand 31 on to the right reel 11. The reel 11 is being filled with a predetermined length of strand, as determined by the counter 84. The counter 84 causes clutch 52 associated with the left or empty reel 12 to be actuated at a predetermined time thereby driving the empty reel 12 and the partially filled reel 11 at the same speed until such time as clutch 51 associated with the reel 11 is disengaged by counter 84 at another predetermined time. After the reel 11 is disengaged from the drive it continues to rotate under its own momentum but gradually slows down due to frictional &c. forces. The slack in the strand caused by this slowing down is taken up in the dancer-sheaves 92-92 operating the rheostat 116 to speed up the motor 54 until the speed of the reel 12 matches the speed at which the strand is being fed. The precise relationship between the speed of the reel and that of the strand is adjustable by limit switch 127. The limit switch 127 is operated by dancers 92-92 when this relationship is reached and automatic cutover of distributer 61 from reel 11 to reel 12 takes place. In order for there to be sufficient slack to permit the strand to be moved and permit the snagger 26 on the empty reel to catch the strand a brake 64 is applied to the full reel 11. The sequence of operations is controlled by an electric relay system. The distributer member 61 (Fig. 3) comprises a cylindrical member 62 which slidably supports the distributer 61 on a rod 60 for reciprocating movement axially of the reels 11 and 12. The distributer 61 is propelled by a hydraulic pistoncylinder assembly 63 and has a plurality of cam members 66 and 67 for sequentially operating a  plurality of switches 71 to 76 which control valves in the hydraulic system. U.S.A. Specification 2,779,545 is referred to.