Patent GB-1436248-A (GB)
Title: Wire winding apparatus
IPC: B65H54/38
Filed: 1973-09-24
Abstract: 1436248 Traverse means for winding flanged spools BEKAERT SA NV 24 Sept 1973 44720/73 Heading D1J The invention relates to a traverse mechanism for winding wire onto flanged spools and for preventing excessive build up of wire adjacent the flanges, the mechanism comprising means for causing the traverse stroke to be lengthened in a step-by-step manner whereby an eventual build up of wire adjacent the package ends takes place, there being means whereby such a build up is detected to cause the traverse length to be temporarily shortened with respect to the flange where build up has been detected. According to the invention the apparatus comprises two end sensors operative to automatically reverse the direction of motion of the guide, means for automatically moving each end sensor away from the other end sensor by a first distance between successive actuation of the first-mentioned end sensor, means for detecting an accummulation of wire adjacent either flange of the spool, and means for automatically moving the end sensor associated with said flange towards the other end sensor by a second distance which is greater than said first distance upon such accummulation being detected. In Fig. 1 the wire passes over a dancer pulley 2 to a wire traversing guide 8 coupled to an endless belt 9 driven by a reversible motor. The guide 8 carries cam plates 13 and 15 that co-operate with trips 16 and 19 to reverse the motor and so cause the guide 8 to move to and fro. As the guide 8 moves to the right a cam 14 strikes a trip 18 to send a pulse to a servomotor 26 whereby a carrier 24 is moved away from a carrier 25 by a predetermined distance. As the guide 8 moves to the left the cam 14 strikes a trip 17 to send a pulse to a servomotor 27 whereby the carrier 25 is moved away from the carrier 24 by a predetermined distance. By this means the trips 16 and 19 are gradually moved further apart with consequential increase of the traverse stroke. Increase in traverse stroke eventually leads to excessive build up of wire adjacent one or both of the flanges of the spool. When this takes place the sudden increase in tension in the wire at the traverse ends causes the dancer roller 2 to be displaced and so send a signal to an amplifier to move the appropriate carrier 24, 25 in a direction temporarily reducing the traverse stroke. In this manner the traverse stroke is maintained within the distance between the flanges of the spool and build up adjacent the flanges is smoothed out. Modified embodiments By varying the spacing between the trips 16, 17; and the spacing between the trips 18, 19; the distance over which the trips 17, 18 are responsive to package build up is varied. If such variation is not desired the trips 16, 17 can be replaced with a single trip; and the trips 18, 19 can be replaced with a single trip The dancer pulley arrangement 2, 28 can be replaced by a first small roller which is fixed on the free extremity of a pivotable arm and which bears on the bobbin adjacent a flange and a second small roller which is fixed on the free extremity of another pivotable arm a short distance from the flange. The angular relationship of the two arms in a measure of any package build up at its ends. An accummulation of wire adjacent a flange can also be detected by a photo-electric arrangement. The trips 16, 17, 18, 19 can be replaced by photo-electric means responsive to the position of the wire 1. The belt 9 can be replaced by a helically threaded axle rotatable in one sense to traverse the wire in one direction, and rotatable in the other sense to traverse the wire in the other direction.