Patent GB-312449-A (GB)
Title: A new or improved method of winding elastic strands into spherical masses and the apparatus therefor
IPC: B29D99/00
Filed: 1928-04-04
Abstract: 312,449. Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., and Cropper, T. April 4, 1928. Balling - machines. - In ;apparatus for winding elastic strands on to spherical masses such as golf-ball cores and wherein the core is held under the influence of a pulsating load by pressure rollers upon a pair of horizontal driving rollers, at least the greater phase of the pulsating load of the pressure rollers is increased as the core is enlarged during winding. The core 10, Fig. 2, is supported by horizontal rotating rollers 1, reciprocated longitudinally by rollers 3, Fig. 1, engaging cam faces 5, and is engaged by top pressure-rollers 9 carried by a bracket 8 on a pivoted lever 6. A piston 12 working in a cylinder 13 is secured by a link 11 to the other end of the lever 6. Compressed fluid is admitted to the cylinder 13 through a port 14 controlled by a rotary valve 15 having ports 16, 17, the port 16 being continuously in communication with the cylinder 13 through a a port 18 to maintain the mean pressure on the core 10, the port 17 communicating with a port 19 to produce the intermittent greater load. A series of exhaust ports 20 is provided in the cylinder 13. The valve 15 is rotated through a crank 21 and a connecting-rod 22 pivoted at 23 on a gear-wheel 24 driven from a gear 25 on the spindle 2 of one of the rollers 1. During rotation of the valve 15 the ports 17, 19 come into communication at intervals, additional fluid is admitted to the cylinder 13 thereby producing an intermittent greater pressure on the core 10. The intermittent greater pressure is increased as the core enlarges, the exhaust ports 20 being successively closed as the core 10 forces the piston 12 lower in the cylinder 13. The exhaust port 26 is permanently open while a controlling sleeve 59 may be provided. If desired the mean pressure may be produced by a spring or weighting element, the ports 16, 18 being omitted, the intermittent additional loading only being produced by fluid pressure. Alternatively, part of the mean pressure may be produced by spring or weighting means, while the valve 15 may reciprocate or both rotate and reciprocate. In a modification, the operating piston 12 forms part of the spindle carrying the rollers 9, the weight of the piston producing the mean pressure. A modification in which the controlling valve 32 is reciprocated by a cam 34 is shown in Fig. 4, pressure fluid entering at 35, the intermittent increase being caused when the valve 32 closes the port 35 and compresses the fluid in the chamber 38. In a further modification the mean pressure is produced by a weight 42, Fig. 5, mounted on an extension 41 of the spindle carrying the rollers 9 while a series of additional weighting elements 40 are freely mounted on the extension 41 and normally rest on shoulders in a bearing 43. As the core enlarges the elements 40 are successively lifted into operative support by the spindle 41. To render the additional imposition intermittent the bearing 43 is raised by a cam 48 to lift the elements 40 off the spindle 41 for the period when only the mean pressure is required. In a spring loading device leafsprings 50, Fig. 6, are spaced apart and come successively into action as the pressure roller spindle 55 is raised, as cam 56 rendering the pressure intermittent. One pressure applying apparatus as above described may be adapted to serve a number of winding units.