Improvements in Machines for Insulating Electrical Conductors.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES T. STETSON, of Hanson, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in Machines for Insulating Electrical Conductors.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of an improved machine for covering wire with a woven
coating of insulating material in a manner hereinafter described.
Of the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine embodying the principles of my
invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional plan partly broken away on xx Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine.
Figs. 5 and 6 show in elevation and plan respectively the shuttle frame and adjacent
parts of the machine.
Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing how the inner end of the shuttle frame is
prevented from rising from the track.
Fig. 8 shows the action of part of the wire feeding mechanism.
Fig. 9 shows in section on an enlarged scale the connection of the connecting
bars with the wheel of the friction feed.
Fig. 10 shows the action of the shuttle driving frame in propelling the shuttle
frame.
Figs. 11 and 12 are front and side views respectively of the friction feed, the latter
being shown partly in section and
Fig. 13 is a plan view of the shuttle driving frame."
The frame of the machine consists of the legs A2 bolted to the lower horizontal
plate H', the pillars A¹ secured to the plate H and supporting the upper horizontal
plate H and finally, the part A resting upon and secured to the said plate H. B and
B' are revoluble vertical hollow shafts in line with each other, the shaft B turning in
an elongated bearing in the part A of the frame, while the shaft B₁ is supported in
bearings in the plates H and H¹. Power is transmitted to the machine through the
main shaft M' (Fig. 1) and by means of the bevel gears mounted on the shafts M'
and B' respectively the said hollow shaft B¹ gets its motion.
Through the bevel gears m m¹, the vertical shaft S, bevel gears s¹, horizontal
shaft St and the bevel gears motion is communicated to the hollow shaft B.
From these two shafts B and B motion is conveyed indirectly to various parts of the
machine, as will presently be explained.
The spools C containing the warp threads for the insulating covering to the wire
are mounted on spindles c fixed at regular intervals in the shelf O running around
the machine the said shelf being supported by brackets O¹ (Fig. 4) secured to the
plate H.
Passing from the spool each warp thread runs through suitable guiding eyes and
tension devices P p p p is then threaded through an eye n³ in the top of a heddle
rod N and thence passes to the centre of the machine where the weaving is done.
The machine herewith shown contains thirty two warp spools and of course an equal
number of heddle rods N. These heddle rods move up and down guided in holes in
the upper and lower horizontal plates H H', being actuated by a crank-and-connecting-
rod motion derived from a series of wheels F, eight of which are shown in the present
:

page_text: machine. These wheels F are fixed on shafts mounted in suitable bearings four of
the shafts being here shown as having bearings in the legs A2 of the machine, while
the other four are journalled in intermédiate hangers A bolted to the plate H¹. On
the inner end of each shaft bearing a wheel F is fixed a bevel gearf which meshes
with a bevel gear wheel L fixed on the revoluble shaft B₁ thereby conveying a
continuous rotary motion from the said shaft B' to the wheels F. The motion of the
heddle rods will be best understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3.
These rods N are connected in pairs by couplings n n'. Each wheel F operates
four heddle rods N, or two pairs. The inner pairs of heddle rods are connected by
couplings n¹ and each of these couplings n' is pivoted to the upper end of a
connecting rod N2 the lower end of which is pivotally connected at to one of the
wheels F near the rim thereof. The connecting rods N' pass through slots n³ in the
lower horizontal plate H¹.
F' is a bar rigidly fixed to each of the wheels F at f1 (the pivot on which turns
the connecting rod N³) so that the said bar F¹ turns with the wheel F. At the outer
end of each bar F¹ is pivoted the lower end of a connecting rod N¹, the upper end
of which is pivoted to the coupling n the couplings n connecting the outer pairs of
heddles and the connecting rods N₁ passing outside the rim of the horizontal plate H¹.
The bars F¹ are set out from the surface of the wheels F as shown, the construction
being such as to enable the two connecting rods N' N' to pass each other without
interference as the wheel F revolves, the effect being otherwise the same as if each
were directly pivoted to the said wheel F.
Between the bottom of the hollow vertical shaft B and the top of the shaft B¹ a
space is left in which the weaving is accomplished, the wire to be covered being fed
down through the hollow shafts B B¹ by means to be hereinafter described.
I may employ one or several shuttles, according as may be desired. In the
machine here shown, four shuttles are used this being a convenient number. Each
shuttle consists of a bobbin or weft spool 1 journalled in bearings in the shuttle
frame I, the said frame being provided with guide wheels whereby it may move in
a circular path. The shuttle frame rests directly on three wheels, two of which i¹
are journalled at the outer end of the frame to roll over the circular track e³, while
the third wheel is near the inner end of the bobbin and moves over the inner
circular track e*.
The shuttle frame is controlled horizontally by means of the wheel ³ which rolls
horizontally in a circular groove in the piece E the said groove being formed by the
track e and a corresponding inner circular ridge e, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The
outer end of the shuttle frame is prevented from rising from the track by means of
the flanged circular guard E' which passes completely around and is secured to the
track and the top or flange of which forms a rim over the wheels .
The shuttles are propelled by means of the shuttle driving frame D which is
secured to the revoluble shaft B, as shown in Fig. 1 to turn therewith and which has
a number of radial arms, one for each of the shuttles. Each arm has journalled
therein a spindle on which is fixed the shuttle driving wheel d at the outer end of
the arm, and the bevel gear d¹ at the inner end thereof, the gears d¹ meshing with
the stationary bevel gear D' fixed to the frame A, so that as the shuttle driving
frame revolves with the shaft B, each of the driving wheels d is given a rotary
motion. Each arm of the shuttle driver is furthermore provided with a bracket.d
on which is journalled a wheel d¹ in such a position that both the wheel d' and the
-driving wheel d are in rolling contact with the wheel journalled to the shuttle
frame I¹ so that as the driving frame D revolves, the shuttles are propelled by it, in a
manner readily understood by reference to Fig. 10.
In a vertical plane with each of the warp threads as they radiate from the centre
of the machine to the spools C is made a slit e through the guard E' and through
both the circular tracks, these slits being made for the warp threads to pass through
as the heddle rods carry them up and down, and being of sufficient depth to enable
the wheel to pass safely over the under threads forming the shed. Around the
guard F and above the slits e are arranged the loop shaped pieces to form

page_text: upward extensions of said slits, the particular use of which extensions will presently
be explained.
From each shuttle spool the weft thread passes through the eye i in the side of the
shuttle frame, thence through and under the tension plate and through the inner
eye to the point of weaving.
The shed through which the shuttles pass is formed by the raising and lowering
of the warp threads by the heddle rods N which rise and fall in the manner previously
described the said rods being clamped to the couplings n n at such positions as to
operate the warps properly with reference to the revolving shuttles. It is necessary
that as each warp thread reaches its extreme upper or lower position in the shed, it
remains for a short time in this position while the shuttle is passing, instead of at
once beginning to descend or ascend. It is evident that by reason of the continuous
crank-and-connecting-rod motion, by which the heddle rods are actuated, the said
rods on reaching their highest point will begin almost immediately to descend and
vice versa.
It is for the purpose of securing a still spot when the warp threads are
at their highest position during the passage of the shuttle, that I employ the loop
shape elongations e¹ to the slits e, for when, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, the warp
thread has reached the top of the loop e it can go no higher, but remains in this
position while the heddle rod N, through which it is threaded, keeps on to the end of
its upward stroke and for some little distance on its descent. In a similar manner
I gain a still spot at the lowest position of the warp thread in the shed. When in
this lowest position the said warp thread is preferably horizontal and is at the bottom
of the slit e, remaining still in this position while the heddle rod N descends to the
end of its downward stroke and for a short distance upon its ascent. It is while
adjacent threads are at their respective still spots at the top and bottom of the shed
that the shuttle passes through between them. The slack in each warp thread is
taken up by the coiled spring p³, at the end of an arm of which is the eye p' through
which the said warp thread is passed after passing through and under the tension
plate P. The outer end of the shuttle is prevented from flying up from the track,
as was previously explained, by the rimmed guard E¹. As an additional safety
device I employ a guard wheel journalled in a piece 12 secured to the shuttle
frame. Above this is the shoe shaped piece which projects downward from the
shuttle driving frame over the said wheel and thus prevents the inner end of the
shuttle frame from leaving the track.
In machines ordinarily used for circular weaving the heddles are usually operated
more or less indirectly by a cam. It is very difficult in such machines to employ
successfully more than two shuttles on account of the great complication required in
the heddle operating cam in order to move the heddles up and down with sufficient
speed to be adapted for several shuttles. By my improved heddle operating mechanism
in which no cam motion is used, I am enabled easily to employ four shuttles and
even more if desired. By using four shuttles I double the production of a two
shuttle machine working at the same speed, hence the great importance of this form
of heddle motion is readily apparent.
The wire to be covered is fed down from above through the revoluble shafts B B¹,
the feeding mechanism being adjustable, both in respect to speed and as regards
adaptability to feed wire of various sizes.
8
At the outer end of the shaft S¹, which derives motion through the gears s¹ from
the vertical shaft S, as already explained, is fixed the wheel R through the face of
which runs diametrically the groove which has tapering sides being wider at the
bottom than at the top. K is a hollow cylindrical casing secured at ** to the
shaft K and containing a double friction feed of any desired construction. The one
here shown consists of a number of wedge shaped blocks kk arranged in two rows
separated by a washer K, the inner pointed ends of which blocks are loosely seated
in notches in the hubs of two arms T T', which hubs loosely fit the end of the
spindle K', being retained thereon by a nut at the end of the shaft. The outer faces
of the blocks kk frictionally bear against the inner surface of the flange of the
casing K when the arms T' T³ move in one direction, but under the influence of the

page_text: springs attached to pins when the said arms move in an opposite direction
the said blocks, slip back along the flange without bearing against it; the parts being
so arranged that as the arms T T³ vibrate on the shaft K as a centre the cylindrical
casing K is moved in one direction and with it the shaft k³.
The outer ends of the arms T2 T3 are pivoted to connecting bars T T¹ respectively,
the inner ends of both of which bars are pivotally connected at one above the
other, in the manner shown in Fig. 9, to a block R¹ which slides within the
groover, the parts being so connected that by loosening the single nut the distance
of the block from the centre of the wheel R may be varied and the block clamped
in any desired position by tightening the said nut, while still allowing the connecting
bars T T to move pivotally. As the wheel R revolves, a vibratory motion is given
to the arms T' T³ which thus turns the shaft K' intermittently in one direction.
On the inner end of the shaft K³ is the screw 9' (Fig. 8) which engages with the
worm wheel G³ on the same spindle go with one of the feed pulleys G. G³ G* are
corresponding gear wheels meshing together one fixed on the same spindle 9 with
the feed pulley G, the other on the spindle 9 with the feed pulley G¹. By this
construction the wire is fed downward between the two pulleys G G¹ the speed
varying with the distance of the sliding block R¹ from the centre of the wheel R
being greatest when the block is at the outer rim of the wheel.
The feed is adjustable to different sized wire by varying the distance between the
two pulleys G G in a manner understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 8. The
spindle bearing the feed pulley G' is journalled in movable bearing blocks one of
which gi slides on the support g2, while the other g³ turns on a pivot g*.
By means of the thumb screw 9 acting on the block g¹ the distance between the
feed pulleys may be sufficiently varied to feed wire of different sizes.
A thick insulating adhesive fluid of any desired composition is preferably fed down
through the shaft B along the wire Q and over this fluid substance the woven
covering is directly laid thus causing the said covering to firmly adhere to the wire,
and at the same time insuring much more perfect insulation. The fluid material is
preferably contained in a receptacle J at the top of the machine, and by turning a
cock j in a faucet j near the bottom of the receptacle, the said faucet communicating
with the interior of the hollow shaft B, the supply of insulating fluid fed down the
wire may be regulated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invens
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. A machine for weaving insulated wire covering provided with a heddle
mechanism consisting of independent vertically reciprocating continuously movable
heddle rods actuated by a continuous rotary crank-and-connecting-rod motion,
substantially as described.
2. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covering a heddle mechanism consisting
of independent vertically guided heddle rods coupled in pairs, connecting rods
pivoted to the couplings of each pair of heddle rods and continuously revoluble
shafts arranged whereby each shaft actuates by a continuous rotary crank motion a
pair of said connecting rods substantially as described.
3. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covering, the combination with
vertically movable reciprocating heddle rods having eyes for receiving the warp
threads, of stationary arrests above and below each warp thread to stop the motion of
the said warp thread before the heddle reaches the end of its stroke thereby forming
a still spot, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covering, the combination with
reciprocating heddle rods provided with eyes of shuttle tracks and guard provided with
slits for guiding the warp threads whereby the ends of the slits arrest the motion of
the said threads before the end of the stroke of the heddle rods, thereby forming a
still spot at each end of the stroke, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covoring a shuttle frame provided with

page_text: wheels in combination with a circular track provided with the circular flanged
guard E secured to the outer circumference of said track whereby the said shuttle
frame is prevented from rising, substantially as described.
6. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covering a shuttle frame provided with
a guard wheel in combination with a shuttle driving frame provided with the
piece whereby the inner end of the shuttle frame is prevented from leaving the
track, substantially as described.
7. In a machine for weaving insulated wire covering wheels F, each of which is
provided with a pair of connecting rods N' N' pivotally connected therewith in
combination with couplings n n' pivoted to said connecting rods, and heddle rods N
arranged in pairs and connected by said couplings, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of April 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.