Machine for Covering Electrical Conductors.
Year: 1889

page_text: s Specification was, upon the 31st day of December, 1889, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
Date of Application, 26th July, 1889-Accepted. 7th Sept., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Machine for Covering Electrical Conductors.
I, SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from abroad by
James Bassnet Atherton of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, Importer) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for covering electrical
conductors with insulating or protective material. My special object is to provide a
machine for winding strips of paper or similar material spirally upon electrical con-
ductors to produce an insulated conductor substantially like that shown in British
Letters Patent No 11,894 granted to Arthur William Lovell Reddie September 2, 1884.
In Lotters Patent No. 13,341 dated October 19, 1886, granted to Henry Edward
Newton a machine is shown for producing an insulated conductor such as above
mentioned, but by my invention I provide a machine more efficient, much simpler in
construction and operating in an improved way.
In my improved machine the wire is fed from a serving reel through suitable
guides over stretching drums and is wound on a storage roel.
As the wire passes
from the surface to the storago reel it is wound spirally with strands, strips or ribbons
of paper, or similar material fed from reels carried by a frame which revolves around
the wire.
Devices are employed for automatically stopping the machine should any
of the strips of covering material break. The wire while being covered runs vertically
and the reels holding the covering material are arranged on a horizontally rotating
disk or frame through which the wire passes centrally. The covering material as it
passes from the reels to the wire runs over adjustable guide fingers which may be
arranged at different distances around the wire.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine.
Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig. 3 a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 a vertical central section of the machine with some of the parts in elevation,
and
Fig. 5 a plan view on an enlarged scale, partly in section of the rotating frame
carrying the covering material, guide fingers, &c.
The main supporting frame is preferably constructed with a rectangular base A
made of wooden beams, and the uprights B, four in number being shown, may be
made of angle iron and secured to the base beams at the corners. At the top the
uprights are connected by angle irons C and angle irons D and E connect the uprights
near the lower ends and about midway between their ends. Any suitable frame for
supporting the working parts of the machine may however be employed. That
described is strong and simple and is preferred.
A stretching drum F having a spirally grooved periphery is secured to a horizontal
shaft having its bearings on top of the main frame and preferably near one side thereof
as shown in Fig. 1. A pinion on one end of the shaft gears with a worm fl on a
downwardly extending shaft G which at its lower end is provided with a pinion
gearing with a pinion on a short driving shaft H, having bearings in blocks / on the
irons D and on a cross bar h¹. A driving pulley H' is secured to the shaft H and a
1

page_text: •
loose pulley H2 is mounted on the shaft by the side of the pulley H' between it and
the main frame. Power applied to the driving pulley drives the stretching drum F
by means of the connecting mechanism above described. A pulley I is secured to
one end of the shaft F (opposite to that and carrying the pinion f) and is connected
by a belt I with a pulley on the shaft of the storage reel J, which receives the
covered wire from the machine. In passing from the drum F to the reel J the
covered wire passes over a drum K having a spirally grooved periphery. The drum K
is journalled in standards K adjustably secured to brackets K2 extending laterally
from the main frame.
The naked or uncovered wire a is carried by a serving reel L mounted on a
shaft having bearings in standards L'. A pulley L³ is secured to one end of
the shaft, and over it extends a brake strap secured at one end to the bed
plate of the standards and at the opposite end carrying a weight L'. A hollow
vertical shaft M journalled at its lower end in the cross piece / carries at its upper
end a disk or circular frame M². A crown wheel on the shaft M gears with teeth
on the hub m of the driving pulley H¹.
The rotating disk or frame M' is preferably flanged as shown and arranged about
midway between the upper and lower ends of the main frame. The covering material
is wound in continuous strips on reels N the journals of which have bearings in
upright standards N¹. The standards N' are shown as each consisting of an upright
bar or plate having a laterally projecting foot n secured by means of a clamp bolt n¹
to the circular frame M' the bolt extending through a radial slot m in the frame M
in which it may be moved, thus adjusting the reel carrying standard towards and from
the centre of the frame.
Four such reels mounted as above described are shown arranged at equal distances
apart around the center of the frame M and other slots m, are shown for other reels.
The upper end of each standard N¹ is slotted and the journal bolt ¹ extends through
this slot and through the hub of the reel. One of the sides n of the reel is remov-
able and between this side and the nut n³, is interposed a coiled spring which hears
against a washer on the bolt next the side of the reel. The paper strip O is thus
held in place on the reel by yielding pressure or spring tension. A coil or spool of
paper may be readily placed on the reel by removing the side n² and slipping the
coil over the hub.
Guides P for applying the strips to the wire are arranged between the reels and the
center of the frame M. These guides are shown as consisting of rods or wires p
having lateral extensions or hooks p₁ at their inner ends and extending horizontally
through blocks on the inner ends of horizontal supporting bars p2 hinged at the outer
ends to short standard blocks p* secured to the frame M by clamping bolts which
extend through the slots m so that the guides may be adjusted radially. The guide
rods may also be adjusted radially relatively to the supporting bars p² by means of
set screws p³. Upright rods Qsecured to the frame M¹ extend above it and are
connected at their upper ends by a cross piece Q¹. At intervals on the rods Q are
secured die blocks Q having apertures or recesses through which the covered wire
passes. The die blocks revolve with the frame M¹ around the wire, and serve to
compress smooth and tighten the covering on the wire; and should an adhesive sub-
stance be used to more firmly compact and secure the covering, the dies servo to insure
the adhesion of the overlapping strips.
I have shown in the drawings four reels carrying strips of covering material to be
applied to the wire. The guides P which may be adjusted towards and from the wire
as above explained or may be reversed in their blocks are set or adjusted as indicated
in Figs. 4 and 5 to deliver the strips of covering material to the wire in superposed
layers without interference. The end of the guide finger for the first strip 1 is set
quite close to the wire. The guide finger for the next strip 2 is set further from the
wire so as to deliver the material above the first strip. The remaining guides for the
strips 3 and 4 are similarly adjusted.
In Figure 4 only two of the reels are shown but the ends of the strips 2 and 3 are
shown at their proper relative position broken away.

page_text: In Figure 5 the guides are shown at different distances from the wire but all quite
close to it. It is preferred that the guides for the outside strips should be arranged
further from the wire as shown in Figure 4.
The strips of covering material may vary in widih, the last or outside serving
preferably being wider than the others. The adjustments of the guides shown in the
drawings insures the delivery of the material to the wire at the proper angle to cover
the wire spirally at the desired pitch, so that it is wound close and tight and breaks
joints properly with the spiral winding which it covers.
The reels may be adjusted vertically and horizontally to vary the angle at which
the strips are delivered to the guide fingers. This is desirable on account of the
varying distances of the ends of the guide fingers from the reels.
A belt shifter R for transferring the driving belt S from the driving pulley H' to
the loose pulley H2 is shown as consisting of a horizontal rod supported at one end
by the cross bar E through an aperture in which it is free to slide. At the opposite
end the rod is secured to a block having downwardly projecting pins »² on opposite
sides of the belt S. The rod also extends through a cross piece R rigidly secured to
the frame. A spring surrounding the rod is secured to the cross piece R¹ and to
an adjustable block on the rod and acts to slide the rod horizontally to shift the
belt from the driving pulley to the loose pulley when released by a catch which
normally holds the spring under tension. The block is recessed at to receive
the end of the hand shifting lever R² pivoted to a cross piece R³ and extending to the
outside of the frame. A brake lever T pivoted to a bracket T¹ on the cross piece R¹
is adapted to bear at its end t against the driving pulley and stop its rotation when
the belt is shifted. The opposite end of the lever, which is slightly bent, is formed
with a slot t¹ into which extends a stud or pin on the laterally projecting arm t
of the block ³. When the rod slides towards the pulley to shift the belt the pin (2
acting in the slot t¹ turns the lever on its pivot and the brake is applied. Thus as the
belt is shifted the driving pulley and the connected mechanism are instantly stopped.
A pins projecting upwardly from the block enters a slot u in a catch or detent
plate U pivoted to the cross piece R' and hinged at its opposite end to a rod U¹ which
extends to the outside of the frame. When the belt S is on the driving pulley the
belt shifting mechanism and the catch plate U are in the position shown in Fig. 3,
by drawing the rod outward the catch plate is turned on its pivot to release the pin s
from the slot u and the belt is shifted as above explained.
The binged guide supports p² are provided with downwardly projecting lugs p
extending through the slots m. Cross pieces 27 prevent the withdrawal of the lugs
from the slots. The guide supports are normally held in the position shown in the
drawings by the steps O but should one of the strips break the guide support will
drop and the lug p will abut against the flange on the catch plate U and shift it
releasing the pins from the slot u and allowing the belt shifting mechanism to
transfer the belt S to the loose pulley and at the same time apply the brake T. The
importance of the automatic stopping mechanism is apparent. Without some such
mechanism the wire would be imperfectly covered should one or more of the strips
break.
The construction has been described in detail but obviously many changes may
be made without departing from the novel features of my invention.
In operation the uncovered wire is led from the reel L over the guide wheels a¹ a²
and through the hollow shaft M. Motion being imparted to the driving pulley the
frame M supporting the paper carrying reels is rotated about the wire. The paper
strips are led under the guide fingers p and applied to the wire on which they are
wound spirally in superposed layers. The covered wire passes through the dies Q'
and over the stretching drums F and K, alternately from one drum to the other as
shown in Fig. 2 and thence to the storage reel J. All parts of the apparatus
are geared together to work simultaneously and the operation is continuous.
In the event of a ribbon breaking the entire machine is instantly stopped, thus
preventing any imperfect work and advising the operator that his attention is
required. The same mechanism serves also of course to stop the machine when a

page_text: roll of the covering ribbon is exhausted. A new roll or rolls may then be placed in
position and the machine started. So far as I am aware I am the first to provide
an automatic mechanism for this purpose, and of the general character described,
and I do not confine my invention to the mere details of construction. In general
principle it will be seen that in the operation of the machine there is a normal
strain or tension on the paper strip or ribbon passing to the wire sufficient to hold
the stop mechanism out of action, and when this tension is relieved either by the
breaking of a ribbon or the running out of a roll the stop mechanism is immediately
thrown into action.
The general vertical arrangement of the machine is desirable, among other reasons,
because the paper roll carrying frame can be arranged horizontally and the paper
rolls standing vertically the paper runs from them more smoothly and evenly, the
proper turn to the strips being readily given by the guide fingers under which they
pass, and these fingers being adjustable the relation of the strips of or their manner
of approach to the wire may be varied; furthermore the guides may be arranged at
different distances from the wire, those applying the outer layers being preferably
further from the wire. As will be perceived from the drawing the closer the guide
fingers are to the wire the less steep is the pitch of the spiral of paper wound thereon,
and as the guide fingers are located at different distances, the different layers or
servings break joints more perfectly than would otherwise be the case, thus producing
a closer wrapping and more perfect insulation.
I am aware that heretofore in various machines for making cord, covering cord and
such like operations automatic stop mechanism held out of action by the strain of the
strands or covering has been employed, but such mechanism has not been organised in
the manner herein described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a wire covering machine, the devices for automatically stopping the machine,
substantially as herein described.
2. The devices substantially as herein described for stopping the machine and
applying a brake.
3. The mechanism, substantially as herein described for feeding the wire and for
applying strips of covering material to the wire.
4. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire-feeding devices, a reel carrying
a strip of covering material for the wire and a horizontally rotating frame on which
the reel-is-mounted.
5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire feeding devices, n horizontally
rotating frame through which the wire-extends and reels carrying strips of covering
material arranged in vertical standards on the-frame.
6. 4. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire feeding devices, reels con-
taining strips of covering material and guides radially adjustable adjacent to the wire
for holding the strips at proper angles as they are applied to the wire.
7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire feeding devices-and-an
adjustable-guide-finger for the covering material adjacent to the wire.
S. 5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire feeding devices, devices for
guiding a strip or strips of covering material to the wire, a horizontally rotating frame
and vertical rods carrying die blocks for compressing and smoothing the covering on
the wire.
6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the upright frame, the wire
serving reel at one side of the frame, the stretching drums at the upper end of the
frame, a storage reel to which the covered wire is led from the stretching drums and a
horizontally rotating frame on which the strips of covering material are carried and
from which they are applied spirally to the wire.
10. The combination, substantially as set forth, of wire feeding devices, devices for
feeding a strip-of covering material to the wire, a guide for the strip-adjacent to the

page_text: wire-and-supported by the strip, driving mechanism, devices for holding-the-driving
mechanism in gear with the strip feeding devices, and a stop for automatically
throwing the driving mechanism out of gear with the strip feeding devices.
11. 7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the wire feeding mechanisin a
frame rotating concentrically with reference to the wire, a reel for the covering
material carried by said frame, a pivoted or hinged guide finger also carried by the
frame and over which covering material passes to the wire, automatic stop
mechanism, tripping devices for the stop mechanism, and a lug on the pivoted
guide finger held normally out of the path of the trip mechanism by the strain of
the covering material.
12. 8. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the rotating frame, the hinged
guide finger carried thereby the spring actuated rod of the stop mechanism, the catch
plate holding the rod, the brake lever and the pin or projection on the rod that
actuates the brake lever.
Tocil
T1
1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.