US2341707A - Wire supply mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 15, 1944.

C. M. FORNWALD, JR

WIRE SUPPLY MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVEN TOR. CHHRLES M- FORNWHLQJIE ATTORNE S Feb. 15, 1944.

c. M. FORNWALD, JR 2,341,707

WIRE SUPPLY MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EEI 1N VEN TOR. CHHRL E 5 M. FO/PNWHLD, JR-

BQJ O QAJ HTTORNEYS Feb. 15, 1944. c FQRNWALD, JR 2,341,707

WIRE SUPPLY MECHANISM Filed Dec; 8, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig-E IN VEN TOR. CHHRLES M FORNWHLD, JR.

HTTORNE rs Feb. 15; 1944. c, o w JR 2,341,707

WIRE SUPPLY MECHANI SM Filed'Dec. 8, 1942 5 Sheets-SheetA INVENTOR. CHFIRLES M. FORNWRLD, Jfi BY Q 0.1

H 77 RNE YS Feb. 15, 1944.

C. M. FORNWALD, JR

WIRE SUPPLY MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOKV CHHRL 5 M- FORNWHLD, JR. a; ah

HTTORNEYS e se-.1 at. is, 1944 4 combination,

2,341,701 g v wmu surrm MECHANIM Charles M. Fornwaldf Jr., Linden, N 1., assignor to Syncro Machine Co m, m, N. 1.,

a corporation cit-New Jersey g I application December a, 1942, Serial No. 468,247 14 Claims. 1(01. 242?) inventiorris directed improvements in mechanism employed'forsupplying wire and similar strands to wire processing machines, as for exampleiwire drawing machines, functioning so as to preventi breakage of the wire or strand should the supply become locked or tangled.

The, general combination of this invention 3 comprises the association with any type of strand orwire processing machine, as for example a wire drawing machine, mechanism for supplying the strand or wire frame coil and controlled by the wire for preventing its breakage in the event that the coils of the supply become locked or the wire klnked and tangled sufflciently tootherwise cause breakagethereof.

The many and detailed objects of this invention will be better understood following a detailed description of the embodiment thereof illustrated in the attached drawings rather than by a generalized description thereof at this time.

This inventionresides substantially in the nstruction, arrangement and relative location of'parts, all as will be described in detail below. A v I In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevationalview of a wire drawing machine with which is associated the improved wire supply mechanism of this invention;-

Figure 2 is a top plan'vie'w thereof;

- Figure 3 isanenlarged vertical, central, cross sectional view with'some parts in elevation of the improved mechanism of this invention;

Figure 4 is a right hand side elevational view thereof;

Figure 5 is a detailed broken view partly in cross-section showing the releasing device for the mechanism;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing this release mechanism in released position; and

Figure 'I is an enlarged detail; cross-sectional view oi the wire drum cam locking device.

The description of the embodiment oi the invention selectec for the purpose of illustrating and describing the nature thereof will be made for the combination of a wire drawing machine with thewire supply mechanism of the invention. From the entire disclosure it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited in lts combination with wire drawing machines but may be employedwith all type ofstrand processing machineswhere the strand is supplied thereto from a supply reservoir in the form 0'! coils. Likewise, in some instances the invention may be of use in connection with the supply oistrandstrom spools.

In Figures l and 2 a wire drawing machine I is illustrated in general outline only since it forms no part of this invention. The illustration includes a drive motor 2 for the wire drawing 5 machine, a bull block 3, and a spooling mecha-,

nism .4. The wire supply mechanism of this invention is generally illustrated by the refer-' ence numeral 5. The wire W is placed on this a mechanism in e form of acoil 6, which is ing and paying 03 support.

I The mechanism itself comprises a framework of any suitable type, which as illustrated may comprise a standard 1, and a integral framework comprising angle bars 8 and 9. and plate I0. This qframework maybe built up in any suitable manner.

The wire the form of a' coil 6 is mounted upon a suitable turntable I I from which thewire emay be paid oil as it revolves. The wire first passes through any suitable form of guide means such as the tube i2 forming part of the turntable,

comprising part of the usual supply stand, and from which it passes to an adjustable tensioning or drag device It illustrated in Figure 4 as a '10 supported thereon by any suitable form of holdpair of spring loaded friction plates of any suitable material. The wire W then passes through a guide ll to an idler pulley l 5 rotatably mounted on the free end of a lever IS. The wire then 6 passes onto a rotatable carrier in the form of a drum H, as illustrated, on which it liesin contiguous convolutions, the number of which suitable to the function of the machine, be referred to later. iliary reservoir or storage member to-which the wire travels on its way from the main supplycoil 6 to the bull block 3. The wire then passes from the drum II to and around an idler pulley.

l8 rotatably mounted on the free end of an arm Ill. The central plane of the idler pulley l8 lies substantially in a plane tangent to the cylindrical portion of the drum ll on which the convolutions lie, as is clear from Figure 4; The wire then passes from the pulley l8 to the processing machine of the figures.

The arms l8 and i9 and the drum I! are rotatably mounted on suitable bearings supported by tubular member 20 mounted in any suitable 5 manner on the plate l0. The-left hand end of the member 20 is internally threaded and re- J ceives an externally-threaded 'plug 22 which may 'be adjusted to diilerent tensions of spring 36, I which will be described later. 55 end of the member 20 is provided with diametri- The right hand The carrier comprises an auxchine,v as for example the wire drawing ma- 'cally op posed slots and "is closed by .means of a plug or wall member 2|, as is clear from Figure 3. in: within the tubular member 22 and extending through the closure members 24 and 22 with a sliding fit, is a-plunger rod 22 provided with a handle grip 24 on the end which projects from theslotted end of the member 22. The end of the rod 22 which extends through the plug 22 is provided with a short lever 2 S positioned toengage-the roller on the end of a switch lever 22,

forming part of the switch 21. The switch 21 is supported from the plate iii in any suitable manner, as for example by means of the bracket,

as shown in Figure3; The lever holds the ing pin 22 which lies in the 'slotsfin the end of the member a and also lies between the pairs of projections 22 on 'the outer face of the arm I! (see also Figured) Projecting from the opposite; face of the arm is is a pair of spaced projections 22 (see also Figure 4) between which lies an ear 2| attached to an externally extendingbrake 22 engaging. the hub of the drum [1. As shownin Figure 4, this brake is loaded by means ofa spring 22 which operates to cause the brake band to engage the drum 11 under a pressure which m y be readily adjusted by means of the lock nuts which control the tension of the spring 22. The brake structure itself is not novel, it being a sim-.

ple spring operated externallyicontracting brake comprising a band 'surroundingthe-h'ub of the drum l1 and lined with a suitable brake lining.

The rod, 22 is provided with of notched collar 24 which is pinned thereto, as illustrated in the "drawings; and the notch of which is positioned to receive the latch "when radially aligned therewith, as illustrated in Figure 5. The latch 25 is mounted upon the arm. It for movement with it, As clearly shown in Figure 3, a spring22' lies between'the'positionabie plug 22 and the col-- hr :4, so that shaft a is urged' to the right under the pressure of spring 2!, adjustable by positioning plug 22 as. required. -Pivotally' con- /nected to them It by thepivot pin "is and 21which is-slidably mounted in adiametral hole in the guide as which is rotatably' mounted on th platelfl as can be seen from Figures 3 and 5.

The free end ofthe rod 21 is threaded and is provided with a Pair of lock nuts against which'one in drawing maclnne I, to come 50 spring 42 whose" Figures 5 and 0.- At this time it will be seen that the wire W has been fed-from the coil' 8 through t e s lde'tube l2, the adjustable drag l2, the eyelet ll, aroundthe idler pulley II, around the 5 drum II a number'of times and around the pul-;

ley I! from which it passes to the wire drawing machine I. Thenumber of convolutions of wire on the drum II will depend upon the time it takes the processing machine, as for example the wire a stop after the power supply thereto is shut o up with this'i s the consideration of how much wire the processing machine 'will demand during this stopping period. Sui'licient wire should be 5 placed on the drum i1 so that it will not all be used up by the time the processing machine comes to a stop.

During normal conditions of operation the Q "wire will besupplied from the coil 6 to the proc- 20688128183612. Atthistime thewirewill be supplied'to drum II at the-left hand side (see Figure 4 and be supplied from that drum to andfrom-the pulley l8. 'Ihesuriace of the. drum I! on which the wire. convolutions lie is "5 slightly tapered towards the risht so that'the cominginat-th'e'deft will gradually be borne over towards the right by the succeeding turns, and will be delivered from the layer at the 118111: hand'mid. The arm'll is locked against rotation by the pin 22 and the brake 22 merely operates as a drag 9n the i1 to pr'event'itirom overrunning.' The engagement oi the lug 4| of the brake 22 witlf'. the

cars 32 on the arm ll holds the brake stationas My While P m! it to prevent overrunning oi the drum in apparent manner. The drag caused by't'he brake is adjustable altpreviously explained.

v V, i 1-. .The arm"|6'loaded' by the spring 40 during the 40 period of normal operation acts as a sort oi .bufler arm to absorb slight v tension in' the wire due to any-ca ons in the For example,should the wirefeedingfroin' the coil i I become momentarily locked with adjaoent convolutions the increase in tension imthe' wire may cause. the an to swing downwardly in a f counter-clockwise; direction towards thedotl'ai d dash line position-shown 'in Figure '4'.; Thcse 'movements of the arm it are buifereds by the viously explained. tions of the wirelock with th ieehing' wire, or

end of theoompression-spring it rests. The other creases sufliciently to cause arm I .to be pulled end of-the spring ensues the guide 28.

Mounted within the drum n in a position toj engage an inner face thereof, is a cam ll which as shown in Figure 'l, is pivotally mounted by means of the cap screw 42 upon a standard 44 which in turn is attached to the plate It. A small compression spring 42 engages the cam 4| tending to move it in a directionopposite the normal direction of rotation of the drum l1, as indicated by the arrow in Figure a;

.A few miscellaneous items remain-to be mentioned, as for example the counterweight it" (see *Figure'4) for the lever I, the carriage ll which prevents the wire from coming oi! the idler pulr; i ley l8, and the peripheral flanges for the drum l1 (see Figures) toform a trough in which the "convolutions ofthe wire on the drumlie. Y

Theoperation 01 9121218 mechanism will now be described. It is to thattheparts are a in the position shown ail -of'the iiguresiexcept 7;

down to the dot dash line position of Fig- 4, against the resistance of spring 40, then I thelatchllwfll align witlithe radial 'slot in Y the collar 24. By way of example, if the wire go becomes kinked, when-that kink reaches the guide tube l2 the sfipply of wirewill stop, causing the arm. to immediately swing down to this position. As soon as the latch 2| aligns with the-slot and collar 34, spring- 28 will force shaft 22 tothe position shown inFlgure6. This dlsengages the pin 28 from-the finger-22 on the arm i8 and causes the operation of switch 21 i an obvious manner. At'this point it is to be notedthat the switch 21 is associated with'the power circuit for the motor 2 directly or through of course, tled eflect is adjustable, jasspre Should adjacent oonvoluwire drawing machine lbegins."

The disengagement oi'the pin 28 from the arm it releases that amino that -due to the wire demands of the-p machine, it rotates on the tubular member 20 unwinding the wire from the drum II to continue the supply of wire to thewire drawing machine. As viewed from Figured, the arm I! rotatesin motor 2 is cut off and the coasting period for the a clockwise direction, that is in-a direction oppo'site' to the-normal direction .of rotation of the drum l1. Dining this period the action of the brake 32 is transferred to the arm I! preventing it from running ahead of the wire requirements of the drawing} machine. It is now required that there be a member against which the brake whichis now rotating with, the arm 19 may react: This is provided by the cam ll which in the normal operation of drum ll rotates against its inner surface and is prevented from gripping by the angle of its force against "drum H. The cam ll lightly engages the in- Q What is claimed is:

tothesoope oi'theclaimsgrantedme.

1. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination includinga support for a strand coil,

a normally rotatable carrier positioned to receive and support a plurality of convolutions of said l strand, means for guiding the. strand thereto,

means for guiding the strandthierefrom, said'last two means being normally stationary as said carrier revolves, so that the number of convolutio'r'ls on the carrier remains constant, and means for stopping the rotation of said carrier and releas ing for rotation the means for guiding the strand therefrom upon the stoppage of the strand supply from the coil to said carrier.

2. In-a mechanism of the type described,- the 20 combination including a support for a strand her surface of the drum II but is so positioned and shaped that in cooperation with spring (3 it will not-interfere with the normal counterclockwise rotation of drum l1. However, when the action of the brake 32- is transferred to the arm iii the 'drum II will actually tend to rocoil, a'normally rotatable carrier positioned to receive and. supp rt a plurality of convolutions of said strand, means for guiding the strand there-- to, means for guiding the strand therefrom, said last two'means being normally stationary as said tate in a clockwise direction with the arm l9,-

but this is prevented by the cam 4| which swings about pivot pin 42 aided by the spring 43 to grip the drum i1 and lock it against movement. Thus untiL the wire; drawing machine comes to a stop the arm I! will rotate so as to unwind the wire from the spool on drum II, with the result that breakage of the wire cannot occur even though the sup ly from the coil 6 is stopped. As previously mentioned there is suffi'cient wire on the drum I! so that the machine i. is certain to come to a stopbefore the suppLv thereof is used up;

' Before again starting the wire drawing machine after the trouble is eliminated, as for example the tangle is clear, suflicient turns or wire carrier revolves, so that the number of convolutions-on the carrier remains constant, means for stopping the rotation of said carrier and causing the rotation of the means for guiding the strand 3o therefrom upon the stop age of the strand minuntil the latch "is released, whereupon spring an pulls arm l6 up to normal position. 'By this time the pin 28. has moved between the ears 2! on the arm I! and the lever 25 has moved back tothe position shown in figure 3. Switch it is preferably of a type in which the lever 2' thereof is biased by a spring so that it follows the lever 25 back to the position shown in Figure 3. The machine is again ready for normal operation and the wire drawing machine can be set in motion.

Those skilled in this art will readily appreciate the advantages of a mechanism oi this type as residing in the fact that by preventing e breakage of the .wire the nuisance ofrejoining it at the break and rethreading the processing machine is eliminated. Other advantages are found in the relativesimplicity and compactness of the mechanism be operated and reset for-operation;

and the ease with which it. may

From the above description i'unu be apparent v means.

.ply from the coil to said carrier, and means for locking the carrier against movement during rotation of said means for guiding the strand i'rom' the carrier. i

3. In the combination of claim 1, means con- 1. trolled by the means for guiding the strand to said -carrier for causing the carrier to stop and the means for guiding the strand from the carrier to rotate.

4. In a machine of the type described, the combination including a support for a strand, coil, a rotatable carrier, means pivoted on the 'axis of the carrier for guiding the strand from the coil to the carrier, means rotatably mounted on the axis I 5 of the carrier ior delivering the strand from the carrier, means for locking said last means against a rotation, and means controlled by the means for guiding the strand to the carrier upon undue increase in tension in the strand for unlocking said delivery means so that it may rotate with respect to said carrier.

5. In a machine of the type described, the

combination including a support for a strand coil, a rotatable carrier, means pivoted on the axis of 5 the carrier for guiding the strandfrom the coil to the carrier. means rotatably mounted on the axis of the carrier for delivering the strand from the carrier, meansior locking saidlast means against rotation, means controlled by the means for guiding the strand to the carrier upon undue increase in tension in the strand for unlocking said delivery means so that it may rotate with respect to said carrier, and a friction device interconnecting 6.1namthineofthe typedescribedthe combination including a support for 'a strand coil.

a rotatable carrier, means pivoted on the axis of the carrier for guiding the strand fromthe coil to the carrier, means rotatably mounted on the to those skilled'in'the art thatth'e aubiectmatter of this invention may-be other 1| axis or the carrier for delivering the strand from the carrier, means for locking said last means against rotation, means controlled by the means tor-guiding the strand to thecarrier upon undue increase inltension lnvthe strand for unlocking ical ,forms. I do not, therefore, desire tobe strictly, limited to the disclosure as given tor purposes of illustration, but rather the carrier with said delivery I means for locking the carrier against rotation with said delivery means.

'Lmamechanismofthetypedescribedthe combination comprising a support for a strand coil, a rotatable carrier for supporting a desired length of the strand in the form of convolutions,

a guiding member pivoted on the axis of the carrier for guiding the strand from the coil tothe carrier, a member rotatably mounted on the axis of the carrier for guiding the strand from the carrier, a friction device interconnecting the carrier with said last means, means for locking said delivery means against rotation, and means controlled by said supply guide means for releasing said lock-upon movement of said means upon undue increase in tension in the strand.' .-8.Inamechanismofthetype described the combination comprising a, support for a strand coil, a rotatable carrier for supporting a desired length of the strand in the formof convolutions, a guiding member pivoted onthe axis of the carrierior guiding the strand from the coil to the carrier, a member rotatably mounted on the axis of the carrier for guiding the strand from the carrier, a friction device interconnecting the carrier with said last mea'ns,means for locking said de- 3n yieidingly resisting movement of said first guiding means, whereby the-normal variations in the livery means against rotation, means" controlled by said supply guide means for releasingsald look upon movement of said means upon undue 9. In astrand supply 'e. combina tion including a strand supply support, a normally rotatable drum, a normally stationary rotatably supported means iortguiding the strand from said drum and means for causing rotation 5 of the guiding means and stoppage of the drum to supply the strand directly from the drum upon stoppage or the supply of strand to the drum.

10. In the combination of claim 9, said last means being actuated upon, the presence of excess pull on the strand going to the drum.

11. In the combination of claim 9, a control device for stopping a machine to which the strand is fed from the strand supply machine,

a said control device being actuated by said rotation causing means. I

12. In a strand'supply machine, the combine.

'tion including a rotatabiy su mally stationary movably su recting astrand to said drum, rotatably supportrted drum, anor- 2 ed means i'or guiding the strand from-the drum.

rted guide'tor dimeans for holding said second guiding means normally stationary, said last means being released by said first guiding means'when the tension in the strand fed thereto unduly increases. whereby said second guiding'means is released for rotatension in the strand are absorbed.

14. In the combination of claim 12, means for I preventing reverse rotation of said drum while saidsecond guiding means is rotating.

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