US3164335A

US3164335A - Wire tensioning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3164335A
Application number: US273999A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymon H Dammar
Original assignee: Possis Machine Corp
Current assignee: Micafil Inc
Priority date: 1963-04-18
Filing date: 1963-04-18
Publication date: 1965-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-05

Description

Jan. 5, 1965 R. H. DAMMAR 5 WIRE TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A rMo/vfif AMMAR F/GJ p Ara-017M220 Jan. 5, 1965 R. H. DAMMAR 3,154,335

WIRE TENSIONING APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arrokzve vs" United States Patent 3,164,335 WIRE TENIONING APPARATUS Raymon Ii. Darnrnar, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor to Possis Machine Corporation, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 27.33% 8 Claims. (Cl. 24'2t47) The present invention relates to wire handling devices and more particularly for an apparatus for adjusting the tension of wire.

Numerous tensioning devices have been previously proposed for use in controlling the tension of wire as it is fed from one location to another. These prior devices have not, however, been entirely satisfactory for some applications and in particular for the wrapping of motor and generator armatures and stators.

One of the tensioning devices which has been previously proposed includes a pair of supporting elements and a plurality of flexible fabric cords connected to the free ends of these elements. A length of wire is allowed to pass through the ends of the support elements and between the fabric cords. When in use, the cords are twisted so that they frictionally engage the wire and in this way control its tension as it moves from one device to another. It has been found when these machines are used in wrapping armatures or" electric motor-s and generators that substantial ehort and time is required to relieve the tension exerted upon the wire, when it is necessary to pull wire through the apparatus by hand.

In view of these and other shortcomings of the prior art, it is thus one object of the present invention to provide an improved wire tension regulator including a provision for quickly and easily relieving the tension exerted upon a wire so that the wire can be handled manually when required.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved wire tensioning device of the type described in which tension can be applied to the wire Without a tendency for jerking or grabbing.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved tension adjustment mechanism for wire including a fluid operated tension control assembly which is simple in construction, reliable in operation and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a semidiagrammatic side elevational view of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the tension regulating device according to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional'view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

3,14,335 Patented Jan. 5., 1965 Briefly stated, the present invention provides a wire tensioning device including a pair of spaced apart support members having a plurality of elongated flexible tensioning elements connected between the ends thereof and a biasing means for changing the spacing between the support members. According to a preferred form of the present invention, the biasing means comprises a cylinder having a plunger slidably mounted therein and a source of fluid pressure connected to the cylinder for urging the plunger toward one end thereof.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description wherein the same numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a wire tensioning device It) including a horizontally disposed support plate 12 which is secured to a base 14 by means of suitable fasteners such as bolts 16. Rigidly secured upon one end of the support plate 12 is a first vertically disposed support element 18. A pair of generally triangular side plates Ztl extend from the support 18 toward the other end of the plate 12 and are secured to support 13 by means of fasteners such as screws 22 (FIGURE 4).

Pivotally connected between the ends of the plates 20 opposite the support 18 upon a pin 24 is a second support member 26 which is adapted to pivot about a horizontally disposed transverse axis at the center of the pin 24 as will be described more fully hereinbelow. At the upper end of the support 26 is provided a longitudinally extending bore 28 within which is mounted a support block 38 including a cylindrical portion 32 of such a size as to turn easily within the bore 28. A shoulder 34 on block prevents the movement of the block 30 through the bore 28 toward the right as seen in FIGURES 2 through 5.

Four circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending openings 36 are provided in the block 39 as well as a central wire opening 38 through which a section of wire 4t) is adapted to pass when the apparatus is in operation.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the wire 4% is stored in a coil 42 which rests upon a rack 44 and passes from right to left in FIGURE 1, through the apparatus Ill and finally to a device which is to consume the wire as for example an armature winding apparatus as of known construction only part of which is shown.

Extending through the opening 36 and secured at the outer end of the block 30 are a plurality of elongated flexible tensioning elements 50. The elements are secured at the outward end of the block 3% by means of knots 52 which serve to prevent their outward ends from passing through the openings 36. The opposite ends of elements 5% pass through horizontally disposed and parallel openings 54 which extend through the upward end of the support 18 and are secured at the right end of the support 18 as seen in FIGURES 2 through 5 by knots 56. At the upper end of the support 18 is a longitudinally extending bore 58 within which is mounted a guide tube 6t formed from a plastic resinous material such as nylon or polyethylene. The guide 66) is held in the bore 58 by means of a set screw 62.

Operatively connected between the supporting framework and the support 25 is a resilient member in the form of a spring 64 for yieldably biasing support 26 toward the support 18. To this end the spring 64 is connected to

eye bolts

66 and 68 which are in turn connected to the

supports

26 and 18 respectively.

An adjustable biasing means in the form of an actuator 7% is also connected between the supporting framework and the support 26. The actuator '76 includes a plunger 72 rigidly mounted upon a rod 74 connected at one end to the support 26 by the provision of an extension the position of FIGURES 2 and 3.

'78 which projects into an opening 813 in the support 26. The plunger 72 is slidably mounted within a cylindrical bore or cylinder 32 and is sealed therein by means of a resilient sealing element 84.

Theadedly mounted Within the support 18 is a valve 8d which communicates through an opening 88 with the cylinder 82. The valve 86 includes a needle 83 threaded therein at 96 in position to regulate the size of a valve port 92. which communicates between bore 3? and an inlet line 94. As shown in FIGURE 1 the line 94 is connected to a shutoff valve 96 which can be operated either manually or with the foot. The valve 96 communicates with an air supply tank or source of fluid pressure such as air supply tank 98 through a line 1%. Air is supplied to the tank 93 by means of a pump 192.

When the apparatus according to the present invention is to be operated a length of wire 40 is passed through the openings 59 and 38 in the support 18 and block 30. It will be assumed that compressed air is present in the tank 93. 'To begin operation, the operator should turn the block 349 within the bore 28 to twist the tensioning elements 56 from the position of FIGURES 4 and 5 to In the latter position the tensioning elements Stl will tightly enclose the wire 4t) and will exert acertain amount of tension thereon when the wire 49 is pulled through the apparatus. Next. the valve d6 is opened allowing compressed air to pass from the tank 8 through line 94 into the valve 36 and into cylinder 82 to the right of the plunger 72 thereby forcing rod 74 and the support element as toward the left in the figures. As this takes place, an increasing force will be exerted upon the elongated elements 5t? thereby increasing the tension exerted upon the wire re as it begins .to move through the apparatus. The needle 88 should be adjusted such that the opening of the valve 96 will not cause the tensioning members Sil to engage the wire 49 with a sudden jerking action. The needle 88 may therefore be thought of as a control means for adjusting the rate at which the tension members Stl are placed under tension.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire tensioning device comprising in combination, a framework including a pair of spaced apart support members at least one of which is movable, a plurality of elongated flexible spaced tensioning elements connected between said members, means for passing a wire through said apparatus longitudinally of said element,

means for twisting said flexible tensioning elements, about said wire and into contact therewith and power means secured to a stationary portion of said framework and said movable support member for moving said movable support member and thereby changing the spacing between said support members to thereby substantially reduce and apply fully the tension exerted by said tensioning elements on said wire selectively.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a control means issecured to said power means to regulate the rate at which spacing is applied to the said support members by said power means.

3. A wire tensioning device comprising in combination, a supporting framework including a pair of spaced apart support members, at least one of said members being movably mounted upon the framework so that the spacing between said members can be changed, a plurality of elongated flexible tensioning elements connected between 5 d members, means for passing a wire through said apparatus longitudinally of said elements, means enabling the elongated flexible tensioning elements to be twisted into contact with the Wire, a means for changing the spacing between said support members to thereby substantially reduce and apply fully, alternatively, the tension exerted by said elements on said wire, said spacing changing means comprising a pneumatic cylinder operativcly connected to one of said members, a plunger slidably mounted within said cylinder and operatively con nected to the other of said members and a means for fluid under pressure to said cylinder.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said fluid under pressure is connected to said cylinder and a shutoif valve is communicatively connected between said source of compressed air and said cylinder for regulating the operation of said spacing changing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein resili ent means is provided for yieldably biasing said support members toward each other.

6. A wire tensioning apparatus comprising in combination. a supporting framework, a first support member mounted upon said framework at one end thereof, a second support member pivotally mounted upon said framework in space relationship with said first supporting member for pivotal movement with respect to said frame work, a support block mounted upon said second support member for rotational movement about an axis extending between said first and second support memhers, a pluarlity of flexible members connected at one end to said support block and at the other end to said first support member, said block and said first support member including an opening adapted to receive a length of wire, said elongated flexible tensioning elements being positioned to extend substantially parallel, said length of wire extending between said first member and said block, the rotation of said support block being adapted to twist said elements into engagement with the length of wire extending between said first support member and said block, resilient means operatively connected between said supporting framework and said second support element for yieldably urging the free end of said second support member to move toward said first support member, and a releasable biasing means for moving said second support member and said block away from said first support and against the tension of said resilient means to control the application of tension exerted by said flexible members upon said wire.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said releasable biasing means comprises a plunger operatively connected at one end to said second support element and slidably mounted at the other end within said first support element and a conduit means communicatively connected with said first support element to supply fluid to said cylinder for forcing said plunger to move in the direction of said second support member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein an adjustment valve is communicatively connected with said conduit for regulating the flow of fluid therein.

References Qiltf in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,426,631 Mapes Sept. 2, l947

Claims

1. A WIRE TENSIONING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A FRAMEWORK INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART SUPPORT MEMBERS AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS MOVABLE, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED FLEXIBLE SPACED TENSIONING ELEMENTS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS, MEANS FOR PASSING A WIRE THROUGH SAID APPARATUS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID ELEMENT, MEANS FOR TWISTING SAID FLEXIBLE TENSIONING ELEMENTS, ABOUT SAID WIRE AND INTO CONTACT THEREWITH AND POWER MEANS SECURED TO A STATIONARY PORTION OF SAID FRAMEWORK AND SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBER AND THEREBY CHANGING THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS TO THEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY RESUCE AND APPLY FULLY THE TENSION EXERTED BY SAID TENSIONING ELEMENTS ON SAID WIRE SELECTIVELY.