US1615502A - Tubular-armoring-cable machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25 1927. 1,615,502

S. w. BOURN TUBULAR ARMORING CABLE MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1923 attorney I Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN W. BOURN, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TUBULAR-ARMORING-CABLE MACHINE.

Application filed January 27, 1923.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of devices for measuring lengths of work as formed on machines and for automatically stopping the machine when a predetermined length of such Work has been formed thereon; and the object of this invention is to provide an attachment for such machines as those which form their work by rotating and simultaneously advancing the same as formed, such for instance. as machines for forming tubular armored cable, rope-making machines and other machines in which the work is formed by a helical movement, or a combined rotating and advancing movement, and means being provided for automatically stopping the machine when a. predetermined length of the work has been formed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means which are electrically operated for stopping the work-forming machine also the provision of adjustable means whereby the machine may stop when any givenlength of Work has been formed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

In the accompanying drawings -r Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating one form. of machine for producing work by a rotating and simultaneously advancing action and illustrating my automatic stop device for stopping the machine when a predeterminedlength of work has been formed.

Figure 2 is an end View of the automatic stopping attachment, illustrating the adjustable. contact means. for completing the circuit to automatically stop the machine when any given length of work has been formed. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged edge view illustrating a portion of theindex wheel. carrying the contact arm also showing the contact member mounted. to be positioned in the path of movement of the arm to complete the electric circuit.

Figure 4: is a detail showing the clutch mechanism positioned to be operated by a solenoid magnet; Figure 5 is a side elevation of the controlling magnet and a portion of the tension spring adapted to withdraw the clutch from position whenv the magnet is energized,

Figure 6 is a top view showing the clutch Serial No. 615,417.

members and the clutch operating arm and the relative positions of the controlling solenoid and the clutch withdrawing spring.

It is found in practice of advantage in the operation of such machines as tubular armoring cable machines and other machines where the work is formed by a simultaneous rotation and advancing action, to provide simple and effective means for measuring lengths of the work as formed and to stop the machine automatically when the desired lengths have been produced; and the following is a detailed description of one means by which these results may be accomplished:

\Vith reference to the drawings, 10 designates the frame of a machine in part of which a set of strip-feeding and grooving rolls 11 are rotatably mounted for feeding the strip 12 to a point 13 where it is continuously wound into a tubularcond'uit or covering 14. The tube thus formed is taken up or wound upon a reel 15, which is mounted to rotate upon its axis in the frame 16, being driven through gears 17, and belt 18, and this frame 16 is caused to revolve by means presently described, to rotate the reel end over end to accommodate the twist or rotation of the tube as formed.

At the'right of this machine is mounted a rotatable frame 19, on which is mounted a core supply reel 20, the same being adapted to rotate on a shaft 21,'and to carry a wire 22' that is fed therefrom through guides 23 into the tube 14, which is being wound about this wire core.

The strip feeding and shaping rolls 11 p and the revolving frames 16 and 19 are driven in unison from the main driving pulley 24 through main shaft 25, clutch 26', gears 27, 2'8 and 29, the two frames 16 and 19 being driven in unisonthrough jack shaft 30 and gears 31.

The tubular armor 14? which is formed. as a cove-ring for the core 22' is constructed by a combined rotating and forwardly advancing movement of the cable, that is, it is wound. helically, each turn of the strip 12 overlapping the edge of the next preceding turn, the. edges being interlocked to connect the turns together and to render the tube flexible.

It is found in practice very desirable in the manufacture of this, tubular armor to form the same into different lengths and to measure these lengths-and stop the machine each time adesired length is formed, and owing to the tact that the tubing advances a predetermined amount at each revolution, which advancement is controlled by the pitch or lead of the former, I am enabled to effect the action of my counting or measuring device by the rotations of the frame on which the work is carried which is geared to rotate in unison with the work as formed. To operate my measuring device, .I have mounted a worm on a hollow shaft 33 at the end of this winding lie 16 and the motion from this worm is transmitted to a toothed index carrying wheel 3a through a worm wheel 35, sleeve 36, worm 37, worm wheel 38 and small gear 39 all being mounted in the frame etO secured to the end bearing post 41.

This index wheel is provided with a multiplicity of spaced apart holes arranged around its periphery the distance between these holes representing a definite teed or advancement of the finished work, that is diilerent plates having differently spaced holes may be attached to the index wheel, the ditlerent spaces corresponding to different leads of the :torincrs, the spaces on the plate shown representing a length of live feet of cable formed, or if desired, instead of changing these index plates the drive gears may be changed to drive the index at different speeds to compensate for the difterent leads.

In order to control the operation of the clutch 2G to stop the machine, I have pro- Vided a clutch lever l6 which is pivoted at 44 and is caused to hold the clutch in operating position by the positioning of the core 45 ot a solenoid 46 to prevent the clutch from being withdrawn by the tension of spring .7, whereby when this solenoid is energized the core is withdrawn from engagement with the yoke lever permitting the spring a? to act and withdraw the clutch tronroperating position thus stopping the iachine.

This solenoid is mounted in an electric circuit in which one wire 48 is grounded on the machine while the other wire 4-9 is connected through a battery or source oi energy 50 to extend around to be connected to a two-arm contact member 51 which is pivotally mounted at 52 in the frame but is insulated therefrom as shown at in Figure 3.

One of the arms 5% of this contact member is insulated on its face as at 55, while the other arm 56 serves as aconductor. In order to provide adjustable means whereby this circuit may be completed after any predetermined length of work has been formed, I have mounted a contact arm 57 on the pivot pin 58 in the -frame, which is in the electric circuit. This arm is more or less resilient and at its outer end I have provideda pointer 60 adapted to enter any one of the holes 12 in the index plate, and I have provided an operating handle 59 for this pointer whereby it may be engaged by the thumb and finger of the operator and the arm turn-ed to any desired position about the index plate to measure oii the desired length of work to be formed before the machine will be stopped, for instance one complete rotation of the disk represents 25-0 feet but in case 275 feet are desired the insulated arm 5 lwould be placed in the position shown in Figure 2, the pointer arm 5'? would be placed at the hole 25 then as the disk rotates in the direction of the arrow this pointer would first come in contact with the insulated. face of the arm 54 without completing the circuit to energize the magnet, and as the disk rotates this arm 54-. would be moved down into the dotted position illustrated, bringing arm 56 into the position now occupied by arm 54- so that upon the next revolution ot' the disk the Contact 5? would engage the conductor arm 56 oi the contact, completing the circuit to energize the magnet and stop the machine. In this way it will be seen that any portion of a single revolution of the index wheel may be caused to energize the magnet to stop the machine, or the index may be caused to make a complete revolution or any portion thereot before the circuit is completed to stop the machine, by the simple positioning of the two-arm contact 51 and the contact arm 57.

My improved measuring device is extremely simple and practical in construction and eii'ective in its operation and by its use any desired length of Work which is formed by a combined rotating and advancing movement may be accurately measured and the machine automatically stopped when the desired length is produced.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

i I ll 1. In a counting device, a shatt adapted d to be rotated by a part of a machine operated in time with the Work, an index Wheel operated from said shaft, an electric circuit, a circuit control contact carried by said wheel and adjustable relatively thereto about the axis of the wheel, a contact member having an insulated portion and a current transmitting portion, a motor, said control contact being adapted to first engage the insulated portion of said member to move its transmitting portion and subsequently engage said transmitting portion to operate said motor to stop the machine.

2. In a counting device, a shaft adapted to be rotated by a part of a machine operated in time with the Work, an index Wheel operated by said shaft, an electric circuit, a circuit control arm carried by said Wheel and pivoted on the axis of said Wheel for adjustment about said wheel, a member having a plurality of arms disposed at an angle to each other and pivoted adjacent said Wheel to be independently and successively engaged by said control contact, one of said arms having a face of conducting material and the remainder having insulated faces, said control contact engaging one of said arms each revolution and positioning the next succeeding arm, said control contact upon engaging said face of conducting material completing said circuit to operate the motor to stop the machine.

3. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising a rotatable graduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm adapted to rotate with the disc, an electric circuit and a pivoted contact member for closing the circuit lying in the path of rotation of the arm, said contact member be ing adapted to be moved into position for closing the circuit, and subsequently close the circuit, by contact With the arm.

4. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising a graduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm adjustably related to the disc and adapted to rotate therewith, an electric circuit, a contact member for closing the circuit and lying in the path of rotation of the arm and an insulated member for adjusting the contact member.

5. In a measuring device for cable armoring. machines, the combination With a graduated disc operably related to the machine, of a radial arm adjustably related to the disc, an electric circuit, a pivoted contact member for closing the circuit, a portion of the contact member being insulated and lying in the path of rotation of the arm.

6. In a measuring device for cable armoring machines, the combination with a graduated disc operably related to the machine, of a radial arm adjustably secured to the disc, an electric circuit, a pivoted pronged contact member for closing the circuit and lying in the path of rotation of the arm, one of the prongs being insulated.

7. A measuring device for cable armoring machines, comprising a graduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm, means for adj ustably securing the arm to the disc, an electric circuit, a contact member for closing the circuit and lying in the path of rotation of the arm, a portion of the contact member being insulated.

8. A measuring device for cable armoring machine, comprising a graduated disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm, means for adjustably securing the arm to the disc, an electric circuit, a movable contact member for closing the circuit and means lying in the path of the arm and adapted to be moved into position for closing the circuit, and subsequently close the circuit, by contact with the arm.

9. A measuring device for a linear material dispensing machine, comprising a rotatable disc operably related to the machine, a radial arm, means for adjustably securing the arm to the disc, an electric circuit, a pivoted V-shaped contact member lying in the path of movement of the arm for energizing the circuit, one of the legs of the V-shaped contact member being insulated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

STEPHEN W. BOURN.

Images