GB1267203A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,267,203. Making reels. BRITISH INSULATED CALLENDER'S CABLES Ltd. 6 Nov., 1969 [6 Nov., 1968], No. 52549/68. Heading B3A. [Also in Division B8] Apparatus for manufacturing reels of the kind comprising a barrel and two end flanges comprises a number of supports, each capable of holding a reel barrel B, and a horizontal indexing table 7 for moving the supports in series repeatedly through at least three successive operating stations 3, 4 and 5; a first station 3 in which a barrel B is fed into a support, a second station or stations 4 in which two end flanges F are moved into coaxial relationship with the barrel B, one at each end, and a third station 5 in which the two flanges are attached to the ends of the barrel, the reel thereafter being released from the support in a fourth station 6 or as the support moves from the third station. In operation, a barrel B is fed down a tube 23 and is pushed into retaining fingers 12 on the support by an hydraulic ram 11, a plate 24 moving with the ram 11 to block the end of the tube 23 so that only one barrel is delivered at a time. The barrel which is preferably sheet metal, may be held within the fingers 12 by permanent magnets or by a spring-loaded device. The support with the barrel is then indexed to the second station or stations 4 where flanges F from stacks are pushed by means of hydraulic rams 14, 15 and plates 26, 27 into coaxial relationship with the barrel. One flange is positioned below the barrel and supported on fingers 16, and the other flange is supported above the barrel on fingers 17. The support is again indexed to the third station 5 where tools 18 are situated above and below the barrel. The tools 18 reciprocate vertically and move along the axis of the barrel to secure the flanges to the barrel. In a preferred embodiment, the barrel is provided with circumferential ribs 20 against which the flanges seat, and the tools 18 spread the ends of the barrel to retain the flanges. The support may then be indexed to a fourth station 6 where arms 22 project beneath the upper flange and the completed reel slides down a shoot to a storage means. The rams 11, 14 and 15 are synchronized with the drive of the indexing means. In a preferred embodiment, one set of three operating stations is provided for each three barrel supports. Means may be provided at any one of the stations or at an intermediate or final station for drilling or punching a hole in the barrel to receive an end of the material, e.g. electric cable, to be wound on a reel.