GB2093382A - Skeining device - Google Patents

Abstract

A skeining device comprises a pair or pairs of opposed pins (2, 3, 29), means (6, 7, 8) for forming loops of wire over the pair or individual pairs of pins, means (1) for simultaneously rotating a pin (2) of the or each pair to twist the loops into skeins, and means (11, 13, 23, 24) for positively and conjointly adjusting the position of a pin (3, 29) of the or each pair in a direction towards the other pin (2) of the respective pair to compensate for shortening of the skein during twisting. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Skeining device This invention relates to skeining devices.

In United Kingdom Patent Application No.

7840143, published under No. 2049748, there is described a particular type of skeining machine for winding wire about opposed retaining pins to form a plurality of loops and then rotating one of the pins to twist the loops into a skein. The static pin is then pulled through an ejector plate to release the formed skein from the pin so that the skein can be drawn out of the machine. The longitudinal position of the non-rotary or rear pin of that machine is adjustable to control the length of the skein formed and in practice it has been found desirable also to enable the rear pin to move resiliently towards the forward rotary pin during the twisting movement to allow the skein to shorten.

Wires of different gauges, and skeins of different lengths, will contract a different amount during twisting of the loops to form a skein. A consequence of this is that the degree of resilience of movement of a rear pin towards the forward pin suitable for wire of a particular gauge or skein length may be unsuitable for wire of a different gauge or skein length resulting in a malformed or broken skein, due to the skein shortening too much or too little during twisting.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a skeining device comprising a pair of opposed pins, means for forming loops of wire about the pins to multiplex the wire, and means for rotating a pin to twist the multiplexed wire into a skein, wherein a pin is power-driven to positively adjust the position of the driven pin towards the other pin to provide controlled compensation for the shortening of the skein during twisting.

The invention is particularly applicable to machines of the type described in the mentioned British Application No. 7840143, where the wire is passed rectilinearly through the machine from a supply to a coil-winding machine, the wire passing through a guide eye which, on cessation of coilwinding, is adapted to follow a closed loop path about a pair of pins to multiplex the wire.

The practice of allowing the rear pins to yield resiliently in a multiple skeiner, i.e. where two or more wires are skeined simultaneously, suffers from an additional drawback in that where the rear pins are mounted to yield conjointly, differences in characteristics of the skeins may cause the conjoint movement of the rear pins to be excessive in certain cases leading to one or more poorly formed skeins.

The present invention further provides a skeining device comprising a plurality of pairs of opposed pins, means for forming loops of wire over individual pairs of pins, and means for simultaneously rotating a pin of each pair to twist the loops into skeins, wherein a pin of each pair is power driven to conjointly adjust the position of each said power driven pin in a direction towards the other pin of the respective pair to compensate for shortening of the skein during twisting.

Preferably, the pins to be adjusted during twisting are those which are not rotated to twist the loops.

The drive for adjustment of the position of the pins may be controlled via a microprocessor also controlling the rotation of the rotary pins.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through part of a skeining machine constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a simplified perspective view of some of the structure shown in Figure 1 and showing in particular drive for rear pins; Figure 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of another form of the drive shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Figures 5a and 5b, show a pin according to the invention, which pin is pivotable to compensate for a reduction in skein length during twisting; Figure 1 of the drawings shows in outline a basic skeining mechanism substantially similar to that described in U.K. Patent Application No.

7840143 and comprising a rotary holder 1 holding a pin 2. The pin holder 1 is hollow and the wire to be skeined passes out to a coil winding machine through the pin holder 1. The skeining machine also comprises a non-rotary rear pin 3 mounted on a pivoted plate 4 and passing through a stripping'plate 5. A wire guide eye 6 is mounted on a carrier 7 so as to follow a closed loop path around the pins 2 and 3 so that the wire is wrapped around them to form a plurality of turns or loops and the rotary pin holder is then rotated to form those loops into a twisted skein. A chain drive 8 for the wire guide eye 6 is also shown.

When the skein is being twisted by rotation of pin 2 by the pin holder 1, its natural overall length becomes shorter. It has hitherto been the practice to mount the rear pins 3 in such a manner that they are free to move against the action of a spring towards the corresponding pins 2.

However, when a considerable number of pins are mounted on a single plate 4, there tends to be a significant difference in the amount of contraction of the skeins being formed and the plate has to move sufficiently far to accommodate the maximum contraction. This may lead to operating difficulties and malformed skeins in those cases where the skeins have not contracted so far.

In order to overcome this difficulty, it is proposed in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention to provide for a positive driving of the movement of the plate 4 and pins 3 towards the pin holders 1.

A mechanism for doing this is shown in more detail in Figures 2 and 3. It will be seen that the stripping plate 4 which has the mounting plate 5 pivoted thereon is freely mounted on toothed wheels 1 6 and 1 7 which are supported on stationary spaced racks 1 8. The wheels 1 6 are both idlers and the wheels 1 7 are interconnected by a shaft 19, which is non-drive, and which has the function of preventing the carriage formed by the stripping plate 4 from slewing on the racks 1 8.

Drive is provided by a motor and reduction gear unit 11 mounted on a bracket 12 and solid with the plate 4. The unit 11 has an output pinion 13 in mesh with one of the racks 1 8 to drive the carriage.

During the twisting of the skeins by rotation of the pin holders 1 the pinion 1 3 is driven at an appropriate speed to provide an appropriate motion of the pins 3 toward the pins 2. Once the skeins have been released from the pins 3 by withdrawal of these through the stripping plate 5 by pivoting of the plate 4 under the influence of a solenoid (not shown), the motor unit will be driven in the reverse direction to retract the carriage with the pins 3 to its normal starting position.

The starting position is preferably adjustable by means of a separate control of the motor unit 11 so that the length of the skeins to be formed may be chosen to suit the requirements.

The degree of movement of the rear pins towards the front pins will be variable to match the gauge of wire being skeined and the length of the skeins. Conveniently this variation may be provided by a programmable microprocessor controlled unit to enable ready selection of the parameters required for a particular gauge wire and skein length.

It will be understood that since the skeining machine is normally used in conjunction with a group of coil winding machines, the control of the operation of the moving parts, namely the chain drive 8 the rotary drive for the pin holders 1 and the motor unit 11, may be under the control of a microprocessor controlling the operation of the coil winding machine. For example, the microprocessor may be programmed to start the chain drive 8 upon completion of the winding of the appropriate number of turns of the coil and run it for a predetermined number of turns to provide the requisite number of loops between the pins 2 and 3. The chain drive then returns the wire guide eye 6 to its rest position and rotates the pin holders 1 for a predetermined number of turns which are recorded by a counter.During this time the microprocessor also causes the motor and gear unit 11 to drive the pinion 13 at a predetermined pattern of movement. upon completion of the requisite number of turns of the pin holders 1, the solenoid is operated to rock the plate 4 to pull the pins 3 through the stripping plate 5 and strip the skeins. The carriage formed by the stripping plate 5 is then retracted to its starting position ready for a fresh cycle of coil winding F;g. 4 shows a further form of drive for pins. A carriage 20 is carried on each side by linear bearings 21 which move on rods 22 held in supports 25. The linear bearings 21 are moved along the rods 22 by means of toothed belts 23.

One belt being driven by a motor 24 via belt 26, simultaneous drive being transmitted to the other belt via axle 27 and puliey 28. The carriage 20 comprises an arrangement of rear pins, and stripper plate, not shown, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The linear bearings 21 hold the carriage against slewing, whilst positive connection of the toothed belt to the bearings ensures that the drive does not slip.

Fig. 5a shows a type of rear pin where the pin 29 held in bearing 31 and is rotatable about the axle 30 to compensate for a reduction in the length of a skein during twisting. A front pin is located in the direction of arrow A and is rotatable to twist the skein. In a known form of this mechanism the pin is biassed in the direction of arrow B by a spring. As the skein is twisted the pin 31 is pivoted about the axis of axle 30 in the direction of arrow A, against the spring. Shortly after passing the vertical position, indicated in Figure 5b, the skein will slip off the pin, thus obviating the need for a positive stripping action as seen in the previously described mechanisms.

However, with this spring biased mechanism it is found that the skein may be stripped off before the requisite number of turns, indeed the pin may be rotated by the force applied during looping of the wire therearound. According to the present invention there is provided means for positively rotating such pins in the direction of arrow A.

Preferably two step rotation is provided. A first step gradually rotates the pins to or towards the vertical position of Fig. 5b during twisting to form a skein, and a second step rotates the pin beyond the vertical to ailow the skeins to be stripped from the pins.

Various modifications may be proposed by those skilled in the art and it is desired to include ail such modications as fall within the scope of the patent warranted hereon.

Claims (8)

1. A skeining device comprising a pair of opposed pins, means for forming loops of wire about the pins to multiplex the wire, and means for rotating a pin to twist the multiplexed wire into a skein, wherein a pin is power-driven to positively adjust the position of the driven pin towards the other pin to provide controlled compensation for the shortening of the skein during twisting.

2. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of pairs of opposed pins, means for forming loops of wire over individual pairs of pins and means for simultaneously rotating a pin of teach pair to twist the loops into skeins, where a pin of each pair is power driven to conjointly adjust the position of each said power driven pin in a direction towards the other pin of the respective pair to compensate for shortening of the skein during twisting.

3. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a first pin of the or each pair is rotatable to twist the loops into skeins, and the remaining pin of the or each pair is power driven.

4. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the power driven pin or pins are mounted on a carriage to be movable rectilinearly towards the said other pin or pins.

5. A skeining device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the carriage is movable by means of a toothed belt drive.

6. A skeining device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the power driven pin or pins are mounted to be drivably pivotable towards the other pin or pins to compensate for shortening of the skein during twisting.

7. A skeining device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the power driven pin or pins are drivably pivotable from a first position to a second position during twisting of the loops of wire and to a third position at the end of twisting to release the formed skein or skeins from the pins.

8. A skeining device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.1,2 and 3 or Figs. 1 and 4 or Figs. 5a and 5b of the accompanying drawings.

.9. The features hereinbefore disclosed or their equivalents in any novel combination.