GB2096102A

GB2096102A - Re-winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2096102A
Application number: GB8208893A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-04-02
Filing date: 1982-03-26
Publication date: 1982-10-13
Also published as: NL8201296A; JPS57180572A; FR2503116A1; AU8185182A; BE892748A

Abstract

Apparatus for re-winding of windable line means (e.g. a cable, a hose, or the like), comprising: a stationary drum (10) on which one end of said line means (26) can be secured; and guide means (24) adapted to be moved in revolving manner by spring means (18) and to guide into the re-winding direction the other end of said line means, said guided end being guidable- in in axially parallel manner or at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said drum; wherein said guide means comprises at least one guide roller (24) rotatable about a pin (22) carried by and situated radially with respect to a rotatable drive shaft (20) passing through the drum centre and connected to the spring (18); and said drum is at least partly conical between a smaller diameter region which supports said secured end and a larger diameter region at which said guided end runs-on, and the smaller diameter region can have said line means secured thereon. A releasable locking arrangement can be provided between drum (10) and shaft (20) and further auxiliary rollers or guide plates (32) may be mounted on shaft (20). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Winding apparatus The invention relates to winding apparatus for winding windable line means (e.g. a cable, a hose or the like), comprising: a stationary drum on which one end of said line means can be secured; and guide means adapted to be moved in revolving manner by spring means and to guide into the winding direction the other end of said line means, said guided end being variable in length and guidable-in in axially parallel manner or at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said drum.

Such a winding apparatus is intended more especially for cables one end of which remains permanently attached to a connection point, e.g. a wall-mounted socket or box, an appliance or the like, whereas the other end is used to variable length extents. Such cable winding apparatus can be used e.g. for telephone flexes connected fixedly to a wall box and a telephone set, for the cables of lamps hanging thereby at variable heights from ceilings, or for example for cables connected to a plug which can be drawn out of an applicance or from a wall connection box. Similar examples of use may also be mentioned when using hoses.

When one end of a cable, a hose or the like is drawn from a rotatable cable drum, the other end of the cable or hose normally corotates, so that in such cases sliding contacts or couplings as appropriate have to be resorted to (cf. e.g. German Utility Model 75 06 877). To obviate this disadvantage, it is known to provide two groups of rollers between which the cable is held tensioned in zigzag form and which are pressed apart by springs. A specific length of cable is stored between them depending on the particular spacing between the two groups of rollers (see German laid-open specification 25 53 219).

But this apparatus is expensive and relatively bulky in relation to the stored cable length. To solve the aforesaid problem, it is also known to deposit the cable supply for storage loose in a storage chamber (German laid-open specification 26 46 283 and German laid-open specification 27 21 679). But with this construction, it is possible for the turns and loops of cable which are lying loose in the storage chamber to tangle in one another. Moreover, measures have to be taken in complicated ways so that, taking into account the elasticity of cable sheath, gradual relaxing of the torsion spring of the automatic return device can be prevented.

Because both cable ends always wind and unwind at the same time if the cable drum rotates, or twist together if one is fixed, various remedial solutions have been suggested already. In a known construction of a telephone cable winder (United States Patent 2 678 779) e.g. both cable ends are wound and unwound in parallel manner, and it is just accepted that cable end is unnecessarily as long as and is drawn out as well as often as the other cable end. In another known arrangement (United States Patent 452 799), for this reason the winding apparatus is arranged in the middle of a cable instead of at one cable end. In that case, the full length of the cable is in fact used, but the arrangement of the winding apparatus on the middle of the cable is often disadvantageous in practical use, because when drawing out the cable the position of the winding apparatus in space is modified.With a winding apparatus arranged in a stationary position, it is possible somewhat to alleviate the disadvantage of the secured cable end also unwinding when the variable cable end is drawn off, by winding both cable ends on winding drums of different diameter (cf. German Patent 81 9 114); or, at the secured cable end, storing a greater cable length in the interior of the cable drum and pre-twisting in the opposite direction (cf. United States Patent 3 372 887) so as to allow for the twisting when the variable cable end is drawn off. However, in both the two lastmentioned cases, the fundamental problem is substantially not solved, namely that a cable end secured e.g. to a wall box and to a rotating cable drum will twist when the other end of the cable is drawn from the cable drum.

It is also already known to wind cable onto a stationary drum through a rotating guide element (German laid-open specification 21 1 9 055). In that case, the part of the cable leading from a wall connection box to the cable drum does not in fact twist, but the axial distribution of the cable on the stationary drum and the considerable friction of the cable on the guide element are disadvantageous.

The present invention provides apparatus for winding of windable line means (e.g. a cable, a hose or the like), comprising: a stationary drum on which one end of said line means can be secured; and guide means adapted to be moved in revolving manner by spring means and to guide into the winding direction the other end of said line means, said guided end being variable in length and guidable-in in axially parallel manner or at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said drum; wherein said guide means comprises at least one guide roller rotatable about a pivot situated radially with respect to the central longitudinal axis of said drum; and said drum is at least partly conical between the region which supports said secured end and the region at which said guided end runson, and small diameter can have said line means secured thereon.

Said apparatus of the present invention can enable orderly depositing of the wound line means (e.g. cable or hose), and at the same time friction at the rotating guide element can be minimised.

The claims appended to this specification are also part of the disclosure of the present invention.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through a winding apparatus according to the invention, wherein a cable is wound on to the conical surface of a drum; Figure 2 shows an axial section corresponding to two further winding apparatus according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a plan view corresponding to Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a cable drum or reel 10, for example to be secured non-rotatably on a wall or ceiling over or beside a line terminal. Drum 10 is provided with a securing flange 12 and has an at least partially conical shell or generated surface 14. In an inner chamber 16 of drum 10 is fitted a spring 18, which in this example is in the form of a spiral spring whose outer end is secured to drum 10, whereas the inner end of the spring is connected to a drive shaft 20 which is mounted in drum 10 and coaxial with drum 10. At the wider end of the conical surface 14 of drum 10, the shaft 20 projects axially out of drum 10, and in this region supports a radially disposed pivot 22 on which a guide roller 24 is mounted.Roller 24 is arranged with such a length or extending so far out on the radially situated pivot 22 that roller 24 projects radially beyond the widest diameter of the conical surface 14, to the extent of approximately the diameter of cable 26 which is to be wound. In this projecting zone, the roller 24 should be situated immediately adjacent the end face of the drum 10 or even extend slightly over conical surface 14.

That end of cable 26 connected to fixed connecting terminal contacts (not shown) leads through securing flange 12 (or chamber 16) at the smaller end of drum 10 onto the conical surface 14. There, wound cable is stored to the desired length in helical turns.

The variable end of cable 26 runs off the outer edge of the conical surface 14 at roller 24. To discharge the variable end of cable 26 centrally, an inlet and outlet aperture 30 for the variable cable end is provided coaxially with drum 10 in a housing 28 which surrounds drum 10 and roller 24 and which can be connected releasably to securing flange 12. However, it would also be possible to arrange housing 28 to cover drum 10 and roller 24 only radially, and to arrange on the drive shaft 20 axially outside of roller 24 a closure part (e.g. closure disc) which has an inlet and outlet aperture for cable 26, the aperture being centrally located or at the periphery of the conical surface 14.If such a closure part rotated together with the drive shaft 20, the cable inlet and outlet aperture in the closure part could also be bounded partly by a further roller, in order to reduce cable friction. Guide rollers mounted in the closure part for the cable could also serve the same purpose (see Fig. 2).

In addition to roller 24, one or more auxiliary rollers can be mounted on radial pivots connected to the drive shaft 20 in the same or a similar manner to the roller 24. Alternatively, instead of this, guide plates or other guide means 32 are also possible for preventing cable 26 from slipping down axially off drum 10.

In order to achieve modification of tension of the spring 18 when the cable is wound, the spring can be inserted in a sleeve 34, which itself can be fixed in various rotation angle positions in the drum 10. It is then possible (for example in accordance with the particular weight of a lamp hanging from the cable 26) to adjust the spring preload (which is appropriate in each particular case) in a simple manner by turning the sleeve 34 relative to drum 10.

Between drive shaft 20 and drum 10, a releasable locking arrangement (known per se) can be provided operated by an operating element (e.g. a push button) or by pulling on cable 26. However, if a load hangs on cable 26, such a locking arrangement is not necessary if the spring force is set to be exactly as great as the load. In such cases, owing to friction of the cable, modification of the spring force with increasing winding or unwinding is substantially scarcely perceptible.

With the winding apparatus of Fig. 1, when the cable 26 is being wound, the roller 24 lays the variable end of the cable continuously on to the radially outermost region of the conical surface 14. Depending on the alignment of drum 10, the cable turns thus formed slip on the conical surface 14 and can slip toward the smaller diameter of drum 10, or are fed in that direction by the turns which are formed successively on drum 10. The conicity of the surface 14 (whose angle depends inter alia on the diameters of the drum 10 and of cable 26, but can be small, and can terminate at the relatively small end in a cylindrical region of conical surface 14) ensures easy displaceability for the cable turns in the axial direction.

However, when a strong pull is exerted on cable 26, the pull makes roller 24 yield in the circumferential direction relative to drum 10 (with simultaneous preloading of the spring 18), so that increasingly more cable is drawn off axially over the radially outermost edge of conical surface 14. To facilitate sliding movement of the cable over that edge, said edge can be rounded. To promote further the run ning of cable onto and off of drum 10, the pivot 22 of roller 24 can be positioned obliquely in such a manner that the cable extending to the inlet and outlet aperture 30 forms an approximately right angle with the axis of roller 24.

Figs. 2 and 3 show different forms of the apparatus according to Fig. 1, respectively to the right and left of the central axis. In the left-hand example, a disc-like closure or cover part 36 is mounted on a drive shaft 35 fast in rotation with shaft 35. A roller 38 is rotatably mounted in closure part 36, and is arranged in cable inlet and outlet aperture 40. A stationary housing 42 circumferentially surrounds cable drum 44, leaving free an annular gap 46 which can accommodate a layer of wound cable 26. In a variation, housing 42 could be taken forwards to the outer end face of the closure part 36, which in that case should have an external diameter fitting with some clearance into housing 42.

The inner chamber of drum 44 can accommodate e.g. connecting terminals, contacts or the like, for connecting a cable laid in a wall or ceiling to the cable which is to be wound onto drum 44. The inner chamber of drum 44 contains a spiral spring 48, which is secured radially externally on drum 44 and radially internally on drive shaft 35. The inner chamber of drum 44 also accommodates a freewheel locking arrangement 50 (known per se), which in certain rotation angle positions locks drive shaft 35 and holds fast against the force of spring 48, but allows further drawingoff of cable (cf. German laid-open specification 29 20 580).

In the example shown on the right in Figs.

2 and 3, a cylindrical housing wall is combined with the end cover part to constitute a one-piece housing 52, which is arranged on drive shaft 35 so as to be fast in rotation therewith, and which rotates together with shaft 35. In housing 52 is mounted a roller 56, at an inlet and outlet aperture 54 for cable 26. Aperture 54 is accessible through an axial slot 58 in the cylindrical wall of the housing 52, so that at assembly cable 26 can be introduced even if it is connected securely at both ends to electrical appliances, wall boxes and the like, and the contacts are not to be disconnected. Slot 58 can be closed by a cover slide 60.

In the upper end of the cable drum 62 in the right-hand half of Fig. 2, there is a groove 64 so dimensioned as regards depth that cable taken out to the outside through groove 64 is clamped securely when the cable drum 62 is screwed tight to wall or ceiling, without any need for further securing means for the cable.

Fig. 2 also shows a simple arrangement for modifying spring preload. For this purpose, the outer end 66 of drive shaft 35 has a polygonal cross-section on which a driver 68 is arranged to be non-rotatable but axially disp!aceable. Driver 68 has one or more pinshaped projections 70 which engage axially in suitable holes in closure part 36 or housing 52 as appropriate. This engagement position is secured by a spring 72 which bears on an end flange 73 secured to (e.g. screwed onto) the outer end 66 of drive shaft 35. Driver 68 can be pulled axially away from closure part 36 or housing 52 (thereby overcoming force of spring 72 and thus disengaged from closure part 36 or housing 52), then turned (thereby entraining drive shaft 35 and the inner end of spiral spring 48), and (after further preloading of spring 48) re-engaged by projections 70 entering into closure part 36 or housing 52.If the illustrated construction with driver 68 is not chosen for allowing subsequent preloading of spring 48, the closure part 36 or housing 52 can be held axially by a nut screwed on to the outer end 66 of the drive shaft 35.

The following procedure can be followed when assembling the apparatus shown on the right in Figs. 2 and 3. First, the cable drum 62 is secured on e.g. a wall near e.g. a telephone wall box by means of screws and plugs with enough freedom to allow a telephone cable to be introduced into groove 64.

Then the securing screws are fixedly tightened. The cable is then put through slot 58 into aperture 54, and then housing 52 secured onto drive shaft 35 In order that cable can be wound onto drum 62 by turning housing 52 oppositely to the direction of rotation when drawing-off cable, conveniently the connection between spring 48 and drive shaft 35 is made such in known manner that when this rotation of drive shaft 35 occurs when winding of cable is carried out, spring 48 is not entrained. It is only after cable has been wound in this way onto drum 62 that on subsequent drawing-off of cable from drum 62, rotational movement of housing 52 and drive shaft 35 which then occurs causes entrainment and preloading of spring 48.

What has been said hereinbefore also applies correspondingly to winding apparatus for hoses, and as with electrical cables, attachment and removal can be facilitated by first of all fixedly screwing e.g. a central part 75 (Fig.

2) contacting e.g. a wall, and then bringing cable drum 44 or 62 into engagement with the part 75 reieasably by means of a rapidaction fastening e.g. a bayonet joint (not shown).

Claims

1. Apparatus for winding of windable line means (e.g. a cable, a hose, or the like) comprising: a stationary drum on which one end of said line means can be secured; and guide means adapted to be moved in revolving manner by spring means and to guide into the winding direction the other end of said line means, said guided end being variable in length and guidable-in in axially parallel manner or at an acute angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of said drum; wherein said guide means comprises at least one guide roller rotatable about a pivot situated radially with respect to the central longitudinal axis of said drum; and said drum is at least partly conical between the region which supports said secured end and the region at which said guided end runs-on, and small diameter can have said line means secured thereon.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein conical surface of said drum is adapted to hold thereon said line means; and said guide roller can revolve immediately in front of the wider end face of said drum, radially externally thereof.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle of conicity of said drum decreases abruptly or continuously from the wider end to the smaller end of said drum.

4. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a said spring means is in an internal space within said drum.

5. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said drum is surrounded circumferentially by a stationary housing or by a housing rotatable with a drive shaft.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inner wall of a said housing and said drum form with a said guide roller a gap substantially narrower than the width of said line means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the internal profile of a said housing follows the conical profile of said drum, and forms an annular gap the width of which is smaller than twice the width of said line means.

8, Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said spring means is a spiral spring, whose external end is secured to an insert fixable in a variable rotation angle position relative to said drum, and the inner end of said spring is connected to a drive shaft which extends coaxially relatively to said drum and which directly or via an intermediate part supports a pivot on which a said guide roller is mounted in freely rotatable manner.

9. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a housing comprises at an end thereof an inlet and outlet aperture for said line means, said aperture being arranged coaxially with a drive shaft of a said guide roller.

10. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one auxiliary roller is arranged offset at the periphery (or at least one other auxiliary element is provided) and adapted to revolve with a said guide roller.

11. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said drum is closed at an end thereof by a closure part which is mounted on a drive shaft and able to rotate therewith or be held fast against rotational movement.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there is an aperture in said closure part or between a housing and said closure part, said line means being able to be taken axially through said aperture and towards the exterior.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a said guide roller is mounted in said closure part, said closure part being rotatable with a drive shaft.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said closure part is constructed integrally with a housing that circumferentially surrounds said drum.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein there is a housing with an annular gap between said drum and said housing, said housing being provided with an inlet and outlet aperture for said line means and with a slot for introduction of said line means.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said slot is closable by a releasable covering slide means.

17. Apparatus according to one of claims 11 to 16, wherein said spring means is a spiral spring, the outer end of which is connectable directly or indirectly to said drum, and the inner end of said spring is connectable directly or indirectly to a drive shaft, there being a releasable, rotationally rigid connection between said drive shaft and a said closure part, the released state of that connection being such that said drive shaft is rotatable to modify the spring preload and connectable to said closure part.

18. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein said drum or a stationary housing is provided at a securing side with a groove the depth of which is dimensioned so that said line means when lying in said groove can be held clamped.

19. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 18, comprising locking means, releasable by a pull on said line means or by operation of an operating element, said locking means being between a drive shaft of a said guide roller and a stationary part of said drum or of a housing.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, substantially as bereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, when said line means is present, said line means being a cable.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, when said line means is present, said line means being a hose.