GB635402A - Improvements in apparatus for supplying electric power to electrically-driven reciprocating carriages and or apparatus carried thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

635,402. Taking up slack in electric cables. RUSHWORTH, D. April 1, 1948, Nos. 9173 and 18611. [Class 78 (ii)] Apparatus for supplying electric power to a reciprocating carriage 3 comprises (Fig. 1) an electric supply cable 2 to carry power supply from a power point, a connecter 12 on the outer end of the cable to connect electrically the cable 2 to the reciprocating carriage 3, and a wire cable 6 carried by a reel 5 and fastened to the power supply cable and adapted to maintain the tension therein as the carriage moves backward and forward. Figs. 1, 2. Electric cable 2 from reel 1 passes over supporting rollers 9 and has a connecter 12 which is electrically connected by arm 13 to carriage 3 reciprocating on rails 4. The connecter 12 is fastened to wire cable 6 which passes over further rollers 9 and round pulley 7 and over supporting pulleys 10 to reel 5 which is fixed to and rotates with reel 1, so that as the carriage reciprocates under its own power the cables are wound on or off their respective reels. Pulley 7 is mounted to slide on rails on frame 8 and, under the influence of counterweight 16 and rope 17, adds extra tension to the cable system. Wire cable 6 is guided on to pulley 7 over roller guides 19 and over roller guide 20, and may be wound round the pulley several times and the pulley may be operated by handle or handwheel 14. Rollers 9 and pulleys 10 are journalled in supports 11. Fig. 3. Electric supply point 21 supplies current to carriage 22 reciprocating along track 29 through electric cable 2, the cable passing around pulley 23. Pulley 23 has its axle 24 fitted with rollers 25 running on rails 26 and the axle is connected by cable 27 to self-winding reel 28 so that cable 2 is prevented from trailing on the ground. The cable between carriage 22 and pulley 23 may pass over supporting rollers, each roller having an axle and a pair of wheels which run along the carriage track, the wheels having diameters which increase progressively with their distance from the pulley so that as the carriage moves away from the pulley the rollers space themselves out along the track and continue to support the cable equidistantly.