US2034268A - Strand twisting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1936. R. R. NYDEGGER 3 6 STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IllHlllll II I] i wvnvrok I March 17, 1936. R. R. NYDEGGER' I STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

March 17, 1936. ,v N DEG E 2,034,268

STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m3 1 m. v /2/ Aawmm Patented Mar. 17', 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Application January 10, 1935, Serial N... isa

13 Claims.

This invention relates to strand twisting apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for twisting strands together to form a composite group. I The invention is particularly applicable for use in the manufacture of grouped electrical conductors, for example, conductor quads, i. e., a

group of four conductors intended as a component'unit of a multi-conductor telephone cable. in In the forming of such quads it has been the practice, in some instances, to twist two single conductor strands to form a pair and then twist two such pairs to form a quad. Hretofore, in some cases, each twisted pair and/or quad has been individually bound with a continuous cotton thread helically applied in order, among other reasons, to aid in causing the two conductors of the pair and/or the two pairs of the quad, as the case may be, to be of the same length, which no is desirable in the production of quadded cable having the electrical characteristics required. For a complete disclosure of the specific construction and functions of a quadded cable reference is made to U. S. Patent to Anderegg and Mougey, No. 1,271,824.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for twisting a plurality of strands into a plurality of units, without the referred to binding operation, and while maintaining the length of the strands of each unit the same, twist the units into a single group.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention as applied to the forming'of conductor quads of the hereinbefore described type, there is provided an apparatus comprising means for supplying four electrical conductors, means for grouping the four conductors together in pairs, means for twisting the conductors of each pair together, and twisting together the twisted pairs 40 of conductors to form a quad. Each pair of conductors is moved about a cone-shaped path while moving towards its apex, the individual pair and the quad twists being, effected close together and adjacent the apex of the cone-shaped path. The

pair twists are formed at a point so near the point of quad formation that the relative positions and thereby the length of twist of the conductors of each pair will remain the same and not be disturbed before they are held by the quad twist. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the motion of the twisting mechanism is entirely continuous.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 55 will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of one form. of a strand twisting apparatus embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, of a portion of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryplan sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical sectional view taken on theline 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an irregular central vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of another embodiment of a twisting apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 7 is a reduced plan sectional view across the entire apparatus taken on the line 1-! of Fig. 8 is an enlarged inverted detail plan sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6. 1

Referring now to the drawings wherein only such portions of the apparatus have been shown which are essential to an understanding of the invention, and particularly to Fig. 1, a portion of the stationary frame of the apparatus is indicated at in and journaled thereon is a continuous- 30 1y rotating flier comprising a vertical shaft It and spaced alined horizontal cross bars I! and i3. Between the ends of the cross bars i2 and id at opposite sides of the shaft H are rotatable yokes l6 and If, each yoke having secured to the opposite ends thereof a stud shaft l8 which is journaled in suitable bearings provided in the ends of the cross bars. In the operation of the apparatus the flier comprising the shaft H and the cross bars l2 and I3 is rotated by means of meshing beveled gears 39 and secured to the shaft H and a drivingshaft 23-, respectively, the latter shaft being rotated from a suitable source of power (not shown). During the rotation of the flier the yokes l6 and H revolve therewith and also rotate on their own axes by means of the following gear. train. Secured to the stationary frame it and coaxial with the shaft II is a gear 24 which at diametrically opposite points meshes with gears 25 secured to the lower ends of the shafts 26 journaled in the cross bar l3, the upper ends of the shafts having fixed thereto gears 21 which mesh with gears 30 secured to the shafts I8 fixed to the lower ends of the yokes l8 and I1. Rotatably supported in any well known manner upon each of the yokes l6 and I is a pair of conductor supply reels 3| and 32, respectively. Insulated conductors 33' and 34 from the supply reels 3| and 32, respectively, are continuously drawn upwardly by a capstan 31 and delivered to a suitable take-up mechanism (not shown).

The conductors 33 and 34 are each subjected to a desired constant tension as they are withdrawn from the reels 3| and 32 by any usual 10 form of tension control desired (not shown).

It is to be understood that the capstan 31 is driven in definite relation with the rotation of the flier shaft II and the yokes lli and II by means (not shown) so that the proper number 5 of twists per unit length of conductor will be introduced into each pair of conductors 33 and 34 to be twisted and into the two pairs of twisted conductors in forming the quad. The details of the mentioned tension control device and means for driving the capstan have-been omitted from the disclosure for the sake of simplifying the same, since they form no part of the present invention .and are not believed necessary to a complete understanding thereof.

- The type of quadded cable for which the apparatus illustrated is set up to produce is one in which the adiacent pairs of twisted conductors and 34 have different lays or iengths'ot twistandeachpairistwistedinaieftehand so directional the pair twists being indicat'd by the arrows associated will: the

yoke: [Isl-lid l'l (P18. 1), 8nd the twistsin'the- 'inia'dbeingtshorterthanthetwistsinthepairs constituting the quad, the quad twist being in as a right-hand direction, the direction of the quad twistbeing indicated by the arrow associatedwith the flier shaft H. The length of twist put in the individual pairs and. the length of the F twists between the two pairs maybe controlled 4 as. desired by the substitution of the proper size gears in the gear train including the pairs of gears 25, 21, 33, I3 and 23'.

In the particular set up of the apparatus as shown the conductors 33 are tobe twisted with 45 a shorter lay or length of twist than the conductors 34; therefore, in operation the yoke It will be rotatedat a higher rate of speed than that of the 'yoke Between the supply reels and the capstan each 50 pair of traveling conductors 33 and 34 is associated with a mechanism which first gro p the conductors into'individual pairs, then twists the conductors of each pair together and immediately thereafter maintains the relative positions 55 of the individual conductors of each pair and of each twisted pair relative to the other twisted pair, followed by the immediate twisting of the twisted pairs together to form a quad. Each pair of conductors 33 and 34 in their passage 00 from the supply reels 3| and 32, respectively, up to the point of twisting. the twisted pairs into a quad is handled in a similar manner, except for the length of twists put in the individual (Fig.2), the shaft having fixed to its upper end surface a two-holed polisher 33 (Figs. 2 and 3). A gear 43 provided with an axial shouldered aperture surrounds the polisher]. 1s and the upper end of the shaft l3, which extends above the upper surface of the flier frame I 2, the gear and the polisher being secured to the shaft i3 for rotation therewith at a uniform speed by screws 4| which pass through apertures in the polisher andare threaded into the 5 upper end surface of the shaft I8. .Fixed to the flier cross bar I2 is a bracket 44 supporting directly above the gear 4|! a freely rotatable idler sheave 45 which'is carried with the flier about the axis of the flier shaft The two conduc- 1o tors 33 continuously drawn from the suwly reels 3| are grouped together in parallel spaced relation as they enter the lower end of the'aperture 33 of the shaft i3 and pass through the holes of the polisher 33- and are continuously and unl- 15 formly twisted in a left hand direction along that portion of the conductors between the polisher and the point of contact of the conductors withthe periphery of the idler sheave 45 over which the conductors are drawn as the polisher 20 rotates about its own axis with the yoke I. while revolving bodily with the flier about the axis of the flier-shaft Ii.

Mounted upon the upper end of the shaft H and secured at 46 (Fig. 2) for rotation therewith: is'a casting it. At diametri ally we points the casting "is formed with angularly arrangedbearings within each of which is mtatabl! carried a" shaft 43 formed with a shoul- (l'lgaldsndii).

to rotatesviththe shaftl! within an enlarged upper of the aperture of theshaft is Y a two-holed polisher II. At-its lower end the shaft extends into a recess formed in'the casting 41 andhas secured thereto a'gear I2. The two-holed polisher BI is driven at the same speed and in thesame direction as the twoholed polisher 33 by means of gears 33 and I4 meshing with the gears and I2 'flxed to the polishers 33 and II, respectively, and a universal 4o shaft 55 interconnecting the gears 33 and 53, the arrangement of the gears I3 and 54 relative to the gears 40 and 52 and their ratios being such that thepolishers are driven at thesame 7 speed and in the same direction. The lower .45 portion of the universal shaft Ills iournaled in a bearing 33 carried upon the flier cross bar l2 and the upper portion of the shaft is'journaledinabearing53fixedtothecasting4L. Since the two-holed polishers 33 and ii are driven at the same speed and in the same direction the twists continuously being formed in the pair of conductors 33 betweenthe polisher 33 and the point of contact of the conductors with the periphery of the idler sheave 43 are continu- 55 ously removed upon the conductors passing from the sheave so that the conductors may be drawn through the two-holed polisher 3|, whereupon I they are again twisted with the desired helix, in

a'manner to be presently described. It will be observed that the twist just described is only incidental to the use of the sheave 4!. which is employed to prevent the occurrence of a sharp bend in the conductors as they emerge from the polisher. If thesb'eave 43 should be 66 omitted the conductors would travel in an untwisted'condition from the polisher 3 3 to the polisher 5|. 'I'he slight twist, however, which results from the use of the sheave 45 is immediately removed above'the sheave and does not interfere 70 with feeding the conductors at a uniform tension and speed of travel to the actual twisting apparatus.

After emerging from the two-holed polisher II the untwisted pair of conductors 33 are. drawn 7:;

over the-periphery of a positively driven wheel 60 (Figs. 4 and 5) provided with two conduct-or receiving grooves GI separated bya central tongue 62, one of the conductors passing into each of the grooves. The wheel 60 is secured to a rotatable shaft 65 having a bearing in the casting 41. The wheels 63, one for each of the pair of conductors '33 and 34, are positioned in horizontal alinement with their peripheries barely spaced apart with the vertical axis of the flier shaft II alinedcentrally therebetween, the adjacent inner portions of the wheels turning in a horizontal slot 66 formed in the casting 41 and extending from one side to the other side thereof. Secured to the shaft 65 is a bevel gear 67 which meshes with a bevel gear 33 fixed to the upper end of the universal shaft 55, which as hereinbefore described is driven from the motion of the yoke IS. The gear drive to the wheel 60 from the yoke it is such that the wheel makes two revolutions to one revolution of the yoke, the direction of its rotation being indicated by the arrows (Figs. 1, 2 and 5). The other wheel 60 over which the twisted pair of conducfofi 34 are drawn also makes two revolutions to one revolution of 'its associated yoke II but as hereinbefore described the yoke I1 is driven at a slower rate of speed than that of the yoke I6 due to the longer length of twist being formed in the conductors 34 than that of the conductors 33 and therefore the wheels 60 are driven at different speeds, the left hand wheel being rotated at a higher rate of speed than the right hand wheel.

In the continuous advancement of the two conductors 33 that portion thereof between the polisher 5| which is adjacent the apex of a coneshaped path about which the conductors move while traveling upwardly, and the point of contact of the conductors with the periphery of the wheel 60, which is substantially at the apex of the cone-shaped path, will be continuously and uniformly twisted in a left hand direction as the polisher rotates about its own axis while revolving bodily with the flier about the axis of the flier shaft ll.

Reciprocable in a slot 1 I formed in the wheel 60 at one side of the axis thereof is a finger I2, the slot being centered between the sides of the wheel (Fig. 4) and extending at its outer end through the tongue 62 which separates the two grooves of the wheel so that the finger may be advanced outside the periphery of the wheel as shown. The tongue 62 in addition to its being cut away to accommodate the described movement of the finger I2 is also cut away to form a gap I3 in the tongue for a certain distance above'the finger I2, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5, for a purpose to be described hereinafter. At one side the slot II extends, as indicated at I4, through the side of r the wheel 60. Integral with the finger I2 and extending through the slot I4 of the wheel 60 is a guide boss I5 which rides on an endless stationary cam surface I8 formed in a depression in a cover plate I9 fixed at (Figs. 2 and 4) to the casting 41, the slotted side surface of the wheel having a rotary sliding motion on theadjacent side surface of the cover plate. A compression spring 8| having its opposite ends engaged in depressions formed in the finger I2 and the wheel 6|) constantly acts to hold the guide boss I5 of the finger riding against the cam surface I8.

In the continuous rotation of the wheel 60 the guide boss I5 of the finger I2 riding against the stationary cam surface I8 serves to successively advance and retract the finger in such a manner polisher 5| to a position wherein its outer end is flush with the periphery of the wheel when itis in a sub stantially horizontal position pointing towards the vertical center line of the apparatus.

Formed in the casting 3!- at its upper end and centered with the axis of the flier shaft H is an aperture 32 which at its lower end is opento the slot 66 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). Carried in the aperture .82 is a. one-hole polisher secured in position at 85 (Fig. 4). The lower end of the polisher is reduced in diameter and extends downwardly into the slot 33 and between the wheels 63, the lower 'end thereof lying close to the peripheries of the wheels. The twisted pairs of conductors 33 and 3d immediately after passing from the grooves of the wheels 66 converge at the lower end of the one-hole polisher 85, pass through the hole of'the polisher, the aperture 82 of the casting ti, and around the capstan 31, and thence to the takeup mechanism (not shown). In their passage from the grooves of the wheels 60 and through the hole of the polisher 85 the" twisted pairs of conductors 33 and 34 are continuously and uni-.

formly twisted together in a right hand direction to form a quad 811, due to the wheels 30 revolving bodily with the fiier about the axis of the polisher which is centered with the axis of the flier. v

It is believed from the foregoing description that it is completely advanced lust afterit moves past the polisher 5i and is completely retracted that the manner of continuously forming the pair twists in that portion of each pair of traveling conductors 33 and 34 between the polishers 5i and their engagement with the peripheries of the wheels 60 as the conductors are moved about the cone-shaped path and adjacent its apex and thereafter upon the pair twists moving from the engagement with the wheels being twisted together to form the quad twist will 'be clearly understood.

As hereinbefore described the wheel 60 makes two revolutions to one of the yoke I6,.-and the same relative to the two-holed poisher 5i which is continuously driven in synchronism with the yoke and therefore the finger I2 and the gap I3 in the tongue 62 of the wheel will pass the twice for each rotation of the polisher,

or once for each of polisher rotation. Thus it will be apparent that by synchronizing the rotation of the polisher 5| with the movement of the finger I2 and the gap I3 past the polisher,

the successive cross-over points of the twisted conductors 33 produced by the polisher may be made to fall into the gap of the wheel 60. A complete twist of the conductors it will be obvious includes two crossings thereof, one being produced for each 180 rotation of the polisher 5|. The advancement of the finger I2 associated with the left wheel 60 to the position shown in the drawings in timed relation with the crossing of the traveling conductors so that the finger is inserted between the conductors in timed relation with and immediately below the crossing point thereof insures that the cross-over point of the conductors willpass into the gap I3.

The relative positions of the two holes of the polisher 5| and the wheel 60 are such that when the crossing point of the conductors 33 is in tangential engagement with a surface 88 of the wheel along the gap I3 with the finger inserted between the conductors below the crossing point,

the conductors between the polisher and finger whichshowstheposlttcnofthepolisherhoies andthedirectionofrotatlono'fthepolhhcnit 'willbenotedthsttheeonductorshavenotyet ingthesuccessivecrosshmpointsofthetwists" imtil theyarevery close to the print where the twistedpairs are twisted together toform the quadl'lthetendencyoftherelativepositionsof the'conductors of each pair and of each twisted pair relative to the companion twisted pair to be disturbed is reduced to a minimum and consequently the length of twist of the conductors for eachofthepairsofthequadwillremainuniform.

Since in the operation of the apparatus, as hereinbeiore described. risht hand wheel I isrotated ataslowerrateof speedthantheleft hand wheel, due to the longer length of twist being formed in the conductors than that of the conductors 33, the right hand wheel has not advanced in its rotation to the same angular position as its companion wheel 63 and consequent- 1y its finger I2 and the gap I3 have not reached the same position relative to the path of the conductors 34 as that shown for the finger I2 and the gap 73 of the left hand wheel 0.

In Figs. 6 to 9,..inc1usive, there is shown fragmentarily an embodiment of the twisting apparatus of this invention wherein polishers Ill. polishers llll, which it will be noted are arranged corresponding in function to the polishers SI of the apparatus previously described, are inter! mlttently driven instead of continuously as are the polisheiis ii.

In this second embodiment, referring particularly to Fig. 6, there are employed a continuously rotating flier carrying a pair of rotary yokes, and acapstan, all drivenin amannersimilartothat of the first embodiment. Ony such portions-of the flier. and one of the yokes is illustrated as are necessary to an understanding of the operation of the apparatus. An upper horizontal flier cross bar, which isfixedto afiler shaft III,

is indicated at 192 and iournaled therein at its outer end is a stud shaft I fixed at its lower end to the upper end of a yoke I04, the upper end of the shaft extending a short distance above the upper surface of the bar. Secured to the upper end of the shaft Ill above the bar I", as indicated at I95, is a circular shouldered centrally apertured plate I" having formed in its peripheral surface at diametrically opposite points two gear teeth It, the peripheral surface of the plate between the two teeth being smooth. Carried by the plate Ill within the aperture is a two-hofed polisher I. Fixed to the upper surface of the plate I". as indicated at III, is a bar III which atopposite endsisfiush withthe peripheral surface of the plate. the end surfaces ofthebareachhavingi'oi'niedthereinthreegeas' teeth II4, the centertooth ateachendoithe bar being alined with the diametrically opposite teethofthepiate. Atibcenterthebar III is enlargedandprovidedwithanaperture which iseenteredwiththeapertureintheplate III andanaperture lliintheshafti'l. Inthe operation of the apparatus conductors I and III aredrawnfrolntwosupplyrech (notshown) carriedbythe 'yoke Il4andacompanionyokc (not shown) at theopposite'sideofthefiiershaft III and through the alined-apertm'es and the two-holed poiishers Illfby the capstan (not Arranged at the right side otthe plate I'IIito -meshwithtbeteeth li4oithe'barlll isapinion Ill having its opposite endsiournaledat III andlflinthefliercrossbar II! andabracket--- I28 fixedto thefiicrshaft ill,respectively. The 10, pinion Illisformedwithaixteethhavhmtho lower half 01 two diametrically Wte teeth cut away as indicated at I24 =(I'ig. 8). Secured at IIItotheupperend'of-the fliershaft iii and rotatingtherewithisacasting I". 'l'ixedatlsliltothecastingiilisabearingblocklfl. At

diametrically opposite points "the. block III is formed with angularly arranged bearings within each of which is rotatably carried a shaft Iii. The shaft III is operatively connected to a re-,

duced upper end of the pinion II. which extends from the bearing bracket I23 by a universal shaft 132. At its upper end the-shaft III carries a gear I34 which meshes with a similar gear Ill formed on the lower end of a rotary holder Ill 25 for the two-holed polisher I00, the holder being journaled in a bearing arranged at an angle simi-v lar to that of the bearing for the shaft iii, the

bearing being formed .on the casting Ill. A

collar II'I surrounding and fixed to the holder so I36 within aslot in the casting I28. serves to maintain the holder from longitudinal movement. The two polishes holders I33 are formed with 4 axial apertures I38 through which the conductors iiiandlilpassafterbeingthrcadedthroughthe 35 holes of the polishers I III, the conductors thereafter being threaded through the holes oi the close to each other adjacent the apex of-a coneshaped path about which the conductors move axisofthefiiershaftllil.

Securedin anaxial depression I39 intheupper end of the casting I28 is a fixture I42 having its lower end bifurcated and carrying between the 5 while travelling upwardly and at either side of the vi'urcatlons and adjacent the upper ends of the converging poliahers I00, which extend intothe onto the peripheral surfaces of the rollers I48,

which is the apex of the'co'ne-shaped patlsabout which the conductors move, and through the onehole polishers I45 and around the capstan and thence tothe take-up mechanism (not shown). so

. 'flie operation of this last described embodiment of the invention, assuming that the flier shaft III and the yoke: Il4jbodily revolving therewith while rotating about their own axes are continuously driven in the direction of the g5 arrows, as sbown'in Fig. "I, at predetermined speeds in accordance with the respective pairand quad twists being formed in the conductors Iii and III, and that the capstan (not shown) is continuously drawing the conductors through the apparatus attbe desired speed..is asfollows:

During each complete rotation of the bar III,- which rotates continuously with yoke I44 and the two-holed polisher I, while revolving 4 hodiiyabout-theasisofthefilershaft IlLthe set of three gear teeth at each end of the bar move into meshing relation with the upper portion oi. the six tooth gear pinion I I8 and as each end or the bar moves past the pinion it is rotated 180, which motion is transmitted by means of the universal shaft I32 and gears I34 and I35 to the two-holed polisher I00, so that the latter polisher is given two half turns, or 180 rotative movements, during each complete rotation of the polisher I09. The pinion H8 is prevented from rotating during the periods in which the toothed ends of the bar I I I are not in driving engagement with the upper half of the pinion by the smooth peripheral surface of the circular plate I01 riding in one or the other of the spaces formed by the removal of the two diametrically opposite teeth at the lower portion of the pinion H8 which is clearly shown in Fig. 8.

Thus as each pair of continuously traveling conductors H6 and Ill move upwardly between the two-holed polishers I09 and I00 which are continuously and intermittently rotated, respectively, while revolving bodily about the axis of the flier shaft IN, the pairs of'conductors are continuously being half twisted and then intermittently untwisted so that they may be drawn through the holes of the polisher I00. Simultaneously therewith the conductors of each pair as they pass through the polishers I00 and before they engage the peripheries of the rollers I43 are twisted together with a desired lay or length of twist during the continued intermittent rotation of the polishers I00 about their own axes while revolving bodily with the flier about the axis of the flier shaft IOI As the continuously traveling twisted pairs of conductors I I6 and I I1 pass from the peripheries of the rollers I43 and through the holes of the polishers I45 they are twisted together to form a quad I50 due to the rollers revolving bodily with the flier about the axis of the polishers I45 which are centered with the axis of the flier. There is thus produced a quadded cable I50 which consists of four parallel conductors, each pair of which is crossed successively at one-half of the desired lay or twist and such twist being immediately secured by the quad twist results in identical exposures of the four conductors to one another. Therefore, any tendency of the relative positions of the conductors of each pair and of each twisted pair relative to the companion twisted pair to be disturbed is reduced to a minimum since the quad twist is produced immediately after the forming of the pair twists and consequently the length of the conductors for each pair and of the pairs of the quad will remain the same.

In each of the embodiments of twisting apparatus of this invention described hereinbeiore a plurality oi strands may be twisted together into a plurality of individual groups and the groups twisted together into a composite group in such a manner that the length and relationship of the strands of each group are maintained uniform without the use of a binding. The maintenance of a definite lineal relation between the strands constituting a pair is an essential requisite in the production of quadded cable having the electrical characteristics desired.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to quadded cable it will be understood that the invention is. capable of other applications and that modificationscan be made without departing from the spirit and scope of 5 What is claimed is:

1. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of rotatable elements, a plurality of sources oil supply of strand material carried by each of said rotatable elements, means for moving the strands from said supplies and assembling them into individual groups and causing the strands of each group to move about a cone-shaped path and toward its apex, means adjacent said apex for rotating the strands of each group to twist them together on the slope of the cone-shaped path adjacent its apex, means for causing said supply carrying elements and said twisting means to rotate the same number of revolutions per unit of time, and means adjacent the apex for twisting said groups together to form a single group.

2. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of rotatable elements, two sources of supply of strand material carried by each of said rotatable elements, means for moving the strands from said supplies and assembling them into individual pairs and causing the strands of each pair to move about a cone-shaped path and toward its apex, means adjacent said apex for rotating the strands of each pair to twist them together on the slope of the cone-shaped path adjacent its apex, means for causing said supply carrying elements and said twisting means to rotate the same number of revolutions per unit of time, and means adjacent the apex for twisting said pairs together to form a quad.

3. In a strand twisting apparatus, means for continuously twisting'a plurality of strands together, means intermittently movable into engagement with the strands immediately behind the cross over points of the strands for maintaining the relative positions of the twisted strands, and means for actuating said intermittently movable means in timed relation with the forming of the twists in the strands.

4. In a strand twisting apparatus, means for twisting a plurality of strands together to form a plurality of units, members intermittently movable into engagement with the strands of each unit immediately behind the cross over points of the strands for maintaining the relative positions of the strands of each unit, means for actuating said members in timed relation with the forming of the twists of each unit, and means for twisting said units together to form a single group.

5. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of sources of supply of strand material, means for continuously drawing ofi strands from said supplies and twisting them together, members intermittently movable into an advanced position in engagement with the moving twisted strands immediately behind the cross over points thereof and movable longitudinally therewith for a. predetermined distance for maintaining the relative positions of the twisted strands, and means for advancing and withdrawing said members in timed relation with the drawing ofi speed of the strands and the forming of the twists therein.

6. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of sources of supply of strand material, means for continuously drawing ofl strands from said nally therewith for a predetermined distance for maintaining the relative positions of the twisted strands, and means for advancing and withdrawing said members in timed relation with the drawing 01! speed oi the strands and the forming of the twists therein.

7. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of rotatable elements, 'two sources of supply of strand material carried by each of said rotatable elements, .means for rotating said elements to twist together the strands from said supplies into I individual pairs, means for causing the pairs to travel towards each other, means for twisting said pairs together to form a single group, said pair and group twist being effected in close proximity, members arranged between the points at which the pair and group twists occur intermittently movable into position between the strands of each pair innnediately behind the cross over points of the strands for maintaining the relative positions of the strands 01 each pair, and

means for actuating said members in timed relation with the forming of the twists of each pair.

8. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality of sources of supply of strand material, means for continuously drawing of! strands from said supplies and twisting them together, rotatable grooved means in the grooves of which the portions of each moving strand between successive cross over points of the twisted strands travel, said rotatable grooved means having a gap in the peripheral portion between the grooves thereof in which successive cross over points oi the twisted strands travel for maintaining the relative positions 0! the twisted strands, and means for rotating said grooved means in timed relation with the drawing of! speedofthe strands and the forming of the twists therein.

9. In a strand twisting apparatus, a plurality oi! sources of supply of strand material, means for continuously drawing of! strands from said supoi sources of supply of strand material, means for continuously drawing off strands from said supplies and twisting them together, a wheel having a plurality of peripheral strand guiding grooves in which portions or each moving strand between successive cross over points 01' the twisted strands travel, said wheel having a gap in the peripheral portion between the grooves thereof in which successive cross over points or the twisted strands travel, an element intermittently movable into position between the moving twisted strands immediately behind successive 1 cross over points thereof and traveling therewith for a predetermined distance for maintaining the relative positions of the twisted strands, and means for actuating said element in timed relation with the drawing of! speed of the strands and the forming of the twists therein.

11. In a strand twisting machine, means for drawing strand material i'rom a .plurality oi sources, means for mounting said sources for rotation about an axis extending in the direction of withdrawal of the strands, means located at I a point remote from said sources for rotating the strands about each otherto twist them, and means causing the last mentioned means and said sources to rotate the same number of revolutions per unit of time.

12. In a strand twisting machine. means for drawing strand material from a plurality of sources, means for mounting said sources for rotation about an axis extending in the direction of, withdrawal oi the material, means rotatable about said, axis in unison with the rotation of said sources having apertures for individually guiding each of the strands while being drawn from said sources, means located at a pointremote from said sources for rotating the strands about each other to twist them, and means causing said guiding means and said twisting means'to rotate the same number of revolutions per unit of time. i

13. In a strand twisting machine, means for drawing material from a plurality of sources to form a group, means for mounting said sources for rotation about an axis extending in the direction of withdrawal of the strands, means located at a point remote from said sources for rotating the strands about each other to twist them, means for causing the last mentioned means and said sources to rotate the same number of revolutions per unit of time, and means for twisting another group of strands, guiding them to the twisted strands first mentioned and twisting the two groups together at a point near said first twisting means.

1 ROLAND R. NYDEGGER.

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