US3451633A - Winding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1969 MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Sheet L of 15 Filed May 6, 1965 lNl/ENTORS JD. MAR/(HAM CR SANDERS By W ATTORNEY June 24, 1969 J MARKHAM ETAL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1965 Sheet 2 of 15 254 25a 2/701 22% Z/Ga ,zoaa. 262

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WINDING APPARATUS I Filed May a, 1965 Sheet 3 of 15 /@Q /36 /23 /90 /62a lZZ /65a FIG. 3

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WINDING APPARATUS Sheet Filed May 6, 1965 vow w w w R @Q 6w amw June 24, 1969 J. D. MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Sheet Filed May 6, 1965 June 24, 1969 J. D. MARKHAM ETAL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1965 Sheet 7 of 15 June 24, 1969 J MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May a, 1965 Sheet of 15 5/c BOa- 60d.

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June 24, 1969 J. D. MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1965 Sheet 9 of 15 June 24, 1969 J. D. MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Sheet of 15 Filed May 6, 1965 mp 03 N3 June 24,

Filed May 6, 1965 J. D. MARKHAM ET AL WINDING APPARATUS Sheet of 15 FIG. /6

June 24, 1969 MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1965 Sheet of 15 TIMING CHART 1 OF TIMING MOTOR Tl SW 0 no 20 3o yg s TlsgYCLEm so 90 I00 Tll Tl-s

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TlMlNG CHART 2 OF TIMIN MOTOR T2 PERCENT OF T2 CYCLE 2O 3O 4O 5O 6O 7O 80 June 24, 1969 MARKHAM ET AL 3,451,633

WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1965 I Sheet M of 15 a A a x 3 2 a x TEA 17a mwaq 7PM 9A raw/0Q Yew/a FA/I/Za 3W United States Patent 3,451,633 WINDING APPARATUS James D. Markham, Gahanna, and Charles R. Sanders,

Columbus, Ohio, assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,727 Int. Cl. B65h 81/06; B211. 3/00 U.S. Cl. 2427.09 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for winding wire onto a plurality of coil forms extending from a plate includes a frame for supporting the plate and a wire guide having a plurality of wire guide fingers extending therefrom in the direction of the coil forms. The wire guide is moved to position the fingers adjacent to a first row of the coil forms .and the frame is moved in an orbiting motion to orbit each coil form about an associated one of the fingers so that wires paying out from the fingers are wound onto the coil forms. The wire guide is moved axially of the coil forms during the winding operation to facilitate a distribution of the wires onto the associated coil forms. Further, the wire guide is indexable to successively position the guide adjacent to successive rows of the coil forms for successive winding operations. The wire guide fingers are also rotatable to facilitate the wrapping of portions of the wires about associated terminals.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus for winding a length of elongated material onto an elongated material-receiving element, and more particularly to an apparatus for successively winding convolutions of wire onto a plurality of coil forms which may be utilized in a ferreed switching array.

A basic crosspoint element in use in electronic telephone switching systems is the ferreed switch. The ferreed switch is designed to provide a pulse operated, two-wire connection and typically includes two miniature reed contacts of magnetic material which are mounted in a plastic coil form of substantially cylindrical shape.

Each coil form is molded into an aperture of an array of coil-receiving apertures formed in a square or rectangular steel mounting plate. The steel mounting plate for the coil forms is known as a shunt plate since, in addition to providing a support for the ferreed switches, it also serves as a magnetic shunt dividing each ferreed switch into separately controlled magnetic halves, one on each side of the plate. Winding-receiving sections of each coil form extend from opposite sides of the steel plate sufficiently to receive thereon plural convolutions of small gauge copper wire, typically 25-gauge copper wire.

The winding pattern on each end of a coil form comprises two layers of M turns of wire and two additional layers of oppositely applied N turns of wire superimposed thereon. In a typical ferreed switching array, N is equal to 18 turns and M is equal to 39 turns.

The wound coil forms are arranged on the shunt plate in what may be visualized as an array of rows and columns of coils such that when the shunt plate is held vertically, the rows are oriented horizontally and the columns" are oriented vertically. On each side of the shunt plate, the M turns column coil is connected to an N turns row coil, and conversely an M turns row coil is connected to an N turns column coil.

With this dual winding arrangement on the coil forms, if a current pulse of the same polarity is passed to the column and the row of the desired coordinate at the same time, the magnetic effect of the M winding turns on the reed contacts in the selected coil form overcomes the magnetic effect on these contacts that is produced by the N winding turns. The resultant effect in this case may be thought of as the column coil on one side of the shunt plate working in series with the corresponding row coil on the other .side of the shunt plate to close the reed contacts at this coordinate, and to release all other reed contacts in the same row and column.

In order to reduce magnetic interaction between horizontally adjacent ferreed switches as well as to reduce signal noise produced by ferreed energizing pulses, horizontally adjacent row or column coils are wound in opposite relative directions. In addition, a single length of wire must connect the multiple coils forming each row or column so that the desired crosspoint may be selected by supplying current pulses to one continuous row wire and one continuous column wire through terminals that are also mounted on the shunt plate.

Since each end of a coil form is typically provided with windings of 18 turns and 39 turns, respectively, a typical ferreed switching array comprising eight rows and eight columns of coil forms would require 256 individual coil windings. In addition, a typical eight-by-eight coil form array may have associated therewith forty terminals that are each typically wound with at least one convolution of wire. The manual winding of 256 coil forms with dual windings of 18 and 39 turns, respectively, and associated terminal ends obviously would involve tedious and time-consuming effort. The requirement that the coil forms of each row and column be multiply connected by a single length of wire and that every adjacent coil of a row or column be wound in an opposite relative direction to reduce magnetic interaction between adjacent switches further complicates the winding of the coil forms, as will be evident to those working in the winding art.

One object of this invention is an apparatus for winding elongated material onto an element by paying out the material and orbiting the element into an intercepting relationship with the payed out material.

Another object of this invention is an apparatus for successively winding a continuous length of Wire onto plural elements with a directionally alternating winding pattern.

Still another object of this invention is an apparatus for winding at least two rows of elements with a continuous length of wire such that successive elements in both rows are wound with a directionally alternating winding pattern.

Another object of this invention is an apparatus for winding plural rows of an array of elements simultaneously and in a continuous succession with a winding pattern that reverses direction with each winding.

-Yet another object of this invention is an apparatus for winding a continuous length of wire onto plural adjacent elements by paying out the wire and orbiting one element into an intercepting relationship with the payed out wire and thereafter rotating the wire around the second element.

And still another object of this invention is an apparatus for winding wires onto plural coil forms and terminals of conventional types of ferreed switching arrays.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of one side of the apparatus that is constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the apparatus with parts of a traverse mechanism shown sectioned;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 4 is an upright end view of the apparatus taken on section line 4-4 of FIG. 3 but further includes an illustration of a limit switch LS-Z and an indexing motor M1;

FIG. 5 is an upright section view of the apparatus taken along section line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along section line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of another side of the apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 8 is a section view taken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section view taken along section line 9-9 of FIG. 3;

10 is a section view taken on section line 1010 FIG. of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a section view taken on section line 1111 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a section view taken on section line 12--12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section view taken on section line 1313 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a section view taken on section line 1414 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 15 schematically illustrates a pneumatic system constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention for effecting the operation of the apparatus of the instant invention;

FIGS. 16 and 17 schematically illustrate the electrical circuitry and components that are utilized to eitect the operation of the apparatus of this invention;

FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively, illustrate typical timing charts for two timing motors that are incorporated in the apparatus of this invention, and

FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate successive winding patterns that may be applied to a typical shunt plate by the operation of the apparatus of this invention.

Brief description of the apparatus Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, that is constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention includes a plate holder 178 for supporting a shunt plate 180 with a plurality of coil forms CFCF vertically disposed as an array of rows and columns, and a carriage 50 that is mounted for traversing movement in the directions of the arrows A--A and for indexing movement in the directions of the arrows B-B. Four wire guides or feed tubes 80a-80d are mounted on the carriage 50 for eccentric rotation. Each feed tube 80a-80d is designed to receive and guide a wire W toward a row of coil forms CFCF, FIG. 1, and adjacent left and right columns of terminals TT that extend from the shunt plate 180. The left and right columns of terminal T are respectively located adjacent the left and right ends of the shunt plate 180, as viewed in FIG. 1, and although the left column of terminals is covered by the carriage 5t) and cannot be seen in this figure, this column of terminals may be visualized as being located to the left of the leftmost column of coil forms CFCF. The feed tubes 8041-8041? are locked against rotation while the left column of terminals TT and the coil forms CF-CF are being wound and are released for rotation before the right column of terminals TT are to be wound.

The traversing movement of the carriage 50 in the directions of the arrows AA in FIG. 1 is effected by the rotation of a reversible winding motor M-2, FIG. 4, which is initiated by the actuation of a limit switch LS-l. The Winding motor M-Z also serves as a drive for orbiting the holder 178, and thus the coil forms CFCF and left column of terminals TT (not shown) on the shunt plate 180, about the feed tubes 80a-80d, so that the left column of terminals and the coil forms CFCF successively wind upon themselves the wires W that issue from the feed tubes a-80d. After each column of coil forms CFCF is wound with a wire W, the direction of rotation of the reversible winding motor M-Z is reversed so that each successive coil form column is wound with a directionally reversed winding.

A reversible indexing motor M-1 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1) is utilized to index the carriage 50 to the right and then to the left as viewed in this figure to successive positions such that the feed tubes 80a-80d are successively located in predetermined winding positions relative to the coil forms CF. With references to FIG. 7, a plurality of notches 25a-25h formed in a bar 24 act in conjunction with a limit switch LS-2 to define the spatial intervals of indexing of the carriage 50.

The carriage 50, FIGS. 1 and 7, houses mechanism for releasing the feed tubes 80a-80d for rotation and for subsequently rotating the feed tubes 80a-80d when the carriage 50 is indexed to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, to a position where every other terminal T that comprises the right column of terminals TT is within the radius of eccentricity of a feed tube 80a-80d. In this position, the carriage 50 will actuate a limit switch LS-3 which then initiates the release and the subsequent rotation of the feed tubes 80'a-80d. The wires WW are wound onto the right terminals T--T by the rotation of the tubes Son-80d. Additional mechanism is also housed in the carriage 50 for driving the feed tubes 80a80d vertically upward or downward, as indicated by the arrows C-C in FIG. 7, at the termination of a row-winding operation so that the feed tubes SIM-80d may be vertically displaced to predetermined positions for applying the wires WW onto the remaining terminals TT that comprise the right column of terminals and for subsequently applying the wires WW onto the remaining rows of coil forms CF-CF upon the return indexing movement of the carriage 50.

A limit switch LS-4 is actuated by the carriage 50 when the carriage 50 is indexed to the prescribed limit of its return movement. The actuation of the limit switch LS-4 initiates the stoppage of further indexing of the carriage '50 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, and also initiates the final winding of the wires WW onto the left column of terminals TT, not shown in FIG. 1.

Detailed description of the apparatus As best seen in FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 is mounted on a stationary, flat table 11 having four vertical legs, three of such legs being illustrated and referred to by the numerals 12. A horizontal, substantially flat base 13 for the carriage 50 is mounted for reciprocative movement above the fiat upper surface of the table 11 in directions indicated by the arrows AA in FIG. 1 on a pair of parallel, spaced-apart liner pins 14 and 14a. With reference to FIG. 8, a pair of parallel ribs 15 and 15a, integral with the table 11, rigidly secure the liner pins 14 and 14a in elevated positions relative to the upper surface of the table 11.

As illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 7, the innermost ends of the liner pins 14 and 14a, respectively, are externally threaded and are held secured by mating threaded bores formed in a pair of projecting abutments 17 and 17a, respectively, which also extend upwardly from the flat upper surface of the table 11 and may be formed integral therewith. The abutments 17 and 17a serve as mechanical stops to limit the inward movement of the base 13 riding on the liner pins 14 and 14a.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the outermost ends of the liner pins 14 and 14a are formed with enlarged flanges or collars 18 and 180. A pair of compressed coil springs 19 and 19a supported on the pins 14 and 14a, respectively, abut the collars 18 and 18a, respectively, and the base 13 and resiliently urge the base 13 inward toward the abut; ments 17 and 17a.

A pair of bearing blocks 21 and 22 are mounted on the base 13 adjacent the respective opposite ends of the base 13 and receive an essentially round rod 24 for slidable movement therethrough in directions indicated by the arrows BB in FIGURE 7. The carriage 50 is secured to the rod 24 and is movable therewith. The upper edge of the rod 24 is typically formed with eight spaced, substantially hemispherical notches 25a-25h, corresponding to eight columns of coil forms CF on the shunt plate 180, and the outermost edge of the rod 24 is formed with ten spaced holes 26a-26j of substantially conical shape, FIG. 10, for receiving a shot pin SP-l that successively locks the carriage 50 in position. There is a prescribed relationship that exists between the horizontal distances between the consecutively lettered holes 26b-26i and the consecu tively lettered notches 25a-25h. The horizontal distance between the centers of the successive notches 25a-25h is substantially equal to the respective horizontal distances between the centers of the holes 26b-26i. The reason for this required relationship between the consecutively lettered notches 25a-25h and the consecutively lettered holes 26b-26i, respectively, will be discussed subsequently during the description of operation of the apparatus 10.

The limit switches LS-2 and LS-l are of conventional type and are positioned adjacent the bearing blocks 21 and 22, respectively, on base 13. The limit switches LS-2 and LS-1, FIG. 7, are respectively fixedly attached to the base 13 by L-shaped brackets 30 and 31 secured thereto. The limit switch LS-l, FIG. 10, includes an actuator rod 32 which is vertically movable in a vertical bore 33 in the bearing block 22. The downwardmost end of the actuator rod 32 preferably is formed with a conical tip 34. The axis of the bore 33 is positioned slight ly to the left of the longitudinal axis of the rod 24, as seen in FIG. 10, and perpendicularly intersects the axis of a horizontal bore 35 in the bearing block 22. The shot pin SP-l is axially movable in the horizontal bore 35 under the control of a conventional double-acting air cylinder 38. The shot pin SP-l has a substantially conical tip 36 which serves to pilot the shot pin SP-1 into any one of the holes 2641461, FIG. 7, in the rod 24. The innermost end 39 of the air cylinder 38- is externally threaded for effecting a threaded connection with a mating threaded bore 40 in the bearing block 22.

A pair of tubes 42 and 43 are connected adjacent respective opposite ends of the air cylinder 38 with the ends of these tubes communicating with the interior of the cylinder 38. The air cylinder 38 is designed such that the shot pin SP1 will be driven out of one of the holes 26a-26j when pressurized air is supplied to the tube 42 and will be driven back and into one of the holes 26a- 26 when pressurized air is supplied to tube 43. The tube 43 serves as an exhaust tube for the air cylinder 38 when pressurized air is supplied to the tube 42, and vice versa.

With the shot pin SP-l inserted into any one of the holes 26a-26j in the rod 24, for example, the hole 26a as illustrated by FIG. 10, the rod 24 will be locked against movement. The actuator rod 32 of the limit switch LS-l also will be retained in the raised position, as viewed in FIG. 10, by the tip 34 bearing against the extendedshank of the shot pin SP-l. When the shot pin SP-l is retracted from any one of the holes 26a-26j, the rod 24 will be released for movement. The tip 34 of the actuator rod 32 also will ride off the shank of the shot pin SP-l and move downward, as viewed in FIG. 10, to a lower or extended position where the tip 34 projects less than halfway into the bore 35, so that the shot pin SP-l will be able to drive the rod 32 up again. The release of the actuator rod 32 by the retraction of the shot pin SP-l will actuate the limit switch LS-l. Conversely, the driving of the shot pin SP- 1 back into any one of the holes 26 rod 32 and the actuator rod 32 thereupon will be driven upward to reactuate the limit switch LS-l.

The limit switch LS-2, FIGS. 7 and 9, is also provided with an actuator rod 45, and the downward end of the actuator rod 45 supports a roller 46 for rotation thereon. The roller 46 is designed to roll against the outer periphery of the rod 24 as the rod moves to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 7 and 9, until one of the notches 25a-26h is displaced to a position under the roller 46. The actuator rod 45 will then be driven downward, as viewed in this figure, by internal springs (not shown) in the limit switch LS-2 a distance substantially equal to the depth of the notch 25a. This downward movement of the rod 45 will initiate the actuation of the limit switch LS-2. When the rod 24 is indexed further to the left so that the roller 46 rides out of the notch 25a and back onto the outer periphery of the rod 24, the actuator rod 45 will be driven upward and limit switch LS-2 will be reactuated.

The limit switches LS-3 and LS-4, that are also of conventional type, are fixedly mounted to the upper surface of the base 13 by any suitable means, such as machine screws 47. The limit switch LS-3 has a contact button 48 which extends from the switch LS-3 so as to be contacted and depressed by a leg 52 of the carriage when the carriage 50 is indexed to a predetermined limit of displacement to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The limit switch LS4, located proximate the opposite end of the base 13, also has a contact button 49 that extends from the switch LS-4 to be contacted and depressed by the leg 52 of the carriage 50 when the carriage 50 is indexed to a predetermined limit of displacement to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The roles that the limit switches LS-1, LS-2, LS-3 and LS-4 play in the operation of the apparatus 10 will be related in greater detail subsequently.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the rod 24 has the L-shaped carriage 50 fixedly secured thereto and movable therewith relative to the base 13 in the directions indicated by the arrows BB. The vertical leg of the carriage 50 is designated by the numeral 51 and the horizontal leg by the numeral 52. The horizontal leg 52 of the carriage 50 has a bore 53 extending therethrough that receives a bearing rod 54. The bearing rod 54 is mounted substantially parallel to the rod 24, FIGS. 1 and 3, and has the ends thereof secured to the base 13 by a pair of supporting members 55 and 56 that may be formed integral with the base 13. The diameter of the bore 53 is slightly greater than the diameter of the bearing rod 54 so that the leg 52 will slide upon the rod 54. The rods 24 and 54, FIG. 1, are elevated above the plane of the flat, upper surface of the base 13 so that the leg 52 of the carriage 50 rides slightly above the base 13. Since the rods 24 and 54 will move with the base 13 in the direction indicated by the arrows AA in FIG. 1 by virtue of the rods 24 and 54 being mounted in the brackets 21, 22 and 55, 56, respectively, the carriage 50 is also movable with the base 13 in the directions of the arrows A-A.

A rack 57 is also fixedly attached at the left end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1, to the horizontal leg 52 of the carriage 50 and extends substantially parallel to the rods 24 and 54. The outer edge of the rack 57 is formed with teeth 58 which mesh with the teeth of a spur gear 59, FIG. 1. The gear 59 may be driven in one of two senses of rotational direction by the reversible carriage indexing motor M1.

The indexing motor M-l is mounted stationary to the base 13 on a substantially Z-shaped bracket 60 that may be formed integral with the base 13. Machine screws 61 may be utilized to attach the motor M1 to the horizontal upper surface of the bracket 60. The bracket 60, FIG. 4, is formed with a rectangular slot 62 that serves the dual functions of providing a horizontal support for the free end of the rack 57 and of providing a vertical surface against which the toothless edge of the rack 57 bears 7 to maintain the rack teeth 58 in mesh with the teeth of the gear 59. The reversible indexing motor M-l may be energized so as to rotate in one sense of rotational direction and the gear 59 is thereby rotated in this assumed sense of rotational direction to drive the rack 57 from left to right, as viewed in FIG. 1. The carriage will thereupon be pulled to the right by this movement of the rack 57. Since the rod 24 is fixedly secured to the carriage 50, the rod 24 will also be pulled to the right by the carriage 50. The indexing motor M1 may also be energized to rotate in an opposite sense of rotational direction and the gear 59 is thereby rotated in this assumed opposite sense of direction to drive the rack 57 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. The carriage 50 and the rod 24 will thereupon also be driven to the left.

Referring to FIG. 7, the vertical leg 51 of the carriage 50 is of U-shaped cross-section and comprises a pair of parallel, vertical side plates 51a, 51b, an integral upper end plate 51c and an integral front plate 51d, FIG. 1. The plates 51a and 51b, FIG. 12, are provided with vertical parallel grooves which slidably receive therein a pair of vertical tongues 71 that extend from the sides of a vertically movable post 75.

The post 75 is formed with a vertical, substantially L-shaped slot 76 which extends the entire length of the post 75, as viewed in FIG. 11. Referring again to FIG. 7, four vertically disposed wire guide or feed tubes 80a, 80b, 80c and 80d are mounted for rotation on the post 75 in cylindrical bearing blocks 81-81, one of the bearing blocks being shown in detail by FIG. 13. Each bearing block 81 is inserted with an interference fit into each of the four bores 82-82 that extend horizontally through the post 75 and is provided with a concentric bore 81a.

As best seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, each feed tube 80a- 80d is formed with a linear section and a curved section. The longitudinal axis of the linear section of each tube 80a-80d extends perpendicularly through a vertical slot 84, FIG. 1, formed in the front plate 51d of the leg 51 and the outer end 85 of each tube Sou-80d preferably is flared. The fiared ends 85-85 of the four tubes 8012- SM receive individual wires W, FIG. 4, that are payed off from four wire supply reels 86a86d. The wire supply reels 86a-86d are rotatably mounted on a stationary reel support 88 and are frictionally braked so that the reels 86a86d apply a predetermined tension to each of the wires W-W.

Referring again to FIGS. 12 and 13, each linear section of a feed tube 80a-80d has a substantially T-shaped bearing 90 that is force-fitted onto each feed tube 80a-80d and is received for rotation by the bearing block bore 81a. The bearing 90 may be composed of any suitable bearing material, for example, nylon or Teflon.

An enlarged cylindrical head 91 i formed by each of the four bearings 90-90 and bears against the outer end of each hearing block 81. Each head 91 serves as a spacer between a bearing block 81 and an associated spur gear 94. Each of the four heads 91-91 may be connected to one of the four gears 94-94 by a connective pin (not shown), or each of the four gears may be keyed to the linear section of each feed tube 80a-80d. Howsoever the connection is elfected between a gear '94 and a tube 80a-80d, the axes of rotation of the gears 94-94 preferably are coaligned with the longitudinal axes of the straight sections of the tubes 80a-80d. To preclude outward axial movement of the gears 94-94, the outer end of each gear 94 abuts the vertical surface formed by the slot 76.

The teeth of the gears 94-94 mesh with teeth 95 formed along one edge of a vertically movable toothed rack 96. The rack 96 is slidably mounted for vertical displacement in the slot 76, FIGS. 11 and 12, as indicated by thearrows DD in FIG. 11. The edge 97 of the rack 96 opposite the toothed edge is provided with two vertically spaced slots 98 and 99. The slots 98 and 99 are designed to receive a shot pin SP-2, and with the shot pin SP-2 in either the slot 98 or 99, the rack 96 will be locked against vertical displacement. With the shot pin SP-2 retracted from the slots 98 and 99, the rack 96 will be released for vertical displacement, and the vertical displacement of the rack 96 will eifect the simultaneous rotation of the four gears 94-94 in the same sense of rotational direction.

Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 13, each of the feed tubes 80a80d is also formed with an eccentric or elbowed tube section that straightens out and terminates as a feed tube tip 100a-100d. The four tips 100a100d are essential ly identical in size and shape and serve as guides for issuing the wires W-W, FIG. 4 and 14, that are received by the flared ends 85-85 of the tubes SIM-80d. The tips 100a-100d may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 11', by the respective clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the gears 94-94 to trace out four individual circles of revolution that are concentric with the individual axes of rotation of the gears. If the rack 96 is in the position as illustrated by FIG. 11 with the shot pin SP2 in the slot 98, the tips 100a100d, FIG. 7, will be in substantially twelve oclock positions relative to a common vertical axis that perpendicularly intersects the longitudinal axes of the cylindrical bearings 82-82.

The shot pin SP2 is formed by the rod end of a piston (not shown) that is housed for reciprocative movement in a double acting air cylinder 110. Referring to FIG. 14, a vertical slot 111 is formed in the side plate 51a of the vertical leg 51 and receives the air cylinder for vertical movement therein relative to the leg 51. The inner end 112, FIG. 7, of the air cylinder 110 is externally threaded and is received in a threaded bore 113 formed in the post 75. Pressurized air for the air cylinder 110 is supplied and exhausted through a pair of tubes 115 and 116 connected to opposite ends thereof. When pressurized air is supplied to the tube 115, the piston housed in air cylinder 110 will be operated to drive the shot pin SP-2 toward the rack 110 and into locking engagement with one of the slots 98 or 99. The tube 116 will serve as an exhaust line for the air cylinder 110 in this event. The particular slot 98 or 99 into which the shot pin SP-Z is driven will depend upon the vertical position of the rack 96 in the post 75. Conversely, when pressurized air is supplied to the tube 116, the shot pin SP-2 will be driven from locking engagement with either the slot 98 or 99, the particular slot from which the shot pin SP-2 is retracted again depending upon the vertical position of the rack 96 relative to the post 75. The tube 115 will now serve as an exhaust line for the air cylinder 110.

The end plate 51c, FIGS. 1 and 7, of the vertical leg 51 has a double acting air cylinder 120 aflixed thereto by a flange 121 or by other suitable means. Tubes 122 and 123 are connected to opposite ends of the cylinder and serve to supply and exhaust pressurized air for driving the piston of the cylinder. A rod end 125 of the piston rod (not shown) housed in the air cylinder 120 is vertically movable in a vertical bore 126 that extends through the plate 51c. The rod 125 is fixed to the upper end of the post 75 by a flange 127 or by other suitable means.

When pressurized air is supplied to the tube 122 of air cylinder 120, the rod 125 will be driven downward, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 7, and the downward movement of the rod 125 will effect the downward movement of the post 75. The tube 123 will serve as an exhaust line under these conditions. Conversely, the application of pressurized air to the tube 123 will drive the rod 125 upward, as viewed in FIG, 11, until the post 75 is returned to the position shown.

It should be noted that since the air cylinder 110 is mounted on the post 75, the air cylinder 110 will also move upward and downward within the slot 111, FIG. 14, by respective upward and downward movements of the rod 125. The upper end of the post 75, FIG. 11, has a double acting air cylinder 130 directly affixed thereto by a flange 131. A rod end 132 of a piston rod (not shown) housed in the air cylinder 130 extends downward into the slot 76, FIGS. 11 and 12, and preferably is formed integral with the upper end of the rack 96. Thus, the rack 96 will be driven vertically upward and downward by respective upward and downward movements of the rod 132.

The air cylinder 130 is designed such that when pressurized air is supplied to a tube 135 connected to one end of the cylinder, the rod 132 will be driven upward, as viewed in FIG. 11. The upward movement of the rod 132 will cause corresponding upward movement of the rack 96. Tube 136 at the other end of the cylinder serves as an exhaust line for the air cylinder 130 under these conditions. Conversely, when pressurized air is supplied to the tube 136, the rod 132 will be driven downward, as viewed in FIG. 11, until the rack 96 is returned to the initial position, as shown. The length of the stroke of the rod 132 in the cylinder 130 will, of course, govern the vertical displacement of the rack 96 in the post 75.

Since the air cylinder 130 is fixedly connected to the post 75 and since the post 75 is also vertically movable, it is necessary to provide a large enough opening in the leg 51 so that the tube 135 will be unobstructed in its movement with the air cylinder 130. To this end, portions of the plates 51b and 51c, FIGS. 1 and 7, are cut away at 137 to accommodate the tube 135 during the movement thereof.

A typical cycle of operation of the air cylinders 110, 120 and 130, the post 75, the feed fingers 80a80d, and the rack 96 will now be described.

Assume that the shot pin SP-2, FIG. 11, is retracted from the slot 98 in the rack 96 by the application of pressurized air to the tube 116 of the air cylinder 110. The subsequent application of pressurized air to the air cylinder 130 via the tube 135 will drive the rod 132 and the rack 96 upward, as viewed in this figure, and the upward movement of the rack 96 will cause the simultaneous rotation of all the gears 9494 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 11. The gears 9494 and the teeth 95 of the rack 96 may be designed to impart approximately 1.25 clockwise revolutions to the feed fingers 80a80d when the rack 96 is moved from the lowered position, as illustrated in FIG. 11, to the upper limit of vertical displacement, as determined by the length of the stroke of the rod 132. The vertical distance between the centers of the slots 98 and 99 is substantially equal to the vertical displacement of the rack 96. With the rack 96 moved to its upper limit of displacement, the slot 99 will be moved to a position op posite the shot pin SP-2. The application of pressurized air to the tube 115 of the air cylinder 110 will drive the shot pin SP-2 into the slot 99 and thus the rack 96 will be locked into this upper position.

If pressurized air is then supplied to the air cylinder 120 via the tube 122, the rod 125 will drive the post 75 downward through a predetermined displacement as determined by the length of the stroke of the rod 125. This vertical movement of the post 75 will cause a corresponding vertical displacement of the feed fingers 80ae80d which are now held against rotation by virtue of the shot pin SP-2 projecting into the slot 99. The shot pin SP-2 travels downward with the post 75 since the air cylinder 110 is attached to the post 75 and is vertically movable in the vertical slot 111. After the post 75 is driven to a lower position, pressurized air may then be supplied to the tube 116 so that shot pin SP-2 will now be retracted from the slot 99 to release the rack 96 for downward movement relative to the post 75. Assuming that pressurized air is now supplied to the tube 136 of the air cylinder 130, the rack 96 will be driven downward, as viewed in FIG. 11, a distance equal to the length of the stroke of the rod 132. This downward displacement of the rack 96 will effect the rotation of the gears 9494 approximately 1.25 revolutions counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 11. If pressurized air is then supplied to the air cylinder 110 via the tube 115, the shot pin SP-2 will again be driven into the slot 98 which is lowered with the rack 96 to a position opposite the shot pin SP2 so that the rack 96 is again locked in this lowered position.

The post may then be returned to the position as illustrated in FIG. 11 by the subsequent application of pressurized air to the air cylinder 120 via the tube 123. As will be subsequently evident, the aforedescribed operation of the post 75, the feed tubes a-80d, and the rack 96, as well as the air cylinders and that are associated therewith is utilized during two distinct periods of the winding operation.

FIG. 15 schematically illustrates the pneumatic system that is designed in accordance with this invention to operate at various periods during the overall operation of the apparatus 10. A tube is connected to a supply (not shown) that supplies pressurized fluid, such as compressed air, to one end of the tube 140. Another tube 141 receives the air that much be exhausted from the several air cylinders embodied in the system when the internal pistons (not shown) of those air cylinders are driven by the compressed air supplied to the tube 140.

Referring to FIG. 15, a valve VALVE-1 is designed to be actuated by the energization of the solenoid SOLlA and SOL1B. The solenoid SOLlA has a pair of leads L16 and L16a connected thereto and the solenoid SOLIB has a pair of leads L17 and L17a connected thereto. The energization of the solenoid SOLlA will actuate the valve VALVE-1 so as to divert compressed air from the tube 140 to the tube 42 and consequently, the shot pin SP-1 housed in the air cylinder 38 will be retracted from locking engagement with one of the holes 26a-26j, FIG. 7, in the rod 24. The actuation of the valve VALVE-1 by the solenoid SOLlA will also provide an exhaust connection between the tube 43 and the exhaust tube 141 and thus air displaced by the movement of the piston (not ihtiwn) in the air cylinder 38 will flow through the tube Upon the subsequent deenergization of the solenoid SOLIA followed by the reenergization of the solenoid SOLlB, the valve VALVE-1 will be actuated so as to return to that position as depicted by FIG. 15. The shot pin SP-1 will thereupon be driven outward from the air cylinder 38 by compressed air that is now diverted into the tube 43. This return actuation of the valve VALVE-1 will operate to connect the tube 42 to the tube 141 so that the tube 42 will then act as an exhaust line for the opposite end of the air cylinder 38.

A valve VALVE-2 is designed to be actuated by the selective energization of the solenoid SOL2A or solenoid SOLZB to divert compressed air from the tube 140 into the tubes 122 or 123, respectively, connected to the air cylinder 120. The solenoid SOL2A has a pair of leads L18 and L18a connected thereto and the solenoid SOL2B has a pair of leads L21 and L21a connected thereto.

The solenoid SOL2A will be energized by current supplied to the leads L18 and L18a and the solenoid SOL2B will be energized by current supplied to the leads L21 and L21a. Assuming that the solenoid SOL2B has been previously energized, the valve VALVE-2 will have been actuated to assume that position as schematically depicted by FIG. 15. The tube 123 will receive compressed air from the tube 140 and the tube 122 will serve as an exhaust line for the other end of the air cylinder 120. The tube 122 will also serve as an exhaust line for a pressure switch, designated PSW, to the exhaust tube 141.

The pressure switch PSW is a commercially available item that typically embodies an expandable bellows 142 and a pair of contacts K7 and K7a. The contacts K7 have leads L18a and L19 connected thereto and the contacts K7a have leads L19a and L21a connected thereto. The contacts K7 are maintained normally closed and the con-

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