US3926354A

US3926354A - Continuous feed device for filiform bodies particularly for rotating welding machines for pipes

Info

Publication number: US3926354A
Application number: US472509A
Authority: US
Inventors: Santis Sergio De; Giovanni Farello; Roberto Torrani
Original assignee: Santis Sergio De; Giovanni Farello; Roberto Torrani
Current assignee: Hobart Brothers LLC
Priority date: 1973-05-29
Filing date: 1974-05-22
Publication date: 1975-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-16
Also published as: DE2425483B2; DE2425483A1; FR2231598B1; DE2425483C3; FR2231598A1; NL7407152A; IT985227B

Abstract

A device for the continuous feed of filiform bodies comprising in combination a supply spool for the material in form of wire or tape, idly mounted on a stationary apparatus, a flexible and unextendable sliding sheath containing inside said material, having one end located in stationary position near said spool, and the other end rigid with a rotation user element, and means for causing the filiform material to slide inside the sheath with a prefixed speed.

Description

United States Patent De Santis et al.

[ Dec. 16, 1975 CONTINUOUS FEED DEVICE FOR FILIFORM BODIES PARTICULARLY FOR ROTATING WELDING MACHINES FOR PIPES Inventors: Sergio De Santis, N0. 55, Via A.

Traversari; Giovanni Farello, No. 4, Via dei Tizii, both of Rome; Roberto Torrani, No. 40, Via Strada Lanzo, Borgaro Torinese Turin, all of Italy Filed: May 22, 1974 Appl. No.: 472,509

Foreign Application Priority Data May 29, 1973 Italy 50273/73 US. Cl. 226/108; 226/188 Int. Cl? B65H 17/18 Field of Search 226/108, 188, 200;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,223,005 11/1940 Kerber 2l4/338 X 2,953,799 9/1960 Arnold... 3,344,305 9/1967 Ogden 226/108 X Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or FirmYoung & Thompson [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for the continuous feed of filiform bodies comprising in combination a supply spool for the material in form of wire or tape, idly mounted on a stationary apparatus, a flexible and unextendable sliding sheath containing inside said material, having one end located in stationary position near said spool, and the other end rigid with a rotation user element, and means for causing the filiform material to slide inside the sheath with a prefixed speed.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures lllllllllllllllllfll US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 CONTINUOUS FEED DEVICE FOR FILIFORM- BODIES PARTICULARLY FOR ROTATING WELDING MACHINES FOR PIPES The present invention-relates to.-a continuous. feed device for filiform bodies (wires or tapes), particularly suitable for rotating welding machineslfor pipes.-

The purpose of this invention is toprovide a deviceof the related kind allowing the gradual and controlled supply of a material in form of wire or of tape from a supply stationary base, wherein is mounted thewire supplying spool, to a user member (arrivalbase) provided with a rotary movement for alimited numberof revolutions, having smaller size or such as not to be able to directly receive the supply coil.

The feed of the wire must be adjustable and independent from the speed of rotation of said arrival base.

At present, the problem is solved by pushing directly the wire from the stationary base to the rotating base. The system has drawbacks as follows:

I. The rotation of the user body determines the winding of the wire around said body, and this generates a stress always increasing for the pushing mean, due to the friction generated by the length of the wire which is formed between the stationary pushing mean and the arrival base or utilizing member which is rotating, when the number of turns, made by said member, increases; moreover, the turns can overlap so as to exert a braking action on one another. This phenomenon can produce at the utilization point, a reduction or even the heating of the feed.

II. If the friction does not generate anomalous situations, it is always necessary to correct the output speed of the wire from the stationary base depending upon the speed of the rotating member in a continuous and precise way, in order to ensure a constant feed of the material at the arrival base.

According to this invention, a device is provided comprising in combination, a feed spool for the wire idly mounted on a spindle fixed to the stationary part, a flexible and unextendable sheath, through which slides said filiforrn material, said sheath having one of its ends immovably fixed near said spool and the other end fixed to the rotating user element, and means for causing said filiform material to slide inside said sheath with a prefixed speed.

Also according to this invention, the two ends of said sliding sheath are wound on two pulleys, rotatable on parallel shafts; the first pulley mounted on the stationary part carries said supply spool, while the second pulley is rigid with the rotating user unit.

This invention will be now described with reference to the attached drawing showing by way of non limitative example, one preferred embodiment of the invention itself.

IN THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the device, and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view.

With reference to the drawing, the reference letter M denotes the stationary machine, whereon is mounted the rotating race pulley Pl, on which is in turn mounted the spool B for the wire f.

The axis of the spool can be coincident with that of the pulley P1, or as it is shown in the FIGURE, it can be displaced. The letteral reference R denotes the rotary member to which it is wanted to carry a controlled amount of wire f in the unit of time, and on which is mounted the arrival base for the wire itself. The body R rotates on its supports in the direction .as shown by the arrow of FIG. 1, and it can have, if the case may be, limited axial movements.

In orderto solve the problem with respect to a lim ited number of turns of the member R, the latter carries a pulley P2' aligned with the pulley PI, and a sheath g,

flexible and' une'xtendable, of antifriction material, is provided, having one of its ends fixed to the pulley P1,

wound with a number of turns on the pulley itself, while the other end of the sheath is fixed tofthe pulley P2, at the end of a certain length, wound about the pulley itself.

Of course, the number of turns of the sheath g wound initially about the pulley P1 is related to the turns 7 which the member R must make, the rotation of which is controlled by a motor W2 provided with a pinion engaged with a toothed wheel mounted on R. A spiral spring W1 mounted on the shaft of the pulley P1 opposes the rotary clockwise movement of the pulley it- I self so as to maintain always the sheath g under tension.

On the two pulleys P1 and P2 near to the two ends of the sheath g, are mounted two little motors ml and m2 which through the pairs of rollers r1 and r2 ensure the sliding at constant speed of the wire f within the sheath motor W2, the body R rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 1, and the sheath g unwinds from the pulley Pl, winding on P2, loading meanwhile the spring WI. Simultaneously, the motors m1 and m2 ensure the feed of the wire f according to the speed as wanted on the user element, which rotates together with the body R. When the latter has completed the anticipated limited number of turns, the motor W2 reverses the direction of rotation of the body R (and therefore of the pulley P2) and the sheath g will wind again on P1 due to the action of the spring W1.

It is to be noted that due to the little friction generated by the sliding of the wire through the sheath, one of the feeding groups either ml, r1, or m2 r2 can be dispensed with. It is possible, if the case may be, to dispense with the pulley Pl if a sufficient space will be available for the sheath g which in this case will be located along a variable length arch between the pulley P2 and the machine M, having one end fixed to the machine M near the coil B and such a length as to allow the winding on P2 for the desired number of turns.

In the preceding specification, and in the attached drawings, reference has been made specifically to a rotating electric welder for pipes, being however understood that the device can be applied in all cases wherein it is wanted to feed continuously and constantly a wire or a tape to a body having a rotational movement, for a limited number of turns.

The present invention has been described in one'preferred embodiment, it being however understood that constructive variations might be practically adopted without departing from the scope of the present industrial privilege.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed is:

' l. A device for continuously feeding filiform bodies from a source of supply to a rotary user device comprising in combination first and second pulleys rotatably mounted on first and second shafts, respectively, a supply spool mounted on a shaft on said first pulley for rotation relative to said first pulley, a flexible and inextensible sliding sheath having its one end fastened to said first pulley and its other end to said second pulley and being wound on both said pulleys, said second pulley being fastened to the rotary user device, means for causing the filiform body to slide inside the sheath at a predetermined speed, and means for rotating said second pulley to cause said sheath to unwind tangentially from said first pulley and to wind up tangentially on said second pulley.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the last named means is an electric motor.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, and spring means for tensioning the portion of the sheath between said first and second pulleys.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, said spring means being carried by the first pulley and opposing rotation of said first pulley and causing the rewinding of the sheath when said means for rotating said pulley no longer winds up said sheath along said second pulley.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, said spring means comprising a torsion spring wound about said first shaft.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, said second pulley having a radial slot for bridging two sections of pipe to be welded.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, and means mounting said user device for axial movement during rotation.

Claims

1. A device for continuously feeding filiform bodies from a source of supply to a rOtary user device comprising in combination first and second pulleys rotatably mounted on first and second shafts, respectively, a supply spool mounted on a shaft on said first pulley for rotation relative to said first pulley, a flexible and inextensible sliding sheath having its one end fastened to said first pulley and its other end to said second pulley and being wound on both said pulleys, said second pulley being fastened to the rotary user device, means for causing the filiform body to slide inside the sheath at a predetermined speed, and means for rotating said second pulley to cause said sheath to unwind tangentially from said first pulley and to wind up tangentially on said second pulley.