Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
S~
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the
manufacture of a coil of wire and, more particularly,
to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a coil
of wire which possesses one twist per convolution.
In the past, previous wire packages which
provide twist-free wire from a stationary package
include those packages described in U.S. Patent Nos.
3,272,ll55 and 3,512,635. However, in both of these
wire packages, the wire is withdrawn from the center
of the coil and, accordingly, found limited
application because of snagging and expensive post
wind packaging necessary for withdrawl of the wire
from the coil package. Also, such coil packages
require let-off devices that are expensive and
difficult to maintain.
More recently, dispensers for coiled wire,
particularly welding wire from one thousand pound
reelless coils have been developed. See 9 for example,
the dispensing system described in U.S. Patent No.
4,253,624 which provides a reliable let-off wire
dispenser for a conventional reelless coil. However,
in a conventional reelless coil of wire, upon the
removal of the wire, one twist in the wire occurs
for each convolution of the wire as it is removed
from the coil. The twist in the wire for each
convolution of the coil results in a twist in the
wire and there is a tendency for the wire to flip
or wander as it comes out of the weldin~ gun nozzle,
causing weld defects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The coil of wire in accordance with the
present invention is manufactured by winding the wire,
having one twist per convolution, onto a core. The
wire is not removed until the wire is unwound from
the coil as its intended destination. The present
invention has applicability also to the winding of
wire onto a conventional reel, such that when the
reel is laid on its side, a conventional whirley or
wire let-off device may be utilized to remove the
wire from the reel.
When the coil of wire, having one twist
per convolution is wound on a core 9 as in the case
of a reelless coil, the wire dispensing system
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,253,624 is particularly
advantageous. When the wire having one twist per
convolution is wound onto a core during the
manufacturing of a reelless coil, the resultant wire
possesses zero twist or is twist-free upon its
removal. Such a property is extremely desirable where
robits are used in welding operations because with
a twist in the wire upon its removal Prom a ooil there
is a tendenc~ for the wire to flip or wander as it
comes out oP the welding gur, nozzle.
In accordance with the present invention9
a take-up reel having sides and a core support is
clamped to a traversing shaPt. A wrapping mechanism
is provided which includes a hollow shaft which is
supported upon bearings and rotated by suitable drive
means. A plurality of guide pulleys are mounted to
the shaft to direct the wire to the outside of the
take-up reel from where it is wound onto the reelless
coil core. The wrapping mechanism rotates with
respect to the reelless coil take-up reel and the
wire passes around the guide pulleys and is wound
onto the core of the reelless take up reel to build
up the wire thereon.
It is further within the scope o~ the
present invention that the wire, having a one twist
per convolution, may be wound onto a conventional
reel in the same manner as wire is wound onto the
core of a reelless coil. Importantly, in removing
the wire from a reelless coil or a reel, the wire
comes off with a zero twist and is in a spin or
twist~free state, with the wire unexpectedly
possessing a reduced back tension. Thus, the present
invention provides large economical coils of wire
which, upon their removal from the coil, the strand
of wire is twist-free for each convolution of the
coil.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA~INGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional partial side view
of the winding apparatus used to make a reelless coil
in accordance with the present invention3 and
FIG. 2 is a side view of a dispensing system
for the reelless coil in accordance with the present
invention~
~.2~
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein like
numerals have been used throughout the several Yiews
to designate the same or similar parts, there is shown
in FIG. 1, the apparatus lC for winding wire 12 onto
a partially wound coil 14~ The pa:rtially wound coil
14 is shown in FIG. 1 as wound on a reelless coil
core 15 which is supported by a reelless coil take-up
reel 16 comprising sides 17 and 17a and a core support
18. The take-up reel 16 is clamped to a traversing
shaft 20 by a nut or other fastening means 21. Not
shown are the support 4 and the traversing mechanism,
as is well known in the art, of the traversing shaft
20. The sides 17 and 17a of the take-up reel 16 have
a plurality of slots 23 therein through which straps
(not shown) may be passed about the completed wound
coil of wire 14 to strap the coil to the reelless
coil core 15 befora removing the fastening means 21
and the sides 17 and 17a to permit the completed wound
and strapped coil 14 to be removed from the traversing
shaft 20.
The apparatus 10 for winding wire 12 onto
a take-up reel 16 includes a wrapping mechanism 25
which includes a hollow shaft 27 which is supported
on bearings 2a and rotated in the diraction shown
by arrow 29 ~y a suitable drive means (not shown),
as is well known in the art. The wrapping mechanism
25 further inclucles a plate 31 keyed to the hollow
shaft 27 by k~y 32. On one end 33 of plate 31 a
support bar 34 is mounted which supports guide pulleys
~ 2 ~
36 and 37 which are mounted thereon. On the other
end 33a of plate 31 a counterweight 38 is attached
to balance the wrapping mechanism 25. Additionally,
the plate 31 includes supporting means (not shown)
for mounting and supporting a guide pulley 35 thereon
which guide pulley is so positioned that its outer
surface is in alignment with the center line of the
hollow shaft 27. As shown in FIG,, 1, the incoming
wire 12 from a let-off reel (not shown) passes through
the hollow shaft 27 and around the guide pulley 35.
The wire 12 is then directed outward about guid~
pulley 36 across to guide pulley 37 from which it
passes onto the reelless coil core 15 to provide the
partially wound coil 14, as it builds up on the core.
The mechanism 25 provides a method of winding the
wire onto a partially wound stationary coil which
includes feeding the wire from a let-off reel or other
source through a wrapping mechanism 25 which rotates
the wrapping mechanism once about a twist axis during
each rotation thereof to provide the wire on the
take-up reel 16 with one twist for each convolution
of the wire on the reel.
Now referring to FIG. 2, the reelless coil
or wound coil 14 is shown clamped between a pallet
42 and a cover 43. After clamping the reelless coil
to the pallet, but before unwinding the wire from
the coil, the s~raps (not shown) are removed from
the reelless coil 14. A wire dispensing apparatus
45 is mounted to the coil and rotates to remove and
pull the wire 12 from the coil 14. Further details
of such a suitable dispensing apparatus may be found
in U.S. Patent No. 4,253,62~.
From the above description, it should be
appreciated that a conventional reel, when wound in
the manner of the method of winding wire onto a
reelless coil, results in a reel of wire having one
twist for each convolution, the same feature and
property as does the reelless coil as discussed
above. Furthermore, the pallet, cover and clamping
mechanisms utilized in mounting the wire dispensing
apparatus 45 to the reel are unnecessary when
utilizing a conventional reel. However, in either
case, when a dispensing apparatus 45 is utilized with
either a reelless coil or a reel coil of wire as wound
in accordance with the present invention, the wire
is removed from the reelless coil or reel twist free
with no spin therein for each convolution.
Furthermore, it is within the scope of the
present invention that either the let-off reel (not
shown) or take-up reel l6 may be rotated about the
twist axis and it is possible to provide a single,
drive mechanism for rotating either the take-up reel
for winding the wire onto a reel or for rotating the
appropriate reel or reelless coil to rotate about
the twist axis of the wrapping source. However, the
preferred manner of depositing wire onto a reel or
reelless coil as is shown and described with respect
to FIG. 1.
Thus, it is readily apparent that the
present invention provides a coil of wire wound
of such a suitable dispensing apparatus may be found
in U~S. Patent ~o. ~,253,624.
From the above description, it should be
appreciated that a conventional reel, when wound in
the manner of the method of winding wire onto a
reelless coil, results in a reel o~ wire having one
twist for each convolution, the same f`eature and
property as does the reelless coil as discussed
above. Furthermore, the pallet~ cover and clamping
mechanisms utilized in mounting the wire dispensing
apparatus 45 to the reel are unnecessary when
utilizing a conventional reel. However, in either
case, when a dispensing apparatus 45 is utilized with
either a reelless coil or a reel coil of wire as wound
in accordance with the present invention, the wire
is removed from the reelless coil or reel twist-free
with no spin therein for each convolution.
Furthermore, it is within the scope of the
present invention that either the let-off reel (not
shown) or take-up reel 16 may be rotated about the
twist axis and it is possible to provide a single
drive mechanism for rotating either the take-up reel
fo~ winding the wire onto a reel or for rotating the
appropriate reel or reelless coil to rotate about
the twist axis of the wrapping source. However, the
preferred manner of depositing wire onto a reel or
reelless coil as is shown and described with respect
to FIG. 1.
Thus, it is readily apparent that the
present invention provides a coil of wire wound
tightly around a core or upon a reel which possesses
one twist per convolution, which twist is removed
when the wire is dispensed in the manner as shown
in FIG. 2. Also, the present invention provides that
when a reel or a reelless coil o:f wire wound in
accordance with the present invention when clamped
properly, provides a large economical package which
is substantially trouble-free during the withdrawl
of the wire from the reel or reelless coil. And,
ths present invention provides a twist-free wire which
is desirable in many applications, but is particularly
desirable for welding wire which is applied by robit
equipment.
Thus, while I have illustrated and described
the preferred embodiment of my invention9 it is
understood that this is capable of variation and
modification, and I, therefore, do not wish to be
limited to the precise details set forth, but desire
to avail myself of such changes and alterations as
~ fall within the purview of the following claims.
