Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TWISTED CABLES
The invention relates to an apparatus for the production of
twisted cables by the roebeling of shaped cables of angular
cross-section, having: a guide for the shaped cables conveyed in
two parallel stacks which is formed by lateral parallel guide
surfaces and pushing means which are offset by 90 thereto, one
for each stack, the two pressure means being disposed
diametrically opposite one another and being displaceable in
parallel to opposite hands in a timed manner; pushing members
which are mounted opposite one another in the other diagonal from
the pushing means and which can be moved transversely of the-
longitudinal extension of the twisted cable for the displacement
to opposite hands of each shaped cable from one stack to the
adjacent stack, accompanied by the bending of the shaped cable;
and a control system for synchronizing the timed actuation of the
drives for the displacement of the pushing means and the pushing
members.
An apparatus having these features is known from British Patent
Specification 969 086. It is an apparatus for the production of
a composite electric cable wherein the isolated individual cables
of rectangular cross-section pass through a roebeling tool in
stacks disposed parallel one beside the other. The periphery of
the strand formed by the stacked shaped cables is engaged by
pushing members, which displace the particular top and bottom
shaped cable on to the adjacent stack, accompanied by the bending
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of the cable. This operation, which enables angular shaped
cables to be twisted, is known as "roebeling", the tool being
called a roebeling tool, after its inventor Roebel.
In addition to the two pushing members for displacing the top and
bottom shaped cable on to the adjacent stack, the prior art
roebeling tool also has two pushing means, each of which pushes a
stack of individual cables upwards and downwards. On completion
of the pushing operation, the pushing members engaged to displace
the shaped cables in the manner described. The course followed
in the roebeling of the shaped cables of the twisted cable and
the twisted cables thus formed is explained in detail, for
example, in US Patent Specification 2 249 509 and
diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 for an even number of-
twisted cables. Detail (a) of Fig. 1 shows the starting
condition of the two adjacent stacks of shaped cables 1 of
rectangular cross-section. The shaped cables 1 are displaced in
relation to one another by the thickness of a sectional cable
by the engagement of pushing members, which engage with the two
stacks diametrically in the direction indicated by arrow 2. The
final state of this displacement is shown in part (b) of Fig. 1.
The top and bottom shaped cables are then immediately displaced
by pushing members on to the adjacent stack in the direction
indicated by arrow 3. At the same time the two shaped cables are
bent. Fig. 2 shows in perspective such a twisted or roebeled
twisted cable in which the top and bottom shaped cables are each
bent, the bending places being denoted by the reference 4.
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One disadvantage of the prior art apparatus is that the bending
length - i.e., the length from the start to the end of a bending
- is relatively large. With equal length of step - i.e., the
distance between successive bendings - this leads to correspond-
ingly short parallel lengths of the shaped cables, resulting in a
deterioration in winding properties, more particularly in the
case of twisted cables having a large number of shaped cables.
If the parallel portions of the shaped cables are lengthened, the
length of step becomes correspondingly longer, and this also
causes the winding properties to deteriorate.
To obviate the disadvantage described, it is an object of the
invention to keep the bending length and therefore the length of
step and the lay of the twisted cable as short as possible when
twisting shaped cables of angular cross-section. The windability
of the twisted cable can be improved in this way and more
particularly smaller winding diameters can be achieved, the
result being a more compact construction.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided
an apparatus for the production of twisted cables by the
roebeling of shaped cables of angular cross-section, having: a
guide for the shaped cables conveyed in two parallel stacks which
is formed by lateral parallel guide surfaces and pushing means
which are offset by 90 thereto, one for each stack, the two
pressure means being disposed diametrically opposite one another
and being displaceable in parallel to opposite hands in a timed
manner; pushing members which are mounted opposite one another in
the other diagonal from the pushing means and which can be moved
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transversely of the longitudinal extension of the twisted cable
for the displacement to opposite hands of each shaped cable from
one stack to the adjacent stack, accompanied by the bending of
the shaped cablei and a control system for synchronizing the
timed actuation of the drives for the displacement of the pushing
means and the pushing members, characterized in that associated
with each pushing member on the opposite side of the twisted
cable is a counterabutment which is offset in relation to the
pushing member in the conveying direction of the twisted cables
and is mounted to be displaced to opposite hands to said pushing
member and transversely of the twisted cable and is driven in
synchronism with the movement of the pushing members and the
pushing means.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided
an apparatus for making a cable by roebeling individual
rectangular cross-sectioned strands, said cable having opposite
lateral sides and top and bottom sides and a rectangular cross-
section, said apparatus comprising guide means for a plurality of
individual rectangular cross-sectioned strands conveyed in two
parallel stacks in a conveying direction, the two stacks being
conveyed in lateral contact with each other; two pressing
elements, each of said pressing elements extending in a direction
perpendicular to said conveying direction and one of said
pressing elements being engageable with one of said stacks from
the top side of the cable and the other of said pressing elements
béing engagable with the other of said stacks from the bottom
side of the cable, said pressing elements being displaceable
in opposite directions to move said stacks toward each other;
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two nonrotatable pushing members, each of said pushing members
being mounted on opposite lateral sides of said cable, said
pushing members being structured and positioned to move in
another direction perpendicular to and across the conveying
direction to displace respective individual strands to adjacent
ones of said stacks and to simultaneously bend said individual
strands; a non-rotatable counterabutment member spaced along said
conveying direction from each of said pushing member and being
mounted to be moveable oppositely to the pushing member
associated therewith; means for adjusting, prior to said
roebrling, a spacing between each of said nonrotatable pushing
members and said nonrotatable counterabutment member associated
therewith; and a drive for moveably operating each of said
pushing members and said pressing elements and a control device
for synchronized timed actuation of the drives for separate
displacement of the pressing elements and pushing members to
control relative positions of said pushing members and pressing
elements during conveying of said two parallel stacks so as to
form said cable.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is
provided an apparatus for making a cable by roebeling individual
rectangular cross-sectioned strands, said cable having opposite
lateral sides and top and bottom sides and a rectangular cross-
section, said apparatus comprising guide means for a plurality ofindividual rectangular cross-sectioned strands conveyed in two
parallel stacks in a conveying direction, the two stacks being
conveyed in lateral contact with each other; two pressing
elements, each of said pressing elements extending in a direction
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perpendicular to said conveying direction and one of said
pressing elements being engageable with one of said stacks from
the top side of the cable and the other of said pressing elements
being engageable with the other of said stacks from the bottom
side of the cable, said pressing elements being displaceable in
opposite directions in a timed reciprocating manner to move said
stacks toward each other; two nonrotatable pushing members, each
of said nonrotatable pushing members being mounted on opposite
lateral sides of said cable, said nonrotatable pushing members
being structured and positioned to move in another direction
perpendicular to and across the conveying direction to displace
respective individual strands to adjacent ones of said stacks and
to simultaneously bend said individual strands; a nonrotatable
counterabutment member spaced along said conveying direction from
each of said nonrotatable pushing member and being mounted to be
moveable oppositely to said nonrotatable pushing member
associated therewith; means for adjusting, prior to said
roebling, a spacing between each of said nonrotatable pushing
members and said nonrotatable counterabutment members; and a
hydraulic drive for moveably operating each of said nonrotatable
pushing members and said pressing elements and an electronic
control device for synchronized timed actuation of the drives for
separate displacement of the pressing elements and nonrotatable
pushing members, each of said drives being controllable by said
control device to control the relative positions of said
nonrotatable pushing members and pressing elements during
conveying of said two parallel stacks of individual strands to
form said cable.
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The use according to the invention of counter-abutments which
cooperate with the pushing members during the bending of the top
or bottom shaped cable of the stack enables the bending length to
be shortened and moreover the bending to be performed more
precisely than with the use of the prior art roebeling tool
disclosed in British Patent Specification 969 086.
Another advantage to be obtained by the use of the apparatus
according to the invention is that during bending by the pushing
member the shaped cable no longer bears against the adjacent
shaped cable, but against counter-abutments, thus preventing
damage to the insulation at the places where the adjacent shaped
cables contact one another.
In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention pushing members and/or associated counter-abutments are
mounted to be displaced in relation to one another parallel with
the longitudinal extension of the twisted cable. In this way the
distance between the pushing member and the associated counter-
abutment and therefore the bending length can be varied.
Also preferably in the apparatus according to the invention the
pushing members, the counter-abutment and the pushing means can
be moved in synchronism electronically controlled by hydraulic or
pneumatic drives. This enables the individual elements of the
roebeling tool to be individually actuated while co-operating
precisely harmonized - i.e., synchronously. In comparison with
the purely mechanical actuation of the tool elements, as known
from British Patent Specification 969 086, consisting of
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cooperating cams, eccentrics and a common toothed rim producing
the synchronization of the tool elements, the advantages of the
preferred pneumatic or hydraulic method of operation are that a
more precisely harmonizable and simpler control system can be
achieved and no wear requiring readjustment takes place on the
driving elements (cams/eccentrics/toothed rim).
Also preferably in the apparatus according to the invention the
pushing memers and counter-abutments bear against the shaped.
cable with an adjustable pressure, to maintain their clearly-
defined position on the shaped cable and enable them to follow
the cable resiliently when it is deflected.
According to another advantageous feature of the apparatus ~.
according to the invention, a small spacing plate having a
thickness corresponding to the thickness of a shaped cable is
releasably attached on the scanning surface of the pushing
members and counter-abutments. In this way the apparatus can be
adapted to different sizes of shaped cables to be roebeled to
form a twisted cable, merely by interchanging the small spacing
plate. However, instead of interchanging the s~all spacing plate
according to an advantageous feature of the invention the small
spacing plate can also be mounted vertically adjustably and
adjusted, for example, by screws to change the thickness.
The invention will now be described in greater detail with
reference to the drawings, wherein:
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Fig. 3 is a perspective elevation of the roebeling tool,
Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of the pushing member,
Fig. 5 is a perspective elevation of the counter-abutment,
Fig. 6 is a graph of the movements made by the roebeling tool
elements, and
Fig. 7 shows-the roebeling tool with hydraulic drives.
A roebeling tool comprises two pushing members 5 and two pushing
means 6 which engage with the twisted cable on the opposite
diameter from the pushing members 5. A common toothed driving
rim 7 synchronizes the movements of the pushing members 5 and
pushing means 6.
In addition to the pushing members 5 and pushing means 6,
counter-abutments 8 are provided which are spaced out in the
conveying direction 9 from each associated pushing member 5.
Each counter-abutment 8 has a surface and a finger 11 which is
bent at right angles thereto and which, like the pushing member
5, forms a scanning surface 12. The pushing members 5 and
counter-abutments 8 bear via the scanning surfaces 12 against the
particular stack surface with a pressure adjustable, for example,
by springs.
Each pushing member 5 and each counter-abutment 8 also has a
small spacing plate 13 which is mounted releasably
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interchangeable or vertically adjustable. For example, the small
spacing plate can be attached to a clamping screw (Fig. 4). The
thickness s of the small spacing plate 13 can be changed by
rotation of the setscrew. The small spacing plates 13 have a
thickness s which is the same as or somewhat smaller than the
thickness of a shaped cable 1. The small spacing plates 13 can
be interchanged if twisted cables are to be produced from shaped
cables of a different thickness.
The counter-abutments 8 can be altered via adjustable cams 14, 15
and eccentric discs 16, 17.
Fig. 6 is a graph of the moves taking place in the timed
actuation of the elements of the roebeling tool, namely the
pushing members, pushing means and counter-abutments, for a
twisted cable having an odd number of shaped cables. The cycle
begins with the relative displacement of the two stacks of shaped
cables towards one another in the parallel direction by means of
the pushing means I, II, whereafter the associated pushing
members II and counter-abutments II come into operation to push
the projecting shaped cable on to the adjacent stack, said shaped
cable being bent at the same time. After the toothed rim 7 has
rotated through 180 , the pushing member I and the associated
counter-abutment I then come into operation to displace-a shaped
cable on the opposite side, accompanied by its bending. The
graph of movements in Fig. 6 corresponds to what is shown in Fig.
1, although in the latter case for an even number of shaped
cables.
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Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically the pneumatic or hydraulicactuation of the elements of the roebeling tool by means of a
hydraulic unit 18 comprising a hydraulic cylinder 19, a
distributing valve 20 and an electric junction box 21. Otherwise
the structure of the roebeling tool corresponds to the one shown
in Fig. 3.
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List of ref e~ ~.l~ea
1 - shaped cable
2 - direction of arrow (pushing means)
3 - direction of arrow (pushing members)
4 - bending place
- pushing members
6 - pushing means
7 - toothed driving rim
8 - counter-abutment
9 - conveying direction
11 - finger
12 - scanning surface
13 - small spacing plate
14 - cam
15 - cam
16 - eccentric
17 - eccentric
18 - hydraulic unit
19 - hydraulic unit
20 - distributing valve
21 - electric junction box
Wording on Fig. 2: Schrittlange = step length; Kropflange =
bending length; gerade Lange = straight length; Papier = paper.
Wording on Fig. 6: Drucker = pushing means; Schieber = pushing
member; Gegenhalter = counter-abutment; Hub = stroke.
