Apparatus for withdrawing wire in an axial direction from a coil, with rotary counter-twist means which is capable of adjustment during operation to vary the ratio of its speed to that of the wire, and which includes a set of bending rolls with combined straightening and back-tension functions.
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1. Apparatus for unreeling wire from a coil in a direction along an extension of the axis of the coil which comprises:
a. a first annular constriction through which the wire is initially withdrawn from the coil, b. rotatable means around which the wire is entrained in frictional engagement before it is withdrawn under tension, c. a second annular constriction through which said wire passes after said first annular constriction but prior to being entrained on said rotatable means, d. untwisting means for untwisting the wire located between said first and second annular constrictions, e. and motor drive means for positively driving said untwisting means regardless of the tension on said wire, f. said untwisting means comprising: 1. several rollers about which said wire is entrained to travel in a sinuous path so that said wire is bent first in one direction and then the other, 2. a common support on which said rollers are journaled with said common support being driven by said motor drive means and swung about an axis passing between said first and second annular constrictions, g. said motor drive means being a variable speed means with means for varying said speed independently of the rotation of said rotatable means during the operation of said apparatus.
6. Apparatus for unreeling wire from a coil in a direction along an extension of the axis of the coil which comprises:
a. a first annular constriction through which the wire is initially withdrawn from the coil, b. rotatable means around which the wire is entrained in frictional engagement before it is withdrawn under tension, c. a second annular constriction through which said wire passes after said first annular constriction but prior to being entrained on said rotatable means, d. untwisting means for untwisting the wire located between said first and second annular constrictions, e. and a variable ratio drive unit for driving said untwisting means, f. said untwisting means comprising:
1. several rollers about which said wire is entrained to travel in a sinuous path so that said wire is bent first in one direction and then the other, 2. a common support on which said rollers are journaled with said common support being driven by said variable ratio drive unit and swung about an axis passing between said first and second annular constrictions, g. said variable ratio drive unit having control means operable while the wire is being unreeled for varying the speed of rotation of said untwisting means about said axis independently of the speed of rotation of said rotatable means. 2. Apparatus according to
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10. Apparatus according to
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The prior art includes apparatus for withdrawing wire axially from a coil with counter-twist means for preventing kinking of the wire; see Haugwitz U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,916, issued Aug. 27, 1963. Thus wheel 36, variable ratio drive unit 56, and the other apparatus through which the movement is transmitted constitute, in effect, a variable speed motor drive means. A lever 70 is operable to change the ratio of the variable ratio gear unit 56 while the wire 12 is passing through the apparatus 10, thus enabling the operator to observe the result as he adjusts to select the best rotational speed of the L-shaped support 30 relative to the rate of linear movement of the wire 12.
The reverse bending of the wire 12 around the successive rollers 28, 32 and 34 has the effect of producing back-drag to tighten the wire 12 around the roller 36 under the influence of tension imposed by the receiving unit (not shown), thus giving wire 12 sufficient frictional grip on wheel 36 to drive wheel 36 and rotate the L-shaped roller support 30. At the same time the reverse bending of wire 12 around rollers 28, 32 and 34 has a straightening effect on the wire 12. This should help to take out some of the curvature resulting from bending of the wire into the coil 14 before the unwinding process begins. While these effects are being felt, the wire is simultaneously being detwisted, in the portions of the wire between the guide 24 and the coil 14, as a result of rotation of the L-shaped roller support 30 on its journals 38 and 40. This rotation is arranged to be in the opposite direction from the twist imparted to the said portion of the wire as it is withdrawn in successive loops from the coil 14, and consequently the tendency of the wire to twist into kinks before reaching the guide 24 can be reduced to a minimum. Optimum results are achieved by adjustment of the ratio of the variable ratio gear drive 56, to suit the particular wire and coil, and any other operating conditions that need to be taken into account.
FIG. 7 shows diagrammatically that the wire 12 may be looped entirely around one of the rollers, such as the roller 32. However, such looping is undesirable because it tends to cause chafing of adjacent portions of the wire looped around the roller, and because the roller, being smaller in diameter than the coil 14, tends to tighten the wire into an even more severe bend than it had when in the original coil 14.
The apparatus 10 can also be used without any untwisting action, by not passing the wire 12 around any of the rollers 28, 32 and 34, as illustrated in FIG. 8 and by adjusting speed handle 70 to zero RPM output. This zero untwisting capability is useful because some products, such as large diameter wire, do not give tangling problems and it may be desirable not to have to impart detwist motion. By using handle 70 to dial RPM to zero, and by-passing rolls 28, 32 and 34, the apparatus becomes a normal overhead sheave payoff unit, which is common in the industry. This conversion can be made without rethreading or cutting the wire.
While a present preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
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| 5758834, | Aug 20 1996 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Welding wire storage and shipping container |
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Sep 18 1975 | Reynolds Metals Company | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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