Cable winding and packaging

Abstract

 The cable winding apparatus includes a conveyor system (12) which moves empty cable formers (10) into position beneath a winding station (14) mounted on a support framework (22) above the conveyor (12). During winding of cable onto the former (10), a plate (36) is held against the top of the former (10) to prevent cable slipping over the top thereof. The cable is wound by means of a rotary/traverse cable guide (20) which has a rotating guide arm (24). As the guide arm (24) is raised and lowered to ensure an even winding, the plate (36) is kept in contact with the former (10) by a plate clamping mechanism (38,39, 45). The former (10) is a lightweight body comprising a pallet (40) and an integral frusto-conical body (42) onto which the cable is wound. A recess is provided in the base of the pallet (40) and frusto-conical body (42) to allow a number of such formers (10) to be nested when empty.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging of cables and in particular to such a method and apparatus in which the cable is wound onto a former.

[0002] One currently known and used system will now be described by way of example and with reference to figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a known cable packaging process; and

Figure 2 schematically illustrates a number of stages of the process of Fig. 1.

[0003] In the known system, cable is wound onto a heavy frusto-conical steel former 100. At the start of the cycle an empty former is located between a third station 156 and a first station 152. A layer of corrugated paper or card is wrapped around the inclined surfaces of the former 100 and the former is then moved by a conveyor 120 in the direction A to the first station 152 where a flange plate 116 is attached to the top of the former.

[0004] The steel former 100 is then moved along path B on the conveyor system to a second station 154 where winding is effected by a rotating cable guide as shown in Fig. 2A. The cable guide comprises a heavy cowl 104 which is disposed over the former 100 and at the lower edge of which is a guide wheel 102. Cable is fed into the top of the cowl 104 from a remote supply, and directed over the guide wheel 102 and onto the former 100. The rotating cowl 104 is driven by an electric motor 106 connected to it through a reduction gearing, and the cowl is raised and lowered during winding by a large hydraulic cylinder 106 so as to wind the cable onto the former in layers.

[0005] When the required amount of cable has been wound onto the former, it is moved back to the first station 152, along path C, where the body of wound cable 112 is banded with nylon straps. To facilitate the banding operation, the flange plate 116 has a number of radial slots to allow the banding machine to feed the nylon banding down between the inclined surface of the former and the layer of corrugated card. The first station 152 generally has only a single banding machine and is provided with means for rotating the former 100 to successively align the radial slots in the flange plate 116 with the banding machine.

[0006] Following banding, the flange plate is removed and the former is transferred along path D to the third station 156 where it is inverted and lifted out of the banded cable pack 112, as shown in fig. 2B. The cable pack is then removed from underneath the raised former and transported along path E to a fourth station 158 whilst the former is lowered, re-inverted and returned in the direction A to start the next cycle. The cable pack then travels back along path F to the third station 156 where a flat pallet 114 is placed on top of it and the assembly of pallet and cable is inverted so that the cable sits on top of the pallet as shown in fig. 2C. The cable and pallet then returns along a path G to a station 158 where the cable is tested for electrical continuity and then along a path H to a packaging station 160 where both cable and pallet are wrapped ijn plastics material. The wrapped cable and pallet packs travel from the packaging station 160 along path I to a final process station 162 where heat is applied to shrink the wrapping around the cable and pallet. The shrink-wrapped cable packs are then ready for dispatch.

[0007] In practice there may be more than one former in circulation so that one former is being removed from the wound cable pack and prepared for the next cycle whilst another former is being wound with cable.

[0008] When the cable is to be used, the wrapping and banding is removed. A folding umbrella-like device is used to retain the pack shape and prevent the pack collapsing or loops of wire becoming tangled, while the cable is being uncoiled from the pack. The device is inserted into the centre of the pack in a folded state and then opened up to engage the inside of the pack. A number of ribs carried by linkages from a central support, are moved outwardly from this support to engage the inside of the cable pack and support the cable. A radial arm is mounted on a bearing at the top of the support device and carries an eye at its outer end through which the cable is passed. The arm rotates as the cable is drawn from the pack and prevents the wire that is being drawn off from catching and dislodging the top edge of the pack whilst the umbrella-like support device prevents the pack collapsing inwardly.

[0009] When the cable pack has been removed from the pallet, the empty flat pallets may simply be stacked, taking up little space whilst awaiting return to the packaging plant for re-use.

[0010] Whilst use of such a pack has the advantage over winding the cable onto a conventional flanged drum in that much less of the weight and bulk of the pack is taken up by packaging, it suffers from a number of disadvantages. The number of stages in the coiling and packing process increase the production time and costs. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the process involves a number of repeat visits to some processing stations Additionally, the packed cable may suffer from tangling or knotting once the banding has been removed to allow the cable to be unwound unless the customer has a suitable storage and dispensing apparatus to retain the pack shape during unwinding.

[0011] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of packaging electric cable characterised in that the former is a frusto-conical former and in that the cable is secured on the former so that it will not unwind from the former during transportation.

[0012] The cable may be secured by merely tying in the ends of the cable, or by banding, or by wrapping in packaging material.

[0013] The use of such a method greatly simplifies the packaging process as it allows the system to be based on a single conveyor line with no necessity for a former to travel back and forth during the process. The provision of a former on which the cable is transported also has the advantage that the customer need not provide a separate support device for holding the cable pack once the cable has been freed for removal, for example, by removing the wrapping material.

[0014] Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided cable winding apparatus comprising a first process station including means for winding electric cable onto a former characterised by means for transporting the former to the first process station a second process station including means for securing the cable on the former so that it will not unwind from the former during transportation, and means for transporting the cable and former from the first process station to the second process station.

[0015] During winding of cable onto the former, which may be frusto-conical, a flange plate may be held against the reduced diameter end of the former. The plate, which acts to prevent the cable slipping off of the former during the winding operation, may be a free body attached to the former prior to the winding operation. In such a case, clamping means may be provided to releasably secure the plate to the former during winding. Where the plate is a free body, plate lifting means operable to locate the plate against one end of the former and remove it therefrom may be provided.

[0016] The apparatus may preferably include a conveyor system to move empty formers from a supply into position relative to the first process station and, when winding is complete, to move the filled formers to the second station where the former and cable are wrapped. Clamping devices, such as pivoted catches actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, may be provided to releasably hold the former in position at each process station.

[0017] The second station may comprise apparatus for wrapping the cable and the former onto which it is wound in wrapping material, for example paper, hessian or plastics material. The wrapping material may be a heat shrinkable plastics material, in which case, the wrapped cable/former packs may then be transported to a third station where they are heat-treated to shrink wrap the palstics material around the cable and former. The completed packs may then be stored awaiting delivery.

[0018] Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a former for use in the transport and storage of cable comprising a pallet with a body about which cable may be wound, characterised in that the said body is frusto-conical.

[0019] The former may have a frusto-conical recess in the base of the pallet corresponding in profile to the frusto-conical body. This would allow the nesting of such formers when empty, in addition to reducing the overall weight of the former. The frusto-conical body may be a plastics moulding secured to the deck of a wooden pallet. Alternatively, the pallet and frusto-conical body may be formed as a unitary moulding of plastics material.

[0020] It is envisioned that such a lightweight stackable former would be used in combination with the cable winding apparatus of the present invention, to provide a method of packing cables having fewer and simpler process steps than at present.

[0021] One particular preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to figs. 3 to 10 of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the cable packing process of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows the cable winding apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the apparatus of figure 4;

Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of cable winding apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of an empty cable former;

Figure 8 shows the former of figure 7 wrapped with cable;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the former of figure 7; and

Figure 10 shows a number of empty formers, as in figure 7, when stacked.

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the cable packing process of the present invention is illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5.

[0023] Empty cable formers 10 are taken from a supply 11 and carried along a path J on a conveyor system 12 to a winding station 14. At the winding station 14, each former 10 is clamped in position relative to the winding apparatus by a number of hinged plates 16. Each hinged plate 16 is pivotable to engage and secure the base of the former 10 under the action of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 18.

[0024] When clamped in position, cable is wound onto the stationary former 10 by a rotating and traverse cable guide assembly 20.

[0025] The assembly 20, mounted on a support framework 22 over the conveyor system 12, comprises a guide arm 24 mounted at the lower end of a centre shaft 32 and rotatable about the clamped former 10. An electric motor 26 on a supporting yoke 27 is attached to the centre shaft 32 by bearing collars 25 at the upper and lower ends of the supporting yoke 27. Rotation of the centre shaft 32 and guide arm 24 is provided by the electric motor 26 through a belt drive 31 to the shaft. A traverse unit 28 rigidly attached to the supporting framework 22 raises and lowers the centre shaft 32, guide arm 24, motor 26 and supporting yoke 27 during winding to provide an even spread of cable across the former 10. The traverse unit 28 is a "rolling-ring" unit of the type described in United Kingdom Patent No. 1602042 which provides axial displacement of the plain (unthreaded) rotating tubular centre shaft 32. The traverse unit 28 comprises a number of ring shaped roller bodies at an angle to each other and to the centre shaft 32. The inner surface of each roller body engages the surface of the centre shaft 32 and converts the rotary motion of the shaft into axial motion. A lever and linkage system alters the angle of inclination of each roller body such that the direction of imparted axial motion is reversed. Actuation of the lever and linkage system is achieved by adjustable stops 49 on the yoke 27. As the yoke 27, motor 26 and shaft 32 are raised to their upper position by the traverse unit 28, the lever and linkage system is acutated by the lower stop 49A on the yoke 27. The yoke 27, motor 26 and shaft 32 are then lowered under control of the traverse unit 28 until the upper stop 49B is encountered which again reverses the direction of motion. The motor 26 and yoke 27 are connected via a cable and pulley assembly 29 to a counter weight (not shown) which relieves the load on the transverse unit 28.

[0026] The cable to be wound is supplied from an external source such as a stock reel or directly from the cable manufacturing plant. The supplied cable runs over a guide wheel 30, rotatably mounted on the support framework 22, and down through the hollow rotating centre shaft 32 at the lower end of which the guide arm 24 is mounted. A number of small guide wheels 34 rotatably mounted on the guide arm 24 direct the cable to the lower end of the guide arm 24 from which it is wound directly onto the former 10.

[0027] To prevent cable from slipping off of the top of the former 10 during winding, a removable annular plate 36 is provided. When the empty former 10 is clamped in position, the plate 36 is lowered to rest on top of the former. During the winding operation, the plate 36 acts as a flange of the former 10, to prevent cable from slipping over the top of the former.

[0028] The plate 36 is lowered and raised by three lifting levers 21, each of which is pivotably mounted on the support framework 22 and operated by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 23. The plate 36 is held in position, on top of the former 10, by a clamping mechanism 38 mounted on a vertically extending hydraulic or pneumatic main piston 39. The cylinder in which the piston 39 moves is positioned below the conveyor 12. With no former positioned beneath the rotating and traverse cable guide assembly 20, the piston 39 is retracted in its cylinder so that the clamping mechanism 38 is held in a retracted position (not shown) with its uppermost part 41 below the level of the conveyor 12. When an empty former 10 is delivered by the conveyor 12 and held in position by hinged plates 16, and the plate 36 has been lowered onto the top of the former 10 by the lifting levers 21, the main piston 39 is extended to raise the uppermost part 41 of the clamping mechanism 38 through an opening in the conveyor 12 and through aligned central apertures in the former 10 and in the plate 36.

[0029] The operation of the clamping mechanism 38 is shown in greater detail in figure 5 which represents a sectional view through a former 10 with the clamping mechanism 38 holding the plate 36 against the top of the former.

[0030] The clamping mechanism 38 has three radially extendable latch members 45 controlled to move in unison from an unlocking position, where they do not extend beyond the periphery of the uppermost part 41, to a locking position, as shown, where they overlap the periphery of the aperture 52 in the plate 36. Each of the latch members 45 is eccentrically mounted on a gear wheel 53, the latch member 45 and gear wheel 53 being rotatable about a gear axis 53A. Each of the gear wheels 53 engages a central drive gear 54 rotatable about the axis 54A of the clamping mechanism 38. Rotation of the gear 54, which moves the latch members 45 to the locking or unlocking position, is effected by a horizontal cylinder 55 which is attached by a pivotal joint 56 to the drive gear 54 at a point offset from the axis 54A thereof.

[0031] When the latch members 45 are moved to the locking positionm the main piston 39 is retracted slightly such that the extended latch members 45 pull the plate 36 down against the top of the former 10.

[0032] The release and removal of the plate 36, to allow a fully wound cable pack to be moved out and another empty former moved in, is the reverse of the above described clamping process.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment, shown in Figure 6, the plate 36 is mounted on a shaft 58 which passes down the centre of the rotating tubular centre shaft 32 and extends from its lower end. The shaft 58 can slide axially relative to the shaft 32 so that the plate 36 remains in position against the top of the former 10 as the guide arm 24 is raised and lowered. A bearing 59 at the joint of the plate 36 and shaft 58 allows the plate 36 to remain stationary whilst the shaft 58 rotates with the centre shaft 32. The shaft 38 may be raised and lowered to raise and lower the plate 36 at the beginning and end of the winding cycle by a hydraulic or pneumatic piston and cylinder (not shown) coupled to its upper end.

[0034] When the required amount of cable has been wound onto the former 10, the plate 36 is then lifted from the top of the former 10 and the clamping plates 16 are pivoted to disengage from its base portion.

[0035] The former 10 with cable wound onto it is then moved along the conveyor system 12 on a path K. The cable, extending from the guide arm 24 to the former 10 is cut by a shearing device 37 mounted on the support framework 22. The severed end of the cable on the former 10 and the other end (arranged to protrude from the packed cable) are bared and the cable is then tested for electrical continuity at a test stage 35. If the test result is satisfactory the free ends of the cable are tucked into the body of the cable and the former with cable wound onto it, as shown in figure 6, is moved along path L on the conveyor system 12 to another station 43 where the former 10 and body of cable 44 are wrapped in plastics packing material. The wrapped cable/former units are then transported along path M to a final process station 47 where they are heat treated to shrink the plastics material thereby retaining the cable on the former. As each former moves from the winding station to the testing station the next former 10 is moved into position from the supply 11 along path J and clamped to undergo the winding stage of the process at the winding station 14.

[0036] The former 10 used in the above winding apparatus is preferably of the type shown in figures 5 to 8.

[0037] The former 10 comprises a flat wooden pallet 40 with a frusto-conical body 42 of plastics material onto which the cable is wound. The pallet 40 is of a size and construction to permit handling by standard fork-lift apparatus with a plywood deck 50 and wooden bearers 51.

[0038] In the upper surface of the pallet 40, there are a number of grooves 46 which extend tangentially from the base of the frusto-conical body 42 to the edge of the pallet 40. At the start of the winding operation, the cable stretches from the outside of the previously wound cable pack to the empty former where it will form the new cable pack. The cable lies in one of the grooves 46 in the upper surface of the pallet such that it is readily accessible for the electrical continuity test on completion of winding. The provision of the grooves 46 means that the weight of the cable pack 44 is not resting on the free end of the cable which may result in damage at the free end leading to failure of the continuity test. The grooves run tangentially from the base of the conical former at such an angle that the groove is aligned with the straight run of cable between the pack at the testing station and the pack at the winding station. This run of cable is cut after a few turns have been wound on the new former at the winding station.

[0039] The deck of the pallet 40 has a circular opening and the underside of the frusto-conical body follows so that formers 10a, 10b, 10c may be nested when empty, as shown in figure 8, without the frusto-conical body 42b of one former 10b, becoming jammed in the opening of the former 10a stacked on top of it.

[0040] Conveniently, the conical body and the grooved surface of the pallet may be formed as a unitary mounding from plastics material and then secured to the plywood deck by nails, glue or other suitable means.

[0041] The cable winding apparatus described above, together with its method of use, provides a more efficient and economic packing system than currently known and used methods. This occurs as a result of the reduction in the number of process stages, together with rationalisation of the process by ensuring that each pallet only visits each process station once during the winding operation.

[0042] The cable former of the present invention, either alone or in combination with the above mentioned method and apparatus, also provides a number of benefits. The shape of the packed cable is maintained when the external packaging (shrink-wrapping or banding) is removed, thereby reducing problems of knotting or tangling of cable and removing the necessity for customers to install specialised apparatus for storing the cable. Additionally, the former is a lightweight structure which may be easily and compactly stacked when empty, thereby reducing transport and storage costs.

Claims

1. A method of packaging electric cable comprising the steps of winding the cable onto a former (10) and securing the cable characterised in that the former (10) is a frusto-conical former and in that the cable is secured on the former (44) so that it will not unwind from the former during transportation.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which a flange plate (36) is held against the smaller diameter end of the former (10) during winding of cable onto the former (10).

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the cable is secured on the former (10) by wrapping the cable on the former (44) in packaging material.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which the packaging material is a heat shrinkable plastics material and including the further process step of heating the cable on the former (44) to shrink the plastics packaging material wrapping the cable on the former (44).

5. A method according to any preceding claim, including the step of testing the electrical continuity following winding of cable onto the former and prior to securing the cable on the former.

6. Cable winding apparatus comprising a first process station (14) including means for winding electric cable onto a former (10), characterised by means for transporting the former to the first process station (14), a second process station (43) including means for securing the cable on the former (44) so that it will not unwind from the former during transportation, and means for transporting the cable and former from the first process station (14) to the second process station (43).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including a plate (36) removably located against one end of the former (10), providing a flange extending therefrom during winding of cable onto the former, and plate lifting means (21,23) operable to locate the plate (36) against one end of the former (10) and to remove the plate (36) therefrom.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, including clamping means (38) extendable through aligned apertures in the top of the former (10) and the plate (36), the clamping means (38) having radially-extendable latching means (45) extendable to overlap the periphery of the said aperture in the plate (36).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 including a gear mechanism (53, 54) connected to extend or retract the latching means (45) in response to rotation of one of the gears (54) in the gear mechanism (53, 54).

10. Apparatus according to and of claims 6 to 9, in which the means for winding electric cable onto the former is a cable guide (24) executing rotary and linear motion relative to the axis of the former (10).

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 10, in which the second process station has means for wrapping the cable on the former in packaging material to secure the cable on the former.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the packaging material is heat shrinkable plastics material and comprising a third process station (47) at which the cable and former wrapped in the plastics packaging material are heat treated to shrink wrap the plastics packaging material about the cable and former.

13. A former (10) for use in the transport and storage of cable comprising a pallet (40) with a body (42) about which cable may be wound, characterised in that the said body (42) is frusto-conical.

14. A former (10) according to claim 13, having a recess in the underside thereof into which the frusto-conical body (42) of a similar former (10) may be at least partially inserted when stacking empty formers.

15. A former (10) according to claim 13 or claim 14 in which the frusto-conical body (42) is a plastics moulding and is attached to the decking (50) of a wooden pallet (40).

16. A former (10) according to any of claims 13 to 15 in which the frusto-conical body (42) is a plastics moulding and has an integral flange extending from the base thereof across the decking (50) of a wooden pallet (40) to which it is attached.

17. A former according to claim 13 or claim 14 in which the pallet (40) and frusto-conical body (42) are formed as a unitary moulding of plastics material.

18. A method of packaging electric cable according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which the former is a former (10) according to any claims 13 to 17.

Drawing