USRE26152E - Apparatus i or production of electrical conductors - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 31, 1967 ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR KARL. H.ANDREN ATT ORNEYS.

K. H. ANDREN Jan. 31, 1967 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS l7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 26,

INVENTOR KARL H. ANDREN ATTORNEYS K. H ANDREN Re. 26,152

CTR i CA! GONDUCIORS Jan. 31, 1967 l7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original. Filed April 26, 1962 N .E m T NM w A WH L R A K ATTORNEYS K. H. ANDREN Jan. 31,1967

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTL'ON O ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS l7 Sheets-5heet 4 Original Fihed April 26, 1962 lin INVENTOR.

KARL H. ANDREN ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 31, 1967 K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets-Sheet b JNVEN'IT JR.

KARL H. ANDRE N M &

ATTORNEYS K. H. ANDREN Jan. 31, 1967 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL GONDUC'POHS l7 Shasta-Sheet 6 filed April 26 Original.

INVENTOR.

K ARL H. A NDREN AT YOR NEY S.

K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Jan. 31, 1967 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF 1'? Sheets-5heet 7 Original Film April 26, 1962 N E R R D T. N N w A V WH L I R W A W K W1 ATTOR NE Y 5 Jan. 31, 1967 K. H. ANDREN lflAIJ CONDVCTORS APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTR Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. KARL H. ANDREN mam ATTORNEYS Jan. 31, 1967 ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICMJ CONDUGTORS Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets-$heet Q KARL H. ANDREN Mam ATTORNEYS.

K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

ONUUCTORS Jan. 31, 1967 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION Oi" ELECTRICAL C 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 Original Filed April 26, 1962 f NV ENTOR. KARL H. ANDRE N ATTORNEYS K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

CONDUCTORS Jan. 31, 1967 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL,

l7 Sheets-Sheet 11 Original Filed April 26, 1962 MVENTOR. K AR L H. A N DR E N WRTMQZIM ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 31, 1967 K. H. ANDREN 25,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets$heet l2 ay M INVENTOR.

KARL H. ANDREN ATTORNEYS.

K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Jan. 31, 1967 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Original Filed April 26, 1962 INVENTOR. K AR L H. AN DR E N ATTOR NEY S K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Jan. 31, 1967 1'? Sheets-Sheet 14.

Original Filed April 26, 1962 "fill/IIIIIII/II/liik Il/ ll/l/ INVENTOR. K ARL H. ANDREN ATTOR NEYS Jan. 31, 1967 N R N Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed April 26, 1962 17 Sheets-$heet 1% INVENTOR. KARL H.ANDRENm1 4 Tlifluq ATTORNEYS K. H. ANDREN Re. 26,152

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTYUCAL CONDUG'TOBS Jan. 31, 1967 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 Original Filed April 26, 1962 INVENTOR.

K ARL H. ANDR E N m em ATTORN EY In 7 Sheets-Sheet 1? Jan. 31, 1967 K. H. ANDREN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed April 26, 196231R R M Whi 6 2C kin United States Patent Ofifice Re. 26,152 Reissued Jan. 31, 1967 26,152 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Karl H. Andren, West Allis, Wis., assignor to Arlos Engineering Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Original No. 3,201,848, dated Aug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 306,499, Sept. 4, 1963, which is a division of Ser. No. 190,402, Apr. 26, 1962, now Patent No. 3,283,398, dated Nov. 8, 1966. Application for reissue Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 546.126

14 Claims. Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the this reissue specifioriginal patent but forms no part of cation; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

The present application is a division of applicant's copending application, Serial No. 190,402, filed April 26. I962, now Patent No. 3,283,398, and relates primarily to the provision of an improved apparatus for rapidly and accurately producing successive electrical conductor cords of diverse kinds from a continuous supply wire.

This invention relates generally to improvements in the art of producing electrical conductors from cord wire stock, and it relates more specifically to an improved apparatus for accurately manufacturing conductors of various types and lengths from continuous cord wire in rapid succession.

A number of different kinds of machines for producing various types of electrical conductors from cord wire have heretofore been proposed and used quite extensively. but due to the tremendous demand for such conductors and to the fact that the conductor requirements are becoming more intricate and that successive conductors of each type must be produced identically and with utmost precision, these prior mechanisms have failed to meet all of the commercial demands and requirements. In these so-called electric cords, two or more insulation-coated Wires have plastic coatings which are molded together laterally, and in order to properly apply terminals of various types, the coating at the opposite ends of each cord wire must be slit to separate the individual strands, and usually the insulation must also be removed at these wire ends before the terminals can be attached thereto. The terminals used in these machines are fed into the attaching mechanisms in the form of strips from which the individual terminals must be severed as required.

Most of the prior conductor cord producing machines have been restricted either to applying a terminal only to one end of each wire or cord, or to the opposite ends of a single wire only. With the prior machines wherein a terminal was attached to each end of a single wire, these terminals were also applied successively in the same operating zone, thereby materially limiting the speed of operation and the capacity of the machines. Then, too, in all prior machines, the terminal attaching zones were very restricted as to sizes and types of terminals that could be attached therein, and none were capable of applying several different kinds of terminals to each of the opposite ends of a cord. With the restricted attaching zones of the previous mechanisms, it was extremely difficult to feed along ground pin terminals into proper position for attachment with required accuracy and speed.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of apparatus whereby higher speed of production is made possible with far greater accuracy and range of control, and which is also effective for producing conductor cords having predetermined lengths adjustable during normal operation [which could not be accomplished with any prior apparatus] with full and complete access being afforded to both sides of the conductor cords and the conveying mechanism therefor.

In attaining these objects, an apparatus is provided which includes wire clamping and conveying mechanism for predetermined wire lengths in which laterally spaced clamps for receiving and gripping spaced portions of the wire lengths are advanced along a rectilinear path in single file succession, and the invention also contemplates feeding means which includes a gripping device operable to draw predetermined lengths of wire from a supply reel past a cutting zone and for thereafter bringing the trailing end and the leading cnd of the severed wire length into laterally spaced juxtaposition within adjacent clamps.

A clear conception of the construction and operation of a typical machine embodying the invention and adapted for effecting automatic production of electrical conductors from cord wire may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

FIGURE la is a side elevation of the front half of a commercial machine for producing electrical conductors from cord ribbon;

FIGURE lb is a side elevation of the rear half of the same machine;

FIGURE 2 is an end view taken from the left of the same machine as viewed in FIGS. la and lb:

FIG. 3a is a top view of the front end of the machine. a partial seclion having been taken along the line EE of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3b is a top view of the rear end portion of the machine with a small portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through a portion of the same machine, viewed from the left and taken approximately along the line AA of FIG. la:

FIG. Sis a similarly enlarged horizontal section through the machine, also taken along the line AA of FIG. Ia showing the mechanism in one position;

FIG. 6 is a similar section taken along the line A.-\ but showing the mechanism in another operating positron:

FIG. 7 is also a similar section taken along the line A-A. but also showing the mechanism in still another operating position;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through the machine taken along the line B-B of FIG. 1a but with some parts omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 9 is a more complete vertical section taken along the line CC of FIG. 3a, but showing the mechanism at a different time from that of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section through the rear of the same machine, taken along the line DD of FIG. 3a;

FIG. it is an enlarged fragment of a portion of the mechanism shown in section in FIG. 10;

at high FIG. 12 is an enlarged section taken horizontally through the upper conveyor driving gear box of FIG. 2, taken along the line K-K of FIG. 13, and showing the internal mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a vertical section through the conveyor drive box of FIG. 12. taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged top view of the lower variable speed drive box with top cover removed and with fragmentary sections as shown in FIG. 2, taken along the line HH thereof;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged side view of a fragment of the cord gathering mechanism shown in FIG. 1a behind other structure;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged transverse section taken along the line M-M of FIG. la, showing the cord clamping mechanism;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged part sectional side elevation of one of the cord length carriers;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged part sectional view of the cord end slitting and stripping unit of the machine taken approximately along the dividing line of FIGS. la and lb;

FIG. 19 is a similarly enlarged end view of the unit shown in FIG. 18',

FIG. 20 is a likewise enlarged vertical section through the unit of FIG. 18 taken along the line H-H of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the terminal attaching devices and the driving cam thereof, taken along the line G-G of FIG. 3b:

FIG. 22 is an enlarged side view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an end view of one type of finished conductor collecting mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged horizontal section through the mechanism of FIG. 23 taken along the line P-P',

FIG. 25 is an enlarged vertical transverse section through the mechanism of FIG. 23 taken along the line R-R:

FIG. 26 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the conductor pick-up mechanism taken along the line F-F of FIG. 23, showing the transfer elements in final delivering position;

FIG. 27 is a similar section showing the transfer elements in position ready to receive a subsequent conductor:

FIG. 28 is another similar view showing the position of the elements while picking up another completed conductor:

FIG. 29 i a plan view of one type of finished conductor showing various types of terminals attached to a ribbon cord length:

FIGS. 30 to 37 show various types of terminal strips which may be fed into the machine to produce condoctors of various kinds". and

FIG. 38 is a timing diagram for the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the conductor production mechanism shown therein by way of illustration comprises in general, a cable or cord feeding device adapted to withdrawcontinuous cord stock 9 from a supply reel 8: a conveyor loading device 11 for actuating a cordstock transfer mechanism 12 with its gripper 231 (FIGS. 3a, 8 and II): a cord gatherer 17 for assisting ingathering cord stock 9 withdrawn from the reel 8 (FIG. a severer 13 for cutting successivepredetermined lengths 15 ofcord stock 9 from the continuous supply (FIGS. la. 3a]; an intermittently movable endless chain conveyor 14 (FIGS. la. 3a. 15 and 17) having thereon a series of U-shaped carriers having a firstcord gripping member 19 and a second cord gripping member 19', for gripping and carrying the opposite ends 16 of each severedcord length 15 in juxtaposition; a number of interconnected cooperatingunits 21 disposed at different positions along the path of advancement of thecord carriers 20 by theconveyor 14 and being operable to successively slit, strip, stagger cut. and attach various types of terminals to both ends 16 of each cord length 15: and mechanism for finally removing the finished conductors at an unloadingstation 21 and for depositing them into areceiver 22 adapted to be unloaded during normal operation of the machine (FIGS. 1b and 3b).

Thecarriers 20, are secured to the endless chain of theconveyor 14 equidistant apart and are adapted to engage fixed parallel guide bars 25, 25' secured to asturdy channel beam 24 firmly attached withspacers 23 to a main table frame supported on legs 26 (see FIGS. la to 3 and 16). Theconveyor 14 is intermittently operable from an upper drive box 33 (FIGS. 2, 12 and 13) mounted onspacers 36 carried by theframe 30. and is adapted to be driven by ashaft 27 and intermcshing gears 28 which are indexed by aGeneva drive 31, this shaft being locked during the dwell period by a cam actuated lockingelement 29. TheGeneva drive 31 is driven from amain indexing shaft 32 journalled in thedrive box 33 and which shaft in turn is driven byreduction gears 34, 35 and by a timing belt drive through amain drive shaft 41 and another belt drive 42 from an electric motor 43 (FIGS. 2 and 3a).

Thedrive shaft 41 is journalled in a lower drive box also carried by the table 30, and provides a variable speed friction drive for the cord feeding device 10 (FIGS. 3a and l4), throughbevel gears 51, adrive shaft 52. a drivingfriction disc 53 coatcing through a friction roller with a friction disc 54 mounted on adrive shaft 60. which shaft also carries a one-way clutch gear 61. Theroller 55 is axially adjustable by means of a freely mountedpositioning bar 56 movable by ascrew 57 adapted to be rotated by ahand wheel 58 through a chain drive 58', and the axial static friction pressure required is exerted by set screw 62 pressing through the flat spring 63 on the thrust andradial bearing 64. The one-way clutch 61 is adapted to drive a pair of intermeshing gears 70. 71 (FIGS. 2 and 14) which are drivingly con nected throughuniversal joints 73 and driveshafts 75 with a pair of pinch rollers journalled inlevers 81 fulcrumed onpivots 82 in abracket 83 which is suspended from the channel bar 24 (FIGS. 4, S, 6, 7, 9, and 10].

The pinchroller supporting levers 81 are movable toward and away from each other by connecting rods attached to geared levers 91 operable by acompression spring 92 attached to thechannel bar 24 and which coacts with another connecting rod 93 attached to one of the levers 91 and to a bell crank 94 swingable about a fulcrum 95 carried by abracket 96 on the channel bar 24 (FIG. 10). Thebell crank 94 is provided with a roller adapted to be engaged by acam lug 101 on acam 102 mounted upon theshaft 32 to momentarily separate the spring loadedpinch rollers 80 equidistant from the opposite sides of theribbon cord 9 through the linkage just described. and an attendant may also adjust the feeding length of thecord stock 9 by manipulating thehand wheel 58 while the machine is operating.

Each of theU-shaped carriers 19, 20 and 20 which are attached to theendless chain conveyor 14 comprises aleader clamp 103 adapted to engage the leading end of a cord length and atrailer clamp 104 adapted to engage the trailing end of the same looped cord length after same has been severed from thecord stock 9. and to firmly hold and carry these two ends in juxtaposition (FIGS. lb. 16 and 17). The two clamps 103. 104 are interconnected by aframe 105 forming two separate parallel guideways which engage theguide bar 25. and are rigidly united by a central part to which a short guide block 111 adapted to engage theother guide bar 25 is attached.

Each of the carrier clamps 103, 104 is provided with afixed anvil 112 and a slidingjaw 113 which is normally retained in open position by aspring 114 and is confined in aguide slot 121 by acover plate 122. The end of theslide jaw 113 nearest to the conveyor chain is provided with a notch within which alocking wedge 123 is sli-dably engaged and tends to move outwardly under the influence of aspring 124 coacting with across bar 125, but the wedge is prevented from mov 1) ing until theend 116 of thejaw 113 is pressed down upon theyielding cord 115 whereupon thejaw 113 will be locked into that position by the wedge. The cord will thus remain clamped as compressed in the leadingjaw 103 until the carrier arrives at the unloadingstation 21 whereupon the locking wedge is pushed back and thejaw 113 is released by itsspring 114, as will be later described.

Whenever the indexing and transportingconveyor 14 has indexed the advancingcarrier 19 with a cable end 16' of aloop 15 which is carried across the pathway ofconveyor 14 from thesupply reel 8 through adrag block 285 and between the pinch rollers by thegripper 231, said conveyor also advances the second carrier 20' to a dwelling period in a first loading position for loading itsleading clamp 103. Said clamp with itsopen jaws 112, 113 has just received a median portion of thecord 9 as will be described later. Theupper end 116 of thisjaw 113 will then be depressed by the spring loaded plunger to clamp and lock said cord 9 (FIG. 17), and said cord will be severed by the severer 13. Said spring loadedplunger 130 is mounted on alever 131 secured to anoperating shaft 132 journalled in a bracket 132' carried by the channel 24 (FIGS. 1a, 8, 9, and 10). The other end of. this shaft is secured to alever 133 connected by adrag link 134 to the upper end of a cam lever 135, the opposite end of which carries a roller adapted to engage acam 136 and biased toward this cam by aspring 137. When thecord 9 has been severed, the end carried by thegripper 231 becomes the trailingend 16 of thenew cord 15, and thisend 16 is turned around and inserted into the trailingclamp 104 to bring these cord ends into flat juxtaposition as will be described later. Theend 116 of the clampingjaw 113 of theclamp 104 is operated in a similar manner by a spring pressedplunger 140, alever 141, ashaft 142, alever 143, and adrag link 144 through a cam lever 145 which is engageable with a earn 146 and is biased toward the latter by a spring 147 (FIGS. 3a, 10 and 16).

In order to insure that thecord 9 will be properly transferred from the cordstock transfer mechanism 12 and delivered to theleading clamp 103, acable support 150 having ahook 151 for lifting thecord 9 carried by thegripper 231 slightly above theanvil 112 of the approachingclamp 103 is provided, and this hook also provides proper lateral or side location of said cord. Thiscable support 150 is adapted to swing in timed relation as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 15, and is operable by amultiple linkage 152 mounted on theframe 30 which is actuated by anoscillatory shaft 153 cooperating through a spring biased pinion andrack 154 and withcam lever 156 with a cam carried by the shaft 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3a).

Thecable cutting device 13 is also supported on theframe 30 and comprises alower knife 160 mounted on a bell crank pivoted on a shaft 161, an upper knife 162 mounted upon another bell crank attached to and swingable by ashaft 163, a spring 164 for urging theknives 160, 162 toward each other like a pair of shears, and a pair oflinks 165 connecting both knives with a slidable rod 166 (FIGS. la, 2 and 3a). Therod 166 is urged in one direction by a compression spring 167 to normally maintain theknives 160, 162 in open position, and this rod coacts throughlinkage 168 and alever 169 fulcrumed on a shaft 171 with a cam carried by thecam shaft 32.

The conveyor loading device (FIGS. 4 to 11) is confined within ahousing 175 having inverted U-shaped cross section and which is firmly secured to thechannel bar 24. Tworeciprocable racks 176, 176' are disposed within thishousing 175 but have their supportingbearings 177, 178 mounted externally of the housing, and these racks support agrooved bar 179 which is adapted to engage a roller 180. Theracks 176 are reciprocable by pinions 181 secured to adrive shaft 182 journalled in thebearings 177, and theshaft 182 has acrank 183 attached thereto and which is operable by alink 184 connected to a cam actuatedlever 185 fulcrumed on ashaft 186 and which is adapted to be actuated by a cam groove formed in one side of a rotary cam 187 (FIGS. 2 and 3a). The opposite side of thecam 187 is provided with another cam groove which coacts with acam lever 192 also fulcrumed on theshaft 186 and which is connected by alink 193 with arocker arm 194 secured to the upper end of anupright shaft 195 journalled in abearing block 196 mounted upon thehousing 175. Thisshaft 195 has anotherrocker arm 197 with acontact surface 198 and is connected by alink 199 to another similar rocker arm 197' on an upright shaft 195' with a contact surface 198' (see FIGS. 4 to 7), the function of which will be later described.

The lower portion of thehousing 175 is provided with aguideway 205 and with gibs 206 (FIG. 10) adapted to cooperate with a reciprocable hollow frame shuttle 207 (FIGS. 8 and 9) which is operable by alink 208 connected to an end of a lever 209 (FIGS. 3a and 5 to 7). Thislever 209 has its opposite end welded to one end of apivot bar 210 and is also firmly connected thereto by a brace 21]. and this assemblage is mounted on apivot pin 212 which projects at both ends through a stand 213 mounted upon theframe 30. The other end of thebar 210 is connected by alink 214 to a rockerarm comprising plates 215 and ahub 216, and these plates carry rollers 217 adapted to coact with amaster cam 218 and aconjugate cam 219 mounted on the cam and indexing shaft 32 (FIG. 2).

The opposite end of the shuttle 207 (FIGS. 4 to 8) is closed at the top and bottom and houses ashuttle arm 227, the medial portion of which passes through the hollow shuttle and is pivoted on apin 229. The outer end of theshuttle arm 227 is bifurcated and carries acord gripper 231 which is mounted for oscillation with an attachedpinion 232 on apin 233 carried by themember 230. The inner end of theshuttle arm 227 extends into thehollow shuttle 207 and carries a roller. the roller 180 coacting with thegrooved bar 179. Thecord gripper 231 together with itspinion 232 is movable betweenstops 240, 241, on theshuttle arm 227 of theshuttle 207, and thepinion 232 is rotatable by means of arack 242 slidable along agrooved backing plate 243, and the end of therack 242 remote from theplate 243 is supported and guided by abracket 244 mounted on theshuttle arm 227. A spring loadedplunger 245 is also mounted on thearm 227 between thepivot 229 and the roller 180 and coacts with anabutment 246 on therack 242 to alternately force thegripper 231 against thestops 240, 241 while this rack is being reciprocated by a dependingpin 247 on the end ofrack 242 contacting with thesurfaces 198. 198' during reciprocation of theshuttle 207 by a drag link 208 (FIGS. 5 and 8).

Thecord stock gripper 231 comprises abody 252 having agibbed guideway 253 coacting with agripping slide 254 having a forked clampingfoot 255 cooperating with a similarly forkedplate 256 permanently attached to the body 252 (FIGS. 8. 9. and 11). The gripper is formed to straddle the path of advancement of the trailing clamps 104 of thecarriers 20 secured to theconveyor 14. and theslide 254 projects upwardly within theguideway 253 and is adapted to be engaged to actuate thegripping foot 255 by means of aslide 257 slidably mounted in aplate 258 secured to thehousing 175. Theslide 257 engages theslide 254 so as to impart gripping pressure to thefoot 255 against thecord stock 9, and theslide 257 is opera bly by a plunger 2S9 coactinvg with astrong spring 267 adjustable by means of ascrew 260. Theplunger 259 is mounted in a bell crank 261 which is pivoted inblocks 262 mounted on thehousing 175 and is operable by adrag link 263 from acam lever 2 64 cooperating with a cam lug 26S, and this linkage is biased against the cam

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