MULTIPLE STATION TURRET WINDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WINDING WIRE ONTO REELS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for continuously and successively winding an elongated flexible member onto spools. In particular, the invention relates to a multiple station rotating turret for winding wire onto spools, reels, or the like.

Background Art

Wire winding machines for continuously and successively winding wire about reels or spools are known in the art. Such devices are standard equipment for storing and delivering wire and depending upon their size, they are referred to as either "spools" or "reels". For example, spools are generally sized about 6-10 inches in diameter and above this size they are normally referred to as "reels". Both reels and spools are contemplated herein. However, for convenience of illustration, they will generally be referred to herein as "reels".

In general, the wire and the reel are separately supplied to the machine and the winding is accomplished by the machine after which the fully wound reel is removed at the output of the machine. Some machines provide a pair of winders so that when one reel is fully wound the wire may be cut and transferred to an adjacent reel for winding. During the winding process of a given reel, the fully wound reel is discharged automatically or manually and an empty reel is supplied for winding. The cycle is continuously and sequentially repeated.

Wire winding machines of the type described usually operate at extremely high speeds and subject the components to substantial stresses and substantial resulting

wear. In particular, the objective of fully winding a plurality of reels with industrial wire with minimum loss of time between reels will necessarily involve substantial load factors due particularly to the repeated action and changes of direction of the components during the loading, winding,

_ transfer and unloading processes.

In a typical machine, empty reels are normally supplied to the machine and positioned and grasped for wire winding. After the wire winding has been completed, the reels are sequentially released and discharged from the machine. In some cases, the fully wound reels are discharged automatically by the output section of the machine. In other cases, the fully wound reels are removed by an operator.

One example of a continuous wire winding machine is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,637,564. This patent relates to a dual reel continuous wire winding machine with a robotic reel loading mechanism. The continuous wire winding machine has a pair of flanges connected by a central core and a conveyor for supplying empty reels to and removing wound reels from the machine. Two pairs of arbors are provided for gripping and rotating the reels for winding wire thereabout. One of each of the pairs of arbors is driven. A transfer mechanism is provided for transferring empty reels from 'the conveyor and fully wound reels to the conveyor and includes a pair of robotic arm assemblies. A shaft is provided to mount each robotic arm assembly for oscillation through an arc of 180'. A first gripper is provided for grasping an empty reel at one end of the assembly and a second gripper is provided for grabbing the wound reel at the other end of the assembly. Driving means mounts the grippers for moving them between an outwardly extending position and an inwardly retracted position relative to the assembly and the shaft.

Other examples of such machines are known in the art for winding wire onto reels on a regular basis. None of these devices, however, are capable of providing wound reels of wire at speeds which meet commercial high speed requirements. I have invented an apparatus and method whereby high speed winding is achieved by dividing each reel winding operation into separate steps on a rotating turret mechanism which divides the high speed reel loading and winding process into convenient stations.

Summary of the Invention

A power driven rotary apparatus is disclosed for winding wire onto reels which comprises power driven turret means having at least two stations, each adapted for receiving and supporting a reel about which wire is to be wound, means for mounting and positioning a reel at a first station corresponding to a predetermined rotational position of the turret means, and means for rotating the turret means such that the reel is moved at least to a second station. Means is provided for directing wire to be wound adjacent the reel when it is located at the second station, means for rotating the reel at the second station in a direction adapted for winding the wire thereabout, means for stopping rotation of the reel after a predetermined amount of wire is wound thereabout, and means for removal of the completely wound reel from the turret member. The apparatus is adapted for sequential mounting of reels onto the turret means for winding wire thereabout to provide a substantially continuous and sequential wire winding procedure. The turret means has a generally circular configuration and is mounted for rotation. The turret means preferably includes at least four stations, a reel loading position, a wire winding position, a wire winding and completion position and a completed reel unloading position, each station being

associated with a rotational position of the turret member. The reel loading station is at the three o'clock position as viewed from the front of the turret means, and the first wire winding position is at the twelve o'clock position. The second wire winding and completion position is at the nine o'clock position, and the completed wire winding and discharge position is at the six o'clock position.

The apparatus further comprises means for rotating the reel or spool at the wire winding stations in the form of a motor driven pulley and belt system arranged to selectively rotate each reel selective locations corresponding to positions of the turret member for winding the reeling stock around the reels or spools. The motor driven pulley and belt system comprises at least two power driven motors, each adapted to drive a separate system of pulleys and pulley driving belts. Each position on the turret member for receiving a take-up reel or spool has a rotatable shaft respectively connected to at least two pulleys, and one of each the set of pulleys is adapted to be rotated by engagement of a pulley belt at a predetermined station corresponding to a turret member position. Each pulley belt is positioned for respective engagement by a pulley when the turret member is located at one of a plurality of stations.

The apparatus preferably includes a turret member which has a circular configuration and is adapted to be rotated counterclockwise to a plurality of stations corresponding respectively to three o'clock, twelve o'clock, nine o'clock and six o'clock positions as viewed from the front of the turret member.

Automatic robotic and conveyor means are provided to deliver empty reels or spools to the turret member.

Automatic robotic and conveyor means are provided to remove fully wound reels or spools from the turret member.

A method is disclosed for winding wire onto reels which comprises rotating a power driven turret member having at least two stations, each adapted for receiving and supporting a reel about which wire is to be wound, positioning a reel at a first station corresponding to a predetermined rotational position of the turret means, rotating the turret means at least to a second station, directing wire to be wound adjacent the reel when it is located at the second station, rotating the reel at the second station in a direction adapted for winding the wire thereabout, stopping rotation of the reel after a predetermined amount of wire is wound thereabout, removing the completely wound reel from the turret member, and sequentially mounting the reels onto the turret means for winding wire thereabout to provide a substantially continuous and sequential wire winding procedure. The method for winding flexible reeling stock onto take-up reels preferably comprises rotating a turret member having a plurality of stations, a three o'clock station, a twelve o'clock station, a nine o'clock station, and a six o'clock station.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of my invention illustrating the housing and the turret winding mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing a finished reel at the six o'clock position and a reel on which winding is about to begin at the twelve o'clock position;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating the internal mechanism of the apparatus constructed according to the invention, including the loading conveyor and unloading conveyor;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the multi-belt pulley drive system constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view from above of the pulley drive system of the multi-belt drive system for alternately and sequentially rotating reels for winding wire thereabout;

FIG. 6 is a front schematic view of the robotic loading system and the turret winding and wire feeding supply system;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the snagger disc arranged to mount reels about which wire is to be wound;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the disc shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view of the pulley arrangement illustrating the drive connectors for driving the snagger disc;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9 illustrating one of the double-sided, multi-toothed drive belts of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the robotic arm utilized for loading reels;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the robotic arm shown in FIG. ll;- ,

FIG. 13 is a view taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 1 illustrating a wire cutting knife shown in the home position and shown in phantom in the cutting position; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of the reel take-off robotic arm constructed according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 according to the invention is illustrated. Housing 12 supports the entire mechanism and includes rotating turret 14 which rotates in the counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow. The turret has four positions which rotate in a full circle. Each reel-mount location sequentially assumes the positions as shown, namely, three o'clock, twelve o'clock, nine o'clock and six o'clock as viewed in FIG. 1. At the three o'clock position, a reel is positioned on the turret and does not begin receiving wire until it arrives at the twelve o'clock position where approximately 70-80 percent of the full predetermined amount of wire is wound onto the reel. The remainder of the wire is wound about the reel when it is at the nine o'clock position. At the end of the cycle - which will be described in further detail hereinbelow - a suitable mechanism 16 is positioned adjacent the nine o'clock position for applying a sealant or glue (with appropriate heat setting) on the loose end of the wire. Thereafter, the reel is rotated to the six o'clock position where it is removed and placed on a conveyor as shown. An empty reel input conveyor and a fully wound reel output conveyor are provided.

Having described the general operational principles of the invention, the following is a more detailed description of the apparatus. The four station turret member includes four shaftless air clamped-snagger assemblies 18 with releasing snagger assemblies 19, actuated off the turret for simplicity as shown in FIG. 8. The snagger assemblies 18 include interchangeable pintles and neoprene drive discs 17 in lieu of a drive pin. There are two motors 20 and 22 (shown clearly in FIG. 2) arranged to drive two separate belt systems which are festooned about the drive system as shown in FIG. 4. The belt systems in

turn, rotate the drive discs and the snagger assemblies in the appropriate sequence. Input conveyor 21 delivers empty reels to the turret member and are automatically positioned by automatically operated "IN-LOAD" gripping robotic arm device 51 shown in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 10, the festooned belt system is illustrated. Front pulley belt 24 has teeth 26 on both sides and rear belt 28 has teeth 30 on both sides. Front belt 24 is driven by lower motor 20 via pulley 21, whereas rear pulley belt 28 is driven by upper motor 22 via pulley 23 as shown. Each belt is festooned such that as turret 14 rotates with reels in position at the three o'clock, six o'clock and nine o'clock positions, the associated drive pulleys located behind the turret will engage the belts as will be seen hereinbelow.

The belts are each festooned over a series of shafts 32, 34, 36, 38 respectively attached to pulley systems 40, 42, 44 and 46 as shown in FIG. 5. There are two pulleys at each location, with one pulley fixed for rotation with the shaft and the other pulley arranged to freewheel with respect to the shaft and the snagger assembly. For example, assembled pulley system 40 includes pulley 48 fixed to rotate with shaft 32, and pulley 50 arranged to freewheel with respect to the shaft 32. Each next position includes pulleys which are secured oppositely to the respective shafts as compared to the next adjacent shaft. Thus, pulleys 50, 52, 58 and 60 are bearing mounted on their respective shafts as shown, and pulleys 48, 54, 56 and 62 are fixed to rotate with their respective shafts by keys as shown.

According to this arrangement, when the turret is rotated counterclockwise as in FIG. 1 such that pulley system 44 is at the twelve o'clock position the rear pulley belt 28 rotates the shaft via pulley 56 while the front pulley belt 24 freewheels via pulley 58 with respect to

shaft 36. Thus, when the turret indexes to the next position with pulley assembly 46 at the twelve o'clock position the front pulley belt 24 drives shaft 38 through pulley 62 and the rear pulley belt 28 freewheels via pulley 60.

As the turret 14 rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1, each reel-mount location stops successively at stations three o'clock, twelve o'clock, nine o'clock and six o'clock as viewed in this FIG. The turret rotates incrementally in 90 degree movements at the three o'clock position for the reel loading position whereby pneumatic robotic assembly 50 is provided with a reel 52 as shown. The robotic assembly automatically advances to the left of FIG. 1 so as to position the reel 52 on the pintle 56 at the three o'clock position of the turret. At this time, the reel positioned at the three o'clock position is empty and the reel positioned at the twelve o'clock position has been accelerated and brought up to rotational speed and is now winding. Meanwhile, the reel which has moved to the nine o'clock position has completed its winding sequence. In fact, during the time that the reel from the three o'clock position is rotated with the turret to the twelve o'clock position, the reel which has moved to the nine o'clock position - from the twelve o'clock position - is completing its winding process. At the end of this winding, the finger/cutter assembly 64 will be automatically sequenced to rotate toward the path of the wire shown in FIG. 13 to thereby push the wire into the path of the snagger of the empty reel located at the twelve o'clock position. Meanwhile, the reel at the twelve o'clock position which has been rotating, then causes the wire to be pulled downwardly into the path of knife 66 so as to thereby cut the wire. Simultaneously with this action, the remaining wire now begins to be wound about the next reel at the twelve o'clock position. Once the wire is transferred by this sequence of

operations, the next winding sequence is started on the reel now located at the twelve o'clock position.

The belt driven pulley accelerates to speed until the core of the reel has the same velocity as the wire 11 which is fed by guide sheaves 60 and 62 shown in Figs. 1 and 6. As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 6, the wire leaving the guide sheaves 60 and 62 is directed to the reel at the twelve o'clock position. Thus, the wire winding process takes place at the twelve o'clock position as the reel is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1. When a predetermined length of wire has been wound about the reel at the twelve o'clock position (i.e. 70-80 percent) , the turret is indexed 90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction so that the reel previously at the twelve o'clock position is now located at the nine o'clock position and is rotated by the action between belt 28, pulley 56 and shaft 36. At this location, the reel is almost completely wound except for the remaining 20-30 percent wire which is then wound onto the reel. Thus, at this location, the winding process is essentially completed.

When the full amount of a predetermined length of wire is wound about the reel at the nine o'clock position, a finger and knife assembly 64 - shown in FIGS. 1 and 13 - rotate such that the knife 66 engages the wire, at the same time pushing it into the path of the empty reel snagger which has just moved to the twelve o'clock position from the three o'clock position. At this location, the reel is accelerated to line speed which is leaving the supply barrel (not shown). The wire, when snagged by the snagger 19, delivers a small amount with the hook where it is cut by the knife 66 when the cutter assembly 64 is rotated to the position shown at the left hand side of FIG. 13. A shock absorber 68 forms part of the knife assembly 64 to dampen the end movement of the knife. After the wire is transferred by the hooking and cutting process thus

described, the new reel positioned at twelve o'clock is now dancer controlled and the traverse is now synchronized with the new reel while the full reel at the nine o'clock position is now "ramped" down.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, after the wire cutting operation takes place and the fully wound reel is at the nine o'clock position, a suitable adhesive is dispensed from dispenser 16 onto the free end of the wire. Thereafter, the adhesive is permitted to cure preferably by a suitable curing apparatus such as an ultra-violet light system shown schematically at 17, or alternative curing devices such as a heat gun or infra-red lamp. The final fully wound reel will then be delivered to the end user in the form of a compact wound reel. Alternative wire securing means may be utilized as by wrapping the wound reel with plastic wrap, cellophane, etc., not shown in the drawings.

The next time an empty reel is loaded into the twelve o'clock position preparatory to cutover, the full reel with secured end is moved to turret position six o'clock where "OUT-LOAD" robotic apparatus assembly 72 grasps the full reel with grippers 74 and 76 as shown. When the reel is at the six o'clock position both snagger hooks 19 are automatically opened to free the wire for removal of the fully wound reel. The reel clamp will withdraw with the reel and the out load robot 72 will move away from its snagger and its reel approximately one inch to clear the pintle. Thereafter, it will rotate counterclockwise to a point just above the outfeed conveyor 78 (shown in FIG. 3) where the grasp on the reel is released.

The process described is a continuing and sequential process and all that is required is an adequate supply of empty reels and wire to be wound about the empty reels. In essence, the empty reels are loaded onto the turret at the three o'clock position and they are 70-80 percent wound with wire when at the twelve o'clock position.

Thereafter, the remaining amount of wire is wound when the reel is at the nine o'clock position, the completion of which automatically actuates the finger and knife assembly to cut the wire. The turret is further indexed so that the

5 fully wound reel moves counterclockwise to the six o'clock position for unloading by the pneumatically controlled robot

72. Although the processing is essentially described with respect to a single reel, the process is actually continuous and sequential and requires that a reel is positioned at

₁₀ each of the respective clock positions mentioned wherein the appropriate procedure thus described will take place.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the in-load conveyor / _j -J system and the out-load conveyor system will now be _rr < ,C described. „_-ΛtT ^' the in-load conveyor 21 shown in FIG. 3

₁₅ delivers empty reels to the turret 14 at the loading station^ t "The automatic robotic gripping FIGS. 1, 6, 11 and 12 is automatically ac ua e in nown manner such that gripper arms 53 are _Λ . separated to grip the reel at its hub. The robotic arm__&-θ— 4 _[ thereafter translates to the left of FIG. 1 to deliver the

20 reel to the three o'clock position to the turret. In the case of the output conveyor shown in FIG. 3, the robotic arm 72 is automatically positioned adjacent the fully wound reel at the six o'clock position. The grippers 74 and 76 are

25 separated and thereafter actuated to grip the fully wound reel. Thereafter., the robotic arm is rotated downwardly counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1 to deliver the fully wound reel to the output conveyor 78.

The significant speeds by which such wire winding devices must operate make it somewhat difficult for

30 providing continuous and sequential loading, winding, transferring and unloading of such reels of wire. In particular, the process is somewhat delayed by the respective loading and the unloading of the empty and fully

35 wound reels. -The present invention is directed toward

improving this procedure by providing a sequential and continuous loading, winding, and unloading process by dividing the individual steps into various and sequential procedural steps which may readily be performed on a circular rotating turret mechanism as shown and described. By dividing the steps in such manner on such rotating turret mechanism the reels are readily processes for winding with minimum interference between the various steps of the processes and with resultant minimum direction changes among the components of the apparatus. Thus, the apparatus of my invention provides a high speed reel winding procedure while subjecting the components to minimum wear.