WO1998003726A1

WO1998003726A1 - Improved machine for fabricating steel wire ropes and interchangeable wire spool carrying module for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine

Info

Publication number: WO1998003726A1
Application number: PCT/BR1997/000037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Georges Efstahios Papadopoulos
Original assignee: Georges Efstahios Papadopoulos
Priority date: 1996-07-17
Filing date: 1997-07-15
Publication date: 1998-01-29
Also published as: BR9603111A; AU3843497A

Abstract

The present invention is related to an improved steel wire rope fabricating machine, and to an interchangeable wire spool module intended for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine. The machine according to the present invention is capable of fabricating in a single operation steel wire ropes for plural applications, of various sizes and types, having cores of different materials such as steel, hemp, synthetic fibers, etc., and is a compact machine, not requiring much space, is relatively lightweight and affords high throughput. Therefore, the present invention provides a steel wire rope fabricating machine comprising at least a wire spool carrying module formed by at least two mutually parallel discs (8, 7), one forward disc (8) and one rear disc (7), mounted in cooperation around the same central shaft (30), the discs (8, 7) providing support to a plurality of rotor shafts (38) being parallel to one another and to the central shaft (30), around which they translate, uniformly relatively to each other proximate to the edge of each disc (8, 7) on which rotor shafts there freely rotate a plurality of wire or filament spools (35) for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands, there also being included a steel wire rope strand core feeding assembly (40, 41) mounted in cooperation at the forward end of each rotor shaft (38), a set of gears (5, 9, 39) to cause the shafts (38) to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the central shaft (30) in a rotation compatible with the desired pitch for the strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts (38) around the central shaft (30), and coupled to said rear disc (7), a deforming assembly (32) capable of relieving the stresses caused by winding of the various wires upon forming the wire rope strand.

Description

"IMPROVED MACHINE FOR FABRICATING STEEL WIRE ROPES AND INTERCHANGEABLE WIRE SPOOL CARRYING MODULE FOR USE IN A STEEL WIRE ROPE FABRICATING MACHINE"

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved steel wire rope fabricating machine, and to an interchangeable wire spool module for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine.

The machine according to the present invention is capable of fabricating in one single operation steel wire ropes for a multiplicity of applications, of several sizes and types, having cores of different materials such as steel, hemp, synthetic fibers and the like, and is compact, not encumbering, relatively lightweight and allows for high throughput.

Background of the Invention Machines for fabricating steel wire ropes have been known for a long while, and are generally bulky and heavy machines, requiring a complex structure in order to be operated.

In Brazilian patent application BR PI9103278-4, filed July 31, 1991 and published February 24, 1993, there is disclosed a compact machine for the fabrication of steel wire rope. However, such machine does not provide fabrication of all types of steel wire ropes, besides having some constraints in terms of production rate .

Brazilian patent BR PI8702697-0, granted November 24, 1992, discloses a method and apparatus for producing a steel wire rope. This patent relates to the construction of a steel wire rope suited for reinforcing elastomeric articles, such as rubber tires. The apparatus of patent BR PI8702697 is restricted to the fabrication of special wire rope intended for use in tires, and is entirely different from the machine of the present invention.

There is also known the steel wire rope fabricating machine as described in Brazilian patent application BR PI9503069-7, which comprises an in-line system including: a wire spool for the core of the wire rope to be fabricated; at least one module of wire spools which will constitute the strands or wires of the rope to be fabricated, which spools are mounted on a hollow shaft, within which the wire rope core passes; a perforated plate positioned after the wire spool module to provide the winding of the wires in each spool around the core of the cable to be fabricated; a deforming assembly capable of relieving the stresses arising from the winding of the several wires when the wire rope strand is being formed; a set of controlling gears and controlling discs to draw the core and the formed rope in controlled fashion in accordance with the desired pitch; and a wire spool for storage of the formed cable. Although being of a more complex and sturdy construction, and of the universal type since it allows for the provision of steel wire ropes of all types and sizes as well as providing high throughput, the machine of patent application BR

PI9503069-7 additionally requires that the wire rope be fabricated in two operations, where the strands are fabricated in a first operation and the wire rope is fabricated in a second operation.

In order to obviate such disadvantage of the invention described in patent application BR PI9503069-7, the present invention has been developed and constitutes an improvement of the former since it allows for fabrication of the steel wire rope in one single operation.

Brief Description of the Invention

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved steel wire rope fabricating machine, which is characterized by the fact of comprising a spool carrying module which is easily replaced and allows for the fabrication of the steel wire ropes in one single operation.

It is also an objective of the present invention to provide an interchangeable wire rope spool carrying module for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine, characterized by the fact that it is comprised by at least two mutually parallel discs, one forward disc and one rear disc, mounted in cooperation around the same central shaft, the discs providing support for a plurality of rotor shafts parallel to each other and to the central shaft, around which the same are translated, fixed uniformly with each other proximate to the outer edge of each disc, on which rotor shafts there freely rotate a plurality of wire or filament spools for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands, there also being included a feed assembly for supplying the core of a steel wire rope strand mounted in cooperation at the front end of each rotor shaft, a set of gears to effect movement of the shafts in the direction opposite to the rotation of the central shaft in a rotation being compatible with the desired pitch of the steel wire rope strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts around the central shaft, and, fixed to the cited rear disc, a deforming assembly capable of relieving the stresses arising from the winding of the several wires when the wire rope strand is formed.

Further characteristics of the invention will be apparent from the description to follow, the same being merely illustrative .

Description of the Drawings The present invention will be better understood by means of the description made based on the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top view of the steel rope wire fabricating machine in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a separate top view of the interchangeable wire spool carrying module for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a separate view of a rotor assembly comprising the rotor shaft, filament spools for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands and steel wire rope strand core feeding spool, used in the wire spool carrying module shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a view as seen from plan A of Figure 1, of one of the forward and rear discs of the wire spool carrying module and the assembly of the rotor assembly shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view taken from plan B of Figure 1, of one of the wire spool carrying module intermediate discs and the assembly of the rotor assembly shown in Figure 3.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

As may be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the present invention provides a steel wire rope fabricating machine comprising a wire spool carrying module formed by at least two discs parallel to each other, a forward disc 8 and a rear disc 7, mounted in cooperation around a common central shaft 30 rotating on bearings

4 and 29, there also preferably being at least one intermediate disc 37 between discs 8 and 7, wherein discs 8, 37 and 7 provide a means of support for a plurality of rotor assemblies 6 including rotor shafts 38 parallel to each other and to the central shaft 30, around which they translate, fixed in uniform manner between each other proximate to the outer edge of each disc 8, 37 and 7, on which rotor shafts 38 there freely rotate a plurality of wire or filament spools 35 for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands, there also being included a steel wire rope strand core feeding assembly 40 and 41 mounted in cooperation at the front end of each rotor shaft 38, a set of gears 5, 9 and 39 to effect rotation of the rotor shafts 38 in the direction opposite to the rotation of the central shaft 30 in a rotation compatible with the desired pitch for the steel wire rope strands during the movement of translation of the rotor shafts 38 around the central shaft 30, and fixed to the cited rear disc 7, a deforming assembly 32, provided with sheaves 42, capable of relieving the stresses arising from the winding of the several wires when forming the rope strands. As can be better seen in Figure 2, the forward disc 8 and rear disc 7 which are provided at the ends of the wire spool carrying module are formed by a forward driving disc 8 and a rear deformers disc 7. As previously noted, further to both forward end disc 8 and rear end disc 7, in fixed cooperation with centre.! shaft 30, there is also included at least one intermediate disc 37, also in fixed cooperation with central shaft 37, to assist in supporting the plurality of rotor shafts 38. Preferably, as shown in the illustrated arrangement, there are provided three intermediate discs 37 in the wire spool carrying module. As may best be seen in Figures 2 and 4, the set of gears 5, 9, 39 comprise a central gear 5 fixed to a bearing 4 which supports the central shaft 30, a plurality of intermediate gears 9 fixed to the driving disc 8, and a plurality of rotor gears 39 fixed on each of the rotor shafts 38, the relationship between the gears causing the rotor shafts 38 to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the central shaft 30 in a rotation being compatible with the desired pitch of the steel wire rope strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts 38 around the central shaft 30. Figure 4, although only the forward disc 8 is shown therein, also illustrates the construction of the rear disc 7. The same comprise a disc-shaped central portion having at the outer edge thereof regularly spaced semi-circular indentations that act as supports for the rotor shafts 38, and several circular trapezoidal segments 48, having semi-circular indentations which serve to support the rotor shafts 38, which are held over the central disc-shaped portion, such as to form the said forward disc 8 and rear disc 7.

The rotor shafts 38, which are shown in detail in Figure 3, of the rotor assembly 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2, are mounted in the circular openings formed by said semi-circular indentations provided in discs 8 and 7, by means of support bearings 45. Such shafts 38 are hollow in order to allow the core of the steel wire ropes to pass therein and support in the intermediate portion thereof a plurality of wire or filament spools 35, six in the case being illustrated, for the fabrication of the steel wire rope strands, which rotate freely over the shafts 38, being separated by spacer discs 46 in fixed cooperation with the shafts 38, there being located proximate to the rear end of the shaft 38 a wire guide disc 47 also in cooperation with the shaft 38, and mounted on the forward end thereof, the steel wire rope core feed assembly 40 and 41. There is also provided between the wire guide disc 47 and the rear end of the shaft 38 a central shoe 33 which forms the wire rope strands. The wire or filament spools 35 for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands are twisted by drawing of their wires through the openings provided in the spacer discs 46 proximate to the outer edges thereof.

As shown in Figure 3, the separating discs 46 and the wire guide disc 47 are provided with openings for the passage of the wire or filament provided from the spools 35 and brakes 36 for the said spools. The steel wire rope strand core feed assembly 40 and 41, in fixed cooperation with the rotor shaft 38, comprises a strand core spool 40 and a bracket or base 41 for the same.

Figure 5 shows the construction of the intermediate discs 37 and the assembly thereon of the rotor assemblies (shown in detail in Figure 2) . The intermediate discs 37 are mounted on the central shaft 30 by means of bearings 59, and may alternatively be provided to cooperate with the central shaft 30. The discs 37 are provided in the outer edges thereof with several circular sectors with semi-circular edges whereupon after assembly there shall rotate the separating discs 46 or the guide disc 47, borne on bearings attached to the bodies of the discs such that their outer edges be tangential to the outer edge of discs 46 and 47. Upon assembling the rotor assemblies 6 to the intermediate discs 37 the same are held in position by parts 56, which outer edge completes the circular outer edge of discs 37 and the inner portion thereof having a semi-circular shape, forming together with the several circular sectors having semi-circular edges of the bodies of discs 37 a complete circle within which the spacer discs 46 and the guide disc 47 will rotate. Said parts 56 are also provided at the semi -circular portions thereof with bearings 57 attached such that their outer edges be made tangential with the outer edges of discs 46 and 47. Parts 56 are attached or fastened to the bodies of discs 37 by means of tie rods 58. As has already been mentioned, the spacer discs 46 are mounted in cooperation with the rotor shafts 38 and the spools 35 rotate freely on the shafts 38 mounted on bearings 55.

Operation of the machine according to the present invention is effected by driving the central shaft 30 which will rotate discs 8 and 7 in cooperation therewith, which shall in turn translate the rotor shafts 38 around the central shaft 3D. Thus, the gears 39 coupled to the forward end of the rotor shafts 38, when engaging the intermediate gears 9 coupled to the forward driving disc 8, and these latter when engaging gear 5 coupled to bearing 4, cause the rotors 6 to rotate on their own shaft in the opposite direction to the rotation of central shaft 20 , thus allowing the fabrication of the steel wire rope strands and the simultaneous closing of the wire rope, since upon the strands having been twisted, upon leaving the rotor shoes, the same pass through the deforming devices 32 which converge to the central shoe

33 which in turn will close the wire rope which will proceed to another deforming device further along, and further proceeding as in the former machine.

When the wires or filaments of the spools for the strands and for the core are spent, it will suffice to substitute the wire spool carrying module being used with a new one, with full spools, welding or not the new wires to the preceding ones. Such a system for use of those wire spool carrying modules, referred to as a "synchronous system" , allows the fabrication of the complete steel wire rope in one sole operation of the machine, providing significant timesaving and large production gain.

The present invention has been described in ore of the embodiments thereof by way of example, whereas its aim is to cover the entire scope as characterized in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Improved steel wire rope fabricating machine, for the fabrication of steel wire ropes in one single operation, characterized by comprising a wire spool carrying module formed by at least two mutually parallel discs (8, 7), one forward disc (8) and one rear disc (7), mounted in cooperation around a common central shaft (30), the discs (8, 7) being provided to support a plurality of rotor shafts (38) being parallel to one another and to the central shaft (30), around which they translate, in fixed cooperation therebetween proximate to the peripheral region of each disc (8, 7), upon which rotor shafts there freely rotate a plurality of wire or filament spools (35) for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands, there additionally being a steel wire rope strand core feed assembly (40, 41) mounted in cooperation at the forward end of each rotor shaft (38) , a set of gears (5, 9, 39) to effect rotation of the shafts (38) in the direction opposite to the rotation of the central shaft (30) in a rotation being compatible with the desired pitch of the strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts (38) around the central shaft (30) , and, attached to the said rear disc (7) , a deforming assembly (32) capable of withdrawing the stresses arising from winding the several wires when forming the wire rope strand.

2. Machine, as set forth in Claim 1, characterized by said at least two mutually parallel discs (8, 7) being comprised of a forward driving disc (8) and a rear deformers disc (7) .

3. Machine, as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized by the fact that, further to the two mutually parallel discs (8, 7) in fixed cooperation with the central shaft

(30) , there is also provided an intermediate disc (37) for helping to support the plurality of rotor shafts (38) .

4. Machine, as set forth in Claim 3, characterized by the fact that three intermediate discs (37) are provided in the wire spool carrying module.

5. Machine, as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized by the fact that the gear assembly (5, 9, 39) comprises a central gear (5) coupled to a bearing (4) providing support to the central shaft (30) , a plurality of intermediate gears (9) coupled to the forward driving disc (8) , and, a plurality of rotor gears (39) coupled to each rotor shaft (38) , the gears relationship being such that the rotor shafts (38) rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the central shaft (30) in a rotation compatible with the desired pitch for the steel wire rope strands during the translation movement, of the rotor shafts (38) around the central shaft (30) .

6. Interchangeable wire spool carrying module for use in a steel wire rope fabricating machine, characterized .by being formed of at least two mutually parallel discs (8, 7), a forward disc (8) and a rear disc (7), mounted in cooperation around a common central shaft (30), the discs (8, 7) acting to provide support to a plurality of rotor shafts (38) being parallel to each other and to the central shaft (30) , around which they translate, uniformly fixed to each other proximate to the outer edge of each disc (8, 7) , on which rotor shafts there freely rotate a plurality of wire or filament spools (35) for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands, there being additionally provided a steel wire rope strand core feeding assembly (40, 41) mounted in cooperation at the forward end of each rotor shaft (38), a set of gears (5, 9, 39) to effect rotation of the shafts (38) in a direction opposite to the rotation of the central shaft (30) in a rotation being compatible with the desired pitch for the steel wire rope strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts (38) around the central shaft (30), and, attached to said rear disc (7), a deforming assembly (32) capable of relieving the stresses arising from winding the various wires when forming the rope strand. 7. Module, as set forth in Claim 6, characterized by the fact that the at least two mutually parallel discs (8,

7) comprise a forward driving disc (8) and a rear deformers disc (7) .

8. Module, as set forth in any one of Claims 6 or , characterized by the fact that further to the two mutually parallel discs (8, 7) in fixed cooperation with the central shaft (30) , there is additionally provided at least one intermediate disc (37) to help in providing support to the plurality of rotor shafts (38) .

9. Module, as set forth in Claim 8, characterized by the fact that there are provided three intermediate discs (37) in the wire spool carrying module.

10. Module, as set forth in any one of Claims 6 to 9 , characterized by the fact that the gear set (5, 9, 39) comprises a central gear (5) coupled to a bearing (4) which supports the central shaft (30), a plurality of intermediate gears (9) coupled to the driving disc (8), and, a plurality of rotor gears (39) coupled to each rotor shaft (38), the relationship between the gears being such that the rotor shafts (38) rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the central shaft (30) in a rotation being compatible with the desired pitch for the steel wire rope strands during the translation movement of the rotor shafts (38) around the central shaft (30) .

11. Module, as set forth in any one of Claims 6 to 10, characterized by the fact that the forward disc (8) and the rear disc (7) are comprised of a disc-shaped central portion having at the outer edge thereof uniformly spaced from one another several semi -circular indentations serving to support the rotor shafts (38) , and, several segments in the shape of a circular trapeze (48), having semi-circular indentations which provide support to the rotor shafts (38) , which are held over the central disc-shaped portion, in order to form said forward disc (8) and rear disc (7) .

12. Module, as set forth in any one of Claims 6 to 11, characterized by the fact that the rotor shafts (38) mounted in the circular openings being formed by said semi-circular indentations in the discs (8, 7) by means of support bearings (45) , are hollow so as to allow the core of the wire rope strands to pass therein and support on the intermediate region thereof a plurality of wire or filament spools (35) for the fabrication of steel wire rope strands being separated by spacer discs (46) , there being provided proximate to the rear end of the shaft (38) a wire guide disc (47) and there being mounted in cooperation at the forward end thereof the wire rope strand core feeding assembly (40, 41), there being provided between the wire guide disc (47) and the rear end of the shaft (38) a central shoe (33) which forms the wire rope strands.

13. Module, as set forth in Claim 12, characterized by the fact that the separating discs (46) and the wire guide disc

(47) are provided with openings for the passage of wire or filament from the spools (35) and brakes (36) for said spools, and the same being in fixed cooperation with the rotor shafts (38) .

14. Module, as set forth in Claim 12, characterized by the fact that the steel wire rope strand core feeding assembly (40,

41) comprises a strand core spool (40) and a support or base (41) for the same.

15. Module, as set forth in Claim 8, characterized by the fact that the intermediate discs (37) are mounted on the central shaft (30) by means of bearings (59) , and are provided at the outer edge thereof with several circular sectors wi;h semicircular edges wherein upon assembled there shall rotate the separating discs (46) or the guide disc (47) supported on bearings attached to the body of the discs in order that the outer edge thereof be tangential with the outer edge of the separating discs (46) and guide disc (47) .

16. Module, as set forth in any Claim 8 or Claim 15, characterized by the fact that the rotor assemblies (6) mounted on the intermediate discs (37) are held in position by pans (56), which outer edge completes the circular outer edge of the discs

(37) and the internal portion is shaped as a semi -circle, forming with the several circular sectors with semi -circular edges of the bodies of the discs (37) a complete circle within which there shall rotate the spacer discs (46) and guide disc (47), the parts (56) being also provided at the outer edges thereof with bearings (57) attached so as that the outer edges thereof are tangential with the outer edges of the discs (46) and (47) , said parts (56) being attached or fixed to the bodies of the discs (37) by means of fastening tie rods (58).