Methods and Apparatus for Continuous Winding of Spools and Products Made Therefrom
A method of winding a wire about a plurality of spools is provided. The method includes locating the plurality of spools on a winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion. An adaptor plate is located between adjacent spools. The adaptor plate includes a wire catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the spools moves from one spool to the next spool while the winding shaft rotates.
The present specification generally relates to methods and apparatus for continuous winding of multiple spools and products made therefrom.
BACKGROUNDIn a conventional spool winding process, a spool may be wound by placing it on a winding shaft of a winding machine. An operator may initiate the winding operation by inserting a bent starting end of the wire into an opening in a drum of the spool and start automatically rotating the winding shaft. A traveler may be used to guide the wire back and forth along the length of the spool until a predetermined amount of wire is wound onto the spool. Afterward, the winding rod slows and stops rotating and the wire may be cut thereby providing a terminal end for the wire of the spool and a starting end for a subsequent spool. The process may then be repeated for the subsequent spool.
As may be appreciated, there may be stoppage time between the winding of each spool. Additionally, the winding shaft may increase in rotation speed at the beginning of the winding process then decrease rotation speed at the end of the winding process for each spool. Accordingly, a continuous winding process for a series of spools is desirable.
SUMMARYIn one embodiment, a method of winding a wire about a plurality of spools is provided. The method includes locating the plurality of spools on a winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion. An adaptor plate is located between adjacent spools. The adaptor plate includes a wire catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the spools moves from one spool to the next spool while the winding shaft rotates.
In another embodiment, a wire winding assembly for winding wire onto a plurality of spools includes a first spool located on a winding shaft and a second spool located on the winding shaft. An adaptor plate is located between the first spool and the second spool. The adaptor plate includes a wire catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the first and second spools moves from the first spool to the second spool.
In another embodiment, a metal welding wire product includes a spool including a core, a first spool flange at one end of the core and a second spool flange at an opposite end of the core. A metal welding wire is wound about the core forming windings. The metal welding wire includes a starting end and a terminating end. Both of the starting end and the terminating end of the welding wire are located outside the windings.
These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Embodiments described herein relate generally to methods and apparatus for continuous winding of multiple spools with wire and products produced therefrom. A continuous process is provided for winding a series of spools where the wire automatically “jumps” from spool-to-spool without any need for stopping or even slowing down the winding process between adjacent spools. As will be appreciated, such a continuous winding process can reduce stoppage time and increase efficiency when winding multiple spools with wire.
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Once the winding shaft 12 stops rotating, the wire 18 may be cut at the portions 18a and 18b thereby forming a starting end for the spools 22 and 24 and a terminating end for the spools 20 and 22.
In some embodiments, the controller of the winding apparatus 10 may be programmed to control the rotational speed and acceleration of the winding shaft 12 during the winding operation. For example, at the beginning of the winding process when winding the spool 20, the winding shaft 12 may rotate at a relatively low speed and then accelerate at a selected rate to a relatively high speed. In some embodiments, once a predetermined amount of wire 18 is wound about the spool 20, the controller may cause the winding shaft to decelerate to a relatively low speed to complete winding wire about the spool 20, and continue at the low speed as the traveler 16 moves over to the next spool 22. Then, the controller may again accelerate the winding shaft 12 to the relatively high rotational speed as the wire is wound about the spool 22. In another embodiment, winding shaft 12 may maintain its relatively high rotational speed as the traveler moves from the spool 20 to the spool 22. The acceleration process may be repeated for any subsequent spools.
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The above-described winding process and apparatus provides continuous winding of a series of spools on the same winding shaft where the wire automatically jumps from spool-to-spool without any need for stopping or even slowing down the winding process between adjacent spools. Such a continuous winding process can reduce stoppage time and increase efficiency when winding multiple spools with wire. In some embodiments, the continuous winding can provide an increase of about 30 to 40 percent in productivity over other winding processes where stoppage time is needed between spools.
While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Claims
1. A method of winding a wire about a plurality of spools, the method comprising:
- locating the plurality of spools on a winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion; and
- locating an adaptor plate between adjacent spools, the adaptor plate including a wire catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the spools moves from one spool to the next spool while the winding shaft rotates.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire is a welding wire.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of locating the plurality of spools on the winding shaft includes locating at least three spools on the winding shaft in a side-by-side fashion.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of locating the adaptor plate between adjacent spools includes locating a first adaptor plate between adjacent spools and locating a second adaptor plate between adjacent spools, the first and second adaptor plates each including a plurality of notches extending inwardly from an outer periphery of each of the first and second adaptor plates for catching the wire as the traveler feeding the wire to the spools moves between adjacent spools.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising severing the wire between adjacent spools thereby forming a terminating end for the one spool and a starting end for the next spool.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising affixing the starting end of the wire of the next spool to a first spool flange of the next spool after the next spool is wound with the wire.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising affixing a terminating end of the wire of the next spool to a second spool flange of the next spool after the next spool is wound with the wire.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by electric heat to the respective first or second spool flange.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire into an opening through the respective first or second spool flange.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by punching the at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire into the respective first or second spool flange.
11. A wire winding assembly for winding wire onto a plurality of spools, the assembly comprising:
- a first spool located on a winding shaft;
- a second spool located on the winding shaft; and
- an adaptor plate located between the first spool and the second spool, the adaptor plate including a wire catch feature configured for catching the wire as a traveler feeding the wire to the first and second spools moves from the first spool to the second spool.
12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the wire is a welding wire.
13. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising:
- a third spool located on the winding shaft; and
- a second adaptor plate located between the second spool and the third spool, the second adaptor plate including a notch extending inwardly from an outer periphery of the second adaptor plate for catching the wire as the traveler feeding the wire to the first, second and third spools moves from the second spool to the third spool.
14. A metal welding wire product, comprising:
- a spool including a core, a first spool flange at one end of the core and a second spool flange at an opposite end of the core; and
- a metal welding wire wound about the core forming windings, the metal welding wire including a starting end and a terminating end;
- wherein both the starting end and the terminating end of the welding wire are located outside the windings.
15. The product of claim 14, wherein the starting end of the wire is affixed to the first spool flange.
16. The product of claim 15, wherein the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the second spool flange.
17. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by electric heat to the respective first or second spool flange.
18. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire into an opening through the respective first or second spool flange.
19. The product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed by punching the at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire into the respective first or second spool flange.
20. The product of claim 14, wherein at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire is affixed to the first or second spool flange by inserting the at least one of the starting end and the terminating end of the wire into a groove extending inwardly from a periphery of the respective first or second spool flange.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 4, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 8, 2011
Applicant: KISWEL, INC. (Florence, KY)
Inventors: Cheol Woo Ryu (Florence, KY), Jong Heon Lee (Marietta, GA), Gab Su Ha (Florence, KY)
Application Number: 12/717,193
International Classification: B65H 54/02 (20060101); B65H 55/00 (20060101);