Abstract: Machine for manufacturing uniform impedance communication cables for high frequency use includes a series of staggered double twisting units or heads each of which supports two reels wound with single wire elements or conductors, and a constant tension tape dispenser. The wire elements from the reels as well as the tape from the tape dispenser are simultaneously unwound and guided to the ends of the rotating bows of the twisting units at which points the individual wire elements or conductors are twisted about each other and the tape is applied to the twisted wire pair to fix and maintain the spatial integrity of the twisted wires relative to each other. Each twisting unit rotated at slightly different speeds to assure different lay lengths for each twisted pair. The twisted pairs are guided downstream by a capstan and all of the twisted and taped wire sets are secured to each other by a pre-twisting and taping operation before the composite cable is wound onto a rotating take-up unit.

Abstract: Fiber optic filaments or ribbons are deflected by a system of sheaves to converge at final filament deflection sheaves which direct the filaments along the longitudinal direction of an assembly table. Successive sets of filament deflection sheaves stack the filaments into bundles which are separated by spacer elements which are likewise guided to the assembly table. Sensors at the final sheaves monitor the tensions in both the filaments and separators and a controller is used to adjust the tensions to compensate for frictional variations upstream of the final sheaves. The table is positioned at an angle to the machine axis so that the stacked filament bundles and separators can be wound about a rotating core by being drawn along the table by the rotating core for staggered and tangential application of the filaments about the core at the downstream end of the table.

Abstract: Concentric Compressed Unilay Stranded Conductors are formed of certain combinations of compressed wires, such as 1+7+12, 1+6+11 or 1+7+12+17, which have nominally equal diameters. The combinations of conductors or wires are selected so that the number of wires in any two adjacent layers are not divisible by a common number with the exception of the integer one. Compression of wires in one or more layers is such as to provide area reductions within the range from 0 to approximately 19% for the layers affected.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bobbin sorting and batch transfer apparatus which can collect a predetermined number of bobbins from vertically stacked storage racks each of which has a discharge port. A carriage is provided on which there are mounted one or more guide elements including vertical guides which can be juxtaposed proximate to the discharge ports. A chain drive bearing rollers is arranged to form holding bins or compartments which can be advanced in a planetary motion along the various guides. The rollers are spaced from the vertical guides to maintain the bobbins in equilibrium by arranging same to roll against the vertical guides, the rollers urging the bobbins to move through a closed loop path which can position any holding bin or compartment into proximate opposition to any discharge port in a given column of racks.

Abstract: An apparatus for making helically wound interlocked flexible pipe includes a rotating head mounted for rotation about a main shaft. Two supply spools of strip material are mounted on the rear side of the rotating head, a take off guide beam assembly being used to take off flat strip material from one of the spools, and guiding it to the rotating head. The rotating head is mounted on the main shaft for rotation therewith and supports a tool head assembly including a roller forming mill for forming the strip material. The strip is guided from a point behind the rotating head to a point in front of or downstream from the rotating head along the shaft. A face plate assembly, which supports the pressure rollers for closing and interlocking the successively adjacent turns of the formed strip, is axially spaced from the tool head assembly.

Abstract: Single and multi-wire drawing apparatus and method are described. A first wire drawing section includes two pairs of cone drawing blocks and two tandem drawing blocks. A second wire drawing section includes a number of tandem drawing blocks, four in the described embodiment, and a final capstan drawing block. the final tandem drawing block of the first wire drawing section is arranged on the second wire drawing section. All of the drawing blocks of the first wire drawing section are driven by a single drive, while the tandem and the final capstan drawing blocks on the second wire drawing section are actuated by a second drive. The dies associated with each tandem drawing block of the second section are movable so that a number of different wire sizes can be produced by appropriately moving the dies and adjusting the speed of the first drive to provide a desired wire speed entering into the second wire drawing section.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for producing compact stranded conductors on single and double twist machines. This is achieved by preshaping and metering the preshaped wires to have generally sectored cross-sectional profiled complementary configurations and positioning and orienting the preshaped wires to substantially correspond to their positions and orientations in relation to the core wire in the final compact twisted conductor. The wires are metered to a double twist strander which is used to initially twist the preshaped wires about the core wire in a generally loose construction, and these wires are subsequently locked into abutment against each other when imparted a second twist to form the compact composite conductor.

Abstract: An "outside-in" double twist bow buncher includes a cradle which supports two wire receiving bobbins. Wire guides are provided at both axial ends of the machine for receiving and guiding two separate groups of wires and, with a traverse mechanism, laying each group of wires onto a respective bobbin.

Abstract: A high speed rigid strander is described that has a rotatably mounted cage which includes a plurality of bobbin support members which are parallel to and angularly spaced about the axis of rotation of the cage. Each support member includes a locking mechanism for simultaneously locking or releasing an entire row of bobbins, each of which is spaced from the axis of rotation and has its longitudinal axis oriented generally radially or at an angle normal to the strander axis. Wire guides associated with each bobbin fly the wires off the bobbins under the action of external pulling forces without requiring the bobbins to rotate. Fly-off is generally radially inwardly against the action of centrifugal forces and the wires are guided towards the strander axis and then parallel thereto so that the wires from all of the bobbins can be brought to an end of the rotating cage and wound about a core wire.

Abstract: An actuatable member of a pintle assembly is slidably movable along an axis for movement relative to a reel-carrying cradle support member between reel engaging and disengaging positions. Compression springs are used to urge the actuatable members of the illustrated embodiments toward the reel-engaging positions. Locking devices, which can move between locking and releasing positions, are each arranged to directly cooperate and block the movement of an actuatable member to a disengaging position thereof in the locking position of the locking device. The locking devices may include blocking elements such as rigid displaceable balls or pins, or may include cam arrangements and the like. A fluid pressure system is provided to act at least on the locking devices and release the same when fluid pressure is applied. Advantageously, the fluid pressure system also acts on the actuatable member to move the same to the reel disengaging position upon release of the locking device.

Abstract: A high speed rigid-type strander includes a main shaft or body mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis with the core wire advanced through the strander substantially along its axis of rotation. Bobbin supporting members are fixedly mounted externally on the shaft or body for rotation therewith and for mounting the bobbins in positions displaced from the axis of rotation. The bobbins are mounted with their longitudinal axes oriented at substantial angles from the axis of rotation of the shaft or body, and preferably at an angle substantially normal thereto. The bobbins can be mounted to either fly-off the wire in a generally radially outward direction or in a generally radially inward direction with the bobbins stationary about their longitudinal axes. A strander of the above general type is also described which can be used in either a fly-off mode of operation or in a traditional pay-off mode wherein the bobbins rotate about their own axes.

Abstract: A fail-safe locking device for reel support systems is described which is suitable for use with reels such as those used with wire stranders and similar machines. In the embodiments described, a pintle supporting shaft member is normally biased by a spring to an extended position. A safety plunger is provided which has a stepped exterior surface so as to define a recess or step. The safety plunger is normally biased by a spring to a disabling position to urge a blocking member, such as a hardened steel ball or sphere, into the path of movement of an abutment surface of the shaft member to automatically and positively lock the shaft member and the pintle. In the locked condition, the plunger member and, therefore, the pintle, cannot accidentally release the reel.