Abstract: Apparatus for stranding two or more wires together comprising a wire guide means extending in a wire pass direction to a twisting station, the guide means held against rotation about an axis at its upstream end and being rotationally flexible to be torsionally twisted by a rotatable twisting means in the twisting station connected to the downstream end of the guide means. A wire separation tube extends from the twisting means along a fixed curved path section to a stranding station to prevent wires stranding together until they reach the stranding station. The separation tube is rotatable about an axis coinciding with the fixed curved path section and has flexibility to enable the tube to be maintained in its curved configuration along the path with torsional rigidity to avoid build-up and retention of twist.

Abstract: Wire stranding apparatus having tubular means having passage means to provide wire feedpaths, the tubular means being rotationally flexible about an axis, being held against rotation about this axis at an upstream end and having twisting means to cause alternating torsional twisting at its downstream end. The feedpaths are held in fixed positions apart either along the whole length of the tubular means where the tubular means is a single tube with at least two side-by-side passages or comprises tubes with their outer surfaces in continuous contact. When the tubular means comprises two or more spaced tubes, these are held in fixed relative positions at spaced locations along the tubes. To accommodate axial contraction and extension during twisting, the tubular means has an axially acting resilient means which maintains axial tension on the tubular means.

Abstract: Wire stranding apparatus having elongate wire guide means which is rotationally flexible about its axis and defines individual feed paths for the wires with means to prevent rotation of the guide means at its upstream end and a twisting means to cause torsional twisting of the guide means in alternate directions at the downstream end. Direction changing means is provided to change direction of twist after a predetermined amount of twist in each direction. The changing means includes a trigger device (e.g. an arm) secured to the guide means towards its upstream end and initiating means which senses the position of the trigger device after the predetermined twist in the guide means to initiate the change in direction of drive. The upstream position of the trigger device gives it small rotational movement around the guide means compared to the rotational movement of the downstream end of the guide means.

Abstract: Wire stranding apparatus having a single tube defining a single axial passage providing at least two side-by-side feedpaths for wire, the passage being shaped to prevent wires from moving across from one feedpath to another. The tube is rotationally flexible to torsionally twist it in alternating directions by use of a twisting means at its downstream end while the upstream end is held against rotation. Change in twist direction occurs after a predetermined number of rotations of the twisting means. To accommodate axial contraction and extension during twisting, the tubular means has an axially acting resilient means which maintains axial tension in the tubular means.

Abstract: The conductors of a cable core unit are powder filled by passing the core unit through a fluidized bed of powder with the conductors substantially closed together. The filled cable core unit can be wrapped with tape after exit from the fluidized bed. Cable cores may be filled also by passing them through a fluidized bed. The core units of the cores may be closed together or separated, but the conductors of each unit are closed together.

Abstract: For powder filling of cables, in a fluidized powder bed, it has been proposed to pass the cable core through the bed in a substantially closed condition. There is a limit to the number of conductors a core can have for effective filling. In the present invention the cable core is opened up into a number of core units by passing through an opening member. The opening member is freely ridable on the cable core and has a hole for each unit. The opener is held against a support member and an air bearing formed between the two members. Air is also usually fed to the holes in the opener member through which the core units pass to prevent flow of powder out from the bed. The opening member can be positioned in the fluidized bed or outside immediately prior to passage of the cable core through the bed. The units are each in a substantially closed condition in the bed and the units close to a single core also in the bed.

Abstract: Cable core units comprising conductors grouped together by twisting are fed through a fluidized bed to fill voids with fluidized powder by flow of the powder between the grouped conductors. While still in the bed, the units are then deflected around rollers to cause relative displacement of the conductors which causes more complete filling of the voids with powder and powder redistribution to create uniformity of powder fill. Cable cores may also be filled with the core units closed together or separated in the bed but with units closed together when a core is deflected around the rollers.

Abstract: For powder filling of cables, in a fluidized powder bed, it has been proposed to pass the cable core through the bed in a substantially closed condition. There is a limit to the number of conductors a core can have for effective filling. In the present invention the cable core is opened up into a number of core units by passing through an opening member. The opening member is freely ridable on the cable core and has a hole for each unit. The opener is held against a support member and an air bearing formed between the two members. Air is also usually fed to the holes in the opener member through which the core units pass to prevent flow of powder out from the bed. The opening member can be positioned in the fluidized bed or outside immediately prior to passage of the cable core through the bed. The units are each in a substantially closed condition in the bed and the units close to a single core also in the bed.

Abstract: The wrapping of articles of indefinite length, particularly cable by locating wrapping material along and parallel to a facing surface of the article and wrapping the material around the article while substantially avoiding frictional contact between material and article. With the wrapping material loosely applied, binding material is applied to cause the wrapping material to tightly surround the article. A forming die for performing the operation, has an arcuate orifice extension connected to the die orifice for guiding an overlapping edge of wrapping material. Apparatus is included which has at least one die. Where more than one die is used, the positional relationship of the dies is determined to prevent the frictional contact between material and article during wrapping.

Abstract: Powder filling of a cable, or cable unit, is improved by passing the cable, or unit through a fluidized bed of powder, and vibrating or shaking the cable, or unit in a direction substantially normal to the direction of movement of the cable, or unit, through the bed.

Abstract: For powder filling of cables, in a fluidized powder bed, it has been proposed to pass the cable core through the bed in a substantially closed condition. There is a limit to the number of conductors a core can have for effective filling. In the present invention the cable core is opened up into a number of core units by passing through an opening member. The opening member is freely ridable on the cable core and has a hole for each unit. The opener is held against a support member and an air bearing formed between the two members. Air is also usually fed to the holes in the opener member through which the core units pass to prevent flow of powder out from the bed. The opening member can be positioned in the fluidized bed or outside immediately prior to passage of the cable core through the bed. The units are each in a substantially closed condition in the bed and the units close to a single core also in the bed.