Abstract: An optical cable is assembled by inserting dielectric optical waveguides into periodically reversing helical grooves in the surface of a central filament. The invention is concerned with minimizing longitudinal tension in the waveguides. Powered rollers draw dielectric optical waveguide from fixed reels and delivers it, in a slack condition, to a guide unit which is mounted by means of a thrust bearing. The guide unit supports rods with apertures at their ends through which dielectric optical waveguide is guided, the rod ends being disposed within the grooves so that respective dielectric optical waveguides and grooves are maintained circumferentially coincident. Cable is drawn downstream of the guide unit to pull the filament and dielectric optical waveguides together at the guide unit and also to reciprocally drive the guide unit. As the filament, with dielectric optical waveguides positioned in its grooves, exits the guide unit, it is helically wound with tape.

Abstract: An optical cable is assembled by inserting dielectric optical waveguides into a filament having periodically reversing helical grooves. Dielectric optical waveguide is unwound from fixed reels by movement of the filament past the reels. A rotatable guide unit has flexible tubes through which dielectric optical waveguide is guided, the tube ends being disposed within the grooves so that respective dielectric optical waveguides and grooves are maintained circumferentially coincident.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manufacturing a wire wound flexible torque transmission cable. The apparatus includes multiple wire guides to facilitate the winding of a plurality of preformed spring or wire coil members onto a mandrel or a previously wrapped layer. The apparatus further includes a means for synchronously moving the wrapped mandrel longitudinally and rotatingly with respect to the wire guide for accomplishing the winding process. The cable winding process generally includes the steps of winding a plurality of wires to form a single layer, each wire being in the form of a preformed cylindrical helical coil stock. Multiple layers of wire are similarly wound on the next previous layer, the windings normally being in a reverse direction from the next previous layer.

Abstract: A slide fastener and method and apparatus for making the same are disclosed wherein coils of filamentary material are secured to adjacent edges of a pair of carrier tapes. Each coil of filamentary material is formed from a filament having a specially shaped cross section which is arranged in a mirror image relationship with respect to its adjacent filamentary coil. During formation of the filamentary coils, they are simultaneously wound on a mandrel having differently shaped surfaces which aid in the final shaping of each coil.

Abstract: A preforming apparatus for stranding machines for imparting to the wires or strands the helical wave shape the wires have to assume in the finished rope. For each wire or strand to be wound into the rope one particular preforming device is provided on a common base plate. Each preforming device comprises rollers around which the wires are guided. At least one roller in each preforming device is adjustable in its position relative to the other rollers of the device in order to vary the wave shape of the wires; and setting means are provided on the base plate for simultaneously and jointly setting all adjustable rollers in one single operating step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for making a cable particularly well suited for reinforcing elastomeric articles such as belts and tires for motor vehicles. A plurality of metallic filaments are bundled together and helically wound by passing the bundle over a deflecting edge without twisting the filaments around each other. One or more wrapping filaments are then passed over a similar deflecting edge to pre-form the wrapping filament into a helical shape. The wrapping filament is then wound about the bundle while maintaining the hand and pitch of the pre-formed helical shape of the wrapping filament to correspond to those of the filaments of the bundle. The apparatus provided for practicing the method has a horizontal rotor which is driven about a spindle and a plurality of spools independently suspended for feeding filaments to be cabled to the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of forming cables whether or not all metallic, flexible armored tubes, armored electrical conductors and the like which consists of applying heat to the wires which will form the armor before they are placed around the core and in some cases to all the subsequent layers of a cable having a multiplicity of layers.

Abstract: A wire preforming assembly is fixedly mounted on a circular turntable having thereon a predetermined plurality of bobbins dispersed in an array to provide a predetermined plurality of wires to the assembly equally spaced around its periphery. The assembly and the turntable are coaxially aligned with and relatively rotating about a longitudinally advancing, mandrelled hose. The wires are being directed to the hose by the preforming assembly so that the hose pulls the wires with uniform equal tension and causes them to be simultaneously wrapped thereon in side-by-side parallel helical convolutions. The wire is directed in a helical path around the surface of a preforming tube of the assembly and is bent toward the hose as it is being wound thereon. The bending imparts a characteristic to the wire which causes it to naturally retain the desired helical shape around the hose.

Abstract: A method of making compacted steel wire strand having a central core wire and at least one layer of wires wound around the core wire in which uncompacted strand is made by pulling the wires through a closing die and the wire is then compacted in not more than two reducing dies the dies being arranged so that the wires forming the strand are free to move relative to one another to prevent birdcaging during the reduction in area of the strand to compact it.