Strand carrier for a braiding machine
OwnerSimon A. DeYounginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strand carrier for a braiding machine enables the braiding machine to operate at greater speeds and with fewer and shorter interruptions for replenishment of strand supply or for other service. The carrier is an enlongated assembly comprising a longitudinal sequence of spring, bobbin, clutch, and tension controlling components, and is radially symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and rotatably mounted at one end thereof to a braiding machine shuttle.
Claims15
In a strand carrier for carrying and releasing a strand under tension in a braiding machine, said braiding machine having a plurality of shuttles moving around an elongated workpiece to be braided in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said workpiece, said carrier including a base, a bobbin rotatable with respect to said base, and bobbin having said strand wound thereon and extending therefrom to said workpiece, a clutch operatively associated with said bobbin to controllably permit rotation thereof with unwinding of said strand therefrom, a tension controlling mechanism operatively associated with said strand between said bobbin and said workpiece to maintain a generally constant tension in said strand between said carrier and said workpiece, said tension controlling mechanism controllably enabling said clutch to permit rotation of said bobbin in response to changes in strand tension, the improvement which comprises:
- said base, bobbin, clutch and tension controlling mechanism all being substantially symmetrical about a common axis extending perpendicular to said plane, said base being freely rotatably supported on a shuttle for rotation about said axis whereby said carrier is rotatable as a whole with respect to said shuttle about said axis;
- and, said rotation of said carrier being in response to said tension in said strand between said carrier and said workpiece.
In a strand carrier for a braiding machine having a plurality of shuttles moving around an elongated workpiece to be braided and in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said workpiece with a strand under tension extending from the carrier to the workpiece, the improvement comprising said strand carrier including:
- an elongated assembly having a central axis perpendicular to said plane and two ends;
- a base at one of said ends and freely rotatably supported on a shuttle for rotation relative to said shuttle about said central axis;
- a bobbin coaxially associated with said base and rotatable about said central axis relative to said base, said bobbin having said strand wound thereon and extending therefrom to said workpiece;
- a clutch coaxially and operatively associated with said bobbin to controllably permit rotation thereof with unwinding of said strand therefrom;
- a tension controlling mechanism for controlling the tension in said strand between said carrier and said workpiece, said tension controlling mechanism being coaxially and operationally associated with said clutch;
- and, said rotation of said base relative to said shuttle being in response to tension in said strand between said carrier and said workpiece.
In a strand carrier for carrying and releasing a strand withdrawn therefrom under tension in a braiding machine, said carrier having an axis, a clutch, a bobbin, and a tension controlling mechanism, said bobbin being rotatable about said axis and having a supply of said strand wound thereon and extending therefrom to said tension controlling mechanism, said tension controlling mechanism controlling the tension on said strand withdrawn from said carrier, the improvement comprising:
- said tension controlling mechanism including a first member axially spaced from said bobbin and substantially radially symmetrical about said axis, said first member being axially fixed with respect to said bobbin;
- a second member axially spaced from said bobbin and said first member and substantially radially symmetrical about said axis, said seocnd member being shiftable along said axis and spring biased away from said first member;
- a plurality of strand guides associated with each said first and second members, said strand extending from said bobbin first to one of said strand guides, then to the remainder of said strand guides sequentially and alternately between said first and second members to provide a plurality of strand sections each having a length corresponding to the dsitance between said two axially spaced members, withdrawal of said strand from said carrier causing said second member to move against said spring bias axially toward said first member with corresponding reduction in length of said strand sections;
- and, said clutch being responsive to axial movement of said second member to alternately permit and prevent rotation of said bobbin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.