Apparatus for cleaning stranded cable
AssigneeSouthwire Company
InventorSteven M. Donath
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for cleaning metal dust particles from a stranded cable made of metallic wires. The apparatus comprises a cleaning cylinder located downstream of a stranding die through which the stranded cable passes. Pressurized air is injected into the cleaning cylinder and impinges on the cable to entrain metal dust on the cable. A vacuum source connected to the cleaning cylinder withdraws air and entrained dust from the cleaning cylinder at a volumetric flow rate greater than the volumetric flow rate of pressurized air into the cleaning cylinder so as to generate a net inflow of air to the cylinder and prevent the egress of dust particles from the cylinder.
Claims17
Apparatus for in-line cleaning during manufacture of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube defining a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally;
- at least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected to said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves along the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable, said entraining occurring directly into air from said jets;
- and
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube.
Apparatus for in-line cleaning of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube defining a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally, said cleaning tube having an upstream end and a downstream end;
- die means located upstream of the cleaning tube for converging and consolidating the wires of the cable, said die means abutting and closing the upstream end of said cleaning tube, said downstream end of the cleaning tube being open;
- at least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected to said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves along the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable;
- and
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube.
Apparatus for in-line cleaning of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube defining a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally;
- a stranding die and a dies holder, said die holder supporting said cleaning tube in abutting substantially sealing relation with said stranding die;
- at least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected to said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves along the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable;
- and
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube.
Apparatus for in-line cleaning during manufacture of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube defining a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally;
- art least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected of said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves through the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable, said entraining occurring directly into air from said jets;
- and
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube, the volumetric flow rated of air and entrained dust withdrawn from said cleaning tube passage being greater than the volumetric flow rate of pressurized air through the port means.
Apparatus for in-line cleaning during manufacture of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube having a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally;
- at least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected to said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves through the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable, said entraining occurring directly into air from said jets;
- and
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube, said withdrawing means being located downstream of the port means.
Apparatus for in-line cleaning of stranded cable formed from a plurality of wires comprising:
- a cleaning tube having a passage through which the cable moves longitudinally, said cleaning tube having upstream and downstream ends;
- at least one pressure chamber and at least one vacuum chamber connected to said cleaning tube;
- a source of pressurized air connected to said pressure chamber;
- a source of vacuum connected to said vacuum chamber;
- port means communicating said pressure chamber with said cleaning tube for impinging jets of air from the pressurized air source on the cable as it moves through the cleaning tube passage and for entraining dust cleaned from the cable;
- means communicating said vacuum chamber with said cleaning tube for withdrawing air and entrained dust from the cleaning tube;
- and
- die means abutting and closing the upstream end of said cleaning tube for converging and consolidating the wires of the cable, said downstream end of said cleaning tube having an opening through which the cable moves, said opening having a cross-sectional substantially area greater than the cross-sectional area of the cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.