Method of and apparatus for producing moisture block stranded conductor
AssigneeSouthwire Company
InventorsDonald R. Phillips, Hai T. Lam, Clinton E. Watkins, Steven R. Campbell
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Abstract
A method of and an apparatus for applying a moisture block compound to a stranded electrical conductor using a double twist buncher apparatus are disclosed. An oil, such as drawing oil, is applied to the outer layer of wires to prevent "rolling" of the moisture block compound to the exterior of the stranded conductor. An improved applicator is also disclosed for applying the moisture block compound to the core of the stranded conductor in a coating having a precisely controlled thickness.
Claims12
A wire stranding apparatus including a double twist buncher apparatus for fabricating a moisture blocked stranded conductor having a core and a first plurality of wires surrounding the core, said conductor having inner interstices between the core and said first plurality of wires, comprising:
- means for delivering the core and the plurality of wires to the double twist buncher;
- means for applying a coating of moisture block compound to the core;
- means for twisting said first plurality of wires about the coated core so as to fill the inner interstices with moisture block compound and form a moisture blocked stranded conductor;
- means arranged upstream of said twisting means for applying oil only to said first plurality of wires surrounding the core;
- and
- means for taking-up the stranded conductor.
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is adapted for handling wires in which at least some of the wires of the core are generally trapezoidally shaped in cross-section.
A wire stranding apparatus including a double twist buncher apparatus for fabricating a moisture blocked stranded conductor having a core and a first plurality of wires surrounding the core, said conductor having inner interstices between the core and said first plurality of wires, comprising:
- means for delivering the core and the plurality of wires to the double twist buncher;
- means for applying a coating of moisture block compound to the core;
- means for twisting said first plurality of wires about the coated core so as to fill the inner interstices with moisture block compound and form a moisture blocked stranded conductor;
- means arranged upstream of said twisting means for applying oil only to said first plurality of wires surrounding the core so as to prevent rolling of said moisture block compound out from the inner interstices;
- and
- means for taking-up the stranded conductor.
A method of fabricating a moisture blocked stranded conductor having a core and a first plurality of wires surrounding the core, said conductor having inner interstices between the core and said first plurality of wires, comprising the steps of:
- delivering said core and said first plurality of wires to a buncher apparatus;
- applying a coating of moisture block compound to the core;
- applying oil only to said first plurality of wires;
- twisting the oiled first plurality of wires about the coated core so as to fill the inner interstices between the core and the first plurality of wires with moisture block compound and form a moisture blocked stranded cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.