Electronic length control wire pay-off system and method

A method for monitoring and adjusting tension in a fiber comprising:

• (A) paying-out a continuous length of fiber so as to continuously engage a rotating portion of a load cell transducer;
• (B) comparing the magnitude of a load applied to said load cell transducer by said fiber to a standard;
• (C) activating a magnetic particle brake so as to retard the pay-out of fiber when said load is detected below said standard;
• and
• (D) deactivating said magnetic particle brake when said load is at or above said standard.

A multi-spindle fiber pay-out apparatus providing fiber tension control comprising:

• a frame supporting a plurality of spools of fiber wherein each spool of fiber is mounted on a spindle having a first end and a second end, said first end being in rotational supporting relation to said spool of fiber and said second end being operatively engaged with a magnetic particle brake;
• a plurality of guide rollers arranged adjacent to said spool of fiber so as to allow for a double threading of said fiber between said plurality of guide rollers and a biased pivot arm having an elongate shaft mounted at a first end and a pair of sheaves rotatingly mounted to a second end of said shaft wherein said sheaves each guidingly engage said fiber, said guide rollers and said biased pivot arm being mounted upon said frame in cooperative relation to said spool of fiber and arranged so as to compensate for changes in fiber pay-out rate from said spool of fiber caused by activation of said magnetic particle brake;
• and
• a load cell transducer assembly including a sheave, said assembly being (i) mounted on said frame adjacent to at least one of said guide rollers so that said sheave is at least partially engaged by said fiber, and (ii) in operative control of said magnetic particle brake so as to (i) activate said magnetic particle brake when a load in said fiber is detected below a predetermined standard, and (ii) deactivate said magnetic particle brake when said load in said fiber is at or above said predetermined standard.

A multi-spindle fiber pay-out apparatus providing fiber tension control comprising, in combination:

• a frame supporting a plurality of spools of fiber wherein each spool of fiber is mounted on a spindle having a first end and a second end, said first end being in rotational supporting relation to said spool of fiber and said second end being operatively engaged with a magnetic particle brake;
• a fiber take-up system mounted upon said frame in cooperative relation to said spool of fiber and arranged so as to compensate for changes in fiber pay-out rate from said spool of fiber caused by activation of said magnetic particle brake;
• and
• a load cell transducer mounted on said frame adjacent to said fiber take-up system, at least partially engaged;
• by said fiber, and in data and operative control communication with;
• (a) control board comprising a power conversion section, load cell amplification section, and a control regulation section, and
• (b) said magnetic particle brake so as to (i) activate said magnetic particle brake when a tension in said fiber is detected below a predetermined magnitude, and (ii) deactivate said magnetic particle brake when said tension in said fiber is at or above said predetermined magnitude.

A method for monitoring and adjusting tension in a fiber comprising:

• (A) paying-out a continuous length of fiber from a bulk supply spool so as to continuously engage a portion of a load cell transducer;
• (B) comparing the magnitude of a load applied to said load cell transducer by said fiber to a standard;
• (C) providing power to a magnetic particle brake so as to retard the pay-out of fiber from said bulk supply spool when said load is detected below said standard;
• and
• (D) stopping the provision of power to said magnetic particle brake when said load is at or above said standard.