Winding machine for covering a hose of high polymer with reinforcing threads

Claim 2

A thread winding machine for covering a flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound up in opposite directions, having at least a pair of axially aligned winding units operated in opposition by a single motor in which each winding unit comprises: a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed; a plurality of groups of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread disposed in a coaxial position within said container and having a base spaced from the container wall, said groups of containers being fastened to said shaft at positions axially adjacent on said shaft and the containers of each group arranged around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft at an angle ranging from 10* to 20*, so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges are angularly divergent with respect to each other, and the opposite ends of said containers are in close proximity to one another; a single conveying ring on the shaft for guiding towards the hose all threads which are paid out through openings in the outer ends of the containers and which travel in the direction of travel of the hose; a guiding head means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose to be covEred; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from a container opening to the conveying ring.

Claim 3

A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each winding unit comprises three groups of containers, and each group comprises six containers.

Claim 4

A winding maching as in claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination of the axis of each container with respect to the axis of the shaft ranges from 13* to 17*.

Claim 5

A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each container has a substantially cylindrical form, and has a conically shaped upper portion the profile of which forms a vertex angle ranging between 45* and 65*.

Claim 6

A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein the distance between each braking means and the top of its respectively adjacent thread container ranges between 5 and 15 cm.

Claim 7

A winding machine as in claim 1, wherein in each winding unit the distance between the braking means of the group of containers farthest from the conveying ring and the conveying ring exceeds 1 m.

Claim 8

A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein said rotatable hollow shaft is horizontal.

Claim 9

A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein each group of containers comprises not more than nine containers.

Claim 10

A thread winding machine as in claim 1, wherein said braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from a container to the conveyor ring comprises means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of rotation of said rotatable hollow shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking the movement of said thread when said thread rotates about said shaft at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed; said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable members away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable means thereby braking the movement of said thread.

Claim 13

The device of claim 10, comprising a rotatable shaft coaxial with the external axis about which the thread rotates, support means connecting said continuous braking means to said shaft about which both said support means and said continuous braking means rotate, a stud sTem connected to said support means, said stud stem positioned with its long axis approximately perpendicular to the axis of said rotatable shaft, and said stud stem having a hole through which said strand of thread passes, said movable members comprising a plurality of discs slidably assembled on said stud stem with said thread between said discs and passing through the hole in the stud stem, a spring associated with said stud stem, said spring stopped at the end of said stud stem connected to said support means, and engaging one of said discs at the other end, thereby biasing one disc toward the other between said spring and a stopping means.

Claim 14

The device of claim 11, wherein said spring comprises a coil spring surrounding the stud stem, and said stopping means comprises a nut engaging the second end of said stud stem which is opposite the end of said stud stem attached to said supporting means, said second end of said stud stem being threaded, and said nut engaging said stud stem by said threads.

Claim 15

A thread winding machine capable of rotational speeds in excess of 600 r.p.m. for covering flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound in opposite directions, said machine comprising a plurality of axially aligned winding units operated in opposite directions by a single source of power, each winding unit comprising a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed, at least one group of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread, said containers fastened to said shaft positioned around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges, are angularly divergent with respect to each other, a conveying means for guiding toward the hose all threads paid out from the containers; guiding means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from its container to the conveying means, said braking means comprising means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of said shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking movement of said thread when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed, and said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable members thereby braking the movement of said thread.

Claim 16

A thread winding machine capable of rotational speeds in excess of 600 r.p.m. for covering flexible hose with at least one pair of layers of reinforcing threads helically wound in opposite directions, said machine comprising a plurality of axially aligned winding units operated in opposite directions by a single source of power, each winding unit comprising a rotatable hollow shaft through which the hose to be covered is passed, at least one group of containers of generally circular cross section, each of which houses a fixed cone of thread, said containers fastened to said shaft positioned around said shaft in a radially symmetrical arrangement, with their respective axes inclined relative to the axis of the shaft so that within each group of containers the outer ends of the containers from which thread emerges, are angularly divergent with respect to each other, a conveying means for guiding toward the hose all threads paid out from the containers; guiding means mounted on said shaft for laying the threads on the hose; and braking means for controlling the tension of each thread during its travel from its container to the conveying means, said braking means comprising means for continuously braking the movement of said thread regardless of the speed of rotation of said thread about the axis of said shaft, said means comprising two movable members facing each other and contacting said thread which advances between said members, means for biasing said movable members together between said biasing means and a stopping means for stopping said movable members, thereby braking movement of said thread when said thread rotates at a rotational speed not greater than a relatively low rotational speed, and said movable members having sufficient weight so that when the thread rotates at a relatively high rotational speed, the centrifugal force of said two movable members overcomes the biasing force of said biasing means and forces said movable means away from said stopping means against said biasing means, said movable members thereby braking the movement of said thread.