Translating winder for electric cables

Claim 1

Apparatus for automatically winding cable onto a rotating spool whereby said cable is wound in helical configuration, comprising: a translatable carriage on which said rotating spool is mounted; an electric motor for driving said translatable carriage, said electric motor having an angular velocity that is a function of the magnitude and phase of electric current supplied thereto; a single follower arm positioned at a fixed location proximate said rotating spool and pivotable at one end thereof about two orthogonal axes, one of said axes being disposed in a direction normal to the axis of rotation of said rotating spool and the other of said axes being disposed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating spool; a roller affixed to said single follower arm at the other end thereof and supported by said cable at a position upstream of said rotating spool as said cable is wound onto said rotating spool such that said roller and follower arm are angularly displaced about the pivot axIs disposed normal to said axis of rotation of said rotating spool in accordance with the angle formed by the intersection of said cable with said rotating spool; reversible switching means mechanically coupled to said single follower arm and admitting of first, second and quiescent states, respectively, dependent upon the direction of angular displacement of said follower arm about said pivot axis disposed normal to said axis of rotation of said rotating spool for controlling the phase of the electric current supplied to said electric motor; said reversible switching means assuming its first state when said follower arm pivots in a first direction to supply said electric motor with electric current of a first phase to thereby drive said translatable carriage in a first direction, said reversible switching means assuming its second state when said follower arm pivots in a second direction to supply said electric motor with electric current of a second phase to thereby drive said translatable carriage in a second direction and said reversible switching means assuming its quiescent state when said cable intersects said rotating spool at a substantially normal angle to interrupt the supply of electric current to said electric motor to thereby maintain said translatable carriage at a stationary position; and variable resistance means mechanically coupled to said single follower arm and exhibiting a continuously variable resistance value dependent upon the magnitude of angular displacement of said follower arm about said pivot axis disposed normal to said axis of rotation of said rotating spool for continuously controlling the magnitude of electric current supplied to said electric motor in accordance with said resistance value such that the angular velocity of said electric motor is continuously variable as a function of said resistance value.