Method and apparatus for making filament cables

Claim 1

In a process for the manufacture of a filament cable free from torsional strain while in the unloaded state from a plurality of single metal filaments which comprises bending the filaments over an edge having a small radius of curvature such that the point of contact of said edge on the filament displaces helically along the periphery thereof to permanently deform the filaments, cabling the filaments in a forming device and winding the cable into a coil, the improvement which comprises withdrawing a first group of filaments from a plurality of stationary delivery spools, assembling the filaments into a bundle and guiding the assembly over a first deflecting edge, guiding one or more wrapping filaments over one or more other deflecting edges to pre-form the wrapping filament or filaments in a helical shape, and winding said wrapping filaments about the bundle while maintaining the hand and pitch of the pre-formed helical shape of the wrapping filament or filaments to correspond to those of the filaments of the bundle.

Claim 5

An apparatus for cabling filaments comprising a horizontal rotor having a bore therein; means for rotating the rotor, a plurality of eccentrically positioned filament guide openings mounted on the rotor, at least some of said guide openings being provided with deflection edges having a small radius of curvature for deforming filaments passing therethrough, a plurality of filament delivery spools for supplying filaments to the rotor, means for bundling the filaments run-off from said spools outside the rotor, means for guiding the bundle into the bore of the rotor and out of the bore, means for guiding the bundle after it emerges from the bore to the cable-forming device, said guide means comprising at least one guide opening having a deflecting edge, a means for guiding at least one wrapping filament into the bore of the rotor separately from the bundle, and means for guiding the said wrapping filament to the cable forming device, whereby the cable-forming device helically winds the wrapping filament about the bundle.

Claim 6

An apparatus for cabling filaments comprising a horizontal rotor having a bore therein; means for rotating the rotor, a plurality of eccentrically positioned filament guide openings mounted on the rotor, at least some of said guide openings being provided with deflection edges having a small radius of curvature for deforming filaments passing therethrough, a plurality of filament delivery spools for supplying filaments to the rotor, means for bundling the filaments run-off from said spools outside the rotor, means for guiding the bundle into the bore of the rotor and out of the bore, means for guiding the bundle after it emerges from the bore to the cable-forming device, said guide means comprising at least one guide opening having a deflecting edge, a means for guiding at least one wrapping filament into the bore of the rotor separately from the bundle, and means for guiding the said wrapping filament to the cable forming device, whereby the cable-forming device helically winds the wrapping filament about the bundle.

Claim 12

An apparatus for cabling filaments comprising a rotatable spindle having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and an entrance end and a discharge end, means for rotating the spindle, means for bundling a plurality of filaments and guiding the bundle into the bore of the spindle, a second means for guiding one or more filaments into the bore of the spindle separately from said bundle, means for deflecting said bundle at longitudinally spaced points to impart a helical configuration to the bundle with the longitudinal axis of the filaments remaining substantially parallel to each other comprising a tubular member disposed coaxially at the discharge end of the spindle, a first disk attached to the tubular member for rotation therewith having a guiding eyelet with a slightly curved surface for guiding the bundle of filaments, a second disk spaced longitudinally from the first disk having an eyelet coaxial with the first disk and having a surface which is sharply curved for guiding the bundle of filaments, and means for guiding the bundle from the bore of the tubular member to the eyelet in the first disk; a sleeve member having a longitudinal bore coaxial with the bore in the said tubular member, third and fourth disks secured to the sleeve, an eyelet in the third disk having a curved guiding surface and an eyelet in the fourth disk having a sharply curved surface, said eyelets of the third and fourth disks being coaxial and diametrically opposite the eyelets in the first and second disks, and means for removable securing the third and fourth disks to the sleeve at various points on the circumference of the sleeve, and cabling means disposed adjacent to the discharge end of the sleeve for receiving said bundle and said one or more filaments and helically winding the latter about the bundle.

Claim 13

An apparatus for cabling filaments comprising a rotatable spindle having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and an entrance end and a discharge end, means for rotating the spindle, means for bundling a plurality of filaments and guiding the bundle into the bore of the spindle, a second means for guiding one or more filaments into the bore of the spindle separately from said bundle, means for deflecting said bundle at longitudinally spaced points to impart a helical configuration to the bundle with the longitudinal axis of the filaments remaining substantially parallel to each other comprising a tubular member disposed coaxially at the discharge end of the spindle, a first disk attached to the tubular member for rotation therewith having a guiding eyelet with a slightly curved surface for guiding the bundle of filaments, a second disk spaced longitudinally from the first disk having an eyelet coaxial with the first disk and having a surface which is sharply curved for guiding the bundle of filaments, and means for guiding the bundle from the bore of the tubular member to the eyelet in the first disk; a sleeve member having a longitudinal bore coaxial with the bore in the said tubular member, third and fourth disks secured to the sleeve, an eyelet in the third disk having a curved guiding surface and an eyelet in the fourth disk having a sharply curved surface, said eyelets of the third and fourth disks being coaxial and diametrically opposite the eyelets in the first and second disks, and means for removable securing the third and fourth disks to the sleeve at various points on the circumference of the sleeve, and cabling means disposed adjacent to the discharge end of the sleeve for receiving said bundle and said one or more filaments and helically winding the latter about the bundle.