Claims
- 1. An apparatus for applying pinch marks at selected target positions at infinitely varying intervals along the length of a wire moving along a wire path at a wire speed, the apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing the wire speed and for producing a signal indicative thereof;
- means for storing wire specification data, the wire specification data defining variable lengths between pinch marks to be applied to the wire;
- means responsive to the signal indicative of wire speed and to the wire specification data for producing a series of first signals representing respective target positions where pinch marks will be applied at varying intervals along the wire;
- pinch means, including a die mounted for movement to and from a pinch station along the wire path, the die being adapted when at the pinch station to apply a pinch mark to the wire; and,
- coupling means responsive to the first signals and thus to the wire speed, for causing the die to move to the pinch station such that the die is at the pinch station when each target position on the wire is at the pinch station, producing a variable length between pinch marks, said variable length being dependent upon the first signals.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes means for controlling the movement of the die to the pinch station such that the die arrives at the pinch station moving at substantially the same speed as the wire.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupling means comprises a servo motor, control means for driving the servo motor at a selected speed with respect to the wire speed, and engagement means responsive to the first signal for coupling the die to the servo motor such that the target position and the die arrive at the pinch station at substantially the same time and moving at substantially the same speed.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupling means comprises single revolution clutch means and timing means for actuating the clutch means for a single revolution, the timing means being operative to begin timing upon receipt of the first signal for a duration dependant on the signal indicative of wire speed, and for actuating the clutch means at the end of said duration.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the coupling means includes reset means for returning the die to a predetermined reset position after each revolution of the clutch means.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the reset means includes activation means for activating the reset system when the wire speed is below a predetermined threshold and for deactivating the reset system when the wire speed is above said threshold.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the timing means comprises a counter for storing a variable count value, means for loading the counter with a preset count value, means responsive to the receipt of the first signal to enable the counter to vary the count value at a rate corresponding to wire speed, and means responsive to the count value reaching a predetermined value for actuating the clutch means.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the timing means comprises a plurality of counters for storing a corresponding plurality of variable count values, and means for sequentially providing an enable signal to the counters upon the receipt of sequential first signals, each counter including means for loading the counter with the preset count value, means responsive to the enable signal to enable the counter to vary the count value at a rate corresponding to the wire speed, and means responsive to the count value reaching a predetermined value for actuating the clutch means.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pinch means comprises first and second pinch members mounted for rotation about spacedapart, parallel axes, the first and second pinch members including respective first and second dies positioned such that each die is at the pinch station at one rotational position of the associated pinch member, the pinch means further comprising means coupling the rotation of the pinch members such that one die is at the pinch station when the other die is at the pinch station.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each die comprises a plurality of linearly elongated teeth having triangular cross sections, the teeth of the first and second dies being mounted such that when the dies are at the pinch station, the teeth of the first die are offset from the teeth of the second die along the length of the wire by a distance approximately equal to half of the spacing between adjacent teeth of one of the dies.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling means comprises a servo motor, control means for driving the servo motor at a selected speed with respect to the wire speed, and engagement means responsive to the first signal for coupling the first and second pinch members to the servo motor such that the target position and dies arrive at the pinch station at the same time and moving at substantially the same speed in the same direction.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the coupling means comprises a first shaft upon which the first pinch member is rigidly mounted and a first spur gear mounted to the first shaft, the engagement means being operative to couple the first shaft to the servo motor in response to the first signal, the apparatus further comprising a second spur gear mounted to mesh with the first spur gear, and means coupling the second spur gear to the second pinch member such that the second pinch member rotates when the first pinch member rotates.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coupling means comprises a second shaft upon which the second pinch member is pivotally mounted for rotation about a pivot axis parallel to and offset from the second shaft, an arm extending radially outward from the pivot axis, and means coupling the arm to the second spur gear.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second spur gear includes an opening extending through the second spur gear in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the second spur gear, and wherein the means coupling the second pinch member to the second spur gear comprises a rod extending from said arm in a direction parallel to said pivot axis, the arm being received in the opening and having a cross section smaller than the cross section of the opening.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coupling means includes means for adjusting the position of the second shaft towards and away from the first shaft to adjust the spacing between the dies at the pinch station.
- 16. An apparatus for applying a pinch mark at a selected target position along the length of a wire moving along a wire path at a wire speed, in response to a first signal indicative of the target position, the apparatus comprising:
- pinch means including a die mounted for movement to and from a pinch station along the wire path, the die being adapted when at the pinch station to apply a pinch mark to the wire, the pinch means further comprising first and second pinch members mounted for rotation about spaced-apart, parallel axes, the first and second pinch members including respective first and second dies positioned such that each die is at the pinch station at one rotational position of the associated pinch member, and means coupling the rotation of the pinch members such that one die is at the pinch station when the other die is at the pinch station; and,
- coupling means responsive to the first signal for causing the die to move to the pinch station such that the die is at the pinch station when the target position on the wire is at the pinch station, the coupling means further comprising a servo motor, control means for driving the servo motor at a selected speed with respect to the wire speed, engagement means responsive to the first signal for coupling the first and second pinch members to the servo motor such that the target position and dies arrive at the pinch station at the same time and moving at substantially the same speed and the same direction, a first shaft upon which the first pinch member is rigidly mounted and a first spur gear mounted to the first shaft, the engagement means being operative to couple the first shaft to the servo motor in response to the first signal, a second spur gear mounted to mesh with the first spur gear, and means coupling the second spur gear to the second pinch member such that the second pinch member rotates when the first pinch member rotates, a second shaft upon which the second pinch member is pivotally mounted for rotation about a pivot axis parallel to and offset from the second shaft, an arm extending radially outward from the pivot axis, and means coupling the arm to the second spur gear.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second spur gear includes an opening extending through the second spur gear in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the second spur gear, and wherein the means coupling the second pinch member to the second spur gear comprises a rod extending from said arm in a direction parallel to said pivot axis, the arm being received in the opening and having a cross section smaller than the cross section of the opening.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the coupling means includes means for adjusting the position of the second shaft towards and away from the first shaft to adjust the spacing between the dies at the pinch station.
- 19. An apparatus for applying a pinch mark at a selected target position along the length of a wire moving along a wire path at a wire speed, in response to a first signal indicative of the target position, the apparatus comprising:
- pinch means including a die mounted for movement to and from a pinch station along the wire path, the die being adapted when at the pinch station to apply a pinch mark to the wire; and,
- coupling means responsive to the first signal for causing the die to move to the pinch station such that the die is at the pinch station when the target position on the wire is at the pinch station, said coupling means includes means for controlling the movement of the die to the pinch station such that the die arrives at the pinch station moving at substantially the same speed as the wire, said coupling means further comprising single revolution clutch means and timing means for actuating the clutch means for a single revolution, the timing means being operative to begin timing upon receipt of the first signal for a duration dependent on a second signal indicative of the wire speed, and for actuating the clutch means at the end of said duration, and including reset means for returning the die to a predetermined reset position after each revolution of the clutch means, said reset means including activation means for activating the reset system when the wire speed is below a predetermined threshold and for deactivating the reset system when the wire speed is above said threshold.
- 20. An apparatus for applying pinch marks at selected target positions at infinitely variable intervals along the length of a wire moving along a wire path at a wire speed, in response to a first signal indicative of the target positions determined as a function of digitally encoded wire specification data and a second signal indicative of the wire speed, the apparatus comprising:
- means responsive to the wire specification data for applying a code to the wire indicating its use;
- pinch means including a die mounted for movement to and from a pinch station along the wire path, the die being adapted when at the pinch station to apply a pinch mark to the wire marking a section of the wire to which the code corresponding to that section is applied; and,
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation application based on prior copending application Ser. No. 843,307, filed Mar. 24, 1986, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
744070 |
Oct 1966 |
CAX |
1515482 |
Aug 1969 |
DEX |
1808801 |
Jun 1970 |
DEX |
2557488 |
Jun 1977 |
DEX |
39332 |
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GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
843307 |
Mar 1986 |
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