Apparatus for detwisting wires or cables wound in spools

Abstract

An apparatus for detwisting wires or cables wound in spools, includes two coaxial shafts, inserted one inside another and kinematically independent, of which a first shaft is connected to a first motor and is adapted to support, by rotating it about a rotation axis, one spool, and a second shaft is connected to second motor and supports, by rotating it about the rotation axis, a detwisting cage, which is adapted to rotate about the spool. The apparatus further includes at least one take up guide for the wire/cable, which is connected to a third motor in order to rotate about the rotation axis of the cage, oscillating toward the guide and/or away from it, and elements for coordination of the rotation speed of the first shaft with the rotation speed of the take up guide.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for detwisting wires or cables wound in spools, the apparatus comprising:
 two coaxial shafts, inserted one inside another and kinematically independent, of which a first shaft is connected to first motor means and is adapted to support one of said spools by rotating said one of said spools about a rotation axis, and a second shaft is connected to second motor means and supports a detwisting cage by rotating said detwisting cage about said rotation axis, said detwisting cage being configured to rotate about said spool with at least one guide for said wire or cable that is being unwound from said spool;   at least one take-up guide for said wire or cable, which is connected to third motor means in order to rotate about said rotation axis of said detwisting cage, oscillating toward said at least one guide and/or away from said at least one guide; and   means for coordination of the rotation speed of said first shaft with a rotation speed of said take-up guide.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said cage comprises a first frame with a pair of first sides which are substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis and are connected by first tension members and said at least one guide being also interposed between said pair of first sides, said take-up guide being mounted on a second frame between a pair of second sides on planes that are parallel to said first sides and which are connected by second tension members, said second frame being adapted to rotate in a kinematically independent manner with respect to said cage. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one take-up guide and said at least one guide are constituted by rollers. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one take-up guide is constituted by a pulley and said at least one guide is constituted by a roller. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said take-up guide is mounted on a longitudinal support which is installed between said second sides and is adapted to slide in a guide provided on one of said first sides, another one of said first sides having an opening in which said take-up guide can oscillate. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said detwisting cage comprises a first frame with a pair of first sides which are substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis and are connected by first tension members and said at least one guide being also interposed between said pair of first sides, said take-up guide being mounted on a second frame, cantilevered from a second side of said second frame, said second frame being adapted to rotate in a kinematically independent manner with respect to said detwisting cage. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said take-up guide is mounted on a support, installed cantilevered from said second side, and said first side, close to said second side, has an opening in which said take-up guide can oscillate. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said means for coordination comprise a system for detecting a displacement of an angular position of said first frame with respect to said second frame, which are adapted to communicate with a system for controlling a rotation speed and an angular position of said first shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising at least one series of disk guides, which are integral with said detwisting cage, of which at least one first disk guide is mounted on one of said first tension members with a first axis which is inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to said rotation axis and at least one second disk guide with a second axis which is perpendicular with respect to a direction of said rotation axis. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said first shaft and said second shaft are tubular and are inserted one inside the other and are rendered kinetically independent by means of the interposition of bearings. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said third motor means comprise a pulley mounted on said second shaft, which is more external than said first shaft, and rendered kinematically independent of said second shaft by way of the interposition of bearings and rendered integral with said second frame. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said first shaft, extended by a tubular element, is mounted so as to contain a retention shaft for said spool, which protrudes from both ends of said first shaft and on a protruding portion of which a helical spring is mounted which is adapted for an axial traction of said retention shaft. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one take-up guide is constituted by a guide element with its axis parallel to said rotation axis and by a disk-shaped guide element, in series with said guide element, with its axis perpendicular to said rotation axis. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least one take-up guide has a pair of circular grooves for guiding a passage of said wire or cable.