US2884120A - Caterpillar capstan - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1959 c. o. BRuEsTLE 2,884,120

CATERPILLAR CAPSTAN Filed Dec. is, 1955 3 sheets-sheet 1v INVEN TOR. CARL O. /eufsnf' from/Hfs ,d -Pl' l BY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15,4 1955 IN V EN TOR @ARL O 5m/55H5 BY Q rro/eA/EVS April 28, 1959 cg. BRUESTLE 2,884,120 i CATERPILLAR CAPSTAN n Filed D60.v 15, 1955 3 SheelBS-S-hee'l', 3

1 INVENTOR. @ARL 0. /eusszf @www A TTOR/VEKS United States Patent CATERPILLAR CAPSTAN Carl O. Bruestle, Metuchen, NJ., assigner to Syncro Machine Company, Perth Amboy, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 13, 1955, Serial No. 552,808 2 Claims. (Cl. 203-227) This invention comprises improvements in the caterpillar type of capstan by means of which heavy wire and cable are pulled lengthwise in various processing operations.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved form lof capstan of this type.

A subsidiaryv object is to provide a caterpillar capstan construction such as to accommodate various sizes of wire and cable and to automatically adjust itself for any irregularities in the diameter thereof.

Still another object is to provide a caterpillar type of 'capstan constructed to provide a sure and positive grip on the wire or cable sutlcient to impart all the required pulling for-ces to be met without slippage.

An object of the invention is to provide cable gripping chain supported pressure shoes in pairs to engage the cable to be moved lengthwise thereby at their opposite sides and to provide variable pressure means for said pressure shoes which also acts to guide the supporting chains for said shoes to hold them parallel to the cable center.

Still another object of the invention is to provide resiliently urged compensating rails or cams engaging the chains at points opposite to said pressure rails or cams to keep the chains tight for all sizes of cable within the capacity of the capstan.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support ing structure on the chains for each section of the shoe pairs to facilitate changing the gripping shoes to adapt the machine for different cable sizes and cross sectional shapes.

Another object `of the invention is to provide supporting structures `on therchains for each section of the pressure shoe pairs to facilitate the interchange of pressure shoes `of various cable sizes and cross sectional shapes.

Other and more detailed objects ofthe invention will be apparent from the following disclosure `of. theern- 'bodiment" thereof shown in the attached drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevational view of one form of the device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views taken ron the lines 3 3 and 4 4 respectively of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevational View of one of the gripping shoes and the mounting device therefor;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of this shoe; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

L, In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the ,l de

vice is shown to include a ibase plate 10 on which at one end in suitable bearing structures, see Figure 3, are rotatably mounted a pair of shafts 11 and 12. Secured to these shafts respectively Ion one side of the plate are the sprocket wheels 13 and 14 and on the other side of the plate the bevel gears 15 and 16. These bevel gears mesh with the bevel gears 17 and 18 respectively which are secured to a shaft 19. This shaft is journaled in suitable bearings mounted in brackets 20, 21 and 22 secured to the base plate 10. On one end shaft 19 is a sprocket wheel 23 and intermediate its ends is a driving sprocket 24. At 25 is a one way clutch. Journaled in bearings mounted on plate 10 at its other end are another pair of shafts on which are secured the sprocket wheels 26 and 27. As is clear from Figure 2, the sprockets 13 and 26 and 12 and 27 are aligned on axes which are parallel and equidistantly spaced from the centerline of the path of movement of the wire or cable C.

Secured to one face of the plate 10, see Figures l and 2, are a pair of rails 29 and 30 which are arranged in parallel spaced relation and provided with guideways, as is clear from Figures 1 and 4. A pair of plates 31 and 32 are provided with rabbets at their ends to form tongues which slidably engage in the guideways of the rails 29 and 30, so that the plates 31 and 32 may slide towards and away from each other and lie in a single plane. As is seen from Figure l, this plane is parallel to the plate 1t). Secured to the exposed face of the plate 31 in parallel spaced relation are a series of plates 33, 34, 35 and 36, which are secured to the plate 31 in any suitable manner and between which, extending longitudinally of the plate, are reinforcing Webs, as for eX- ample the web 51. A similar set of plates 37, 38, 39 and 40 are secured to the plate 32, and likewise the reinforcing webs 52. Secured on the adjacent ends of the plates 33, 34, 3S and 36 is a rail or pressure cam 41 which lies parallel to and is spaced from a similar rail or cam 42 secured to the plates 37, 38, 39 and 40. The rails 41 and 42 are equidistantly spaced on opposite sides of the path of movement of the cable C.

At this point it will be helpful to note that the plates which support the rails 41 and 42, as for example the plates 35 and 39, are T-shaped so that the rails 41 and 42 are secured thereto in the corner formations at one side. Secured to the other end of each of these plates, as illustrated in Figure 2, are rectangular bars 43 to 50 inclusive, which form with the cornered formations at that end, guideways in which are slidably mounted the rails 53 and 54. These rails are provided with a series of seat forming members or blocks 59 and 60 against which one end of a series of compression springsl 56` and S8 seat. Teleseoping with these springs are a series of threaded adjustable spring positioning pins 5S and 57.

Secured on the opposite side of the plate 10 from the structure just described, are a pair of fluid pressure engines having the cylinders 6-1 and 62 which are secured to the plates 31 and 32 respectively. The plate 10, as is' clear fromv Figure 4,-v is cut away to expose the plates 31 and 32 for attachment of the cylinders, as in the case of the opening 1t)a for the cylinder 62. The piston rods 63 and 65 of these engines are connected to brackets 64 and 66 respectively, which are secured to the plate 10. Each engine, as illustrated in the case of the engine 62, is provided with threaded ports 62a and 62h, by means of which pressure iiuid may be supplied to and exhausted from the cylinder to effect the operation to be later described.

Jiournaled in suitable bearing structures on one side of plate 10, are a pair of pinions 67 and 68 which mesh respectively with the toothed racks 60 and 70, and 71 and 72. The racks 69 and 71 are secured to the plate 32 and the racks 70 and 72 are secured to the plate 31. They are arranged in parallel relation, as shown in Figure 1, and mesh with the opposite sides of the pinions.

A pair of endless chains and 82 are mounted on the sprocket pairs 13 and 26 and 14 and 27 respectively. These are roller chains of a type readily available in commerce and on each link there is mounted a gripping or pressure shoe.

Each shoe support consists of a rectangular plate 87 fastened to a pair of L-shaped brackets 38 :forming part of or attached to the links of the chain. The gripping shoes 81, made of any suitable resilient material and having the proper end face formation, are bonded to channel shaped plates S5 which are dimensioned so that they can be slipped endwise into plates S7. Secured at one end to each of the plates 87 is a stop 86, so that when the shoe is slipped in place it will be properly aligned transversely of the chain link. The two chains have the same number of links, and hence are each provided with the same number of shoe structures so that they can together in pairs form a series of wire or cable grips or pressure shoes, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The resultant shoes being detachably secured to the chains, can be replaced by other suitably shaped shoes for other sizes and shapes of cables.

ln the operation of the device power is applied to the sprocket 24 from any suitable power source through a chain to cause rotation of the shaft 19. The one-way direction provided by the clutch 25 prevents reverse motion or movement of the cable during stoppage of the machine. In passing it is noted that the sprocket 23 had nothing to do with the invention herein claimed.

The bevel gears 17 and 18 drive the sprockets 13 and 14 in an obvious manner to effect conjoint movement of the chains 80 and 82. In order to thread the capstan, pressure iluid is applied through the ports of the engines, as represented by the port 62h, and exhausted through the ports 622, so that the plate 32, Figures 2 and 4, moves downwardly carrying the toothed racks 69 and 71 with it. This movement of the racks causes the pinions 67 and 68 to revolve and their rotation acting through the racks 70 and 72 causes the plate 31 to move upwardly (Fig. 1). As a result the adjacent pair of rails 41 and 42, which are secured to the plates 31 and 32 as previously described, move apart taking the pressure olf of the adjacent lengths of the chains 80 and S2. The outermost rails 53 and 54 lying against the outer lengths of the chains are normally restrained by the chains, but take up slack created by separation of plates 41 and 42. This is caused by the springs 56 and 58 which cause a compensating outward movement of the rails 53 and 54 as the pressure on the chains is relaxed. Thus the initial end of a cable to be processed can be fed between the shoe pairs Sli-83. When the pressure uid supply and exhaust connections for the cylinders of the engines 61 and 62 are reversed, the parts return to their original position and pressure is applied to the cable through the rails 41 and 42 and resilient shoes. Floating plates 53 and 54 again preventing slack in the chains. The gripping force of the chains on the cable can be increased if desired by increasing the supply of pressure fluid to the ports corresponding to the port 62B for the cylinder 62, causing the plates 31 and 32 to tend to move towards each other and increase the pressure on the adjacent lengths of the chains through the 4 rails 41 and 42 secured to these plates. Thus, any required gripping pressure on the cable can be provided through the control of pressure uid supplied to the engines. i'

From the above description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject matter of this invention can be embodied in other detailed forms, and it is to be understood, therefore, that the scope of protection is to be afforded by the appended claims rather than by the single embodiment herein disclosed.

tf1/hat is claimed is:

l. A cable capstan comprising a pair of relatively movable supports, means for causing conjoint movement of said supports towards and away from each other, a pair of pressure rails attached to said supports in parallel spaced relation and lying on opposite sides of a cable path, a pair of endless chains, means for moving said chains lengthwise along said rails, a plurality of shoes secured to said chains to form gripping pairs cooperating as said chains move along said rails, a bedplate on which said supports are slidably mounted, and said first means comprising a power device connected to one of said supports and driving connections from that support to the other to effect said conjoint movement comprising pinions rotatably mounted on said bedplate and toothed racks connected to said supports respectively and engaging said pinions.

2. A cable capstan comprising a pair of relatively movable supports, pressure iluid means for causing conjoint movement of said supports towards and away from each other, a pair of pressure rails attached to said supports in parallel spaced relation and lying on opposite sides of a cable path, a pair of endless chains, means for moving said chains lengthwise along said rails, a plurality of shoes secured to said chains to form gripping pairs cooperating as said chains move along said rails, said pressure fluid means providing the correct force applied to said gripping pairs, a second pair of rails slidably mounted on each of said supports, and means for resiliently urging said second pair of rails against said chains respectively, said rail pairs being arranged to engage oppositely positioned lengths of the respective chains.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,434 Sammis Nov. 8, 1932 2,186,776 Webb et al. Jan. 9, 1940 2,623,570 Resser Dec. 30, 1952 2,642,280 Fisk June 16, 1953 2,655,066 Siegerist Oct. 13, 1953 2,679,924 Powell June 1, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 572,968 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1945

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