Capstan and system of capstans for use in spooling multiple conductors onto a single reel

• US 10,227,204 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southwire Company
• Original Assignee: Southwire Company
• Inventors: Reese, Charlie W., Murphy, Donald E., Elder, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gallion, Michael E
• Application Number:
  US15/700,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20180022566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/126 with both-ends supporting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/325 Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 51/015 Gathering a plurality of forwarding filamentary materials into a bundle
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/02 Winding and traversing material on to reels, bobbins, tubes, or like package cores or formers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/026 Doubling winders, i.e. for winding two or more parallel yarns on a bobbin, e.g. in preparation for twisting or weaving
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/12 on flanged bobbins or spools B65H54/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/54 Arrangements for supporting cores or formers at winding stations; Securing cores or formers to driving members
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/553 Both-ends supporting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/74 Driving arrangements arrangements for preventing ribbon winding B65H54/38; arrangements for rotating packages B65H54/40
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 59/04 by devices acting on package or support
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 59/385 Regulating winding speed
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 59/387 Regulating unwinding speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/124 Roll handlers

Abstract

A capstan includes a lift motor, a flexible lifting member, and a tether assembly. The lift motor is operatively connected to a shaft. The flexible lifting member includes a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the shaft. The flexible lifting member connects a lift assembly to the lift motor via the shaft. The tether assembly includes a switch arranged between a portion of the flexible lifting member and a portion of the capstan. The second end is connected to the tether assembly. The switch acts as a safety in case of a broken flexible lifting member and allows for an automated unloading cycle.

Claims

1. A method for spooling multiple conductors onto a single reel associated with a take-up capstan, the method comprising:

connecting a free end of a first conductor to the single reel associated with the take-up capstan, wherein a majority of the first conductor is wound around a first reel connected to a first capstan;

connecting a free end of a second conductor to the single reel associated with the take-up capstan, wherein a majority of the second conductor is wound around a second reel connected to a second capstan, and wherein connecting the free end of the second conductor to the single reel occurs without rotating the first reel; and

causing the single reel to be rotated by the take-up capstan, wherein rotation of the single reel by the take-up capstan causes the first reel and the second reel to rotate due to tension created within the first conductor and the second conductor, and wherein the take-up capstan halts rotation of the single reel in response to receiving, by a controller of the take-up capstan, a signal from a switch of the take-up capstan, the signal indicating that a load detected by the switch is below a predetermined load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the free end of the second conductor to the single reel without rotating the first reel comprises rotating the second reel via a drive assembly connected to the second capstan.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the free end of the second conductor to the single reel without rotating the first reel comprises fixing a position of the first reel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, via the controller, a fault within the first capstan or the second capstan; and

in response to detecting the fault, activating a brake located at each of the first capstan, the second capstan, and the take-up capstan to stop the first reel, the second reel, and the single reel from rotating.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an automated unloading sequence is triggered in response to the switch detecting when the single reel is lowered to a floor.