DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES

Abstract

DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES. This invention patent, in the field of Industrial Mechanics, refers to a device capable of straightening a steel cable for reuse for various purposes. This device uses the principle of cable and pulley tension to generate a tension capable of straightening the steel cable.

Description

DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES

[001] This invention patent, in the field of Industrial Mechanics, refers to a device capable of straightening a steel cable for reuse for various purposes. This device uses the principle of cable and pulley tension to generate a tension capable of straightening the steel cable.

[002] The steel cable as we know it today was invented by the German Wilhelm August Julius Albert in 1834. At the time, a substitute was needed for the chains used in coal mines. As the depth of the mines increased, the length of the chains became so great that they were impractical. Wilhelm Albert then had the idea of ​​braiding wires, which resulted in much lower weights with high resistance. The cable is then formed by steel wires, obtained by a stretching process called drawing. A set of these wires forms a strand. This is only a part of the cable, as a set of them is again braided around a core, thus forming the final cable. The first steel cable was formed by 3 strands, each with 4 wires and without a core.

[003] The rope evolved with the discovery that the ideal number of strands would be 7, one of which would be the core, because they could all be of the same diameter and the same formation (number of wires). Later, it was discovered that the core could be replaced by a natural fiber rope (hemp, sisal, jute and cotton) which in turn could be lubricated. The fiber + lubricant combination considerably increases the flexibility and performance of the rope. The classic 7-strand formation was covered with 12 more strands, giving a strand that we would call today a "standard" or "M" (multiple operations) 19-strand strand, much more flexible and easier to use.

[004] Until then, cables were made with strands of the same diameter, as were each strand of wires of the same diameter. To increase the Petition 870210039524, dated 04 / 30 / 2021, p. 4 / 9 2 / 6 flexibility, layer upon layer was added. It was then that the Americans began to improve production methods and discovered that they could use wires of different diameters and twist them all at once with the same pitch (length of the helix that forms the wire after twisting). They also discovered that these cables were much better, since the crossing of wires in M ​​twists with different pitches no longer existed and they did not self-destruct. Then the Seale, Warrington and Filler formations emerged, which exist and are still used today. The formations used in modern steel cables are practically combinations of these three types. Therefore, cables today are composed of a "core" (central) surrounded by smaller diameter cables called "strands" of the cable, which are intertwined around the core, forming the structure of the steel cable. The "strands" of the cable are formed by "wires" that are also intertwined to form the "strand".

[005] Cables are elements that transmit movement and support large loads (tensile force), moving them in horizontal, vertical, or inclined positions. They are widely used in transport equipment and in lifting loads, such as in elevators, excavators, and overhead cranes. The ends are fixed by means of hooks or loops (formed by braiding the cable itself). Cables are standardized and have load limits tabulated by manufacturers. The more strands and the more wires a cable has, the more flexible it is, and vice versa. The configuration of an 8 (strands) x 25 (wires in each strand) cable is more flexible than the 6 x 25 configuration, which is more flexible than a 1 x 19 strand.

[006] There are situations that require a more rigid steel cable. It is not certain, therefore, that a more flexible cable is "better" than a more rigid one. It all depends on what you want to do with it. Cables used in situations that are constantly winding and unwinding, such as in hoists, overhead cranes, and winches, are usually the more flexible type, like 6 x 36 and similar. Cables that suffer high abrasion must have thicker sheath wires, because Petition 870210039524, dated 04 / 30 / 2021, p. 5 / 9 3 / 6 example of the Seale type. Static cables, that is, those that do not move and only support axial loads during their service life, last longer when they are more rigid. For most applications in industrial mechanics, the cable will have a dynamic function, winding and unwinding.

[007] In several applications, for cable diameters above 20 mm, the cable may suffer a rupture or failure in its core, but without causing damage to the strands that form the cable. Therefore, it is possible to service the cable by replacing only the core of the cable at the location where the damage occurred. This avoids the need to replace the entire steel cable.

[008] This maintenance procedure requires the following steps: • Uncoil the cable strands at the location where the damage to the cable core occurred. • Replace the damaged or ruptured part of the core, repairing the core. • Straighten the feathers of the steel cable where it was unwound. • Rewind the cable and make the final splice.

[009] After unwinding the cable strands, they will be bent (wavy) due to the initial winding of the cable. In order to be able to wind the strands back onto the steel cable in order to restore the cable to its original shape, it is essential to straighten the strands.

[010] However, searches conducted in patent databases did not find devices that allow for the straightening of steel cables. Most of the time this procedure is performed manually by the maintenance professional, which is a very unergonomic procedure, generating a great deal of strain on the professional's arms and shoulders, and often causing injuries to the arm joints in the medium and long term.

[011] In these searches, patent CN111332884 was found, which Petition 870210039524, dated 04 / 30 / 2021, page 6 / 9 4 / 6 features an adjustable V-shaped clamp for a wire rope winding and unwinding device and a method for using it. However, this system does not allow for wire rope maintenance procedures such as core replacement and lacks any wire rope straightening system.

[012] Patent PI 0502210-0, entitled “Improvement in straightening method and equipment used in a straightening method”, presents a straightening method that takes place inside an operational furnace, where the bent part is placed on the furnace supports. The part is heated until it exceeds the austenitizing temperature and kept heated for a time proportional to its diameter, and this prolonged heating causes the part to become slightly soft and flexible, promoting straightening. This method would not be applicable to flexible cables and is not suitable for field application for maintenance procedures.

[013] Patent PI 9404933-5, entitled “Straightening and coil forming system in wire winders for metal wire production machines”, presents a straightening system that eliminates the need for adjusting sets of straightening rollers. This straightening system is characterized by using a single roller, mounted on the winder plate, replacing the straighteners used in conventional processes. This system is applicable only to coils in metal wire reels, and is not applicable to steel cables.

[014] Patent BRMU8503091 presents a system for straightening axles, designed to correct and straighten axles of motor vehicles. The equipment is capable of correcting the convergence and camber angles of the vehicle's steering axles. However, this system is not applicable for straightening flexible steel cables.

[015] To solve the state-of-the-art problem of straightening the legs of a steel cable to perform a maintenance procedure. Petition 870210039524, dated 04 / 30 / 2021, page 7 / 9 5 / 6 on the cable or to straighten a steel cable for any application, this patent proposes a device based on the principle of the wire drawing process. However, for the suggested equipment, there is no reduction in the diameter of the steel cable strand, as it is limited to applying a tensile force to deform the cable strand. In this way, it is expected that the strands will be straightened through the phenomenon of plastic deformation of the material.

[016] The figures below are helpful in understanding the technology described here, but not limited to:

[017] Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the device with the performance system open, indicating the components of the device.

[018] Figure 2 shows a view of the device for better visualization of the pulley system for straightening.

[019] Figure 3 shows a view of the closed device.

[020] Figure 3 shows a view of the open device.

[021] The present invention provides a device for straightening steel cables comprising a cable positioning system (1) and a cable traction system (2) that provides the tension required for straightening.

[022] The positioning system consists of a set of adjustable pulleys (3) and a pressure lock (4) that has the function of pressing the cable into the pulleys (3). The traction system consists of a speed-reducing motor that has the function of moving two pulleys (5) to pull the cable. When pulled, the cable that is pressed into the pulleys (3) undergoes a tensile stress that is responsible for its straightening.

[023] To transmit the movement from the geared motor to the pulleys (5), a motion transmission system (6) is used, which may consist of pairs of gears, a belt or chain drive or any other rotational motion transmission system, Petition 870210039524, dated 04 / 30 / 2021, page 8 / 9 6 / 6 without restrictions.

[024] Analogous to the wire drawing process, the proposed device is based on creating a frictional force necessary to pull the legs, passing through the pulleys (3), which act as the die (skewer) in the wire drawing process, thus causing plastic deformation.

[025] The device has a pressure locking system (4) that allows you to regulate the exact gripping force that will be applied to the cable and ensure that the straightening procedure takes place in the proper way, without damaging the cable and generating the desired straightening.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES, comprising a steel cable positioning system (1), characterized by comprising a cable traction system (2), a set of adjustable pulleys (3), a pressure lock (4) for pressing the cable in the pulleys (3), a geared motor and pulleys (5) for tractioning the cable.

2. DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES, according to claim 01, characterized by comprising a motion transmission system (6) to transmit motion from the geared motor to the pulleys (5).

3. DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING STEEL CABLES, according to claim 01, characterized by the pressure locking system (4) allowing the exact gripping force to be applied to the cable to be regulated and ensuring that the straightening procedure occurs in the proper way, without damaging the cable and generating the desired straightening.

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