Machine with a nacelle fitted with a stabilizing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine comprising a nacelle (20) mounted so as to be freely rotatable about a longitudinal axis (A20) and supporting at least one element (22) that is movable relative to this nacelle, the nacelle being capable of oscillating about the longitudinal axis between a stable equilibrium position and a plurality of unstable equilibrium positions, the machine comprising a stabilization device (24) for stabilizing the oscillations of the nacelle about the longitudinal axis, wherein this stabilization device comprises a container (26) and balls (28) held captive in this container, the balls being able to move relative to one another inside the container.

Description

MACHINE WITH A PLATFORM EQUIPPED WITH A STABILIZATION DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to a machine comprising a nacelle mounted freely in rotation and supporting at least one movable element relative to this nacelle.

[0002] For example, the invention can be implemented in machines for manufacturing wire ropes used in the manufacture of tires.

[0003] A wire rope manufacturing machine typically allows for the assembly of different metal wires in a helix. The wire rope produced by such a machine comprises, for example, a core wire or a plurality of core wires assembled in a helix, and one or more layers of reinforcing wires assembled in a helix around this core wire or plurality of core wires.

[0004] Depending on the type of cable being manufactured, a wire rope manufacturing machine includes one or more freely rotating pods mounted between two rotating flywheels and supporting one or more reels of wire.

[0005] For example, a wire rope manufacturing machine includes a receiving hopper 10 such as the one illustrated in Figure 1. This receiving hopper 10 receives a wire rope 12 at the end of its assembly. This hopper 10 is mounted to rotate freely about a longitudinal axis A10 and between two axes A1, A2 rotating about this longitudinal axis A10. Each rotating axis A1, A2 is equipped with a handwheel VI, V2 fixed in rotation to the axis that supports it and allowing the wire rope 12 to be guided around the hopper. For receiving the finished wire rope 12, the hopper 10 supports a receiving reel 14 mounted to rotate freely about a rotation axis AR fixed to the hopper 10. This receiving reel 14 is driven in rotation about this rotation axis by a motor (not shown).

[0006] During cable manufacturing, the receiving nacelle must remain in a substantially stable equilibrium position such as that illustrated in Figure 2, with the axis of rotation of the receiving reel extending in a vertical direction. While the two flywheels VI, V2 rotate in the same direction SI on either side of the nacelle 10, the nacelle must not oscillate around the longitudinal axis A10, or only over very small angular amplitudes.

[0007] When the nacelle 10 oscillates around the longitudinal axis A10 and reaches an unstable equilibrium position such as that illustrated in Figure 3, this can lead to assembly defects in the manufactured cable or damage the manufacturing machine and other equipment located around it. In some cases, the machine can be damaged to the point of posing a risk of parts being ejected and thus injuring people in the vicinity of the machine.

[0008] Various patterns can cause the gondola to oscillate towards unstable equilibrium positions.

[0009] One reason is that some cables have a high modulus of elasticity which can lead to oscillations of the gondola.

[0010] Another reason is that, in cable manufacturing, as with many other industrially produced goods, there is a drive to increase production efficiency. This pursuit of efficiency can lead to the use of higher speeds and accelerations in the manufactured cable, potentially resulting in nacelle instability.

[0011] The high rotational speeds of the flywheels located on either side of the nacelle, between 1000 rpm and 6000 rpm, can cause nacelle oscillations, but they can This can primarily generate heat at the mechanical connections between the nacelle and the axes on which it is mounted. The manufactured cable itself can also experience heat that could compromise its quality. Therefore, a forced airflow directed towards the nacelle may be used to mitigate this heat, but in some cases, this forced airflow can lead to nacelle instability and excessive oscillations.

[0012] The present invention aims to provide a solution to reduce the oscillations of a nacelle of a manufacturing machine and to improve its stability when a forced airflow is directed towards the nacelle, when seeking to increase production yield or when manufacturing a product likely to cause nacelle instability.

[0013] To this end, the invention relates to a machine comprising a gondola mounted freely to rotate around a longitudinal axis and supporting at least one movable element relative to this gondola, the gondola being capable of oscillating around the longitudinal axis between a stable equilibrium position and a plurality of unstable equilibrium positions.

[0014] According to the invention, the machine includes a device for stabilizing the oscillations of the gondola around the longitudinal axis, this stabilization device comprising a container and balls trapped in this container, the balls being able to move relative to each other inside the container.

[0015] The ball bearing stabilization device dampens or eliminates nacelle oscillations around the longitudinal axis. This device ensures stable nacelle operation in complex situations: forced airflow directed towards the nacelle, high-efficiency applications with high speeds and / or accelerations of the manufactured product, or the production of a product such as a cable that could cause nacelle oscillations around its stable equilibrium position.

[0016] For example, the ball stabilization device allows the production of highly elastic cables that could not be manufactured if the gondola were not equipped with this stabilization device.

[0017] In addition, the ball stabilization device allows for improved production while eliminating the safety and quality risks that could be caused by excessive oscillations of the nacelle.

[0018] In more detail, when the gondola begins to oscillate, the balls in the stabilizing device move randomly relative to each other within the container. These random movements of the balls create mechanical forces of varying amplitude and direction in time and space that can either oppose or interfere with the gondola's oscillations, thus preventing an increase in the amplitude of the gondola's oscillations around its stable equilibrium position. Therefore, the random movements of the balls tend to return the gondola to its stable equilibrium position when it begins to oscillate.

[0019] Advantageously, but not necessarily, the invention may also provide that: - the marbles are arranged one behind the other inside the container, - the marbles are aligned inside the container, - the marbles are of the same diameter, - the container forms a cylindrical guideway for the balls, the internal diameter of which is approximately equal, within the limits of sliding clearance, to the diameter of the balls. - the container is closed at both ends, - the container extends around a stabilizing axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, - The stabilizing axis is horizontal when the gondola is in its stable equilibrium position. - the longitudinal axis is horizontal, - the container is located at a non-zero distance from the longitudinal axis, - the center of gravity of the gondola equipped with the moving element(s) being located below the longitudinal axis when the gondola is in its stable equilibrium position, the container is mounted on the gondola so as to be located above the longitudinal axis when the gondola is in its stable equilibrium position, - the gondola comprises a cradle with a central part and two right and left walls provided on either side of this central part, the mobile element(s) are mounted on the central part and the container of the stabilization device is fixed to one of the right and left walls, - the gondola is mounted to rotate freely between two distinct rotating axes, the two rotating axes extending around the longitudinal axis and being driven in rotation around this longitudinal axis, - a movable element supported by the gondola is a spool of wire mounted to rotate relative to the gondola. - the machine is a cable assembly machine, especially for metallic cables, and the nacelle is a feeding nacelle allowing the assembly of several wires together or a receiving nacelle for a cable made up of several wires assembled together.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description. This description, given by way of example and not limitation, refers to the attached drawings in which: - [Fig. 1] schematically represents a side view of a gondola that is not equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention, - [Fig.2] schematically represents a front view of a gondola that is not equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention and in a stable equilibrium position, - [Fig.3] schematically represents a front view of a gondola that is not equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention and in an unstable equilibrium position, - [Fig.4] schematically represents a front view of a gondola equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention, - [Fig. 5] schematically represents a front view of a stabilization device according to the invention, - [Fig. 6] schematically represents a side view of a receiving gondola equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention, - [Fig.7] schematically represents a side view of a feeding pod equipped with a stabilization device according to the invention.

[0021] The invention relates to the stabilization of a platform 20 mounted in a machine such as a cable manufacturing machine, for example, for metallic cables. As shown in Figure 4, this platform 20 is mounted to rotate freely (arrow R) about a longitudinal axis A20 and supports at least one movable element 22 relative to this platform. For example, the movable element 22 is movable relative to the platform when the machine comprising said platform is in operation. For example, the movable element 22 is mounted to rotate freely about an axis The AR rotation is supported by the nacelle 20. For example, the moving element 22 is a wire reel mounted to rotate relative to the nacelle. This wire reel is driven in rotation, for example, when the machine including the nacelle is used to manufacture a cable.

[0022] Due to its free rotation around the longitudinal axis A20, the nacelle is susceptible to oscillating around this longitudinal axis between a stable equilibrium position, illustrated in Figure 4, and a plurality of unstable equilibrium positions. The nacelle is in a stable equilibrium position when it tends to return to this position as it begins to move away from it, for example, by oscillating rotationally around the longitudinal axis A20. The nacelle is in an unstable equilibrium position when it tends to move away from a given position and does not return to it, for example, by oscillating rotationally around the longitudinal axis A20. When the machine incorporating the nacelle is in operation, the movements, particularly rotational movements, of the moving element relative to the nacelle can also cause the nacelle to oscillate towards unstable equilibrium positions.In a plane P20 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A20, the various unstable equilibrium positions of the nacelle are located, for example, at different angular positions around the longitudinal axis A20 and on either side of the nacelle's stable equilibrium position. For example, an unstable equilibrium position of the nacelle can present risks when it is located more than 5 degrees from the nacelle's stable equilibrium position in the plane P20 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A20. For example, the nacelle is in a stable equilibrium position when the rotation axis AR of the moving element 22 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A20, and preferably when the rotation axis AR of the moving element 22 is vertical.

[0023] To limit or prevent oscillations of the platform towards unstable equilibrium positions, the machine includes a stabilization device 24 for the oscillations of the platform 20 about the longitudinal axis A20. More specifically, and as illustrated in Figure 5, this stabilization device 24 comprises a container 26 and balls 28 trapped within this container. In order to eliminate or reduce the oscillations of the platform around its stable equilibrium position, the balls can move relative to one another inside the container 26.

[0024] When the gondola 20 begins to oscillate, the balls 28 of the stabilizing device move randomly relative to each other inside the container 26. These random movements of the balls create mechanical forces of varying magnitude and direction in time and space that can either oppose or interfere with the oscillations of the gondola, thus preventing an increase in the amplitude of the gondola's oscillations around its stable equilibrium position. More specifically, due to their own mass and random movements, the individual balls create different positive or negative moments about the longitudinal axis depending on the direction of movement of each ball, and the values ​​of these moments change constantly as each ball's position changes within the container 26.

[0025] In order to promote disordered movement of the marbles relative to each other inside the container 26, the marbles 28 are preferably arranged one behind the other inside the container 26. Thus, the marbles collide more often and change direction more frequently.

[0026] To keep the balls in relatively unstable positions, the balls 28 are preferably aligned inside the container 26.

[0027] Preferably, the balls are of the same diameter. This allows for a container 26 forming a cylindrical guideway for the balls, the internal diameter D26 of which is substantially equal, within the sliding clearance, to the diameter D28 of the balls 28. For example, this sliding clearance is from several tens of micrometers to several hundred micrometers. For example, the container 26 is a tube. Alternatively, the container 26 could take the form of several parallel guide rails spaced apart to define a cylindrical guideway for the balls, the internal diameter of which would be substantially equal, within the sliding clearance, to the diameter D28 of the balls 28. To retain the balls inside the container, the container 26 is closed at both ends E1, E2.Alternatively, other mechanical means such as lugs, screws or through axles could also be used to prevent the balls from exiting the container at its ends.

[0028] Preferably, the 28 balls are metallic. For example, a 28 ball has a mass between 10 and 100 grams. For example, a 28 ball has a diameter between 5 and 50 mm.

[0029] Whether it takes the form of a tube or any other hollow element capable of containing the balls, the container 26 is, for example, fixed to a support plate 30 comprising fastening elements 32, such as oblong and curved openings, on a gondola to be stabilized. For example, if the container is in the form of a tube, this tube is fixed to the support plate 30 using clamps.

[0030] As shown in figures 6 and 7, the container 26 can also be directly mounted on a part of the gondola 20 to be stabilized.

[0031] In order to allow the balls to exert moments opposing the forces causing oscillations of the gondola around the longitudinal axis, the container 26 preferably extends around a stabilizing axis AS orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A20. Ideally, the container 26 is mounted on the gondola 20, for example via the support plate 30, in such a way that the stabilizing axis AS is horizontal when the gondola 20 is in its stable equilibrium position.

[0032] To enable the balls to exert moments opposing the forces causing the gondola to oscillate around its longitudinal axis, the container 26 is located at a non-zero distance D from the longitudinal axis A20. If the container 26 forms a cylindrical conduit for guiding the balls, the distance D is measured between the longitudinal axis A20 and the central axis AC of the container 26. If the container 26 is cylindrical and extends around a central axis AC, this central axis AC corresponds to the stabilization axis AS. For example, the container 26 is positioned at a distance D between 60 and 200 cm, preferably between 100 and 140 cm, from the longitudinal axis A20.

[0033] In a cable manufacturing machine or in other types of machines using one or more gondolas, the longitudinal axis A20 is preferably horizontal.

[0034] Generally, in a cable manufacturing machine or other types of machines using one or more gondolas, the center of gravity of the gondola 20 equipped with the moving element(s) 22 is located below the longitudinal axis A20, thus providing the gondola with a stable equilibrium position. In such a configuration, the container 26 is mounted on the gondola 20 so as to be located above the longitudinal axis A20 when the gondola is in its stable equilibrium position. This mounting of the container 26 above the longitudinal axis A20 promotes and amplifies the opposing moments created by the random displacements of the balls inside the container 26. Preferably, the container 26 is centered with respect to the longitudinal axis A20 in the plane P20 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A20. Thus, the balls and their disordered movements can oppose oscillations causing the gondola to move from side to side of its stable equilibrium position along the longitudinal axis A20.

[0035] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the platform 20 generally comprises a cradle 34 with a central part 36 and two right-hand walls 38 and left-hand walls 40 provided on either side of this central part. In such a platform configuration, the movable element(s) 22 are mounted on the central part 36 and the container 26 of the stabilization device is fixed to one of the right-hand and left-hand walls, for example by means of the support plate 30.

[0036] The receiving platform shown in Figure 6 is a receiving platform for a cable assembly machine, particularly for metallic cables. This receiving platform allows for the final storage of the cable C manufactured by this machine. This cable is, for example, made up of several strands joined together. This receiving platform supports a single receiving reel 22 for cable C. This receiving reel is mounted to rotate relative to the platform. This receiving reel 22 is, for example, driven in rotation by a motor (not shown) located outside the receiving platform.

[0037] This receiving gondola is mounted to rotate freely between two separate rotating axes A3 and A4. These two rotating axes extend around the longitudinal axis A20 and are driven in rotation around this longitudinal axis. The two rotating axes A3 and A4 are synchronized in rotation around the longitudinal axis of the gondola. Each rotating axis A3 and A4 supports a flywheel V3 and V4 fixed to this axis around the longitudinal axis A20, allowing the cable C to circulate around the gondola. At least one of the rotating axes A3 and A4 is driven in rotation by a motor (not shown). For example, the motor driving one of the rotating axes A3 and A4 also drives the receiving reel 22 in rotation via a belt and right-angle gear transmission.

[0038] The nacelle illustrated in Figure 7 is a feeding nacelle for a cable assembly machine, particularly for metallic cables. The nacelle supports several movable elements 22, which are wire reels mounted to rotate relative to the nacelle. The nacelle also supports an assembly device 42 for joining the different wires from the various reels it supports, and possibly with another wire or assembly of wires. Like the receiving nacelle, this feeding nacelle is mounted to rotate freely between two separate rotating axes A5 and A6. These two rotating axes extend around the longitudinal axis A20 and are driven in rotation about this longitudinal axis. The two rotating axes A5 and A6 are synchronized in rotation about the longitudinal axis of the nacelle.Each rotating axis A5,A6 supports a flywheel V5,V6 fixed to this axis around the longitudinal axis A20 and allowing a first wire F and a first assembly of wires AF to circulate around the nacelle.

Claims

7 DEMANDS 1. Machine comprising a nacelle (20) mounted freely to rotate about a longitudinal axis (A20) and supporting at least one movable element (22) relative to this nacelle, the nacelle being capable of oscillating about the longitudinal axis between a stable equilibrium position and a plurality of unstable equilibrium positions, the machine is characterized in that it comprises a stabilization device (24) for the oscillations of the nacelle about the longitudinal axis, and in that this stabilization device comprises a container (26) and balls (28) trapped in this container, the balls being able to move relative to each other inside the container.

2. Machine according to claim 1, in which the balls (28) are arranged one behind the other inside the container.

3. Machine according to claim 2, in which the balls (28) are aligned inside the container.

4. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the balls (28) are of the same diameter (D28).

5. Machine according to claim 4, in which the container (26) forms a cylindrical guideway for the balls whose internal diameter (D26) is substantially equal, within sliding clearance, to the diameter (D28) of the balls.

6. Machine according to claim 5, in which the container (26) is closed at both ends.

7. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (26) extends around a stabilizing axis (AS) orthogonal to the longitudinal axis (A20).

8. Machine according to claim 7, wherein the stabilizing axis (AS) is horizontal when the nacelle (20) is in its stable equilibrium position.

9. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal axis (A20) is horizontal.

10. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the container (26) is located at a non-zero distance (D) from the longitudinal axis (A20).

11. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the center of gravity of the nacelle (20) equipped with the moving element(s) being located below the longitudinal axis when the nacelle is in its stable equilibrium position, the container (26) is mounted on the nacelle so as to be located above the longitudinal axis (A20) when the nacelle is in its stable equilibrium position.

12. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the gondola (20) comprises a cradle (34) with a central part (36) and two right (38) and left (40) walls provided on either side of this central part, the movable element(s) (22) are mounted on the central part (36) and the container (26) of the stabilization device is fixed on one of the right and left walls.

13. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the nacelle is mounted to rotate freely between two rotating axes ((A3,A4),(A5,A6)) distinct from each other, the two axes rotating parts extending around the longitudinal axis (A20) and being driven in rotation around this longitudinal axis (A20).

14. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a movable element (22) supported by the nacelle is a wire reel mounted movable in rotation relative to the nacelle.

15. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the machine is a cable assembly machine, in particular a metallic cable, and wherein the nacelle (20) is a feeding nacelle for assembling several wires together or a receiving nacelle for a cable formed of several wires assembled together.

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