Machine line for efficiently annealing multiple individual aluminum and copper wires in tandem with a stranding machine for continuous operation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for continuous operation for the production of conductors that include twisted or stranded wires or filaments includes supply payoff for providing a plurality of strands that have been work hardened. The wires or strands are annealed in line with the payoff and subsequently cooled by a chiller in line with the annealer for cooling the annealed strands output from the annealer to a predetermined temperature. A dancer between the supply payoff and the annealer ensures the speed at the output of the payoff is matched to the intake speed of the annealer. A strander in line with the annealer and cooler or chiller is provided for imparting at least one twist to the annealed and cooled strands. Speed control, for example an additional dancer, is provided in line between the cooler and the strander for adjusting and controlling the speed or velocity of the strands moving along the line to maintain a speed compatible with the take up speed of the strander. The predetermined temperature is selected to be the ambient operating temperature of the strander for copper or aluminum cable.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for continuous uninterrupted production of twisted or stranded conductors including a plurality of strands along a continuous line comprising supply means at a beginning of said line for providing a plurality of strands that have been work hardened; annealing means downstream of said supply means along said line with said supply means for annealing said strands; dancer means between said supply means and said annealing means for adjusting and matching speeds or throughputs of the strands from said supply means and into said annealing means; a chiller downstream of said annealing means along said line with said annealing means for actively cooling annealed strands output from said annealing means to a predetermined temperature that is approximately equal to ambient temperature that allows the strands to be stranded at said predetermined temperature; a strander downstream of said chiller along said line with said annealing means and said chiller for imparting at least one twist to the annealed and cooled strands; speed control means in line between said chiller and said strander for adjusting and controlling the speed or velocity of the strands emanating from said supply means and being taken up by said annealing means along said line to be compatible with the take up speed of said strander, said supply means, annealing means, chiller and said strander being arranged in tandem along said line for uninterrupted continuous operation. 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined temperature is less than the ambient temperature. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said strander operates at an ambient temperature and said chiller actively cools the strands from approximately 800-900° F. to a temperature approximately equal to 100° F. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said annealing means and said chiller are configured to anneal and actively cool the strands at a speed of approximately 100-400 feet per minute. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said strands are aluminum strands. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said strands are copper strands. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said supply means dispenses pre-formed strands. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said supply means dispenses round strands that need to be formed, and further comprising forming means, for forming said round strands, located in line between said supply means and said annealing means. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an in-line input capstan for each layer of a final strand or cable configuration, between said supply means and said annealing means. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined temperature is less than 100° F.