Tensioning cable spreading device and tensioning cable lubrication device and method

Abstract

A device for spreading a multi-stranded tensioning cable, in particular steel tensioning cables, comprising a main body having a feedthrough opening for the entire tensioning cable, and a number of spreading elements which are arranged radially movably in the main body and each have a contour which is of a configuration tapering inwardly in the radial direction for engaging and producing a gap between respectively adjacent strands of the tensioning cable.

Claims

1. A device for lubricating a multi-strand tensioning cable, the device comprising: a body having: a feedthrough passage for receiving the multi-strand tensioning cable; a lubricant passage which opens into the feedthrough passage, wherein the lubricant passage is in fluid communication with at least one pressure generator; and a spreading device for spreading the multi-strand tensioning cable, wherein the spreading device is associated with the lubricant passage and has a main body having a feedthrough opening for receiving the multi-strand tensioning cable, the main body having a plurality of spreading elements arranged to move radially in the main body, each of the plurality of spreading elements having a contour that tapers inwardly in a radial direction configured to engage and produce a gap between respectively adjacent strands of the multi-strand tensioning cable to place the multi-strand tensioning cable in a spread configuration while in the feedthrough passage, wherein the spreading device is configured to return the multi-strand tensioning cable to a twisted configuration.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spreading elements is of a pin-shaped configuration.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of spreading elements has a spreading roller mounted rotatably in a radially movable piston.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: the main body is mounted in the device rotatably about an axis of rotation; and the axis of rotation is oriented substantially parallel to a feedthrough direction of the multi-strand tensioning cable at the feedthrough opening.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the axis of rotation is oriented coaxial relative to the feedthrough direction of the multi-strand tensioning cable through the feedthrough opening.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of spreading elements are respectively arranged in the main body radially movably by a thread.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of spreading elements are adapted to be deflected by at least one wedge slider.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of spreading elements are adapted to be moved inwardly or outwardly in the radial direction by rolling or sliding along the at least one wedge slider.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant passage is a first lubricant passage arranged upstream of the spreading device, the device further comprises a second lubricant passage arranged downstream of the spreading device.

10. The device according to claim 1, comprising a lubricant stripper arranged at an outlet end of the feedthrough passage, the lubricant stripper being dimensioned to strip off excess lubricant and retain the excess lubricant in the feedthrough passage.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to spread the multi-strand tensioning cable in the feedthrough passage.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure generator is configured, in dependence on a conveyor speed of the multi-strand tensioning cable through the feedthrough passage, to deliver a predetermined amount of lubricant through the lubricant passage.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein a delivery rate of the predetermined amount of lubricant is at least 25 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the delivery rate of the predetermined amount of lubricant is between 55 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable to 100 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the multi-strand tensioning cable includes steel tensioning cables.

16. A method comprising: passing the multi-strand tensioning cable through the feedthrough passage of the device according to claim 1, spreading the multi-strand tensioning cable to the spread configuration, delivering lubricant on to the multi-strand tensioning cable within the feedthrough passage, and returning the multi-strand tensioning cable to the twisted configuration.

17. The method according claim 16, wherein delivering the lubricant comprises using the at least one pressure generator, wherein the at least one pressure generator is adapted to deliver lubricant at a delivery rate of at least 25 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the delivery rate is between 55 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable to 100 g per meter of the multi-strand tensioning cable.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the multi-strand tensioning cable includes steel tensioning cables.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying Figures by means of two preferred embodiments. In the Figures:

(2) FIG. 1a shows a diagrammatic view of a lubricating and spreading device according to a first preferred embodiment,

(3) FIG. 1b shows a diagrammatic view of a lubricating and spreading device according to a second preferred embodiment,

(4) FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic perspective partial view of the lubricating and spreading device of FIG. 1b,

(5) FIG. 3 shows a further perspective view of a part of the lubricating and spreading device of FIG. 2, and

(6) FIG. 4 shows a complete diagrammatic view of the lubricating and spreading device shown in the previous Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1a shows a lubricating device 100 for lubricating a steel tensioning cable 301 comprising a plurality of strands. The lubricating device 100 has a spreading device 1 for spreading the multi-stranded steel tensioning cable 301. The spreading device 1 has a main body 3 in which a number of spreading elements 5a, 5b, 5c are radially movably arranged. In this respect radial mobility relates to a feedthrough opening 7 in the main body 3. The spreading elements 5a, 5b, 5c are therefore movable substantially towards and away from the center of the feedthrough opening 7. On their side which is radially inward relative to the feedthrough opening 7 the spreading elements 5a, 5b, 5c are of a tapered contour adapted to engage between adjacent strands of the steel tensioning cable 301 and to displace same laterally in such a way, as indicated by small arrows, that a small gap 13 is produced between the adjacent strands of the steel tensioning cable 301. Lubricant 200 is pressed through that narrow gap which is in a lubrication plane B downstream of the spreading location (shown in the section plane A) through a lubricating passage 101, into a feedthrough passage 105 which is preferably coaxial with the feedthrough opening 7 of the spreading device 1. That is preferably effected by means of a lubricant supply having a pressure generator 103 which is preferably controlled electronically and which in dependence on the conveyor speed of the steel tensioning cable 301 through the feedthrough passage 105 delivers a predetermined delivery rate of lubricant 200.

(8) The main body 3 is preferably rotatable or pivotable in the direction of the arrows 15, at least by a given angular amount. The axis of rotation is preferably the designated central axis of the feedthrough opening 7 or feedthrough passage 105.

(9) The second embodiment shown in FIG. 1b is structurally very similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1a. Identical or functionally identical components are denoted by the same references. Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 1a in which the spreading elements 5a-5b are of a pin-shaped configuration the spreading elements 9a-9c in the second embodiment respectively have spreading rollers 11a-11c mounted rotatably in the piston-shaped spreading elements 9a-9c. The displacement operation however is substantially the same. In a spreading plane A the spreading elements 11a-11c are moved radially inwardly whereby they engage between adjacent strands of the steel tensioning cable 301 and displace the adjacent strands respectively in the direction of the small arrows so that respective gaps 13 are formed between the adjacent strands, through which gaps lubricant 200 can then be introduced through a lubricant passage 101 in an adjacent lubrication plane B.

(10) The spreading elements 5a-5c and 9a-9c are preferably actuated hydraulically or pneumatically, or electromagnetically. Alternatively the spreading elements 5a-5c and/or 9a-9c are radially movable mechanically by means of screwthread displacement.

(11) FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show sectional views of the lubricating and spreading device. For the sake of simplicity here the spreading elements 9a-9c are respectively formed in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1b. The specific description is to be interpreted in such a way that, instead of the configuration shown in FIG. 1b, it is also possible to provide the spreading device of FIG. 1a in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a partial section through the spreading device 1. The feedthrough passage 105 and the feedthrough opening 7 in the main body 3 are oriented coaxially in relation to the longitudinal axis A. The direction of travel of the tensioning cable is indicated by the arrow L. Particular attention is applied in FIG. 2 to actuation of the spreading elements (spreading elements 9a, 9b). Arranged at the spreading elements 9a, 9b are respective rolling bodies 17 which are in operative relationship with a wedge surface 19. The wedge surface 19 is provided on a cylindrical hollow body 22 which is movable with a translatory movement in the direction of the arrow P1, substantially parallel to the axis A. By displacement of the hollow body 22 and the associated wedge surface 19 in the direction of the arrow P1 the rolling bodies 17 are moved substantially radially towards the axis A in the direction of the arrow P2. The movement of the hollow body 22 is triggered by a lever 21 provided on the spreading device 1 (see below in relation to FIG. 3).

(13) The spreading device 1 has a tensioning cable inlet side 25 and an oppositely arranged tensioning cable outlet side 27. Fitted to the housing of the spreading device 1 on the inlet side 25 is a flange in which there is an intake opening 23 for the feed of lubricant 200 into the feedthrough passage 105. The entire interior, that is to say the feedthrough passage 105 and the feedthrough opening 7, can be filled with lubricant 200 by means of that intake opening 23.

(14) The spreading device further has a manifold 31 which is in fluid-conducting communication with the feedthrough passage 105 and which can be opened and closed by means of a shut-off element 29. Lubricant can be selectively let out of the feedthrough passage 105 by means of that manifold.

(15) As can further be seen from FIG. 3 the lever 21 which represents the mechanical drive for the spreading elements (indicated at 9a, 9b) is movably guided in a sliding guide 33. The lever 21 is pivotable from a first starting position 35 into a second starting position 37. The first starting position 35 represents an open position in which the tensioning cable is passed substantially unimpeded through the feedthrough passage while the spreading elements in the second starting position 37 are disposed in a spreading position, penetrate into the tensioning cable and spread it. The sliding guide 33 is of a spiral configuration with respect to the axis A so that the lever position in the second starting position 37 is rotated through an angle alpha relative to the first starting position 35 and is displaced by a displacement x in the direction of the axis A. That displacement corresponds to the movement of the wedge surface 19 (FIG. 2) which in dependence on the angle of the wedge surface results in a radial movement of the spreading elements (9a, 9b).

(16) FIG. 4 shows by way of example a diagrammatic view of the complete lubricating device 100. The lubricating device 100 has an entry 201 for the feed of lubricant 200. The entry 201 is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to the first lubricant passage 101 (see FIGS. 1a, 1b) and a lubricant passage 102. Preferably at least one pressure generator is interposed as part of the lubricant discharge device. In the present embodiment a first pressure generator 103 and a second pressure generator 104 are provided for the two lubricating passages 101 and 102. With the two pressure generators 103, 104 it is possible to predetermine the pressure of the first lubricant passage 101 independently of the pressure of the second lubricant passage 102.

(17) While the first lubricant passage 101 feeds lubricant into the feedthrough passage 105 (FIGS. 2 and 3) upstream of the spreading device 1 the second lubricant passage 102 is arranged downstream of the spreading device 1 and feeds lubricant subsequently from the exterior into the feedthrough passage 105. In particular the proportion of lubricant which was supplied by means of the second lubricant passage 102 contributes to lubricating the tensioning cable 301 at its periphery. Excess lubricant is removed from the tensioning cable 301 by means of a stripper 107 arranged at the outlet end at the lubricating device 100 so that on issuing from the lubricating device 100 the tensioning cable 301 has a lubricant film of defined thickness.