US3804131A

US3804131A - Wire skeining apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3804131A
Application number: US00342059A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Holmes; J Tite
Original assignee: Essex International Inc
Current assignee: ROBERTS INDUSTRIES Inc A CORP OF MI
Priority date: 1972-03-22
Filing date: 1973-03-16
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16
Also published as: JPS4919268A; GB1384733A; DE2313719C3; IT980659B; DE2313719A1; FR2177374A5; DE2313719B2; JPS5532013B2

Abstract

Skein winding apparatus for wire coil winding machines has a rotatable arrangement of spaced projections for initially folding wire and has associated with it a device for twisting the folded wire intermediate the spaced elements. The apparatus forms interlocked wire skeins quickly.

Description

United States Patent [191 Holmes et al.

WIRE SKElNlNG APPARATUS Inventors: Frank Robert Edwin Holmes,

Syston; John Tite, l-lugglescote, both of England Assignee: Essex International Inc., Fort Wayne,- Ind.

Filed: Mar. 16, 1973 Appl. No.: 342,059

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 22, 1972 Great Britain 13458/72 US. Cl. 140/92.2, 242/53 Int. Cl B2lf 3/00 Field of Search 140/92, 102; 242/53, l27; 28/21 Apr. 16, 1974 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,246,608 6/1941 Taylor et al. 140/922 Primary ExaminerLowell A. Larson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Larson, Taylor & l-linds [5 7 ABSTRACT Skein winding apparatus for Wire coil winding machines has a rotatable arrangement of spaced projections for initially'folding wire and has associated with it a device for twisting the folded wire intermediate the spaced elements. The apparatus forms interlocked wire skeins quickly.

11 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPR 16 m4 SHEEI 2 [IF 9 PATENTEDAPR 16 19M 3.804.131

SHEET 3 0F 9 mm wmsm $804,131

sumsuw FIG 6 PATENTEBAPR 16 1914 $804; 131

sum 7 or 9 WIRE SKEINING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention relates to wire skeining apparatus for in winding wire onto bobbins to make coils.

The leads of wound coils are often subject to stresses in use and during their manufacture. Strong leads can be obtained by using a thicker wire for the lead portions than for the remainder of the coil. Alternatively a wire can be formed into a skein of folded and twisted wires to form a lead. The formation of such skeins is only stepin the succession of steps necessary to form a wound coil. I

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a compact skein winding apparatus which can be fitted adjacent other equipment on a coil winding machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a compact skein winding apparatus capable of operation at speed and without supervision and not limiting the speed of the overall coil winding operation.

The invention provides a wire skeining apparatus which comprises a pair-of spaced projections on a rotatable mounting for folding a wire passing between the projections, and an element rotatably mounted on a support reciprocable with respect. to the rotatable mounting and having a recess for straddling a portion of the foled wire for forming a skein of interlocked wire by twisting the folded wire. Preferably the projections are mounted diametrically opposite and the support is mounted for sliding to and fro in a central aperture of the mounting. Advantageously the projections are pins and levers are provided on the rotatable mounting straddling the pins for ejecting ends of the skein of interlocked wire from the projections. Suitably the projections are adjustably and resiliently mounted on the mounting. The recess may be formed by a movable insert. Preferably the element is a radially slotted gear disc drivable by a pair of circumferentially spaced gears. Conveniently the element is mounted inside the support which is provided with a converging slot and the element is connected to a drive adapted to stop the element only when the recess and slot are aligned. The apparatus may further comprise a, first electric motor for driving a main shaft; a first clutch and a drive train for rotating the mounting which drive train is connected to an index gear for'rotating abobbin; a second clutch and a drive train comprising a reduction gear, a cam shaft. a cam follower and a lever connected to the cam follower for reciprocating the support; and switches to operate the electric motor and clutches as and when required. The element may be connected to a second electric motoroperated by time switches to twist the folded wire. i

The wire skeining apparatus of the invention may be fitted onto an automatic or semi-automatic bobbin winding machine of the type where a number'of-winding units are mounted on a continuously rotated table. The skeining apparatusmay also be fitted onto a turret bobbin winding machine. I

This invention is particularly described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a bobbinwinding machine incorporating the I cording to the invention;

skeining attachment acof the attachment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a side view and a front view respectively of the upper part of the skeining attachment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are a side view and a front view respectively of the lower part of the skeining attachment of FIG. land complement FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 shows a section through the drive shaft of th skeining attachment of FIGS. 2 to 5;

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a-twisting mechanism of the skeining attachment of FIGS. 2 to 5;

FIG. 8 shows a section through line A-A of FIG. 7;

F IGS 9a to c illustrate various stages of the operation -FIG. 10 shows a side view of an alternative form of a twisting mechanism of the skeining attachment of FIGS. 2 to 5;

FIG. 11 shows atop view of the twisting-mechanism of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 shows a section through line ll-l l of FIG. 1 1.

The bobbin winding machine erator load position, the wire fed is wound in coils around the bobbin frame by. rotation of the spindles.

When winding is completed the bobbin isfinished by subjecting it to a skeining operation; wrapping a tape around the coil; wrapping the skein around a protuberance on the bobbin frame, and cutting the skeined lead of the bobbin at a position approximately half-way down the skeined portion. The bobbin is then removed from the spindle so that a further bobbin frame can be re-loaded on the spindle by the operator.

Inyorder to enable. these finishing operations to be performed at successive-winding units whilst the table rotates, skeining and subsequent wrapping and cutting attachments are mounted separately from the table on pairs of guide bars mounted radially with respect to the table. The attachments are provided with mountings which can slide on the guide bars and are themselves secured by arms to the table support. By moving the arm radially and the guide bars circumferentially the different attachments can be made to travel along with the rotating table opposite one of the winding units,

and on completion of the operation for which the attachment is responsible, can be moved away from the- The skeining attachment With reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, the skeining attachment comprises a base 4 consisting of an index frame 6 provided with tubular openings at 8 for receiving the aforementioned guide bars and with an upstanding carrying arm 10, and a support bracket 12 bolted to the carrying arm 10. Bolted to the carrying arm is an upwardly extending mounting place 14 which supports at its upper end a wire folding unit 16 which in turn supports a twisting unit 18. Mounted on the bracket 12 is a motor 20 having an output shaft 22 which is connected by V-belts 26 and pulleys 28 to a main drive shaft 24. The main drive shaft 24 is supported by a mounting plate 30 bolted to the motor 20 at one end, by the mounting plate 14 and the carrying arm 10 at the other end and at an intermediate position by a mounting plate 32 secured by spacing members 34 to the mounting plate 14. Mounted on the plate 32 is a drive train 36 to drive a programming cam 38 and move the twisting unit 18 to and fro and mounted on the plate 14 is a drive train 40 for rotating the wire folding unit 16 and the aforementioned index gear 42 which is positioned between the carrying arm 10 and mounting plate 14. Each of the

drive trains

34 and 40 can be connected by a

clutch

44 and 46 respectively to the main drive shaft 24. The drive train 40 can be stopped in a predetermined position by a brake 48 mounted on the carrying arm 10.

The wire folding unit The wire folding unit 16 comprises a bracket 60 bolted to the mounting plate 14, a hub 62 rotatably retained on the bracket 60, the bracket 60 and hub 62 leaving a central aperture 64 and two arms 66 extending radially from the hub 62 (only one arm is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). On the bracket 60 are mounted a pair of microswitches 68 at spaced positions and on the hub 62 are mounted a switch actuating plate 70 and a wheel 72 connected to the drive train 40 by a belt 74. Each of the arms 66 serve as a mounting for a pair of spaced rings 76 which can be fixed to the arm 66 in a required position, a spring 78 and a slide block 80 carrying projecting pick-up pins 82 and a bolt 84 for preventing rotation of the block around the arm by engaging in a groove in the arms 66. The spring 78 and the slide block 80 are positioned between the rings 76 with the spring adjacent the hub 62. Also mounted on the hub 62 alongside each arm 66 are a pair of ejector fingers 86 mounted on pivots 88 secured to the hub 62. Each of the ejector fingers 86 on one end of the pivot 88 extends towards the aperture 64 at which position a lateral pin 90 is secured to the ejector fingers and at the other end have a recess to allow the fingers to straddle and extend past the pins 82.

The twisting unit The twisting unit 18 (see also FIGS. 7 and 8) comprises a housing 100 slidably mounted with respect to the folding unit 16 by a pair of guide bars 102 secured to the bracket 60, a twisting gear 104 "at the front of the housing, a drive 106 for the twisting gear and a mecha-,

attached to the housing and the bracket 60. At the front the housing 100 is provided with a recess or slot 110 which provides access to the twisting gear 104 and a pair of ejector finger actuators 112 which are positioned forward of and opposite the lateral pins 90. The twisting gear 104 is a spur gear with a recess 1 14 which extends to the centre (see FIG. 7). At the centre there is a square cut-out 116 for receiving an insert 1 18. The insert has a recess which extends radially past the axis of rotation of the gear 112 and which is continuous with the recess 114. The drive 106 for the twisting gear 104 comprises a flexible drive shaft 119 connected to a motor on the table 2, a pulley 120 mounted on top of the housing 100 connected by a V-belt 122 to a pulley 124 adjacent the twisting gear. The pulley 124 is connected by a vertical shaft 126 to a drive gear 128 which through a pair of spaced roller gears 130 drives the twisting gear 104. The drive gear is of the same size as the twisting gear 104. The mechanism 108 comprises an air cylinder 132 mounted on the rear of the housing, a rack 134 operated by the air cylinder 132 and extending underneath the housing through a guide 135 to mesh with a spur gear 136 which is connected through a one-way clutch 138 to a wheel 140 fixed to the vertical shaft 126. The wheel 140 has a cut-out 142 at one particular position. 'The mechanism 108 further comprises a lever 144 mounted on a pivot 146 which has a protuberance 147 for engaging in the cut-out.-142 and a cam follower 148 for engaging a cam piece 150 at the end of the rack 134 on With reference to FIGS. 10 to 12, the alternative twisting unit shown is identical to the one previously discussed except for the manner in which the pulley 124 is driven and brought to a stop in a particular angular position.

Underneath a housing 100 at the rear is mounted a variable speed d.c. motor 200 which is connected through electric cables to a power supply and which is arranged to drive a pulley 1 20. The pulley 120 is connected to the pulley 124 by a toothed belt 122. On top of the pulley 120 is mounted a cam disc 202 for conjoint rotation which has a recess 204 in that position where the recess 114 is directed towardsthe front of the housing 100 and aligned with the recess 110. Mounted on the housing 100 is also air cylinder 206 which controls a rod 208 on the tip of which is mounted a roller 210. Actuation of the air cylinder enables the roller 210 to be pressed against the disc 202 and at the appropriate moment into the recess 204. The rod 208 is held against sideways movement and has a trigger 212 to actuate a pair of switches fixed to the housing 100 (not shown) to indicate that the rod 208 has reached either of its extended or the retracted position. one side of the pivot 146 and an extension 152 for operating a microswitch 154 on the other side of'the pivot 146. The lever is urged towards the wheel 140 by a spring 156. The housing 100 is formed with a central recess 158 in which is mounted aroller 160.

With reference to FIGS. 10 to '12, the alternative twisting unit shown is identical to the one previously discussed except for the manner in which the pulley 124 is driven and brought to a stop in a particular angular position.

Underneath a housing 100 at the rear is mounted a variable speedd.c. motor 200 which is connected through electric cables to a power supply and whichis arranged to drive a pulley 120. The pulley 120 is connected to- .the pulley 124 by a toothed belt 122. On top of the pulley 120 is mounted a cam disc 202 for conjoint rotation which has a recess 204 in that position where the recess 114 is directed towards the front of the housing 100 and aligned with the recess 110. Mounted on the housing 100 is also an air cylinder 206 which controls a rod 208 on the tip of which is mounted a roller 210. Actuation of the air cylinder enables the roller 210 to be pressed against the disc 202 and at the appropriate moment into the recess 204. The rod 208 is held against sideways movement and has a trigger 212 to actuate a pair of switches fixed to the housing 100 (not shown) to indicate that the rod 208 has reached either of its extended or the retracted position.

Drive Arrangement The drive train 40 (see also FIG. 6) comprises the index gear 42 which can be coupled to the drive shaft 24 by operation of the clutch 46, a change gear 170 comprising a number of spur gears one of which, 170, is mounted on a swing block 172, which mesh with the index gear 42 on one sied and with a drive gear 174 on the other side. The drive gear 174 has a shaft mounted in the plate 14 which is joined to a bevel gear 176 at a position underneath the wire folding unit 16. The bevel gear 176 meshes with a further bevel gear 178 which has a wheel 180 which drives the belt 74 passing around the wheel 72 of the wire folding unit. The drive train thus can rotate the hub 62. It is stopped in a I predetermined position by the brake 48 which clamps the index gear 42 in position when the arms 66 are substantially vertical.

The drive train 36 comprises a gear 190 which is mounted on the shaft 24 and can be coupled thereto by the clutch 44. The gear 190 meshes with further gears 192 to rotate the programming cam 38. On the mounting plate 32 is also fixed a lever 194 which has a cam follower 196 engaging the cam 138 and an arm 198 extending upwards into the central recess 158 of thetwisting unit 18 to engage the roller 160. Rotation of the cam 38 will thus cause the twisting unit 18 to be moved on the guide bars 102 to and fro in conjunction with springs through the aperture 64 in the wire folding unit 16. Mounted on the cam 38 are a number of microswitch actuators 200 to engage Stationary microswitches 206 on rotation of the cam 38.

Adjustment Before using the skeining attachment, it is first adapted by selectionof an appropriate set of change gears to the sixe of the bobbin concerned and by adjusting the rings 76 to thelength of skeined leads desired. Also an insert 118 is selected and is mounted in the cutout 116 which has a recess of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the wire.

Operation pick-up pin 82. The motor 20, which .is permanently switched on, is then caused to rotate the hub 62, the arms 66 and thereby the pick-up pins 82 (see FIG. 9) through the drive chain 40 by actuating the clutch 46. The wire is pulled off the feeder at the top and the index gear 42 causes the spindle to be turned in reverse so as to pay back some of the wire already wound on it. Rotation of the hub 62 is stopped, by engagement of one of the microswitches 68 with the switch actuator plate 70 to release the clutch 46. The brake 48 is actuated to lock the index gear 42 and thereby the hub 62 shortly afterwards by engagement of the other microswitch 68. In the locked position the arms 66 are substantially vertical. A timing device enables these switches to become active before 1 rotations has been completed. Thus (see FIG. 9) the wire is folded to provide 5 strands extending vertically between the pick-up pins 82. Using an additional set of microswitches or an additional switch actuator plate in combination with a time switch it is possible to control and select the number of rotations of the arms 66 to within one half of a rotation. Thus if the arms 66 are rotated for 180 21 skein of three wire strands is obtained. It is also possible to rotate the arms more than once to give skeins with 7 or 9 strands.

As soon as the brake 48 is actuated the clutch 44 is engaged causing the

gears

190 and 192 to rotate the cam 38. The cam 38 and the springs connecting the twisting unit housing and the bracket 60 in conjunction pivot'the lever 194 so that the arm 198 is tipped forward allowingthe housing 100 to move forward though the aperture 64 to reach the'position shown in FIG. 2. When moving forward the strands of wire enter the recess in the housing and then pass into the recess 1 14 in the twisting gear 104 to reach the portion of the recess 114 in the insert 118.

The recesses 1 10 and 114 are kept aligned in the first construction described during their forward movement to receive the strands of wire by the engagement of the protuberance 147 in the cut-out 142, whilst the rack 134 is held in a forward position by the air cylinder 132. The rack 134 is withdrawn which causes the gear 136 to turn idly until the cam piece 150 engages the cam follower 148 on the lever 144 so as to disengage the protuberance 147 from the cut-out 142. Subsequently the drive 106 for the twisting unit 18 is actuated by operation of one of the microswitches 206. The flexible drive shaft 119 starts rotating and'causes the twisting gear 104 to be turned through the pulley 120, the V-belt 122, the pulley 124, the shaft 126, the drive gear 128 and the idler gears 130. The presence of 'two idler gears ensures that the drive is transmitted constantly in spite of the recess 114 in the twisting gear 104. This is because when one of the idler gears is opposite the recess 114, the other is still in meshing engagement. The rotation of the twisting gear 104 causes the wire strands extending between the pick-up pins 82 to be twisted together. After the required amount of twisting the drive 106 is cut off through a time delay switch. The tension which arises on twisting is absorbed by the springs 78 on the arms 66. When the drive is cut off the air cylinder 132 is actuated to push the rack 134 forward again rotating the wheel through the gear 136 and one way clutch 138. The forward movement of the rack 134 also causes the cam follower 148 to be disconnected from the cam piece 150 on the rack allowing the springs 156 to pull the protuberance 147 against the wheel 140. Rotation of the wheel 140 causes the twisting gear 104 to be rotated through the one-way clutch 138, the shaft 126, drive gear 128 and idler gears 130. The. forward movement of the rack 134 continues until the protuberance 134 engages in the cut-out 142 in the wheel 140. A pivoting movement of the lever 144 results, which disengages the extension 150 from the microswitch 154 so that the air-cylinder is arrested. Thus the wheel 140 is stopped at a particular position which corresponds to the alignment between the recess 114 in the twisting gear 104 and the recess 110 in the housing 100 necessary to allow the twisted wire strands, herein-- after called the skein, to be released.

In the second form of the twisting unit described (see FIGS. 10 to 12) the

recesses

110 and 114 are kept aligned by the engagement of the roller 210 in the recess 204. The rod 200 is then withdrawn until the trigger 212 actuates the foremost microswitch (not shown) to indicate that the roller 210 is clear of the cam disc 202. Then the dc. motor 200 is switched on to rotate the pulley 120 and thereby the twisting gear 104. The duration of rotation is'determinedby a time switch which at the end of the period required for twisting, switches the dc. motor to a slow speed. The air cylinder 206 simultaneously pushes the rod 208 out. When the roller 210 enters the recess 204, the trigger 212 actuates the rearmost microswitch (not shown) and causes the dc. motor to stop the pulley 120 in that position.

On completion of the alignment of the

recesses

110 and 114, the the housing 100 is caused to be retracted by further rotation of the cam 38. When the housing is retracted completely the finger actuators 112 on the housing 100 engage the lateral pins 90 on the ejector fingers 86. The parts of the ejector fingers 86 with the recess are therefore moved forward. Thus the skein is pushed off the pick-up pins 82. Continued rotation of the cam 38 moves the housing 100 slightly forward and then a further switch'206 causes the clutch 44 to be disconnected from the drive shaft 24. In this position the attachment is ready for a subsequent operation.

The attachment is now moved outward by the arm which connects it to the table and is returned by rotation of the guides to pick-up a subsequent winding unit to repeat the operation.

The skein previously prepared is then further processed to complete the manufacture of the bobbin as previously described.

The folding unit enables a folded wire skein to be formed very quickly by a compact arrangement. The associated twisting unit imparts twist simultaneously on the portion of the skein above and below the twisting gear 104, thus providing a quick twisting action before the skein has been severed from the wire supplied from the feeder.

I claim: I

1. Apparatus for forming skeins of interlocked wire comprising:

I a pair of projections, a mounting supporting the projections and first drive means for rotating the mounting to fold a wire passing between the projections; and

an element defining a substantially radially extending recess, a housing supporting the element, second drive means mounted on the housing for rotating the element; and

a frame supporting the said mounting and said housing and third drive means mounted on the frame for reciprocating the said housing with respect to the said mounting to enable the element to straddle the folded wire and twist it by rotation.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting comprises a hub having a central aperture and a pair of arms radiating in opposite directions from the hub to which the projections are secured; the frame comprises a member supporting the hub and at least two guide bars; and the housing is slidably mounted on the guide bars to reciprocate through the central aperture in the hub. v

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 which further comprises a pair of levers having one end straddling the projections, the other end extending towards the centre of the mounting and pivoted intermediate the ends on the hub, one lever being associated with each of the projections and means mounted on the housing to engage the centrally extending ends of the levers on withdrawal of the housing to thereby eject the ends of the skein of interlocked wire from the projections.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting comprises abutments, one abutments on each side of both projections and the projections are urged radiallyoutward towards one of the abutments by springs. v

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the abutments are securable in a number of positions with respect to the mounting whereby the length of the skein is adjusted.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the element comprises a gear dis'chaving a radial slot and a removable insert keyed into the gear disc having a cutout continuous with the radial slot to define the recess.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second drive means comprise a drive gear and a pair of idler gears in meshing engagement with the drive gear and the gear disc and spaced circumferentially.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the housing is formed with a converging slot and means are provided to arrest the element only when the recess and slot are aligned.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first and third drive means comprise a first electric motor mounted on the frame; a main shaft rotatably journalled in the frame and drivable by the first motor, a first drive train for rotating the mounting and a first clutch mounted on the main shaft for selectively interconnecting the main shaft and the first drive train;

a second drive train for rotating a cam, a second clutch mounted on the main shaft for selectively interconnecting the second drive train and the main shaft, and a lever mounted on the frame and engaging at one end the cam and at the other end the housing for reciprocating the housing; and in which the second drive means comprise a second electric motor drivingly connected to the element.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which an index gear is mounted on the frame rotatable independently of the main shaft but controllable by the first clutch to rotate with said main shaft and a brake ispr ovided to arrest the index gear in a predetermined angular.position.

11. Coil winding machine comprising a rotatable table and wire feeding and coil winding units rotatable and said housing and third drive means mounted on the frame for reciprocating the said housing with respect to the said mounting to enable the element to straddle the folded wire and twist it by rotation, movable radially and circumferentially with respect to the table to traverse with the winding units during skeining operations.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming skeins of interlocked wire comprising: a pair of projections, a mounting supporting the projections and first drive means for rotating the mounting to fold a wire passing between the projections; and an element defining a substantially radially extending recess, a housing supporting the element, second drive means mounted on The housing for rotating the element; and a frame supporting the said mounting and said housing and third drive means mounted on the frame for reciprocating the said housing with respect to the said mounting to enable the element to straddle the folded wire and twist it by rotation.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting comprises a hub having a central aperture and a pair of arms radiating in opposite directions from the hub to which the projections are secured; the frame comprises a member supporting the hub and at least two guide bars; and the housing is slidably mounted on the guide bars to reciprocate through the central aperture in the hub.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting comprises abutments, one abutments on each side of both projections and the projections are urged radially outward towards one of the abutments by springs.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the element comprises a gear disc having a radial slot and a removable insert keyed into the gear disc having a cut-out continuous with the radial slot to define the recess.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first and third drive means comprise a first electric motor mounted on the frame; a main shaft rotatably journalled in the frame and drivable by the first motor, a first drive train for rotating the mounting and a first clutch mounted on the main shaft for selectively interconnecting the main shaft and the first drive train; a second drive train for rotating a cam, a second clutch mounted on the main shaft for selectively interconnecting the second drive train and the main shaft, and a lever mounted on the frame and engaging at one end the cam and at the other end the housing for reciprocating the housing; and in which the second drive means comprise a second electric motor drivingly connected to the element.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which an index gear is mounted on the frame rotatable independently of the main shaft but controllable by the first clutch to rotate with said main shaft and a brake is provided to arrest the index gear in a predetermined angular position.

11. Coil winding machine comprising a rotatable table and wire feeding and coil winding units rotatable conjointly with the table; and a wire skeining apparatus having a pair of projections, a mounting supporting the projections and first drive means for rotating the mounting to fold a wire passing between the projections; an element defining a substantially radially extending recess, a housing supporting the element, second drive means mounted on the housing for rotating the element; and a frame supporting the said mounting and said housing and third drive means mounted on the frame for reciprocating the said housing with respect to the said mounting to enable the element to straddle the folded wire and twist it by rotation, movable radially and circumferentially with respect to the table to traverse with the winding Units during skeining operations.