Cap assembly with friction drag on tension brush

Abstract

A cap assembly for facilitating pay-off of wire past one end flange of a spool, comprising a wheel carried on a shaft mounted along the axis of the spool at one end, and a tension brush comprising a body having radially extending, resilient and flexible tines extending to the periphery of the wheel, and adapted to be brushed by a wire strand as it orbits or traverses the spool end flange and passes over the wheel. The wheel is rotatable on the shaft, and the moving strand imparts turning motion thereto during pay-off. The tension brush body is also rotatable on the shaft under the action of the orbiting strand. An adjustable braking device is associated with the brush body and shaft such that a small drag force can be imparted to the brush as it is rotating, tending to slow it down to a point where the tines are moving at a circumferential velocity somewhat less than that of the strand. This has the desired effect of minimizing the tendency for the tines of the brush to move at the same speed as the strand, which would defeat the purpose of the brush. Also, the slight drag on the brush causes the strand to be swept by the tines at a relatively slow rate, thereby maintaining the desired brushing action but eliminating fast relative movement between the tines and strand, as in the case of a stationary brush. Higher pay-out speeds are thus attainable with the present arrangement than with any other known wheel/brush combinations, and significantly improved results are thereby had.