Machine and method for producing an expansible cylindrical lattice structure, in particular for a reinforcement of a pipe having a socket

Claim 2

In a machine for producing an expansible cylindrical lattice structure, comprising a support device for supporting longitudinal filaments parallel to a given axis, a feeder for feeding a transverse filament and disposed on one side of said support device, means for producing a relative rotation about said axis between the feeder and the support device, and a device for producing a relative movement in translation along said axis between the feeder and the support device; the provision of a filament corrugating device interposed between the feeder and the support device and adapted and arranged to corrugate the transverse filament as it is fed by the feeder.

Claim 3

A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugating device comprises two jaws movable with respect to each other, and two filament corrugating wheels respectively mounted on the jaws and capable of assuming an operative position in which the wheels corrugate the transverse filament.

Claim 4

A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first of the jaws is fixed and the second jaw is slidable relative to the first jaw, control means being connected to the second jaw to shift the second jaw toward the first jaw and bring thE jaws to said operative position.

Claim 5

A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support device comprises two rotary plates which are parallel to each other and spaced apart along said axis, a first of said plates being fixed with respect to the axis, a carriage being movable along said axis and carrying the second of said plates, the corrugating device being fixed with respect to said axis and the control means comprising a jack and a circuit controlling the actuation of the jack, a movable member inserted in said circuit for selectively opening and closing said circuit and a ramp co-operative with said member for shifting said member, said member and said ramp being associated with the carriage so that said circuit is opened and closed at predetermined points in the travel of the carriage.

Claim 6

A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ramp is carried by the carriage and said member is fixed relative to said axis.

Claim 7

A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support device comprises two rotary plates which are parallel to each other, spaced apart along said axis and fixed relative to said axis, and a carriage movable along said axis carries the feeder and the corrugating device, the control means comprising a jack and a circuit controlling the actuation of the jack, a movable member inserted in said circuit for selectively opening and closing said circuit and a ramp co-operative with said member for shifting said member, said member and said ramp being associated with the carriage so that said circuit is opened and closed at predetermined points in the travel of the carriage.

Claim 8

A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein said member is carried by the carriage and said ramp is fixed relative to said axis.

Claim 9

A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means comprise a hydraulic jack, a hydraulic circuit including a slide valve controlling the position of the jack, an electromagnet associated with the slide valve for shifting the slide valve, an electric supply circuit for the electromagnet, a switch inserted in the supply circuit and a switch closing ramp co-operative with the switch, the relative position of the switch and ramp being dependent on the relative position of the feeder and support device.

Claim 10

A machine as claimed in claim 2, comprising a motor drivingly connected to one of the corrugating wheels, a first gear which is connected to be driven by said one of the corrugating wheels in a direction parallel to said axis, and a second gear which is drivingly connected to the other of said corrugating wheels, said first gear being disposed in facing relation to said second gear in a direction parallel to said axis.

Claim 11

A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the two gears have spindles and two apertures are provided in the jaws, the spindles are respectively mounted in the apertures and resiliently yieldable means bias the spindles.

Claim 12

A machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein two bearings are movable in said apertures and are biased by the resiliently yieldable means, the spindles being respectively rotatably mounted in the bearings.

Claim 13

A machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the apertures are in the form of arcs of a circle centered on the axes of rotation of the corrugating wheels.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising winding around said group of filaments in directly succeeding relation to each other: helical coils of a transverse corrugated filament and helical coils of uncorrugated filament.

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising providing on the group of filamentS, between the coils of transverse corrugated filament and the coils of transverse uncorrugated filament, a circular coil of uncorrugated filament which is closed onto itself in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the winding.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said circular coil is provided by winding it between the winding of the coils of corrugated filament and the winding of the coils of uncorrugated filament, the windings succeeding each other in a continuous manner.

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said circular coil is provided on the group of filaments in the form of an independent collar.