METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING TWISTED CABLE AND THE CABLE PRODUCED THEREBY

A method of and an apparatus for making twisted electrical cable (T), such as 600 volt secondary distribution (UD) cable, and the twisted cable product are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first plurality of stationary payoff reels (32) each wound with a length of stranded bare wire conductor (C). The stranded conductors (C) are simultaneously payed off the reels (32) to a pay out accumulator (34) for accumulating a portion of the stranded conductors during replacement of spent pay out reels (32). An extruder apparatus (36) arranged downstream of the accumulator (34) applies a plastic insulation material to a respective stranded conductor (C) as it passes through the extruder (36). A cooling trough (42) through which water is flowed cools the plastic insulation. A take-up accumulator (20) arranged downstream of the cooling trough (42) accumulates a portion of each insulated conductor during changeover of the take-up (28) arranged downstream of the take-up accumulator (20). The take-up (28) is rotated about a first axis to twist each insulated conductor about its longitudinal axis and to simultaneously twist the insulated conductors about one another to form a twisted electrical cable. The take-up (28) is also rotated about a second axis for taking up the twisted electrical cable. The twisted electrical cable product (T) made according to the method of the invention comprises a plurality of insulated conductors (50) each twisted about its longitudinal axis by the apparatus of the invention and twisted about one another. L'invention concerne un procédé et un appareil permettant la fabrication de câbles (T) électriques torsadés, par exemple les câbles de distribution secondaires (UD) 600 volts, ainsi que le produit ainsi obtenu. L'appareil comporte un premier groupe de bobines (32) débitrices fixes, chacune enroulée avec un fil conducteur (C) à toron nu d'une certaine longueur. Les conducteurs (C) à toron sont simultanément déroulés des bobines (32) vers un accumulateur (34) pour recueillir une partie des conducteurs à toron pendant le remplacement des bobines (32) dévidées. Une extrudeuse (36), placée en aval de l'accumulateur (34) applique un isolant en plastique au conducteur (C) à toron respectif lorsqu'il traverse l'extrudeuse (36). Un bac de refroidissement (42) à eau courante refroidit l'isolant en plastique. Un enrouleur (20), placé en aval du bac de refroidissement (42), accumule une partie de chaque conducteur isolé durant le changement de tambo