SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING FREE END OF WOUND CABLE

摘要

A system for securing a free end (22) of a cable (24) wound on a spool (26) includes a spooling machine (10) having at least one spooling head (20) for winding a length of the cable (24) onto the spool (26) and a stretch wrap applicator (30) for securing the free end (22) of the cable (24) on the spool (26) with stretch wrap (40) that is pinched between the free end (22) of the cable (24) and the outermost windings of the cable (24) wound on the spool (26). A stretch wrap applicator (30) for a spooling machine (10) having at least one spooling head (20) includes a housing (34), a roll of stretch wrap (40) disposed within the housing (34) and a pulling clamp (32) for gripping and pulling a starting end (42) of the stretch wrap (40) so as to position the stretch wrap (40) between a spool (26) of wound cable (24) having outermost windings and a free end (22) of the cable (24) wound on the spool (26). A method for securing the free end (22) of a cable (24) wound on a spool (26) includes providing the spooling machine (10) and the stretch wrap applicator (30), moving the pulling clamp (32) from an initial position around a free end (22) of the cable (24), gripping a starting end (42) of the stretch wrap (40), moving the pulling clamp (32) and the stretch wrap (40) back to the initial position with the stretch wrap (40) disposed between the free end (22) and the outermost windings of the cable (24) and moving the pulling clamp (32) in a downward direction so as to pinch the stretch wrap (40) within a nip defined between the outermost windings and the free end (22) of the cable (24).