METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STABILISING STRIP DURING WINDING.

摘要

A spool winding assembly for winding a composite strip onto a spool having a hub is disclosed. The strip (10) it winds includes an elongate plastic strip having a flat base portion and a plurality of laterally spaced apart lengthwise extending rib portions upstanding from the base portion; and a plurality of elongate reinforcing members extending lengthwise within respective rib portions, the rib portions and the reinforcing members forming composite ribs. The assembly includes: a main frame (202); a spool holder (204) for rotatably supporting the spool relative to the main frame; a spool drive unit 206 for driving the spool (50) with respect to the main frame (202); a carriage (240) mounted for lateral movement with respect to the spool (50); a bender (90) mounted to the carriage (240) for receiving the strip (10) as it is fed towards the hub (55) of the spool (50) and for deforming the strip (10) to give it a curved base portion; and a bender drive unit (210) operably connected to the bender (90) for driving the strip (10) through the bender (90).