GB2222139A - Improved wire former - Google Patents

Abstract

A wire former consists of four arm elements 2 to 5 formed from rolled steel angle joined at one end at 6 in an equispaced relationship and having parallel portions extending towards the other ends thereof to form an open cage-like structure. The said other ends of the elements have portions 32 to 35 extending outwardly and substantially at right angles to the axis of the former, and are secured to an annular strip of metal 10 concentric with the said axis to maintain the said arms in a constant positional relationship. Preferably the arms each include a joggle 42 to 45 adjacent the joined ends whereby that end portion is narrowed and can be positioned within the opposite end portion of a second former for stacking. Strip 10 may be omitted (Fig. 1), or members 8, 9 may be omitted (Fig. 2). <IMAGE>

Description

iMPROVEI} WIRE FORMER The present invention is concerned with wire formers especially such formers that are cheap and are not required for reuse.

Traditionally wire formers are made from tubular, flat section and rolled steel hollow section components. Such formers are generally expensive to produce and are intended for reuse therefore requiring that they be returned to the wire manufacturer after being emptied by the wire user.

We have now devised a cheap design of wire former that need not be returned to the manufacturer and which, in its preferred form, is capable, when loaded with wire, of being stacked one upon the other.

Our lmproved wire former comprises at least three and preferably at least four arm elements each joined to the other at one end and having parallel portions extending towards the other ends thereof to form an open cage like structure, said other ends having portions extending outwardly substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the former and including means to retain the said ends in a constant positional relationship to each other, the said elements being formed from angle section components, preferably from rolled steel angle components.

Preferably the said outwardly extending ends are secured to an annular strip of metal centred on the longitudinal axis of the former.

Most preferably a joggle is formed in each element at locations spaced from the first mentioned ends thereof whereby the former is narrowed at that end to enable the said portion to be located within the opposite end of a second former.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a second embodiment of the invention and, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings. A wire former generally indicated at 1 comprises four equi-spaced parallel side portions 2, 3, 4 and 5 formed of rolled steel angle.

The upper end 22, 23, 24 and 25 are bent inwardly at right angles and joined by a right angled cross element 6 the ends of which are welded to the respective ends of elements 2,3,4 and 5. The lower ends 32,33,34 and 35 of elements 2,3,4 and 5 are bent outwardly substantially at right angles and are maintained in a constant positional relationship to each other by means of cross members 8 and 9 which are welded between members 3 and 5 and 2 and 4 respectively. For transportation purposes the formers of this embodiment are stacked side by side. In use wire is wound around the elements 2,3,4 and 5 and may conveniently be withdrawn over the upper end thereof with the former in the upright position.

In the embodiment of Figure 2 like parts are numbered with like numerals as in Figure 1. The positional relationship of the end portions 32,33,34 and 35 of elements 2,3,4, and 5 is maintained in this embodiment by means of the annular metal strip 10 to which the said end portions are welded.

The wire former of this particular embodiment has the advantage that, for transportation purposes when empty, one former may be stacked upon another with the elements of one former lying adjacent the elements of the former above or below. The number of formers that may be stacked will be dependent upon the distance apart of adjacent elements, for example elements 3 and 4 and the width of the elements.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings in which, like parts are numbered with like numerals as Figure 1 and 2. In this embodiment the upper end portions 52,53,54 and 55 of elements 2,3,4 and 5 are joggled to provide shoulders 42,43,44 and 45 on each element and thereby reducing the width of the former at the upper end. The degree of joggling is controlled such that the narrowed upper portion of the element of one former will just slide within the angle of the lower portion of the element of another identical former. By this means one former can be stacked on top of another, the lower vertical end portions of elements 2,3,4 and 5 of the upper former resting upon shoulders 42,43,44 and 45 of the lower former.The lower ends 32, 33, 34 and 35 of elements 2, 3, 4and 5 are maintained in constant positional relationship to each other by means of cross members 8 and 9 secured to load bearing supports 11, 12, 13 and 14. The supports 11, 12, 13 and 14 are fully welded to the uprights 2, 3, 4 and 5 so as to provide adequate load bearing when the formers are stacked one on top of the other when loaded with wire, it being understood that wire wound onto the formers does not extend to the level of the shoulders.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to formers having four elements, it is clear that formers having just three opposed elements could be employed.

Preferably, however; the number of such elements is in the range of 3-6. In order to be stackable it is preferred that the elements in the embodiment of Figure 2 and 3 be equispaced. In respect of the embodiment of Figure 3 it is essential that the elements of each former be spaced apart by exactly the same amount in order that the formers may be located to enable one to be stacked on top of the other when loaded with wire.

Whilst reference has been made to the manner in which the formers may be transported their construction is sufficiently cheap to enable them to be thrown away" once all of the wire has been removed by the user.

Claims (7)

1, A wire former comprising three arm elements joined at one end and having parallel portions extending towards the other ends of each element to form an open cage-like structure, said other ends having portions extending outwardly substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the wire former and including means to retain the said other ends in a constant positional relationship, the said elements being formed from angle section components.

2. A wire former according to claim 1 comprising four arm elements.

3. A wire former according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the elements are formed from rolled steel angle components.

4. A wire former according to claim 2 or 3 wherein cross members are located within the said structure and are secured to opposite arm elements to retain the said other ends in a constant positional relationship.

5. A wire former according to any one of claims 1 - 3 wherein said outwardly extending portions of said ends are secured to an annular strip of metal centered on the longitudinal axis of the wire former to retain the said other ends in a constant positional relationship.

6. A wire former according to any one of claims 1 - 5 wherein a joggle is formed in each arm element and spaced from said first mentioned ends thereof whereby the wire former is narrowed at that end to enable to the narrowed portion to be located within the opposite end portion of a second wire former.

7. A wire former substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2 or 3 of the drawings.