990,306. Making wires for wrapped joints; Shearing. FERRANTI Ltd. Jan. 29, 1964 [Feb. 1, 1963], No. 4176/63. Headings B3E and B3W. A wire forming tool for forming " U "-shaped wire links 9 and inserting them into two bits of a twin-headed wire wrapping tool 1 comprises a body member 10, a member 13 movably mounted on the body, a wire forming block 22 mounted on the member 13, a channel 29 in the body 10 to receive the block, the member 13 having means for locating the bits of the tool 1 in alignment with the channel, means for locating a length of wire 37 across the mouth of the channel so that when the member is moved the block enters the channel to form the wire into a " U "-shaped link, an ejector plate 30 slidable within the channel in contact with the formed link, means for moving the block from the link after the completion of the forming operation and means 32 for urging the ejector plate towards the bits of the tool to insert the link therein. The member 13 is secured to a plate 4 slidable along ways 11, 12 of the body 10 against the action of a spring 15 mounted on a rod 16 attached to the body and slidable through an aperture 17 in the member, the travel of the member being limited by steps 18, 19 engaging the ends of cut-out portions 20, 21 in the plate. One end of the forming block 22 bears against the member 13 which is mounted for free upward movement on the plate 14 against a spring 25. The block overlaps the ejector plate, which is biased by a spring 32 towards the member 13 and is lifted clear thereof against the action of spring 25 by a transverse dowel 35 mounted therein engaging ramps 33, 34. Wire supplied from a reel (not shown) is fed into a groove 36 extending across the body 10 by two feed rollers 38, 39,.the roller having a smaller diameter than the roller 38. The roller 38 is secured to a rotatable shaft 40 fixed to the body 10 and the roller 39 secured to a rotatable shaft 42 mounted on a bracket 43<SP>1</SP> pivotally mounted on the body 10 and biased by a spring 45 towards the roller 38. Each of the shafts 40, 42 have ratchets 50, 53 secured thereto which co-operate with pawls 49, 52 carried on gear-wheels 47, 51 freely mounted thereon so that in conjunction with a rack 48 attached to the reciprocating member 13 the rollers 39, 39 are only driven during the return and forward movement of the member respectively. The wire is cut to length by shears 54, 55. The shear 55 comprises a block 56 secured to the body 10, a spring-biased cutting member 57, through which the wire passes, pivotally mounted thereon and a downwardly biased pawl 60, pivotally mounted on an arm 61 carried by the movable member 13, which cams the member downwards against the spring 59 to shear the wire during the forward stroke of the member. In operation the wire is fed through the shears and groove 36, the wrapping tool inserted in the locating member 26 and the member 13 pushed fully forward to shear the. wire and cause the block 22 to trap a portion of the wire against the ejector plate 30 and push it along the channel 29 against the spring 32. During the latter part of the travel of the member 13 the rack drives the feed roller 39 to a position a part length of wire into the groove 36. Subsequently the dowel 35 engages the ramps 33, 34 and lifts the block clear of the formed link and the ejector which is moved forward by the spring 32 to insert the link into the tool bits. Upon removal of the tool the member 13 returns and the rack 48 drives the feed roller 38 to completely feed in the length of wire which passes beneath the block 22 during its return travel over the ejector plate 30. A single driven roller feed mechanism may be used which feeds the full length of the wire during the return stroke of the member 13. The shears 54 may be replaced by a stop.