US1093578A

US1093578A - Wire-feeding mechanism.

Info

Publication number: US1093578A
Application number: US64236411A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Sommer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1911-08-04
Filing date: 1911-08-04
Publication date: 1914-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 1931-04-14

Description

W. H. SUMMER.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1911.

1,093,578. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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. H. SUMMER.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1911.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914. 1

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W. H. SUMMER.

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1911. I

Patented Apr. 14, 19-14.

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WILLIAM H. SOMMER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

Application filed August 4, 1911. Serial No. 642,364.

1 b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. SOMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to certain new and useful improvements in wire working machines, and particularly to that type of fabricating machines used in the manufacture of farm, field and poultry fences.

The invention has for its object to improve the stay wire feeding mechanism of wire fabricating machines, such improvements consisting in providing an intermittent clutch controlled feeding means actuated by mechanism, which, when it acts upon the stay feed wire, starts said stay feed wire at a slow speed, gradually increasing until the momentum of the wire has reached its maximum speed and gradually decreasing until a complete stay length has been fed, the high est speed of the wire being attached at the point when onehalf of the desired length of stay is fed.

The invention has for a further object to insure a uniform length of stay being fed to the plurality of strand wires with-each and every operation of the stay wire feeding mechanism, thereby obviating any and all. unneressarv waste in said wire, when a stay length has been severed; the mechanism for producing such operation being of such a character that the stays will be fed in uniforn'i lengths whether the speed of the ma chine is normal or not.

Figure 1. is a partial plan view of a certain type of wire fabricating machine showing my improvements applied thereto; Fig.

2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a fractional transverse sectional view through the machine showing the relative position of parts thereof; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fractional sectional view of the clutch controlled mechanism for the feed; Fig. is a face view of a cam wheel cotiperating with the clutch mechanism of. the feed, and Fig. 6 is an edge view of the cam wheel shown in Fig. 5.

In certain types of wire fabricating machines and particularly that type wherein is employed a stay feeding mechanism for shooting the stay endwise across the running or; strand wires, from which is severed a stay length, considerable difliculty is in feeding the stay wire so that under any and all conditions, running fast and slow, stays of uniform length are severed from the stay feed wire without loss by cutting off surplus lengths after a stay has been severed from the stay feed wire. I have in mind that character of feed for the stay wire where the stay wire is fed by feeding wheels,

one of which is continuously driven. With a feed of this kind the stay wire is gripped and shot across the machine at its greatest speed, the momentum of the wire being the same at the starting aswell as at the stopping. Under these conditions it is practically impossible to stop the wire at a given point, leaving surplus ends and making it necessary to sever such surplus wire from the stay lengths, after the same have been sever-ed from the stay feed wire. To obviate this difficulty, I contemplate and have used the structure herein described, wherein, the feeding mechanism for the stay feed wire is intermittently actuated and is clutch con trolled, the same being operated by mechanism which starts the feed wheels at a slow speed, gradually increasing until the maximum speed is reachechthen gradually de creasing to a point where it is desired. to stop the feed, when the stay length is severed from the stay feed wire. With this improved feed, whether the machine is traveling at a normal speed or slowly, a full and complete stay length is fed and severed without waste.

In the drawings, I have shown my improved stay feed wire mechanism applied to that type of wire fabricating machine employing die mechanism for clenching wire looks around the intersection of the stay wires with the intermediate longitudinal running or strand wires and coilers for wrapping or winding the ends of the stays around the marginal or selvage wires.

The machine is illustrated in a general way, for the purpose of showing the applicaticn of my invention thereto, but no attempt is made to detail the die mechanisms or coiling means, as these features do not form an essential part of the invention, but merely cooperate in forming a complete fabricating machine.

It will become apparent that my improved stay feed wire mechanisms may be applied experienced to fabricating machines, other than the kind herein illustrated, and I do not wish to be confined to the application of the invention to a machine such as shown.

The frame work of the machine comprises in part the base members 1, the uprights 2 supporting the table 3; the standards 4, 5 and 6, and the cross piece 7. The parts designated 1, 2, 5 and 6 are duplicated upon 0pposite sides of the machine and on the part 1 is supported the platform 8 on which an op rater may stand.

9 designates a drive shaft and 10 a cam shaft, both of which are suitably journaled in bearings on the uprights 2. The driving shaft receives its power from some suitable source through the pulley 11 on the shaft 9,

and 12 a gear wheel on the shaft 9 in mesh with the gear wheel 13 on the cam shaft 10, for transmitting motion to said cam shaft.

14 designates a crank shaft suitably journaled in the frame and on said crank shaft is a sprocket wheel engaged by a sprocket chain 16 which is driven by a sprocket wheel 17 on the cam shaft 10, said sprocket chain passing over an idler 18 carried by the upright 4. It will be observed that the driving shaft 9, when in operation, transmits motion to the cam shaft 10 and it in turn drives the crankshaft 14 through the sprocket chain 16 and sprocket wheels 17 and 1.5, respectively.

19 designates a wrapper shaft journaled in suitable bearings at the rear end of the machine, and said wrapper shaft 19 is driven from the crank shaft 14 by means of a sprocket pinion 20 on the crank shaft, a sprocket chain 21 and a sprocket wheel 22 on the crank shaft.

28 refers generally to die mechanism, preferably including a staple former, and means to force the staple across the juncture of the stay and a running or strand wire where they intersect, to clench the said staple around said wires. The details of this mechanism are immaterial, as no special stress is laid on this part of the machine, and any suitable die mechanism may be employed, or in fact any other wire connecting mechanism.

If a staple mechanism is employed, it is of course understood that there must be pro vided wire feeding mechanisms for delivering a wire to each separate staple cutting, forming and oining means, from which enough wire is severed to form a staple. This feeding mechanism is not shown.

24 designates a coiler of which there should be two, one for each of the selvage or marginal wires of the fabric, and associated with such co-ilers is a cutting and depressing mechanism 25; the cutting mechanism to sever a stay length C from the stay feed wire 13 andthe depressing mechanism to depress the end of the stay wire 0 down on to the coiler '24 in position .to be engaged by the ceiling pin 'of' the coiler for wrapping or coiling the ends of the stay wire around the selvage or marginal wires.

The strand wires A, which are fed from wheels, spools or other suitable means, not shown, pass preferably through guides 26; thence around a roller 27 on a spindle 28 and up through an opening 29 in the table 3. The wires A which serve the marginal or selvage wires pass up through the coilcrs 2i, and the wires A serving as the intermediate running or strand wires, pass through the die mechanism 23, as shown in Fig. 3.

The stay feed wire B which may be fed from a bundle, spool or in any suitable manner, passes through the straightening rollers, referred to generally as 30, and thence between the intermittently driven

friction feed wheels

31 and 32, and leaving said feed wheels, pass through suitable guides adjacent to the cutter and depressor 25 across the coiler or spindle 24 and through the die mechanisms, as shown in Fig. 1. The said feed wire B, as shown, passes between the

friction feeding wheels

31 and 32, which engage the wire to feed it endwise across the machine. These feeding wheels may be grooved to receive the wire 13, or not, as ma y be desired. The feed wheel 31 is the driv ing wheel of the feed and the wheel 32 is the driven wheel. In other words, when power is applied to the wheel 31, it will impart movement to the wheel 32 through the can gagement of such wheels with the wire B which is frictionally held between the same. The wheel 81 is carried on a shaft 33 which has a relatively fixed position with reference to the shaft 34 on which the wheel 32 is carried and the shaft 34 is journaled in a frame 35 fulcrumed at 36, and spring means 37 engaging the forward end of the frame 35 yieldingly holds the wheel 32 in frictional engagement with the wheel 31; the object of which is, to allow the wheel 32 to move relatively to the wheel 31 to accommo date the various sizes of said feed wires l3 which it may be desired to use in the fabric.

On the shaft 33 carrying the wheel 31 is also carried a gear wheel 37, said gear wheel 37 and feed wheel 31 being suitably connected so that when movement is imparted to one, such movement will be concurrently and simultaneously imparted to the other. The gear wheel 37 meshes with a. much larger clutch controlled gear wheel 38. The gear wheel 38 is of that construction, best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, wherein, said wheel has the internal circumferential clutch engaging face 39, and said gear is further provided with the enlarged depending hub 40. said hub being journaled on a bushing 41 carried on a vertically disposed tubular casing 42 suitably carried by the upright 2, shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

43 designates a tubular shaft which has a bearing in vertical'casing 42, see Fig. 4, said casing 42 having the lower and upper inner bushings 44 and 45 in which the shaft 43 has a bearing; said tubular shaft 43 having the plug 46 at its lower end and the similar plug 47 at its upperend which serves as a bearing in which is carried and through which moves the vertically movable stem 48, which at its upper end and above the plug 47, is provided with the annulus plate 49. On the upper end of the tubular shaft 43 and within the gear wheel 38 there is secured the hub 50 of a plate 51, which said plate is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending ears 52. The plate 51 supports the clutch devices designed to engage with the inner circumferential face 39 of the gear wheel 38 which are operatively mounted 011 said plate and controlled through the movement of the stem 48 through the tubular shaft 43. These clutch devices comprise the plurality of arms 53 fulcrumed at 54 on the plate 51 and each arm 53 carries a shoe 55 adapted to have a frictional impinging engagement with the inner circumferential face 39 of the gear wheel 38. To each arm 53, at its free end, is connected a rod 56, which said rods at their inner ends have an eccentric pivotal connection at 57 with the ears 52 of the plate 51, see Figs. 1 and 4. On the same stems with which the rods 56 have an eccentric relation, are carried inwardly projecting levers 58, but said levers are not eccentrically pivoted as are the rods 56. The inner ends of the levers 58 are in close proximity to the axis of the stem 48 andhave the depending pins 59, see Fig. 4, which normally engage and rest upon the annulus plate 49 secured to the upper end of the stem 48, in the manner shown in Fig. 4. From the foregoing description, it will be observed, that if the stem 48 is raised it will in turn elevate the inner ends of the levers 58, which upon rocking the stems on which they are carried, and with which the rods 56 have an eccentric relation, the said rods 56 will move toward the axis of the stem 48 moving the arms 53 on their pivots 54 and disengaging the shoes 55 of the arms 53 from frictional and clutch engaging relation with the face 39 of the gear wheel 38; and that upon the stem 48 dropping or being lowered, said levers 58 will return to the position shown in Fig. 4, allowing the arms 53 with their shoes 55 to move into frictional engagement with the face 39 of the gear 38.

To facilitate in the return of the arms 53 with their shoes 55 into frictional engaging relation with the gear wheel 38, I provide the springs 60 hearing between the arms 53 and bosses 61 on the plate 51, which are contracted when the arms 53 are released from frictional engagement with the" gear wheel 38 and which expand upon the dropping or lowering of the stein 48 and jinsure the return of the arms 53 into their clutch relation with the gear wheel 38. It is now obvious that if the arms 53 are in clutch relation with the gear wheel 38 and the tubular shaft 43 is rotated, that a corresponding movement will be imparted to the plate 51 the arms 53 and the gear wheel 38, and that immediately upon the raising or elevation of the stem 48 to operate the levers 58 in the manner described that the arms 53 are released from clutch engagement with the gear wheel-38 and that said gear wheel 38 will remain at rest. The shaft is rotated alternately, first, in one direction and then in an opposite direction. lVhen said shaft is moved in one direction it is intended that the plate 51, the arms and gear wheel 38 rotate concurrently and simultaneously therewith, but when said shaft 43 is rotated in an opposite direction, the gear wheel 38 and feed wheels 31 with which it is geared, are inoperative by reason of the disconnec tion of the clutch arms 53 with said gear wheel 38.

On the lower end of the tubular shaft 43 and below the casing 42, see Fig. 4, is carried a gear wheel 61 and said gear wheel is inmesh with and adapted to be driven alternately in opposite directions by the rack bar 62. Said rack bar is movable in the guide 63, coincident with the gear wheel 61 and at its inner end said rack bar 62 is secnredto a slidable head or plug 64 hav ing, preferably. a dove-tailed connection with and movable on a bar 65, see Figs. 2 and 4, said bar 65 supported by a bracket 66 at one end secured to the part 1, see Fig. 2, and. at its opposite end, secured upon an arm 67 attached to the upright 41-. It is obvious that any movement which is imparted to the rack bar 62 will be in turn imparted to the gear wheel 61 and the shaft 43 to which said gear'wheel is attached. When the rack bar 62 is moved forward, or in the direction indicated by the arrow, in Fig. 2, the stem 48 is in its lowermost position being in that position shown in Fig. 4, and the clutch arms 53 are in clutch engaging relation with the gear wheel 38 and said gear wheel will rotate concurrently and simultaneously with the rods on the shaft 53 and gear wheel 61 Such movement will also be imparted to the gear 37 and in turn to the

feed wheels

31 and 32 for the purpose of projecting the stay wire B across the machine preparatory to the operation of the cutter and depressor 25 for severing a stay length C. When the rack bar 62 is moved in an opposite direction to that just described, mechanism will be brought into play for elevating the stem 48, which will operate the levers 58 to release the arms 53 from clutch relation with the gear wheel 38 and stop the rotation of said gear wheel 38. The forward movementof therack-bar 62 and the v 81 i's operated on its pivot 82.

operation of the gear wheel 61 is such that only suflicient movement will be imparted to the gear wheel 38 to rotate the

feed wheels

31 and 32 to feed the stay feed wire a sufficient distance for delivering a stay C of the proper length, and that immediately upon the gear wheel 38 being stopped in its rotation, the cutter 25 will be operated to sever the stay length C from the stay feed wire B.

Pivotally connected at 68 with the slidable head or plug 6'-l. is a pitman bar or rod 69 and said bar 69 has a pivotal connection at 70 with the nut 71. Said nut 71 is carried upon a threaded rod 72, which said rod is in turn carried or disposed in a longitudinal opening 73 formed in a crank arm 7st carried by the crank shaft 1%, see Fig. 2. The I threaded rod 72 at its outer end passes through a cap-plate 7 1 and has a squared end 7 5, whereby a suitable tool may be used to engage the end of the rod 72 for turning said rod and thereby adjusting the nut 71 on the said rod. It is understood, although not shown, that thenut 71- is carried in the opening 73 of the crank arm 74: in a manner which will prevent its rotation when the rod 72 is operatech for the purpose of adjusting said nut 71 back and forth on the rod 72. The crank arm 7 1 rotates with the shaft let and it is obvious that if the nut 71 is adjusted toward and from the axis of the shaft 1 1, the stroke of the rack bar 62 will be in turn adjusted. In other words. the closer to the axis of the shaft 1a is carried the nut 71 the shorter the stroke of the rack bar 62, and the farther from the axis of the said shaft 14 the greater the stroke of the rack bar 62.

I will now describe the means for elevating or lifting the stem 48 to release the clutch arms 53 from clutch engagement with the gear wheel 38 when the rack bar (2 is moved in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, on the rack bar, Fig. 2. On the cam shaft 10, see Fig. 2, there is carried a wheel 76 having the engaging faces 77 and 78, the latter acting as a cam face and leading and merging into the face 77 at points 79 and 80. Adapted to engage and roll. upon the faces 77 and 78 of the wheel 76 is a roller 80i" carried by an arm 81, which said arm is fulcrumed at 82 in a bracket 83. The arm 81 is formed with a neck 84 carrying a stem 85, which said stem is normally in axial alinement with the stem 48 operatively carried in the shaft 43 and said stems 85 and 4-8 respectively. are

' connected by'a loose joint 86, see Figs. 2 and at. The object of such loose joint isto provide for moving the stem 48 when the arm hen the roller 80 is engaging and traveling upon the face 77. of the cam wheel 7 6, the arm 81 ina position permittiagthersteai earns assume its lower position, being that position shown in Fig. 4, where the clutch arms 53 are in clutch engaging relation with the gear wheel 88. hen the roller is engaging and traveling upon the face 78 of the wheel 76, the lower end of the arm 81 has been swung outwardly on its pivot 82, elevating the neck 84. and raising the stem 4-8 to cause the clutch engaging arms 53 to be disengaged from the gear wheel 38. stopping the rotation of the said gear wheel. hen the rack bar (52 is moved in the direction indi cated by the arrow, on said bar, in Fig. 2, the roller 80 is riding on the face 77 of the wheel 76 and the clutch engaging arms are in clutch relation with the gear wheel 38; immediately upon the rack bar ()2 reaching the limit of its forward stroke. the olfsetportion 79, where the face 78 of the wheel 76 merges into the face 77 of said wheel, engages with the wheel 80' operating the arm 81 to elevate the stem 48 which will cause the clutch arms 58 to be released from clutch relation with the gear wheel 38 and the parts will be held in this position until the rack bar 62 is moved backward the limit of its stroke and is again ready to be moved forwardly, when the roller 80 will ride off of the face 78 at the point. 80 on to the face 77, oscillating the arm 81 and allowing the stem 48 to drop and the springs 60 to act to more the clutch arms 53 into clutch engaging relation with the gear wheel 38 so as to operate said gear wheel 38 and with it, the gear wheel 37 and the

feed wheels

31 and 32.

The face 78 of the wheel 76, is preferably formed by the arch shaped

wings

87 and 88 see Figs. 5 and G, which are adjustably attached to the rear face of the wheel 76 so that the peripheral face of said sections may be brought together or moved apart. while yet at the same time extending or re tracting the face 78, for the purpose of adjusting or regulating the movement of the arm 81. to conform to the stroke of the rack bar 62. In other words. if the connection of the pitman 69 with the threaded stem 72 is adjusted to shorten or lengthen the stroke of the rack bar 62, it will be necessary to adjust the

wings

87 and 88 so that immediately upon the rack bar reaching the limit of its forward stroke, the roller 80 will ride off of the face 77 of the wheel 78 on to the face 78 of said wheel, whereby the movement of the gear wheel 38 will be stopped.

On the end of the cam shaft 10 is carried a cam wheel 89 against the peripheral face of which rides a roller 90 carried by a lever 91 fulcrumed at 92, and to the rear end of the arm 91 is pivotally connected an operating arm 93 for the pull-out mechanism. not shown Referring again to the stroke of the rack bar 62 for feeding a sta-yfeed wire B,

starting at a slow speed and increasing to the maximum speed and slowing down to a complete stop, whereby a predetermined and given length of stay wire C is fed, without any waste, thus avoiding the severing of short pieces from the stay C after the wire 1S fed, attention is called to the mechanism for operating the rack bar 62 consisting of the crank arm 74 and the pitman arm 69. When the rack bar 62 has reached the limit of its backward stroke, and the crank arm 74 is in that position with the pivotal point of the pitman 69 with the threaded stem 7 2 in the same horizontal plane with the axis the crank shaft 14, and said crank arm is moved forwardly and upwardly to impart a forward movement to the rack bar 62, until said pivotal point 70 has traveled a predetermined distance forward along the arc of the circle described by said pivot 70, the forward movement of the pitman 69 and the rack bar 62 will be at a very slow speed, such speed gradually increasing until after the pivotal point 70 passes a vertical line passing down through the axis of the shaft 14, when it will begin to decrease its speed until the limit of the stroke of the rack bar 62 has been reached, when said movement will be stopped and the crank arm continue its circular movement, returning the rack bar to its point of starting. I prefer to time the mechanism so that the highest speed of the wire is attained at a point when one-half of the desired length of stay is fed. By this operation, is obviated the starting of the stay feed wire at its full or maximum. speed and continuing such movement until the said stay feed wire has been delivered, but rather the stay is fed in the manner indicated, insuring at all times that a predetermined length of stay is fed and only such predetermined length, obviating any and all unnecessary waste.

What I claim is:

1. In a wire fabricating machine, in com bination, a pair of cooperating feeding wheels, gearing for operating one of said wheels, and a frictional clutch for controlling said gearing.

2. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of cooperating feeding wheels, gearing for operating one of said wheels, friction means controlling said gearing, and means for operating said gearing.

3. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of cooperating feeding wheels, gearing for operating one of said wheels, friction means controlling said gearing, and a rack bar in operative connection with said gearing.

4. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of feeding wheels, a gear wheel operatively connected with one of said feeding wheels, a shaft, clutch devices connected with said shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, means controlling the clutch devices, and means for operating said shaft.

5. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of feeding wheels, a gear wheel operatively connected with one of said feeding wheels, a shaft, clutch devices connected with said shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, means controlling the clutch devices, and means for driving said shaft, first, in one direction and then in an opposite direction.

6. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of feeding wheels, agear wheel operatively connected with one ofsaid, feeding wheels, a shaft, clutch devices connected with said shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, means controlling the clutch devices, and reciprocatory means for alternately driving said shaft in opposite directions.

7. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of feeding wheels, a gear wheel operatively connected with one of said feeding wheels, a shaft, clutch devices connected with said shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, means operative through the shaft to control the clutch devices, and means for operating said shaft.

8. In a wire fabricating machine, in combinatio-n, a pair of feeding wheels, a gear wheel operatively connected with one of said feed wheels, a shaft, clutch devices connected with said shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, means operative through the shaft to control the clutch devices, and means for imparting an intermittent rotation to said shaft in one direction.

9. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, wire feeding means, an alternately reversible driven shaft, means for operating the shaft, driving means on one end of the shaft for operating the feeding means, means for clutching the shaft to said driving means, and means for actuating the clutch. 1

10. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, wire feeding means, a shaft, means for operating the shaft, driving means on one end of the shaft for operating the feeding means, ireans for intermittently clutching the shaft to said driving means,

and means operating through the shaft for V 12. Ina wire fabricating machine, in combination, coacting feeding wheels, a gear wheel associated with one of said wheels, a shaft, a gear wheel on said shaft and in mesh with said first-mentioned gear wheel, means for intermittently clutching the lastmentioned gear wheel to the shaft, means for operating the clutch, a rack-bar for operating the shaft, and a crank for operating the rack-bar.

13. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, wire feeding mechanism, intermittently actuated means for operating said feeding n echanism, a rack-bar for driving said intermittently actuated means, and mechanism for operating the rack-bar, said mechanism adapted when driving said rackbar to start the raclcbar moving slowly, gradually increasing its speed and gradually slowing the speed of the rack-bar to the point of completion of its stroke.

14-. Ina wire fabricating machine, in combination, wire feeding mechanism, a tubular shaft, a wheel on said shaft adapted to have an intermittent clutch connect-ion therewith means for clutching the shaft to the wheel, means operative through the shaft for controlling the clutching means, a

rack bar for operating the shaft, and means operating synchronously wlth the reversal of the rack bar for actuating the clutch con- ;trolling means to release said wheel from the shaft.

15. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a gear wheel operatively connected with said feed wheel, a member supporting said gear wheel, a shaft journaled in said member, means for intermittently clutching the shaft with the gear wheel, means for releasing the clutch re lation between shaft and gear wheel, and means for operating the shaft.

16. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a gear wheel operatively connected with said feed wheel, a member supporting said gear wheel, a shaft journaled in said member, means for alternately driving the shaft first in one direction and then in another, means for'intermittently clutching the shaft with the gear wheel, and means for releasing the clutch relation between the shaft and gear wheel when said shaft is reversed.

17. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a casing, a gear wheel journaled on the casing and operatively connected with said feed wheel, a shaft journaled in said casing, clutch devices carried by the shaft to engage the gear wheel, means for alternately driving the shaft, first in one direction and then in another, and means operatively carried through the shaft for releasing the clutch relation between the shaft and gear wheel when said shaft is reversed.

18. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of feeding wheels, friction gripping means for operating said wheels, and cam actuating means for controlling said gripping means.

19. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, gearing for operating the feed wheel, friction gripping means in said gearing for controlling the same, and cam actuated means for moving said gripping 1r eans.

20. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a driving wheel geared to said feed wheel, a shaft, friction gripping means for connecting the driving wheel to the shaft, means for operating said gripping means, and a cam controlling said gripping operating means.

21. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a driving wheel geared to said feed wheel, a shaft, reciprocating means for actuating the shaft, friction gripping means for connecting the driving wheel to the shaft, means for operating said gripping means, and a cam controlling said gripping operating means.

22. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a driving wheel geared to said feed wheel. a shaft, means for alternately rotating said shaft in opposite directions, clutch mechanism for connecting the driving wheel to the shaft, means for operating the clutch, and a cam controlling said clutch operating means.

In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a driving wheel geared to said feed wheel, a shaft, means for operating the shaft, clutch mechanism for connecting the driving wheels of the shaft, a reciprocatory member for operating the clutch mechanism, and a cam for operating said member.

24. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a' driving wheel geared to said feed wheel, a shaft, means for operating the shaft, clutch mechanism for connecting the driving wheel to the shaft, means operating through the shaft for actuating the clutch mechanism, a lever for operating said clutch actuating mechanism, and a cam for operating said lever.

25. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a driving wheel geared to said feed wheel, a hollow shaft, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in one direction, clutch mechanism for connecting the driving wheel to the shaft, a stem operating through the shaftfor controlling the clutch mechanism, a lever for moving the stem, and a cam adapted to engage the lever for alternately raising and lowering the stem.

26. Ina wire fabricating machine, in combination, feeding mechanism, gearing for operating said feeding mechanism, a friction clutch adapted to be connected with said gearing for placing the same in motion, means for ope *atmg the clutch, and a cam for actuating said clutch operating means.

27. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a gear wheel operatively connected therewith, a shaft, clutch members carried by said shaftand adapted to connect the gear wheel with the shaft, a stem operating through the shaftfor actuating the clutch members, a member for m0ving the stem, and a cam wheel for moving said member.

28. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a gear wheel operatively connected therewith, clutch members carried by said shaft and adapted to connect the gear wheel with the shaft, a pinion on the shaft, a rack bar for operating the pin-.

ion, means for operating the rack bar, a stem operating through the shaft for actuating the clutch members, a member for moving the stem, and a cam wheel for moving said member.

29. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a feed wheel, a gear wheel operatively connected thereto, a shaft, clutch devices movable with the shaft and adapted to engage the gear Wheel and when so engaged to cause it to operate with the shaft, camcontrolled means for moving the clutch devices, a rack-bar for operating the shaft, and a crank-arm connected with the rack-bar for moving said bar.

30. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, a pair of friction wheels, a gear wheel operatively connected with one of said w-lieels,ashaft with which said gear wheel has a loose connection, clutch members connected with the shaft and adapted to engage the gear wheel to connect said wheel with said shaft, a stem operating through the shaft to move the clutch devices, a lever for operating the stem, a cam for actuating the lever, and mechanism for operating said shaft to drive said gear wheel, said lastnamed mechanism being adapted to impart movement to said gear to start the feed wheel slow, gradually increase the speed, and subsequently decrease its speed to the point of stopping.

31. In a wire fabricating machine, in combination, wire feeding mechanism, means for operating said feeding mechanism, a raclcbar for imparting movement to said operating means, and mechanism for operating the rack-bar, said mechanism adapted when driving said rack-bar to start the rackbar moving slowly, gradually increasing its speed, and gradually slowing the speed of the rack-oar to the point of completion of its stroke.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SUMMER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. LA PORTE, JEANNETTE M. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.