US1270946A - Apparatus for drawing wire. - Google Patents

Description

J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB.I,19I6

Patented July 2, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 19KB.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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J. HERMAN.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WLRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1916.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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J. HERMAN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

Patented July 2,1918,

1 U APPUCATION FILED FEB. 7, 1916.

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JOSEPH HERMAN, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KEYSTONE STEEL WIRE 00M- PANY, OF SOUTH BAB'IONVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING WIRE.

intense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 7, 1916. Serial No. 76,710.

an apcombine with a drawing block a reel to receive the wire as it is drawn, the reel and block being associated in such a manner that the wire will strip itself from the block onto the reel during the drawing process.

The invention has for a further object to improve the method of drawing wire, which consists in providing a block to receive the wire as it drawn through a die, the drawn wire stripping itself from the block onto a reel associated therewith, said reel adapted to be removed from the block and inverted and during such removal and inversion of said reel to place another into position in connection with said block, and to pass the drawn wire on the inverted reel again through the die and onto the block, the same stripping itself as drawn onto said second reel, meansbeing provided on each reel capable of being operated when the reel has been inverted to allowthe coil of drawn wire to strip itself from the reel and be received onto a truck or other suitable means for transporting the same from the drawing frame.-

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section and "partly broken away, showing a portion of a-wir'e drawing frame, block and reels embodying my invention.

Fi 2 is a cross section as the same would appear if taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section in plan as the same would appear if taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. lis a vertical. cross section showing in detail the relation of a drawing block and a reel associated therewith, and an addi tional reel adapted to be moved into cooperative relation with said drawing block when the reel associated therewith is inverted.

Fig. 5' is a planview of one of the reels.

Fig; 6 is a sectional detail showing an wire again from the block,

for the operator 1n strippmg the same for raising and a band clutch to-retard the rotative move ment of the reels when one is being moved from cooperative relation with the drawing block and the other is being moved into such relation therewith.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a part of a drawing frame showing a plurality of drawing blocks and operating means therefor.

Like characters of reference denote cor responding parts throughout the figures.

In the art of wire drawing, that is, the drawing of wire from steel rods, it has been the custom in substantially mills to rest a bundle of rods against a suit-- able support, in some cases known as a flipper, the end of the bundle pointed and passed through a die and the end connected to a block rotatably mounted on a wire drawing bench, said bench having operatively connected thereto a large number of drawing blocks whereby the wire drawing process maybe carried on to a large extent, a wire drawer being employed to handle one block, some times more than one. After the first drawing operation of reducing a bundie of rods to a suitable gage, the operator must strip the drawn bundle from the block by lifting it off of the same and for all of the large a further drawing operation this bundle of wire is placed on a reel removed from the through a die and again connected to theblock and the block rotated to further reduce the bundle of drawn wire to a differ.- ent gage. To remove the bundle ofdrawn it is necessary from the block to'lift the bundle therefrom and if it is to be drawn to the same process is carried on, that is, by placing the drawn bundle of wire on a reel and again passing it through a die and onto the drawing block, and when the wire has been drawn to the desired gage the operator must strip the bundle of wire from the block by lifting it therefrom and removing it to a truck or other conveying means.

By my improved apparatus I obviate the unnecessary labor on the part of the operator in lifting the bundles from the block when stripping the same therefrom, the process of reducing the rods and subse a different gage Y which power is transmitted from the driv-' quently the wire from one gage to another being carried on without the operator handling the bundles at all, except to place the wire rods in position and the pointing of the rods and also the wire when attaching the same to the block. By the use of my apparatus, one operator can do the work of two or three operators and therefore the cost of drawing the wire is reduced to a minimum, which is of considerable advantage in yiew of the close margin at which Wire is sold nowadays either as plain wire or vwhen subsequently woven into fence fabric.

Instead of the usual form of wire drawing bench, I construct what I term a wiredrawing frame which may be of any desired length and of a suitable width, the length and width of the frame being .determmed by the number .of sets of drawing blocks it is desired to mount on the frame, it being understood that the drawing blocks are arranged in two rows throughout the length offthe frame. The frame comprises a plurality of vertically disposed supports 1 located at opposite sides of the frame and .the verticallyxdisposed supports 1 located centrally of'the frame and equidistant from each other. Said frame further comprises the longitudinally extending girders 2, of

which there may be as many as desired to give proper strength to the frame, and the transversely disposed channels 3 and 3 and thetrans'versely disposed angle iron beams 3 the channels 3 being the main transverse bracing channels of the frame and connected to the vertically disposed supports 1, and the channels 5 connect the oppositely disposed girders 2 intermediate the channels3- and also brace the centrallydisposed vertical supports 1 and have secured theretothe' bearing blocks for the shafts through ing 1 shafts to the drawing blocks. The

angle iron beams 3 are connected to the opposite pairs of vertically disposed supports 1 and serve as a mounting for the dies.

4: designates a driving shaft journaled in suitable boxings 5 mounted upon the channels 3 of the frame, and at spaced distances on .said'shaft are carried bevel gear wheels 6, only one of which is shown. Each bevel gear wheel 6 is connected with a member forming one of the complementary parts of a friction clutch, the other of such parts designated 8 and being connected to a grooved sleeve 9 having a spline and groove connection with the shaft a whereby said sleeve and said part 8 of the clutch may be moved on the shaft so as to cause the part 8 to be moved into friction clutch engaging relation with the part 7 or disconnected therefrom. The bevel gear wheel 6 meshes with a larger bevel gear 10. lVhen the clutch parts 7 and 8 are in engaged relation,

power may be transmitted from the shaft 4 through the gear wheels 6 and 10 to a shaft 11 connected to a drawing block 13.

The drawing block 13 may be of any suitable construction, although I prefer that construction which is shown in Fig. 4, said block having :1 depending annular body 12. let designates reels, a pair of which are associated with each drawing block 13, one of such reels cooperating with the drawing block to receive the drawn wire, and the other adapted to contain a bundle of drawn wire, after the first drawing operation of reducing the steel rods to wire, said wire leading from the second reel through the die onto the drawing block and reel operatively connected thereto. Each pair of reels H is carried normally in superimposed relation to each other on a shaft 15, each shafthaving a hub 16 rotatably carried on a transversely disposed nonrotatable shaft 17. Each shaft 17 is connected at its opposite ends to certain of the girders 2 and each of said shafts pass through a vertical support 1. Each reel is movable longitudinally on its shaft 15, in addition to being rotatably carried thereon, and each reel when it is in operative relation with the drawing block is supported by means which when operated will release the same whereby it may move longitudinally on its shaft 15 to detach it from operative connection with the block 13, and allow the shaft 15 with its two reels to be rotated on the shaft 17. removing the reel in operative relation with the drawing block therefrom into inverted position and placing the lower reel into an inverted receiving position and in operative relation with said drawing block.

The reels 14 comprise an annular skeleton frame composed of the longitudinal bars 18 and the radially disposed bars 19 at one end, and the radially disposed bars 20 at the opposite ends, connected to a central hub Q0 the last mentioned radially disposed bars 20 extending out beyond the circumferential surface of the reels formed by the longitudinal bars 18 to provide a rest to receive the drawn wire as it strips itself from the drawing block 18. At that end of each reel formed with the radially disposed arms 19, is provided a bearing 21 for the reel, said bearing having a plate 22 disposed exteriorly of the reel and said bearing is also provided with an elongated sleeve 23 through which the shaft 15 is carried. (onnected to each sleeve 23 and rotatably carried within each reel, is a frame 24-, said frame having handle gripping portions whereby the frame 24 may be oscillated within the reel, the oscillatory movement of the frame being determined by the distance of the spacing between the radial bars 20. and as the frame 24: is oscillated it will in turn oscillate the sleeve 23 on the shaft 15 and with it the plate 22, for purposes which will be explained.

In the position in which the drawing block 13 and the reels 14 are shown inthe figures, one reel has been moved into position by telescoping one end thereof into the drawing block 13, seeFig. 4, and the same locked into position, in a manner to be explained. In this position of theparts a rod or drawn wire if passed through the die 26 may be secured to a suitable clamp .27, see Fig. 1, attached to a cable 28 secured at one end to a longitudinal bar 18 of the reel. Rotation being imparted to the shaft 111 from the driving shaft 4 will cause the drawing block 13 to rotate, and with it the reel in operative connection therewith, as shown in Fig. 4. This rotation of the draw ing block and reel will draw the rod or drawn wire through the die 26, reducing said rod or drawn wire to a suitable gage and causing it to be wrapped around-the drawing block 13, and as the drawn wire is received onto said block, it will strip itself from the block in the manner shown in Fig. 1, onto the reel 14, said drawn wire finally resting upon the extensions of the bar-s20 on the reel arranged to receive the same. The dies 26 are suitably supported from the angle bars 3 and when redrawing a "drawn wire it is understood other and different gage dies will be'used. j V e The means for holding a reel 14 in operative relation with a drawing block 13 in the manner shown in the figures,

Fig. 4, comprise a lever 29, see Fig. 2, fulcrumed at 30 on the shaft 17, said lever hav ing a portion 31 adapted to engage and bear 1 against the hub 20 of the reel 14 on one side of the shaft 15, to retain it in its elevated position shown in the figures and in operative relationwith the drawing block 13. Operatively connected with the lever 29 is a member portion 31 of said lever,

being locatedupon the opposite side of the shaft 17, and said member 32 is adapted to engageand bear against said hub 20 of the reel 14 upon the opposite side of the shaft 15. In other words, the part 31 of the lever and the member 32 act as bifurcations of the said'lever 29 and cotiperate in supporting the reel 14 in operative relation with the drawing block 13. The lever 29 is connected with an operating arm or bar 33, see Figs. 1 and 2, which said arm or bar at one end is provided with a member 34 with stepped cut-out portions 35, 36 and 37 of a plate 38. The arm or bar 33 is pivoted at 39 to the frame and the oppositeend of said arm or bar is connected to a lever 40 pivoted at 41 to the frame; said lever particularly 32 which corresponds to that adapted to engage position in which the lever 29 and the arm any wiredrawn onto said block' through its rotation and the rotation of the reel will strip itself onto said reel, the position of the arm or bar 33 being that position when the clutch parts 7 and 8 are in clutch engaged relation, allowing power to be transmitted from the driving shaft 4 through the bevel gear wheels 6 and 10 to the shaft 11, and in turn to the drawing block 13 and the reel 14.

To release the reel 14 from the drawing block 13 to invert the position of said reels shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the operator will move the lever 29 so asto move the portion 31 of said lever and the member 32 from engagement with the hub 20" of the wheel 14. Such movement of the lever will move the member 34 of the arm or bar 33 from engagement with the stepped portion 35 of the plate 38, permitting the reel 14 in operative relation with the drawing block 13 to drop slightly on the shaft 15, and the release ofthe member 34 from the stepped portion 35 of the plate 38. will at the same time operate the grooved sleeve 9 to separate the clutch part 8 from the clutch part 7 stopping the rota-- tion of the shaft 11. To completely disengage the reel 14 from the drawing block 13, theoperator will move the lever 29- so as to disengage the member 34 of the arm or bar 33 and move it into locking relation with the stepped portion 37 of the plate 38, such movement while stopping the rotation ofthe shaft 11 connected with the drawing block, will also remove the portion 31 of the lever 29 and the member 32to a position 7 which will permit the reel 14 to move out of engagement with the drawing block 13, so that the operator may rotate the reels and theshaft 15 on the shaft 17 and invert the positions of said is in operative relation with the drawing block 13 is inverted, if some means were not provided for holding the drawn wire on the reel, it would strip itself therefrom, but to prevent this I provide theb-ars 43 pivoted tothe plate 22, said bars 43 adapted to have radial movement imparted thereto by the oscillation of the bearing 21 and said plate 22 so as to Withdraw said arms within the circumference defined by that end of the reel on which said arms are carried, or projected beyond the circumference of that end of. the reel so as to form a shelf portion to receive the roll of wire, the same then serving the same purpose as the extensions of the bars20 at theoppositeend of the reel. In the position in which the reel is reels. When the reel which shown in Fig. 4,-being that position when the reel is in operative relation with the drawing block, the arms 43 are withdrawn into substantially that position shown in iso Fig. 3, and just as soon as'the shaft 15 has been swung into a position obliquely to the axis of the shaft '17, .in which position the reel isentirely removed from the drawing block 13, the operator will grasp thehanc'li holds 25' on the frame 24 and oscillate said frame, which in turn will oscillate the sleeve 23 of the bearing 21 and with .said bearing 21theplate 22 to which the said bars 43 are pivotal'ly connected, projecting said bars into the position shown in Fig. 5. "Said bars 43 .are'guided in their movement. by the straps or yokes 44, best seen in Fig; 1, which are secured to the longitudinal bars18 of the reel. lVith the bars el3'in their projected position, such as shown in Fig. 5, shaft 15 may b'e completely turned around, inverting the positions of the reels 14, placing in position and in operative relation with the drawing block13 the empty reel, and with the reel having the drawn wire thereon therebeneath. To secure 'theempty reel in operative relation with the drawing block 13, the operator will actuate the lever 29 to causetheportion 31 thereof and the member 32 connected therewith to bear against the hub 20 of the reel. and elevate it into operative' position, bein-g'that position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This operationof the lever will also release the member 34 from the stepped portion 37, returning it to the stepped portion 35 of the plate 38 and at the same time causing theclutch parts 7 and S to re'c'ngage and transmit power from the driving shaft 4% to the shaft 11; It 1s understood that the operator may actuate the lever 29' to release the member 3t from'the stepped portion 35 of the plate 38 al'l d ctiilse it to move into the stepped portion 36 of said plate, whereby the clutch parts? and 8 may be released to stop" the shaft 11, but this slight movement of the lever 29 will not permit the reel to'be entirely disengaged from the drawing block 13.

To retard and control the movement of the shaft '15'and' the reels 14: when said shaft is being turned around and the reels inverted, I provide'a friction brake, such as shown in "7, including the member 4'5,the friction band {16 and the weighted leve1',et7 suitably connected to operate said band a6. The member 45 is connected in a suitable manner tothe hub 16 of the shaft 15, see Figs; 2 and 7.

Assuming that the reels 14 are in operative relation witheach other and with the drawing block 13, and the operator wishes to draw a steel rod to a suitable gage of wire, he will pass said rod over a guiding roller 48, through the die 26 onto the drawing block 13, first pointing the rod and securing it to the clamp 27 connected with the reel 1 L. The operation of the'drawing block and the reel will draw the'wire and during such drawing operation said drawn wire will strip itself from the drawing block 13 onto the reel 141-. hen this operation has been completed, the operator will actuate the lever 29' in the manner previously stated to release the reel 1st from the drawing block 13, rotating the shaft 15 with the reels thereon into a position obliquely to the axis of the shaft 17, when he may actuate the frame 2-!- to project the bars 43 into wire receiving position, so that when the reels 11 have been inverted the drawn wire will rest on the extended endsof the bars 43. The operator will also actuate the frame 21 of the empty reel so as to withdraw the bars 13 connected to that reel, whereby when the reels have been completely inverted, said empty reel may be lifted into engaging relation with the drawing block 13 and secured in such position. In this position of the reels. with the empty reel in operative relation with the drawing block 13 and the other reel containingthe drawn wire thereon, and the operator wishes to again draw said wire to a diiferent gage, he will take the end of the wire, pass it through a guide if), up and over the guiding roller -13, through a die 26 of a different gage to the one previously used, and cause it to be engaged by the clamp '27 on the empty reel. The parts be ing in'this position and power being imparted from the driving shaft 1 to the shaft 11, the block 13 will rotate and with it the reel 1%, drawing the wire from the lowermost reel to the desired gage and onto the block 13 from which it will strip itself onto the empty reel 14.

Assuming now that this operation has been completed. and the wire has been drawn to the desired gage, upon again inverting the reels, placing the empty reel into operative relation with the drawing block and placing the reel with the drawn wire thereon into the lower position, with the bars 43 projected into their outward position, the operator may by actuating the frame 24 withdraw the bars .43, allowing the drawn bundle of wire to strip itself from the reel and be received on a truck or other suitable support, to be transferred to a warehouse, galvanizing room or other place. 1

From the foregoing description it is obvious that the drawing operation may be carried on first with the rods and then with the subsequent bundles of drawn wire without the necessity of the operator handling the same' What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, a wire drawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel, means for placing said reel into operative relation with said block to rotate therewith and to receive the drawn Wire which strips itself from the block and onto the reel durravosae iug the drawing operation, and means for removing the reel from said block and inverting the reel, to allow the bundle of drawn wire to be stripped therefrom.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wire drawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel support, a pair of reels carried on said support, said support being invertible so as to place first one reel and then the other into operative relation. with said block to rotate therewith and to receive the drawn wire which strips itself from the block and onto the reels during the drawing operation, the inverting of the reels, allowing the bundles of drawn wire to be stripped from said reels.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wire drawing block, means for rotating said block, a reel, means for placing said reel into operative relation with said block to rotate therewith and to receive the drawn wire which strips itself from the block and onto the reel during the drawing operation, means for removing said reel from said Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

, bundle of block and inverting drawn wire to be removed there from, and means on said reel which is adapted to be contracted or expanded, when contracted permitting an operative relation between said reel and said block, and when expanded forming a stop for the bundle of wire, and means for operating said contracting and expanding means.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a wire drawing block having a depending annular body, means for rotating said block, a support, a shaft swingable on said support, a reel on opposite ends of said shaft and rotatably and slidably carried on said shaft, means for holding either of said reels in operative relation with said block to rotate therewith, and means on said reels adapted to act as a stop for the bundle of wire when the reel is inverted, said last mentioned means adapted to be retracted to permit the reels to be moved into operative relation with, said block.

. JOSEPH HERMAN.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, JD, 0.

the same to allow the

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