US1375655A - Wire-covering machine - Google Patents

Description

' 1. A. HEANY.

WIRE COVERING MACHINE.

LB ft S Z V M w /f 1. A. HANY. WIBE COVERING MACHiNE. APPLICATION FILED FB. 10, 1916.

Patend- Apr; 119, 19211.

4 SHEESFSHEVET 2.

J. A. HEANY. wmE covElN MACHINE.

AFPLICATIO'I FJLED FEB. 10, 1916.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

J. A. HEANY.

WIRE COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED FEB.10,1918.

Paten'ted Apr.-19, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN ALLEN HEANY, or NEW YORK; N. Y., AssIGNoR, BY MRsNR AssIGNMRNrs, To Rocxzensros PRoDUfc'rs CORPORATION, A CORPORATION or DELAWAR WIIB'EI-GOVERIING' MACHINE. o

' Application fiied February To all w /om t may cowcrn:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALLRN HEANY, a citizen of the United States, residino' in the city, county, and State of New Ytork, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Wire- Covering Machines;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it apper-tains/to make and use the same. a

` The invention relates tol machines for covering wire with insulation and the like, and has for its object to provide a simple, efficient and rapid machine adapted to apply tenuous and fragile threads or filaments,

coated with asbestos or similar fibers, to the surface of. electric wires and other conduc- '1 tors; associated withmeans for impregnating the covering withv a suitable material, such as water-pro'ofing and fire-proofing compounds; means for finishing, smoothing and compacting the impregnated covering Qn the wire; means for drying the coated wire before the sameleaves the machine, and a cordinated system of instrumentalities for-Operating the various elements ofthe machine to maintain the necessary i same.

tension on the Wire and the covering material, andl to prevent excessive strains, `which would tendto rupture either the wire or the fiber-coated filamentarybody which constitutes the covering.

The invention is illustrated in the companying drawings, in which,

Figure ;1 is a front elevation of a multi'- ple spindle machine, certain of the parts be- ELC- ing broken away and other parts being' shown in section. o

`Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine with certain of the parts `in section.

F ig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the finishing device. i

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the'finishing device. I

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the Fig. 6 is anenlarged plan view of the drawing mechanism.

According to the drawings, 1 indicates the main frame or support of the machine, which may be of any desired size to carry any desired number of sets of covering and finishing mechanism. volves a horizontal table or rail 2 running Said machine in-' 10, 1918. seriaiNo. 77,452.

across the same andtadapted to constitute the lower supporting element, from which rltses two'end standards l' carrying a top rail -3, which likewise extends throughout the length of the machine.

As indicated, the mechanism for covering the wire and finishing the covering may be multlpliedand a description vof one set of such apparatus will apply to the others. 4Mounted in -a suitable Vertical sleeve-like bearing 11 secured to the upper rail 3 is a rotary flier` spindle 10 having a longitudinal bore through which the wirelto beI covered passes. Mounted on the lower portion of sald spindle and j means of ball bearings 13 and 14, is a sleeve port a copor ball A of thread or the like, which is to be wound about the wire to constitute a covering for the same. This c'overing cord or thread may consist of a relatively fine thread of cotton, yarn, or. the like, `which is provided with a superficial coating of fibers of asbestos or other suitable material, of any desired thickness, which fibrous coating constitutes the practical insulating sheath for the wires to be covered, the cord' or thread serving as a base or foundation for the fibers. In order to regulate the tension ofthe fiber-covered thread as the same is drawn oif the top A, there is provided a helical spring 15, surrounding the spindle 10 and bearing at one end on the raceways of the lower ball bearing 14, the tension of said spring being adjusted by means of a set nut 16- screwthreaded at the spindle. By adjusting said nut 16 the spring 15 is regulated to vary ournaled thereon by.

the thrust 'between the ball bearings and thereby regulate the amount of tension on thethread necessary to rotate the cop-holdin sleeve 12. eyed to the spindle 10l abovel the copfi, holding sleeve 12 is a disk or fly wheel 19 which serves to steady the rotary movement of the flier andl to produce a gradual acceleration of the flier when the machine is started, and effect a correspondingly gradual retardation of the flier whn the machine is to` be stopped, in order that 'no sudv den strains may be imposed upon the thread as the same is dra-wn off from the cop A and laid up on the wire.

Mounted in the disk 19, laterally of the spindle 10 is a stud 20 carrymg a sleeve 20' upon which 'sleeve is supported a gencrally helical or convoluted thread guide 21, which serves to guide and direct the thread from the cop A on to the Wire, as will be understood. The sleeve 20' is normally locked to the stud 20 by means of pin and slot connectio at one end and a nut threaded to the otlir end of the stud. By hacking off the nut sufficiently to permit the pin and slot engagement between the sleeve and stud to -be separated, the sleeve and the thread i changeable and multiple thimbles of this character may be provided with openings of different sizes to. accommodate the different sizes of Wire to be covered by the machine.

Mounted on the lower rail 2 and in axial alinement with the spindle 10 is a tube 22 having a flanged base 23, which tube is adapted to support a series of cops or balls A of the covering material, as a reserve supply, and which may be moved successively into engagement with the spindle 10, as the preceding copcarried thereby is exhausted, so that relatively great lengths of wire may be covered without breaking the Wire to enable a fresh cop of covering material to be placedin position on the flier spindle.

Mounted on the upper rail 3, in suitable journal bearings, is a stub shaft 25 having loosely mounted on one end thereof a guide pulley 26 adapted to receive the bare Wire from the source of supply and direct the salne into the hollow spindle 10. In .order that the shaft 25 may impart rotary motion to the guide pulley 26 and also permit the latter to slip in case tension on the Wire bccomes excessive, said pulley is adapted to be connected tol the shaft by means of friction collars 27, 27, fixed to the shaft, the outer one of said collars 27 being slidably mounted on the shaft and held in frctional engagement with the hub of the pulley 26 by means of the helical spring 28, the tension of which may be adjusted by means of a set nut 29 so that the said pulley 26 'may `be clamped between said collars with a predetermined amount of pressure.

Mounted upon the other end of the stub shaft 25 is a second grooved pulley 30 which serves as a pull-off for the Wire, after the latter has been covered and finished by the machine in the manner to be hereinafter described. Said pulley 30 is provided on its movable and interchangea'ble with' other gears and pinionsof difi'erent sizes to vary the speed of the pulley 30 and shaft 25.

J ournaled in the rails 2 and 3 is a Vertical shaft 45 to the upper end of which is secured a gear wheel 40 which meshes with a pinion 41, journaled on the upper rail 3, which meshes in turn with a pinion 42 inounted on a -vertical worm shaft 38 and with a pinion 43 secured to the upper end of the spindle 10 so that the rotation of shaft 45 imparts rotary movement to a pulley 30, shaft 25 and to the flier spindle 10. The worm on shaft A38 engages the worm wheel 37 which in turn drives gear 32 and pinion 33, as hereinbefore explained.

Secured to the lower end of the shaft 45 is a friction disk 48, which is adapted to alternately engage with a friction late 47 secured to the under' face of the ottom rail 2, and with a second friction disk 49, journaled in a Vertical bearing 46, secured to the upper side of rail 2, and provided with a. hollow stem to the upper end of which is connected a pinion 50, which meshes with a gear 51, mounted on a short Vertical stub shaft on the rear portion of rail 2 and carrying on its upperl end a beveled pinion 51', which meshes with a beveled gear 4' secured to the main drive shaft 4, which runs longitudinally of the machine and is'provided with a suitable drive pulley 5 associated with the usual loose pulley 5', adapted to engage abelt from any appropriate source of aower.

ecured to the upper face of rail 2 are two Vertical rolds or standards connected at their upper extremities by a transverse yoke 60', and having attached intermediate their ends, a horizontal bracket 61 which carries a threaded sleeve 62. Slidably mounted in the yoke 60' is a sleeve 65 which coperates with a' collar 66 pinned to' shaft 45 and. between which collar and the upper end of the sleeve 65 Athere is located an antifriction bearing 67. Surrounding the sha-ft 45 and confined between the collar 65 and Yso 'thrustA of spring 64 and therefore move the shaft downward until the friction disk :48 thereon engages the braking surface 47,

there is provided a bell crankzleverv '71" which coperates withrsleeve '65 and with a suitable starting handle connected with the drying mechanism, to be hereinafter described, so that when said bell crank is moved in one direction, it exercises a counter pressure against spring 64,. thereby permitting' the lower spring 68 to force the shaft 45 downward and engage friction disk 48 with When the pressure the braking surface 47. on said bell crank 71' is relieved, the upper spring 64 again comes into play and-'moves collar 65 and shaft 45 upward, therebydisengaging 'friction disk 48 from the braking surface 47 and bringing said friction disk into operative engagement with the vdriving friction disk 49.

The friction disks 48 and 49 and the' .braking surface 47 .are so constructed and arranged that the friction disk 48, which is intermediate the disk 49 and the braking surface 47, will slip underexcessive strain, and will also 'be gradually accelerated in starting the machine and gradually retarded in stopping, so that in both the starting and stopping Operations, no excessive shocks the mechanism.

On the extreme lower end of the shaft45 is secured a gear 71., which meshes with an idle pinion 724 journaled on a short stub shaft projecting vertically from the under side of the bottom rail 2.- Said pinion 72 serves to drive a pinion 73, attached to the lower end of .a rotary hollow spindle 74, which is journal'ed.l in suitable bearing plates attached to the upper and'lower'faces of the rail 2, as more particularly shown in Fi'g. 1. Said spindle .74 constitutes the rotary driving element of a. device designed to smooth, compact and finish the covering' which has been laid up on the Wire lby'the flier, afterl the coating has beenlimpregnated with a suitable water-pro'ofii'ig or fire-f w ofthe spring 87. -In order 'toregulate .the

spring pressureof the individual pressure' proofing compound. v

The latter is applied to the covered wire by passing the Wire over a guide pulley 92 journaled in a pendent bracket 93 projecting from the under side of the rail 2. The lower peripheral edge of the pulley 92 dips into. a shallow pan 91, which is removably supported `in bracket arms 91' and! 91",

which pan zs daptedt hold. 'the imPr'g the finishing device.

'nating compound, which is preferably in I a^`liquid or semiliquid condition and is susceptible of rapid. dryin'g. ;After the wire w has been covered with the material from the cop A by the operation of the. fiier mecha nism 'tube,2`2, under lguide pulley 92, thence'upwardly through. the hollow spindle 74 "of more particularly The finishing device,

'iol

it passes through the cop magazine' illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and', comprises the rotary spindle 74 journaled in the bearings 74', 74", and having secured to its upper end a frameconsisting of'a lower disk .75, an upper disk 75' connected together-by suitable sleeved' spacing bolts '76. Secured in a trian lar opening in the upper endof the'shaft 4 w having. a channeled face 78, the channel or groove of which lies in the longitudinal axis of said shaft 74. The upper end offthe `die 77 isprovided With a beveled surface which is engaged by a' set screw 79 which is threaded in a socket 'in the upper plate =7 5' and by'mea'ns of which the die 77 may be adjustedtoward and from. the axiallinerof the spindle 74. The Wire passing from the guide pulley 92, vertically and axially. 'through the spindle 74, engages the groove or' channel 7 8l in the die 77 and is smoothed, compacted and' finished by .the vrevolution lof said die and coacting' pressure plate's 82, which engage the surface of-the Wire at intervals, opposite the groove 78. The pressure 'plates,. four of which are i'llustrated,

is a generally triangulardie 77 are mounted upon the vertical; shaft 80, i

.which is j'ournaled? -in cone be'arin s in a lower bearing member 80' to which the is threaded. into the 'upperdisk 75". Each of saidpressure plates is carried, byv a bifuror strains will be imposed, upon any part-of -ffshaft is Clmected. by' a Pin a'd SIO, and in' an upper adjust'able bearing stud 80" which -cated yoke 81,the arms of which'engage v `shaft 80'and are held .in proper' ;position by `means of coll'ars 84 which are locked to the-v shaft 80 by meansof -bolts;85.` Eachyoke i 'piece 81 is,e.ngaged on its. outer face .by means of a spring 83,'secured' tothe cooperating collarV 84,;Which-spring tends to I force. the yoke andthe pressureplate carried thereby into ,engagementwith' the wire passing through the die. The shaft 80 and the yoke carried-thereby'are 'normally held lin operativ'e'position'by'means `of a latch '86 engaging a 'not'ch inthe. lowerbearing 80' vand held in' looking position by means.

plates, the collars' 84 are adjusted 'circumfere'ntially about'the fshaft -80 by means fof the 'bolts 85.,.f`as l[will lie 'understoodz In order 'to move. the. pressure plates from enf' i ,gagement-'Iwith` the Wire, the latch 87 is iio horizontal slot in the lower disk 7 5'. ;As the .the wire is removed and fiows back into the surrounding receptacle 88, whence it fiows through a bottom opening 89 and a discharge pipe 90, back into the pan 91. It will be noted that the channeled die 77 and the coperating pressure plates are revolved about and in close contact with the wire and serve to produce an even, uniform and substantially homogeneous texture to the impregnated covering, so that the latter requires only to be dried eifectively, before being delivered from the machine in finished condition. By adjusting the longitudinal channel die 77 and also the degree of spring pressure on the pressure plates 82, it will be apparent that any desired degree of compactness and homogeneity can be imparted to the covering. When it is found necessary to clean the apparatus, or adjust or renew-the die 77 and pressure plates, the latter may be swung away from the die by means of the handle 80', whereupon the die 77 may be removed and ready access to the pressure plates and their supporting clevices effected.

After the covered wire leaves the smoothing and finishing device, it is passed through a drying apparatus, which is conveniently oonstructed in the form of a generally cylindrical shell 106 having one side thereof cut away to form a longitudinal slot, which shell is carried by bracket' arms 101 and 104. The lower bracket arm 101 is journaled on the coned end of a gas supply pipe 100, which is secured to the bracket 61. The upper bracket arm 10a is secured to a vertical shaft' 102, thevupper end of which is journaled 'on the coned end of a set screw 103, on the under side of the top rail 3, the

'lower end of said shaft being pinned in a socket in the lower bracket 101. The bracket arm 101 is hollow'to aiford a conduit for gas, which passes to Vertical burner pipes 105, carried by the respective bracket arms 101 and 104 and disposed around the cylinder or shell 106, so that the burning gas issuing from the perforations in' said pipes impinges against the outer wall of the shell 106 and heats the same to a degree suificient to thoroughly dry the covering on the wire as the latter is drawn through the shell. The b racket arm 104 is provided with a cam-108 which coperates with the vertical arm of the bell crank 71 and operates the said bell brank to efi'e'ct the starting and stopping operation of the machine. VThe forward end of the bracket arm 101 is provided with a handle 107, by means of which the entire drying mechanism maybe swung to and from 'operative position. In Figi. 1, the drying apparatus is shown in inoperative position, that is to say, it has been swung away from the wire 'so that the latter, which is stationary, will not be damaged by the heat developed by the drying apparatus. iVhen the dryingl apparatus 1s swung by means of handle 107 to operative position so that the wire is disposed axially within the shell 106, cam 108 passes out of engagement with the' bell crank 71, thereby releasing spring 611, which moves shaft 45 upward to the slight extent necessary to engage friction disks 19 and 4:8 and start the machine in operation. In order to stop the machine, it is necessary to swing the drying device by means of handle 107 to inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1, which causes cam 108 to engage bell crank 71 and move the same to depress sleeve 65 and spring 64, which has the effect of gradually stoping the machine, as hereinbefore described.

The means for supplying the wire to be cov'ered to the machine may consist of any of the usual forms of spools or reels upon which the wire is stored, and which is conventionally indicated at XA in Fig. 2, as mounted upon a removable shaft 126. mounted in suitable bearings at the rear part of the machine. As' will be apparent, the wire is taken'from the spool or reel over the guide sheave or pulley 26, thence through the fiier mechanism in a downward direction through the cop storing magazine, under the guide sheave or pulley 92, through the pan of impregnating material, thence upward through the finishing and drying devices to the pull-off sheave or pulley 30, whence it passes to a suitable winding device or reel, which is preferably mounted on the same shaft 126 as the supply spool or reel, and operatively connected to the drivirig mechanism of the machine so as to be positively rotated to feed or draw the wire through the machine at the proper rate of speed to permit the covering, finishing and drying Operations to be effected. The winding spool to receive the finished wire is con-` ventionally illustrated at 125, see Fig. 2, and is adapted to be operatively connected with the driving gear 124:, which meshes with the pinion 123 mounted on a countershaft 123', which carries a sprocket 123 driveh by' chain 122 from a sprocket wheel 121, which is revolubly mounted on shaft 120, journaled in brackets on the main frame 1 below thel bottom rail 2. To avoid confusion, the driving mechanism for the.

take-up spool is illustrated in the lower right-'hand portion of F ig. 1 and consists of a beveled gear 110 mounted onv the hub of idle gear 7.2, which lat-ter transmits movement from the shaft 45 to spindle 74. The

gear 110 meshes with a `-beveled'gear 111 loosely mounted on -shaft 120, which gear 111 abuts the thrust collar 116- pinned to the shaft' 120, -with an anti-friction 'bearinginter'po'sedv between thel gear and theV collar.` The opposite ,face of gear 111 is provided witha friction surface which coper;

ates With va friction clutch 112 which car-, ries driving sprocket 121. A hel-ical spring 113 'is interposed between the friction i clutch 112v and -a Set nut 114, which is 114:, the tension of the spring, and therefore- V- Wire as fast as thelatter is fed through the machine by' the pull-off sheave or pulley 30. This produces a slipping between the threaded to a 'collar- 115, which is pinned to the shaft so that by turning the set nut the pressure exerted between the friction surfaces of gear 111 and clutch member-112 may be accurately adjusted. The connectingygearing between the driving shaft 45 and the winding reel 125 is such that gear 111 always runs faster than Would be necessary to' cause the reel .125 to take up the friction disks of gear 111 and clut'ch member 112, which imparts 'a certain p'redetermined tension on the Wire, regulated by the spring 113 and also prevents this tensionlmay be employed in a single machine',an d

that any or all of the sets may be operated as desired.. If found convement or-. .desirable, the supply and storage reels orspools for the respective units may be mpu'nted upon separate stub shafts at the rear4 of the machine 'so that it will not be necessary to stop all of the units When it is desired to supply o r remove the reels belonging-to any particular unit. 1

I The operation of the apparatus Will, be understood from the foregolng description, and it has been found in practice thatimachines involving the cordination offl parts as set forthoperate With great rapidity' and accuracy to lay up on the wires of' (ionductors of` various sizes, an even, refgtilar and substantially homogeneous coveri'ng of any desired thickness, which When suitably fimpregnated, finished and dried, presents a above the last-mentioned sheath of high ins'ulatng value, that is ef- I fectively resistanttg moisture and heat, and

which increases the diameter .of the covered Wire to a lesser extent than' any of. ;the former types of insulation same high 'insulating factor.v .What I claim'isz- 1. Apparatus for.. applying 'insulation-'or other `coverin'gto wiresy and the like, com- 5 prising means for effecting longitudin'al movement of the Wire in vone direction, means for reversing the directionv of movement of the wire, meansfor applying a covering to the Wire inl advance of the rever'sing means, means 4for applying an im- -pregnating mfaterialyto the c-overed 'Wire possessing the durlng its passage over thereversing means,

ironing and smoothin'gA means ;arranged above the last-mentioned means to act 'upon' the covered and impregnated AWire after, it leaves the reversin'g means, and drying means arrang'ed above the ironingv and. smoothing means to ac-t upon the Wire after it leaves the latter'means; i

2. 'Apparatus'for applying insulation or other covering to wires .and the -1ike,`comprising means for l moving the Wire vertically doWnWardly, means for reverslngthe direction of movement of the Wire, 'means' for applying a covering tothe portionzof the Wire which moves cdownwardly, .means for 'applying an impregnating material to the covered Wire during 'its -reversalof movement, and vironing and .smoothing means for act'irt'g'y upon; the portion of .the covered and impre nated vertically upWar y.

'100 Wire 'which moves I 3. Apparatus for applying insulation iorf I othercovering to wires and the like, comi the Wire, means for applylng an impregnatprising means for applying a covering to ing material to the eovered Wire, means for therea'fte'r moving the Wire in'v a vertlca'lf path, means' for'ironing and slnoothingthe` covered and impregnatedv wlrefd'uring 1ts Vertical movement, and means arranged the Wire. p

4. Apparatus for'applyi'ngl insulation or 'other covering to Vwires and the like, commanewr drying: f

Vnas

prising `means -forv eifecting `lo'ngitudi-nal movement of' the'wire in one vdirection, a'f pulley for,reversing'thedirection of movement of the Wire, means disposed 'inl advance of said'pulley for applying a covering to the Wire, a pan adapt'ed to vcontain -an impregnating. material through which the covered 'wireis passed by said pulley, 'and iromng and smoothing means and a heating device arranged to actupon the covered and impregnated Wire after i'tleaves saidV pulley.

5. Apparatus for applying'insuljation or o other covering to -wires and 'the' like, comprijsing means for efi'ecting longitudinal movement of the Wire in one direction,

means for reversing the direction of movement of the Wire, means arranged in ad- 'vance of the reversing means to apply a pregnating material to the covered Wire, and

` ironlng. and smoothing means and a heating device arranged to act upon the covered and impregnated Wire after reversal of its direction of movement. a i

-7. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to wires and the like, comprising means for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire in one direction, a pulley for reversing the direction of movement of the Wire, means disposed in advance of the pulley for ap lying a covering to the Wire, a pan adapte to vcontain an impregnating material through which the covered Wire is passed by said pulley, ironing and smoothingmeans arranged to aet upon the covered and impregnated Wire after it leaves said pulley, and means to return the excess impregnatlng material 'removed from the.

Wire by said ironing and smoothing means to said pan. I

8. Apparatus for `a-pplying insulation or other coveringV to wlres and the like, comprising means for applying a coverlng to the Wire, feeding means including a friction clutch for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire and means to control the acceleration and retardation of said feeding means. 9. Apparatus for applying insulation or -other covering to wires and the like, comprising means for applyin a covering to the' Wire, 'feeding means ino uding afriction clutch for efl'ecting longitudinal movement of the Wire and means including a fly Wheel to control the acoeleration and retardatio of said feeding means.

10. Apparatus for applying insulation orv other oovering to wires and the ,like comprising means for applying a covering to the wire,feeding means including a friction clutch for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire and means to control the acceleration and retardation o'f said feeding means and said covering applying means' 11. Apparatus for applymg insulation or other covering to Wires and the like, comprising' actuating means, means operated .from said actuating means to effect longitudinal movement of the Wire, a fly wheel operated from .said last-named means, a

inal movement of the Wire, and means i prising 4actuating means, means operated from said actuating means to effect longitudinal movement of the Wire, a fiy Wheel operated from said last-named means, a friction clutch interposed between said actuating means and the means for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire, a friction brake Operating to frictionally arrest motion'of the flywheel and the means for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire upon disengagement of said friction clutch, and means for applying a covering to the Wire. w

13. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to wires and the like, comprising means for efecting longituolinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering to the Wire, a heating device adapted to be moved to and from an operative position With respect to the Wire, and means whereby such movements of the heating device control the actuation of said means for effecting longitudinal movement. of the Wire.

14. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to wires and the like, comprising means for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering tothe Wire, actuating means for said last-named means, a friction clutch interposed between the means for efi'ecting longitudinal movement of the Wire and the actuating means, a heating device movable 'to 'operative and inoperative positions with in means in operation and movement of the heating device to its inoperative position` throws' said feeding means out of operation.

16. Apparatusfor applying insulation or other covering to wires and the like comprising means for efl'ectin-g longitudinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering to the Wire, a rotary member through which the covered Wire passes, a die carried by said member and over which the covered wire passes,

said member, a plurality of ironing and smoothing devices carried by said shaft and a shaft rotatably mounted on I coperating With said die, tension means forcing saidironing and smoothing devices against the Wire after it passes over the die; and means for independently-adjusting each ofisaid tension means.

17. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to wires land the like, comprising means for eifecting longitudinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering to the Wire, a rotary .member through which the covered Wire passes, a die carried by said member and over Wh1ch the covered Wire passes, a shaft rotatably..

mounted on said member, an ironi and smoothing device carried by said sha t and coperatng With said die, means for effecting the rotary movement of the die and ironing and smoothing device about the axis of the covered Wire, and means for rotating said shaft to move the ironing and smoothing device from its operative position With respect to the die to an inoperative position.

18. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to Wires and the like, comprising means for effecting longitudinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering to the Wire, and ironing and smoothing mechanism arranged to act uponl the covered Wire comprising a die adjacent which the covered Wire passes, means to adjust said die toWard and away from the axis of the Wire, and an ironing and smoothing device arranged to coperate With the die in smoothing and compacting the covering on the Wire.

19. Apparatus for applying insulation or other covering to 'wires and the like, co'mprising means for efl'ecting longitudinal movement of the Wire, means for applying a covering to the Wire, and ironing and smoothing mechanism arranged to act upon the covered Wire comprising a die adjacent Which the covered W1re passes and having a channel-like recess to accommodate the Wire, a plurality of ironing and smoothing devices yieldingly held toward the die and arranged to coperate therewith in smoothing and compacting the covering on the Wire, and means for eflecting rotary movement of the die and the ironing and smoothing devices about the axis of the Wire.

20. A Wire covering machine comprising means for efl'ecting Vlongitudinal movement' of the Wire, means for applying a covering thereto, and a drying device comprising a heated shell through which' the covered Wire passes, and means to move said shell to and .from operative relation With respect-to 'the Wire. w ,21. A Wire cover-ing machine comprising means for efl'ecting vlongitudinal movement of the Wire, means forvapplying a covering 'thereto, and a dryingl device comprismg a opening to permit the sameto be 'moved to .operative and. inoperative positions, and means toheat said shell. r

22. A Wire covering machine comprising means for efi'ecting longitudinal movemenfi` of the Wire, means for applying a covering lthereto, and` a drying device comprislng aA shell and means whereby said drying device may be moved to and from an operative' position in Which'the Wire' passes axially,

through the shell, and a plurality of burner tubes disposed outside of said shell.

,23. A .Wire covering machine comprising means for-effecting longitudinal movement 'of the Wire, means for applyin a coverin thereto, 'a drying device inclu ing a shel,

Which device is capable of movements to and from an operative position in which the Wire hpasses axially through the shell, a plurality of burner tubes disposed outside of said shell, a swinging bracket on Whieh said Shell and the burner tubes are mounted, said bracket having a central passage communicating With the burner tubes, and means to supply the central passage of said bracket With fuel.,

In testimony Whereof I aflix m si nature.

JOHN ALLEN NY.

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