US1400724A - Wire twisting and bending machine - Google Patents

Description

J. A. BUTLER.

WIRE TWISTING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29, 1 918.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET JTUUQTli'OT' J a. m;

J. A. BUTLER.

WIRE TWISTING AND BENDING MACHWE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1918.

1,400,724. Patented m. 2 0, 1921.,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Iwvenrior.

J. A. BUTLER.

WIRE TWISTING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29, 1918.

1 #100,724 Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I I can J. AJBU TLER.

WIRE TWISTING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATlGN FILED JAN. 29, 1918. 1,400,724, Patented Dec. 20, 1921..

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. A BUTLER.

WIRE TWISTING AND BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29,1918- LQQJQB I Patented Dec. 20, 19211.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- VII/21111175 JAMES A. BUTLER, ()1? IIEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGIJUR- TO BOSTON PIANO SUPPLY COMPANY, OF NORVVOOD, MASSACHUSsETTS, A CORIEORATION 0:5 MASSA- CI-IUSETTS.

WIRE TWISTING AND BEI DlBl G MACHINE.

Application filed January 29", 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', JAMES A. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Need ham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Wire Twisting and Bending Machine, or which the following is a specification. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention has reference to improve ments in machines for effecting the twisting together of the arms oft a wire staple, for cutting said arms to a predetermined length, when necessary, and for bending said arms, after such twisting. In its more specific embodiment hereinafter particularly described the invention relates to an improved machine adapted to operate upon the end portions of a wire staple inserted transversely through the felts and shank ota piano hammer in order to twist together said end portions of such wire staple and, if necessary, to out said end portions to a predetermined length and, finally, to bend such twisted portions against said hammer.

Une object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which is adapted to operate on the wires of piano hammers of various sizes from bass hammers to treble hammers.

Another object of the invention is to improve the wire twisting and cutting appliances as well as the wire bending mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

The invention consists in the means for holding and feeding the article under opera tion a distance toward the twister or cutter mechanism determined by a dimension of the article.

The invention also consists in the construction of the twister mechanism.

The invention also consists in the means for bending the twisted wire.

The invention also consists in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the improved machine.

Fig. 2, represents a plan view of the improved machine, parts of the same being shown in section as on line 2-42, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, represents a rear end view of the machine.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24), 1921.

Serial No. 214,315.

Fig. 4, represents a sectional view taken on line l-l Fig. 1 to show portions of the driving means in plan view.

Fig. 5, represents an end view of portions oi? the machine to show the work carrier and some of its related mechanism.

Fig. 6, represents a view in elevation looking in the direction indicated by arrow ('3 in Fig. 2 to illustrate the wire bending means, parts of the same being in section.

'Fig. 7, represents a plan view of a piano hammer prior to the twisting and bending of its wire bythis machine.

Fig. 8, represents a cross sectional view of the same on the line of the wire.

F in. 9, represents the operation of twisting the wire, just prior to cutting the same.

Fig. 10, represents the operation of bending the twisted and cut wire against the felt.

Fig. 11, represents a sectional view taken on line 11-11 Fig. 2 to show a clutch of ordinary construction preferably used in this machine.

Fig. 12, represents a sectional view taken on line 12-12 Fig. 11.

Similar characters of reference design-at corresponding parts throughout.

Without thereby restricting this invention it is to be noted that the specific embodiment thereof herein described refers to a machine adapted to operate upon the felt securing wires or staples of piano hammers. As shown in Figs. 7 and 9 these hammers comprise the shank or member a on which is mounted the backing felt 5 embraced by the outer or face felt 0. It is customary to secure these felts 5 and c to the shank or member a by means of adhesive and, further, it has been theoristom to. drill through said felts and shank a pair of converging perforations through vhich the arms (Z, d of a wire staple s have been passed, the ends of which staple have been twisted together,-by means of a hand operated tool, cut oil when they exceeded a predetermined length, and bent. against the felt 0. One reason for carrying out these operations by hand has'been that in a set of such hammers the transverse dimensions of the hammers through the felts Z) and o vary from the bass hammers through the entire set 01" hammers while the arms (Z, (Z oi all of the staples s are preferably of equal length. In some of the narrow treble hammers the arms (Z, (Z of the staple s will therefore extend farther than necessary from the hammer and should be cut off, whilein the wider hammer s the arms d, 65 may extend from said felts only so far that the ends of said arms (Z, d may be grasped by the twisting tool.

As shown in the drawings the mechanism is mounted on a base or table 11 which is adapted to be supported in any well known manner. On this table is mounted the main frame 12 having the upstanding members 13, 14, 14, 15, and16, of which members 13 and 15 are supplied with bearings in which is j ournaled the main shaft 17 carrying the ratchet 18, and the disk 19 having lug 20.

The belt pulley 21 with its drive pulley 22 is free to rotate continuously on shaft 17 and power is transmitted to said drive pulley 22 by belt 23 from any source of power. The clutch by means of which belt pulley 21 is, at times, connected with shaft 17 includes the ratchet 18 and the disk 19 and is of well known construction to be hereafter described. It is to be noted that the clutch used for connecting pulley 21 to shaft 17 should be of a nature to automatically effect a re lease of such connection at or about the completion of a single rotation of said shaft 17.

On shaft 17 is the annular collar 24 having at the side next to the after mentioned frame 27, a cam face which as to its major part is in a plane perpendicular to its axis, and has at one point a recess 25, and immediately adjacent to su"h recess a rise 25. Said recess is adapted to partially receive the spherical member 26 which is mounted between the arms of the lever frame 27 these latter at their lower portions having studs 28, 28 journaled in the upstanding frame members 14, 14, while the upper portion of this lever frame has the adjustable screw pin 29. In the position of rest the cam recess 25 is o'cupied by the member 26, and

when collar 24 is caused to rotate the cam edge of recess 25 acts against member 26 to drive outward said member 26 and thus to effect the swinging of frame 27 to thrust forward its pin 29, the riding of the edge of rollar 24 against said member 26 efiecting the holding of frame 27 in the forward position until said cam recess 25 is again brought into registry with member 26. In this rotation of the collar 24 the cam projection 25' is carried away from the member 26.

On the main frame 12 at one side of the ratchet 18' are the bearings 30 and 31 in whi h the shaft 32 is journaled On said shaft 32 is fixed the arm 33 having the prov jection 34 furnished with a guide bore through whi h the pin 35 extends to act against the frame member 36. This pin 35 has the spring 37 acting against the projection 34'of arm 33 to press said projection 34 toward the stop nut 38 adjustably mounted on said pin 35. Arm 33 has at one side the outstanding stud 39 and the clamp 40. On

- said stud 39 is pivoted the pawl 41 having the projection 42 adapted to be intercepted by the stop screw 43 of said clamp 40, the latter being provided with spring 44, bearing against the free end of pawl 41, and with the stop screw 45 acting against stop 46 of bearing 31, see Fig. 3, to limit the swinging of arm 33 toward ratchet 18. From arm 33 extends rod 47 having the extension 48 with a stop on its end to limit the movement of the holder member 49 which is slidable on said extension 48 against the action of its spring 50 and has the projection 51 to engage the lug 20 of disk 19.

Shaft 32, at times, is caused to rock in its bearings by mechanism operating in con junction with lever 52 which is fixed to said shaft 32 and has the outer end 53 of a shape to be releasably engaged by the complemental end portion 54 of the actuator 55 which latter extends through an opening in table 11 and is pivotally connected with the short arm 56 of the lever 57 pivotally sustained by the bracket .58 depending from said table 11. Actuator 55 has the cross pin 59 adapted to limit the swinging movementof said actuator under tension of its spring 60 by contact with the vertical edge 61 of member 62, fixed on said table 11, and also adapted on the downward movement of said a tuator 55 to ride over the outwardly in-- clined guide edge 63 of said member 62 'to effe t the swinging of the end 54 of said actuator, against the action of spring 60, out of engagement with the end 53 of lever 52. Lever 57 is adapted to be actuated by means of the conne'ting rod 64 and the treadle 65 of a well known construction.

Belt pulley 21 transmits motion through the crossed belt 66 to the pulley 67 rotatably mounted in a suitable position in the machine and having the belt pulley 68, of smaller diameter than pulley 67. From said pulley 68 motion is transmitted by belt 69 to pulley 70 free on the shaft 71 win 11 latter is journaled in bearings of the bracket 72 beneath the table 11 and has the ratchet 73,

vthe disk 74 having lug 75 and the bevel gear 76. Ratchet 73 and disk 74 constitute members of a cluth similar to that shown in Figs. 11 and 12 adapted to effect connection of belt pulley 70 with shaft 71 at times.

Bracket 72 has the extension frame 77 carrying the bearing 78 and the stop member 79 spaced below said bearing. Journaled in said bearing 78 is the shaft 80 having the arm 81 sustained by, and adapted to follow the movement of, the step 570 of lever 57. Said shaft 80 supports the arms 82 and 83 extending from the sleeve 84 which latter has the projection 85 furnished with the slidable pin 86 furnished with the ad justable stop nut 87 and with the coil spring 88 which. acts to slide said pin 86 longitu dinally where such spring projected pin 86 may act to yieldingly resist the swinging of 1 ,eoopea a the projection toward the stop 79. Arm 82 has the stop pins 89 and 90 and the spring 91 which latter bears against the pawl 92 pivoted on the pin. 93, extending from arm 83, and having the extension 94 against which stop pin 90 bears while stop pin 89 is intercepted by the stop 79 to limit the swing ing movement of arm 82 in the direction for engaging its pawl 92 with ratchet 73.

Arm 83 has the rod 95 having the portion 96 of smaller diameter furnished with the stop 97 and the spring 98 which latter bears against the member 99, slidable on said rod portion 96 a degree limited by the larger end of rod 95, and having the face 100 adapted to engage the lug 7 5 of disk 74.

Also mounted at the under side of table 11 is the bracket or frame 101 which corre sponds approximately in position with the frame plate 111 at the upper surface of said table. The frame 101 has a bearing in which is journaled the shaft 102 having the bevel gear 103, which is driven by the bevel gear 76, and the cam 104 against which rides the bearing roll 105 of the bell crank lever 106 which latter is pivotally mounted on a stud extending from a depending member of said frame 101. Pivotally connected with said bell crank 106 is the rod 107 which extends upward through an opening in table 11 and is pivotally connected with the lever 108 on a shaft 109 this latter being journaled in a bearing of the upstanding member 110 of frame plate 111. Lever 108 is fixedly connected with the cam and holder arm 112 and with the hammer actuator member 113. Arm 112 has the upper cam edge 114 and is adapted to be engaged with and sustained by the shouldered end 115 of the pawl 116 pivotally mounted on an extension of frame 110 and having the bevel tooth or lug 117. The free end of this pawl 116 is acted upon by the tension spring 118 to maintain said pawl in. position to sustain the end of arm 112. Spring 119 is connected with said hammer actuator 113 and a fixed part of the machine and acts to operate said actuator in its forward or working stroke and said spring 119 is of a sufficient strength to accomplish the desired operation of said actuator. At the upper portion of frame 110 is mounted the horizontal guide 120 in which is slidable the rod 121 engaged with the upper end of actuator 113 and having the head 122' furnished with the hammer 123 pivoted to swing laterally a limited degree and returned to its normal position by its spring.

Frame member 15 has at its upper portion the bearing 124 which is parallel with shaft 17. In this hearing 124 is journaled the tubular shaft 125 having the small gear 126 which is driven by the large gear 127 of said shaft 17 the preferred relative diameters of these gears 126 and 127 being as one I to three.

The bore of shaft 125 is shouldered to furnish an abutment for the for ward end of retracting spring 128 of the jaw operating rod 129 which latter is slid able in said bore and is adapted to be moved in the operative direction by pin 29 of the swinging frame 27. On said tubular shaft 125 is mounted the frame 130 having the pivoted jaws 131, 131 the operating members 132, 132 of which are so shaped that under a predetermined closing pressure said jaw members 132, 132 may grasp a pair of wires and, thereafter, under a further closing pressure said jaw members 132, 132 may effect the cutting of said wires. Such pressures are efi'ected on the jaws 131, 131 by means of the toggle links 133. 133, pivotally connected to said jaws 131, 131 and to the rod 129 under suitable movement of said rod, and the opening of said jaws 131, 131 is effected by said rod 129 when retracted by its spring 128.

The upper portion of frame member 16 is furnished with the guide 134 in which is slidable the member 135 having the extension 136. From said member 135 extends the stud 137 against which bears the arm 138 which is pivotally sustained on a pivot of the lug 139 extending from the base 11. This arm 138 has the pivoted rod 140 bent to extend toward the frame member 110, see Fig. 2, and having the hook element 141 (Fig. 6) adapted to engage the bevel lug 117 of pawl 116 when said rod 140 is advanced by the forward swinging movement of arm 138.

From said frame member 16 extends the stud shaft 142 carrying the pivoted lever 143 the arm 144 of which has the member 145 which bears against the sleeve or roll on stud 137 of slide member 135, under tension of spring 146 attached to said arm 144 and to said stud 137. On said shaft 142 is car ried the spring 147 which is engaged with a pin on lever arm 144 and acts to swing said arm in the retractive direction. Lever 143 is actuated against the resistance of spring 147 by means of the connecting rod 148 adjustable in length and connected with said lever 143 and also with lever 57 Secured to the rear portion of guide 134 is the stop blade 149, and to the forward portion of said guide. 134 is secured the bracket 150 having the sleeve or socket 151.

in which is adjustably mounted the pin or rod 152 having the stop member 153 located adjacent the opening between the jaw members 132, 132 and adapted to limit the approach of an article, suitably fed, toward said jaws. I

The work carrier 154 has a rib slidably mounted in a transverse guide of the extension 136, said carrier 154 being transversely adjustable by means of the screw 155 in any well known manner. On its upper portion 7 this work carrier 154 has the angle frame 156, to receive the curved end portion 6 of a piano hammer, and the stop 157 against which the shank a of said hammer may bear. Also mounted on the upper portion of carrier 154 is secured the plate 158 having a pivot on which is pivoted the arm 159 having the projection 160 and the pusher member 161 which latter acts against the end of the hammer shank a, when the latter is in position, when the actuating spring 162 of said arm 159 is permitted to swing said arm. With the carrier 154 in the retracted position shown in Fig. 2, the projection 160, of arm 159, acting against plate 149 causes the arm 159 to swing outward against the tension of spring 162.

The construction of clutch preferably used to effect connection between the respective shafts 17 and 71 and their driving mechanism are similar and. will be understood by reference to Figs. 11 and 12. The member having ratchet 18 is fixed to the shaft, as 17, to be driven and has the sleeve 180 having cam ways 181, 181 to receive rolls 182, 182 which rolls are adapted under suitable shifting action of said member 18 to effect driving engagement with the cam ways 210, 210 of pulley 21 of the drive pulley 22. Between ratchet member 18 and pulley 21, the disk member 19 is rotatable on said sleeve 180 and is connected by spring183 with said ratchet member 18. Disk member 19 has the sleeve 190 extending between the sleeve 180 and the bore of pulley 21 and having hearings in which said rolls 182, 182 are ro tatable. When the ratchet 18 with shaft 17 is approaching the limit of its rotation pawl 41 will be in position to ride against the teeth of said ratchet and resist its reacting rotation while lug 20 of disk 19 will engage projection 51 of slide member 49 and operate said slide member against the resistance of its spring 48 until the resistance of said spring overcomesthe inertia of said disk 19 and effects the shifting of said disk backward whereby the bearings of sleeve 190 will carry their rolls 182, 182 out of engagement with the respective ways 181 and 210 whereby drive pulley 22 and belt pulley 20 may continue to rotate without driving shaft 17. 7 When shaft 32 is caused to rock, by the mechanism above described, and pawl 41 and projection 51 are moved from their holding position spring 183 acts to effect a relative shifting of ratchet member 18 and disk member 19 to accomplish the driving connection between the pulley 20 and ratchet 18 to shaft 17. In such disengaging movement of shaft 32, caused by the engagement of the end of lever 52 by the part 54 of actuator 55 and the'downward movement of said actuator the pin 59 of said actuator rides over the inclined guide edge 63 of member 62 to effect the swinging of part 54 of said actuator out of engagement with the end of lever 53 whereupon shaft 32 may rotate reactively by the weight and leverage of the part 39 to permit the ratchet 41 and slide member 49 and their related parts to swing back to position to engage said ratchet 18 and lug 20 of disk 19.

Prior to the operation of this machine, after suitable adjustment of its parts, a piano hammer similar to that shown in Fig. 7, in which has been inserted the wire staple s with the projecting ends d, (Z is placed on the work carrier or table 154 approximately in the position shown in Fig. 2, the ende of the hammer engaged by the angle frame 156 and the hammer arm or shank a in contact with the stop 157, the ends d, d of the staple extending toward and in line with the space between the open jaw members 132, 132. Treadle 65 is now depressed, causing the downward swinging of lever 57 against the resistance of its spring 57 and of the spring 147 of lever 142. The short lever member 56 of lever 57 also is thus caused to swing downward.

The initial downward action of lever 57 efiects the swinging of bell crank lever 143 whereby work carrier 154 is advancedtoward said jaw members 132, 132, the first result of which movement is that projection 160 of the hub of arm 159 is relieved from stop plate 149 and permits spring 162 to draw said arm 159 to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 with its pusher member 161 bearing against the end of the hammer arm A. The work carrier 154 continues its advance until the side of the piano hammer bears against stop 153 at which time the ends d, d of the staple s extend between the jaw members 132, 132.

During such advancement of the work carrier the hammer release rod 140 is car-. ried forward until its hook end 141 has passed over the tooth or lug 117 of pawl 116 a considerable distance as it is intended that pawl 116 shall not be released from thedetainer arm 112 of lever 108 until the work carrier approaches its limit of retractive movement.

At or about the time the arms 03, cl of the wire staple s are brought between the jaw members 132, 132 member 55 actuates lever 52 to rock the shaft 32 whereby arm 33 is caused to swing pawl'41 and projection 51 out of engagement respectively with ratchet 18. and member 20 thereby permitting the clutch members having such parts to effect driving connection, as above described, between pulley 21 and shaft 17 and effecting the rotation of cam collar 24 and gear 127. As collar 24 starts to rotate, its cam 25 forces bearing 26 of frame 27 to ride outward until the annular edge of this collar 24 bears against said bearing 26 with the result that frame 27 is caused to swing sufficiently to act, through its pin 29, against rod 129, of the tubular shaft 125 to effect the closing action of the jaws 131, 131 through links 133, 133, sufficiently to effect the grasping of the ends (5, (Z of the staple s between the jaw members 132, 132.

The rotation of gear 127 is transmitted through small gear 126 to shaft 125 which carries the wire gripping jaws 131, 131 so that, approximately, at the time these jaws are closed to grip the staple ends d, cl said shaft 125 is caused to rotate at a speed relative to the diameters of said gears 127, 126. Preferably the gear 126 and shaft 125 is caused to make three rotations to one rotation of shaft 17. As the latter is about to complete its rotation the cam rise 25 passes bearing 26 thus causing a sudden forward swinging of frame 27 and, through pin 29, rod 129 and links 133, 133 closing jaws 131, 131 whereby aw members 132, 132 effect the cutting away of the surplus lengths of the ends (6, (Z of the staple approximately as shown in Fig. 9. After cam rise 25 passes bearing 26 said bearing drops into the recess of cam 25 and rod 129 reacts under spring 128 to open the jaws 133, 133.

Before lever 57 completes its full downward movement pin 59 of member rides against cam edge 63, see Fig. 3, and causes the end 54 of member 55 to swing out of engagement with lever 52 thus allowing said lever 52 to be swung upward and replacing pawl 41 and part 51 in their engaging position.

When treadle 65 is released lever 57 is swung upward by its spring 57 assisted by bell crank lever 143 and its spring 147 and in such return movement of lever 143 its bearing 145 acts against the sleeve of stud 137 to return the work carrier 154 and its carriage 149 to normal position. Said sleeve of stud 137 acts against the pivoted arm 138 thus drawing backward rod 140.

Somewhat before work carrier 154 reaches its retracted position the hook end 141 of rod 140 engages the lug117 of pawl 116 and draws said pawl in the direction indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and, approximately as said work carrier 154 reaches its retracted position, releases the end 115 of said pawl 116 from the holding arm 112 of lever 108 thus permitting spring 119 to suddenly advance arm 113 to drive forward rod 121 whereby hammer 123 is caused to strike the outstanding twisted together ends of wires al, (Z and bend said twisted ends d, (2 against and into the felt 0 of the piano hammer somewhat as is disclosed in Fig. 10.

After a certain swinging of pawl 116 its lug 117 reaches a point of disengagement with hook 141 of rod 140 and spring 118 draws said pawl 116 backward until it bears against cam edge 114 of stop arm 112.

During the "upward movement of lever 57 its step 570 lifts lever 81 to rock shaft 80 thereby swinging arm 82 and rod 95 upward to release pawl 92 and member 100 from their engagement respectively with the ratchet 73 and the lug 75 of the clutch members which, under action of their spring as described in relation to Figs. 11 and 12, effect the connection of belt pulley with shaft 71 and through said shaft 71 and the bevel ears 76 and 103 drives the cam shaft 102. in the rotation of the cam shaft 102 its cam 104 acts against the bearing 105 of bell crank lever 108 to swing said lever and, through connecting rod 107 to operate lever 108 to swing arm 113 and return slide rod 121 and its hammer 123 to the inoperative position. In such movement of lever 108 its stop arm 112, by means of its cam 114, causes pawl 116 to swing until the end 115 of said pawl receives and holds the end of said stop arm 112 as shown in 1* ig. 6.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. A machine for twisting wires comprising a wire twisting device having wire gripping jaws, normally disconnected automatic driving mechanism for said device, means to hold an article having extended wires, and related mechanisms arranged and acting to advance said holding means to said twisting device, and to connect said driving mechanism with the twisting device.

2. A machine for twisting wires comprising a wire twisting device having wire cutting jaws, a rotatable shaft carrying said twisting device, means to feed an article having extended wires to said twisting. device, and means comprising an endwise movable member connected to the jaws of said device and contained within said shaft to operate said twisting device to first grip said wires and subsequently to out said wires.

3. A machine for operating on wires of piano hammers of'the nature described comprising a wire twisting device having a wire gripper, a feeding means adapted to hold the work piece and being movable to bring the work piece to said twisting device, spring actuated wire bending means normally held inoperative in a potentially active position from which it is spring-propelled when released, means actuated through a movement of said feeding means to release said wire bending means, and automatic positive mechanism for re turning the bending means to the previous position.

4. A machine for twisting wires comprising a rotary wire gripper having wire cutting means, means including a power driven element and a normally disconnected clutch to operate said gripper first to grip and subsequently to cut wires presented thereto, a feeding device to feed an article having extended wiresto said gripper, and common operating means for advancing said feeding device and. then connecting said clutch to put said gripper operating means into action.

5. A machine for twisting wires comprising a rotary wire gripper having wire cutting means, automatic normally disconnected mechanism to rotate and operate said gripper first to grip and subsequently to cut wires presented thereto, a clutch for connecting said mechanism, a work holder mo vable to present an article having extended wires to said gripper, means to operate said work holder, and mechanism operated simultaneo sly with the operation of such work holder to effect the connection of said clutch.

6. A machine for twisting wires comprising a rotary shaft having wire gripping and cutting jaws, automatic driving mechanism 7 including a normally. disconnected clutch and a gear arranged to be driven rotatably in mesh with said shaft to effect a predetermined number of rotations of said shaft, a rod movable endwise in said shaft linked to said jaws, a cam acting on said rod to effect a partial closing of said jaws during the initial rotation of said shaft and a further closing of said jaws after a series of rotations of said shaft, and means to feed forward a piano hammer having eX- tended wires to place said wires between said jaws.

7. A machine for operating on wires of piano hammers comprising a pair of shafts having automatically releasable clutches. belt. pulleys on said shafts having. power transmitting belts, means to operate said clutches in succession, a wire twisting and cutting device operatedthrough one of said shafts, a spring operated wire bending device retractively actuated by mechanism operated by the other of said shafts, a piano hammer carriage movable to present the wires of a piano hammer thereon to said twisting device, and means to move said carriage, said latter means having connections whereby one of said clutch mechanisms is operated in the clutching direction through the advancing movement of said carriage and the other. said clutching mechanism is actuated during retraction of said carriage.

8. A wire twisting machine comprising a and clutch controller having connections for first moving the holder to the twister, and then causing connection of said clutch.

9. In a staple clenching machine, the combination with a work holder, and twisting mechanism for twisting together the ends of a staple passing from a work piece held by said holder, of a clenching hammer to bend over the twisted ends, a spring for projecting said hammer, a latch for holding it retracted, a cam, automatic mechanism for driving said cam to retract the hammer, and control means for putting said cam driving mechanism in operation in time with other movements of the machine.

10. A staple clenching machine comprising in combination a work holder adapted to support a work piece holding a staple with projecting ends, a twisting device adapted to grasp and twist the ends of such staple, the work holder being movable toward and away from said twisting device, mechanism for rotating said twisting cevice when the work piece is brought to it, a hammer for bending the twisted stapleends, a spring for driving said hammer, a latch for holding said hammer retracted and said spring under stress, the work holder in its movement away from the twisting device being adapted to trip said latch. and release the hammer, a cam, power means for rotating said cam, a normally disconnected clutchbetween said power means and cam, mechanism by which rotation of the cam retracts said hammer to its latched position, and a controller movable in opposite directions, and means by which said controller when moved in one direction brings the work holder to the twisting device, the controller when moved in the other direc tion having provision for connecting said clutch whereby the hammer-retracting cam is caused to act.

JAMES A. BUTLER.

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