US2113265A - Method and apparatus for making joints in woven wire fabric - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1938. E. J. BUELL ET AL ,1

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING JOINTS IN WOVEN WIRE FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1936 INVENTORS.

B a9. ,fiu

ATTORNEYS.

April 5, 1938. E. J.- BUELL ETAL 2,113,265

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING JOINTS IN WOVEN WIRE FABRIC Filed Jan. '18, 1936. v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15, w w 1/ /A 3 I INVENTORS! v BY ATTORNEYS- Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING JOINTS IN WOVEN WIRE FABRIC Edward J. Buell, Niagara Falls, N. Y., and Francis D. Martin, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Application January 18,1936, Serial No. 59,750 In Canada January 21, 1935 12' Claims.

The present invention pertains to a method, and apparatus for making joints in woven wire fabric and is well adapted for the manufacture of seams in Fourdrinier wires. Heretofore, efforts have been made ,to connect the ends of the belt byaligning. the warp picketson each side of the seam, and connecting, them through the medium of an interposed strip either of fusible,

or non-fusible material by the application of I heat.

fusible core and a fusible coating, it is not so important that the warp pickets be aligned, but in each case, it is necessary to hold the ends of the fabric in contact with the interposed strip during the .heating operation.

The relatively fine mesh and large width of Fourdrinier wires have heretofore, been regarded as insurmountable difiiculties in the development of a machine that is moved at uniform rate across the width of the fabric. These difllculties have been augmented in those seams where heat is employed, for in such instances, heat conducting blocks must be used to protect the work from being overheated, and these normally require resetting at short intervals. The resetting of the blocks usually requires resetting of the fabric to insure uniformity of the finished product, all of which not. only requires considerable. time, but increases the pp9rtunity for failure in the at- 0 tainment of a correctly made joint.

Anobject of our invention is the provision of a method and apparatus bymeans of which wire joints can be made continuously in a woven wire fabric, notwithstanding the relatively fine mesh of which the fabric is made, and the width of the belt on which the seam is intended to be used. The invention is applicable not only for making seams in which a strip containing fusible material is interposed between the ends of the fabric,

0 but also in making other types of seam, which do not necessitate the use of an interposed strip.

Referring now to the-drawings, Fig. l illustrates in side elevation, a preferred form of ap-. paratus for carrying out our improved method; 6 5 Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shownin Fig. 1 on a somewhat larger scale, certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the internal construction; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sec tional detail, the plane of the section being indi- 0 cated by the lines 33 on Fig. 1; Fig, 4 is'an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the ends of the wire ready to be joined by the use of an interposed strip.

We propose to carry out our invention by 5 placing the ends and II of the fabric to be Where the interposed strip has a nonjoined upon a block l2, which extends entirely across the width of the fabric, and which is supported upon a work table I3. Disposed above the fabric and extending lengthwise of the seam, we have shown a beam M, which supports the seam 5 making mechanism for movement across the fabric. The beam, in turn, is illustrated, as having shoes l5, rigidly attached thereto, and slidably supported in girders I 6 that are disposed adjacent the ends of the work table, and in turn are 10 carried by columns H. The girders may comprise channel members, which are placed back to back, and are attached to the opposing faces of the columns. This leaves an opening through which a threaded spindle, 20, journalled at 2| and 16 22 in the columns may extend. A threaded nut 23 is rigidly fastened to each'shoe, and is adapted to extend downwardly into the opening between each pair of girders, and is in threaded engagement with the spindle, as is shown in Fig. ,2.

The spindle and nut form a screw and nut couple by means of which the beam may be adjusted transversely of the seam. One of such couples is positioned at each end 'of the beam, and each spindle is provided with a hand wheel 25 24 by means of which it may be rotated.

The seam forming mechanism comprises a carriage 30, which is shown as a box-like member a pinion '35 projects. -The pinion is operatively connected to the motor through the gear reduction unit, and is adapted to mesh with a rack 36, that is fastened to the top of the beam.

Depending from the carriage is a cradle, which is illustrated as having a top member 40, end 40 members 4| and bottom members 42; the end members being connected to the top and bottom members at 43, and 44 respectively. The vertical position of the cradle with reference to the carriage may be controlled by adjusting screws 45 45, such adjustment being useful for controlling the pressure at which the work is engaged. The lower cradle members 42 comprise guideways in which heat, conducting blocks 46 are carried. Ea ch block has a T-shaped head 41 which engages the corresponding passageway 48 in the bottom members so as to suspend the blocks whenever the cradle is raised sufliciently to clear the work. The blocks 46 have a small opening 49' therebetween through which heat preferably in the form of a flame from a torch 5|] may be played upon the work. The torch, in turn, is shown as being carried by an inverted channel member 5| that straddles the blocks, and is rigidly fastened thereto.

The heat conducting blocks'and the associated torch are movable, as a unit, withreference to the cradle, so as to facilitate the application of heat in those seams for which a continuous movement is not suited. However, in other scams, where continuous movement can be applied, provision is made for clamping the blocks to the cradle, whereupon the heat can be applied continuously, and with a uniform rate as the carriage is moved along the beam. Such locking mechanism may comprise a set screw 52, which is'carried byone of the bottom members 42, and which is adapted to engage one of the blocks 46.

To make a seam by means of a machine, embodying our invention, the two ends of the fabric are laid upon the block l2, and the rest of the cloth is passed aroundrolls 53, which are carried by removable shafts supported on thework table. The ends are carefully placed in opposition to each other, and are then held in such position by weights 54, which rest upon the fabric, and which extend across the width thereof, and on each side of the seam. The weights, however,

mechanism intermittently across the fabric, the

hand wheels 24 are operated, if necessary, to adjust the beam transversely with respect to the seam. The adjusting screws 45 are then operated to lower the cradle until the heat conductin blocks 46 engage the work with a sufficient degree of pressure to conduct the heat therefrom, when the gas is ignited, and yet to permit them to. be

slid along the cloth progressively during the heating operation.

Whenever, the operator desires to actuate the motor is operated intermittently, and then the torch unit is moved by hand along the cradle to .weld or solder a predetermined length. Then, the warp pickets, in advance of the torch, are

, adjusted progressively, and the cradle is advanced to a new section duringwhich time the torch is not applied to the work. Thereupon, the torch until is moved with respect to the cradle until another section is treated. In other types of seams, however, which are adapted for continuous seaming, the torch unit is rigidly fastened to the cradle by the clamping screw 52, and then the motor is operated to move the cradle continuously across the fabric. During 'such movement, an operator may make such final adjustment to the position of the warp pickets, as may be necessary to maintain the desired degree of alignment in advance of the torch.

We claimz- 1. A method of making a seam in wire fabric, comprising interposing a strip between the ends -of the fabric to be joined, abutting the ends of the fabric against opposite sides of the strip and progressively moving' a heat applicator with substantially uniform velocity entirely across the fabric to unite the strip to the fabric.

2. A method of making a joint for wire fabric,

comprising interposing a strip containing fusible materialbetween the ends of the fabric to be joined, and positioning a heat applicator adjacent to the interposed strip, and then moving the applicator at a substantially uniform velocity across the entire joint, the applicator being regulated to furnish sufficient heat to fuse the strip to the fabric without making objectionable changes in the molecular structure thereof.

3. An apparatus for making a seam in wire fabric, comprising a trackway disposed above the fabric, a carriage movable along the trackway, an electric motor for operating the carriage, and means mounted suspended from the carriage for applying heat to the fabric adjacent the joint, said means including heat conducting blocks that are movable with the carriage.

4. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a carriage, means for supporting it in spaced relationship to the contacting ends of the fabric that are to be joined, means for moving the carriage longitudinally of the joint, and other means for moving the carriage transversely of the joint.

5. A device for applying heat to a joint in wire fabric, comprising a torch, a carriage for holding for the fabric to be joined, means for slidablyengaging the surfaceof the fabric on each side of the joint, a torch associatedwith said means. and mechanism for movingthe torch longitudinally of the joint.

'7. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a flat continuous support for the fabric to be joined, means for slidably engaging the surface of the fabric on each side of the joint, a welding or soldering means associated with said last named means, and meansfor moving said welding or soldering means longitudinally of the joint.

8. An apparatus for making a seam for wire fabric comprising a beam that is spaced from the fabric, a rack carried by the beam, a carriage movably supported on the beam, an electric motor mounted on the carriage, gearing operatively connecting the motor to the rack, a cradle depending from the carriage, means mounted on the cradle for unitingthe ends of the fabric,

and means for adjusting the beam transversely of the joint.

9. An apparatus for making seams for wire fabric, comprising in combination, a beam that is disposed above the fabric to be joined, a carriage movable along the beam, a cradle suspended from the carriage, means for adjusting the cradle vertically with reference to the work, other means for adjusting the cradle laterally with reference to the work and a torch movably positioned on the cradle.

10. An apparatus for making seams for woven wire fabric, comprising in combination, a beam, means for supporting it above the fabric to be joined, mechanism for adjusting the beam transversely of the joint, a carriage movably positioned 'a portion thereof slidably engaging the top of the fabric and a torch carried by said member. 11. A method of making a seam in wire fabric,

comprising bringing together the ends of the fabric to be joined, against the opposite sides of an interposed strand, and progressively.moving.

a heat applicator with substantially uniform velocity entirely across the fabric to unite the ends and the strand together.

12. An apparatus for making a seam in wire fabric comprising a carriage, means for supporting the carriage for movement along-the fabric,

DI SC LAI M E R 2,ll3,2 65.E'dward- J. Buell, Niagara Fal1s,N. Y., and Francis Martin, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. IN WOVEN WIRE FABRIC.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING JOINTS Patent dated April 5, 1938. Disclaimer filed February 18 1939, by the assignee, The 'Lindsay Wire W eamlng Company. Hereby enters a disclaimer of claims 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12 in said patent.

[Ofiicial Gazette March 21, 1939.]

comprising bringing together the ends of the fabric to be joined, against the opposite sides of an interposed strand, and progressively.moving.

a heat applicator with substantially uniform velocity entirely across the fabric to unite the ends and the strand together.

12. An apparatus for making a seam in wire fabric comprising a carriage, means for supporting the carriage for movement along-the fabric,

DI SC LAI M E R 2,ll3,2 65.E'dward- J. Buell, Niagara Fal1s,N. Y., and Francis Martin, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. IN WOVEN WIRE FABRIC.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING JOINTS Patent dated April 5, 1938. Disclaimer filed February 18 1939, by the assignee, The 'Lindsay Wire W eamlng Company. Hereby enters a disclaimer of claims 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12 in said patent.

[Ofiicial Gazette March 21, 1939.]

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