US2164481A - Method and apparatus for making wire fabric - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1939. J. K. WATKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC Filed March 12, 1938 e Shets-Shet 1 film/5555 waded/oz, WM

am v M 4 ATTORNEYS.

Jul 4, 1939.

J. K. WATKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC Filed March 12,1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illlll'llllllllllllllllllllllll IL 4 ATTORNEYJ.

W/DVESJES July 4, J w ms 2,164,481v

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC Filed March 12, 1938" e Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR A. A M lw wmvrssfs x v P Mflmm A J ATTORNEYS.

July 4, 1939 J. K. WATKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC 6 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed March L2, 1938 4 ATTORNEYS.

July 4, 1939. A J w ms 2,164,481

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC Filed March 12, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet livili -T- T 1::

I J 1 "I m T m V m W/TNBSEJ WW W 44 ATTORNEYS.

J. K. WATKINS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC July 4, 1939.

Filed March 12, 1938 6 Sheets-Shet e S @1 QJGAQQQ W N W ATTORNEYS Patented 4, 1939 2,164,481

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING WIRE FABRIC James K. Watkins, Monessen, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 12, 1938, Serial No. 195,555

15 Claims.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for making wire fabric and-more particularly is concerned with the manufacture of wire fence pickets of unequal length which are crimped to improve the appearance and strength ofthefencegi Here'tofore ture of wire fence or similar wire.;fabric,'.; itfhas been the practice to crim'p' the-jlon'gitudiirally extending strand wires which give'the fence a resiliency so that changes in temperature, as from winter to summer, do not result in fence sag, and also the crimping of the wires improves thc app arance of the fence. Generally in the past, wire fence II has been made from such longitudinal strand wires connected together by a plurality of spaced picket or stay wires which are, in one popular form of fence, welded to the strand wires. Some attempts have been made heretofore to provide go such wire fence with picket or stay wires of different length as, for example, to employ a relatively short stay wirebetween each pair of stay wires which extend the full width, 1. e., height, of the fence.- These shortpicket wires 5 increase the numberof wires in a given length of the fence and prevent animals, rubbish or the like, from passing through the fence near the bottom thereof. Difficulty has been experienced in making welded wire fence with pickets of so alternately shorter and longer lengths, and this has been due largely to expensive methods and apparatus of construction. Moreover, while the strand wires of fence have been crimped, as described above, to improve their strength and ap:

pearance, the picket or stay wires have never been crimped after being welded in place, so far as Lam aware, and particularly they have not been crimped by automatic production methods and apparatus.

' It is the general object of my invention to avoid and overcometheforegoing andother difllculties of and objections to known methods alternate or selected stay wires are of diiferent but readily adjustable lengths.

I Another object of my invention is the provision of mechanism for automatically forming crimps in the stay wires of wire fence fabric. 5

The foregoing and other objects of my invention are achieved by the provision of a wire fabric fence-building machine of the type having means for supporting and feeding strandwires forward in parallel relation, and means for welding stay wires thereto, characterized by means for alternately feeding a relatively long full-width stay wire across the strand wires and a relatively short stay wire acrossonly part of the strand wires but in spaced parallel relation with each other, and means for crimping the stay wires between the strand wires regardless of the stay wire lengths and after they have been welded into place.

The stay wire feeding mechanism of my invention is employed with an apparatus for making wire fence, such apparatus including means for supporting strand wires in parallel relation in a plane, and means for weldingstay wires to the strand wires. The stay wire feeding mechanism is characterized by the inclusion of means for gripping and feeding a stay wire transversely of the 'strand wires, means for alternately giving the feeding means a long and a short movement, means for adjusting the length of the long feeding movement, and means for adjusting the length of the short feeding movement.

The mechanism for crimping the stay wires of the-wire fabric comprises means for advanc- 35 ing the fabric, dies adapted to engage with the opposite sides of a stay wire to crimp it, means for effecting relative movement between the plane of the fabric substantially at right angles to its forward movement and the dies thereby to place a stay wire between the dies or remove it from such a position, and means to close the dies about a stay wire when the dies are properly positioned to effect a crimping of the stay wire.

My method of making wire fence which comprises welding stay wires at longitudinally spaced points to longitudinally extending substantially parallel strand wires is characterized by feeding a stay wire across the full width of the substantially. parallel strand wires, cutting the stay length stay wires along the wire fabric to thus produce a fence having pickets of at least two different heights recurrent at fixed intervals along the fabric.

For a better understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is'a plan view of the complete apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stay wire feeding mechanism; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the stay wire feeding mechanism; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the stay wire crimping mechanism; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the stay wire crimping mechanism; Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the wirecrimping dies and is taken on line VIVI of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a plan view taken on line VIIVII of Fig. 5 and showing a plan view of the crimping dies and the wire fabric produced.

Since apparatus for making welded wire fabric, and particularly welded wire fence, is broadly old and well known, and my invention relates merely to associated mechanisms to be applied to such known apparatus and used in combination therewith, I have neither illustrated in detail the mechanism for supporting and advancing step by step, or otherwise, the longitudinal or strand wires, nor the mechanism for resistance welding the transverse picket or stay wires thereto. Suffice it to say that such apparatus comprises a frame I0 including a fabric-supporting and advancing drum I2 and a bed I4 for receiving the strand wires in spaced parallel relation from suitable supply means (not shown), and for moving the strand wires in parallel relation beneath a welding mechanism I6. The frame I0 includes internal driving mechanism, generally indicated at I8, and contained within the frame I0.

It will be understood that the parallel strand wires, indicated by the letter D, are received upon the bed I4 and are moved by the mechanism I8 step by step over the bed, and each time the strand wires are at rest a stay wire is fed, by mechanism indicated generally at I9 and hereinafter particularly described, transversely of the strand wires usually at a position adjacent the welding mechanism I6. After being fed into place, each stay wire is cut off and welded to the strand wires before the strand wires are again advanced. By continuously repeating the operation, wire fabric comprising longitudinally extending strand wires and transversely directed picket'or stay wires is produced. Such fabric is carried over the drum I2 down between rollers 20 on the frame and is wound, on the wind-up reel 22 carried on arm extensions 24 of the frame :0. The crimping mechanism for crimping the strand wires D is not shown since it forms no part of my present invention but it is usually positioned to operate on the strand wires after they pass over the drum I2. The mechanism for crimping the picket or stay wires is indicated generally by the numeral 26 and is positioned between the rollers 20 and the wind-up reel 22 and will hereinafter be described in detail.

The mechanism for feeding the stay wires includes a frame 30 which is secured to the frame I0, as best seen in Fig. 1, so that the frame 30 extends substantially at right angles to the frame I0 and the direction of the movement of the strand wires D over the bed I4. The top of the frame 30 is in substantially horizontal alignment with the bed I4. The frame 30 carries a. crankshaft 32 in suitable bearings, which shaft is driven by gear 34 which meshes with a gear 36 carried upon a shaft 38 forming a part of the mechanism I8. At each end of the crank-shaft 32 is mounted a crank, indicated by the numerals 40 and 4|, which cranks extend substantially at 180 to each other, as best seen in Fig. 3, and which include adjustable screws 42 and 43, whereby the effective lengths of the cranks 40 and M can be controlled. This is done by connecting the screws 42 and 43 in fixed relation to the hubs of the cranks and receiving the threaded ends of the screws in tapped bores of blocks radially movable in suitable grooves in the crank arms and carrying connecting rod pins 46 and 41.

Positioned in vertical alignment with the shaft 32 at the sides of the frame 30 are racks 48 and 50 which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in suitable gibs, indicated at 54. Each rack carries a stud pin 56 and the pins 56 are pivotally connected to the crank pins 46 and 41 by connecting rods 58 and 58a, respectively, so that upon the rotation of the crank-shaft 32 the racks 48 and 50 are given reciprocating movements up and down in their gibs 54. The teeth of the rack 48 engage with a hubbed pinion 60 carried in a bearing 62 and rotatably receiving a shaft 64. In like manner the teeth of the rack 50 engage with a hubbed pinion 66 rotatably received in a bearing 68 and rotatably receiving the other end of the shaft 64. The shaft 64 has secured thereto at its center a wheel I2 which carries a. ratchet gear I4 on its one lateral face and a ratchet gear I6 on its other lateral face.

Each pinion 60 and 66 carries an arm 18 and 80, respectively, to which are secured pawls 82 I and 84, respectively, which engage withthe ratchet gears I4 and 16, respectively. The wheel 12 is formed with a shoulder which fixedly carries a stay wire feed ring 88 which maybe formed with a flat wire engaging face but which is preferably formed with one or more shallow grooves, as shown, usually equal in depth to about onehalf the diameter of the wire being fed. Cooperating with the feed ring 88 is a feed wheel 90 pivotally mounted upon a short shaft 92 carried between the bifurcated portions of a lever 94 pivotally secured, as at 96, to a bracket 98 on the frame 30. The other end of the lever 94 is slotted and receives a bolt I00 which is pivotally secured at one end to a cam lock I02. The other end of the bolt I00 is received in a clevis I04 pivotally secured to the frame 30 and including a. tightening compression spring I06. Gears I01 and I08 connect the feed wheel 90 and the wheel 12 for positive feeding movement.

The frame 30 carries stay wire straightening and guiding means, indicated generally by the numerals II 0 and H2, which are in alignment with the wire-feeding wheel 90 and the feed ring 88. The stay wire, indicated by the letter Y, is brought from a suitable source (not shown) over the guide shive H4 and into the wire-guiding and straightening means H0 and H2 from which it passesbetween the feeding rolls and through an opening H6 in the frame I30 to a point just above, as shown, or, if desired, to a point just below the plane of the strandwires D carried upon the bed I4. Once in position the stay wire is cut off by'suitable mechanism, indicated generally at I20 and of known character, which is operated through a link I22 and a bell-crank I24 which carries a follower I26 engaging with a cam I 28 carried on the shaft 38. The synchronized operation of the welding mechanism I6 effects the resistance welding of the cut-off stay wire to the longitudinally extending strand wires.

Beforev proceeding with the description of the ing rod 58 and the upward movement of the rack and swings pawl-carrying rotates pinion 60 bracket I8 through an arc. The pawls 82 carried by the bracket I8 engage with the ratchet gear 14 carried on the wheel I2 and thus rotate the wheel I2 and the feed ring 88. This rotary movement of the ring 88 and the simultaneous rotation of the feeding wheel 90 pulls the stay wire Y over the shive II4 through the straight ening and guiding mechanisms H0 and H2 and feeds the stay wire out transversely over or under the longitudinally extending strand wires D.

The length of the feeding movement is dependent upon the length of the crank 40 which is determined by the adjustment of the screw 42 and the position of the pin 46 as controlled thereby. For a full feeding movement the pin 46 is out near the end of the crank so that a fulllength picket or stay wire is provided. For a short picket or stay wire the screw 42 is ,ad-

justed so that the-pin 46 is moved in on the crank '40 to provide a relatively short throw of the crank and a short feeding movement. 7 Once the stay wire hasbeen fed out over the strand wires continued rotation of the shaft 38 brings the cam I28 into engagement with the follower I26 to rock the bell-crank I24 andoperate the cut-off mechanism I20 which cuts off the stay wire. The synchronized operation of the weld-. ing mechanism then secures the stay wire to the strand wires as will be'understood.

After the rack 48 reaches the top of its movement' and starts down, the rotation of the pinion 60 is reversed and the pawl or pawls 82 carried by the bracket I8 mounted on the pinion 60 ride in a return movement over the inclined surfaces of the teeth of the ratchet gear-14 and there is no movement to feed the stay wire Y. However, at this time the crank H is raising the rack 50 and the pinion 66 is rotated to carry its bracket 18 and pawl or pawls 84 against the ratchet gear I6toeffect a rotation of the wheel I2 and another feeding movement of the stay wire Y. Thus, by making the cranks 40 and M of different effective lengths which can be readily done by meansof the screws 42 and 43, every alternate stay wire can'be made relatively short as compared to' the other stay wires which are made to extend the full height of the fence, he, the full width of the 'fabric,produced. The timing of the feeding mechanism, just described, is so coordinated with the mechanism I8, which moves the strand wires D forward step by step, that each stay wire is fully fed at the time it is in the proper position to be welded so that when it i is cut off it can be immediately welded to the stationary strand wires, and as soon as this is done, the strand wires again advance so that the next stay wire feeding operation can immediately follow with its cut-off and welding. The continued repetition of this operation effects the application of the stay wires to the strand wires. The adjustment of the bolt I00 and the spring I06 effects the driving tension on the stay wire posia,1c4,4s1

tioned between the feed ring 88 and the feeding wheel 90.

After the stay wires have been applied, to the" strand wires as heretofore described, the wire fabric is passed over the drum I2 and down between the rollers 20 carried by the frame and onto the wind-up reel 22. Between the rollers 20 and the wind-up reel 22 the stay wire crimping mechanism 26 is positioned on the arms 24. This mechanism includes brackets I 50 mounted on the arms 24 and carrying shafts I52 and I54. The shaft I54 acts as a pivot pin for pivotally mounting a plurality of pairs of pincher arms I56, as seen in Fig.6, the longer portions of which are resiliently urged towards each other by means of tension springs I58. The shorter portions of the pincher arms I56 are formed with faces I60, each face being adapted to carry a plurality of stay wire engagingfingers I62, usually in the form of rollers, positioned as shown in Fig. '7 and staga gered with relation to each other. Thus when a stay wire is gripped between the rollers and the pincher arms I56 are brought together, a stay wire is crimped in the manner shown in Fig. '7. The length of each set of pincher arms I56 along shaft I54 is somewhat less than the transverse distance between the strand wires D of the fabric, so that the pincher jaws can be moved between the strand wires and to a position surrounding a stay wire without striking the strand wires.

In order to move the pincher'arms I56 about the shaft I54 to eflect a crimping operation, the shaft I52 is provided with a plurality of double cams I66, I68, I10 and I12 which are adapted to engage withsuitable cam followers II4 carried between the bifurcated ends of the pincher arms I56 and adapted to simultaneously .engage with the shaft I52, aswi11 be seen from Fig. 6. The

shaft I52 is given a periodic rocking movement 'by connecting cranks I18 to the ends of the shaft near-the brackets I50 and rocking the cranks by links I pivotally secured to levers I82 rotatably about points I84 on the frame I0. Links I86 pivotally connect the levers I82 to cam followers I88 engaging with cams I90 driven by the mechanism I8.

An important part of the crimping mechanism is the means for effecting relative movement between the wire fabric and the crimping mechanism in a direction substantially at right angles to the plane of the fabric. Such means move each stay wire into and out of position between of the arms 200 to lower the plane of the wire I fabric so as to position the stay wire to be crimped between the rollers I62 carried by the pincher arms I56. The continued rocking movement of the shaft I52 causes'the cam I66 to engage with the followers I14 and rock the pincher arms I56 to force the rollers I62 carried thereby into crimping engagement with the sides of the stay wire engaged. v v o I As shown in Fig. 6, I preferably make the sevthe pcrtionsof the. double cams on either side of eral cams I66, I68, I10 and I12 of progressively shorter arcuate length so that the crimping operation on the particular stay wire is progressive either from end to end or from the center portion thereof outwardly. This is done because the stay wires are not stretched, and as a result the strand wires move closer together during the crimping operation, and since the crimping operation is progressive, the power required for the operation is less than that which would be required if the entire length of the stay wire were crimped at the same time.'

I may make each of the cams I66, I68, I" and I12 to operate simultaneously to crimp the stay wire with a simultaneous stretching, but while this is part of my inventive concept, it is not preferred.

It is believed that the operation of the stay wire crimping apparatus will be evident from the foregoing description. The wire fabric with the stay wires welded thereto at longitudinally spaced points and in substantially transversely extending directions is fed forward step by step through the crimping mechanism. The means I8 for achieving this feeding movement of the fabric are coordinated through the cams I so that as the. fabric stops the movement of the cams I90 first rocks the shaft I52 to efl'ect a lowering of the plane of the fabric to bring the next stay wire to be crimped between the crimping rollers. Thecontinued movement of the cam I90 rocks the shaft I52 farther to bring the cams I66, I68, I10 and I12 in turn into engagement with the cam followers I14 which force the crimping rollers I 62 into crimping relation with the stay wire. The rocking movement of the shaft I52 in the other direction as effected by the cams I90 opens up the crimping rollers I 62 and the pincher arms I54 so that in the final rocking movement of the shaft I52 the cams 208 engage with the cams 206 to move the fabric away from the crimping rollers I52 so that the fabric can again be fed forward one step and the operation repeated. It will be understood that the stepped forward movement of the fabric is equal to the distance between the stay wires.

By this mechanism a wire fabric, and particularly a wire fence, can be made as seen in Fig. 7, which includes crimped longitudinally extending strand wires D held in spaced parallel relation to each other by transversely extending picket or stay wires Y, certain recurrent stay wires at longitudinally fixed intervals extending the full width or height of the fabric and being crimped in a manner similar to the strand wires so that the appearance of the fence is definitely improved. The spaces between the full width stay wires receive the short picket or stay wires which are likewise crimped and both the long and short stay wires are formed with curved ends or scrolls (by suitable means not shown), which scrolls overlap each other and are secured to one another. The resulting fence is of a particularly attractive appearance and is strong and resilient, and provides added strength and meshes along one portion, usually the lower portion, so that it fulfills a long-felt want in the trade and achieves the objects of the..invention.

The apparatus herein described is adapted to be used with any of the standard wire fabric making machines and provides relatively inexpensive but rapid and satisfactory means for making wire fence having picket or stay wires of alternate lengths which are crimped after being welded in position.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have specifically illustrated and described my invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wire fabric building machine of the type having means for supporting and feeding strand wires forward in parallel relation and means for securing stay wires thereto, characterized by means for crimping the stay wires in the plane of the fabric, and means for effecting relative movement between the plane of the fabric and the dies to position each stay wire between the dies for the crimping operation.

2. A wire fabric building machine of the type having means for supporting and feeding strand wires forward in parallel relation and'means for welding stay wires thereto, characterized by means for feeding stay wires across the strand wires but in spaced parallel relation with each other, and means, operable after each stay wire is welded in place, for crimping a stay wire between a pair of strand wires a plurality of times Ian}? on smooth curves lying in the plane of the a ric.

3. Stay wire feeding mechanism for use withan apparatus for making wire fabric, such apparatus including means for supporting strand wires in parallel relation in a plane, and means for securing stay wires to the strand wires, said stay wire feeding mechanism being characterized by the inclusion of means for gripping and feeding a stay wire transversely of the strand wires, means for alternately giving the feeding means long and short movements, means for adjusting the length of the long feeding movement, and means for adjusting the length of the short feeding movement.

4. Stay wire feeding mechanism for use with an apparatus for making wire fence, such apparatus including means for supporting strand wires in Parallel relation in a plane, and means for welding stay wires to the strand wires, said stay wire feeding mechanism being characterized by the inclusion of rolls for gripping and feeding a stay wire transversely of the strand wires, means for alternately giving the feeding rolls a turn through a greater and a less angle, means for adjusting the roll turning angle of the long feeding movement, and means for adjusting the roll turning angle of the short feeding movement.

5. Stay wire feeding mechanism for use with an apparatus for making wire fence, such apparatus including means for supporting strand wires in parallel relation in a plane, and means for welding stay wires to the strand wires, said stay wire feeding mechanism being characterized by the inclusion of rolls for gripping and feeding a stay wire transversely of the strand wires, and means for alternately giving the rolls a turn through a long and a short angle, said last-named means including a crank-shaft, cranks of adjustable length secured to the crank-shaft and extending substantially at' degrees to each other, and ratchet wheels connected to the rolls and operated by the cranks.

6. Apparatus for crimping the stay wires of wire fabric comprising means for advancing the fabric, dies adapted to engage with the opposite sides of a stay wire to crimp it, means for effecting relative movement between the plane of the fabric and the dies to place a stay wire between the dies or remove it from such a position, and

means to close the dies about a stay wire when 15 the dies are properly positioned to effect a crimping of the stay wire in the plane of the fabric.

.7; Apparatus for crimping the stay wires of wire fabric comprising means foradvancing the fabric, dies adapted to engage with the opposite sides of a stay wire to crimp it, means synchronized with the fabric advancing means for effecting relative-movement between the plane of i the fabric substantially at right angles to its.

forward movement and'the dies to place a'stay wire between the dies or remove it from such a position, and means synchronized with the fabric advancing means to closethe dies about a stay f wire when the dies are properly positioned effect a crimping of the stay wire. 8. Apparatus for crimping the stay wires of wire fabric comprisingmeans foradvancing the fabric step by step, dies adapted to move between the strand wires and to engage with the opposite sides of a stay wire to crimp it, means for effecting relative movement betweentheplane of the fabric substantially at right angles to-its stepped forward movement and the dies to place a stay wire between the diesor remove it from such a position, and means to close the dies about a stay wire when the dies are properly positioned to effect a crimping of the stay wire in the plane of the fabric.

9. Apparatus for crimping the stay wires of each pair of strand wires, means for effecting relative movement between the plane of the fabric substantially at right angles to its. stepped forward movement and the dies to places. stay wire between the dies or remove it from such a position, and a plurality of means :to close the dies progressively about a stay wire whenthe dies are properly positioned to-ferrect a crimping of the stay wire.

. 10. Apparatus 1dr crimping the stay, wires of wire fence fabric comprising means fo'r-v advancingthe fabric step by step, .dies'adaptedto engage with theioppositesides of a stay wire to ycrim'p it on smooth curves a plurality of times between each pair of strand wires, means'for effecting relative movement" between the 'plane of thefabric substantially'at right angles to its f ence. i a

1- 15. That. method of making wire fence which stepped forward movement] and the dies to place a stay wirebetween the dies or remove it from such a, position, a shaft, alplurality of cams on the sum, and' means "to 'move the shaft through an angle to close; the dies" about a stay wire when the dies ,are properly positioned toeifect a crimping of the stay wire.

11 That methodlofmaking wirefabric which comprises securing transverse staywires at longitudinally spaced pointsto longitudinally ex-- tending substantially parallel strand wires characterized by feeding a stay wire acrossthe full widthof the substantially parallel strand wires,

least one stay wire across only part of the strand wires, cutting the stay wire off and securing it to the spanned strand wires, and repeating the operation to provide the alternate length stay wires along the wire fabric.

12. That method of making wire fabric which comprises securing transverse stay wires at longitudinally spaced points to longitudinally extending substantially parallel strand wires characterized by feeding a stay wire across the full width ofthe substantially parallelstran'd wires,

cutting the stay wire oil? and securing it to; the strandwires, advancing the fabric, feeding at least one staywire across only part of the strand wires, cutting the stay wire oifandfsecuring it to the spanned strand wires, repeating the op eraticn to provide the-alternate lengthstay wires along the wire fabric, and crimping the staywires after they have been secured in place.

13. That method of making wire' 'fence which comprises welding transverse stay wires at "longitudinally spaced .points tolongitudinally 'extending substantially parallel strand; wires char acterized by feeding a stay wire across the full width of the substantially parallelstrandlwires,

ii) I cutting the stay wire ofl. and welding i'tto the strand wires, advancing the fabric longitudinally of the strand wires a desired stay wire spacing distance, Q feeding atleast one stay wire across only part .of the strand wires, cutting the stay wire of! and welding it to the spanned strand wires, repeating the operation to provide the. alternate length stay wires along the wire fence; [and crimping each stay wire in turn after welding and during the welding of a'subsequent stay wire. f V Y 14. That method of making wire fence which comprises weldingtransve'rsestay wires at lonacterized by feeding a stay wire across the full width ofthe substantially parallel strand wires,

cutting the stay wire of! and weldingv it to the strand wires. advancing the fabric longitudinally of the strand wires a' desired stay wire spacing distance, feeding at least one stay wire across 'only partof the strand wires, cutting the stay .jwire off and welding it to the spanned strand wires, and repeating the operation to provide the. alternate. length stay wires along the 'wire comprises supporting longitudinally extending substantially parallel strand wires, feeding a stay wire across 'the substantially parallel strand Fwires, cutting the stay wire ofl'andwelding it to the strand; wires, advancing: the fabric longitudinally of-the strand wires, feeding another stay wire across at least part of thestrand wires,

to provide the wire fence, and crimping each stay gitudina-llyj spaced points to longitudinally extending substantially parallel strand wires 'charwire in turn after welding and during the weldf ing'of a subsequent stay wire.

JAMES K. WATKINS.

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