US2434565A - Device for treating wire - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1948. L. R. HILL ET AL 2,434,565

DEVICE FOR TREATING WIRE Filed April 30, 1945 WITNESSES:

Patented Jan. 13, 1948 DEVICE FOR TREATING wmE Lawrence R. Hill, Wilkinshurg, and John J.

Keyes, Edgewood, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 30, 1945, Serial No. 591,072

' Claims.

This invention relates to wiping devices for cation of a. portion of the wiping device controlling the amount and distribution of coat- I ings applied to the surfaces of wire and the like.

In applying coatings of varnishes, enamels, resins, lubricants, and numerous othercoating compositions to wire, it is a desirable feature that the coatings be so applied or treated that they form a relatively uniformly thick film or layer on the wire. While numerous wiping devices to accomplish this result have been proposed in the art heretofore, it has been found that they are not capable of effecting a sufliciently constant and accurate control of the applied coatings. In practice it has been found that most'wiping devices available to the art will often wipe on or two sides of a wire almost dry and other sides will carry a greater thickness of coating than is desirable. In some cases, the prior art wiping devices lack adjustability to accommodate ordinary changes in size and shape of the wire being treated. In other cases, the wiping devices are subject to rapidwear without provision being made to accommodate or to compensate for such wear. Therefore, a wiping device would permit progressively thicker or non-uniform coatings to be carried by the wire until it was removed and repaired or rebuilt. I

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device for accurately controlling the amount and distribution of coatings applied to wire and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a readily adjustable wiping device for accurately controlling the amount and distribution of coattings applied to wire and the like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wiping device capable of accommodating a variety of wire shapes and sizes for controlling the amount and distribution of coatings applied thereto.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of this invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of the wiping device of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through a modified form of the wiping device;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 3'; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another modififor thehelical spring member, forming the memof Figure 3.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is illustrated the improved wiping device l0 embodying our invention enabling a constant and precise control of thickness of coatings of enamels, varnishes, paints, oils, asphalts, and numerous other compositions on wire. The device i0 is shown associated with a wire coating device generally-designated as A. The wiping device l0 comprises a housing I! having a cylindrical chamber l4 therein and provided at its lower end with a closure member H; for one end of the chamber II. The closure member I6 is provided with an aperture l8 to permit the passage of wire through the wiping device. The closure member It has an enlarged recess 20 coaxial with and adjacent the aperture l8 and a ring-shaped boss 22 closely fitting th walls and projecting into the cylindrical chamber i4.

A plurality of machine screws 24 fasten the closure member Hi to the housing I2. The upper end of the housing l2 remote from the closure member 16 has an upper wall 26 provided with cylindrical aperture 28 of a diameter similar to the recess 20. At the upper end of housing I2 a screw thread 30 is provided about the exterior of the housing. A screw-threaded cap member 32 cooperates with the threaded portion 30 of the housing for rotatable engagement therewith. The cap member 32 is provided with a recess 34 in prolongation of the aperture 28 leading to an aperture 36 for passage of wire, the aperture 35 being similar to the aperture I8 in the closure member I6.

. A helical spring member 38 constituting the wiping. element proper of the device for controlling the amount and thickness of applied coatings on wire is disposed within the chamber l4 and fits within recesses 20 and 34 of the closure member and cap member, respectively. The helices of the spring member 38 are preferably in contact with one another. One end 40 of the helical spring member 38 may extend radially or tangentially into a recess 42 in the closure member l6 whereby that end of the spring member isfixed with respect to the housing. The other end 44 of the helical spring member is disposed within a recess 46 in the rotatable cap member 32 for rotation therewith. It is necessary that th pitch of the thread 30 be substantially the same as the diameter of the wire, or longitudinal dimension if non-circular wire be used ber 38 for reasons that will be apparant hereinafter. The upper face of the housing I! car-' ries a plurality of spaced recesses 48 best shown in Fig. 2. The rotatable cap member 32 is provided with a single through opening 58 capable of being aligned with any one of therecesses 48. A latch means 52 is provided for passage through the opening 50 and into the recesses 48 for locking the rotatable member 32 in any selected position or rotatable adjustment.

A resilient packing 54 is provided within the chamber l4 between the helical spring member 38 and the housing l2. The packing 54 may be composed of rubber, either natural rubber or a synthetic rubber or elastomer, such, for example, as polychlorbutadiene polymers, polyisobutylene, or butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polysulfides, and the like, or felt. The rubber or other resilient elastomeric packing selected will depend upon the chemicals applied to the wire or the nature of the solvent present therein. The resilient packing 54 may be spongy or cellular to provide for suflicient expansion without undue pressure.

The main function of the resilient packing 54 is to prevent wiped off coating material from working up to the top of the device It! and redepositing on the wire or gumming up the outside of the device Ill. The packing also provides for centering the resilient spring member 38 by preventing buckling or distortion thereof during use. The resilient packing also prevents accumulation of paint or varnish or other coating composition in the chamber l4 which would give rise to difficulty it such' accumulation hardened.

In order to compress the resilient packing tightly about the spring member 38 after it has been introduced into the chamber l4, the closure member I6 is provided with a boss 22. In some cases it may be desirable to provide an adjustable compressing means for applyingmore or less compression to the resilient packing 54. A threaded machine scr'ew, passing through the closure l6 and projecting partly into the chamber Hi can be employed for this purpose or the boss.

22 may be a movable ring adjustable by such machine screw. Alternatively a removable shim member between closure [6 and housing I 2 will permit variable movement of boss 22 into chamber l4.

In treating wire with applied coatings thereon, the helical spring member 38 is selected with an internal diameter slightly larger than the desired diameter of the wire and applied coating. As shown in Fig. 1, the wire 60 after passing through the coating device A consisting, for example, of an enamelling pan 62 containing an enamel or varnish 84 is directed upwardly to the wiping device ID. The wire 60 passes through the aperture l8 into the interior of the helical spring member 38 where it is wiped to a predetermined coating thickness and passes out through aperture 36. In order to adjust the helical spring members to a selected internal diameter, the pin 52 is lifted to permit the rotatable cap 32 to be turned on threads 30 and rotated to wind up the spring member to decrease the diameter or to unwind the spring to increase the diameter. The thread 30 is such that the cap 32 tends to move away from the housing as the spring member 38 is contracted on rotation of the cap counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 2. This relative outward-movement of cap 32 accommodates the'elongation of the spring 32 on contracting movement thereof and the inward movement of the cap corresponds to the shortening of the spring on reverse rotation of cap 32.

When turned counterclockwise, as shown in Fig. 2, the helical spring member 38 is wound tighter, acquiring one extra turn for each revolution of the cap 32. This causes a small and accurately controllable decrease of the internal diameter or the helical spring member. The rotatable cap member can thus be rotated until the internal diameter of the helical spring member wipes the coating on the wire 68 to the precise thickness required. When the closure cap 32 has been rotated to the precise position required, the pin 52 is inserted within the opening 50 and into one of the recesses 48. By means of this adjustment, a very close control of .the final diameter of the coating on the wire 50 can be attained. If the helical spring member wears slightly after prolonged use, the cap member 32 can be set to another position toaccommodate such wear.

The helical spring member can be made of any suitable material desired. Ordinary carbon steel piano wire has been found satisfactory for most practical purposes. Alloy spring steels such as nickel-chrome -molybdenum steels and the like, can be employed if resistance to acids and other corrosive materials is required. In some cases Phosphor bronze or copper alloyed with beryllium and other metals may be used for the helical spring member. Obviously the helical spring member 38 need not be made of round wire but may be made of square wire, flat strip, or of any other selected cross-sectional shape wire.

The wiping device [0 is customarily employed in position shown in Fig. 1 whereby the excess amount of coating wiped off the wire 60 runs back into the pan 62. However, the wiping device can be employed in a horizontal position or in any other position required in use.

The device of Figs. 1 and 2 has enabled the most satisfactory control of the amount and disof coatings is readily controllable within a fraction of a thousandth of an inch. This feature is particularly important in wire enamelling, Furthermore, the adjustment of the wiping device once obtained has been found to remain sufliciently precise even-after a prolonged period of use. For example, the wear on the helical spring member has been found to be negligible in wire enameiling use even after several months continuous usage.

The helical spring member of Fig. 1 obviously is limited to the treatment of circular wire within a limited range of diameters for a given diameter helical spring 38. For treating wire of other cross-sectional shapes, such, for example, as square wire, hexagonal wire, flat strips, and the like, a modified form of the wiping device 18 is employed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The device 10 consists of a housing 12 provided with a cylindrical chamber 14 and carries a closure member 16 fixed at the low end thereof by machine screws 82. The closure member 16 is provided with a relatively large aperture 18 for accommodating the passage of wire up to a large size and of a variety of shapes. A boss on the closure member is provided for maintaining a helical spring member 96 in predetermined posipresent on the wire. should be of a pitch closely corresponding to the tion, as will be explained in detail subsequently. The upper end of the housing I2 opposite the closure 16 is provided with an external screw thread 88 cooperating with the screw-threaded rotatable cap member 86. An enlarged threaded aperture 88 in the cap member 86 carries a threaded centering member 90 provided with a :wire outlet aperture 92 of a diameter corresponding to that of the aperture 18 and aligned therewith. The centering member 90 is fitted with a projecting boss 94 of a slightly lesser diameter than that of the chamber 14 to fit within and to maintain the helical spring member 96 in position The heli- The helical spring member 96 will fit against the wall of the chamber 16 at one extreme position, and by rotating the cap member 86 counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 4, the helical spring member 96 will become smaller in internal diameter. By reason of the contraction in diameter the ends 98 and I00 of the springwould tend to emerge from the recesses in which they are lodged were it not for the bosses 80 and 94 which constrain the end turns of the helical spring member96. The bosses 80 and 94 iurther. center the helical spring member 96 with respect to apertures I8 and 92.

Disposed within .the interior of the helical spring member is a flexible packing IIO provided with a predetermined sized channel II2 for accommodating the passage of wire having coatings thereon. The resilient packing IIO may beprepared from various flexible resins, elastomers or rubbers, both natural and -synthetic, or felted products. selected. as described with respect to the packing 54. A sponge rubber such as polysulfide elastomer'has been found to be satisfactoryfor the packing IIO though the rubber or elastomer may have any other predetermined physical 'structure to give a predetermined resiliency or of the four sides of the. aperture I22 to provide hardness, depending on the requirements of the application.

By removing the pin I06 and rotating the clo-' sure member 86, the helical spring member 96 may becontracted in' diameter, thereby compressing the resilient packing H0 and applying more pressure to a wire passing through the wiping device '10 and thus suitably dimensioning the thickness of the applied coating which will be The screw threads '84 diameter of the wire forming helical spring member 96 in order to accommodate the resulting changes in length of the spring member. It will be obvious that other latching means than the ,pin type devices shown can be employed. A spring plunger similar to'those often used on window sash, for example, may. be employed. Again the pins may be replaced by machine screws and thus be fixed more securely in threaded apertures 68 or I08.

The device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 will accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of wire carrying a variety of applied coatings. The wiping device of Figs. 3 and 4 is particularly satisfacboth continuous filament and sliver, and similar desirable to employ the internal modification shown in Fig. 5 in the device of Fig. 3. As illustrated in Fig. 5, disposed within the helical spring member 96 is a resilient member I20 preformed or molded to a square external shape and provided with a square aperture I22 clo'selydimensioned to the dimensions of the wire to be wiped thereby. The square resilient member I20 is fitted with segmental members I24 somewhat smaller across the chord than its sides on each side for applying a uniform pressure thereto as the helical spring member 96 varies its dimensions. polygonal construction of resilient members and segmental members may be made to accommodate almost any predetermined shape of wire.

The segments I28 permit the uniform converging the required thickness of coating on all of a square wire passing therethrough, It will be obvious that this modification of the invention will permit the coating to be uniformly applied over the entire surface of a wire regardless of its shape, and corners in particular will not be wiped excessively.

The term wire as. employed herein refers to elongated strips of any material such as metal, glass, resin, or the like of any predetermined cross-sectional shape, such as round, square, hexagonal, rectangular, and the like. We have been able to treat copper wire with'the wiping devices of thisinvention from sizes as small as about size.

22 to as much as A inch rectangular and flat strip.

The wiping devices have been efiective .withboth hot and cold coatings such as enamels over a wide range of viscosities. The thickness of coatings has been precisely controlled wherethe range of viscosity of the applied materials has been from the order of that of-water to as thick and heavy as molasses. p

Since certain changes in carrying out the above invention and certain modifications inthe apparatus which embody the invention may be. made.

without departing from itsscope, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 1

We claim as our invention:

1. In a wiping device for controlling the amount and distribution of coatings applied to wire comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a helicalspring member disposed in the chamber in the housing, -one end of the helical member being fixed to the housing, an adjustable, member fittedto the housing for rotatable motion with respect to the housing, the other end of the helical member being attached to the adjuustable member whereby the internal diameter of thehelical member may be varied by rotating the It will be apparent that a corresponding tures in the housing aligned with the helical member for passage or wire therethrough.

- ed portion at a point opposite the location of the aperture, a helical spring member disposed in the chamber, one end of the helical spring member being fixed to the housing at a point adjacent the aperture, a threaded member engaging the threaded portion of the housing, the threaded member having an aperture, the other end of the helical spring member being fixed to the threaded member, the pitch of the threads being substan tially equal to the longitudinal ,dimension of each helix of the helical spring member whereby when the threaded member is rotated said other end of the helical spring member is likewise rotated and the diameter of the helical spring member is varied without substantial variation in distance between helixesy. the apertures in the housing and threaded member being aligned with the interior of the helical spring member for passage of wire 25 therethrough, and locking means to hold the theaded member in any selected position.

3. In awlping device for controlling the amount and thickness oi! coatings applied to wire comprising a housing having a chamber therein, an aperture at one end oi? the housing leading to the chamber, the housing having a screw-threaded.

portion at a point opposite the location of the aperture, a helical spring-member disposed in the chamber, one end of the helical spring member being fixed to the housing .at a point'adjacent the aperture, a threaded member engaging the threaded portion. of the housing, the. threaded member having an aperture, the other end of the helical spring member being fixed to the threaded member, the pitch of the threads being substantially equal to the longitudinal dimension of each helix of the helical spring member whereby when the threaded member is rotated said other end of the helical spring member is likewise rotated and the diameter of the helical spring member is varied without substantial variation in distance between helixes, the apertures in the housing and threaded member being aligned with the interior of the helical spring member for passage of wire therethrough, locking means to hold thethreaded member in any selected position, and a resilient packing between the walls of the chamber and the helical spring member to pre vent leakage of wiped off coating material and to prevent buckling or other misalignment of the helical spring member,

4'. In a wiping device for controlling the amount and thickness of coatings applied to wire com;-

-60 file of this patent:

cent the aperture, a threaded member engaging the threaded portion 01' the housing, the threaded member having an aperture, the other end or the helicalspring member being fixed to the is threaded member, the pitch oi the threads being substantially equal to the longitudinal dimension of each helix of the helical springinember whereby when the threaded member is rotated said other end of the helical spring member is like- 10 wise rotated and the diameter or the helical spring member is varied without substantial variation'in distance between helixes, the apertures in the housing and threaded member being aligned with the interior or the helical spring member for passage of wire therethrough, looking means to hold the threaded member in any selected position, and a resilient packing disposed within the helical spring member, the packing having a longitudinal passage in line with the apertures, the coated wire passing through the longitudinal passage.

5. In a wiping device for controlling the amount and thickness of coatings applied to wire comprising a housing having a chamber therein, an aperture at one end of the housing leading to the chamber, the housing having a screw-threaded portion at a point opposite the location of the aperture,- a helical spring member disposed in the chamber, one end of the helical spring member being fixed to the housing at a point adjacent the aperture, a threaded member engaging the threaded portion of the housing, the threaded member having an aperture, the other end or the helical spring member being fixed to the threaded member, the pitch of the threads being substantially equal tothe longitudinal dimension of each helix of the helical spring member whereby when the threaded member is rotated said other end or the helical spring member is likewise 4o rotated and the diameter of the helical spring member is varied without substantial variation in distance between helixes, the apertures in the housing and threaded member being aligned with the interior of the helicalspring member for passage of wire therethrough, locking means to hold the threaded member in any selected position, a resilient packing disposed within the helical spring member, the packing having a longitudinal passage of polygonal cross-section in line with the apertures, and a plurality of segmental members disposed between the resilient packing and helical spring member to maintain the polygonal cross-section as the helical spring member is variedin diameter.

. LAWRENCE R. HILL.

JOHN J KEYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date 2,247,547 Fearn July 1, 1941 2,248,663 Flynn July 8, 1941 759,801 Bone et al. May 10, 1904

Images