US2764126A

US2764126A - Device for applying lubricant to wire

Info

Publication number: US2764126A
Application number: US493744A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Thomas
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1955-03-11
Filing date: 1955-03-11
Publication date: 1956-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1973-09-25

Description

Sept 25, 1956 J. A. THOMAS DEVICE FOR APPLYING LUBRICANT TO WIRE Filed March 11, 1955 Pu -p. '1.

m/ VE/V ram" JAMES A. rwnms,

his AWWW United States Patent DEVICE FOR APPLYING LUBRICANT T0 WIRE James A. Thomas, Munhall, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 11, 1955, Serial No. 493,744

5 Claims. (Cl. 118--612) This invention relates to an improved device for applying pasty or powdered lubricant to wire, which term as used herein also embraces analogous products, such as rods.

Before conducting certain operations on wire, it is customary to apply pasty or powdered lubricant to its surface. The conventional way of applying these types of lubricant is simply to pull the wire through a mass of the lubricant within a receptacle. For example, before wire is drawn through a die, its surface must be lubricated, commonly with a preparation of powdered soap or the like. Conventionally the die box includes a receptacle which contains this lubricant and is situated immediately in front of the entry side of the die. For wire traveling in a straight path, as when subjected to back tension, such arrangements have a disadvantage that the wire tends to wear a channel or tunnel in the lubricant and thereafter does not become properly lubricated. It is known that agitation of the lubricant overcomes this tendency, but previous agitating means with which I am familiar both are cumbersome and require a special external drive mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved lubricating device for wire in which the lubricant is agitated continuously without external drive mechanism, that is, in which the wire itself drives the agitating means.

A further object is to provide an improved lubricating device which embodies a pair of drive rollers within the lubricant mass propelled by the wire as it travels therethrough, said rollers carrying agitating means for the lubricant.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a lubricating device constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line II-II of Figure 1.

The drawing shows a lubricant reservoir which normally contains a mass of pasty or powdered lubricant to about the level indicated in Figure 2. A wire W to be lubricated passes continuously in a straight path through the lubricant mass from top to bottom as viewed in Figure 1. The reservoir 10 is illustrated as constituting a portion of a wire drawing die box which at its exit end supports a die 12, shown only diagrammatically. Apart from my novel agitating means, the reservoir and associated elements can be of any standard or desired con struction and hence are not shown in detail.

In accordance with my invention, a base plate 13 is bolted to the bottom of the reservoir and carries a fixed pillar 14 at one side of the path of the Wire W. An opposed movable pillar 15 is mounted at the other side of this path on a slide 16 which is supported in a slideway 17 formed in the base plate 13. Grooved

drive rollers

18 and 19 are journaled to the tops of the

pillars

14 and 15 respectively. These rollers bear against op- 2 posite sides of the wire W in tight frictional engagemerit, whereby travel of the wire propels the rollers. Preferably the grooved faces of the rollers are knurled as shown in Figure 2 to alford a more positive drive. As the rolls turn, the knurled surfaces also collect lubricant and assist in packing it on the surface of the wire. The underfaces of the rollers carry one or more stirring pins 20 which extend down into the lubricant mass. As the rollers turn, these pins continuously agitate the lubricant to prevent formation of a tunnel or channel where the wire passes through.

The means for holding the roller 19 against the wire includes a tension rod 21 which extends from the inner face of the slide 16 through a bore 22 and counterbore 23 in the base plate 13 and an opening 24 in the reservoir wall at the far side. The outer end of the rod 21 carries a tension nut 25. A coil spring 26 encircles the rod 21 and at its opposite ends bears against the bottom of the counterbore 23 and the tension nut 25.

The device also includes means for holding the roller 19 away from the wire W against the action of the spring 26, for example to permit wire to be threaded through the reservoir and die. This last means includes a pull rod 27 which extends from the outer face of the slide 16 through an opening 28 in the reservoir wall at the adjacent side. A handle 29 is pivoted to the outwardly projecting end position of the rod 28 and carries integral cams 30. To hold the roller 19 away from the wire it is necessary only to pivot the handle 29 so that the cams 30 bear against the side of the reservoir.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my in-- vention afliords a simple means for agitating a lubricant mass capable of installation on existing lubricating de vices without otherwise altering their structure. Since the wire itself propels the agitating means, no external drive mechanism is needed, and there is no consequential increase in the overall dimensions of the lubricating device.

While I have bodimcnt of the tions may arise. to the disclosure appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for applying lubricant to wire comprising a receptacle adapted to contain lubricant and to have the wire travel therethrough in a straight path, a base plate mounted in said receptacle, a fixed pillar and a movable pillar mounted on said base plate, rollers journaled to the tops of the respective pillars on opposite sides of the wire path, spring means acting on said movable pillar urging the roller journaled thereto toward the other roller to enable the rollers to be propelled by frictional contact with the wire, and stirring means carried by said rollers.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 including means for holding said movable pillar and the roller journaled thereto away from the other roller against the action of said spring means.

3. A device for applying lubricant to wire comprising a receptacle adapted to contain lubricant and to have the wire travel therethrough in a straight path, a base plate mounted in said receptacle, a pillar fixed to said base plate, a slide mounted in said base plate for movement toward and away from the wire path, a second pillar fixed to said slide, rollers journaled to the tops of the respective pillars on opposite sides of the wire path, spring means acting on said slide and the pillar thereon and urging the roller journaled to this pillar toward the other roller to enable the rollers to be propelled by frictional contact with the wire, and stirring means carried by said rollers.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 including means for shown and described only a single eminvention, it is apparent that modifica- Therefore, I do not wish to be limited set forth but only by the scope of the holding ;said .movablepillarv and the roller journale'd thereto away from the other roller against the action of said spring means.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 in which said holding means comprises a pull rodextending from said slide outside saidi receptacle, and a handle and cam pivoted to saidipull rod.

References Cited in the fileof'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mehring June 13, 1916 Keen et a1. May 1, 1934 Johnson Dec. 17, 1935 Burgeni et a1. Apr. 16, 1946 Swanson et al Ian. 8, 1952 Yakopatz Oct. 6, 1953