US2868359A - Wire-drawing block - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1959 J.'A. HOLBROOK WIRE-DRAWING BLOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 19, 1952 INVENTOR JOHN A. HOLBROOK BY I, 4, q

' ATTORNEY n- 1 .1. A. HOLBROOK 2,868,359-

WIRE-DRAWING BLOCK Original Filed Sept. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN A. HOLBROOK m4 div/ ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 1959 J. A. HOLBROOK 2,868,359

. WIRE-DRAWING BLOCK Origihal Filed Sept. 19, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOHN A. HOLBROOK 1 ATTOR EY United States Patent WIRE-DRAWING BLOCK John A. Holbrook, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Morgan Construction Company, Worcester, Mass., :1 corporation of Massachusetts Continuation of application Serial No. 310,464, September, 19, 19,52. This application January 27, 1958, Serial No. 711,527

1 Claim. Cl. 205- This invention relates generally to wire-drawing blocks and more particularly to a drum or capstan for use in a machine for the continuous drawing of wire. This application is a continuation of patent application Serial Number 310,464,. now abandoned.

As wire-drawing speeds become greater, it is more and more evident that the cooling of the wire is one of the most important problems facing the operator. It is particularly true that high-carbon steel wire is subject to harm by over-heatingduring drawing. The usual practice in the past has been toprovide for the fiow of cooling air upwardly through the drawing block on the theory that the heat from the wire passes into the block and is removed from the blockby the air passing through its hollow interior. It has been the practice to increase this heat transmission by providing for an extended surface inside the block by the use of fins and the like. In some cases, means has been provided for passing air over the outer surface of the block, this means usually consisting of apertures in the horizontal flange normally provided on such blocks. None of these cooling means will be particularly successful at the higher drawing speeds to which the art is progressing. Even in the case of the use of apertures in the skirt of the block, the air passes over the outer surface of the coil of wire residing on the block and, since the strands of wire are normally in side-byside contacting relation, only one-half of the surface of the wire is subject to the cooling action of the air. The present invention obviates these disadvantages of the prior art in a novel manner.

It is therefore an outstanding object of this invention to provide a wire-drawing block in which substantially all of the surface of wire coiled thereon is subject to the action of cooling air.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a drum for drawing wire, which drum permits extraordinary cooling of the wire Without sacrifice of capstan effect.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a block having an unusually effective means for admitting air to both the inner and outer surfaces of a coil of wire situated thereon.

Itis still a further object ofthe invention to provide a block which, while so constructed as to provide very good cooling of wire being drawn thereby, is nevertheless capable of use on wire-drawingmachines of previous construction without modification thereof.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claim appended hereto.

Referring to" the drawings illustrating specific embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is a top view of a wire-drawing block embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 1 with a portion broken away for clarity of presentation,

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a modification of the invention with a portion broken away,

Figure 4 is an elevational view of another modification of the invention with a portion broken away,

Figure 5 is a top view of still another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 5. i

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, wherein are best shown the general aspects of the invention, the block, designated by the reference numeral 10, is shown in position on the bed 11 of a wire-drawing machine. The block consists of a generally cylindrical main body member 12 and a generally horizontal skirt member 13 extending radially from the lower portion of the body member. The periphery of the skirt member is circular and fits freely and rotatably into a guard member 14 which is integral with the bed 11. A cap 15 is fastened to the top portion of themain body member, since the block is provided with a hollow interior 16, and is open at the top and bottom, this cap serves as a closure for the top. The open bottom of the block is exposed to the interior of the base of the wire-drawing machine to which cooling air is admitted under pressure in the well-known manner. The cap and main bodymember are provided with slots 17 for receiving a coil pickup device. The upper or storage portion of the main body member is provided with a number of recesses 18 which extend downwardly from the upper edge thereof and inwardly from the cylindrical outer surface. These recesses are vertically elongated and are of substantially rectangular cross section. These extend vertically for more than half the height of the main body memberQleaving a relatively small capstan portion 19 of the surface adjacent the skirt intact. This intact portion 19 is provided with an extraordinarily thick wall 20 and a series of channels 21 enter the bottom of the block and pass through the thick wall 20, communicating finally with the bottom portions of the recesses 18. The width and number of the recesses 18 are such that they occupy approximately one-half the circumference of the block in the portion thereof in which they reside, the rest of the circumference consisting of intact ridges 23. The intersections of the radial sides of the recesses 18 with the surfaceof the block are rounded to prevent cutting of the wire and to provide smaller area of contact between the Wire and the block. The skirt member 13 is provided with a series of slots 22 concentric with the axis of the block and having sides which are inclined upwardly toward the said axis, as is evident in Figure 2.

The operation of the apparatus will be evident in view of the above discussion. During the operation of the wire-drawing machine, the block is rotated in the usual manner. After leaving the preceding die, the wire is wrapped onto the block and reaches the block on the in tact portion 19 of the main body member closely adjacent to the intersection thereof with the skirt 313. As succeeding turns of the block take place, additional coils of wire are added and the preceding :coils are pushed upwardly. The successive coils of wire form a solid wall up the side of the main body member to the point where wire passes off the block to the next die. The :upward pressure of the oncoming wire combines with the downward pressure of the weight of the wire and the frictional resistance to upward movement of the wire to cause the coils of wire to be pressed closely together. This means that there is little or no gap between coils. Theoretically, there is line contact between successive coils of wire, so that one-half of the wire surface resides on the outside of the wall formed by the wire. The other half of the wire surface, of course, faces toward the block. Now, as air is introduced into the bed 11 of the machine, it passes upwardly and out of the machine through any available passage. This means that substantial streams of air flow upwardly through the slots 22. Because of the nozzlelike configuration of the surfaces of the slots, the air is directed inwardly and upwardly against the main body member 12 of the block. After leaving the slots, the air flows almost directly upwardly, but due to the rotation of the block and Wire, the passage of an increment of air over the outer surface of the wall of wire is substantially helical. The air also flows upwardly through the channels 21 into the recesses 18 in the surface of the main body member. A vertical passage is formed by the inner surface of the wall of wire and the surfaces defining the recesses 18. It can be seen, then, that the inner surface of the wall formed by the wire is scrubbed and cooled by the air flowing upwardly in the passage so formed. Even though such cooling by air takes place only where the inner surface of the wall of wire is exposed by a recess 18, it can be appreciated that heat will flow from the portions of the wire not so cooled into the portions which are cooled. The net result is fairly even cooling of all the wire.

Referring to Figure 3, wherein is shown an embodiment of the present invention, the block 30 is shown mounted on the bed 35. of a wire-drawing machine and is composed of a generally cylindrical main body member 32 having a small outwardly-extending flange 33 at its lower edge. A guard 34 mounted on the bed 31 is formed with a substantial inwardly-extending flange which overlies the flange 33 of the main body member. A cap 35 is fastened to the top of the main body member and serves as a closure for its hollow interior 36. Slots 37 for a coil pickup hook are formed in the cap and the main body member. Vertical recesses 38 extend downwardly from the top of the main body member and extend over a substantial portion of the surface of the said member, there being a small portion 39 in the lower portion of the member which is free of such recesses. The portion 39 is provided with a thick wall 40 through which extend passages 4-1 which enter the lower edge of the main body member and communicate with the lower portions of the recesses 38. Concentric notches 42 enter the inner edge of the guard 34, the notches being radially co-extensive with the flange 33 on the main body member. The operation of this embodiment is substantially like that of the block shown in Figure 1. However, in this case the flow of air is slightly different. The air flows upwardly through the annular passage formed by the outer edge of the flange 42 and the inner surface of the guard 34; it then passes into the space between the upper surface of the flange 33 and the lower surface of the inward extension of the guard 34. From there the air passes upwardly through the passages formed between the surfaces defining the notches 42 and the lower portion 39 of the surface of the main body member. The net result is that the air is directed strongly against the outer surface of the wall of wire particularly in the area in which it first comes onto the block and where it is at its highest temperature.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4-, wherein, as before, a block 50 is shown in position on the bed 51 of a wire-drawing machine. The block consists of a main body member 52 having a hollow interior 56, a cap 55 mounted on top of the body member; and a guard 54 extending upwardly from the bed 51 and surrounding the body member. The guard is provided with an inwardly-extending flange, the inner edge of which lies closely adjacent to the surface of the main body member and is formed with notches 62. The latter member has an outwardly-extending flange 53 which underlies the flange on the guard 54. A vertical recess 57 extends over the cap and !block for the reception of a cOil pick-up device. Vertical grooves or recesses 58 extend from the top of the main body member to the flange 53, defining thereby Vertical areas or ridges 63 constituting the wire-bearing surfaces of the block. The block is provided with an inwardly-projecting annular protuberance adjacent the flange 53 and through this ridge extend passages 61 which enter the lower edge of the main body member and communicate with the recesses 58. The operation of this embodiment of the invention is quite similar to that of the previously described blocks. However, the fact that there is no unrecessed surface which is the equivalent of the portion 19 in Figure 1, means that the air flow will be somewhat different. The flow through the notches 62 will be similar to that described in connection with the embodiment of Figure 2, but the provision of recesses 58 extending vertically over the entire area over which wire will lie offers substantially greater cooling of the inside surface of the wall formed by the coils of wire.

Figure 5 shows still another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus shown therein consisting of a block 70 in position on the bed 71 of a wire-drawing machine. The block consists of a main body member 72 having a hollow interior, a cap mounted on top of the body member, and a guard 74 extending upwardly from the bed 71 and surrounding the body member. A generally horizontal skirt member 73 extends radially from the lower portion of the body member. The periphery of the skirt member is circular, fits freely into the guard member 74 which is integral with the bed 71, and is provided with concentric slots 82. The cap and main body meniber are provided with slots 77 for receiving a coil-pickup device. The upper portion of the main body member is provided with a number of recesses 78 which extend downwardly from the upper edge thereof and inwardly from the cylindrical outer surface. These recesses are vertically elongated and are of such a cross-sectional shape that the portion of the capstan which is left intact, i. e., ridges 83 are of almost semi-cylindrical shape. Means is provided, as in the other embodiments, for supplying air to the recesses for scrubbing and cooling the inside surface of a coil of wire wound on the block. The major difference between the present embodiment and those described hereinbefore, lies in the shape of the recesses 78 and the ridges or corrugations 83. An examination of the enlarged view shown in Figure 6 will explain the desirability of such semi-cylindrical shape. It can be seen that when the wall of wire is wound around the block in the portion thereof having such recesses and such ridges, there will be theoretical point contact between each turn of wire and a ridge. Thus, almost the entire inside area of the wall of wire will be exposed to the cooling action of the air, the outer surface being exposed, of course, to the action of air passing upwardly through the slots 82 in the skirt 73.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

Block for use with a wire drawing machine having a base to which air under pressure may be admitted, comprising: a main body member comprising a top and a generally cylindrical wall forming a hollow interior which 2,868,859 a 5 y 6 communicates with the base so that air under pressure to force the air to enter the groove through the said may be admitted into the said interior, a plurality of passage, and to travel lengthwise along the groove for elongated grooves formed in the outer surface area of escape at the opposite end. said cylindrical wall extending upwardly and axially, the

inner surface area of said cylindrical wall backing said 5 References Cited in the file of this Patent groove so that it opens outwardly only, the said grooves UNITED STATES PATENTS extending axially to one end of the member, a passage 1,828,922 Can-011 Oct 27, 1931 extending through said cylindrical wall into each groove at the downward end thereof so that wire coiled on the FOREIGN PATENTS body member closes the outward opening of the groove 10 542,201 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1941

Images