US2898949A - Machine and process for the production of convolutions in wire - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1959 K. 2. HUSZAR MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONVOLUTIONS IN WIRE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1955 2 MW NM QZZWQ ZMM- ATTO RNEYS.

Aug. 11, 1959 K. 2. HUSZAR 2,

MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONVOLUTIONS IN WIRE Filed Dec. a, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QM 8% mwm T2 2 m6 w ma i N, l r/// 7/// w// A Q}? u mi Li SN MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONV OLUT IONS IN WIRE Kalman Z. Huszar, Foster, Ohio Application December 8, 1953, Serial No. 396,930

'5 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) My invention resides in providing an improved machine and process for the production of convolutions in wire, specifically an improvement in the basic machine and process disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 263,915, now Patent No. 2,737,212.

In my said co-pending application I disclosed a machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire which may be described as comprising a cooperating pair of rotary bending elements, means for feeding a wire between said bending elements at a constant speed, and means for supporting said wire in the plane containing the axes of said bending elements. In the machine of this co-pending application the bending elements are described as screw members or open helices of mutually opposite hand, each of the screw members comprising a portion having a constant pitch and constant tooth height and an initial portion of a larger pitch and having a tooth height increasing from a minimum to a height merging with that of the first mentioned portion. In the machine of this co-pending application means are provided for rotating the open helices in opposite directions at such a speed that the lead of the portion of constant pitch is less than the speed of the wire. are further described as comprising coils, the supporting means for the wire comprising guide members fixed within each coil, each of the guide members having a straight groove to receive the tips of the bends formed in the wire.

Thus, in the basic machine of my co-pending application I employ open helices or coils, the wire is operated on in a plane containing the center lines or axes of the coils and special supports are provided to maintain the wire in such plane.

The basic modifications of the machine and process shown in my co-pending application, and constituting the invention here, reside in the use of solid worms in place of the open helices, locating the plane of operation in which the convolutions are formed in a position above the plane containing the center lines of the solid worms, and eliminating the extra wire supports needed to hold the wire at the center line of the coils.

In the machine and process of the instant invention, as is the case in the basic apparatus and process described in my said co-pending application, the wire is first fed to a forming unit comprising a pair of worms having what are termed cam and mandrel sections, such forming unit folding the wire into the basic form. A second pair of worms receives the wire having the basic convolutions imparted to it and conveys such wire from the forming unit to the spacing unit. The worms of the receiving unit have the same pitch as the incoming convolutions from the forming' unit. The wire is delivered from the receiving unit to the third worms comprising the spacing unit. The worms of the spacing unit are pitched so as to deliver the spring or wire with. the convolutions spaced as required in the final rform.

' Having now described the invention in a general way, I shall describe that particular apparatus and process which I have found to produce the best results and Which States Patet Also, the open helices ICE 2 is fully set forth in the following specification and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which drawings like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same and in which:

Figure l is a plan view, with par-ts broken away, of the basic machinery comprising the apparatus of this invention,

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged plan view of the mechanism shown at the right side of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a wire guiding element employed in the apparatus of this invention,

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 88 of Figure 3, and

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

In addition to the basic modifications above generally described, and which will be set forth in greater detail below, the present invention also includes several innovations with respect to the handling of the wire. These will be described in detail as the description proceeds.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 3 I have shown the wire 20 as coming from a reel or source of supply which is not shown in the drawings. This wire first passes through a plurality of straightening rolls 21, 22, 23 and 24. These straightening rolls are suitably mounted in a bracket 25 mounted on the base 26 of the machine.

The wire then passes over the first of a pair of measuring rolls 27 and 28. Each of these rolls has a groove to receive the wire and each works in conjunction with a pressure roll 29 and 30 respectively. Each of the rolls 29 and 30 is mounted on a separate shaft 31 or 32 respectively, see also Fig. 8, having suitable bearings in a pivoted arm provided in the machine as will be described. One such arm, for the roll 29, is indicated at 33. This arm 33 is pivoted to a stand 34. The combined weights of the arm 33, shaft 31 and roll 29 act to urge the wire into contact with the roll 27. If additional pressure is desired it may be obtained in the general manner indicated in connection with the arm 43 and roll 40 to be described, see also Figure 3.

The measuring rolls 27 and 28 are mounted on a shaft 35 which has suitable bearings in brackets 36. It will be observed that the measuring roll 28 is pinned to the shaft 35 as indicated at 37 while the measuring roll 27 is mounted on a threaded portion 38 of the shaft 35. The reason and function of this construction will be described shortly.

The Wire 20 is pulled through the straightening rolls and the measuring rolls by the draw or pull rolls 39 and 40. The draw roll 39 is mounted on the driven shaft 41 carried on an arm 43 which is pivoted at 44 to a bracket 45 based on the'frame member 26. The fiee end of arm 43 is provided with a working surface 46 against which the cam surface 47 may operate. This cam surface 47 is fixed on a shaft 48 which may be supported from a pair of rods 49. A lever 50 is connected to the shaft 48 and it will be apparent that by operation of this lever the cam 47 may be made to force the arm 43 and its vroll 40 into the desired pressure contact with the wire 20 and driven pull roll 39. The uppe'r'pu'll roll 40: is mounted on a shaft 51 which is received by the bearing 42"earlier described.

It should be pointed out that the operating surfaces of the, rolls39 and 40 are tapered as indicated at 39a and 40a respectively, see especially Figure 9;

As is best seen in Figure 3 it will be observed that the mechanism so far described is so arranged that the wire 20 is drawn through the straightening rolls 21through 24' and the measuring roll 27 by the draw rolls 39' and 40 so as to form a large loop the beginning of which is designated at 20a and the ending of which is indicated at 20b. Upon completion of the formation ofthisloop as at 20b the wire,20 then passes over the measuring roll ZS'and its cooperating pressure r'oll 30. Power to the draw roll 39 is supplied through the driven shaft 41 from the drive shaft 52 by the gears 53 and 54 as shown in Figure 1. When the wire 20 leaves the rolls 28 and 30 it passes under an idler mechanism 55 and through a pair of guide pulleys 56 and 57 to the forming unit of the machine. These guide pulleys are mounted in a plate 101 which may be screwed on a casting 75 provided in themachine. A strap 102 may be fixed to this casting. The screw 103 passes into this strap while the screws 104'are received in the casting itself.

I have found it very desirable to maintain'the large loop having the sections 20a and 20b'just described. I find that this loop may be maintained in spite of fluctuations in the speed of the wire being received at the forming unit by the arrangement of the rolls 27 and 28 and the rolls 39 and 40. If, for example, the wire being fed into the forming unit should be moving faster than normal it will necessarily follow that the measuring roll 28 will also be moved faster. When so moved the shaft 35, which is turning clockwise as viewed in Figure 3, will also be moved faster in view of the fact that the measuring roll 28 is secured to this shaft. This in turn will cause the measuring roll 27 to shift to the left, as viewed in Figure 8, on the threaded portion 38 of the shaft 35. When the measuring roll 27 shifts to the left as just described, or in other words moves closer to the measuring roll 28, the wire 20 is moved from the position shown in Figure 9, between the tapered surfaces 39a and 40a of the draw rolls 39 and 40 respectively, to a left hand position as viewed in this figure. It will be apparent that when the wire 20 so moves with respect to the tapered surfaces just described the result will be that the draw rolls 39 and 40 will pull the wire 20 between the measuring roll 27 and its pressure roll 29 at a faster rate. This, of course, will supply the additional wire needed to maintain the loop and to compensate for the greater amount of wire being fed into the forming unit. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that should the wire be taken up by the forming unit at a slower speed, the various mechanisms just described will operate in reverse sequence so that the loop does not become too large.

Considering now the mechanism for imparting the desired bend to the wire, I provide a pair of shafts 58 and 59 which are driven through suitable mitre gears 60 and 61 which mesh with corresponding gears 62 and 63 fixed on the shaft 52. These shafts 58 and 59 are arranged to rotate towards each other in the manner illustrated in Figures 4, and 6. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the shafts 58 and 59 will be provided with suitable hearings in brackets based on the base member 26 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The shafts 58 and 59 carry the forming unit comprised of the worms 64 and65, the receiving unit comprised of the Worms 66 and 67, and the spacing unit comprised of worms 68 and 69.

As the wire 20 enters the forming unit defined by the. members 64 and 65, it passes over an; arm 70mounte on'a-shaft 71 and having a pair of side guidebrackets 72, 73. Since the arm 70 will oscillate rapidly I have found it desirable to mount the rod 71 on a ball bearing 74 provided in the casting 75 located on the base member 26 as best seen in Figure 3. The detailed arrangement of the arm 70 is perhaps best seen in Figure 7 and also in the left hand side of Figure2. The upper end of rod 71 has a bearing in the plate 101. The arm 70 extends through an opening in the casting 75.

Each of the worms 64 and 65 comprising the forming unit for imparting the basic serpentine convolutions to the wire 20 includes a first or cam surface and a second or mandrel surface. It is important that the wire be introduced between the members 64 and '65 above the center line of such members and at a sutficient relatively constant speed to cause buckling of the wire. The fact that the Worms 64 and 65 are solid and revolving towards one another will keep the wire 20 from popping out of the bite defined by the cooperating worms 64 and 65 and their various cam surfaces and mandrel surfaces as will be described.

The cam sections 64a and 65a have a greater pitch than the mandrel sections 64b and 65b. The buckling imparted to the wire 20 by reason of its rate of speed between the bite of the members 64 and 65 is controlled by the action of the cam surfaces 64a and 65a in folding the buckling wire alternately to the left and right. The cam surface 64a, for example, will engage the wire 20 and move it against the mandrel section 6511 of the worm 65 after which the cam portion 65a'of the worm 65 will engage this wire 20 and move it about the mandrel section 64b of the worm 64, this process continuing alternately.

Since the wire is introduced into the forming unit above the center lines of the worms 64 and 65 it is not necessary to provide the side supports for the wire which were an important part of the arrangement shown in my said co-pending application wherein the corresponding worms were coils having open helices and wherein the wire was introduced at the center line of these coils. The elimination of these extra side supports by making the worms solid and by introducing the wire above their center lines constitutes an important part of this invention.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the worms 64 and 65, with their operating cam surfaces 64a and 65a and mandrel sections 64b and 6512, will impart basic convolutions to the wire 20. As the wire 20 leaves this forming unit the convolutions imparted thereto will be received by the worms 66 and 67 of the receiving section. The Worms 66 and 67 are provided with the same pitch as the incoming convolutions. The basic function of the Worms 66' and 67 is to convey the wire having the con volutions formed therein by the worms 64 and 65 to the spacing section comprised of the worms 68 and 69. Also, the worms 66 and 67 will take up any back pressure that occurs as will be described.

The worms 68 and 69 of the spacing unit are pitched so as to deliver the Wire with the convolutions spaced as required in the finished article. These worms 68 and 69 are so grooved as to im'part'a desired degree of convolution to the wire such that when the wire is free of the spacing unit it will spring back only to a controlled, predetermined extent. Since the grooves of the worms 68 and 69 are designed to impart an over bend to the convolutions it will 'be apparent that back pressure will arise. An important function of the worms 66 and 67 is to take up this back pressure. Were it'not for the worms 66 and 67 with such back pressure would have to be taken care of by the worms 64 and'65 of the forming unit and this would not be desirable for it would cause fluctuations in the basic convolution being imparted to the wire by the worms of such forming unit.

In order to insure optimum results I find that it is desirable to employ auxiliary support means for the strip of wire as it is moved from the receiving unit comprised of the worms 66 and 67 to the spacing unit comprised of the worms 68 and 69. Such auxiliary support means comprises a pair of parallel plates 76 and 77. The plate 77 may be screwed or otherwise fastened within the bottom of a U-shaped channel cut within an upstanding bracket 78 based on the main frame member 26. The plate 76 may be screwed to a cross member 79 which bridges the aforementioned channel cut within the bracket member 78. The provision of the plates 76 and 77, which are spaced apart just sufficient to receive the convoluted wire, insures proper maintenance of the wire above the center line of the various worms constituting the forming unit, the receiving unit and the spacing or finishing unit.

Perhaps the functions of the various worms are best seen at the right hand side of Figure 2. As shown in this figure the cam section 65a of the worm 65 has just completed a bend of the wire about the mandrel section 64b of the worm 64. Continuedrotation of the worms 64 and 65 will result in the cam section 64a bending the wire 20 about the mandrel section 65b of the worm 65. As this is done the arm 70 will pivot about the rod 71 to properly guide the buckling wire 20. The mandrel sections 64b and 65b impart the basic convolution or serpentine-like bend to the wire 20.

As the wire moves forward the convolutions imparted to it by the forming members 64 and 65 are received by the grooves of the worms 66 and 67. These worms do not impart any further bend to the convolutions of the wire. They simply advance the convoluted wire to the third set of worms 68 and 69, also serving, however, to take up any back pressure caused by the work done by the worms 68 and 69.

These worms 68 and 69 have grooves sufficient to further bend the serpentine-like convolutions of wire. In fact, these members 68 and 69 actually force the wire to assume greater serpentine bends than are actually desired in the finished product. The extent to which the wire 20 is bent further than that desired in the finished product depends on the resiliency of the wire and its ability to spring back once pressures are relieved. The idea is to sufiiciently bend the wire 20 by the members 68 and 69 as to give the desired convolutions in the finished wires as at 200 after the wire has sprung back to its free condition following release from the worms 68 and 69.

Also, as stated, the wire is given additional support between the receiving unit comprised of the worms 66 and 67 and the spacing unit comprised of the worms 68 and 69. One of the reasons for this is that the step of imparting an over bend to the convolutions in the wire 20 causes the speed of wire feed to 'be slowed down, this not only putting back pressure on the worms 66 and 67 but also tending to cause the wire to buckle in a ventical plane. The guide members 76 and 77 prevent this and serve to maintain the wire within the bite of the various worms above their center axes.

In operation then, it will be observed that the wire 20 is pulled from a suitable supply reel, not shown, by the draw or pull rolls 39 and 40, the roll 39 being driven through gears 54 and 53 from the drive shaft 52, such roll 39 being mounted on the driven shaft 41 which carries the gear 54.

The wire 20 as pulled by the rolls 39 and 40, is brought through a plurality of straightening rolls 21 through 24 and a first pair of measuring and pressure rolls 27 and 29. The wire is then caused to form a large loop as indicated at 20a and 20b, such wire then passing between a second pair of measuring and pressure rolls 28 and 30 respectively.

Continued actuation of the pull roll 39, in cooperation with the roll 40 which bears against the wire passing over the pull roll 39, which pressure may be regulated by the cam 47, bearing surface 46, shaft 48 and lever 50, serves to feed the wire 20 past idler mechanism 55 and between a pair of pulleys 56 and 57. This wire also passes over an arm 70 having upstanding guide members 72 and 73.

As the wire 20 enters the forming unit comprised of the worms 64 and 65, and the serpentine-like convolutions are imparted thereto by cooperation of the cam and mandrel sections of these forming worms, the arm 70 will oscillate as the wire is buckled back and forth alternately over the various mandrel sections. Further movement of the wire sends the first formed convolutions through the receiving worms to the finishing worms where a greater degree of bend is imparted to the wire, such final bend being sufficient to give the desired product when the wire is free to assume its released position. As stated, the worms 66 and 67 serve to take up the back pressure while the plates 76 and 77 prevent buckling of the wire in a vertical plane while the finishing bends are being imparted thereto.

In addition it will be observed that the rolls 27 and 28 are designed to cooperate with the rolls 39 and 40 so as to maintain the large loop of wire in substantially constant condition. A speeding up, for example, of the wire being received by the forming unit will'cause the roll 28 the wire 20 moves towards the high side of the move to the left asviewed in Figure 8 or, in other words, towards the roll 28. When the roll 27 moves towards the roll 28 the wire 20 moves toward the high side of the tapered surface 39a of the pull roll 39 with the result that the wire 20 is pulled from the source at a greater rate. Since the forming unit is, in this example, using the wire 20 at a greater rate it is necessary to speed up the feed from the supply roll in order to maintain the large loop. It will be apparent that when the converse happens the parts are so arranged as to slow up the feed and still maintain the loop as desired.

In its broader aspects, my invention as herein described resides in the provision of solid worms rather than the open coils previously used, in the elimination of the lateral support employed in my prior device and in maintaining the wire at a position above the center line of the various worms which act to give the desired serpentine convolutions to the wire. In addition the specific means for providing and maintaining the loop of material mentioned are believed novel as Well as are the auxiliary supports provided between the second and third pairs of operating worms.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be effected in this invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. It will be further understood that while I have shown my invention as embodied in specific structure, such showing is exemplary only and I do not intend to be limited to the specific structure shown except insofar as it is positively recited in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and what I desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire: a cooperating pair of parallel rotary bending elements; means for feeding a wire between said bending elements at a constant speed; said bending elements comprising solid worms; each of said worms comprising an initial cam portion having a relatively large pitch and a tooth height increasing from a minimum to a maximum, and a mandrel portion of a smaller and constant pitch and a constant tooth height equal to said maximum; said feed means introducing said wire between said worms above the center lines thereof; and means for rotating said worms at such a speed that the lead of said portion of constant pitch is less than the speed of said wire.

2. A machine for producing serpentine-like bends in wire comprising: a cooperating pair of horizontal parallel rotary bending elements; means for feeding a wire between said bending elements at a constant speed; said bending elements comprising solid worms of mutually opposite hand; each of said solid worms comprising an initial cam portion having a relatively large pitch and a tooth height increasing from a minimum to a maximum,

lines of said solid worms; and means for rotating said solid -worms in opposite directions at such a speed that the lead of said mandrel portion of constant pitch is less than thespeed of said Wire.

3. The machine of claim 2 including a pair of solid worms having helical grooves of smaller pitch than "that of the serpentine bends imparted to said 'Wire by-said first mentioned solid worms, said second mentioned pair of Worms being spaced axially from said first mentioned worms, said grooves receiving said bendsafter said wire leaves said first mentioned Worms, and means to rotate said second mentioned worms.

4. The machine of claim 3 including another pair of solid worms having helical grooves therein, said last mentioned pair of worms being positioned "between said first two mentioned pair of wormsand free of each, said last mentionedpair of worms "having groovesof a pitch substantially equal to that of said serpentine bends, and

means to rotate said last mentioned-pair of worms.

5. The machine of claim 4 including a pair of plates to support said wire from above and below between the last mentioned and second mentioned pair of worms.

References Cited in th file, of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 933,890 Cummings Sept. 14, 1909 1,327,467 Griner Jan. 6, 1920 1,339,104 Cooke May 4, 1920 1,345,445 Johnson July 6, 1920 1,399,098 Winter Dec. 6, 1921 1,615,666 Wright Jan. 25, 1927 2,333,278 Truesdail Nov. 2, 1943 2,349,750 Peterson H. May 23, 1944 2,378,058 Blumensaadt June 12, 1945 2,491,228 Swift Dec. 13, 1949 2,582,576 Zweyer Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 106,894 Australia Mar. 23, 1939

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