US2986136A

US2986136A - Wire saws

Info

Publication number: US2986136A
Application number: US708787A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert E Wayland
Original assignee: TY SAMAN MACHINE Co
Current assignee: TY SAMAN MACHINE Co; TY-SAMAN MACHINE Co
Priority date: 1958-01-14
Filing date: 1958-01-14
Publication date: 1961-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-30

Description

y 1961 H. E. WAYLAND 2,986,136

WIRE SAWS Filed Jan. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ///5E/?7" 5 warm/v0,

ATTORNEY y 1961 H. E. WAYLAND 2,986,136

WIRE SAWS Filed Jan. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 BY imak;

ATTORNEYS rectilinear movement of the wires.

United States Patent WIRE SAWS Hubert E. Wayland, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to Ty-Sa- Man Machine Company, Knoxville, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed Jan. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 708,787

11 Claims. (Cl. 125-21) This invention relates to improvements in wire saws of the character used for cutting stone and other materials.

Wire saws used for this purpose are built with one or more wires operating over wheels arranged in spaced relation, for movement of the wires into bearing relation with a stone mounted between the wheels for creating an abrasive action on the stone due to the rectilinear movement of the wire with respect thereto, thereby sawing a kerf or groove in the stone. By means -of a plurality of wires operating in parallel relation over wheels mounted side by 'side, it is possible to cut simultaneously a plurality 'of .kerfs in a single block of stone. Inasmuch as the size of the cut pieces should be varied, according to requirements and according to the size of the block of stone, the wheels should be adjustable to vary the spacing between the wires.

These wires must be operated at relatively high speeds, and due to the friction with the block of .stone, a considerableamount of power is needed to apply the required This has resulted heretofore in a tendency of centrifugal stretch being applied to the rim of the wheel, which prevents the wires from being-maintained in truecutting positions, and often has caused excessively large ker-fs, whipping action resulting in danger of breakage to the wires before entering the cuts, and other objections in practice.

One object of this invention is-to overcome these ob- ,jections encountered heretofore and to improve thecon- -struction of wire saws of this type.

Another' object of the invention is to improve theconstruction of the wire rsaw wheels so as to overcome any tendency of centrifugal stretch that :might develop, and results in-a much smoother running wheel at production speeds.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for maintainingsubstantially perfect alignment by radial and side adjustment of the spokes and rim, which will cause the wheels to run true, without wobbling ordangerous whipping of the wires before entering the cuts.

A still .further object of the invention is to provide'a wide range of adjustment of the wheels with respect to each other and with .oflset rims and hubs, permitting multiple cuts in :close proximity to each other, without disturbing the .trueness of the wheel and :the smoothness of operation.

These objects are accomplished, according to one embodinient of the invention, by ,providing a plurality of wheels arranged in side-by-side relation, adapted to be mounted on a supporting shaft, and with each of the wheels including a hub and a rim connected together .by

radial spokes. It 'is preferred-that at least someof the wheels have the rims thereof'offset from the hubs, so as to permit the wires to be brought into very closerelation toeach other, thus providing for multiple cuts and resulting thin slabs.

The basic form of the wheel is such that at high speeds the rimis under tension, while the spokes are .under compression. overcomes any tendency of centrifugal "ice stretch that might develop and results in a much smoother running Wheel at production speeds.

The spokes are connected with the rib through adjustable and lost motion connections which permit the maintaining of perfect alignment by radial and side adjustments to very narrow margins, whereby the wheel will run true and will not wobble and cause the wire to whip before entering the cut.

The rim preferably has a machined groove in the periphery thereof, with a rubber or non-metallic liner seated in the groove for reducing slippage, with longer wire life.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, somewhat digrammatic, of ,a wire saw to which the invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an adjustable wheel embodying this invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross section therethrough;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the spokes and connection between the latter and the rim;

Fig. 5 is a section therethrough, on the line 5--5 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section therethrough on the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

The invention may be applied to any suitable or desirable form of wire saw machine, one form of which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, wherein a supporting framework is illustrated generally by the numeral 1 and has a pair -of wheels 2 mounted .on the framework at op- .posite ends thereof, with one or more wires 3 stretched between the wheels 2 and operated by "the latter. The

power means is not illustrated, but suitable provision is usually made for operating one of the wheels to provide appropriate feeding action for the rectilinear movement of the wires.

A block of stone is indicated at S, supported upon a car 4 or other suitable support locatedbetween the spaced wheels 2, in position foractionof the wires on the block of stone to provide the desired cutting action. A suitable abrasive is usually supplied to facilitate the cutting operation from a cyclone separator .or other source of supply, indicated generally .at 5.

Each wheel assembly 2 may comprise one :or more wheels mounted upon a supporting shaft 6, either in driving relation therewith or journaled relative thereto, as

illustrated in Fig. 3. The supporting shaft .6 is mounted ton-the frame 1 and .may be connected with a source of ported on asleeve 13 telescoped over the shaft 6 and adjustable axially relative thereto, being locked securely in place vonthe shaft by a .set screw 14. Thus, with the inner wheel 7 anchored securely tothe shaft 6, the adjacent wheels .8 and -9 can be adjustedaxially relative theretoto varythe spacingbetween therespective wires 3.

"Extending radially outward from each of the hubs 10 and .11 are spokes .15 which are secured rigidly at their innerends to .thecorresponding hub as by ribs 16 spaced circumferentially around each hub, with eachof the ribs 16 preferably interposed between a pair of spokes and securely anchored thereto by welding, riveting orother types of fastenings.

Each wheel isprovided with a surroundingrim, .gen-

erally indicated at 17, and connected with the radiating spokes 15 at the outer ends of the latter. The form of connection is shown more in detail in Figs. 4 to 6. Each pair of spokes 15 is welded or otherwise secured at their outer ends to a plate 18 extending transversely of the pair of spokm 15 and substantially parallel with the circumferential length of the rim 17. The plate 18 is connected through studs 19 with the rim 17 The studs 19 extend radially inward from the inner surface of the rim 17 parallel with each other. Holes 20 are formed in opposite end portions of the plate 18 through which the studs 19 project. The diameter of the holes is preferably appreciably larger than the diameter of the studs 19, so as to permit of circumferential ad justrnent of the rim, as well as lateral adjustment thereof with respect to the spokes 15. An example of the relative dimensions between these parts that may be mentioned is a hole diameter of while the studs are A in diameter. These dimensions are somewhat exaggerated in Fig, 5 for clearness of illustration, but the holes should be sufficiently larger than the diameter of the studs so as to permit of proper and adequate adjustment to the extent needed.

A radial adjustment may be provided also by adjustably mounting the plate 18 on the studs 19 by means of ,lock nuts 21 and 22 on each stud bearing upon the outer and inner faces of the plate 18.

Through this type of adjustable connection between the spokes 15 and the rim 17, as provided by the relative sizes of the studs 19 and the holes 20, and also by the adjusting and lock nuts 21 and 22 arranged in pairs at the juncture of each pair of spokes with the rim, these permit the maintenance of perfect alignment of the wheel. Both radial and side adjustments are possible to less than ,6 run-out. This will assure that the wheels will run true on the shafts and will not wobble and cause whipping of the wires before entering the cuts.

The rims 17 of the wheels 7 and 8 are offset with respect to the hubs and 11, which enables the wires to be brought as close together as 1%", thereby producing cut blocks of very small dimensions.

Each of the rims 17 has a peripheral groove 23 formed therein to receive the wire 3. The groove is preferably machined and is oversize, with a liner 24 fitted in the groove 23, preferably formed of rubber or other suitable lining material that will reduce slippage and prolong the life of the wire. The liner 24 is confined at its opposite edges by shoulders 25 formed by overhanging lips at the lateral edges of the groove 23 so as to maintain the liner securely in place.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in one embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. In a wire saw having a pair of wheel assemblies spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheelassemblies in position for sawing action on material mounted therebetween, one of the wheel assemblies comprising a plurality of wheels arranged in side-by-side relation, at least some of the wheels having hubs and rims axially olfset from each other and spokes interconnecting the hubs and rims, the spokes of adjacent wheels extending outwardly from the hubs to the rims in converging relation disposing the rims close together.

2. In a wire saw having a pair of wheel assemblies with a plurality of wires extending over the wheel assemblies in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing engagement with a block of material mounted between the wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly comprising a plurality of wheels in side-by-side relation, each wheel having a hub and rim with spokes interconnecting the hub and rim, the rim of at least one wheel being offset axially relative to the hub .thereof and arranged in close proximity to the rim of an adjacent wheel, the spokes of adjacent wheels extending outwardly from the hubs to the rims in converging relation.

3. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing action on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of the wheels comprising a hub portion and surrounding rim, and means forming an adjustment of the rim relative to the hub portion radially and axially of the wheel.

4. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing action on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of the wheels comprising a hub portion and a surrounding rim, and means forming a radial and axially adjustable connection between the hub portion and rim for bodily adjustment of the rim relative to the hub portion.

5. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing action on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of said wheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, a rim surrounding the hub portion, and means forming an adjustable connection between the rim and the spokes for radial and axial adjustment of the rim relative thereto.

6. In a wire saw having Wheels spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing action on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of the wheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, plates connected with the outer ends of the spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates, each of the plates having a pair of openings therein, a pair of studs fixed to the rim adjacent each plate and extending through the openings, and adjustment nuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axially relative to the spokes.

7. In a wire saw having wheels spaced apart with a wire extending over the wheels in bridging relation therebetween in position for sawing action on a block of material mounted between the wheels, one of the wheels comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, plates connected with the outer ends of the spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates, each of the plates having a pair of openings therein, a pair of studs fixed to the rim adjacent each plate and extending through the openings, and adjustment nuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axially relative to the spokes, the openings having ap preciably' larger diameters than the studs for axial adjustment of the rim relative to the spokes.

8. A wheel assembly for a wire saw, comprising a plurality of wheels mounted on a shaft in side by side relation, said wheels having relatively wide hubs and narrow rims, means interconnecting said hubs and rims, the interconnecting means of at least one of said wheels disposing the rim of said one wheel axially offset from the hub of said one wheel and adjacent the rim of the adjacent wheel and in a plane spaced from the adjacent end of said hub, whereby a thin slab of material may be cut.

9. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, plates rigidly connected with the outer ends of the spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates, each of the plates having a pair of openings therein, a pair of studs fixed to the rim adjacent each plate and extending through the openings, and adjustment nuts on the studs for adjusting the rim axially relative to the spokes.

10. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, plates fixed to the outer ends of the spokes, a .rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates separate there from, and means connecting the rim with the plates for bodily adjustment of the rim axially and laterally relative to the spokes.

11. In a wire saw, a wheel comprising a hub portion having radially extending spokes connected therewith, plates fixed to the outer ends of the spokes, a rim surrounding the hub portion and the plates separate therefrom, and studs connecting the rim with the plates for bodily adjustment of the rim laterally relative to the spokes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,357 Berger Oct. 30, 1894 6 Mann May 2, 1905 Pfeifer Nov. 28, 1911 Karr Jan. 30, 1912 Moore Oct. 13, 1914 Olson Aug. 19, 1924 De Wein Feb. 17, 1931 Picard Jan, 16, 1940 Tann Oct. 16, 1951 Williams Mar. 24, 1953 Garrison June 11, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 21, 1899 Great Britain Nov. 7, 1956