US3906676A

US3906676A - Rotary mechanical wire grinder

Info

Publication number: US3906676A
Application number: US475262A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr John Joseph Orlando
Original assignee: International Nickel Co Inc
Current assignee: Huntington Alloys Corp
Priority date: 1974-05-31
Filing date: 1974-05-31
Publication date: 1975-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-23
Also published as: FR2275278A1; GB1470635A; JPS50153391A; SE7506198L; DE2524208A1; ES438064A1; CA1018359A

Abstract

A method and rotary wire grinding device are provided in which the surface of a wire product is cleaned using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in substantially faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebetween. The discs are coaxially mounted with the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. The wire is passed through the grinding zone with grinding pressure applied to the discs.

Description

United States Patent [191 Orlando, Sr.

[451 Sept. 23, 1975 ROTARY MECHANICAL WIRE GRINDER lnventor: John Joseph Orlando, Sr., Rivervale, NJ.

The International Nickel Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Filed: May 31, 1974 Appl. No.: 475,262

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 51/112; 29/81 F; 51/289 R Int. Cl. B24B 1/00; 8248 5/38 Field of Search 5l/l1l R, 112, N6, 289 R,

51/56, 75, 80 A, 120; 29/33 F, 81 F References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/l934 Heim 5l/80 A X 8/1944 Nye 5'1/80 A Lowe ..5l/ll2X Martellotti SH] 12 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Nicholas P. Godici Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George N. Ziegler; Ewan C. MacQueen; Raymond J. Kenny [57] ABSTRACT A method and rotary wire grinding device are provided in which the surface of a wire product is cleaned using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in substantially faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebetween. The discs are coaxially mounted with the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. The wire is passed through the grinding zone with grinding pressure applied to the discs.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 0f 3 3,906,676

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,906,676

Fig.3

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Shet 3 of3 3,906,676

ROTARY MECHANICAL WIRE'GRINDER This invention relates to a method and a rotary wire grinding device for cleaning the surface of wire products.

Generally speaking, wire products are cleanedfollowing metallurgical treatment by acid pickling. However, wire pickling operations'have their disadvantages in that they tend to be dirty, the treatment is rather expensive and, moreover, not easy to work with.

It would be desirable to provide an improved wirecleaning technique in which the surface of a wire product can be mechanically cleaned fairly quickly, easily and economically.

OBJECTS or THE INVENTION It is thus an object of this invention to provide a continuous method for mechanically removing material from the surface of a wire product.

Another object is to provide a rotary mechanical wire grinding device for carrying out said method.

These and other objects will more clearly appear when taken in conjunction with the following disclosure and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts in schematic perspective a pair of opposed rotary grinding discs'adapted for grinding a wire product;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of one embodiment ofa rotary wire grinding device provided by the invention;

FIG. 3.is a plan view of said device as seen along line 33 of FIG. 2; 1

FIG. 4 is an amplified fragment of the device showing the detail of ring drive;

FIG. 5, is an amplified partial section of the device illustrating the fluid circuit for applying pressure to the grindingdiscs; a FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the device;

FIG.; 7 is an amplified detail section depicting a portion of the grinding disc assembly and the cooperation of said assembly with the drive ring; and I FIG. 8 is a cross section of the shaft associated with the grinding discassembly .taken along line 8-8 of Stating it broadly, one embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of cleaning the surface ofa wire product using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in substantially faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebctween. In essence, the method comprises passing the wire product along its longitudinal axis through said wire grinding zone between the grinding faces of said pair of discs, the discs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts with the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other. The pair of discs is caused as an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire product with the rotary axes of said discs disposed substantially perpendicular to the wire axis, while continuously passing the wire product through the grinding zone and while maintaining said discs in grinding relationship with said wire.

Another embodiment ofthe invention is directed to a rotary wire grinding. device comprising, a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxially mounted with the grinding faces thereof maintained in substantially faying relationship with each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetwcen, means for rotating said discs about through said wire grinding zone, with the axes of said assembled discs substantially perpendicular to the wire axis.

DETAILS OF THE INVENTION The method aspect of the invention will clearly appear from the description of FIG. 1 which depicts in perspective a pair of grinding discs 10, 11, respectively, mounted on shafts 10A, 11A, the shafts being coaxially disposed and adapted to rotate the grinding discs in opposite directions as shown by the arrows. As will be noted, the grinding discs are disposed in faying relationship to define a grinding zone therebetween, a wire product 12 passing through the grinding zone as shown. The grinding discs rotate axially in a plane perpendicular to the axes of shafts 10A, 11A, while the two discs as an assembled unit rotate about the longitudinal axis of the wire product as shown by arrows l3. Th"e two discs are maintained in grinding relationship by the application of predetermined pressure along shafts 10A. 11A, (note arrows 14, 15). Thus, as the wire passes continuously through the grinding zone, the rotary movement by the discs in a plane perpendieularlto the axes of the shafts and the rotational movement of the two discs as a unit about the wire axis of the wire effect cleaning of the wire surface.

The foregoing grinding mechanism causes the wire product to twist slightly during grinding which advantageously acts to keep the two grinding discs from loading up with particulate material resulting from the grinding action. To this extent, the grinding discs are self-cleaning. The rate of material removed and the final ground product aredetermined by the combined control of disc speed, application pressure and the linear velocity of the product through the grinding zone. The desired parameters are easily determined by those skilled in the art by means of a few test runs. The pressure is applied to the grinding discs via thrust movements of the shafts carrying said discs, preferably utilizing hydraulic or fluid pressure.

Details of one embodiment of the grinding device will be clearly apparent by referring to FIGS. 2 to 7.

Referring to the side elevation and plan views of FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, the device is shown comprising a support frame designated generally by the numeral 20, including legs 21 and cross members 22, the upper portion of the frame providing a rectangular opening to support the parts making up the grinding disc assembly and allow space for the rotation thereof. The top of the frame supports a vertically upstanding stationary annular ring 23 by means of ring mountings 23A, 233, (FIG. 3), the stationary ring also being supported at'floor level by legs 24 by means of fastening bolt 25. The upstanding ring 23 is shown more clearly in the front elevation view of FIG. 6. The stationary ring 23 supports concentrically within its inner periphery a rotatable drive ring 26 which bears against a set of spaced rollers 27 disposed radially around the side face of stationary ring 23, the outer periphery of the drive ring being channeled to receive rollers 27.

The rotatable ring 26 (FIG. 6) is similar to an annular gear except that, instead of gear teeth, spaced rollers 28 are provided at the annular side face thereof held by pins in a circular channel on said face, said rollers being disposed radially along the side channel of the ring with spaces between the rollers for receiving the teeth of a sprocket 48 (note FIG. 4). Similarly, spaced rollers 29 are provided in a channel on the inner peripheral surface of the driving ring (FIG. 4) with the spaces between the rollers also adapted to receive another sprocket 66 (FIG. 6) to be described later.

In addition to supporting the stationary ring 23, the frame also supports the grinding disc assembly designated generally by numeral 30 (FIG. 3) comprising yoke-type spindle housing 31 defining a rectangular opening 32 within which is supported

opposed grinding discs

33, 34 of cup-shaped configuration. The yoke is attached at opposite sides thereof to

hollow couplings

35, 36 which are rotatably supported by

bearings

37, 38, said coupling 35 extending to belt-driven pulley 39 which is driven via belt 40 and drive pulley 41 by means of mechanical drive 42 coupled to a motor.

Coupling 36 connects via bearing 37 to rotating union 43 to which is coupled fluid feed line 44 (FIG. 2). Driven pulley 39 causes the yoke assembly to rotate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product, the wire product W passing through the rotating union, through rotatable

hollow couplings

36 and 35 via inlet and

outlet wire guides

36A, 35A, respectively, and then out through the driven pulley 39 to a driven wind-up spool not shown.

The grinding disc assembly is supported by yoke 31, the axis of rotation of the discs being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the yoke. The yoke is disposed to rotate within the confines of stationary ring 23, the discs being driven by co-action with rotatable ring 26. For example, the

opposed discs

33, 34 are coaxially mounted on

hollow shafts

45 and 45A, respectively (FIG. 3), with the shafts passing through

sprocket housings

46, 47 connected to opposite sides of the yoke 31 (FIGS. 3 and 6) and at substantially right angles to the axis of rotation of the yoke.

Hollow shafts

45, 45A have a square cross section but can be round provided there is proper keying of the parts mounted thereon. The details are shown more clearly in the amplified partial section of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

Each

disc shaft

45, 45A has a

sprocket

48, 49 mounted coaxially thereon which meshes with spaced rollers 28 of ring 26. This is shown in greater detail in the amplified partial section of FIGS. 4 and 7. Hollow shaft 45 is axially coupled to disc 33 by annular mounting 50 and keying member 50A, the shaft being supported by shaft housing 51 and bearing assembly 52, said housing comprising a hollow cylindrical member connected to yoke 31 as shown. The shaft is also supported by sprocket housing 46, the square shaft 45 being slidably contained within spindle sleeve assembly 52A having roller bearings 52B adjacent thereto, the shaft being separated from the inner wall of shaft housing 51 by said bearing assembly 52 with ball bearings between said sleeve assembly 52A and the housing wall, the bearings being held in position by shoulders on the inner wall of housing 51. The shaft housing 51 is coupled via bolts 53 to drive sprocket housing 46 through which shaft 45 concentrically extends, the end of the shaft having sprocket 48 mounted thereon, a

bearing mounting or sleeve 54 being provided to support bearing 55 which is mounted within the inner wall of housing 46 against a shoulder thereof and against sleeve 54, the inner wall being stepped to accommodate the sprocket. The sprocket has a square central opening for receiving square shaft 45. As will be noted from FIGS. 4 and 7, the sprocket 48 meshes with the spaces between rollers 28 of drive ring 26. Ball bearings 55A are disposed between sleeve 54 and the sprocket to provide longitudinal support movement of the shaft via fluid cylinder 60.

Dust bellows 56 are provided between

discs

33, 34 and spindle sleeve 52A (note also FIGS. 3 and 7). The yoke

opening containing discs

33, 34 is also surrounded entirely by a removable dust cover 57 to keep dusting of the device to a minimum.

As will be noted from FIG. 7, grinding

discs

33, 34 are cup-shaped, that is to say, each disc has an open cup-like chamber 33A, 34A located centrally thereof with opposed flat annular faces 33B, 34B located radially outwardly from said cup-like chamber, the flat annular faces being the grinding faces forming the grinding zone.

Referring again to FIG. 7, a disc rod or arbor 58 is shown axially screw fitted to disc via flange 59 located centrally within the disc, the arbor running through hollow shaft 45 and connected to a piston within fluid cylinder 60 screw-threaded into cap 61 closing the end of drive sprocket housing 46. The piston is designed to have a total thrust of about one-half inch but is set to provide a travel of about one-eighth inch. Disc arbor or rod 58, like shaft 45, is rigidly coupled to disc 33 and is adapted via fluid cylinder 60 to apply thrust to disc 33 via fluid pressure from cylinder 60, the fluid, e.g. hydraulic fluid, being fed to the cylinder via inlet 62 under controlled pressure, depending upon the grinding pressure to be applied to the wire product. Thus, as pressure is applied to the piston, square shaft 45 is caused to move slightly to apply grinding pressure to the disc, said slight movement being aided by the ball bearing 52B and 55A and the fact that the square shaft is mounted to slide through the said sleeve assembly surrounding the shaft.

The description for the assembly of disc 33 in FIG. 7 applies equally to the assembly of disc 34.

The fluid feed for applying pressure to disc arbor or rod 58 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fluid inlet 44 being before rotating union 43, the fluid passing through a chamber in the union and then conducted via

tubes

63, 63A to

cylinders

60, 60A (FIG. 3). The fluid feed is shown in more detail in the amplified partial section of FIG. 5, the fluid entering at fluid inlet 44A and passing through chamber 64 into

tubes

63, 63A which communicate with the fluid feed chamber as shown following bearing mount 37. The wire product W passes axially through rotatable union 43, through the bearing mount and via wire guide 36A between

opposed discs

33, 34, the wire guide being supported between the extremities of

hollow couplings

35 and 36.

In addition to the sprockets for rotating the discs via their shafts coupled to the sprockets, a sprocket drive is also provided for rotating drive ring 26. The sprocket 66 is shown clearly in FIG. 6, the sprocket being driven by mechanical drive 67 via sprocket shaft 67A also shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 6, it will be noted that belt 40 is behind sprocket 66 for rotating the yoke assembly. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, as belt-driven pulley 39 rotates the yoke assembly with its assembled grinding discs about wire product W, sprocket 66 rotates drive ring 26 with which sprocket 48 is meshed such that the rotation of sprocket 48 causes rotation of the grinding disc attached to the sprocket shaft. Since the drive sprockets of the discs are diametrically disposed on opposite portions of ring 26, the discs will rotate opposite each other.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, at rotary wire grinding device is provided comprising a pair of opposed

wire grinding discs

33, 34 the device being comprised of a frame, an upstanding stationary ring 23, supported by said frame and a rotatable drive ring 26 located within and rotatably supported by' rolls 27 on said stationary ring. The rotatable drive. ring has disposed radially along its side face sprocketcoaeting means 28 for coacting with sprockets 48, '49 for rotating said grinding discs and on its inner periphery a second sprocket-coacting means 29 for coacting with a ring driving sprocket 66 shown in FIG. 6. The device includes a rotatable yoke assembly 31 supported by

bearings

37, 38 on said frame, the yoke assembly extending into the opening of the stationary ring and being adapted to rotate within said opening. The yoke assembly also supports a grinding assembly 30 comprising said opposed grinding

discs

33, 34, each of the discs being coupled to a hollow shaft, such as shaft 45 (FIG. 7). having

sprockets

48, 49 at the ends of each of the shafts which mesh with the sprocket-receiving means on the annular side face of the rotatable drive ring.

The discs are disposed relative to the other so as to define a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of the disc shafts being coaxial with the other. The grinding assembly is supported by the yoke so as to be disposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the grinding assembly srockcts enmeshed with sprocketcoacting means 28 of drive ring 26. Wire guiding means 36A, 35A are provided for guiding the wire along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by the opposed discs which are held in faying relationship with each other.

Means are provided for rotating said yoke

assembly comprising pulleys

39, 41 and belt 40, a motor-driven mechanical drive unit 42 being employed, the axis of rotation of the yoke assembly being perpendicular to the axis of rotation ofthc discs. The rotatable drive ring 26 is driven by sprocket 66, such that when the yoke assembly and the grinding assembly are caused to rotate together as a unit within the opening of the stationary ring. while said drive ring is driven by sprocket 66, the grinding discs rotate opposite to each other, while the discs as an assembled unit rotate about the wire product perpendicular to the axes of the discs.

In operation, mechanical drive 42, through

pulleys

39 and 41 and belt 40 causes yoke spindle housing assembly 31 to rotate about

bearings

37, 38 mounted on support frame 20. This causes the surface of grinding

discs

33, 34 to rotate about the axis of the wire product W perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said wire product. 7

Drive sprockets 48 and 49 (FIGS. 3 and 7) mesh with drive ring 26, thus imparting a circular motion to grinding discs through

drive shafts

45 and 45A, while the grinding discs are rotating about wire product W. The in-fecd of the grinding discs into direction of product W is accomplished by fluid source (not shown) through feed line 44 and rotary union 43 to fluid conveying

system

63, 63A, and then into fluid cylinder 60. When the grinding discs make contact with the wire product, the rotating motion and circular motion of grinding discs combined with the pressures supplied by fluid cylinder 60 through the drive shafts result in the removal of a controlled amount of material from the surface of the product as it is guided between the grinding discs by entrance guide 36A and corresponding exit guide A. As will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art, rate of material removal will be a function of grinding disc speed, pressure and productvelocity as it is guided through the grinder.

Further, the motion of the grinding discs along with the pressure combine to impart a slight twisting motion to the wire product. This motion of the product on'the grinding discs acts to keep the discs from loading. This unique feature has led to the use of 'very hard wheels and fine grit such as grade 57A-220-R8. This holds true, independent of the wire product being processed, whether ferrous or non-ferrous. In the foregoing, grade 57A stands for aluminum oxide abrasive, 220 means a very fine grit size and R for rubber bond.' Number 8 is merely an identifying number. The grinder 'may operate as a dry grinder or may be adapted to operate as a wet grinder. A typical grinding disc is 9 /2 inches in diame- 1161'.

While the preferred aspects of the invention are directed to the grinding of a wire surface with the view of producing a clean wire of circular cross section, it will be apparent that the apparatus of the invention can also be utilized to grind opposing flat faces on thewire product in the production of a wire of rectangular cross section. This can be achieved by not allowing the discs as an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire as previously described. This is accomplished by removing drive belt 40 from drive pulley 41 and driven pulley 39.

Thus, as the wire is passed through the grinding zone, flats are ground on opposite sides of the wire. In producing the rectangular cross section, such as a square, the wire is recycled through the grinding zone to grind additional flats on the sides of the wire opposite to the first pair of flats.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of cleaning the surface of a wire product using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in parallel and faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebetween which comprises,

passing said wire product along its longitudinal axis substantially centrally through said wire grinding zone between and in contact with the grinding faces of said pair of discs across the diameter thereof while said discs are rotating,

said discs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts, the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other,

and then causing said pair of discs as an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire product in a plane perpendicular to said wires axis while in contact with said wire while continuously passing the wire product through the grinding zone and while maintaining said discs in grinding relationship with said wire,

whereby a twisting action is imparted to said wire during grinding between said discs such that said discs are inhibited from loading up with particulate material resulting from said grinding action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said discs are maintained in grinding relationship with said wire product by applying a predetermined axial pressure to said discs against said wire product.

3. A rotary wire grinding device comprising,

a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxially mounted on separate shafts with the grinding faces thereof maintained in parallel and faying relationship with each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween,

means for guiding a wire along its longitudinal axis through said wire grinding zone between and in contact with said grinding faces across the diameter thereof,

means for causing said pair of rotary discs to rotate as an assembled unit about the longitudinal axis of said wire in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis as said wire passes through said wire grinding zone while in contact with said discs, with the rotary axes of said discs perpendicular to the wire axis,

means operating in response to the rotation of said rotary disc assembly for simultaneously rotating both of said discs together about their individual axis with the axial rotation of one disc opposite to the other,

and means for applying a predetermined grinding pressure to said grinding discs.

4. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs, said device including,

a frame,

a stationary annular ring supported by said frame,

a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner periphery of the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring, said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its annular side face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating each of said grinding discs, means supporting said opposed grinding discs as an assembled unit, each of said grinding discs being attached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite to the disc, said discs being disposed relative to each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetwcen, each of said disc shafts being coaxial with the other,

said assembled grinding discs being disposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the sprockets thereof in cooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means located along the an nular side face of said rotatable drive ring,

means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs,

drive means for rotating the assembled grinding discs in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product,

drive means for rotating said drive ring,

and means for applying grinding pressure to said grinding discs, a grinding assembly comprising said opposed pair of grinding discs supported by said yoke assembly, each of said grinding discs being attached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite to the disc, said opposed discs being disposed relative to the each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of the shafts being coaxial with the other,

said grinding assembly being supported by said yoke assembly so as to be disposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the sprocket on each disc shaft enmeshed with the sprocketreceiving means located along the annular side face of said rotatable drive ring,

drive means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs,

drive means for rotating said yoke assembly via its bearing supports together with said grinding disc assembly, the rotation of said yoke being in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product, such that when the assembled discs are caused to rotate within said stationary ring in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis, and said drive ring is driven by said ring sprocket, the grinding discs are caused to rotate opposite to each other about their axes to effect grinding of said wire product.

5. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein the means for supporting said opposed grinding discs is a rotatable yoke assembly which extends into the opening of said stationary ring, the drive means for rotating the assembled grinding discs being coupled to said rotatable yoke.

6. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein said drive ring has disposed radially around its inner periph' ery sprocket-receiving means and wherein the means for driving said ring is a mechanically driven sprocket in cooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means.

7. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein the shaft of each disc is slidably supported to provide thrust movement towards the wire product and wherein each said shaft is coupled via means to a hydraulic piston and cylinder system for applying fluid pressure to said shaft and hence grinding pressure to said grinding discs.

8. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs, said device including,

a frame,

an upstanding stationary annular ring supported by said frame,

a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner periphery of the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring, said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its side face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating said grinding discs and also on its inner periphery sprocketreceiving means for coacting with a ring-driving sprocket,

a rotatable yoke assembly supported by bearings on said frame, said yoke assembly extending into the opening of said stationary ring,

drive means including a sprocket for driving said ring, said sprocket being enmeshed with said 9. The rotary grinding device of claim 8, wherein the shaft of each disc is slidably supported to provide thrust movement towards the wire product to apply grinding pressure thereto.

10. The rotary grinding device of claim 9, wherein each disc shaft is coupled via means to a hydraulic piston and cylinder system for applying fluid pressure to each of said shafts and hence grinding pressure to said grinding device.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning the surface of a wire product using a pair of grinding discs with the grinding faces thereof in parallel and faying relationship with each other and defining a wire grinding zone therebetween which comprises, passing said wire product along its longitudinal axis substantially centrally through said wire grinding zone between and in contact with the grinding faces of said pair of discs across the diameter thereof while said discs are rotating, said discs being coaxially mounted on separate shafts, the rotary direction of one disc opposite to the other, and then causing said pair of discs as an assembled unit to rotate about the axis of the wire product in a plane perpendicular to said wires axis while in contact with said wire while continuously passing the wire product through the grinding zone and while maintaining said discs in grinding relationship with said wire, whereby a twisting action is imparted to said wire during grinding between said discs such that said discs are inhibited from loading up with particulate material resulting from said grinding action.

3. A rotary wire grinding device comprising, a pair of rotary grinding discs coaxially mounted on separate shafts with the grinding faces thereof maintained in parallel and faying relationship with each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, means for guiding a wire along its longitudinal axis through said wire grinding zone between and in contact with said grinding faces across the diameter thereof, means for causing said pair of rotary discs to rotate as an assembled unit about the longitudinal axis of said wire in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis as said wire passes through said wire grinding zone while in contact with said discs, with the rotary axes of said discs perpendicular to the wire axis, means operating in response to the rotation of said rotary disc assembly for simultaneously rotating both of said discs together about their individual axis with the axial rotation of one disc opposite to the other, and means for applying a predetermined grinding pressure to said grinding discs.

4. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs, said device including, a frame, a stationary annular ring supported by said frame, a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner periphery of the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring, said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its annular side face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating each of said grinding discs, means supporting said opposed grinding discs as an assembled unit, each of said grinding discs being attached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite to the disc, said discs being disposed relative to each othEr to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of said disc shafts being coaxial with the other, said assembled grinding discs being disposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the sprockets thereof in cooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means located along the annular side face of said rotatable drive ring, means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs, drive means for rotating the assembled grinding discs in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product, drive means for rotating said drive ring, and means for applying grinding pressure to said grinding discs, a grinding assembly comprising said opposed pair of grinding discs supported by said yoke assembly, each of said grinding discs being attached to a shaft each having a sprocket located at an end opposite to the disc, said opposed discs being disposed relative to the each other to provide a wire grinding zone therebetween, each of the shafts being coaxial with the other, said grinding assembly being supported by said yoke assembly so as to be disposed diametrically across said stationary ring with the sprocket on each disc shaft enmeshed with the sprocket-receiving means located along the annular side face of said rotatable drive ring, drive means for guiding a wire product along its longitudinal axis through the wire grinding zone defined by said opposed discs, drive means for rotating said yoke assembly via its bearing supports together with said grinding disc assembly, the rotation of said yoke being in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wire product, such that when the assembled discs are caused to rotate within said stationary ring in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis, and said drive ring is driven by said ring sprocket, the grinding discs are caused to rotate opposite to each other about their axes to effect grinding of said wire product.

6. The rotary grinding device of claim 4, wherein said drive ring has disposed radially around its inner periphery sprocket-receiving means and wherein the means for driving said ring is a mechanically driven sprocket in cooperable contact with said sprocket-receiving means.

8. A rotary wire grinding device comprising a pair of opposed wire grinding discs, said device including, a frame, an upstanding stationary annular ring supported by said frame, a rotatable drive ring located concentrically within the inner periphery of the stationary ring and rotatably supported by said stationary ring, said rotatable drive ring having disposed radially along its side face sprocket-receiving means for coacting with sprockets for rotating said grinding discs and also on its inner periphery sprocket-receiving means for coacting with a ring-driving sprocket, a rotatable yoke assembly supported by bearings on said frame, said yoke assembly extending into the opening of said stationary ring, drive means including a sprocket for driving said ring, said sprocket being enmeshed with said sprocket-receiving means disposed radially along the inner periphery of said rotatable drive ring, and means for applying grinding pressure to said grinding discs, such that when the yoke assembly together with said grinding assembly is caused to rotate within said statiOnary ring in a plane perpendicular to the wire axis and said drive ring is driven by said ring sprocket, the grinding discs are caused to rotate opposite to each other about their axes to effect grinding of said wire product.

9. The rotary grinding device of claim 8, wherein the shaft of each disc is slidably supported to provide thrust movement towards the wire product to apply grinding pressure thereto.