US573815A

US573815A - Fence making machine

Info

Publication number: US573815A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1913-12-22

Description

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. DIAL.

FENGE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 573,815. Patented Dec. 22, 1896 46' I J i THE uonms owns co. vummwma. wASHmG'rrN, ac,

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 573,815. Patented Dec. 22', 1896.

m: NORRIS wzrzns co, PHOTO-UTHCL, vusums'row, n. cy

(No Model.) 5 8heetsShe.et 3.

R DIAL FENCE MAKING MAGHINB.

Patented De0. 22,1 896.

iizvenfof ,fime

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. DIAL. FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 573,815. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

iIlHM lINiINHINIIIII X Wiinesses 5 Sheets-Sheet 5'.

(No Model.)

B. DIAL.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Dec 22, 1896.

no: humus run; :0 mYO-Lflna. msamamu. c. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT DIAL, OF CHELSEA, INDIAN TERRITORY.

FENCE-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573.815, dated December 22, 1896..

Application filed September 22, 1896. Serial No. 606,626. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ROBERT DIAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Cherokee, Indian Territory, have invented, certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for making wire fabrics, and more especially to that class designed for weaving wire fences; and its novelty and many advantages will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine as it appears in operation with some of the parts broken away and other parts omitted. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, taken in the plane inside one of the rear traveling wheels and illustrating the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line '31 y of Fig 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken in the plane indicated by the line 10 of Fig. 4. Fig. (i is a detail sectional view illustrating a portion of the mechanism for moving the twisting wire from one runner to another. Fig. 7 is a sectional perspective view illustrating a portion of the mechanism through the medium of which the twisters are rotated. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail broken perspective illustrating a portion of the frame and the runner-wire guide and shaftof one of the twisters, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the spool-carriers of a twister.

In the said drawings similar numerals des ignate corresponding parts in all of the several views, referring to which- 1 indicates the main frame of my improved machine, which in the present embodiment of the invention is supported by the front Wheels 2, arranged on an axle 3, pivotally connected with the body, and the rear traction-wheels 4, fixed on a shaft 5, journaled in suitable bearings in the main frame, as shown. 7

The machine is designed to be drawn by draft-animals or by a traction-engine, and power is taken from the shaft 5 to drive the mechanism, as will be presently described.

The main frame 1 may be of any form and construction suitable to the purposes of my invention, but is preferably of a rectangular form, as shown. Said frame is provided at its forward end with an upright spool-rack 5, which preferably comprises the upright bar 6, having journaled apertures 7 at intervals in its length, and the upright bar 8,.

having inclined notches 9 at intervals in its length, and it is designed to receive the spindles of the spools 10, which carry the runnerwires 11 and have their spindles on shafts arranged in the apertures 7 and notches 9 of the upright bars 6 and S, as shown.

lVhen desirable, two or more spool-racks may be provided upon the frame 1, the said racks being arranged one in front of the other and being designed for use one after the other, that is to say, after the runner-Wires are run' off the spools of one rack the said wires may be connected with the wires on the spools of the next succeeding rack until the supply of wire on the spools of all the racks is exhausted, when it is necessary, of course, to remove the empty spools from the racks and replace the same with full spools and properly connect the wires before the operation of weaving the wire or building the fence can be resumed.

12 indicates upright guides, which are arranged in the longitudinal center of the frame 1 in' rear of the spool-rack 5, and are provided with four (more or less) vertical grooves or guideways 13, as shown, for the reception of the vertically-movable slides 14. (Better illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.) There are two of such slides 14 employed, and while they maybe of any construction suitable to the purposes of my invention I prefer to have them respecti ely comprise the upright bars 15, which are recessed in their inner sides at intervals in their length to form bearing portions 16, and the cross-bars 17, which connect the said upright bars and have their ends arranged in the ways or grooves 13 ofthe upright guides 12, as shown. In the bearing portions 16 of the bars are arranged and journaled the semicircular ends of the spoolcarriers 18 of the wire-twisters 19. These spool-carriers 18 are flat at their inner sides and have the semicircular portions 20 at their ends, and they are also provided at their ends with bearings 21 to receive the bobbins 22, upon which the wrapping-wire 23 is wound, and with the apertures 24 for the passage of the wrapping-wire from the bobbins or spools.

25 indicates what may properly be termed the shafts of the twisters, since they trans- .mit rotary motion of the same. These shafts 25 each have the flattened portion 26, which is designed torest between two spool-carriers 18, and the tubular portion 27, which is journaled in the forward upright 12 and also in an auxiliary forward upright 28, and is provided with a pinion 29, as shown. The flattened portion 26 of the shaft25 is provided with the large transversely-disposed aperture 30 to permit of the wire 23 being wrapped around therunner-Wire, as shown in Fig. 5, and thelongitudinally-disposed aperture 31, which restsin alinement with the tubular portion 27 and designed like said tubular portion for the passage of a. runner-wire.

32 indicates an upright which is connected toand risesfrom the frame 1 at one side thereof and preferably at a point slightly in ad.- vance of the upright guides 12, as better shown in. Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings. Arranged in suitable guides in this upright 32 is a vertically-movable rack-bar 33, which is connected by arms 34 or otherwise with a rack bar 35 which is designed and adapted to engage the pinions 29 of the twisters, as better shown in Fig. 3. Also arranged in suitable guides in the upright, 32 (see Fig. 2) is a vertically-movable rack-bar 36, and between this rack-bar 36 and the rackbar35 is an idler pinion 37 ,which meshes with the teeth of both, as shown, and for. a purpose presently described. The upright, 32 is provided,.as better showninFig, 1,witl 1,vertical transverselydisposed slots. 33, andin these slots are arranged and adapted towmove lugs 39 and 40, which are connected to the rack-

bars

33 and 36, respectively. These

lugs

39 and 40 are designed for the engagement of an arm 41, which is pivotally connected at its lower end toa.vertically-movable plunger 42 and at its upperend straddles saidplunger, so as to permit of its beingswung first to one side to engage one ofv the lugs and. then to the other side to engage the other lug. The-arm 41 is moved'firstto one side and then to they other. by the cam-levers 4344, which are fulcruined at intermediate points of their length on the uprights 32, and. are adapted at their upper ends tobe engagedby the lugs 39 40, respectively, andare providedat their lower ends with adjustably-connected portions 45, designed to engage opposite sides of the arm 41, for a purpose presently described.

The plunger 42 is reciprocated by-the driveshaft 5 through the medium of the gear-wheel 46 on said shaft, the pinion 47, which meshes with said gear-wheel, the crank-arm 48 on the same shaft as the pinion, and the pit-man 49, connected at one end to the crank-arm and at its opposite end to the plunger 42, as illustrated. In Fig. 1 of the drawings the plunger 42 is shown at its lowermost position with the arm 41 in a posit-ion to engage the lug 40 of the rack-bar 36. Now when the plunger 42 is moved upwardly the arm 41, engaging the lug 40, will raise the rack-bar 36, rotate the pinion 37 in the direction indicated by arrow, (see Fig. 2,) and move the rack-bar 33 and the rack-bar 35 downwardly, and consequently rotate the pinions 29 and the wiretwisters 25 in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 3. \Vhen the lug 40 is moved upwardly,

it engages the upper portion. of the cam-lever 44 and presses said upper-portion outwardly, and consequently presses andholds theinner portion of said lever inwardly. In oonse-a quence ofthis it will beseen that when, the plunger and the arm 41 are moved down.- wardly the said arm 41 will be engaged by the lower end of the lever 44and move so that on the next succeeding upward stroke of the plunger it will engage-the lug 39 of theme]:-

bar 33. Vith the parts in this position, when outwardly, and, consequently press-and hold the lower end inwardly, so that when the plunger is moved downwardly the upper end of the arm 41 will be engaged by the said lower end of the cam-lever 43 and will be moved so that on. the next succeeding up ward stroke of the plunger it will again-en:

gage the lug 40.

It will be observed that wheat-he rack-bar 33 is moved upwardly the rack-bar 35 will also be moved upwardly and the twisters 25. rotated in a direction opposite. to that, indi cated by arrow in Fig. 3, and it will also be seen that when the rack-bar-36 is movedupwardly the rack-bar 35 will be moveddown.

wardly and the twisters 25 will be rotated in the direction indicated byv arrow in Fig. 3.

It will further be observedthat during'thev downward strokesof theplunger 42.and,arm

41 the rack-bars 33 36, the pinion 37, the rackbar 35, and the twisters will. remain idle, for a purpose presently to be described.

50, indicatesa walkingbeam which is ful-:

crumed between the upperv ends of the lip-- rights .12 and has its opposite ends connected to the pitmen 51, which are connected to the vertically-movable slides 14., and 52 indicates an upright which is connected to and rises from one side of the main frame 1 and is arranged at one side of the uprights 12, as shown. Arranged in suitable guides in this upright 52 is a vertically-movable rack-bar 53, which has a lug 53 extending through a vertical slot 54 in the upright, and which bar 53 is connected by a pitman 55 with one of the pitmen 51, and also arranged in suitable guides in said upright 52 is a vertically-movable rack-bar 56, which also has a lug 57 extending through a vertical slot 58 in the upright, as shown. A pinion 59 is arranged between and in mesh with the rack-

bars

53 and 56, and consequently it will be seen that when.

one of the said bars is moved upwardly the other will be moved downwardly.

60 indicates a vertical plunger arranged in suitable guides on the upright 52. 61 indicates an arm pivotally connected to the plunger 60 and adapted at its upper end to engage the lugs 53 57 alternately, and 62 63 indicate levers similar to the levers 13 5L4 before described, which are designed to operate in a manner similar to said levers 43 44 to move the arm 61 to a position so'that it will engage the lug of one of the rack-bars after it has engaged the lug of and raised the other rack-bar and returned to its lowermost position. Motion is transmitted from the shaft 64, which carries the pinion 4'7 and the crank &8, to the plunger 60 through the medium of the crank-arm 65 on said shaft and the pitman 06, which is connected to said crank-arm and plunger, as better shown in Fig. 2. By reason of the constructionjust described it will be observed that when the plunger 60 is moved upwardly with the arm (51 in engagement with the lug 53 of the rackbar 53 said rack-bar will be raised, the walking-beam 50 will be rocked in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 4, and one of the slides 14 will be raised and the other lowered, and when the said plunger 60 is moved upwardly with the arm 61 in engagement with the lug 57 of the rack-bar 56 said rack-bar 56 will be moved upwardly, the walking-beam 50 will be rocked in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow in Fig. 4, and the slides 11 will be moved in directions opposite to their former movements. When the plunger 60 is moved downwardly, the rack-bars 53 56, the plunger 50, and the slides 1a will remain idle, for a purpose presently described.

In the practical operation of the machine the runner-wires are carried from the spools 10 through the tubular portions 27, and apertures 31 of the twister-shafts 25, and are connected to a fixed post or other support. The

machine is then started forward, when it will be seen that the twisters will be rotated and the slides 14 will be reciprocated in opposite directions through the medium of the mechanism before described. The movements of the parts are so timed that while the plunger 60 is moving downwardly and the slides 14 are idle the twisters will be rotated in one direction to twist the wire 23 around the runner-wires 11, as better shown in Fig. 1. Atthe conclusion of the upward movement of the plunger 42, through the medium of which the twisters are rotated, and while said plunger 42 is moving downwardly the plunger 60 is moved upwardly, and through the medium of the mechanism described one of the slides 14 is moved up and the other down. The movement of the parts is also so timed that this movement of the slides 14: will take place while the flattened portions 26 of the twistershafts 25 are idle and vertically disposed, as shown in Fig. 4, and consequently it will be seen that such movements of the slides will move those twister-sections 18 which are in one slide up and those which are in the other slide down.

In the present embodiment of the invention the slides 1 1 are shown as provided, respectively,with ten semicircular portions 16, which serve in conjunction to form ten circular bearings for the twisters. There are, however, but five pairs of twister-sections l8 employed, and they are arranged as better shown in Fig. -1 of the drawings. seen that, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, when one slide (the left slide, for instance) is moved up and the other slide down the twister-sections 18 of the left-hand slide will be moved upwardly such a distance that the twister-sections will rest alongside the shafts 25 above the shafts alongside of which they are shown in Fig. 4, while the twister-sections of the right-hand slide will rest alongside the shafts 25 below the shafts alongside of which they are shown in Fig. at.

This transfer or movement of the twister-sections 18 will carry the wrapping-wires 23 from one runner-wire 11 to another to form meshes, as shown in Fig. 1, each twister-section 18 serving to wrap the wire 23 around two runner-wires 11 alternately. At the completion of the movements of the slides 14, as described, the twisters will be rotated, through the medium of the mechanism described, in a direction opposite to the direction of the first rotary movement to twist the wires 23 around the runner-wires. The slides 14 Will be then returned to the position shown in Fig. 4:, and the operation is repeated until the entire fence or fabric is completed.

\Vhen my improved machine is tobe used for forming a fabric for fence purposes, the traveling wheels may be omitted and anysuitable motor may be employed to rotate the shaft 64.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a machine for making wire fabric, the

combination of a main frame, a drive-shaft journaled therein, reciprocatory slides having bearings, shafts journaled in the frame and Consequently it will be having the tubular portions and the flattened and apertured portions arranged between the slides, spool-carriersarranged in the bearings of the-slides and adapted in conjunction with the shafts to form wire-twisters, mechanism intermediate of thedrive-shaft and thetwistersfor rotating said'twisters, and mechanism intermediate of the drive-shaft and the slides for reciprocating said slides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for making wire fabric, the

combination of a main frame, a drive-shaft journaledtherein, reciprocatory slides arranged side by side and having semicircular bearing portions in their inner sides, shafts journaled in theframe and havingthe tubu lar portions and the fiattened and apertured portions arranged between the slides, the spool-carriers arranged on opposite sides of the flattened portions and serving in conjunction with the same to form twisters on the shafts and having the semicircular end portions arranged in the bearing portions of the slides and also having apertures for the passageof twisting wire, the spools journaled in said carriers; mechanism intermediate ofthe drive-shaft and the shafts of the twisters for rotating thelatter, and mechanism intermediate of the drive-shaft and the slides for movingsaidslid'es simultaneously inopposite directions, the said mechanisms each having a lost motion and being so timed that the' twisters will be rotated while'the slides are idle and the slides will be moved while the twiste'rs are at rest, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 3. In amachinefor makingawire fabric,the combination of slides-having bearings, rotary shafts arranged-between the slides and adapted for the passageof wires and having pinions, spool-carriers arranged in the bearings of the slides and adapted to move therewith in planes-on opposite sides of the plane of the shafts, a walking-beam,. pitmen connecting the opposite ends of said beam and the slides, a rack-bar engaging the pinions of the shafts, and means for rocking the walking-beam and moving the rack-bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

at. In a machine for making wire fabric, the combination of slides having bearings, rotary shafts arranged between the slidesan d adapted for the passage of wires and having pinions, spool-carriers arranged in the bearings of the slides and adapted to move therewith in planes on opposite sidesof the plane of the shafts, a walking-beam, pitmen connecting theopposite ends of said beam and the slides, a rack-bar engaging the pinions of the shaft,

a drive-shaft, rack-bars connected by an interposed idler-gear and having lugs, a connection between one of said rack-bars and the walking-beam, a plunger having aswing- 'ing arm adapted to alternately engage the lugs of the rack-bars, cam-levers for moving said" arm, a connection between the drive shaft and the plunger for reciprocating said plunger, a second pair of rack-bars connected by an interposed idler-gear and having lugs, a connection between one of said rack-bars and the rack-bar which engages the pinions of the twister shafts, a plunger havin g a swing]- ing arm adapted to alternately engage the lugs-of the rack-bars, cam-levers for moving said arm, and a connection between the driveshaft and the second plunger for reciprocat ing said plunger, the parts being so timed that when the plunger connected with the walking-beam is moved in one direction the other plunger connected with the rack-bar en gaging the pinions of the twister-shafts will be moved in the opposite direction, substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a machine for building wire fences, the combination of a frame, a shaft having traction-wheels at its ends and journaled in the frame, a drive-shaft connected'by gearing by an interposed idler-gear and having lugs,

a connection between one of the said-rack bam and the'walking-beam, a plunger having a swinging arm adapted to alternately engage the lugs of the rack-bars, cam-levers for mov-' ing said arm,a pitman connected at oneend to one crank-arm of the drive-shaft and at'its opposite end tothe plunger, asecond p'airof rack-bars connected by an interposed idler gear and having lugs, a connection between one of said rack-bars and the rack-bar which engages the pinions of the twister-shafts, a second plunger having a swinging arm adapted toalternately engage the lugs of t'herackk bars, cam-levers for moving said arm, and a pitman connected to one of the crank-arms ofthe drive-shaft and the second plunger, sub-- stantially as specified.

6. In' a machine for building wire fences, the combinationof a frame, a rack arranged thereon and carrying wire-spools, tractionwheels supporting the frame, slides arranged in the frame in rear of the spool-rack and'hav ing bearings, rotary shafts arranged between the slides and adapted for the passage of wires, spool-carriers arranged in the bearings of the slides and adapted to move therewith in planes on opposite sides of the plane of the shafts; mechanism intermediate of one of the'traction-wheels and the shafts for rotating saidshafts, and mechanism intermediate of one of the traction-wheels and the slidesfor moving;

said slides simultaneously in opposite direc'" tions, the said mechanisms each having a 10st and canrlevers arranged to be engaged by the lugs of the rack-bars and adapted to move the pivoted arm of the plunger, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

will be rotated While the slides are idle and the slides will be moved While the shafts are at rest, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of a device to be moved, rack-bars having lugs, a connection between one of the said rack-bars and the device to be ROBERT DIAL. moved, a reeiproeatory plunger, an arm piv- Vitnesses: otally connected to said plunger and adapted A. K. DOU GLASS, to en gage the lugs of the rack-bars alternately, ELLIOTT DIAL.

motion and being so timed that the shafts