US633370A

US633370A - Wire-fabric machine.

Info

Publication number: US633370A
Application number: US72519399A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Shellaberger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-07-26
Filing date: 1899-07-26
Publication date: 1899-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1916-09-19

Description

No. 633,370. Patented Sept. l9, I899.

E. F. SHELLABERGEB.

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

(Application filed. July 26, 1899) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet l,

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No. 633,370. Patented Sept. 19, I899. E. F. SHELLABERGER. WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

(Application filed July 26, 1899.)

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Patented Sept. l9, I899. E. F. SHELLABERGER.

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

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WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

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No. 633,370. Patented Sept. l9,-l899.

- E. F. SHELLABERGER.

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

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WIRE FABRIC MACHINE. [Application filed July 26, 1899.) (NolodeL) 9 Sheets-Sheet 7.

No. 633,370. Patented Sept. [9, I899.

. E. F. SHELLABERGEB.

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

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M M HH UN STATES PATENT .OJFFIQB EDVARD F. SHELLABERGER, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FABRIC MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,370, dated September 19, 1899.

' Application filedJ'uly 26,1899. senate. 725,193. on model.)

To a wlwm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. SHELLA- BERGER, of DeKalb, in the count-y of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVire- Weaving Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wire-weaving machines, and is particularly adapted to the weaving of wire fences composed of a series of longitudinal strands with which are interwoven transverse stays or pickets.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kind having a capacity for producing the fabric rapidly, the machine being so organized that the transverse stays or pickets do not require any shaping or forming previous to being fed into the machine.

The machine is adapted to the making of a fabric composed of longitudinal cables, each formed of two wires twisted together with single-wire pickets or stays; but in a modified construction I show provisions for making a fence fabric composed of longitudinal strands, some of which are cables and some single wires, with single-wirepickets or stays connecting the series of strands transversely. A machine designed to weave a fence composed of longitudinal cables and transverse stays or pickets, wherein the wire from which the pickets are formed is fed at intervals across and betweenthe strands of the cables and twists therewith, is shown in Letters Patent No. 622,406 issued to me as assi nee of Charles E. \Varner April .4, 1899. In the machine of that patent provisions are shown for deflecting the picket-wire.between the strand wires or cables in order to provide the necessary slack for permitting the formation of the loop or wrap of the strands around the cables. My invention is an improvement upon the machine of that patent in several respects, which will be made apparent inthe followingdescription, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved machine, except the reels and reel-holders for supplying the wire. Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite side elevations of that part of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a partial sectional elevation taken on the line .44 of .Fig.

1, particularly showing the picket-wire feed and three of the twisters. Fig. 5 is a detailed view, in cross-sectional elevation, taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 4. Figs. (3, 7, and 8 are detailed views of the twisterhcads. Figs. 9 and 10 are detailed views of the fabric particularly intended to show the twisted loops thereof. Fig. 11 is a detailed view showing the knife for severing the picket or stay and its operating mechanism. Fig. 12 is a side elevation showing in detail the cams and the mechanisms operated thereby in the formation of the loop. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the rack-bar for rotating the twister-heads and its driving mechanism; and Figs. 14 to 18, inclusive, are views showing a modified construction to adapt the machine to the weaving of a fabric wherein the pickets are interwoven with singlewire strands or a combination of single-wire strands and cables.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings and from which said drawings were made is adapted to weave fabrics of varying widths up to sixty-three inches and contains twelve twister-heads, each adapted to carry two wires, which are cabled or twisted together, with provisions for regularly moving such wires, cabling them, feedingin the picket or stay wire, interweaving it at the points of intersect-ion, cutting off the picket-wire, wrapping the severed ends around the marginal cables, straightening the body of the stay or picket between the loops, and drawing out the finished fabric.

..'lhe operative parts are mounted upon the framework 20, which affords a support for the boxes of the several shafts, of which 21 is the driving-shaft geared to the counter-shaft 22, carrying a series of gear-wheelsand cams for driving various operative mechanisms and the reel-shaft.

The drawings show the machine with the parts in the position they occupy during the deflection of the picket-wires to provide the necessary slack for the formation of the loops and just prior to the operation of the twisters .to-form said loops.

elevation, its journals being marked and its driving-gear 36. The twister-heads being disposed in the same horizontal plane and with their gears 36 in alinement, they are simultaneously driven by means of a rack 37,

mounted upon a sliding bar 38. Endwise-reciprocating motion is imparted to this rackbar by the means shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 13, the rack-bar having a downwardly-extending arm 39, to which is connected at pitman 40, pivotally connected to a sliding cross-head 41 and carrying a perforated plate 42, which serves as a rack, centering-pins 43, and curved segmental guides 44, all projecting transversely from the side of the cross-head. A gear-wheel is mounted with its teeth in line with the perforations of the rack-plate 42 on a shaft 46, provided with a sliding block or box 47, moving in a guideway 48, the shaft having a universal-joint or knuckle connection at its opposite end with a short drivingshaft 49, driven intermittently by the beveled pinion 50 and mutilated gear 51 on shaft 22. Obviously the rotation of the cam-shaft 22 driving the shafts 49 and 46 intermittently will result in rotating the gear 45 in the direction of the arrow. The gear is provided with a pin 45, which is shown in Fig. 13 in contact with the inner surface of the curved guide 44. The gear has two of its teeth cut away, and between them is formed a depression orseat 45" for the centering-pin 43. \Vhen rotation is imparted to the gear 45, it will be caused by reason of the

pins

43 and 45 to draw the cross-head 41 inward until the teeth of the gear engage the perforations on the under side of the rack-plate 42, thus imparting a stroke to the cross-head, which terminates as the gear reaches the corresponding position at the opposite end of the rack, when it comes to rest. In the return movement the gear will travel upon the upper side of the rack-plate and cause the movement of the cross-head and therefore of the rack-bar 38 in the opposite direction.

Assuming now that the

wires

26 and 29 are properly threaded through the twister-head, the rotation of the twisters would result in twisting or cabling said wires together. In order to connect the cables transversely, the pickets or stays are fed in from the side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 4. The picket-wire (marked 52) is drawn from acoil or spool between the feed-rolls 53, driven by the gears 54, the pinion 55, idler 56, and driver 57, arranged in the usual manner, so as to give a fast or slow speed. The wire 52 is fed through the enlarged chambers 31 of the twisters, being guided thereto by the funnel-shaped guides 58, one of which is mounted upon the framework adjacent to each twister-head. The wire 52 in feeding in passes between the strandwires 28 29 back of the crotch or point of crossing of the latter and is projected entirely across the fabric and beyond the margin thereof suificiently to provide for the amount of wire taken up in forming the twisted loops. On a twenty-four-inch fabric composed of seven cables the loops take up from six to seven inches, depending upon the size of the wire. The wire 52 after being fed across between the strands of the cables, with its leading end projecting beyond the last cable, is held in that position by the feed, the movement of which is arrested. The intermittent feed is provided for by the employment of the mutilated gear 59 on the cam-shaft 22, which drives intermittently the pinion 60 on shaft 61, which carries the gear 57. The next operation consists in deflecting the body of the wire 52 between successive cables. In my machine this deflection is in a horizontal plane or the plane of the fabric and in the direction of its travel. The deflect-ion is accomplished by means of a series of vibrating levers 62, pivoted between their ends upon pivots 63 and carrying at their extremities adjustable blocks 64, provided with rollers 65. These rollers contact with cams 66, the cams being mounted upon a shaft 67, driven from the shaft 22 by means of the mutilated gear 68 enmeshing pinion 69 on shaft 70, having a beveled gear 71 driving a similar gear 72 on the shaft 67. One of these levers 62 is arranged to project into each of the spaces between the longitudinal strands of the fabric, and in the inactive positions the upper end of the lever is back of the path of the picket or stay wire 52 as it feeds forward across the fabric. During such position the lean side of the cam 66 is presented opposite the roller 65. The cams 66 are so disposed upon their shaft as to come into action successively, the cam on the feeding-in side of the machine being first brought into action. As the roller travels up the incline of the cam its lever moves forward, striking the wire 52 between the first pair of cables and deflecting the body of said wire, which is yet unsevered and held in the guide of the feeding mechanism. The body of the wire resting between the cables is drawn into the crotch of the second pair and the deflected portion is held in that position until successive deflections are produced between each pair-of cables by the successive action of the series of levers 62. The cams are so arranged as to all become inactive at the same time, being successively shorter from the feed side of the machine. In order to prevent their sudden back Ward movement and yetallow them to yield while the loops are being formed, each of the levers 62 is backed up by a spring 73. The

' of the twisters I employ a series of pivoted guides comprising a block 74, carried by an arm 75, fixed on a rock-shaft 76, having an operating-crank 77, which is vibrated by lever 78, provided with an antifriction-roller 79, which is engaged by cam 80 on the shaft 22. The cam 80 is so positioned as to operate immediately after the fabric is drawn forward and before the stay-Wire is fed in. The blocks are positioned so as to cooperate with the funnels 58, the latter being slotted on their front sides, as shown at 58, the blocks dropping down in front of said slots.

The cut-01f mechanism for the stay-wire is shown indetail in Fig. 11 and comprises the fixed shearing-block 81, with which a knife 82 cooperates. The knife-bar is pivoted at 83, and its lower end has a retracting-spring 84 attached thereto which normally holds the upper end of the knife-bar against the stop 85, and pivoted lever 86 has one end thereof positioned to engage the lower end of the knife-bar,while its opposite end is in the path of a pin or stud 87, mounted on one of the cam-disks 66. The position of the pin 87 determines the time of the out, which immediately precedes the twisting.

The pull-out mechanism may be of any desired construction; but I have shown the mechanism for driving it arranged with particular reference to the action of the twisters, which is an important consideration, as will be hereinafter explained. As shown, the fabric is drawn out over the series of drums 88 89 90 and thence carried back to the spooling-drum 91. The series of drums 88 89 90 are geared together, and the drum 89 carries a beveled gear 92, driven by apinion 93 on the shaft 94, having a gear 95, which is intermittently driven by the mutilated gear 96 on the shaft 22. With reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the tooth parts of the mutilated gears 51 and 56 are so disposed that the gear 51, which drives the twisters, comes into action first, so as to form the loop in the stay-wire before the pull-out gear comes into action. When the pull-out starts, the

twister is still in action, and the stay-wire' will continue to be twisted or wrapped around the cables until the crown of the loop passes beyond or out of the jaws of the twister. In heavy wire it will not be necessary to give more than a half-twist to the base portions of the loop; but in light wire it would be preferable to give a complete wrap or twist of the stay-wire around the strand or cable wires. This might be done by making the jaws longer or by providing the gear 51 with more teeth, so as to commence the twisting action farther in advance of the pull out. The spool or reel 9]., on which the fabric is wound into rolls, is driven by the belt 97, running from pulley 98 on shaft 22 over a pulley 99 on the reel-shaft. This belt is provided with a suitable tightener 100 and is intended to slip as the diameter of the roll increases, so as to drive the reel slower.

In order to straighten out any kinks, deflections, or crooked portions remaining in the stay or picket after the twisting operation ceases, I employ a straightening mechanism, which is clearly shown in Fig. 12. A series of blocks 101 are mounted on a bar 102, extended transversely across the machine, in front of the twisters, and carried by arms 103, secured with a rock-shaft 104, having a crank 105, which is moved by a lever 106, having a roller 107, arranged in the path of a cam 108 on the shaft 22. The blocks 101 are shown in Fig. 12 below the plane of the fabric in order to permit the latter to feed forward, and as the cam comes into action it rocks the .shaft 104, throwing the blocks 101 into the path of the wires, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5.

In order to arrest the cam 66 in proper position for each actuation, I preferably provide a flat-sided stop-block 109 on the shaft 67 and arrange to cooperate therewith a lever 110, carryingshoe 111, the lever being reciprocated by a cam 112, against which it is normally held in contact by the spring 113. The forward end of the lever 110 passes through the hanger 114. The cam 112 is so set with reference to the flat-sided block 109 that as the shaft 67 completes its revolutionthe flat side of the block and the fiat side of the shoe are brought into face contact, thus holding the cams 66 in proper position, or rather preventing them from being carried beyond proper position by momentum or arrested before reaching proper position by inertia.

Describing now the complete operation of the machine and assuming that the strand- Wires have been threaded through the twisterheads and twisted beyond the ends of the twisters, with the crotch of the last twist resting within the jaws and the stay-wire passed between the strand-wires in each twister-head and projected beyond the last cable, thereupon the cam 66 next the feeding-in side of the machine comes into action and vibrates its lever 62, deflecting the said wire between the first pair of cables, followed by the action of the next cam and its lever, and successively deflecting portions of the. said wire across the fabric. The knife then acts and severs the stay from the wire, and then all of the cams 66 simultaneously release, leaving the series of arms 62 held in position by their springs 73 and maintaining the stay-wire suitably defiected across the fabric. The twisters then begin their rotation, forming the loops, and at the conclusion of the loop formatiou'the pull-out mechanism comes into action, drawing out the fabric while thetwisters are still So long as the loop of the fabric is rotating.

IIO

within the jaws of the twister the wrapping of the stay-wires around the strand-wires continues. As soon as the loop passes beyond the grasp of the jaws the strand-wires simply twist upon each other, and the pulling out of the fabric and the twisting of the cablestrands proceed simultaneously. As the fabric is drawn out the formation of the loops is intended to take up the slack and to straighten the deflected portions of the stay-wires; but in order to give a better finish to the fabric the stay-wire-straightening mechanism previously described comes into action at each forward movement of the fabric, the blocks 101 engaging anyforward deflections or bends in the stay-wire and the latter being straightened by the time the fabric comes to rest.

In Figs. 1st to 18, inclusive, I have shown additional mechanism whereby the machine is adapted to the weaving of a fabric composed of single-wire longitudinal strands and transverse stays. The twister is modified by the omission of one of the longitudinal perforations, if desired, or it may have two perforations, one of them only carrying a strandwire. .Each twister is provided with a longitudinally-extending channel 115, leading to the slot 32 in front of the chamber 31. ithin this channel is pivoted a finger 116, with its point adapted to be brought into contact with the surface of the jaw 34 in front of the stay-wire 523, so as to prevent the latter from being drawn out through the slot by the action of the deflecting-levers. The finger 110 is formed with a rearwardly-projecting bent arm, the extremity of which has oppositelyinclined portions 117 118, resting within a correspondingly-formed slot 119 in a collar or sleeve 120, mounted to rotate with the twister. The side of the latter may be flattened or provided with a channel corresponding to the slot 119 in the collar. An arm 121 has a pin engaging a groove 122 in the collar, and said arm projects rearwardly and is connected to a sliding bar 123, which is actuated by a lever 124, extending into bearing proximity to a cam 125, which may be on the shaft 22. In Fig. 16 the finger is shown depressed in front of the stay-wire, thus restraining it from forward movement during the action of the deflecting-levers. The finger is moved to and held in this position by means of the collar, which is pressed forward by the action of the cam, which is so timed as to hold the finger down until the fabric is ready to pull out.

The forward movement of the fabric will rock the finger upon its pivot, and the inclines on the extremity of the arm will force the collar backward and place the extremity of its controlling-lever in position to be again engaged by the cam. By means of this addition to the mechanism a fabric composed of singlestrand wires and transverse stays may be produced.

The machine of my present invention is particularly adapted to the economical production of a fabric for wire fencing-such as shown in my Patent No. (323,8i1, dated April 25, 1899, which illustrates the same fabric shown in the drawings, Figs. 9 and 10. This fabric is distinguished by the fact that the stay-wires have loops extending at an angle to the body of the stay-wire and parallel to the cable,with the crown of the loop embraced between the strands of the cable and the end portions of the loop being turned, respectively, over and under and embracing both strands of the cable, extending therefrom in opposite directions to the adjacent cable. The construction would be essentially the same if a single-wire strand were used, except that the loop in that case would not be embraced between two strand-wires. In the \Varner patent, to which I have previously alluded, the fabric has loops interlocked with the strand-wires; but said loops lie in the plane of the stay-wire instead of being angularly disposed thereto. My machine is distinguished from the said Varner machine not only in the particular construction of its twisters, but in the fact that it omits numerous parts necessary to the operation of said patented machine, such as the independent jaws for clenching or setting the loops. In my machine the stay-wires are deflected in the plane of the fabric, and this is made possible by reason of the peculiar construction of the twisters, which enables the stay-wire to be deflected forwardly without withdrawing it from the loop-forming mechanism. In my construction also the last'twist of the cable remains within the grasp of the jaws and the looping is performed not by the twisting of the cable-wires,as in the previous construc-v tion, but by the jaws of the twister.

I claim- 1. A twister for wire-weaving machines adapted to carry a strand-wire and having a transverse slot in its extremity atfordingjaws, separated to permit a stay-wire to be projected between them and adapted when the twister is rotated to engage the stay-wire on opposite sides of the strand-wire to form a loop in the stay and interlock said loop with the strand, substantially as described.

2. A twister for wire-Weaving machines adapted to carry a pair of strand-wires and having its extremity slotted to provide a pair of jaws separated to permit a stay-Wire to be projected between them and adapted when rotated to engage the stay-wire to form a loop in the stay and interlock said loop with the strands, substantially as described.

8. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with means for feeding a stay-wire across a series of strand-wires, of a series of twisters having transversely-slotted ends affording jaws which engage the body of the stay-wire on opposite sides of the strands and by their rotation form loops therein and twist them about the strand-wires, substantially as described. a

4. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with means for feeding a stay-wire across a series of strand-wires, of a series of twisters carrying the strand-wires and having transversely-slotted ends affording jaws which engage the body of the stay-wire on opposite sides of the strands and by their rotation form loops therein and twist them about the strand-wires, and means for deflecting the body of the stay-wire between adjacent strands, substantially as described.

5. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, means for feeding a stay-wire transversely across the series of strand-wires and means for deflecting the body of the staywire between adjacent strand wires, said means comprising a series of pivoted levers and earns for actuating said levers successively, substantially as described.

6. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, of means for feeding a stay-wire transversely across the series of strand-wires and means for deflecting the body of the staywire between adjacent strand-wires, said means comprising a series of pivoted levers and cams for actuating said levers successively, and springs for yieldingly holding said levers in contact with the stay-wire after the cams become inactive, substantially as described.

7. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with a series of twisters carrying strand-wires, means for feeding and severing the stay-wire, levers for deflecting the staywire between the strands, cams for actuating said levers and a stop mechanism for arresting said cams in proper relation to the levers, substantially as described.

8. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination, with a series of twisters for carrying stran d-Wires, of means for feeding a stay-wire across the strands and interlocking it therewith, rack-gearing for rotating the twisters, a pull-out mechanism and gearing for driving the same, the twister-driving gear and the pull-out-driving gear being arranged in such relation to each other that the pull-out begins before the twisting action ceases, substantially as described.

9. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, said twisters having drivinggears, of a sliding rack intermeshing said gears and means for sliding said rack comprising a rack-plate connected thereto and a pinion for driving the rack, the pinion having a movable bearing and guides whereby it is caused to travel upon opposite sides of the plate during the reciprocations of the latter,

substantially as described.

10. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters, each adapted to carry strand-wire and having jaws for looping a stay-wire and interlocking it with the strand-wires, means for feeding the staywire between the jaws, means for deflecting the body of the stay-wire between the strands and means for holding the stay-wire between the deflected portions and within the grasp of the jaws, substantially as described.

11. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, of means for feeding a stay-wire across the body of said strand-wires, means for deflecting the stay-wire in the plane of the fabric and means for straightening the deflected portions, comprising blocks pivotally mounted and adapted to be projected and held in the path of the fabric as the latter is drawn out, substantially as described.

12. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, each twister having its end transversely slotted to provide jaws, means for projecting a stay-wire across the strandwire between said jaws and slotted guides mounted adjacent to the jaws of each twister for guiding the end of the stay-wire, substantially as described.

13. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters for carrying strand wires, each twister having its end transversely slotted to provide jaws, means for projecting a stay-wire across the strand wire between said jaws and funnel-shaped guides mounted adjacent to said jaws and slotted on their forward sides to permit the fabric to be drawn out, substantially as de scribed.

14. In a wire-weaving machine, the combination with a series of twisters for carrying strand-wires, each twister having its end transversely slotted to provide jaws, means for projecting a stay-wire across the strand wire between said jaws, and funnel-shaped guides mounted adjacent to said jaws and slotted on their forward sides to permit the fabric to be drawn out and movable blocks adapted to close the slots of the guides dur-* ing the feeding in of the stay-wire, substantially as described.

EDWARD F. SHELLABERGER.

Witnesses:

G. C. LINTHIoUM, IRVINE MILLER.