Abstract:
A plurality of rollers for producing longitudinal grooves in an elongated metal substrate, the plurality of rollers comprising a first set and a second set of rollers, the plurality of rollers having groove-forming fluted edges thereon. The plurality of rollers are aligned circumferentially around and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated metal substrate, wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to produce an odd number of grooves distributed asymmetrically about a circumference of the elongated metal substrate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/047,155, filed Apr. 23, 2008, entitled “MULTIPLE GROOVED WIRE.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The claimed invention is directed to a grooved wire. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method and device for manufacturing wire having an odd number of grooves. 
         [0003]    Round wire has been produced for hundreds of years. Not only is round wire the easiest type of wire to manufacture, the symmetrical shape of round wire exhibits predictable, uniform properties in any direction when used to bear mechanical loads, carry electricity, and propagate telecommunication signals. Such properties include a wire&#39;s bending yield strength in response to a shear load. 
         [0004]    The majority of the cost of manufacture of wire comes from the raw materials used to make the wire. As the cost of the raw materials rises, however, it is desirable to minimize manufacturing costs by creating wire which uses less material to form the wire without significantly compromising the desirable properties of the wire, such as bending yield strength. 
         [0005]    Currently, there exist methods to make 4, 6, and 8-groove wire using identical rollers which create grooved sections of wire that are directly opposed to one another. It would be desirable, however, to create a wire configured in which the grooved edge is directly opposite to a protruding edge to enable the wire to resist a shear load applied to a grooved side of the wire using its non-grooved counterpart. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Longitudinal grooves in an elongated metal substrate are produced by pulling the metal substrate through a plurality of rollers. The rollers have groove-forming protrusions thereon and are aligned circumferentially around and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated metal substrate, hereinafter referred to as “wire”. The rollers are configured to produce an odd number of grooves distributed asymmetrically about a circumference of the wire. 
         [0007]    The plurality of rollers includes at least a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers. The first set of rollers produces an odd number of grooves and the second set of rollers produces an even number of grooves in the wire, although the order may be changed depending on the configuration of the rollers. The first set of rollers is off-set of the second set of rollers. The second set of rollers produces grooves at gaps between the grooves formed by the first set of rollers. 
         [0008]    Flashing is reduced in the grooves formed by the first set of rollers. There are at least as many gaps between rollers of the first set of rollers as there are grooves formed by the second set of rollers. The protrusions of the second set of rollers are configured to straddle the grooves formed by the first set of rollers. 
         [0009]    In one method, the wire is drawn through the roller set in which a first roller in the plurality of rollers has a different number of groove-forming protrusions than a second roller in the plurality of rollers. Each roller in the plurality of rollers produces full-radius grooves or non-full radius grooves. 
         [0010]    The method can include drawing the wire through rollers can be configured such that each roller in the plurality of rollers produce grooves having a V-shaped cross-section, a rounded cross-section, a square cross-section, or other compatible configuration. 
         [0011]    In drawing the wire through the rollers, each roller in the plurality of rollers produces ridges in the elongated metal substrate. The plurality of rollers produce grooves that may be spaced uniformly or non-uniformly around a circumference of the elongated metal substrate. The plurality of rollers produce ridges having a rounded or pointed peak or combination thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The benefits and advantages of the claimed invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wire being drawn between rollers to illustrate the method of the principles of the claimed invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 1  cross-section II-II; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of an inlet roller; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of section IV-IV of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged side view of section V of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of section VI-VI of  FIG. 1 , without the grooves from the inlet rollers present; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of section VI-VI of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a front view of an embodiment of an outlet roller; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a section view XI-XI of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of section X of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a wire having passed through inlet rollers; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of a wire having passed through the embodiment of the outlet rollers; 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of a wire having passed through both inlet and the embodiment of outlet rollers; 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment from section XIV-XIV of FIG.  1 ;; 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is another embodiment of the outlet roller; 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is another embodiment of section VI-VI from the outlet roller of  FIG. 15  creating a wire with flatter edges and wider radii; 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is another cross-sectional view of the wire passing through the embodiment of the outlet roller of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 18  is another embodiment of a cross-sectional view of a wire passing through inlet rollers; 
           [0031]      FIG. 19  is another embodiment of a cross-sectional view of a wire passing through the outlet rollers of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 20-21  are cross-sectional views of a wire having passed through inlet rollers and the embodiment of the outlet roller of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a wire having female cross-grooves therein made with another embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of a wire having male cross-grooves therein made with another embodiment of the claimed invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 24  is a chart illustrating the several embodiments of the wire produced by various embodiments of the claimed invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    While the claimed invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
         [0037]    It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein. 
         [0038]    The present disclosure describes a method and device for the manufacture of multiple grooved wire. A grooved fastener is disclosed in Shelton, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/958,670, filed Dec. 12, 2007, commonly assigned with the present application and incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0039]    A method and apparatus for manufacturing multiple grooved wire uses, in a present embodiment, two sets of rollers to produce an odd numbered of grooves longitudinally along the length of a wire. As used herein, a wire is any metal substrate, preferably elongated, and includes hangars, nails, rods, fasteners, and other elongated metal substrates. Each set of rollers is comprised of three individual rollers. Each individual roller includes a disk-shaped body having a central axis about which a circular hub is circumferentially disposed. The disk-shaped body extends radially from the hub to a rim. The rim has a fluted edge configured for producing corresponding grooves and protrusions in a wire or nail. 
         [0040]    Each set of rollers has a slightly different profile (relative to the other set of rollers) to produce a profiled wire having an odd number of grooves, such that the grooves are disposed asymmetrically around the circumference of the wire. Any bending or shear forces applied normal to a particular groove is resisted on the opposite side of the wire by a non-grooved, ridged section. Each set of rollers includes three rollers. The six rollers (in the two sets) produce an odd-numbered groove arrangement. Each of the grooves has a nadir (the lowest point of the groove) and the nadirs are not diametrically opposed to one another, that is, not 180 degrees opposed, thus, helping to prevent over-thinning of the wire. In addition, such configuration does not compromise the bending yield strength of the wire. 
         [0041]    The two sets of rollers perform two functions simultaneously: they reduce the wire to its final diameter and form multiple grooves in the wire with one reduction pass through the sets of rollers. A single reduction pass eliminates the added expense of extra equipment to add grooves. The claimed invention can eliminate a considerable amount of the material needed to manufacture a wire. The claimed invention also reduces the material weight, and as such the material cost compared to round wire of comparable diameter. The groove-forming rollers may also be modified with shapes such as rings or protrusions to add additional elements to the wire. In some embodiments, rings or protrusions can be added to the grooves and/or to the circumference of the wire to add “holding power” to the wire. The rollers are made from tungsten carbide or other steel and/or similar materials and thus, have a long “roll” life before regrinding is necessary, significantly reducing tool changeover downtimes. 
         [0042]    Turning now to the figures, and in particular  FIG. 1 , there is shown an illustration of groove-forming rollers for the manufacture of multiple grooved wire, in accordance with the presently claimed invention. A present embodiment for grooved rollers and a method of using same is herein described for the manufacture of wire having nine grooves. It is understood that the present grooved rollers can be configured to produce grooves of any odd number. The present disclosure uses a nine (9) groove wire as an exemplary embodiment. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that sets of grooved rollers forming an odd-number of grooves is in keeping with the spirit of the claimed invention. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a cassette  100  housing two sets of rollers, an inlet set of rollers  114  and an outlet set of rollers  1   16 . While in the present embodiment a cassette is illustrated, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a housing or cassette is not necessary and is shown only as an example of an embodiment of the claimed invention. The inlet set of rollers  114  includes three rollers,  114   a,    114   b,  and  114   c,  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Inlet rollers  114   a,    114   b,  and  114   c  are each placed 120 degrees apart from each other relative to the circumference of the wire W. Each individual roller  114   a,    114   b,    114   c  includes a disk-shaped body  132  having a central axis  134 . The disk-shaped body  132  extends radially from the central axis  134  to a rim  138 . The rim  138  has a fluted edge  130 .  FIGS. 3-5  illustrate an individual inlet roller  114 . Each inlet roller in the present embodiment has a fluted edge  130  having a convex section  121  to produce one (1) groove  120  in the wire W. Thus, the three inlet rollers  114   a,    114   b,    114   c  together produce three corresponding grooves  120  in the wire W. As those skilled in the art will understand, the fluted edge  130  can be configured to produce any number of grooves in the wire, but that in the present embodiment, each of the inlet rollers  114  produces a single groove  120 . 
         [0044]    Similarly, the outlet set of rollers  116  includes three rollers,  116   a,    116   b,  and  116   c,  as illustrated in  FIGS. 6-13 . The outlet rollers  116   a,    116   b,  and  116   c  are each placed 120 degrees apart from each other relative to the circumference of the wire W. Each individual roller  116   a,    116   b,  and  116   c  includes a disk-shaped body  142  having a central axis  144 . The disk-shaped body  142  extends radially from the central axis  144  to a rim  148 . The rim  148  has a fluted edge  140 .  FIGS. 6-13  illustrate an individual outlet roller  1   16 . Each outlet roller in the present embodiment has a fluted edge having concave sections  128  and convex sections  123  which produces two (2) grooves  122  in the wire W. Thus, the three outlet rollers  116   a,    116   b,  and  116   c  together produce six corresponding grooves  122  in the wire W. As those skilled in the art will understand, the fluted edge  140  can be configured to produce any number of grooves in the wire, but that in the present embodiment, each of the outlet rollers  116  produces two grooves  122  in wire W to produce six (6) grooves in the wire W. 
         [0045]    The rollers  114 ,  116  are made from tungsten carbide or other steel or other similar material. The outlet set of rollers  116  is located sequentially after the inlet set of rollers  114  and are rotated in relation to the inlet set of rollers  114  such that the angle between an adjacent inlet roller  114  and an outlet roller  116  is approximately 60 degrees, as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0046]    Grooves  120 ,  122  are formed in the wire W when the round wire W is drawn through the inlet set of rollers  114 , then through the outlet set of rollers  116 ; the wire W then emerges as grooved wire W as shown in  FIG. 14 . The grooves  120  are formed around the circumference of the wire W, 120 degrees apart from each other and run parallel to each other along the longitudinal length of the wire W. 
         [0047]    With grooves  120  formed on the wire W by the inlet set of rollers  114 , the wire W passes through the outlet set of rollers  116 . The outlet set of rollers  116  are positioned such that that the grooves  120 , formed by the inlet rollers  114 , fall between the gaps  150  between the rollers  116   a,    116   b,  and  116   c.  Because the grooves  120  formed by the inlet rollers  114  fall between the gaps  150  of the outlet rollers  116 , no material is present that could create a potential flash or seam in the area during formation of the grooves  122 . 
         [0048]    In addition to grooves  120 ,  122  being formed, ridges  124  are formed simultaneously. Ridges  124  separate each groove  120 ,  122  from one another and also provide resistance to any bending stresses applied to the grooves  120 ,  122 . No two grooves are 180 degrees opposed to one another. A plurality of semicircular ridges  124  are disposed about the circumference of the wire W with at least one ridge  124  disposed between each of the grooves, as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
         [0049]    The profile of the grooves  120  formed by the inlet set of rollers  114  is such that each groove  120  is a full-radius groove  120  in the wire W. When the grooves  122  formed by the outlet set of rollers  116  are also full-radius grooves  122 , the final wire W shape is uniform around the circumference of the wire W, as shown in  FIG. 14 . Consequently, the ridges  124  formed are uniform in height. 
         [0050]    In an exemplary embodiment of the grooved wire W in which both inlet rollers  114  and outlet rollers  116  are configured to form full-radius grooves, the radius (depth) of each groove  120 ,  122  is 0.01 inches, with the diameter of the grooved wire 0.118 inches. In this exemplary embodiment, a total of nine grooves  120 ,  122  are formed around the circumference of the wire W, the grooves uniformly disposed along the circumference, approximately forty (40) degrees apart. 
         [0051]    In an alternate embodiment, the inlet rollers  214  form full-radius grooves  220 , and the outlet rollers  216  form grooves  222  of a different arcuate geometry such that the grooves  222  formed are not full-radius grooves, as shown in  FIGS. 15-21 . The fluted edge  240  of an outlet roller  216  producing such a different arcuate geometry is shown in  FIGS. 15 -17 . The outlet rollers  216  are positioned 120 degrees apart from one another and it is contemplated that the outlet set of rollers  216  are placed after the inlet set of rollers,  FIG. 18-19 . Consequently, the width across the top/peak of ridges  224  is slightly wider than the top/peak of the ridges  226 , as shown in  FIGS. 20-21 . It is contemplated that such a groove/ridge configuration lessens the stress on the outlet rollers  216 , resulting in longer tooling life. In another exemplary embodiment of the grooved wire W, the inlet rollers  214  are configured to form full-radius grooves, while the outlet rollers  216  are not. In this embodiment, the radius (depth) of each groove  220 ,  222  is 0.01 inches, with the diameter of the grooved wire 0.129 inches. In this exemplary embodiment, a total of nine grooves  220 ,  222  are formed around the circumference of the wire W, approximately forty (40) degrees apart and separated by ridges  224 ,  226 . 
         [0052]    The grooves are configured to extend along the length of the wire W, however, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the grooves may be interrupted and/or may not extend the entire length of the wire W. In alternative embodiments of the claimed invention, such as in  FIGS. 22 and 23 , the grooved wire may be formed with concave  360  rings formed within the grooves or around the circumference of the wire W. In another embodiment, convex  460  rings are formed in the ridges between the grooves or along the circumference of the wire W. In either case, the rings  260 ,  360  may be used to alter the strength of the grooved wire W to, for example, provide increased holding (pull-out) strength, or the like, as desired. In addition, the claimed invention may be used with hot or cold rolling type manufacturing as well as other types of wire-forming technology. 
         [0053]    The claimed invention can eliminate a considerable amount of the material needed to manufacture a wire. In doing so, the claimed invention reduces material costs without sacrificing strength or quality. 
         [0054]    It should be noted that the preceding embodiments are just a few of many possible embodiments and are presented by way of example only. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments of the claimed invention, the number of grooves, the depth of the grooves, the diameter of the wire, and the angle between the grooves may vary depending on the gauge of the wire, and the desired material, weight, and physical characteristics of the grooved wire. 
         [0055]    All patents referred to herein, are incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure. In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. 
         [0056]    From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the claimed invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.