Patent GB-641642-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to wire mesh forming machines
IPC: B21F27/10
Filed: 1945-12-12
Abstract: 641,642. Making metal fabrics. BRITISH FEDERAL WELDER & MACHINE CO., Ltd., and TRIBE, T. F. Dec. 12, 1945, No. 33581. [Class 83 (iv)] Angular bending; corrugating; electric welding.-A machine for making wire mesh fabric for fences &c. has a reciprocating table driven through adjustable eccentrics for feeding a number of longitudinal wires in step-by-step manner, mechanism for cross-feeding and cutting off to length predetermined lengths of lateral wire at set intervals and a number of welding-machines operated at the required intervals to weld the longitudinal wires to the lateral wire. The lateral wire is curled at its ends over the boundary longitudinal wires. The longitudinal wires 101 pass from drums through fixed pneumatic grips 11, guide tubes 12, and welding-heads 25 and thence over a guide roller 44, between mechanisms 16 for curling the ends of the cross-wires over the outer longitudinal wires, then through heads 50, 51 for crimping the wires to allow for contraction and expansion of the mesh when in use, then through the feed mechanism therefor and over a roll 45 and finally are received on a mandrel 95. The crosswire 100 is fed through a motor-driven rotary straightener 65 by feed rolls 66 which are driven by gearing from a rack 72 reciprocated by a rod 70, adjustable bell-crank and rod 68 by a cam 67 on the main shaft 43 which is driven through reduction gear 42 and belt 41 from a motor 40. Feeding is effected during the inoperative stroke of the longitudinal wire feed and during the first half of the operative stroke, whereupon the length is cut off by a blade 90 operated by a cam on the main shaft through rods and levers, whereupon it drops on a hopper 35 whence it is picked up by pivoted spring-pressed fingers 36 and placed between the pairs of welding electrodes 24, 25. The fingers are swept out of the way when the mesh is fed forward. Welding is effected during the rearward stroke of the longitudinal feed mechanism by a number of machines each provided with spring-controlled electrodes 24 carried by slides pressed by springs against separate cams 30 on a shaft driven from the main shaft by a shaft 33 and coupling 34. The longitudinal wires are fed by pneumatic grippers 92 on a carriage 85 which is traversed on rails 88 by levers 91 and an arm 93 adjustably mounted on the main shaft so as to vary the pitch of the cross-wires. The mandrel 95 which is collapsable is rotated step-by-step by ratchet gear from an air cylinder 103 controlled by one of the controlling devices 110 on the shaft 43 and may be held stationary by an electromagnetic brake when in operation. The ends of the cross-wire are bent over the outermost longitudinal wires by dies 80, Fig. 6, carried on adjustable cylinders 81, 82 and rotated by reciprocating racks 83. The crimping is effected by a number of rows of crimping heads, each row consisting of alternate co-operating heads 50, 51, the heads 50, Fig. 8, being recessed at 54 to receive the cross-wires during crimping of the longitudinal wires. The heads are formed with notches 52, 53 on opposite sides and are secured to blocks 55, 56 pivoted on shaft 57 having levers 58, 59 secured to rolls 60, 61 operated by air cylinders 62, Fig. 2, controlled by the main shaft and swung out of the way during forward movement of the mesh. The fixed grips are closed by operating a switch to stretch the longitudinal wires between these grips and the mandrel or the grips on the longitudinal feed mechanism at the beginning of the inoperative stroke of the feed mechanism. The longitudinal wires may be more widely spaced towards the top of the fence, the operating tools being spaced accordingly or the width of the mesh may be varied by varying the number of longitudinal wires fed and adjusting the cross-feed and end curlers and wire of the same or different gauge may be used in the longitudinal and lateral directions.