Patent GB-908509-A (GB)
Title: A machine for making wire mesh
IPC: B21F27/10
Filed: 1959-03-26
Abstract: 908,509. Making welded metal fabric. AMERICAN-SAINT GOBAIN CORPORATION. March 26, 1959, No. 10698/59. Class 83 (4). A machine for making wire mesh comprises a pair of spaced endless chains 14 having adjacent chain lengths travelling parallel to each other, each chain having uniformly spaced pins 37 projecting on each side thereof, a first wire supplying means 60 travelling around the chain lengths in a first plane inclined to the chain lengths for wrapping wire tightly around them to provide strands of wire extending parallel to the first plane, a second wire supplying means 40 coaxial with the first means and travelling around the chain lengths in a second plane inclined to the chain lengths in the opposite direction to the first plane for wrapping a second wire around the chain lengths to provide strands of wire parallel to the second plane and crossing the first strands, each wire being carried under a pin on each side of each chain length and then over a pin on the other side of the same chain length, the wire engaging surfaces of the two pins at their inner ends being positioned to displace the strands of each wire parallel to each other, means between the chain lengths and beyond the second wire supplying means in the direction of travel of the chain lengths forming a welding zone where the oppositely inclined strands can be welded together at their points of intersection and means subsequent to the welding zone for removing the chain length engaging portions of the strands to produce a separate strip of wire mesh on each side of the machine. The machine comprises a frame formed by a beam 1, two vertical beams 2 and a pair of upper connecting beams 3, a pair of closely spaced beams 8 and a pair of widely spaced beams 5, 6. A pair of cross beams 9 are mounted on top of the beams 5, 6, 8 and a pair of vertical bars 12 are supported by the beam 1, the bars 12 forming tracks for the endless double roller chains 14. Each chain is supported by a pair of sprocket wheels 15 mounted between the beams 3 and passes over an idler sprocket 17 journalled in the beams 8 and over a drive sprocket 16 on a shaft 20 journalled at the bottom of beams 8. The shafts 20 carry gears 22 meshing with gears on shafts 24 parallel to the beams 8 and carrying rollers 26 in front of and behind the bars 12. Each shaft 20 is driven through gearing from a shaft 27 extending from a unit 29 on a vertical shaft 30 driven by a main shaft 33 in turn rotated by a belt 35. Each chain has tapered pins 37, see Fig. 7, projecting outwardly on each side and the inner end of each pin is encircled by a part flattened collar 38 forming a wire receiving ledge. A ring 40 is rotatably supported at 45 degrees to the horizontal by a set of rollers 41, Fig. 11, supported from one of the beams 2 and by two other sets of rollers 41 supported by a frame 43 surrounding the beams 2. The ring is rotated continuously by a sprocket wheel 44 driven by gearing from a shaft 48 driven by the main shaft 33 and carries a supply spool 51 of wire 52 fed through a guide 53 provided with a wire friction device 54. The free end of the wire is secured to one of the chains and as the ring rotates the wire is wrapped about the inner legs of the chains. Another supply spool 56 at 180 degrees to spool 51 is provided to wrap a further wire about the chains between the strands of the first wire. The upper wire feed means comprises a ring 60 which similarly wraps wires about the chains but at 90 degrees to the first wire or wires. The downward movement of the chains which takes place after the wire has been passed about the inner leg of one would result in the angle of the wire being other than 45 degrees but this is compensated for since the wire is pulled under the tapered pin on one side of the chain and then over the axially aligned pin on the other side of the chain and the inclined surfaces of the pins displace the wire vertically relatively to the pins. A mesh with square openings is formed at each side of the chains-the mesh being in the form of a flattened tube with parallel sides. The mesh may be made with diamond-shaped openings. Four spools 75 of wire 76 are journalled on the members 3 to provide vertical selvedge wires close to the bars 12. The intersections of the mesh wires are welded by electrodes moving against vertically slidable plates 78 provided between the bars 12 and below the ring 40. The plates are arranged to move at the speed of the mesh during welding by cams 82 driven from the shaft 30 and engaging rollers on rods 80 extending from the plates. After welding, the inclined wires are cut between the chains and the selvedge wires by pairs of motor-driven rotary blades 92 one in front and one behind each chain, to form two parallel flat strips of mesh which are led away between the rollers 26. In a modification an inclined wire deflector is employed where the pins 37 are not tapered or where it is desired to pass the wire over a rear pin above the one in alignment with the pout pin engaging the wire. The chain lengths may travel horizontally.