Machines for the Manufacture of Wire-netting.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Machines for the Manufacture of Wire-netting.
I, HENRY BURLING MORRIS, Machinist, residing on North Street opposite
Clinton Street Village of Geneva, Ontario, County New York, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates chiefly to that class of wire-netting machines adapted to
manufacture hexagonal-mesh or poultry netting.
The object of my invention is to increase the speed and out-put of machines of
this class, and, at the same time, to construct and operate the machine at as small a
cost as possible, and to render it entirely reliable.
Those machines which revolve pairs of cops around each other are defective,
because small cops, only, can be carried by the machine, and must be constantly
renewed. Machines which involve a double twist between each mesh lose time in
reversing, as do also those machines in which the twisters are shifted laterally in
forming the meshes.
In carrying out my invention, I provide a series of drivers, one half of which
revolve, while the other half remain stationary. Between the drivers are interposed
twisters, which, by reason of their peculiar shape, will hereinafter be called lunes.
I call the twisters lunes because, in cross-section, they correspond to the definition
of a geometrical lune, which is a figure formed by two arcs which enclose a space.
Each alternate lune carries a wire cop, and the others each carry a guide for a
strand of wire drawn from a reel, below the bed-plate of the machine. Each driver
is recessed on opposite sides to receive a pair of lunes, and each driver with its pair
of lunes is circular in cross-section. All the lunes, except those at the ends of the
series, are completely enclosed in the adjoining recesses of the drivers, so that the
interposed lune may be made to revolve with either of the adjacent drivers.
Mechanism is provided for revolving the drivers and the lunes, and for holding one
set of drivers stationary, while the other set is revolving. As the netting is com-
pleted, it is drawn over rollers, and finally wound up on a roller driven at the
required speed to draw the wires from the twisters, under suitable tension.
The general organization of the apparatus and details of construction will be
hereinafter set forth.
The accompanying drawings represent so much of a wire-netting machine
embodying all my improvements, in the best way now known to me, as is necessary
to illustrate the subject-matter herein claimed.
Some of these improvements, however, may be used without the others, and in
machines differing in details of construction from those herein shown.
As my invention contemplates the application of these improvements to the most
highly organized machines of the present day, I do not confine myself to the details
of construction and organization herein shown, but, when specifying a particular
construction or organization, intend to include well-known equivalents therefor.

page_text: OL my
Fig. 2, a transverse section, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 is a view-partly in plan-and partly in section-on the line 3-3 of
Fig. 1;
Figs. 4 and 5 are diagram views, illustrating the manner of twisting the wires to
form hexagonal netting by my apparatus ;
Fig. 6 shows in detail the construction of the drivers and lunes ;
Fig. 7 is a view principally in vertical, central section-of one of the wire-cops
and its frame ;
Fig. 8 is a vertical, central section of one of the guides ;
Fig. 9 is a detail view, in perspective, showing the connection of a guide with a
lune; and
Fig. 10 is a detail view, in section, showing more clearly the formation of the
lower end of a lune.
The bed-plate 1 is horizontally disposed, and is supported on suitable standards 8.
The bed-plate, as shown, is hollow, having a top 2, bottom 3, and sides 4, 5.
Circular apertures 9, extend vertically through the bed-plate, and are arranged in
a straight line from one end of the bed-plate to the other; the apertures intersect,
the intersecting arcs forming geometrical lunes between them." In the apertures
are mounted drivers, the construction of which is shown on an enlarged scale in
Fig. 6, and these drivers have interposed between them the lunes, which are also
shown in Fig. 6. Each driver is convex on two opposite sides, and on the two
other sides is concave.
There are two sets of drivers 11, and 12; they differ only
slightly in construction, as will now be described. The drivers 11 are provided
with gear-teeth 13, on their opposite, convex sides, a distance above the lower ends
of the drivers about equal to the length of the teeth. The concave sides of the
drivers 11, below the horizontal plane of the teeth 13, are cut away or recessed
at 14, for a purpose hereinafter described. The drivers 12 are similar to the
drivers 11, except that the teeth 15 extend from the bottom of the drivers upwardly,
and the recesses 16, in the concave portions, are above the plane of the teeth 15.
The lunes 17, may all be of the same shape, and are of such a shape as to fill com-
pletely the adjoining recesses of adjacent drivers, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3,
so that, when the drivers and lunes are all in place, the intersecting circles or
apertures 9, in the bed-plate, are completely filled. The lunes 17, are provided with
two series of gear-teeth 18, 19, corresponding with the teeth 13 and 15, on the
drivers; ie, the teeth 18, on one side of the lune, are arranged a short distance
above the lower ends of the lune, and the teeth 19, are arranged on the opposite
side, nearer the lower edge. If the two drivers and the three lunes shown in Fig. 6
were assembled, the teeth 19, on the lunes, would enter the recesses 14, on opposite
sides of the driver 11, while the teeth 18 would coincide with the teeth 13, and
complete a true gear-wheel. The teeth 18, on the central lune, and also on the
lune at the right-hand side, would extend into the recesses 16, of the driver 12, the
teeth 19 coinciding with the teeth 15, on the driver 12, and completing a true gear-
wheel. The lunes are recessed at 21, to allow the rack-bars hereinafter described
to pass without turning them. The reduced portions 21, of the lunes, at their
lower ends below the teeth 19, extend into apertures 22, in a plate 10, secured to
the under side of the bed-plate. The apertures in the bottom 3, of the bed-plate
are slightly larger in diameter than those in the top, to accommodate the project
ing gear-teeth on the drivers and lunes. The apertures in the top-plate 2, are
undercut at 7, the upper ends of the lunes being reduced at 23, and prolonged to
enter these openings, their upper ends being flush with the surface of the bed-plate
Each alternate lune in the series carries a wire-cop or bobbin 28, and the others
carry wire-guides 40; the cop and its frame are shown in detail in Fig. 7.
frame is shown as consisting of a bottom-piece 30, and a top-piece 31, connected by
side-pieces 32. The cop 28 is secured to the bottom-piece 30, preferably by
screw-connection as shown, and the top piece is perforated vertically to allow the
wire 82, from the cop to pass through. The top-piece has an upwardly-projecting
The

page_text: tubular neck 33, on which is mounted a friction-roller 29, and above the roller is
secured a head-block 34, perforated vertically to permit the passage of the wire 82,
and carrying adjacent rollers 35, mounted on horizontal axes. The bottom-piece 30,
is provided with a foot-piece 36, which enters an opening or socket 24, in the top
of the corresponding lune. A laterally-projecting pin 38, on the foot-piece 36, in
connection with an L-shaped slot 25, in the lune, forms a bayonet-joint for con-
necting the cop and its frame to the lune. I also provide a spring-latch bolt 39,
moving vertically in the bottom-piece 30, and entering the vertical portion of the
L-shaped slot 25; by this means, the cop-frame is secured to the lune so that it
cannot move either vertically or about its axis until the spring-latch bolt is raised
positively.
Spring-fingers 88, bear on the upper end of the cop and hold it always in a true
vertical position. The guides 40, each consist of a spindle 41, perforated vertically
at its upper end, and provided with a head-block 42, carrying guide-rollers 43,
between which the wire 85 is fed. A friction-roller 44, is interposed between the
bottom of the block 42, and a collar 45, on the spindle. Near the lower end of the
spindle is secured a foot-block 46, which carries a spring-latch 47, similar to
the latch 39, on the cop-frame. A laterally-projecting pin 48, is secured to the
lower, tubular portion of the spindle, below the foot-block 46, and in connection
with the slot 25, in the top of the lune, forms a bayonet-joint; the connection
between the guide 40, and the lune is similar to that between the cop-frame and a
lune, as previously described.
The spindle is formed with a longitudinal slit 49, between the inner ends of the
tubes, at each end of the spindle, so that a continuous passage-way may be formed
for the wire 85. When the cops and guides are mounted, each alternate lune
carries a cop, and the others a guide. The cops and guides are thus arranged in
close proximity to each other, and, should they tend to lean towards each other, or
get out of a true vertical position, the rollers 44, will bear against the rollers 29,
and prevent their interference.
The drivers 11, are formed with lateral apertures 89, and the drivers 12, with
apertures 90, on the opposite side. These apertures are adapted to receive the
pins 54, 91, respectively, which extend horizontally through the sides of the bed-
plate 1. The pins 54, are secured to a side-bar 50, connected to the bed-plate by
bolts 51, on which they are free to slide; springs 52, normally hold the bar 50
against the side of the bed-plate. The pins 91, are in like manner connected to a
side-bar 53, which is secured and normally held against the side of the bed-plate
by bolts and springs 51, 52. The bars 50, 53, are withdrawn from the bed-plate, so
as to withdraw the pins from the holes in the drivers by means of reciprocating
cam-bars 55. These bars slide in guide-grooves in the sides of the bed-plate, and
are provided with cams or inclines 56, adapted to engage with pins 57, projecting
downwardly from the pin-carrying bars 50 and 53. The mechanism for operating
the cam-bars is such that, when the pins are withdrawn from the drivers 11, they
will be inserted into the drivers 12, and vice versa. The drivers and lunes are
revolved by rack-bars 58, 59. The rack-bar 58 is mounted in the bed-plate above
the rack-bar 59, and on the opposite side of the openings 9. The bar 58 is adapted
to engage with the teeth 18, on the lunes, and the teeth 13, on the drivers, while
the rack-bars 59, are adapted to engage with the teeth 19, on the lunes, and the
teeth 15, on the drivers. The mechanism for reciprocating the rack-bars is such
that, while the bar 58 is being operated to revolve the drivers 11, and the lunes on
opposite sides thereof, the pins are withdrawn from the lateral apertures in said
drivers, while the pins on the opposite side engage with the apertures in the
drivers 12, to hold them stationary.
Strands of wire 82, pass from the tops of the cops 28, and strands of wire 85,
pass through apertures 27, in the lunes, and through the guides 40, from reels 81,
below the bed-plate. The wires are fed or drawn from the twisting mechanism
over feeding and pressure rolls 61 and 64, and on to a receiving roll 65.
main operating-shaft 68, is journaled in suitable bearings 92, in the main frame, and
The

page_text: carries on one end a large cog-wheel 93, which meshes with a pinion 94, on the
shaft of the driving-pulley 69. On the opposite end of the driving-shaft is secured
a crown-wheel 70, which meshes with a similar wheel 95, on the shaft of which
are pulleys 71, 72. A sprocket-chain 96, extends over the pulley 71, and over a
sprocket-pulley 62, on the shaft of the roller 61. A cog 63, on the shaft of the
roller 61, gears with a cog 97, on the shaft of the roller 64. The receiving-
roller 65, is driven by means of the sprocket-chain 66, passing over the pulley 72,
and the large pulley 67. The operating connections between the main driving-shaft
and the twisting-apparatus are as follows: The rack-bars 58 and 59, are connected
by means of rods 73, to rock-bars 74, pivoted at their lower ends 75, to the main
frame, and carrying friction-rollers 76, engaging cam-grooves in opposite sides of a
large cam-wheel 77, revolving with the main shaft 68. The cam-grooves are so
formed and the connections are such that, while the rack-bar 58, is being recipro-
cated, the bar 59 is stationary, and vice versa. The sliding-bars 55, are pivotally
connected with vertical rock-bars 78, pivoted to brackets 98, on the main frame,
and carrying at their lower ends, friction-rollers 99, engaging cam-grooves in cam-
wheels 79, secured to the main shaft 68. While one sliding or cam-bar 55 is being
reciprocated, the other remains stationary.
Figs. 4 and 5 show diagrammatically the manner of forming the fabric. In
Fig. 4, the drivers 11, are indicated as revolving, and the drivers 12, as stationary.
Wires 82 and 85, 83 and 86, 100 and 87, on opposite sides of the drivers 11, are
twisted together. That is, the wire 85, is twisted around the wire 82; the wire 86
around the wire 83, and the wire 87 around the wire 100. Fig. 5 illustrates the
next operation: Here the drivers 11 are stationary, and the drivers 12, are
supposed to be revolving. The wire 82 and the wire 86 are then twisted together,
and the wire 83 and the wire 87 are twisted together. This illustrates the opera-
tion of the machine, which continues, by repetition of these operations, to form the
fabric.
It will be observed that the twisting-apparatus, consisting of the drivers and the
lunes which they carry, are not moved laterally out of their seats or sockets, but
are confined to a rotary motion. By this construction, complicated apparatus for
shifting the twisters is avoided, and increased speed is gained.
The apparatus herein shown and described is simple and efficient, and embodies
my improvements in the most practical way now known to me, but obviously
changes may be made in the general organization, and in the details of construction,
without departing from the novel features of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the drivers, the
lunes interposed between the drivers and entering recesses therein, means for feeding
the wire, and mechanism for revolving the drivers and lunes.
2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the drivers, the
lunes interposed between the drivers and entering recesses therein, means for
feeding the wire, mechanism for revolving one set of drivers and lunes, and
devices for holding stationary the other set of drivers, while the first set is
revolving.
3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a series of drivers,
having longitudinal recesses on opposite sides, the lunes interposed between the
drivers, and filling these recesses, wire-feeding devices carried by the lunes,
mechanism for revolving each alternate driver and all the lunes, and devices for
holding the other drivers stationary.
4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a driver formed
on opposite sides with recesses, and a pair of lunes arranged in said recesses, the
drivers and lunes together forming a support for strands of wire to be twisted, and
circular in cross-section, for the purpose specified.

page_text: 5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a driver formed
on opposite sides with recesses, and on its opposite convex sides with gear-teeth,
and a pair of lunes fitting said recesses, and provided with gear-teeth coinciding
with the gear-teeth on the driver, and forming therewith a gear-wheel.
6. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of the bed-plate
formed with a series of circular intersecting apertures, wire-feeding devices,
revolving wire-twisters, formed in section and filling the apertures in the bed-plate,
and confined therein against straight lateral movement, and means for revolving the
wire-twisters.
7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the main frame,
the bed-plate, the drivers and lunes mounted therein, the rack-bars engaging gears
on the drivers and lunes, means for actuating the rack-bars, the stop-pins engaging the
drivers, means for actuating them, and mechanism for drawing strands of wire from
the lunes.
8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the main frame,
wire-twisting devices comprising the drivers and lunes, the bed-plate in which said
twisting devices are mounted, wire-reels mounted below the bed-plate, wire-cops
mounted above it, mechanism for revolving the wire-twisting devices, and mechanism
for drawing the twisted wire from the twisters.
9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the bed-plate, the
drivers mounted therein, lunes interposed between the drivers, the wire-cops and
guides carried by the lunes, mechanism for drawing the wire from the cops and
guides, the stop-pins adapted to engage with the drivers, the reciprocating rack-
bars engaging teeth on the drivers and lunes, in different planes, mechanism for
actuating the stop-pins, and mechanism for reciprocating the rack-bars.
10. In a machine for the manufacture of wire-netting, the combination of a series
of wire-twisting devices arranged in pairs, confined against a straight movement,
and means for rotating the twisters about axes located between each pair.
Dated this 27th day of December 1890.
HENRY BURLING MORRIS.