Improvements in Wire-netting Machinery.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1891-Accepted, 18th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire-netting Machinery.
I, WILHELM GERHARDI, of Ludenscheid, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The machine which forms the subject of the present invention has been designed
for the purpose of replacing the wire roll boxes, in the types of wire netting
machinery at present in use, by spools or bobbins which will carry as large an
amount of wire as possible so as to enable the machine to continue working without
interruption for a considerable time, as well as to permit of the employment of thick
wire.
My invention also has for its object to dispense with the employment of the rack
which has hitherto been indispensable and with the divided spur-wheels in the spool
and plaiting-gear.
The machine differs from other wire-netting machines hitherto known, by the
omission of the rack and the employment instead thereof, of a continuous system of
undivided,spur-wheels which engage with one another, and such a system is con-
nected both with the upper and lower netting gear. Each spool-plate is thus turned
by a special spur wheel arranged for the purpose instead of being revolved as in the
case of existing wire-netting machinery by the advancing and retreating motion of
a rack. The arrangement by which all the spur wheels are made to engage with
one another according to the method of construction herein described, presents the
great advantage that they are continuously in motion and revolve in the same
direction, by which means all momentary stoppage is avoided and an even working
of the wheels free from all jolting or interruption is rendered possible.
The spools of the lower spool gear are not arranged in a straight line but in the
form of a horse-shoe and gear direct into the driving spur wheels of the spool plates
on which the moveable spools are arranged alternately.
By means of this arrangement I obtain the greatest possible amount of space for the
wire spools so that the machine can work for a long time without interruption which
is quite impossible with the machines with small wire roll-boxes hitherto in use.
This arrangement moreover enables the revolving rim of the spool-holder to be
changed according as the spool-holders and the wire-guides are passed from the
"odd" to the "even spool plates, since the odd and even spool plates, in
consequence of the way in which the wheels gear into one another, turn in opposite
directions.
દ
"
"
When the odd spool-plates are turning to the right the even spool-plates turn to
the left, so that when the spool holders are changed from the plates which are
turning to the right to those which are turning to the left, they then proceed to
revolve to the left.
The machine is actuated as follows:-
Two spur wheels are fixed upon an axle which is set in motion by a belt. They
are both of the same size and have 60 teeth each. 20 consecutive teeth of the first
spur wheel and 40 consecutive teeth of the second are removed. The two spur
wheels are keyed on to the axle in such a way that the teeth which have been left
n each wheel mutually complete each other, so, as it were, to form one wheel with
full complement of teeth. A complete cog-wheel of 20 teeth gears into the
irst wheel through which, by means of a suitable connection, a revolving motion is
communicated to the undivided spur-wheels which carry the spool plates, and then
o, the netting-spindles of the upper netting gear by means of which the twining of
he wires is carried out. Owing to the fact that twenty teeth have been removed
rom the first spur-wheel, the cog-wheel with 20 teeth makes two complete

page_text: revolutions, while the first spur-wheel makes two thirds of a revolution, while during
the last third of the revolution of the spur-wheel the cog-wheel remains at rest.
The second spur-wheel attached to the axle gears with its 20 remaining teeth into
a complete cog-wheel with 10 teeth in such a way that the latter makes a half
revolution while the spur-wheel has made one third of a revolution counting from
the time when the first tooth has engaged. This half revolution of the cog-wheel
which is driven by the second spur-wheel takes place during the time in which the
cog-wheel with 20 teeth, which is driven by the first spur-wheel, is at rest.
The toothed or cog-wheel which is driven by the second spur-wheel serves to
actuate a number of excentrics by means of which the spool holders and wire guides
are changed alternatingly from one spool plate to the other. While the displace-
ment of the spool holders and wire guides is being effected by the excentrics all the
parts of the machine which are actuated by the first spur-wheel remain, as a matter
of course, at rest. Thus by means of the alternating motion of the two spur-
wheels which are driven by the complete cog-wheels the spool plates, and with them
contemporaneously the netting spindles of the upper netting gear, are revolved at
one instant; the next instant the wire-spool-holders and wire guides are moved from
the one spool plate to the other by the excentrics in such a manner that. the spool
holders and wire guides when they have, say, previously made a right to left revolu-
tion, on this occasion make a left to right revolution. Simultaneously the excentric
causes a displacement of a rail cut out in a special manner whereby the wires which
are to be plaited are changed or shifted from the right revolving.netting. spindles
of the upper netting gear on to the left revolving spindles, and vice versâ.
The moveable spool holders are arranged on the spool plates. They are slit in
the middle, and in the slits are received the wire guides for the wires proceeding
from the fixed reels below. In order to permit them to pass, the undivided spur-
wheels which actuate the spool-plates are provided with grooves so that the grip of
the teeth into one another is not affected by the wires. The displacement of the
spool holders is effected by excentrics which are keyed on to the axle which is
moved by the 20 toothed spur wheel, and these excentrics have a stroke corre-
sponding to the displacement of the spool-holders. At the same time the wire
guides are displaced similarly by smaller excentrics which are situated between two
of the larger excentrics. After two revolutions of the spool plate have taken place
the spool holder is driven back again, together with the wire-guides, into their
original position. The spool holders which have been moved on to the spool plate
receive the spool on which is wound the wire necessary for effecting. the netting.
The object of displacing the spool holders and wire guide pieces is as follows:-
When the spool holders with their wire spools and the guide-pieces through the
holes in which the wires pass from the fixed spools happen to be situated upon the
"odd" right revolving spool-plates it follows that the spool-holders and guide
pieces revolve in the same direction. After the change has been effected by the
excentrics the guide piece of spool-plate 1. is moved outwards and forms the end
wire of the plait; the spool-holder of plate 1 is moved on to plate 2 and the guide
piece of plate 3 also on to plate 2 so that the spool holder of plate. 1 unites on
plate 2 with the guide of plate 3. The same displacement occurs similarly on all
the other plates in consequence of which all the spool holders and wire guides.come
to be situated on the even plates and with them revolve in a left handed direction.
By means of this displacement of the spool holders and wire guides. the result. is
attained of causing the wires that are to be netted to change places and to be
alternately twisted to the right and to the left.
As the netting proper takes place in the upper netting gear the displacement of
the wires must take place in a manner exactly corresponding: to. that which takes
place in the lower spool-gear. The displacement of the wires is effected by means
of a peculiarly formed rail the changes in the position of which are. brought about
by the movements of the large excentrics which displace the spool holders. The
"odd" netting spindles of the upper netting gear revolve to the right as also do
the "odd" spool plates while the " even ones which correspond to the "even
"
"

page_text: spool plates revolve to the left. To permit the passage of the wires the undivided
spur wheels and the netting spindles are provided with suitable grooves. The
object therefore of displacing the rail is to cause the two wires which are to be
plaited to pass one instant into a right revolving and the next instant into a left
revolving netting spindle and this takes place simultaneously with the changing of
the spool-holders and wire-guide-pieces of the lower spool-gear.
In order to enable the wire-guide pieces to be changed they are made of only
half the height of the vertical slits in the spool plates, so that one guide piece can
pass over or under the other.
A roller provided with projecting pins and driven by Я worm from the axle
which actuates the upper plaiting gear effects the necessary draft upon the wire and
assists the regular formation of the meshes. The finished plait is finally wound
upon a special roll.
Dated this 27th day of Sugust 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire-netting Machinery.
'I, WILHELM GERHARDI, of Lüdenscheid, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer,
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:-
The machine which forms the subject of the present invention has been designed
for the purpose of replacing the wire roll-boxes, in the ordinary types of wire-
netting machinery, by spools or bobbins which will carry a large amount of wire,
so as to enable the machine to work without interruption for a greater length of
time and to permit of the employment of thick wire. The invention has also for
its object to dispense with the rack, which has hitherto been indispensable, and
with the divided spur-wheels as well in the spool-gear as in the netting-gear.
In the annexed drawings is represented a machine carried out according to my
invention. Figs. 1 to 4 are diagrammatic views serving to illustrate the principle
on which the machine is based, Figs. 1 and 3 being elevations showing the spools
and the wires in different positions, while Figs. 2 and 4 are the corresponding
plans. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the machine, showing, however, but a
limited number of the parts occurring in plurality. Fig. 6 is an end view, and
Fig. 7 a plan in which the upper portion of the machine, comprising the netting-
gear, is omitted, the latter being shown by Fig. 8. Figs. 9 and 10 are plans
of a portion of the spool gear drawn to a larger scale and with the parts in
different positions. Figs. 11 and 13 are sectional elevations and Figs. 12, 14
the respective plans of the corresponding portion of the netting-gear, the parts
being likewise drawn in different positions. Fig. 15 shows a portion of the
spool-gear in sectional plan on line 1-2, Figs. 16, 17, while Fig. 16 is a vertical
section on line 3-4, and Fig. 17 a like section on line 5-6, Fig. 15.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, M is the spool-gear and P the netting-gear. The
former comprises the spool-plates a² a² a³, &c., consisting in rotative cylindrical
bodies placed in juxtaposition and provided with spur-wheels (not shown in these
figures), that gear with each other, and one of which is operated by a driving-
mechanism so as to rotate always in the same direction, the neighbouring spool-
plates being consequently rotated relatively to each other in opposite directions,
as shown by arrows in Figs. 2 and 4; but the direction of rotation of each
individual one being invariably. By these means the back-lash, unavoidable in
the common wire-netting machines on account of the spool-plates being revolved
in alternate directions through the medium of a reciprocating rack, is done away
with, and even working of the wheels free from jolting is rendered possible.

page_text: On the alternate spool-plates are placed the spool-holders 1, 11, 12, &c., in which
are mounted the spools c, c', c², &c., carrying the wires 2, 4, 6, &c., and the spool-
plates and spool-holders are so arranged that each of the latter can be shifted by
suitable mechanism from one spool-plate to the neighbouring one and back.
When the holders are on the plates a', a³, a³, &c., as in Figs. 1.and 2, which
according to the latter figure turn to the right, they will turn to the right also;
whereas, if they have been shifted on to the plates a, a, a, &c., as in Figs. 3, 4,
the holders will rotate in opposite direction, i.e. to the left. For allowing the
operation of shifting to be performed, the spool-plates are stopped a short while
after every rotation. The wires 1, 3, 5, 7, &c., pass from below through slits in
the spool-plates, and by means of suitable guides and operating mechanism they
are shifted, during the stoppage of the spool-plates, contrarily to the carriers.
Thus in Figs. 1 and 2 the wires 1, 3, 5 are engaged in the slits of the respective
plates a, a, a, whereas Figs. 3 and 4 show them shifted to the left, wire 1 being
then out of engagement with plate a', while wires 3 and 5 are engaged in the
slits of the respective plates a² and at.
The netting gear P is composed of the rotating cylindrical bodies or spindles b',
12, 1, &c., placed in juxtaposition and provided with spur-wheels gearing with
each other and driven in like manner as those of the spool gear, so that each
spindle rotates contrarily to the neighbouring ones, but in the same direction as
the corresponding plate of the spool-gear. Besides this, the spindles have two
slits each for the engagement of the wires, and means (not shown in Figs. 1-4)
are provided for, whereby the alternate wires are shifted by turns respectively
to the right and the left, from one spindle to the other, during the periods of
stoppage of the spindles.
Now, if under these conditions, the spools are in the positions, and the wires
are engaged by the spool-plates and the netting-spindles as shown by Figs. 1
and 2, and if the plates and the spindles rotate in the directions indicated by
arrows, the wires will be twisted in the manner represented by Fig. 1. After the
rotative parts have made two complete revolutions, they are stopped, and during
this stoppage the spools and the wires are brought, as described, into the positions
in which they are represented in Figs. 3 and 4. Besides this, the finished portion
of the netting is drawn upward until a sufficient amount of wire for a new twist
has been drawn out. The operation of the two gears then recommencing, a new
series of twists will be produced, in which the turns of the wire are directed con-
trarily to those made first. At the following operation the spools and the wires
are brought back to their former positions, and so on.
I
In order to allow a large number of spools to be disposed in a given space,
arrange them in a horse-shoe line, or in two or more such lines combined
contrariwise, (meandering line) as will be seen by reference to Figs. 7, 9, 10.
The spool-plates, are mounted on a stationary plate e, Figs. 5, 16, 17, having
holes with offsets that form the bearings for the same, and to their bottom are fixed
(be ow plate e) the pinions H all gearing together pairwise and driven in the
manner to be described hereafter. Of the said spool-plates those which are not at
the corners of the aforesaid horse-shoe lines, have each a single vertical slot, and
the spool-holders are each provided with a double rib ƒ ƒ, fitting into these slots and
capable of sliding therein, (see Figs. 15, 16, 17). The corner spool-plates have,
however, two slots crossing one another at right angles. The shifting of the spool-
holders is effected by eccentrics L L, keyed on shafts K, K', K2, K³, and arranged
opposite to both ends of the lines of spool-plates and in the same planes as the
ribs, the eccentrics having a stroke equal to the distance between the centres of
the spool-plates. Moreover, the eccentrics are keyed in such angular positions on
the respective shafts that, when those which are at one end of any line of spool
holders, operate to shift the holders, the opposite ones recede. The eccentrics do
not, however, act directly on the ribs of the spool holders, but through
transmitting-pieces f' adapted to slide into and out of the slots of the spool-plates
and to rotate with the latter when they are within the slots, and like pieces, are

page_text: placed between the neighbouring spool-holders for transmitting shifting motion
from the one to the other, and for keeping them the proper distance apart. The
ribs of the holders which pass on to the corner spool-plates, such as those of
holders, Fig. 16, carrying the spools c c², require to be cut out at the bottom
up to one half of their height, while the pieces f, f, co-operating therewith, are
cut out at the top in order that the ribs of the holders belonging to one line of
spool-plates may pass over the pieces f1f2 belonging to the line transverse to the
former, when the said ribs f and pieces fif2 meet on the corner spool plates.
Between the ribs f of the spool-holders or the pieces are placed the wire
guiding-pieces o, o¹, o², &c., Figs. 9, 10, 15, 17, having each a hole extending from
their bottom to the top, and through which are passed the wires 1, 3, 5, &c., running
from the reels A¹ over conducting axles to the netting-gear. In order to permit
these wires to pass through the train of spur-wheels H, these are provided with
grooves d adapted to receive the wires, so that the grip of the teeth into one
another is not-affected by the same. The said guiding pieces are moved to, and
fro from one spool-plate to the other by means of eccentrics N keyed between the
eccentrics L on the shafts K, K, K, K³, but in an angular position contrary to
that of the former. For transmitting motion from the eccentrics N to the wire-
guiding pieces o, o, o², &c., and from one of these to the other, the intermediate
pieces g, g, ³, y, are made use of, which also slide between the ribs f, and the
pieces as shown by Figs. 15 and 17, the pieces being suitably cut out
respectively at the top and the bottom so as not to interfere with the like pieces o³,
the ribs of the holders and the pieces f¹ crossing them on the corner spool-plates.
The throw of the excentrics N equal to the width of the pieces o, o¹, o², &c.,
and so that at each half-revolution of the eccentrics N, the said pieces will be
shifted completely from one spool-plate to the other.
When the spool-holders and the wire-guiding pieces are on the spool-plates a
with odd indexes, which revolve to the right, as represented in Fig. 9, it follows
that the spool-holders and the guide-pieces revolve in the same direction. When
thereupon, during the period of rest of the spool-plates, the eccentries perform
half a rotation, the guide-piece o being on spool-plate a', is moved outward (see
Fig. 10), the end-wire 1 of the net being thereby brought out of operation, while
the spool-holder carrying spool c is moved from spool-plate a¹ to spool-plate a².
Together with the shifting of guide-piece o, the guide-piece o, being at the time
on spool-plate a³, is shifted on to plate a², so that the spool-holder carrying spool,
unites on plate a² with the guide o'. The same. shitting occurs similarly on-the
other plates, in consequence whereof all the spool-holders and the wire-guides
(except the first one) come to be situated on the plates a with even indexes, and
will then revolve in a left hand direction. After two revolutions of the spool plates
have taken place, the spool holders and the wire-guides are driven back again into
their previous positions. By means of this shifting of the spool-holders and the
wire guides the result is attained of causing the alternate wires to interchange the
wires with which they are to be twisted together, and of producing alternate twists
to the right and the left.
The netting-gear P, shown in detail and with two different positions of the
movable parts by Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, comprises the spindles 61, 62, 63, &c., mounted
rotatively in the plates, ', forming parts of the machine frame, and the
transversely-movable plates u and ', secured together as represented in Fig. 6.
The spindles are provided with teeth with which they gear together, so that the
alternate ones turn in the same direction, and they are actuated in such manner
that the direction of rotation of the spindles 1, 2, 3, &c., is alike to that of the
respective spool-plates a', a², a³, &c. The said spindles requiring, however, to be
placed in a straight line, and their diameter being governed by the width of the
meshes to be produced, this diameter is considerably smaller than that of the spool-
plates. Each spindle is provided on opposite sides with two grooves for the wires
to pass through from the bottom to the top, and between the holes in plates h, h³,

page_text: serving as bearings for the pivots of the spindles, slits j are arranged for the
passage of the wires from one spindle to the other.
The aforesaid plates uu are provided each with a zig-zag slot, k', A² the
portions k and whereof are of such form and width that, when the plates are in
the position shown by Fig. 12, the portions will operate to keep the wires, 1.and 2
in the grooves of spindle 6, the wires 3 and 4 in the grooves of spindle.³, and so
on, and, as these spindles rotate to the right, the pairs of wires 1 and 2, 3 and 4,
&c., will be twisted as shown by Fig. 11. If thereupon, during a period of rest of
the spindles, the plates u u¹ are shifted into the position shown by Fig. 14, two of
the inclined portions 2 of the zig-zag slot will cause the wires 2 and 3 (heretofore
engaged in spindles and 3) to be shifted towards each other and to become
engaged in the grooves of spindle . In like manner the following two slot
portions will fetch the wires 4 and 5 into the grooves of spindle, and so on,
the said wires being then twisted as represented by Fig. 13, on account of the
spindles b,, &c., rotating to the left.
The mechanism by which the intermittent rotation of the spool-plates and the
netting-spindles, the periodical rotation of the eccentric-shafts K, and the shifting
of the plates is brought about, is constructed as follows.
Upon the main shaft A, driven by a belt and pulley, are fixed two spur-wheels B
and BB, being both of the same size and divided to have 60 teeth each. 20 con-
secutive teeth of the wheel B, and 40 consecutive teeth of the wheel B¹ are,
however, removed. With the wheel B gears a complete pinion C having 20 teeth
and with the wheel B₁ a complete pinion D having 40 teeth. During two-thirds of
a revolution wheel B will consequently, by means of its 40 teeth. operate to
produce two full revolutions of pinion C, while during the remaining one third of
the revolution of wheel B, pinion C is at rest. On the other hand, wheel B' will
during one third of a revolution produce by means of its 20 teeth half a revolution
of pinion D, while during the remaining two thirds the latter is at rest.
The two
wheels B and B are keyed on the shaft A in such manner that the teeth which
have been left in each wheel virtually complete each other, so that while wheel B
is in engagement with pinion C, wheel B¹ is disengaged from pinion D and
vice-versa, the two pinions being consequently rotated alternately.
The pinion C is keyed on a shaft O, which carries at its inner end a bevel-
wheel E, gearing with a like wheel F, which is secured to the spur-pinion G, that
drives the train of pinions H. By means of bevel-wheel Q, also keyed on shaft O,
bevel-wheel Q, vertical shaft R, pinion S and intermediate wheel T, motion is
conveyed to the spindles of the plaiting-gear. The pinion D is keyed on the
eccentric-shaft K, from which rotation is transmitted to the other eccentric-
shafts K', K, K³, through the medium of the bevel-wheel gears J. Moreover,
on the said shaft K are fixed two eccentrics V with which are in engagement
bifurcated levers VI, pivoted to the machine-frame and connected at their upper
ends to the combined wire-shifting plates u u¹.
It will be perceived that by these means the spool-plates and the netting spindles
are operated to make two revolutions at a time and then to stop; and that during
each of these stoppages the eccentrics L and N are caused to perform half a
revolution and the plates are shifted one way or the other.
The finished net-work or fabric passes over a roller W, provided with pins
adapted to engage into the meshes of the former, the said roller being driven by a
worm X on shaft R and a worm-wheel Y on the roller-shaft, so that the fabric is
drawn upward in the measure as the meshes are formed. Finally it is wound upon
the roll Z.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is

page_text: the spool-plates a, b, c, &c., having slots, spool-holders carrying the wire-
spools c, c, c², &c., and having ribs with which they engage in the said slots so as
to be capable of sliding therein, sliding wire-guiding pieces o', 02, 03, &c., pinions H
fixed to the spool plates and gearing together pairwise, means for causing the said
pinions to alternately rotate and stop, and means for shifting the spool-holders
and the wire-guiding pieces in opposite directions from one spool-plate to the other
during the stoppage of the latter, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with the spool-gear defined in Claim 1, of the netting gear
comprising the spindles b', 12, 13, &c., having teeth with which they gear together
pairwise, and grooves for engaging the wires, wire-conducting plates u u¹ having
zig-zag slots and movable transversely, the said slots being adapted to transfer the
wires from the grooves of the alternate spindles in opposite directions to the
grooves of the neighbouring spindles and back, and means for causing the said
spindles to rotate coincidently with, and in the same directions as the respective
corresponding spool-plates, and means for shifting the wire-conducting plates u, u
during the intervals of stoppage of the spool-plates and the plaiting-spindles,
substantially as specified.
3. In the spool-gear defined in Claim 1, the arrangement of the spool-plates in
horse-shoe lines (or meandering line) substantially as set forth.
Dated the 20th day of May 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.