Improvements in the Manufacture of Longitudinally Grooved Wire and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by PATRICK CLIFFORD and JOSEPH COUPAL, both of
Quincy, Massachusetts, Machinists, and JOSEPH ELI BERTRAND, of Boston,
Massachusetts, Gentleman, both in the United States of America.]
Improvements in the Manufacture of Longitudinally Grooved Wire
and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. of Southampton
Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents 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 has for its object to provide improved means for longitudinally
grooving wire to form ribs thereon, by a rolling process; and it consists first, in a
series or set of grooving rolls formed and arranged to act simultaneously on a wire
passing between them, combined with means for positively rotating said rolls and
thereby causing them to both groove and feed the wire.
The invention also consists in the combination with said grooving rolls, of a series
of adjustable guides for the wire; said guides being arranged to support the wire
laterally at the point where it is acted on by the rolls.
The invention also consists in the combination with the rolls, of means for adjusting
them toward and from the point where they act on the wire.
The invention also consists in the article produced viz. :-a continuous wire, with
longitudinal grooves rolled therein, as an article of manufacture, said wire being
adapted for use in boot and shoe sole nailing machines as the material for sole
fastenings, which are cut from said wire and driven all by the same machines.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a wire rolling machine, embodying this
invention.
Figure 2 represents an end view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a top view of one of the guides and its holder.
Figure 4 represents a rear view of the machine.
Figure 5 represents a transverse section of the wire, grooved by said machine.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

page_text: a represents a stand or frame having bearings in which are journalled the
shafts b, c, c. To said shafts are affixed the grooving rolls e, e, e. Said shafts and
rolls are arranged as shown in Figure 1, so that the rolls will act simultaneously on
a wire; the grooving portions of the rolls standing in planes that radiate from a
common centre, so that they will form grooves g, 9, 9, in the wire of substantially the
form shown in Figure 5, the surface of the wire between said grooves being thus
formed into longitudinal ribs.
The shafts b, c, c¹ have bevel gears h, h, h affixed to them; the gear of the shaft b
meshing with that of the shaft c, while the gear of the shaft c meshes with the gear of
the shaft c'. The shaft bis driven by any suitable motor, and motion is communicated
from it to the shafts c, c', the series of rolls being thus positively rotated and caused
to simultaneously feed and groove the wire.
We prefer to make the rolls adjustable in directions at right angles with their
respective axes, so that they may be adapted to different sizes of wire. To this end
the bearings of the shafts are formed on or secured to slides i, i, i, which are fitted to
move between dovetail guides jjjjjj, on the stand or frame, the guides of each
slide being substantially at right angles with the shaft supported thereby, as shown
in Figure 1. Adjusting screws k, k, k, working in tapped lugs or ears on the stand
or frame a, bear on ears on the outer ends of said slides and sever to move the slides
inwardly and to limit their outward movement.
m, m, m, represent guides which are arranged to alternate in position with the
rolls e, and support the wire between the points on which the rolls act, thus making
it impossible for the wire to be displaced side-wise in any direction. Said guides are
preferably formed as elongated fingers secured to the stand or frame a, and tapered
or reduced at their outer ends, which ends project between the rolls so as to bear
upon the wire between the points where the rolls are in contact therewith.
It is also preferable to make the guides adjustable to adapt them to different sizes
of wire, and to this end we pivot the guides at o to ears formed on the ends of the
holders p, which are secured to the near side of the stand or frame. The rear ends of
the guides are bent outwardly to form arms m³, which are provided with orifices
through which pass screws r, which work in tapped sockets in the fixed holders p.
When the screws are turned inwardly their heads, pressing the arms m¹ toward the
stand or frame a, swing the acting ends of the guides m inwardly and adapt them to
a smaller wire.
When said screws are turned outwardly springs, bearing against the arms m',
force said arms away from the stand or frame and swing the acting ends of the
guides apart, thus adapting the guides to larger wire.
This improved machine is intended chiefly for grooving small wire, such as used
for boot and shoe sole nails or fastenings, the ribs formed, as described, on the wire
enabling it to hold firmly when inserted in leather.
The wire grooved by the means herein described makes a sole fastening which is
superior to round wire or wire which is simply flattened or barbed, for the reason
that it cannot turn in the leather. The rolling process compacts the metal and makes
it stiffer than the round wire from which it is made.
The improved grooved wire is to be supplied in coils of indefinite length for use in
a sole nailing machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a wire grooving machine the combination, of a supporting stand or frame,
a series of grooving rolls affixed to shafts journalled in bearings on said stand and
provided with peripheral ribs formed to make longitudinal grooves or indentations in a
wire, said shafts and rolls being relatively arranged so that the rolls stand in radiating
planes, and bevel gears connecting said shafts, one of the shafts being rotated by a
suitable motor and communicating motion through said gears to the other shafts, as
set forth.

page_text: Second. In a wire grooving machine, the combination of a supporting stand or
frame, a series of grooving rolls affixed to shafts journalled in bearings on said frame
and arranged to stand in radiating planes, and a series of guides alternating in position
with the rolls and arranged to bear on the wire between the points on the wire with
which the rolls are in contact, as set forth.
Third. The combination of the stand or frame, the slides i fitted to slide in radiating
guides on said frame, the radially arranged grooving rolls journalled in bearings on
said slides and provided with peripheral ribs formed to make longitudinal grooves
in a wire, and means for holding the slides at any point to which they may be
adjusted.
Fourth. The combination of a supporting stand or frame, the radially arranged
grooving rolls journalled in bearings thereon, the adjustable guides supported by said
frame and alternating in position with the rolls, and means substantially as described
for holding said guides in any position to which they may be adjusted, as set forth.
Fifth. As an improved article of manufacture, wire for sole fastening purposes,
having longitudinal grooves rolled in its periphery, as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.