IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OR PREPARATION OF APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE DRAWING OR SHAPING OF WIRE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Ashworth and Elijah Ashworth, both of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Wire Card Manufacturers, for the Invention of
44
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OR PREPARATION OF APPLIANCES TO BE
USED IN THE DRAWING OR SHAPING OF WIRE."
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 29th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Ashworth and Elijah
Ashworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October
1879.
GEORGE ASHWORTH and ELIJAH ASHWORTH, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Wire Card Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OR
PREPARATION OF APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE DRAWING OR SHAPING OF WIRE."
Our Invention relates to the appliances which impart the sectional forms to wire
in the operation of drawing, or in some cases in subsequent operations, having for
their object to change the sectional forms resulting from the drawing processes. In
the ordinary process of wire drawing the wire is drawn through a hole drilled in a
"wordle" or die, and finished by means of a prepared tool. According to the first
part of our Invention we form a matrice or die, or pair of dies, intended to produce
a particular section of wire, by subjecting a corresponding piece of wire of a suitable
degree of hardness to pressure between the parts which are to be used in shaping
the wire to be produced. In practice we select or carefully produce a steel or hard
wire considered to be correct in form and guage, and this wire constitutes a standard
for the production of wires corresponding thereto in form and guage.
We take a
length of this standard wire and harden it and press it between the two parts of a
pair of dies, or between the parts which are to form a complete die, so that the
wire, which should be harder than the metal of the dies, is sunk partly into one die
and partly into the other die, or partly into each part of the complete die. When
the wire is removed, and the dies or parts are brought together, the coincidence of
the impressions forms the matrice or die through which we draw the wire to pro-
duce a section corresponding to the said standard. The parts of the complete die
may be of any suitable form, and may or may not be hardened before being used,
and may be fitted into a suitable frame which takes the place of the ordinary
wordle," or be otherwise suitably mounted and applied. The said parts may be

page_text: circular, a number of impressions being formed around each part, or circumferential
impressions may be formed on wheels or rollers by rolling a wire between the wheels
or rollers, with the application of a suitable degree of pressure, the appliances so
formed being used in the rolling of wire, or being used in lieu of "wordles," in which
latter case they may be rotated at intervals, so as to change the parts which operate
upon the wire. In some cases we use a wire adapted to produce the required
impressions in the parts of the dies, wheels, rollers, or parts, but not necessarily
corresponding exactly in section with the wire which we desire to produce, as for
example, we may use a comparatively coarse round wire in the preparation of dies
or rollers to be used in the shaping of oval wire. The dies or appliances prepared
as aforesaid may be used in the formation of wire of round, oval, trangular, flat,
and other sections for use in the manufacture of wire-cards and reeds, and for other
To prepare the dies for drawing we find it to be advisable to bell-mouth the
hole in the die by means of a "pritchel" or tool. In the second place, we prepare
dies for wire drawing by the employment of a prepared tool in lieu of the standard
wire hereinbefore mentioned, impressions of the said tool being formed in the parts
of a complete die or matrice in the manner indicated.
uses.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Ashworth and Elijah Ashworth in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th April 1880.
"
GEORGE ASHWORTH and ELIJAHI ASHWORTH, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Wire Card Manufacturers. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OR
PREPARATION OF APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN THE DRAWING OR SHAPING OF WIRE."
Our Invention relates to the appliances which impart the sectional forms to wire
in the operation of drawing, or in some cases in subsequent operations, having for.
their object to change the sectional forms resulting from the drawing processes. In
the ordinary process of wire drawing the wire is drawn through a hole drilled in a
"wordle" or die, and finished by means of a prepared tool. According to the first
part of our Invention we form a matrice or die, or pair of dies, intended to produce
a particular section of wire, by subjecting a corresponding piece of wire of a suitable
degree of hardness to pressure between the parts which are to be used in shaping
the wire to be produced. In practice we select or carefully produce a steel or hard
wire considered to be correct in form and guage, and this wire constitutes a standard
for the production of wires corresponding thereto in form and guage. We take a
length of this standard wire and harden it and press it between the two parts of a
pair of dies, or between the parts which are to form a complete die, so that the wire,
which should be harder than the metal of the dies, is sunk partly into one die and
partly into the other die, or partly into each part of the complete die. When the
wire is removed, and the dies or parts are brought together, the coincidence of the
impressions forms the matrice or die through which we draw the wire to produce a
section corresponding to the said standard. The parts of the complete die may be
of any suitable form, and may or may not be hardened before being used, and may.
be fitted into a suitable frame which takes the place of the ordinary "wordle," or
be otherwise suitably mounted and applied. The said parts may be circular, a
number of impressions being formed around each part, or circumferential impres-
sions may be formed on wheels or rollers by rolling a wire between the wheels or
rollers, with the application of a suitable degree of pressure, the appliances so
formed being used in the rolling of wire, or being used in lieu of "wordles," in
which latter case they may be rotated at intervals, so as to change the parts which
operate upon the wire. In some cases we use a wire adapted to produce the
required impressions in the parts of the dies, wheels, rollers, or parts, but not
necessarily corresponding exactly in section with the wire which we desire to pro-
duce, as for example, we may use a comparatively coarse round wire in the prepara-
tion of dies or rollers to be used in the shaping of oval wire. The dies or appliances
prepared as aforesaid may be used in the formation of wire of round, oval, trangular,
flat, and other sections for use in the manufacture of wire cards and reeds, and for
other uses.
To prepare the dies for drawing we find it to be advisable to bell-mouth
the hole in the die by means of a "pritchel" or tool. In the second place, we
prepare dies for wire drawing by the employment of a prepared tool in lieu of the.
standard wire hereinbetore mentioned, impressions of the said tool being formed in
the parts of a complete die or matrice in the manner indicated.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood we have attached hereunto
a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings we will.
now refer. Fig. 1 represents a front view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 a back
view of an apparatus which may be employed in the carrying into effect of our
Invention. In the said Figs. a is a frame in which are mounted two steel blocks
b, b', which are to form the dies or parts to take the place of the ordinary "wordle"
or draw plate. The two sides of the rectangular opening in the said frame are
formed with double vee slides, and the ends of the blocks b, b', are formed to fit the
said slides, so that when it is neccessary to move the block b apart from the block b

page_text: the block b may be restored to its former position with relation to the block of by
merely sliding it towards the last named block. Fig. 4 indicates the manner in
which the blocks are fitted in the said frame. Portions of the meeting edges of the
two blocks are cut away at divergent angles, so as to form a recess at the back of
the meeting blocks, as indicated in Fig. 5, which represents a vertical section on the
line A in Fig. 1. In lieu of this formation grooves may be formed in each block
corresponding in number to the draw holes which are to be formed, as indicated in
Fig. 6, which is a perspective view of a block so prepared. When the two blocks
are brought together the coincidences of the said grooves form apertures which,
when the preparation of the draw holes is completed, lead up to the said holes. A
comparatively narrow edge is left on each block, and the two edges meet together,
as clearly seen in the Drawing. The block b can be forced into close contact with
the block by means of a screw c. To prepare the apparatus for the drawing
operation a length of hardened steel wire of the section and guage which are to be
reproduced is placed between the two opposed edges of the blocks b, b'. The block
bis now forced towards the block b' by turning the screw c until the edges of the
two blocks are in contact, the hardened wire being embedded partly in one block
and partly in the other. To complete the operation we tap the head of the screw
with a hammer, at the same time turning the said screw so that its lower end follows
up the block b. The wire is then removed or withdrawn, and the aperture formed
by the meeting impressions left in the edges of the blocks by the said wire will form
a hole which can be used in the drawing of wire, the frame a being fixed in any
suitable frame or holder attached to the draw bench. It is advisable to bell-mouth
A number of draw holes
the entering side of the hole, as herein before mentioned.
may be formed in the edges of the two blocks, either at one operation or by several
operations, and these holes may either correspond in size and form, or may be
graduated in size. In the example four draw holes are formed in the combined
blocks, but the number of holes may be greater or less than four. We do not confine
ourselves to the forms of the blocks b, b¹, nor to the number of the said blocks or
of parts corresponding thereto (as more than two blocks might act in conjunction),
nor to the manner in which the said blocks are fitted into the frame, nor to the
form of the said frame, nor to the fitting of the blocks into a frame. The blocks
may be hardened before being used, or the blocks may be hardened and tempered
before receiving the impressions from the standard wire, care being taken that they
are not rendered harder than the said wire. The requisite pressure to obtain the
impressions from the standard wire may be produced by means other than are
indicated, as for example, the blocks may be forced together by means of a special
press or apparatus, and be afterwards mounted in a suitable frame or holder. In
such a case the blocks may be formed to fit together; an example of such a forma-
tion is indicated by Fig. 7. Figs 8 and 9 illustrate the manner in which draw-
holes to be used in the formation of oval wire may be produced by employing round
wire to produce impressions in the blocks. In Fig. 8 the blocks b, b', are supposed
to have been pressed together until the round wire which has been interposed
between their edges has formed impressions of such a suitable depth as that when
the two blocks are brought together an oval draw hole is formed by the coincidence
of the said impressions, as indicated by Fig. 9. Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modifi-
cation wherein two wheels or discs d, d, are used instead of the blocks b, b¹. The
standard wire is interposed between the peripheries of the two wheels, and the said
wheels are pressed together by suitable means so as to form impressions of the wire,
as in the case of the said blocks. In the example a number of such impressions are
disposed around the peripheries of the wheels, so that when one draw-hole becomes
too much worn a fresh hole may be brought into use by rotating the wheels to a
suitable extent. The wheels are mounted or fixed in any suitable form of frame or
holder. Fig. 12 represents a pair of rollers prepared to be used either in the drawing
or in the rolling of wire. The rollers are mounted and actuated in a suitable manner,
so that a length of a suitably hard wire can be passed between the rollers, which
are pressed together so that the wire is caused to form a groove or impression in

page_text: "
each roller. The rollers may be caused to rotate first in one direction and then in
the other direction until the grooves are sufficiently deep, or other arrangements
may be made for obtaining the desired impressions. We prefer to employ steel
rollers, but do not confine ourselves to this material. The rollers may or may not
be hardened after the grooves are formed. When employed in lieu of drawplates or
wordles" the rollers may be slightly rotated at intervals to bring fresh parts of
the grooves into operation. The manner in which they can be used in the rolling
of wire will be readily understood. In most or in all of the examples illustrated
the parts are drawn larger than the full size of the examples selected for illustration,
but it will be understood that the parts may be made of any suitable proportions.
When carrying into effect the second part of our Invention we employ a hard tool,
which may be similar to an ordinary "pritchel," instead of the standard wire, to
form the impressions in the blocks b, b', or in the wheels d, the said tool being
interposed between the parts instead of the wire. In such a case the tool may be
so formed as also to produce the bell-mouthed hole by the one operation.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which we propose to carry the same into practical effect, we would
have it to be understood in conclusion that we claim,-
"
First. The formation of appliances to be used in lieu of "wordles or draw-plates
in the drawing or formation of wire, substantially as set forth and indicated herein-
before and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Forming draw-holes partly in one block, die, or part, and partly in
another block, die, or part, by taking impressions from a standard wire with the aid
of
pressure.
Thirdly. Forming dies by contact with a sufficient degree of pressure of two or
more metal blocks or parts with a standard hard wire, or with a hard tool, and
using the impressions derived from such standard or tool in the drawing of wire,
substantially as set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. Forming grooved rollers for use in the rolling or drawing of wire by
taking impressions from a hard wire, substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Ashworth and Elijah Ashworth, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty eighth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEORGE ASHWORTH.
ELIJAH ASHWORTH.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)
Signed by the said George
Ashworth and Elijah
Ashworth in the pre-
sence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St., Manchester,
(Agent for the Patentees).