Improvements in Wire Netting and in Means or Apparatus employed in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept. 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire Netting and in Means or Apparatus
employed in the Manufacture thereof.
I HENRY KIRKLAND SWINSCOE of Clinton in the State of Massachusetts,
one of the United States of America, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Wire netting, such as now commonly made, contains meshes of substantially uniform
size from selvage to selvage or throughout its width.
For many uses, as for poultry netting, it is desirable that the lower edge of the
fabric constituting the bottom of a fence, as it may be called composed of the
netting, should have small meshes to prevent the passage of chickens, etcetra but at
a distance above the ground the meshes may be larger, thus making the fence
lighter in weight and consequently cheaper.
To do this automatically in one and the same fabric, that is, make a fabric in
which the meshes vary in size between its selvage edges, or across the fabric, l'have
devised the machine to be herein described.
In my improved machine, the main front and back carriages which carry the
segments are divided transversely opposite the point where the size of the mesh is
to be changed to thus constitute main and auxiliary front and back carriages, and
inside the main and auxiliary front carriages I have provided an upper and
lower rack.
The twisting segments contained in the main front and back carriages are
provided each with teeth which are located on the upper half of that part of the
segment between its bearings in the said carriages, in order that such segments
may be actuated only by the upper rack.
The segments carried by the auxiliary back and front carriages have their teeth
located on the lower half of that part of the segment between its bearings in the
said carriages, and these segments are actuated by the lower rack.
'
That one of the segments in the auxiliary back carriage which is nearest the
inner end of the main back carriage, which segment has co-operating with it at
times one of the segments of the main front carriage and then of the auxiliary
front carriage, will preferably have teeth covering the entire length of the segment
between the bearings.
This particular segment is so made in order that when in operation it gets into
the main front carriage, or into the auxiliary front carriage, it may be engaged by
either the upper or lower rack and be rotated, the particular rack engaging and
rotating it depending upon whether the said segment is for the time being in a hole
in the main front carriage, or in a hole in the auxiliary frout carriage, but if
desired, the said segment may have teeth only on its lower half, and in such case, it
would be actuated by its own rack no matter with which segment it is coupled to
rotate:
The segment referred to as belonging in the auxiliary back carriage next the
inner end of the main back carriage contains that wire at the inner edge of the
fine mesh fabric and with which is twisted a wire which enters into the 'coarser mesh
part of the net or fabric.
It will be obvious that for the production of the finer mesh part of the fabric,
that the segment carried by the auxiliary front and back carriages must be closer
together than the segments in the main front and back carriages.
It will also be obvious that to effect the change of position of the said carriages one
with relation to the other in order that the finer and coarser mesh may be made in
the same fabric that the said carriages which carry the coarser mesh wires must be

page_text: moved enough further than the carriages which carry the segments for the finer
mesh wires, as the said meshes differ in width.
To do this, the main and auxiliary carriages may be so connected together that
the main carriages may be moved for part of their stroke in either direction and
then pick up and move in the same direction with it its corresponding or connecting
auxiliary carriage.
The upper rack may be arranged so as to be capable of driving the lower rack,
and means provided to accommodate the movement of the racks to the requirements
of the segments located in the different carriages.
The relative length of the main and auxiliary carriages will or may be varied
according to the fabric to be made and the width of that part of the fabric which
is to be of finer mesh.
My invention therefore consists in a machine for the manufacture of wire netting
containing main front and back carriages provided with twisting segments, and
auxiliary front and back carriages providing with twisting segments, combined with
separately movable rack-bars cach to engage and rotate its own proper segment.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing the following instrumentalities, viz. :
main front and back carriages, means to reciprocate them, twisting segments
mounted in the said carriages, auxiliary front and back carriages containing twisting
segments, separately movable rack-bars each to engage and rotate its own proper
segments, and a segment having a toothed surface, substantially as described, and
adapted to be engaged by one and then by both of the said rack bars according to
the position of the carriages.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing the following instrumentalities viz. :-
main front and back carriages provided with twisting segments, the segments in
each carriage being located at a distance apart corresponding to a mesh of one size,
combined with auxiliary front and back carriages having each a series of twisting
segments, located at a distance apart other than the segments in the main front and
back carriages to make a mesh of a different size and means for actuating the said
carriages one in advance of the other.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing front and back main and auxiliary
carriages; and independent means to reciprocate the said main and auxiliary
carriages; combined with a twisting half-segment which rotates in connection with
a twisting half-segment of the main carriage for a portion of the time, and then
with a half-segment of the auxiliary carriage, whereby meshes differing in width
may be made side by side and connected together as one fabric.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing main and auxiliary carriages, substan-
tially as described, and twisting segments carried thereby, the twisting segments of
the main and auxiliary carriages respectively being arranged at different distances
apart, and having their teeth in different horizontal planes; connections between
each main carriage and its auxiliary carriage; whereby there is lost motion
between them, and means to reciprocate said carriages.
Also in a wire netting machine containing shifting carriages provided with
twisting segments, combined with two superimposed rack-bars having their acting
teeth in different horizontal planes, and means to actuate the said rack-bars, to
rotate the said segment.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing main and auxiliary carriages; two
series of segments, one series for each carriage; and two independent rack-bars,
one-half of one of the said segments being adapted to be rotated at one time by one
of the said rack-bars, and at another time by the other of said rack-bars; combined
with devices to move the said carriages independently.
Dated the 27th day of September 1892.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wire Netting and in Means or Apparatus
employed in the Manufacture thereof.
I HENRY KIRKLAND SWINSCOE of Clinton in the State of Massachusetts one
of the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
Wire netting, such as now commonly made, contains meshes of substantially
uniform size from selvage to selvage or throughout its width.
For many uses, as for poultry netting, it is desirable that the lower edge of the
fabric constituting the bottom of a fence, as it may be called, composed of the
netting, should have small meshes to prevent the passage of chickens, &c., but at
a distance above the ground the meshes may be larger, thus making the fence
lighter in weight and consequently cheaper.
To do this automatically in one and the same fabric, that is, make a fabric in
which the meshes vary in size between its selvage edges, or across the fabric, I have
devised the machine to be herein described.
In my improved machine, the main front and back carriages which carry the
segments are divided transversely opposite the point where the size of the mesh is
to be changed to thus constitute main and auxiliary front and back carriages, and
inside the main and auxiliary front carriages I have provided an upper and lower
rack.
The twisting segments contained in the main front and back carriages are provided
each with teeth which are located on the upper half of that part of the segment
between its bearings in the said carriages, in order that such segments may be
actuated only by the upper rack.
The segments carried by the auxiliary back and front carriages have their
teeth located on the lower half of that part of the segment between its bearings in
the said carriages, and these segments are actuated by the lower rack.
That one of the segments in the auxiliary back carriage which is nearest the
inner end of the main back carriage, which segment has co-operating with it at
times one of the segments of the main front carriage and then of the auxiliary front
carriage, will preferably have teeth covering the entire length of the segment
between the bearings.
This particular segment is so made in order that when in operation it gets into
the main front carriage, or into the auxiliary front carriage, it may be engaged by
either the upper or lower rack and be rotated, the particular rack engaging and
rotating it depending upon whether the said segment is for the time being in a hole
in the main front carriage, or in a hole in the auxiliary front carriage, but if
desired, the said segment may have teeth only on its lower half, and in such case,
it would be actuated by its own rack no matter with which segment it is coupled to
rotate.
The segment referred to as belonging in the auxiliary back carriage next the inner
end of the main back carriage contains that wire at the inner edge of the fine mesh
fabric, and with which is twisted a wire which enters into the coarser mesh part of
the net or fabric.
It will he obvious that for the production of the finer mesh part of the fabric, that
the segment carried by the auxiliary front and back carriages must be closer together
than the segments in the main front and back carriages.
It will also be obvious that to effect the change of position of the said carriages
one with relation to the other in order that the finer and coarser mesh may be made
in the same fabric, that the said carriages which carry the coarser mesh wires must
be moved enough further than the carriages which carry the segments for the finer
mesh wires, as the said meshes differ in width.
To do this I have shown the main and auxiliary carriages as so connected together

page_text: that the main carriages may be moved for part of their stroke in either direction
and then pick up and move in the same direction with it its corresponding or
connecting auxiliary carriage.
I have also shown the upper rack as driving the lower rack, and means have been
provided for to accommodate the movement of the racks to the requirements of the
segments located in the different carriages.
The relative length of the main and auxiliary carriages will or may be varied
.according to the fabric to be made and the width of that part of the fabric which is
to be of finer mesh.
My invention therefore consists in a machine for the manufacture of wire netting
containing main front and back carriages provided with twisting segments, and
auxiliary front and back carriages provided with twisting segments, combined with
separately movable rack-bars each to engage and rotate its own proper segment
substantially as will be described.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing the following instrumentalities, viz. :-
main front and back carriages, means to reciprocate them, twisting segments
mounted in the said carriages, auxiliary front and back carriages containing twisting
segments, separately movable rack-bars each to engage and rotate its own proper
segments, and a segment having a toothed surface, substantially as described, and
adapted to be engaged by one and then by both of the said rack-bars according to
the position of the carriages.
Also in a wire netting machine containing the following instrumentalitics, viz. :-
main front and back carriages provided with twisting segments, the segments in
each carriage being located at a distance apart corresponding to a mesh of one size,
combined with auxiliary front and back carriages having each a series of twisting
segments, located at a distance apart other than the segments in the main front and
back carriages to make a mesh of a different size, and means for actuating the said
carriages one in advance of the other.
;
Also in a wire netting machine, containing front and back main and auxiliary
carriages and independent means to reciprocate the said main and auxiliary
carriages; combined with a twisting half-segment which rotates in connection with
a twisting half-segment of the main carriage for a portion of the time, and then with
a half-segment of the auxiliary carriage, whereby meshes differing in width may be
made side by side and connected together as one fabric.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing main and auxiliary carriages, sub-
stantially as described, and twisting segments carried thereby, the twisting segments
of the main and auxiliary carriages respectively being arranged at different distances
apari, and having their teeth in different horizontal planes; connections between
each main carriage and its auxiliary carriage; whereby there is lost motion between
them, and means to reciprocate said carriages.
Also in a wire netting machine containing shifting carriages provided with
twisting segments, combined with two superimposed rack-bars having their acting
teeth in different horizontal planes, and means to actuate the said rack-bars, to
rotate the said segment.
Also in a wire netting machine, containing main and auxiliary carriages; two
series of segments, one series for each carriage; and two independent rack-bars,
one-half of one of the said segments being adapted to be rotated at one time by one
of the said rack-bars, and at another time by the other of said rack-bars; combined
with devices to move the said carriages independently.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a sufficient portion of a wire-netting machine with
my improvements added to enable my invention to be understood.
Fig 2 is a left-hand end elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is a detail of the cam used to reciprocate the carriages.
Fig. 4 is a detail of the connecting-lever between the main front and back
carriages.
Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken through the main front and back carriages in
the line of Fig. 6.

page_text: g. 10 is a section in the nine, Fig. 11.
Referring to the drawing, A represents the frame-work, A' a power shaft
mounted therein and having a bevel gear A³ which engages a bevel gear A fast
on a shaft A', having a worm A° and two gears A7, A8.
The worm A engages a gear B fast on and rotating the mesh roll B'.
The gears A7, A8, engage respectively the gears B³ and B', fast on a cam shaft B',
having a cam C, shown best in Fig. 3.
D is a front carriage, it having erected on it a stand having studs which carry
rolls c, c', between which the cam C acts to reciprocate the main or front
carriage D.
D¹ represents the bottom front carriage; E the main back carriage; E¹ the
bottom back carriage; Fa vertical shaft supported in bearings F, and having
attached slotted cross-bars which engage roller studs on and reciprocating said
main and bottom carriages in usual manner, so as to shift the meshing twisting
segments 10, 12, one with relation to the other, or interchange them, all as well
understood, to enable the wires carried by them to be twisted together in the
formation of meshes.
The gear B has an attached arm G', provided with a crank pin G, which by an
adjustable connecting rod G2 is attached to a stud G20 fast on a slide G adapted to
run on a track G¹ at the front of the frame-work.
The slide G has set screws m³, m, between which is located a tongue m² attached
to a rack
the set screws, as the slide G, is moved in opposite directions striking
said tongue and moving the said rack-bar.
m,
The twisting segments in the main front carriage have joined to them cop
holding tubes g containing cop-wires, said tubes being connected to suitable
segmental feet 20 in the bottom front carriage.
The spools carry stand wires g which in practice are led through segmental
feet opposed to the feet 920, and then up through the segments 12 of the main back
carriage E.
The parts and devices thus far referred to by letter are old and common in
netting machines, with the exception that in this invention the rack-bar m has been
modified, as I will describe, to adapt the parts to the making of wire netting in
which the size of the mesh varies across the fabric.
The main and bottom front and back carriages are shortened in length, as best
shown in Figs. 1 and 7, and at the end of the main front carriage I have placed an
auxiliary front carriage Dx, and at the end of the main back carriage, an auxiliary
back carriage Ex, and I have also provided at the ends of the bottom front carriage
and the bottom back carriage like auxiliary carriages D¹×, E1*.

page_text: It being understood that the auxiliary carriages co-operating with the front
carriage and with the back carriage, act just the same as the auxiliary carriages at
the ends of the bottom front and the bottom back carriages, I need to specifically
describe the operations of only the main front and back carriages with their
auxiliary carriages.
The main front and back carriages have a series of segments 10, 12, which have
their bearings in the said carriages at one distance apart; but the segments 13, 14,
15, 16, and 17 (shown in the auxiliary front and back carriages) have their bearings
closer together than the bearings for the segments in the main carriages, for the
segments in the auxiliary carriages will carry wires to make the finer-mesh part of
the fabric, while the segments carried by the main front and back carriages will
carry wires for the manufacture of the coarser mesh of the fabric or net.
Each main carriage is connected with its auxiliary carriage loosely or in such
manner as to enable the main carriage to start and move for part of its stroke in
either direction before imparting motion to its co-operating auxiliary carriage, and
in this particular instance of my invention this connection has been made by a
finger 19 on the main front carriage entering a loop 20 on the auxiliary carriage,
the end of the finger entering the loop being of less width than the length of the
loop, so that, for instance, viewing Fig. 7, should the front carriage D be moved to
the right the said carriage will move for some distance with its finger in the loop
before the said finger will strike the loop to start the auxiliary carriage D* in the
same direction.
Referring now again to the segments 10, 12, having their bearings in the main
carriages, each segment has gear teeth, which (see Fig. 14) are located near the
upper part of that portion of the segment which lies between the upper and lower
plates of the carriages, leaving an untoothed portion on each segment, the toothed
portion being engaged by the upper rack m, the lower rack m', to be described and
which I have added to the machine, lying opposite to the untoothed portion of the
said segments.
The segments 13, 14, 16, 17, have, on the contrary, their teeth located near the
lower end of the portions of the said segments contained between the upper and
lower bars of the carriage, as represented in Fig. 15, and the teeth of these segments
are engaged by the lower rack m'.
For greater convenience, and preferably so, the segment 15, which is the endmost
segment in the auxiliary back carriage Ex next the inner end of the main back
carriage E, is provided with a gear which substantially fills the space on the said
segment between the upper and lower bars of the carriage, as shown in Fig. 13,
so that this particular segment when the machine is in operation and the said
segment goes in its rotation into a bearing in the auxiliary front carriage or
into a bearing in the main front carriage may be rotated by either one of the
racks m, m².
This provision of longer teeth avoids any possibility of either rack not being
in just the proper position to engage that particular segment, and it also insures
the correct running into and out of mesh of the rack-bars with the said segment.
Viewing Fig. 10, it will be noticed that the upper rack-bar m is cut away at its
underside to leave a space in which lies the auxiliary rack-bar m', the length of the
space being as much in excess of the length of the lower rack-bar as the lost motion
between the main and auxiliary carriages, or the said space is equal to the distance
it is desired to have one carriage moved before the other.
To one conversant with machines of the class referred to, it will be understood
that the wires taken from the tubes g and spools and extended through holes in the
segments will be twisted together, and that the meshes are made by shifting the
carriages alternately in opposite directions, so as to place the segments of
the different carriages first opposite one segment of the other carriage and then
opposite another, the rotation of the segments ceasing during the shifting of the
carriages.
In Figs. 7 to 12 I have shown but a few segments; but it will be understood

page_text: that each carriage will have the desired number of segments distributed at proper
distances apart.
I have omitted some of the segments to avoid confusion of the drawings.
Assuming now that the front carriage D, with its auxiliary carriage D*, has
just been moved to the left, it will be seen that the segment 13, having one of
the wires to enter into the finer-meshed portion of the fabric, is placed opposite
the segment 15, referred to, which also contains one of the wires entering into the
finer-mesh part of the fabric.
In this condition of the parts the rack-bars will be operated and will rotate
the segments, twisting together the wires carried by them.
This done, the main front carriage will be started to the right from the
position Fig. 7 into the position Fig. 11, and after the main front carriage has
moved a portion of its distance the finger 19 will engage the loop 20 and start
the auxiliary front carriage D* with it, and at the same time the back carriages
will be moved in the opposite direction; but the finger 19, attached to the main
back carriage E, will not start the auxiliary back carriage until the main back
carriage has completed part of its motion.
This change of carriages will put the segment 10 in the main front carriage
opposite the segment 15, before referred to, and the rack-bars will then be
reversed in their movement, causing the wire carried by the segment 10, it being
a wire taken from that part of the fabric having the coarser mesh, to be twisted
with the wire carried by the segment 15, belonging to the finer mesh, twisting
the said wires together.
This operation will be repeated from time to time as course after course are made.
Prior to my invention I am not aware that main and auxiliary carriages
having different strokes or having segments arranged at different distances apart
have ever been employed in one machine.
I have herein shown but one set of auxiliary carriages with each front and
back carriage, but this invention is not to be limited to the employment of one
set only, as I might employ any number of auxiliary carriages arranged end to
end, each one having segments properly placed to correspond with the particular
mesh of the fabric or net to be made, cach auxiliary carriage having imparted
to it a movement for the necessary distance to enable its segments to come into
proper operative position with any other segment with which it is to co-operate
in twisting together the wires entering into portions of the fabric varying in
mesh.
As herein represented, the portion of the fabric of finer mesh is shewn at one
selvage or near one side; but it is obvious that with but slight change of construction
the carriages holding the segments controlling the wire to form the finer mesh may
be located in any portion of the machine wherever the finer mesh is desired.
I do not desire to confine myself to the construction herein shown for reciprocating
the auxiliary plates, as my invention broadly comprehends the employment of
reciprocating plates.
The feature of starting the rack m to rotate the gears in the main carriages
before starting the rack m² to rotate the gears in the auxiliary carriages is a matter
of great importance, as thereby it is possible to make in the same fabric in the same
transverse line of meshes twists of different kinds or character as, for instance, the
narrow mesh may have two twists and the wide mesh three twists at each junction
of the wire.
To do this, it is only necessary that the space between the two racks be sufficient
to enable the rack m' to remain at rest while the rack m starts and is moved
sufficiently to give the segments 10 and 12 one rotation, and then the rack m' may
be started to move in unison with the rack m to give all the segments in operation
in all the carriages two twists.
This facility for independent movement to be given to both the rack-bars and
carriages, as stated, is an essential feature of my invention; but it is immaterial as
to the particular shape of the parts for giving motion to the carriages and rack-bars

page_text: in the time and way stated, yet the devices shown herein are the most simple known
to me at the present time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is
1. In a machine for the manufacture of wire netting, main front and back
carriages, provided with twisting-segments and auxiliary front and back carriages
provided with twisting segments, provided with separately moveable rack-bars, each
to engage and rotate its own proper segment, substantially as described.
2. A wire-netting machine containing the following instrumentalities, viz. :—-main
front and back carriages, means to reciprocate them, twisting-segments mounted in
the said carriages, auxiliary front and back carriages containing twisting segments,
separately-moveable rack-bars, each to engage and rotate its own proper segments,
and a segment having a toothed surface, substantially as described, and adapted to
be engaged by one and then by both of the said rack-bars, according to the position
of the carriages, to operate substantially as described.
3. A wire-netting machine containing the following instrumentalities, viz.: main
front and back carriages provided with twisting-segments, the segments in each
carriage being located at a distance apart corresponding to a mesh of one size,
combined with auxiliary front and back carriages having each a series of twisting-
segments, located at a distance apart other than the segments in the main front and
back carriages to make a mesh of a different size, and means for actuating the said
carriages one in advance of the other, as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In a wire-netting machine, front and back main and auxiliary carriages and
independent means to reciprocate the said main and auxiliary carriages, combined
with a twisting half-segment which rotates in connection with a twisting half-
segment of the main carriage for a portion of the time and then with a half segment
of the auxiliary carriage, whereby meshes differing in width may be made side by
side and connected together as one fabric, substantially as described.
5. In a wire-netting machine, main and auxiliary carriages, substantially as
described, and twisting-segments carried thereby, the twisting segments of the main
and auxiliary carriages, respectively, being arranged at different distances apart
and having their teeth in different horizontal planes, connections between each main
carriage and its auxiliary carriage, whereby there is lost motion between them, and
means to reciprocate said carriages, for the purposes set forth.
6. In a wire-netting machine, shifting carriages provided with twisting-segments,
⚫ combined with two super-imposed rack-bars having their acting teeth in different
horizontal planes and means to actuate the said rack-bars to rotate the said
segments.
7. In a wire-netting machine, main and auxiliary carriages, two series of segments,
one series for each carriage, and two independent rack-bars, one-half of one of the
said segments being adapted to be rotated at one time by one of the said rack-bars
and at another time by the other of said rack-bars, combined with devices to move
the said carriages independently, substantially as described.
8. In a machine for the production of wire netting the combination or arrange-
ment and use of parts of apparatus so as to enable them to co-operate substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and shewn by the drawings.
Dated the 26th day of June 1893.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.