IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING WIRE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 14th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th July, 1887.
I MARTIN FENN ROBERTS, of 6 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN DRAWING WIRE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in wire drawing and in the
apparatus to be employed therein.
In carrying out my improvements I employ a machine devised to reduce wire
several sizes at one operation by drawing through a series of dies. This has before
been done to some extent but my Invention is directed especially to improvements and
novel arrangements and combinations in the apparatus employed.
In this apparatus the wire which is to be reduced in diameter by drawing is placed
on a reel or swift free to revolve on its axis; from this reel the wire is guided to the
first die, thence round a flanged pulley made to rotate as hereinafter described and by
the rotation of this pulley the wire is drawn through the die and thus reduced in
sectional area; from the pulley the wire passes to the second die through which it is
drawn by a second pulley similar to that already described thereby being further
reduced in sectional area and so on alternately through a die and around a pulley,
cach succeeding pulley being driven in the manner hereinafter described at an exactly
sufficiently increased surface speed to the one preceding it until the wire is sufficiently
reduced in size to pass through the finishing die through which it is drawn by a wire
drawers block on to which the wire is wound.
It is important that the pulleys called hereinafter the drawing through pulleys
which draw the wire through the dies and the wire drawers block should revolve at
the exact speed required and that the speed may be readily adjusted and altered and
this I effect as follows:-
On a main driving shaft I arrange driving pulleys at suitable distances apart and
from these pulleys lead driving belts around other pulleys which are fixed on a
series of countershafts, one countershaft being provided for each of the drawing
through pulleys and one for the wire drawers block. Each countershaft is by the
driving belt from one of the pulleys on the main shaft caused to revolve at an
approximately suitable speed to communicate to the drawing through pulley or wire
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page_text: drawers block, it being necessary that the surface speed of each succeeding drawing
through pulley and of the wire drawer's block should be greater than the speed of the
respective pulley which precedes it.
The exact adjustment of the relative speed of the drawing through pulleys and of
the wire drawers block suitable to the relative size of the holes in the dies is made as
follows-On each countershaft a roller is placed which is caused to revolve with the
shaft by means of a feather key provided on the shaft but the position of the roller
along the countershaft can be varied by means of a lever and suitable attachments.
The roller on each countershaft revolves in contact with a friction disc which is thus
caused to rotate faster or slower as the roller is moved along the countershaft nearer
to or farther from the centre of the said disc. Each shaft which carries a friction disc
also carries either a drawing through pulley or the wire drawers block which are
therefore rotated when the rollers on the counter-shafts give motion to the
friction discs.
For the purpose of lubricating the wire during drawing I arrange a trough which
contains the lubricant, above the trough a series of discs revolve the lower portion of
cach disc projecting into the lubricating liquid in the trough; these discs which are
caused to revolve by power communicated preferably by or from the shaft carrying the
drawing through pulleys carry by centrifugal force the lubricating liquid round on their
edges from whence it is collected and carried to the dies by means of strips of metal
in which a channel is formed, or the lubricant may be guided into a trough placed near
the dic, the wire passing through such trough. The lubricating disc may conveniently
be made with a groove in its edge so as to carry a larger quantity of liquid.
Each disc might be provided with paddles or bristles and arranged either with or
without a casing the lubricant being raised from the trough by the revolving disc and
guided to the wire in any suitable manner.
As an alternative method of lubricating the wire during drawing I adopt the plan
of making that part of the brackets which carry the die project beneath the surface of
the lubricating liquid and in this case the wire passes to the lower side of the drawing
in pulley from the dies and again leaves the pulley on the lower side in passing to the
next die. In this case a reservoir can conveniently be connected with the lubricating
trough into which all or a portion of the lubricating liquid is run when the speed of
the drawing through roller is being adjusted, and the liquid is forced back into the
trough by means of a plunger or otherwise.
To provent the dies from unduly wearing owing to their not being in the direct
path the wire traverses from pulley to pulley I adopt a method of supporting them so
that they automatically adjust themselves to the required position.
The arrangements I prefer for effecting this object are as follows although other
means might be employed A bracket carries a set of gimballs in which is suspended
an open frame one end of which carries the die. The gimball ring is pivoted so as to
turn or swivel horizontally the sheaves carrying the die move vertically; the open end
of the sheaves extend behind the gimball ring in which it is pivoted and is weighted
so as to exactly counterpoise the end containing the die and its setting, the whole is
thus in equilibrium and at the drawing hole is sensitive to the slightest pressure
lateral or vertical.
An alternative method is to use a bracket hinged so as to give it a vertical
movement and the lateral movement is obtained by the mount carrying the die being
threaded on two rigid wires carried by the bracket; or as a second alternativo
method, instead of the bracket being hinged the vertical movement can be obtained
by threading the mount carrying the die on two rigid wires fixed vertically on the
bracket.

page_text: I MARTIN FENN ROBERTS of 6 Priory Park Road Kilburn in the County of
Middlesex Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DRAWING WIRE AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR, 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 to certain improvements in wire drawing and in the apparatus
to be employed therein.
In carrying out my improvements I employ a machine devised to reduce wire
several sizes at one operation by drawing through a series of dies. This has before
been done to some extent but my Invention is directed especially to improvements
and novel arrangements and combinations in the apparatus employed.
In this apparatus the wire which is to be reduced in diameter by drawing is placed
on a reel or swift free to revolve on its axis; from this reel the wire is guided to the
first die thence round a flanged pulley made to rotate as hereinafter described and by
the rotation of this pulley the wire is drawn through the die and thus reduced in
sectional area; from the pulley the wire passes to the second die through which it is
drawn by a second pulley similar to that already described thereby being further
reduced in sectional area and so on alternately through a die and around a pulley each
succeeding pulley being driven in the manner hereinafter described at an exactly
sufficiently increased surface speed to the one preceding it until the wire is sufficiently
reduced in size to pass through the finishing die through which it is drawn by a
wire drawer's block on to which the wire is wound.
It is important that the pulleys called hereinafter the drawing through pulleys
which draw the wire through the dies and the wire drawer's block should revolve at
the exact speed required and that the speed may be readily adjusted and altered and
this I effect as follows:-
On a main driving shaft I arrange driving pulleys at suitable distances apart and
from these pulleys I lead driving belts around other pulleys which are fixed on a
series of countershafts one countershaft being provided for each of the drawing
through pulleys and one for the wire drawer's block. Each countershaft is by the
driving belt from one of the pulleys on the main shaft caused to revolve at an
approximately suitable speed to communicate to the drawing through pulley or wire
drawer's block it being necessary that the surface speed of each succeeding drawing
through pulley and of the wire drawer's block should be greater than the speed of the
respective pulley which precedes it.
The exact adjustment of the relative speed of the drawing through pulleys and
of the wire drawer's block suitable to the relative size of the holes in the dies is made
as follows:-
On each countershaft a roller is placed which is caused to revolve with the shaft by
means of a feather key provided on the shaft but the position of the roller along the
countershaft can be varied by means of a lever and suitable attachments. The roller

page_text: on each countershaft revolves in contact with a friction disc which is thus caused to
rotate faster or slower as the roller is moved along the countershaft nearer to or
farther from the centre of the said disc. Each shaft which carries a friction disc
also carries either a drawing through pulley or the wire drawer's block which are
therefore rotated when the rollers on the countershafts give motion to the friction
discs.
For the purpose of lubricating the wire during drawing I arrange a trough which
contains the lubricant; above the trough a series of discs revolve the lower portion
of each disc projecting into the lubricating liquid in the trough; these discs which
are caused to revolve by power communicated preferably by or from the shaft carrying
the drawing through pulleys carry by centrifugal force the lubricating liquid round
on their edges from whence it is collected and carried to the dies by means of strips
of metal in each of which a channel is formed or the lubricant may be guided into a
trough placed near the die the wire passing through such trough. The lubricating
disc may conveniently be made with a groove in its edge so as to carry a larger
quantity of liquid. Each disc might be provided with paddles or bristles and
arranged either with or without a casing the lubricant being raised from the trough
by the revolving disc and guided to the wire in any suitable manner.
As an alternative method of lubricating the wire during drawing I adopt the plan
of making that part of the brackets which carry the die project beneath the surface
of the lubricating liquid and in this case the wire passes to the lower side of the
drawing through pulley from the dies and again leaves the pulley on the lower side in
passing to the next die. In this case a reservoir can conveniently be connected with
the lubricating trough into which all or a portion of the lubricating liquid is run
when the speed of the drawing through rollers being adjusted and the liquid is
forced back into the trough by means of a plunger or otherwise.
To prevent the dies from unduly wearing owing to their not being in the direct
path the wire traverses from pulley to pulley I adopt a method of supporting them so
that they automatically adjust themselves to the required position.
The arrangements I prefer for effecting this object are as follows although other
means might be employed :-A bracket carries a sot of gimballs in which is suspended
an open frame one end of which carries the die. The gimball ring is pivoted so as
to turn or swivel horizontally the sheaves carrying the die move vertically the open
end of the sheaves extend behind the gimball ring in which it is pivoted and is
weighted so as to exactly counterpoise the end containing the die and its setting the
whole is thus in equilibrium and at the drawing hole is sensitive to the slightest
pressure lateral or vertical.
An alternative method is to use a bracket hinged so as to give it a vertical
movement this method being especially convenient when the alternative method of
lubricating is adopted.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying five Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a plan of a wire drawing machine embodying my Improvements.
Figure 2 is an elevation of one side and Figure 3 is an elevation of the other side
of the same.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar views respectively to Figures 1, 2 and 3 but show
gearing instead of belt driving.
Figure 7 is an elevation of an alternative arrangement for lubricating the
wire.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are detail views of the die holder and lubricating device, in
the arrangements illustrated by Figures 1 to 6.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3. a designates the framework of the
machine the reel or swift (shown only in Figure 1) on which the wire to be drawn
or 'reduced in diameter is wound; c c¹ c² c³ c c are the flanged drawing through
pulleys round each of which the wire is taken say twice on its passage through the

page_text: machine from the reel to the wire drawer's block d on which it is finally wound.
Between each pair of drawing through pulleys and also between the last drawing
through pulley and the wire drawer's block is fixed a bracket a' which supports a die
holder e and its die through which the wire passes the construction and arrangement
of the die holder e being hereinafter more fully described. The drawing through
pulleys c c c c c c are secured on the short shafts supported and free to revolve
in bearings in the framework a and on the other end of each shaft is secured a
friction disc g driven by a friction disc mounted on a countershaft i there being as
many countershafts i as there are friction discs h. Each friction disc is held in
contact with its driving disc by means of a spiral spring compressed between a
bearing and a fixed collar f2 on the shaft and each friction disc h is free to slide
on a feather key on its countershaft i nearer to or farther from the centre of its disc g
in order that the speed at which the latter is driven may be regulated as required.
This sliding movement of each disc is effected by means of a series of clutch
levers fulcrumed on the framing at one end of each lever engages a groove in
the boss of one of the friction discs while the other end lies in a space or recess
formed for its reception in a nut or screwed block through which passes a screw
supported in a stationary brackot m and operated when necessary by a handwheel 22.
Each countershaft is supported and free to revolve in hearings in brackets n
secured to the frame a and on each countershaft i is secured a grooved
pulley 0 01 02 0³ at ³ respectively driven by a round belt or band from its
corresponding grooved pulley in the series p p p² ³ ³ fixed on the driving
shaft s which is driven by a belt not shown and a pair of fast and loose pulleys s¹s
The two above named series of grooved pulleys are so proportioned that each
succeeding drawing through pulley commencing with the feed end of the machine is
driven at an increased surface speed to the one preceding it and thus the approximately
correct surface speed for each drawing through pulley is obtained while by means of
the screws and clutch levers k the position of the friction discs h on the counter-
shaft i can be adjusted to regulate the driving of each drawing through pulley to the
exact speed required.
The arrangements for driving and regulating the speed of the wire drawer's
block d are identical with those described for the drawing through pulleys the block d
taking its motion by a grooved pulley of and belt or band from the grooved pulley p
on the shafts and is driven at a sufficiently increased surface speed to that of the last
drawing through pulley but instead of being mounted directly upon the shaft the
block d'is fixed upon a vertical shaft t which is free to revolve in a bearing or footstep u
in the frame and is driven by means of a gear t¹ from a gear f³ fixed on the shaft.
The thorough lubrication of the wire during the drawing process is most important
and for this employ a trough or reservoir v which contains the lubricant and over
which revolve a series of discs w preferably grooved and fixed one on each drawing
through pulley shaft and one on a separate shaft which is driven by a band
from its adjoining shaft the lower portion of each disc w projecting into the
lubricant in the trough. The lubricant carried round by these revolving discs w is
collected thorefrom and carried to the die holders e by means of strips of metal w
each bent to formn a channel and secured by a screw and wing nut w³ to an arm w³
bolted to the bracket as best shown in Figures 9 and 10.
To prevent the dies through which the wire passes from unduly wearing owing to
their not being in the direct path the wire traverses from pulley to pulley I adopt a
mode of supporting them whereby they automatically adjust themselves to the
required position. The construction and arrangement of die holder e I prefer to
employ for this object are best shown in the detail views Figures 8, 9 and 10.
The die holder e consists of an open frame in one end of which is formed a recess
for the die secured therein by a screw ¹. This die holder is suspended in its
bracket a¹ by a gimball contrivance, of which the outer ring el is pivoted so as to
turn or swivel horizontally and the inner ring e² formed on the die holder e is pivoted
to the outer ring e¹ and is free to turn or swivel vertically.
These two movements in connection with the open frame. which extends, from the

page_text: inner ring to the recess for the die enables the die to move freely to any position and
it thus adjusts itself to the position required for the path the wire travels in passing
from one to another flanged drawing through pulley.
In the ring is secured a half tube forming an open channel which receives the
lubricant carried from the revolving disc w by the strip or channel w¹. The wire
passes along the channel e³ to the die and thence to the next drawing through
pulley and the die holder e is weighted by means of a weight e suspended from the
tube e³ in order to exactly counterpoise the end containing the die x so that the whole
is in equilibrium and the die or drawing hole is sensitive to the slightest pressure
whether lateral or vertical.
For convenience in threading the wire I prefer to make a slot e (see Figure 8) in
the outer ring e¹ and a corresponding slot in the inner ring e. The lubricant as it
escapes from the channel e³ through which the wire passes falls down into the trough
or reservoir v.
10
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010
Figures 4, 5 and 6 represent an arrangement of my improved machine agreeing in
all respects with that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 except that instead of the two
series of grooved pulleys and the belts or bands r for driving the countershafts I
employ a series of gears p18 pp fixed on the driving shafts for driving
respectively a series of gears
oo fixed on the countershafts i. The gears
are so speeded and arranged as to obtain the approximately correct surface speed for
each drawing through pulley and the wire drawer's block d as already described with
reference to the belt driving arrangement. It is obvious that instead of driving
countershafts from the main shaft to get the approximately correct increased surface
speed for the drawing through pulleys and wire drawer's block that the friction
discs could be mounted to slide on a feather key on the main driving shaft the
increased speed being obtained by using progressively larger discs on the main shaft.
I prefer however to use the countershafts although in a machine for drawing wire
through a small number of holes the drawing through pulleys could be actuated by
friction discs I the motion being communicated to the discs g by friction discs / free
to slide on a feather key on the main shaft instead of on a countershaft.
The alternative mode of lubricating the wire is illustrated by Figure 7.
In this arrangement the discs w are dispensed with and the brackets a' which
carry the die holders e are hinged to the frame a so that the dies a while wire is being
drawn are submerged in the lubricating trough but can be turned or raised clear of
the trough when required. The wire is taken from the reel over a guide pulley y
and under a guide pulley y through the first die x round the first flanged drawing
through pulley c and so on through the machine as in the previous arrangement,
alternately through a die and round a drawing through pulley until it passes
through the finishing die x under a guide pulley y' over a guide pulley y' and to the
wire drawer's block d on which it is wound. There is a well at one end of the
trough in which is placed a piston or plunger by raising which the lubricant can
be drawn off from the trough into the well and vice versa by forcing down the
plunger the trough can be replenished.
It is obvious that any required number of dies and die holders with drawing
through pulleys in proportion may be used for either of the arrangements shown.
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 use and application of adjustable frictional gearing for the purpose of
driving at the exact surface speeds required the drawing through pulleys and the wire
drawer's block of a wire drawing machine.
2. The combination with the driving shaft a countershaft driven therefrom a
friction disc mounted on a feather key or equivalent on said countershaft and means
for adjusting the position of said disc on the shaft of a second friction disc driven at
varying speeds as required by the first named friction disc and secured on a shaft
upon which a drawing through pulley is also socured substantially as herein set forth
for the purposes specified.

page_text: 3.-The combination with the driving shaft a countershaft driven therefrom a friction
disc mounted on a feather key on said countershaft and means for adjusting the
position of said disc on the shaft of a second friction disc driven by the first named
friction disc and secured on a shaft geared to a shaft on which is secured a wire
drawer's block substantially as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
4. The combination with a series of countershafts driven at varying speeds as
required from a driving shaft of adjustable frictional gearing for driving at varying
speeds a series of shafts one of which is geared to the shaft which carries the wire
drawer's block and the remaining shafts carry drawing through pulleys substantially
as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
5. The combination in a wire drawing machino with a series of pulleys c driven
at increasing-surface speeds of friction discs g and respectively for altering and
adjusting the speed of said pulleys as required substantially as heroin set forth for the
purposes specified.
6. The combination in a wire drawing machine with a wire drawer's block d of
friction discs y and h for altering and adjusting the speed of said block as required
substantially as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
7. The combination with a series of countershafts driven at varying speeds from
a driving shaft and transmitting motion by adjustable frictional gearing to a series of
shafts on which are secured the drawing through pulleys of a trough or lubricant
reservoir and a series of revolving discs and channels for collecting and guiding the
lubricant on to the wire passing through open channels secured to the die holders
substantially as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
8. The combination with a series of countershafts driven at varying speeds from a
driving shaft and transinitting motion by adjustable frictional gearing to a series of
shafts on which are secured the drawing through pulleys and hinged brackets
supporting dies beneath the lubricant of a lubricant trough provided with a well and
a piston or plunger for emptying and filling said trough constructed and arranged
substantially as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
9. In a wire drawing machine the combination with a drawing through pulley or
with a wire drawer's block of a die supported in a die holder which automatically
adjusts its position to the path in which the wire travels substantially as berein set
forth for the purposes specified.
10. The combination with a trough or reservoir containing lubricant and a
revolving disc for raising said lubricant of means such as the channel w¹ for collecting
and guiding said lubricant to the wire substantially as herein set forth for the
purposes specified.
11. In a wire drawing machine the use and application of dies supported and
arranged to adjust themselves automatically to the direct path of the wire as the latter
is drawn through the machine substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein
described and as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
12. The combination with a bracket secured adjustably to the frame of a die
holder suspended by a gimbal device in conjunction with an open frame which extends
from the inner ring to the recess for the die substantially as herein set for the
purposes specified.
13. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts constituting
my improvements in apparatus for drawing wire substantially as herein described and
as illustrated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.