Improved Apparatus or Machinery for Straightening Steel Wire.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Machinery for Straightening Steel Wire.
I, JOHN EDWARD WALSH, of The Newlands, Warley, near Halifax, Consulting
and Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to certain improvements upon Patent No. 4688
of 1888.
'
The object of my invention is to straighten hard drawn and mild drawn steel
wire in continuous or other lengths for cards, pianofortes, or other suitable purposes,
in a cold state and without injuring either the temper, coat, or tensile strain of the
wire; the process of hardening and tempering being dispensed with.
Upon a suitable frame is mounted a horizontal or other shaft of steel, hardened
at each end or at a number of places, or the said shaft may have hardened collars
at each end or a number of such collars. The said hardened collars work in corre-
sponding hardened steel concave bearings made to suit the diameter of the collars;
between the said collars and concaves pass the wires to be straightened, the wires
being fed from wincels arranged in convenient positions. The necessary pressure
on the wire being imparted by means of weights, springs and sliding collars. The
horizontal or other shaft is driven by chain and chain wheels (or by other suitable
means) from a shaft which is provided with fast and loose pulleys and with a hand
wheel.
The said shaft also carries a cam or tappet which operates an adjustable fork
lever and grooved collar upon the shaft whereby a reciprocating as well as the
revolving motion is imparted to the horizontal or other shaft so rolling the wire
in two different directions between the collars and concaves, thereby perfectly
straightening it as it is passed from the feeding to the receiving wincels. The
adjustability of the said fork lever is effected by means of a fulcrum joint, the fork
lever being connected with a cross bar by means of a slot and bolts, the said cross
bar is also provided with a slot and bolt, thus allowing an adjustment of the parts,
and giving any desired amount of movement to the horizontal shaft. Lifting bars
or levers, operated by foot lever and connecting rod, are provided to raise
the horizontal shaft out of the concaves to facilitate the insertion of the wire
or wires.
JOHN E. WALSH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Machinery for Straightening Steel Wire.
I, JOHN EDWARD WALSH, of The Newlands, Warley, near Halifax, Consulting
and Mechanical 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 :-
My invention has reference to certain improvements upon Patent No. 4688
of 1888.
The object of my invention being to straighten hard drawn and mild drawn steel
wire in continuous or other lengths for cards, pianofortes or other suitable purposes,
in a cold state and without injuring either the temper, coat, or tensile strain of
the wire; the process of hardening and tempering being dispensed with.
And my said invention consists in improved machinery or apparatus for the
object aforesaid.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan of my improved machine for straightening wire.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation through the line X. X. of my improved
machine for straightening wire.
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views. Fig. 3 shewing the shaft upon concaves as when
straightening the wire. Fig. 4 shows shaft out of concaves, raised to facilitate the
insertion of the wire.
Upon a suitable frame A is mounted a horizontal shaft C of steel, hardened at
each end, or at a number of places, or the said shaft may have hardened_collars D
at each end, or a number of such collars. The said hardened collars D work in
corresponding hardened steel concave bearings E, made to suit the diameter
of the collars; between the said collars and concaves pass the wires F to
be straightened, the wires being fed from wincels arranged in convenient positions.
The necessary pressure on the wire being imparted by means of weights or
springs H, and sliding or loose collars J. The horizontal shaft C is driven by
chain K and chain wheels L (or by other suitable means) from a shaft M which
is provided with fast and loose pulleys N and O, and with a hand wheel P.
The said shaft M also carries a cam or tappet R which operates an adjustable
fork lever S and by means of the grooved collar T upon the shaft C, a recipro-
cating motion is imparted to the shaft C as well as the revolving motion, so rolling
or rubbing the wire in two different directions between the collars and concaves,
thereby perfectly straightening it as it is passed from the feeding to the receiving
wincels. The adjustability of the said fork lever S is effected by means of a
fulcrum joint. On the underside of fork lever S is a bracket W4, adjustable
along the slot W of the lever, and attached to this lever by means of bolts W',
the said cross bar V is also provided with a slot W. A stud bolt W³ passing
through the cross bar V, stud hole in bracket W, and forked lever S allows an
adjustment of the parts and giving any desired amount of movement to the
horizontal shaft C. Lifting bars or levers Y operated by foot lever Y¹ and
connecting rod Z are provided to raise the horizontal shaft Cout of the concaves
to facilitate the insertion of the wire or wires.
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 I
claim is :-
1. In machinery or apparatus for straightening wire in the manner set forth,
the combination of the shaft M, cam or tappet R, lever S, cross bar V, and
grooved collar T, for imparting a reciprocating motion to the shaft C during its
rotation, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.
2. In machinery or apparatus for straightening wire in the manner set forth,
the employment of levers Y, foot treadle Y, and connecting rod Z, for raising the
shaft out of the concaves D, to facilitate the insertion or feeding of the wires,
substantially as shown and described.
3. Adjusting the lever S as and for the purposes such as shown and described.
4. The improved apparatus or machinery for straightening wire such as shown
and described.
JOHN E. WALSH.