Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Articles from Wire Blanks, specially applicable to the Manufacture of Metal Spokes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Articles from Wire
Blanks, specially applicable to the Manufacture of Metal Spokes.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by William George Allen of Hartford
Connecticut, in the United States of America Machinist) 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 the manufacture of wire spokes such as are used in
wheels of bicycles, and has particular reference to the heading and bending of the
spokes.
Heretofore, the heading and bending operations have usually been performed by
two distinct machines, and the object of this invention is to accomplish these
operations expeditiously in a single machine.
In the better class of bicycles the spokes are swaged or reduced in diameter for
the greater part of their length, this step being performed before the heading and
bending; but in cheaper grade machines the wire-spokes are not swaged, but are
of the same diameter throughout. By the machine hereinafter described, spokes of
the latter character can be made directly from a coil of wire, being straightened,
cut to proper length, headed, and bent. Means, however, are also provided,
whereby swaged spokes can be fed to the machine for heading and bending.
In the preferred form of machine in which the invention is carried out, feed
mechanism is provided whereby the spokes are fed sidewise through the machine,
that is in a direction transverse to their length. The feed is intermittent, carrying
a spoke first to the header or punch, by which the head is upset, and returning
while this operation is being performed; then advancing again, moving the headed
spoke forward towards the bending devices, and carrying a second spoke towards
the header. By successive steps the spokes are fed through and out of the
machine. In the particular feed movement preferred feed cylinders advance by a
longitudinal movement, and return by a gradual spiral or screw motion, the spoke
remaining stationary during this return movement.
The invention embraces the particular form of feed mechanism, both in
combination with other co-operating elements of the particular machine, and also
independently for other uses to which it may be applied. This feed-mechanism
consists essentially of one or more (preferably two) horizontal sleeves or cylinders,
having each a spiral groove therein, the pitch of the spiral being equal to the
length of a single step of the feed movement. The sleeves have a longitudinal
forward and backward or reciprocating movement. During the forward movement
the spoke, lying across the cylinders and engaged by a groove of each, is advanced
one step. This movement is quickly made. The sleeves have also a constant
movement of rotation, and their backward or return movement is so timed with
reference to the speed of rotation that the spoke resting in the spiral groove
remains stationary during this return movement. In other words, the return
movement is given by a cam or equivalent device having the same pitch as the
spiral grooves. This mechanism renders it unnecessary to employ, gripping devices
of any sort for seizing, advancing and releasing the spokes, and perinits of a number

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Figure 2, is a side elevation thereof,
Figure 3, is a sectional view through one of the feed cylinders and its operating
mechanism.
Figure 4, is an elevation, partly in section, of the heading mechanism,
Figure 5, is a sectional view through the gripping device for holding the spoke
during the formation of the head,
Figures 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figures 4 and 5, of the bending
devices,
Figure 8, is a detail of the cams and operating lever for the bending device, and
Figures 9, 10 and 11 are respectively a side elevation partly in section, a plan
view, and a front elevation of mechanism for delivering to the feed cylinders blanks
previously severed into lengths.
At one side of the machine is an upright frame or casting B formed with a deep
horizontal slot or recess b (Figures 2 and 4) extending entirely across it, this
recess being for the passage of the spoke, which is fed transversely across the
machine in a direction at right angles to the length of the spoke. While
passing through this recess the spoke comes first to the header and then to the
bender.
The feed is effected by two sleeves or cylinders C C mounted each on a shaft c
and connected therewith by a spline c' or similar connection to permit longitudinal
motion of the sleeve independently of its shaft. The shafts c are continuously
rotated in the same direction from a shaft 10 through bevel gears 11, 12, and spur
gears 13, 14, 15 the gear 14 being an intermediate or idler.
The cylinders have each a spiral groove e extending from end to end thereof,
the grooves in the cylinders being in the same line, so that a straight wire or
spoke (Figures 1 and 2) can be engaged by the groove in each cylinder.. The
axes of the feed cylinders are slightly inclined, so that the spokes when resting in
the grooves will be square with the machine.
06
a fixed
The rotation of the cylinders has nothing to do with the feed of the spoke,,
which is effected intermittently by the longitudinal forward movement of the
cylinders. This movement, as well as the return movement, is effected by a cam
groove in the end of the cylinder, in which engages a roller con
support (Figure 3). When, in the rotation of the cylinder, the abrupt
incline
(Figure 1) comes against the roller c, the cylinder, advances by a quick
movement, the distance of the feed being equal to the distance between the spirals
of the groove ². The gradual incline of the cam thus causes the cylinder to
return. The pitch of this part of the cam is the same as that of the spiral
groove c², so that, during the return movement, the spoke remains in the position
to which it has been advanced, the thread simply unwinding itself, so to speak,
under the spoke.
Omitting for the present, the description of the devices for placing the blanks
in position on the feed cylinders, the construction of which devices will depend on
whether the blanks have been previously separated or are formed in the machine
itself from a continuous wire, the mechanism whereby the blanks are first headed,
and then bent to the required angle, will now be described, it being assumed that
each time the cylinders return, a blank is laid in the first of the feed grooves or
channels, and advanced step by step as above explained, its forward end traversing
the slot during such movement.
The heading meclianism to which the blank is first presented, comprises essentially
a gripping device for the end of the wire and a suitably operated heading or

page_text: upsetting die. The gripping device comprises a stationary jaw or block d
Figures 4 and 5 adjustable by means of a bolt d', and a movable jaw d³ carried
by a slide d' and operated from a shaft 16 by a toggle joint d'. The jaws d and d³
come together in the line of the slot b. The shaft 16 receives an axial reciprocating
motion from an eccentric 19 on a shaft 17 through an arm 20 and pitman 21.
e is the heading or upsetting die carried by a plunger e' mounted in a suitable
way on a plate E secured to the casting B and vertically adjustable thereon by
means of bolt e', to bring the die to the proper alignment.
The plunger has thereon a projection or lug through which passes a pin e³,
to the ends of which connect springs et operating to retract the plunger after-each
stroke, such movement being limited by a stop bolt e*.
In the rear end of the plunger el is screwed a head e which may be adjusted to
vary the length of the stroke. This head receives the impact of a hammer f
which operates to drive the plunger, the said hammer receiving its motion from an
eccentric 18 on the shaft 17.
At the instant the feed cylinders present a blank between the jaws d and d³, the
slide d' is actuated to move jaw d³, thereby tightly gripping and holding the wire-
blank which projects at its end slightly beyond the jaws. The plunger el now makes
its working strokes and a head of proper shape is formed upon the blank, which
is then released by the gripping jaws and carried forward by the next sliding
movement of the feed-cylinders.
The bending mechanism is most clearly shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8, and like
the heading mechanism it includes as an essential part a gripping device consisting
of a stationary jaw gand a movable jaw g' meeting in the line of slot b, the movable
jaw being operated from the shaft 16 in a manner similar to the jaw d³ of the
heading mechanism. Arranged adjacent to the jawy is a vertically operating
slide carrying at its lower end a die block h' which bears against the edge of the
jaw g. The jaw g' is recessed at one side as shewn at 92 and the die block is
recessed as shewn at 3, thereby providing proper space to receive the head of the
blank or spoke as the die block descends and imparts the proper bend to the spoke.
The slide' is actuated by a lever h³ having at its end a yoke ' embracing the
shaft 17 and carrying rollers h³ which bear respectively against cams 22 and 23,
on the said shaft 17, as shewn clearly in Figure 8.
It will be understood that when the headed blank has been advanced to a.
position between the jaws g g¹ with the headed end projecting beyond the said
jaws, the movable jaw g' is actuated to grip the spoke, and the die ' descends to
bend the end, as clearly shewn in Figure 6 and simultaneously the plunger e¹
makes its working stroke to form the head on another blank which has been
brought into position by the feeding device. A reverse movement of the parts
then ensues and the spoke is fed forward another step by the longitudinal movement
of the cylinders C.
In Figures 1 and 2 mechanism is illustrated for forming the blanks in the
machine itself, from a continuous wire y which passes into the machine through a
straightening device I, between feed pulleys k and then through a bushing / where
it is operated upon by a cutter m and severed into blanks of suitable length,
which are laid in the grooves of the cylinders C C. The feed pulleys
operated from the shaft of one of the cylinders C through bevel gears 24, 25
shaft 26, gears 27, 28 and gears 29, 30. The cutter m is operated by a cam
wheel 39 on the shaft 26.
are
Referring now to Figures 9, 10, and 11, which show another form of mechanism
for delivering the spoke-blanks to the feed cylinders, n n are two vertical ways in
which the ends of spoke blanks severed to the proper length engage.
In order to
provide for spokes of different lengths, plate n' formning one of the ways is
adjustable by means of set screws n² in slots n³. Projecting into the bottom of
each way is a vibratory supporting slide o having a sharpened end o' and operated
by a lug o on a shaft 31, the said shaft being oscillated by means of an arm 32,
link 33, lever 34, and cam 35 on the shaft 10.

page_text: The devices above referred to are so disposed that the spokes resting one above
another in the ways n n lie directly above the spiral grooves 2 of the cylinders C C,
the quick vibratory movements effected by cam 35 cause the points o' of the slides o
(which are simultaneously operated) to drop the blanks one by one onto the
cylinders C.
It will be understood that the several operations and movements of the parts
herein described are so timed and regulated as to take place in proper order, the
whole machine working automatically.
Departures from the precise construction shown and described may be made
within wide limits without departing from the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for making wire spokes, the combination of devices for forming
a head on one end of the spoke, devices for bending the headed end to form a
shoulder, and feed-mechanism for feeding the blanks to the said devices in
succession, substantially as herein before described.
2. In a machine for making wire spokes, the combination of devices for forming
a lead on one end of the spoke, devices for bending the headed end to form a
shoulder, and feed mechanism for feeding the blank to the said devices in
succession, the action of the heading devices and bending devices taking place
simultaneously upon different blanks, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The combination of the heading devices, the bending device, feed-mechanism
for presenting the blanks successively to the heading devices and bending devices,
and automatically operated gripping devices for holding the blanks during the
heading and bending operations, and for releasing the same upon the completion
thereof, substantially as herein before described.
4. The combination with heading and bending devices arranged to act successively
upon each spoke, and simultaneously upon different spokes, of means for feeding
the blanks to the said devices in a direction transverse to the length of the blanks,
by intermittent movements, substantially as herein before described.
5. The combination with heading and bending devices arranged to act successively
upon the spoke blanks, of rotary feed cylinders having spiral grooves in which the
blanks are laid, means for moving the cylinders forward longitudinally, whereby
the spoke-blanks are advanced by an intermittent movement, and means for
gradually returning the cylinders by a movement commensurate with the pitch of
the said spiral grooves, substantially as herein before described.
6. The combination with devices for acting successively upon a wire blank,
of feeding mechanism for the blanks comprising horizontal rollers movable
lengthwise of their supporting shafts and having spiral peripheral grooves, means
for rotating the said rollers, and means for imparting to them an intermittent
forward motion and for returning them at a speed corresponding with the pitch of
the spiral grooves, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 1st day of January 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: upsetting die. The gripping device comprises a stationary jaw or block d
Figures 4 and 5 adjustable by means of a bolt d', and a movable jaw d³ carried
by a slide d' and operated from a shaft 16 by a toggle joint d³. The jaws d and d³
come together in the line of the slot b. The shaft 16 receives an axial reciprocating
motion from an eccentric 19 on a shaft 17 through an arm 20 and pitman 21.
e is the heading or upsetting die carried by a plunger el mounted in a suitable
way on a plate E secured to the casting B and vertically adjustable thereon by
means of bolt e', to bring the die to the proper alignment.
The plunger has thereon a projection or lug through which passes a pin e³,
to the ends of which connect springs e operating to retract the plunger after each
stroke, such, movement being limited by a stop_bolt es..
In the rear end of the plunger el is screwed a head e which may be adjusted to
vary the length of the stroke. This head receives the impact of a hammer f
which operates to drive the plunger, the said hammer receiving its motion from an
eccentric 18 on the shaft 17.
At the instant the feed cylinders present a blank between the jaws d and d³, the
slide d' is actuated to move jaw d³, thereby tightly gripping and holding the wire-
blank which projects at its end slightly beyond the jaws. The plunger el now makes
its working strokes and a head of proper shape is formed upon the blank, which
is then released by the gripping jaws and carried forward by the next sliding
movement of the feed-cylinders.
The bending mechanism is most clearly shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8, and like
the beading mechanism it includes as an essential part a gripping device consisting
of a stationary jaw g and a movable jaw g' meeting in the line of slot b, the movable
jaw being operated from the shaft 16 in a manner similar to the jaw d³ of the
heading mechanism. Arranged adjacent to the jaw g is a vertically operating
slide carrying at its lower end a die block which bears against the edge of the
jaw g. The jaw y' is recessed at one side as shewn at 92 and the die block is
recessed as shewn at 2, thereby providing proper space to receive the head of the
blank or spoke as the die block descends and imparts the proper bend to the spoke.
The slide is actuated by a lever h³ having at its end a yoke 4 embracing the
shaft 17 and carrying rollers h³ which bear respectively against cams 22 and 23,
on the said shaft 17, as shewn clearly in Figure 8.
It will be understood that when the headed blank has been advanced to a
position between the jaws g g with the headed end projecting beyond the said
jaws, the movable jaw g is actuated to grip the spoke, and the die h¹ descends to
bend the end, as clearly shewn in Figure 6 and simultaneously the plunger el
makes its working stroke to form the head on another blank which has been
brought into position by the feeding device. A reverse movement of the parts
then ensues and the spoke is fed forward another step by the longitudinal movement
of the cylinders C.
In Figures 1 and 2 mechanism is illustrated for forming the blanks in the
machine itself, from a continuous wire y which passes into the machine through a
straightening device I, between feed pulleys k aud then through a bushing where
it is operated upon by a cutter m and severed into blanks of suitable length,
which are laid in the grooves of the cylinders C C. The feed pulleys kare
operated from the shaft of one of the cylinders C through bevel gears 24, 25
shaft 26, gears 27, 28 and gears 29, 30. The cutter m is operated by a cam
wheel 39 on the shaft 26.
Referring now to Figures 9, 10, and 11, which show another form of mechanism
for delivering the spoke-blanks to the feed cylinders, n n'are two vertical ways in
which the ends of spoke blanks severed to the proper length engage. In order to
provide for spokes of different lengths, plate n¹ forming one of the ways is
adjustable by means of set screws n² in sluts n³. Projecting into the bottom of
each way is a vibratory supporting slide o having a sharpened end o' and operated
by a lug o² on a shaft 31, the said shaft being oscillated by means of an arm 32,
link 33, lever 34, and cam 35 on the shaft 10.

page_text: The devices above referred to are so disposed that the spokes resting one above
another in the ways n n lie directly above the spiral grooves ² of the cylinders C C,
the quick vibratory movements effected by cam 35 cause the points o' of the slides o
(which are simultaneously operated) to drop the blanks one by one onto the
cylinders C.
It will be understood that the several operations and movements of the parts
herein described are so timed and regulated as to take place in proper order, the
whole machine working automatically.
Departures from the precise construction shown and described may be made
within wide limits without departing from the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I, declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for making wire spokes, the combination of devices for forming
a head on one end of the spoke, devices for bending the headed end to form a
shoulder, and feed-mechanism for feeding the blanks to the said devices in
succession, substantially as herein before described.
2. In a machine for making wire spokes, the combination of devices for forming
a head on one end of the spoke, devices for bending the headed end to form a
shoulder, and feed mechanism for feeding the blank to the said devices in
succession, the action of the heading devices and bending devices taking place
simultaneously upon different blanks, substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination of the heading devices, the bending device, feed-mechanism
for presenting the blanks successively to the heading devices and bending devices,
and automatically operated gripping devices for holding the blanks during the
heading and bending operations, and for releasing the same upon the completion
thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. The combination with heading and bending devices arranged to act successively
upon each spoke, and simultaneously upon different spokes, of means for feeding
the blanks to the said devices in a direction transverse to the length of the blauks,
by intermittent movements, substantially as hereinbefore described..
5. The combination with heading and bending devices arranged to act successively
upon the spoke blanks, of rotary feed cylinders having spiral grooves in which the
blanks are laid, means for moving the cylinders forward longitudinally, whereby
the spoke-blanks are advanced by an intermittent movement, and means for
gradually returning the cylinders by a movement commensurate with the pitch of
the said spiral grooves, substantially as herein before described.
6. The combination with devices for acting successively upon a wire blank,
of feeding mechanism for the blanks comprising horizontal rollers movable
lengthwise of their supporting shalts and having spiral peripheral grooves, means
for rotating the said rollers, and means for imparting to them an intermittent
forward motion and for returning them at a speed corresponding with the pitch of
the spiral grooves, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 1st day of January 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.