A Machine for Imparting a Helical Twist to Metal Wire or Laths, and for Cutting the same into Predetermined Lengths.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Imparting a Helical Twist to Metal Wire or Laths,
and for Cutting the same into Predetermined Lengths.
GIOVANNI GIUSSANI, 50 Berrymead Gardens, Acton, SAMUEL SHAW CRISP, and
HERBERT GRICE, both of 139 Wardour Street, London, W., Wire Workers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
55
This invention consists of a machine for imparting a helical twist to metal wire or
laths, and for cutting the same into predetermined lengths, the wire or laths when so
twisted, being intended primarily for use in connection with fire-proof construction of
walls, floorings, partitions, and the like, and for which purpose it is woven together
into a net or sheet. The wire or lath preferably used for the purpose is flat in form
and of suitable widths, and is made of that which is known as Homo-steel." The
wire or lath is coiled upon a drum or swift whence it is fed by a suitable guide, to a
pair of steel, or other hard metal rollers, which are regulated by set screws, and are
arranged to revolve in opposite directions by means of cogged wheels, or in some
other convenient manner; on the side of the rollers opposite to the drum or
swift is placed a special tool which imparts the helical twist to the wire or lath;
this tool is made in any suitable metal and has a groove running through the centre,
which groove is helically twisted at one end of the tool. This tool is made preferably
in two portions, to admit of the better cutting of the groove, which is made
preferably in one portion of the tool only, the other portion fitting flatly against
it, the two portions being then joined together by a collar, sleeve, or by a coil
of wire around them, or in any other suitable manner; the end of the tool is
adjusted close to the point of contact of the rollers, the end of it being bevelled off
the better to admit of this being done. The wire or lath is engaged by the rollers
and passes thence through the above-mentioned tool into a channel or guide, one
side of which is open or free, and the end of which channel farthest from the
rollers is turned outwards laterally and downwards. The open side of the channel is
further provided with a series of bearers, situated below the channel into which
the wire after being cut into lengths is automatically thrown, in consequence of the
formation of the end of the channel. Between the tool and the channel, the wire
or lath passes through another guide having a knife or guillotine for the purpose
of cutting the twisted wire into certain lengths, and which is operated by means of
a band running on the main shaft of the machine to a larger drum, operating a
small cogged wheel, engaging with a larger, the latter having a crank-shaft
running in a groove across the wheel in which groove a stop or stud is affixed
at a certain point, the other end of the shaft being attached to a beam from
which depends a weight or weights operating the knife or guillotine. A guide is
placed at the side of the wheel with which the crank-shaft engages; when the wheel
is in a certain position, and at a certain stage of its revolution, the shaft is released
and runs from one end of the groove to the other, and by reason of the aforesaid
weight or weights the knife or guillotine descends through the guide, upon to the
piece of wire or lath which has just been twisted, thus cutting off the same.
cutting knife is then automatically re-set by means of a spiral spring placed under
its arm or in some other convenient manner. By suitably arranging the number of
cogs upon the wheels operating the knife or guillotine, any predetermined length
of wire may be cut, or if desired the knife or guillotine may be put out of gear,
The

page_text: so that the wire may be in one length, in which case, it may be wound upon a
drum or other receiver, if desired. In the description only one pair of rollers,
one tool and guides are mentioned, but if desired the mechanism may be multiplied
so that two or more sets of apparatus such as those previously described may be
combined in one machine. Provision is made for the proper lubricating of the
different portions of the machine, especially the tool through which the wire or
lath passes after leaving the rollers. In place of the tool mentioned a revolving
wheel with a squared hole in centre may be substituted, the wheel being driven
by a band, the wire or lath passing through the hole and becoming twisted by
means of the revolution of the wheel.
Dated this 28th day of November 1895.
A. G. PRITCHARD.
Agent for Applicants.
A Machine for Imparting a Helical Twist to Metal Wire or Laths,
and for Cutting the same into Predetermined Lengths.
We, GIOVANNI GIUSSANI, 50 Berrymead Gardens, Acton, SAMUEL SHAW CRISP
and HERBERT GRICE both of 139 Wardour Street, London, W., Wire Workers,
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 :-
This invention relates to a machine for imparting a helical twist to metal wires or
laths and cutting them into lengths, these twisted wires or laths being intended
to be woven together to form a net or sheet which may be employed in fire proof
construction of walls, floors, partitions and for other purposes.
We shall describe a machine according to our invention referring to the
accompanying drawings which shew a duplex machine, twisting and cutting two
wires or laths which may be twisted to opposite hands.
F
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a side view, Fig. 4 is a plan and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of
the twisting tool,
Fig. 6 is a side view and Fig. 7 is an end view of a modified form of the tool.
Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive are drawn to enlarged scale.
The wire or lath A is preferably of flat rectangular section of mild steel such
as that known as
" Homo steel. From a drum or reel it is drawn by a pair of
oppositely revolving rollers B and pushed through the twisting tool C. This as
shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 consists of two metal bars fitted together face to face
with a groove c of section corresponding to that of the wire or lath A, cut in
the face of one of the bars. The end of the tool being twisted the internal
groove c receives a corresponding helical twist. The opposite end of the tool is
tapered so that it can be introduced between the rollers B nearly up to their
bite. The tool is fixed in the framing of the machine by a setting screw D, its
twisted end being bound with wire, and the mouth of the groove supplied with
lubricant from an oil vessel E. The wire or lath A being pushed by the rollers B
through the groove of the tool C receives the helical twist and is conducted along
a guide trough F.
Being cut to lengths, as will be presently described, these lengths as they
advance beyond the end of the trough F drop over its edge, part of which is cut
away to form an incline over which the twisted lath slides, and are received on
the cross bars G of a suitable framing. The twisting tool shewn in Figs. 6 and 7,
instead of having its end twisted, has mounted on it several pairs of grooved

page_text: rollers H set at such angles to one another, that the wire or lath forced through
between them receives the helical twist desired.
The cutting of the twisted wire or laths to lengths is effected as follows:-A
wheel K caused to revolve in the direction of the arrow by suitable gear connecting
it to the shaft which drives the rollers B, has a crank pin k fitted to slide in a
slot or groove of the wheel as far as permitted by a stop k¹. The crank pin k
is connected by a link L to one end of a bean M to the other end of which is
suspended a guided weight N at some height above a cutter O which rests on a
spring P. By the side of the wheel K is fixed a curved guide k² which is cut
away at so that when the crank pink comes to the part 3 of the guide, the
slot of the wheel being then vertical or nearly so, the crank pin passes rapidly
up the slot, the weight N descending on the cutter O and causing it to sever the
wire or lath A.
The crank pin k in the next half revolution of the wheel K travels to the outer end
of the slot or groove so as to take the position_shewn, outside the guide k³. The
gear connecting the wheel K to the rollers B can be proportioned so that the
twisted wire or lath can be cut to any desired lengths.
We have described the action of one set of the rollers, twisting tool and cutter, but
obviously the action of the second set shewn in the drawings is the same; and
instead of two sets, a greater number of sets might be arranged to work together
in a similar way.
Instead of employing a lath of flat rectangular section, two or more wires might
be twisted and dealt with as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A machine for helically twisting and cutting metallic wire or lath constructed
and operating substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. In twisting metallic wire or lath, the combination of a pair of feeding rollers B,
and a twisting tool C, substantially as described.
3. For cutting the twisted wire or lath, the combination of the slotted or grooved
wheel K having its crank pink and guide 2 with the link L beam M weight N
and spring supported cutter O, substantially as described.
4. For delivering the cut lengths of twisted wire or lath, a trough having its
one side terminating in a slope over which the material slides, substantially as
described.
Dated this 27th day of August 1896.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicants.