IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE DIE FOR WIRE DRAWING
Year: 1885

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. I, FRANCIS MARION BLAKE, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE DIE FOR WIRE
DRAWING," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a die for drawing wire, and it has for its object to provide
an adjustable die for wire drawing which will permit the size of the die to be
varied to compensate for the enlargement incident to its use and thereby maintain
the size of the wire, and my invention consists in forming the die of a spiral coil
of wire having an internal diameter equal to the desired diameter of the wire and
by a pressure applied radially to the outer surface to contract the coil and reduce
its internal diameter as it becomes worn away by use, and my invention further
consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts as hereinafter set
forth.
.
In the following description reference is made to the several Figures in the
accompanying drawings which illustrate an Adjustable Die embodying the several
features of my invention the same letters of reference indicating like parts in the
several Figures.
Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of an Adjustable Die embodying my
invention, the coil forming the die proper being shown entire.
Figure 2 is a similar vertical sectional view but showing the adjusting screw D,
advanced to effect the contraction of the die.
Figure 3 is a side view of the coil forming the die in cylindrical form.
Figure 4 is an end view of the same.
Figure 5 shows the die. with conical or tapering sides.
'
A, represents a metallic block having a screw-threaded chamber, B, to receive the
screw D, through which a hole F, passes.
The hole F, made tapered or Baring at its inner end, as shown at G. ˚C, is a
couical follower held in the block A, concentrically with the chamber B, and the
tapered hole G, in the screw D. Through the conical follower C, is a hole E,
coincident with the hole F, through the screw D.
In the tapered or flaring hole Ğ, in the inner end of the screw D, I place a spiral
coil H, preferably of rectangular wire, the outer surface of the coil H, fitting the

page_text: tapered hole G, and having its internal diameter or bore equal to the desired
diameter of the wire.
The coil H, forms a hollow frustum of a cone and is held in the tapered opening G,
in the screw D, with its base resting against the end of the follower C.
The length of the tapered hole G, in the screw D, should be greater than the
length of the spiral coil H, so as to allow the screw D, to be screwed into the
block A, and the coil H, forced into the hole in the position shown in Figure 2.
In use the wire rod to be drawn is made to pass through the die in the direction
of the arrow in Figure 1 and it is drawn through the spiral coil H, whose internal
diameter at its smallest end is slightly smaller than the wire rod; the wire leaving
the die or coil H, through the opening E, in the follower C.
As the internal diameter at the smaller end of the spiral coil H, becomes enlarged
with use, the screw D, carrying the coil H, is screwed into the block A, pressing
the spiral coil against the conical follower C, and forcing it farther into the tapered
opening G, thereby contracting the coil and reducing its internal diameter so as to
maintain with accuracy the size of the wire as drawn.
This adjustment of the spiral coil H, may be repeated as often as the wear upon
the die shall require, until the spiral coil H, shall have been forced the entire
length of the tapered hole G, in the screw D, or brought into the position shown
in Figure 2, when the coil H, may be replaced by one filling the larger end of
the tapered hole G, as seen in Figure 1, and the operation of wire drawing
resumed.
The adjustment of the die as described may also be employed to vary the size of
.the wire.
The spiral coils are easily and cheaply made by winding a strip of steel wire
preferably rectangular in its cross section, upon an arbor forming a coil of uniform
size as shown at I, in Figure 3, and also in end view in Figure 4, and the conical
shape as shown in Figure 5 may be given by inserting one end of the coil I, in the
larger end of a tapering or conical chamber and forcing the coil into the chamber,
pressing it into a corresponding shape, in the same manner as the coil is forced
into the tapered hole G, in the screw D, in the operation of adjusting the die as
herein described.
I do not confine myself to the use of wire of rectangular cross section for
making the dies, as other forms such as round wire, may be used, neither is my
invention confined to the specific method shown and herein described of effecting
the adjustment of the die as other and equivalent methods of accomplishing the
same result may be employed; as for instance the follower C, may be omitted and
the spiral coil H, be made large enough so the smaller end will only enter the
opening G, a short distance allowing the larger end of the coil to project beyond
the end of the screw D, and rest against the bottom of the chamber B; the action
of the screw D, forcing the coil into the chamber and causing the die to be con-
tracted in the manner as has already been described; or the spiral coil H, may be
held in a tapering chamber in the block A, and a conical follower fitting said
chamber may be provided with a screw-thread by which it may be forced into the
tapering chamber driving the spiral coil before it and effecting the contraction of
its diameter; or a cylindrical coil I, Figures 3 and 4, may be used and a pressure
applied radially to its outer surface of sufficient force to contract the coil. The
essential feature of the first part of my invention consists in a wire die in the
form of a spiral coil capable of contraction by means of radial pressure upon its
outer surface.
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
First. An adjustable die for drawing wire, consisting of a spiral coil, having
connected means for applying radial pressure to its outer surface whereby it may

page_text: be contracted and its internal diameter or bore reduced to compensate for wear, or
to vary the size of the wire, as set forth and described.
Second. An adjustable die for drawing wire, consisting of a conical spiral coil,
with an internal bore through which the wire rod is drawn; said spiral coil being
held in a tapering chamber and having connected means for sliding the spiral coil
endwise in said chamber whereby the diameter of the coil may be reduced, all
combined and operating as described and set forth.
Third. In an adjustable die for drawing wire, the combination of block A, having
a screw-threaded chamber B, hollow conical follower C, screw D, with hole F, having
a tapered section G, and a spiral coil H, held in said tapered section, as set forth
and described.
Dated this 15th dow of Santambon 10DE