Improvements in Machines for Making Barbed Wire.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Barbed Wire.
I, SANFORD SWANBUM, residing at De Kalb, in the County of De Kalb,
Illinois, United States of America, Mechanic, 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 making barbed wire, having preferably
two strand wires cabled or twisted together and four pointed barbs which are coiled
at their middle about one of the strand or cable wires and are bound thereon by
the fellow or binding wire.
C
The object of the invention is to produce a machine whereby four pointed barbs
having their points arranged at right angles to the strands of the cable may be
rapidly and economically produced.
To this end the machine is so organized that the strand wires move continuously
through the machine while the wires from which the barbs are formed are fed from
opposite sides of the machine and at right angles to the direction of movement of
the strand wires, the barb wires being fed intermittently. This capacity of the
machine for applying the barbs without interruping the movement of the strand
wires forming the cable is one of the features of the machine. Another feature
of the machine relates to a construction whereby the barbs are severed from the
barb stock wires by a shear cut, the bevel of which is upon the outer sides of the
points of the barbs. Heretofore no one, so far as I am aware, has produced a
machine capable of making four point barbed wire and cutting the points so that
the bevels thereof are on the outside. The result has been a ragged or rough
looking fence, the barbs when cut with their bevels upon the inside of the point
standing at an acute angle with reference to the strand wire. The product of this
machine is a barbed wire in which the points of the barb form substantially a right
angle with the strand or cable wires, and the fence is not only neater in appearance
but the points of the barbs standing at a right angle to the fence increases the
deterrent efficiency of the fence and renders the barbs less likely to be bent down
in a line with the wire.
The mechanical features of the machine which are novel relate, first, to a
reciprocating carriage upon which the barb twisting spindle, the cutters and the
feed mechanism for the barb wires are mounted; second, to a pivoted twister
spindle which is automatically raised after the application of the barbs in order
that the latter may pass over the knives; third, to a retractive movement of the
twister spindle which enables the stock of the barb to be wound about one of the
strand wires helically, the bodies of the two barbs being intertwined and the coiling
being in a direction opposite to the direction of the movement of the strand wire:
fourth, to a novel arrangement of the gearing whereby the distance between
barbs may be varied so as to produce what is designated as a thick set wire
or a wire having its barbs more widely separated; fifth, to a novel construction
of mechanism whereby the distance of reciprocation of the carriage may be
varied.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine,
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the machine.
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page_text: Figures 8 to 11 inclusive are detail views showing two forms of gearing for
varying the speed of feed of the strand wires.
Figure 12 is a detail view of the cutters, and
Figure 13 shows the product of the machine.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
15 represents the frame or stand upon which the machine is mounted. The
operative parts of the machine are carried by stationary base or bed 16, which
carries the bearings for the main shaft 17 and also for a driven shaft 18, from which
power is taken to drive the feed mechanism for the barb wires and for operating
the twister spindle. Said bed is also provided with ways 19, in which reciprocates
a carriage comprising a bed plate 20, and standards erected thereon, marked 21,
and in which the bearings for the arbors of the feed wheels for the barbed wires
are furnished. The shaft 18 has a crank wheel 22 thereon, and its crank pin drives
a pitman 23, said pitman being pivoted at its respective ends to boxes 24, one of
which is carried by the crank pin and the other of which is connected to the crank
pin of an arm 25 carrying a pawl 26, which engages the teeth of a ratchet 27, the
latter being mounted on a shaft or arbor 28, which imparts motion to the train of
gears carried upon the several arbors 29 and the studs 30 through the gear wheels
carried by said arbors and studs as clearly shown in Figure 2, said arbors 29 each
carrying feed wheels 31 which feed the wires 32, 33 from which the barbs
are cut.
The strand wires are marked 34, 35 and they are fed by the wheels 36, 37 which
are arranged in pairs, the upper ones being shown in Figure 1. The wire 34 is
carried through a cylindrical guide 38 and passes through the twister spindle 39.
Said spindle is provided at its rear end with the gear 40, and at its front end with
the twister pins 41. Said twister spindle is rotatably mounted in a pivoted arm 42,
said arm being sleeved upon a shaft, 43 mounted so that it may rock in the
bearings 44, which are carried by the bed 20. The arm 42 is perforated as seen
in Figure 1, and one end of the bell crank lever 45 Figures 1 and 3 projects into
the slot, the said bell crank being pivoted on the carriage bed and its other member
projecting below the main driving shaft. A second bent arm 46 Figures 1 and 3:
is rigidly secured at one end to the underside of the vibrating arm 42 and its rear
end projects back over the driving shaft, and said shaft has mounted thereon two
eccentrics 47, 48, on one of which the bell crank 45 rides, and upon the other of
which the rear end of the bent lever 46 rides. When the end of the arm 46 is
raised by its cam it raises the arm 42 carrying the twister spindle. The bell
crank 45 and the lever 46 are coupled by the spring 49 which holds them in contact
with their respective ends. The carriage is reciprocated by the pitman 50, whose
rear end carries a strap 51 which circumscribes an eccentric 52, Figures 1, 3 and 5,
said eccentric having a slot 53 through which the shaft 17 passes. The eccentric
has also a rib or block 54 on its end which is adapted to slide in a groove formed
in a collar 55, said collar having a cylindrical bore through which the shaft. 17
passes, and having the set screws 56, 57, the former serving to confine the collar
upon the shaft, and the latter to bind the slotted eccentric in any position to which
the length of its slot adapts it to be adjusted.
The twister spindle is rotated alternately in opposite directions by means of the
pivoted rack lever 58 which is driven by an eccentric 59 on the shaft 18.
The mechanism for driving the feed wheels for the strand wires may be of the
usual construction, but I have shown in Figures 8 to 11 inclusive two novel forms
of gearing, whereby the feed of the strand wires may be varied to adapt the machine
for making wire having thick set barbs or wire with longer spaces between the
barbs. In Figure 8 the main shaft 17 is shown provided with a spur gear 60
meshing with a pinion 61 which is carried by a stud on a sector 62 adapted to be
secured in any desired position to which its slot permits it to be adjusted by means
of the bolt and nut 63. The pinion 61 drives a gear wheel 64 which imparts
motion to a shaft 65, whereby the pairs of feed wheels 36 and 37 are driven.

page_text: By substituting for the gear 64 another of a different size and adjusting the sector
to correspond therewith, the feed of the strand wires may be varied, and at the-
same time the length of the reciprocation of the carriage will be correspondingly
varied by adjusting the eccentric 52.
In Figure 10 I have shown another form of gearing in which a pinion 66 is.
mounted on the main shaft 17 and drives a short counter-shaft 67 which imparts.
motion to the shaft 65. By removing the gear 64 and the pinion which drives it.
and substituting others of different size, the feed may be varied.
By referring to Figures 3 and 12, the manner of twisting and severing the barb
will be best understood. The bard wires are fed in across the path of the strand
wire 34, and above and below respectively as shown in Figure 12, and beneath the
shearing blocks 68. As the carriage is advanced the twister pins 41 respectively
engage the ends of the wires from which the barbs are formed and the twister
spindle, being rotated, the ends of the wire from which the barbs are afterwards: .
severed are coiled about the strand wire 34; and to effect this without wrapping
the barbs upon each other a slight backward movement of the twister spindle is
effected through the bell crank 45, which shifts the arm carrying the twister
spindle, withdrawing it to a distance determined by the eccentric 47, the boxes 44
being separated sufficiently to permit this slight backward movement.
The coiling.
of the ends of the barb wire about the strand wire having been effected the next:
movement of the machine is to sever the coiled barbs from the stock, and this is.
effected by means of the pivoted arm 69, Figure 3, which is mounted on the
carriage and at its heel is provided with the shearing blades 70. A bent end of
this arm 69 depends through a slot in the bed 20 and through the open body of the
bed 16, the latter having a striking block 71 thereon which engages the end of the
arm 69, rocking it on its pivot and causing its shearing blades to engage the wires
from which the barbs are formed, and shear them by a bevelled cut on the outside.
of their points. In order now to permit the barbs to pass over the shearing block,
the arm carrying the twister spindle must be raised and this is effected in due
order and sequence by the arm 46 and its cam 48. When the barbs bave cleared,.
the lean side of the eccentric 48 permits the twister spindle to drop down, thus
carrying the strand wire into proper position for the insertion of the barb wire
above and below it, the movements being intermittent by reason of the ratchet.
mechanism previously described.
The product of the machine is shown in Figure 13, and the appearance of its.
barbs is much better than that of the common four point barbs. The fellow
or binding wire 35 is fed through a slot in the rack lever 58 and is twisted with
the strand wire 34 after the barbs are applied in the usual or any suitable manner
so as to bind the barbs.
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. In a barbed wire machine, the combination with means for continuously
feeding a strand wire and means for intermittently feeding barb wires across its
path, of a reciprocating carriage having a twister spindle rotatably mounted thereon
and capable of end wise movement independent of its carriage, means for recipro-
cating the carriage and means for rotating the twister spindle and retracting it
during its rotation, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with means for
continuously feeding a strand wire and for intermittently feeding barb wires across
the path thereof, a reciprocating carriage, a twister spindle carrying the strand
wire and twister pins rotatably mounted upon said carriage, the said spindle being
capable of being raised, and shearing mechanism whereby the barb wire may be
severed by a bevelled cut on the outside of its barbs and said barbs raised to pass
the shears, substantially as described.
3. In a barb wire machine, the combination with the reciprocating carriage, of a

page_text: revoluble and vibratory twister spindle, and means for retracting said spindle
during the act of coiling the barbs, substantially as described.
4. In a barbed wire machine, the combination with the reciprocating carriage, of
a revoluble and vibratory twister spindle and means for retracting said spindle and
a shearing mechanism mounted upon the carriage and adapted to sever the barb
wire by a bevelled cut upon the outside of said barbs whereby the barbs have
their points disposed at substantially right angles to the strand wires, substantially
as described.
"
5. In a barbed wire machine, the combination with the reciprocating carriage
having a twister spindle and a shearing mechanism mounted upon said carriage, of
means for reciprocating said carriage, consisting of a pitman and a variable
eccentric, substantially as described.
'
"
6. In a barbed wire machine, the combination with the reciprocating carriage
and a twister spindle and shearing mechanism mounted upon such carriage, of
means for reciprocating the carriage comprising a variable eccentric and means
for feeding the strand wire, said latter means being also capable of adjustment,
whereby the distance between adjacent barbs may be varied, substantially as
described.
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7. In a barbed wire machine, the combination with the means for feeding the
strand wires and barb wires, of means for forming and severing the barbs, a
reciprocating carriage carrying the barb forming and severing mechanism the feed
mechanism for the barb wire being also mounted upon and reciprocating with said
carriage, and a ratchet mechanism for operating said feed mechanism intermittently,
and a pitman for driving said ratchet mechanism, said pitman being pivotally
connected at each of its ends, whereby it is adapted to follow the movement of the
carriage, substantially as described.
Dated thin ooth day of May 1901
+
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.