IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ANNEALING OVENS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF VERY THIN IRON AND STEEL WIRE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, of the Firin of J.
Brandt and G. W. v. Nawrocki, of 2, Koch Strasse, Berlin, Germany,
Engineers and Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
CONNECTED WITH ANNEALING OVENS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF VERY THIN
IRON AND STEEL WIRE" A communication from Messieurs Asbeck, Osthaus,
Eicken, and Company, of Hagen, Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December
1877.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. v.
Nawrocki, of 2, Koch Strasse, Berlin, Germany, Engineers and Patent Agents.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ANNEALING OVENS FOR THE PRO-
DUCTION OF VERY THIN IRON AND STEEL WIRE." (A communication from Messieurs
Asbeck, Osthaus, Eicken, and Company, of Hagen, Germany.)
Heretofore it has been very difficult to produce wire thinner than 6 millimeter,
and only a few manufacturers have been able by the employment of costly apparatus
and very skilful workmen to produce wire of about 5 millimeter by rolling. The
chief difficulties consist in that the wire cools quicker than it can be rolled. To
produce wire of smaller diameter the cold drawing has heretofore been made
use.
In order to show the difference between cold drawing and rolling I will
describe the main features of both processes:-The draw plate is made of iron
and steel welded together, and has a row of holes of decreasing sizes, the wire
being drawn through one hole after the other is reduced in thickness. To do this
the rolled wire, some 5 or 6 millimeters thick, must first be annealed in order that
it may thereby be softened; after it has then been drawn through two or three

page_text: holes of the draw plate the wire must be annealed again by being made red
hot, which is done in a closed cast-iron cylinder placed in a vertical oven; the oxide
scale formed on the wire thereby must then be removed by means of sulphuric acid,
after which the wire is beaten and rinsed with water, and then dipped in lime
water to counteract the influence of the acid and to soften the wire.. The wire
after having lain in the lime water a few minutes is then dried in an oven, and
when cold it is drawn afresh. The thinner the wire the oftener this operation must
be repeated. If the oxide scale be not removed then it comes off in the drawing,
thereby spoiling the draw plate by passing through the holes; or if these holes be
not distorted thereby the wire will become streaky.
5 or 6
According to this Invention an oven is made use of wherein the wire, say,
or more millimeter thick, can be heated and kept heated until it can be rolled to
thinner dimensions, the object of this Invention being to reduce the number of the
annealings, the acid treatments (which are detrimental), and the subsequent mani-
pulations above described, thereby saving power, time, and labour. This oven is
mado with a grate, by preference fired from the sides; the flues pass down each
side to the chimney flue, and are provided with dampers.
The hearth of the oven contains the wound bundles of wire, and is fitted with a
winding disc or drum on a vertical hollow shaft, it can be raised and lowered by
means of lever or other gear from without, and the hearth has a recess wherein tho
drum can be lowered. This drum is hollow, and is constantly cooled with water
from a funnel supplied therewitli from a pipe, and provided with overflow pipe; the
air being excluded the water flows out below from the hollow shaft. The water
may be shut off and the funnel stopped with a fire-clay plug. The drum is by pre-
ference saucer-shaped, and protected by fireproof material.
When the wire bundles have acquired the desired heat they are placed on the
druin, one after the other; for this purpose the drum is lowered down into its
recess; one of the ring bundles is then by means of a pair of tongs placed over the
dinm, and the latter is raised again, in which position it is kept until the wire is
wound off it. The end of the wire is then taken hold of with the tongs and pulled
out through the front of the oven and guided into a pair of rolls immediately in
front of it; the rolls will then gradually pull it off the drum, the latter revolving
freely. A second ring bundle is then put on the drum as before, and so on. By
this ineans wire of 3 millimeter thickness may be produced by rolling.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gerard Wenzeslaus Von Nawrocki in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th June 1878.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. v.
Nawrocki, of 2, Koch Strasse, Berlin, Germany, Engineers and Patent Agents.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH ANNEALING OVENS FOR THE PRO-
DUCTION OF VERY THIN TRON AND STEEL WIRE" (A communication from Messieurs
Asbeck, Osthaus, Eicken, and Company, of Hagen, Germany.)
Heretofore it has been very difficult to produce wire thinner than 6 millimeter,
and only a few manufacturers have been ablo by the employment of costly apparatus
and very skilful workmen to produce wire of about 5 millimeter by rolling, and
this wire does not in most cases fully answer the requirements of customers. Tho
chief difficulties consist in that the wire cools quicker than it can be rolled.
To produce wire of smaller diameter the cold drawing has heretofore been made
use of.
In order to show the difference between cold drawing and rolling I will describe
the main features of both processes:-The draw plate is made of iron and steel
welded together, and has a row of holes of decreasing sizes, the wire being drawn
through one hole after the other is reduced in thickness. To do this the rolled wire,
some 5 or 6 millimeter thick, must first be annealed in order that it may
thereby be softened; after it has then been drawn through two or three holes of
the draw plate the wire has lost its original softness or toughness and must be
annealed again by being made red hot, which is done in a closed cast-iron cylinder
placed in a vertical oven, the oxide scale formed on the wire thereby must then bo
removed by means of sulphuric acid, after which the wire is beaten and rinsed with
water until the scales are quite removed, and then dipped in lime water to counteract
the influence of the acid and to soften the wire suitably for the subsequent rolling.
The wire after having lain in the lime water a few minutes is then dried in an
oven or stove, and when cold it is drawn afresh. The thinner the wire the oftener
this operation must be repeated. If the oxide scale be not removed then it comes
off in the drawing, thereby spoiling the draw plate by passing through the holes ; or
if the draw plate offers resistance and the holes therein be not distorted thereby, the
wire will become streaky and unfit as to appearance and quality.
According to this Invention an oven is made use of, wherein the thin wire as
now manufactured in the rolling mills, that is to say, 5 or 6 or more millimeter
thick, can be heated and kept heated until it can be rolled to thinner dimensions,
the object of this Invention being to reduce the number of the annealings, the acid
treatments (which are detrimental), and the subsequent manipulations above
described thereby saving power, time, and labour.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section; Figure 2, a
transverse section; Figure 3, a plan section; and Figure 4, a front elevation of an
oven constructed according to this Invention.
This oven is made with a grate A, by preference fired from the sides as here
shewn; the flues D pass down each sido to the chimney flue E, and are provided
with dampers d, d.
The hearth B of the oven contains the wound bundles of wire, and is fitted with
a winding disc or drum C on a vertical hollow shaft; it can be raised and lowered
by means of lever b or other gear from without, and the hearth has a recoss wherein
the drum C can be lowered. This drum is hollow, as shewn in Figure 2, and is
constantly cooled with water from a funnel supplied therewith from a pipe F, and
provided with overflow pipe I to prevent undue accumulation of water, the air
being excluded as the funnel is always full; when the drum C has been run full of
water the latter enters the hollow shaft by the holes o, o; the water flows out
below from the hollow shaft. The water may be shut off and the funnel stopped

page_text: with a fire-clay plug. The drum is by preference saucer shaped, and protected by
fireproof material, as shewn; the constant flow of water keeps it cool.
The spindle and the drum are held in vertical position by the guide plates Q;
8, 8, aro rings on the spindle between which the lever b works; between these rings
there is a loose sleeve
When the wire bundles p, p, have acquired the desired hent they are placed on
the drum C, one after the other; for this purpose the drum is lowered down into its
recess; one of the ring bundles p is then, by means of a pair of tongs, placed over
the drum C, and the latter is raised again, in which position it is kept until the
wire is wound off it. The end of the wire is then taken hold of with the tongs and
pulled out through the front of the oven and guided into a pair of rolls immediately
in front of it; the rolls will then gradually pull it off the drum C, the latter
revolving freely. A second ring bundle p is then put on the drum as before,
and so on. By this means wire of 5 millimeter thickness may be produced by
rolling
And having thus described the nature of this Invention, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The construction and arrangement of a mechanical annealing oven for
the manufacture of thin rolled wire, as set forth.
Secondly. The application in an annealing oven for thin wire of a pot-shaped
drum, acting as a winding drum, which can turn fieely and be raised and lowered
as required, and is kept cool by water, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
| GERARD WENZESLAUS v. NAWROCKI. (L.S)