IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING WIRE TIES FOR SECURING BALES OF HAY, COTTON, AND OTHER MERCHANDIZE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Cole Lowber, of the Firm of Laughland
and Company, of Church Street, Warrington, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING WIRE TIES FOR SECURING BALES OF HAY, COTTON, AND
OTHER MERCHANDIZE.”
Sealed the 29th November 1870, and dated the 13th June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Cole Lowber at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th June 1870.
I, DANIEL COLE LOWBER, of the Firm of Laughland and Company,
of Church Street, Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MANUFACTURING WIRE TIES FOR SECURING BALES OF HAY, COTTON, AND OTHER
MERCHANDIZE," to be as follows :-
The said Invention relates to a machine which is chiefly designed for
manufacturing the wire ties or bands described in the Specification of

page_text: an Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me, bearing date
the 24th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1868, No. 1346.
In the said machine a wheel moving either vertically or horizontally
serves the purpose of straightening, measuring, and cutting wire from a
coil into uniform lengths to form the bands or ties. Four slotted arms
extend from the centre to the rim of the said wheel; in each of the
slots of these arms an upright knee is placed which is moved by a screw
to or from the centre according to the length of the band required. As
the wheel revolves a cam at the centre works a sliding bar attached to
each arm, which bar operates on a knife affixed to each knee and cuts off
a band as each arm passes the cam. At the instant when the band is
cut off a holding device presses on the uncut end of the wire and holds it
until the next arm comes to the cam, when the grip at the preceding
knee is relaxed, and the cut band falls in a receiver while the cutting
and griping at the next succeeding arm takes place.
After the bands are thus straightened, measured, and cut a loop is
formed at each end by an apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving
shaft, in one end whereof is a pin around which the loop is turned by a
lever. The ends of the wire are pressed into a vice which is closed on
receiving them, and the requisite number of twists is given to the tie or
band, by rotating the shaft by means of a fly wheel and handle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Daniel Cole Lowber in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
COLE LOWBER, of the Firm of Laughland and Company, of Church
Street, Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Daniel Cole Lowber, Her special
licence that I, the said Daniel Cole Lowber, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel Cole
Lowber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time a

page_text: agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING WIRE TIES FOR SECURING
BALES OF HAY, COTTON, AND OTHER MERCHANDIZE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Cole Lowber, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel Cole Lowber, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
The said Invention relates to machinery which is chiefly designed for
manufacturing the wire ties or bands described in the Specification of an
Invention for which Letters Patent have been granted to me bearing
date the 20th day of May, A.D. 1870, No. 1464.
In the said machinery a wheel rotating either vertically or horizontally
serves the purpose of straightening, measuring, and cutting wire from a
coil into uniform lengths to form the bands or ties. Slotted arms extend
from the centre to the rim of the said wheel; in each of the slots of
these arms an upright kncc piece or bracket is placed which is moved
by a screw to or from the centre according to the length of the band
required. As the wheel revolves a cam at the centre works a sliding
bar on each arm, which bar operates on a knife affixed to each knee and
cuts off a band as the arm passes the cam. At the instant when the
band is cut off a holding device presses on the uncut end of the wire
and holds it until the next arm comes to the cam, when the grip on the
wire at the preceding knee is relaxed, and the cut or separated tie or
band falls in a receiver while the cutting and griping at the next
succeeding arm takes place. A brake wheel and straightening roller
are used in combination with the aforesaid rotating wheel for feeding
the wire properly to the same.

page_text: After the bands are thus straightened, measured, and cut a loop is
formed at each end by an apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving
shaft, on one end whereof is a pin around which the loop is turned by
a lever. The ends of the wire are pressed into a vice which is closed on
receiving them and the requisite number of twists is given to the tie
or band by rotating the shaft by means of a fly wheel and handle.
Figure 3 is a plan; Figure 4 a side elevation; and Figure 5 an end
elevation of the mechanism for forming the loops on the wire ties.
Each part is distinguished by the same letter throughout the Drawing.
The aforesaid wheel or rotating frame a which is shewn with four
radial arms a¹ may be of cast iron or other suitable material. The said
wheel is supported upon the antifriction wheels a³. On its under side
is a rack a³ which is geared into a pinion on the driving shaft a*. On
the arms a² are placed the adjustable knee pieces or brackets 6 which
are guided by the slots c in the said arms, and are moved inward or
outward thereon by the screws d; e is the cam at the centre of the
machine, this cam may be fixed upon a central vertical shaft e¹ or
otherwise firmly secured in the required position to act on the bars or
rods f. These bars are preferably provided with rollers f¹ to run upon
the surface of the cam, and they are kept in contact with the said cam
as the wheel a rotates by the springs f³. The said bars are guided by
the blocks f fixed on the central part a* of the wheel a. The outer
ends of these bars fact on the knives g and the holding devices h.
The grooved wheel i is arranged near the periphery of the large
wheel a. The said wheel has a cylindrical portion 2 to receive the
brake band j, whose pressure is regulated by the weight k, the latter
being attached to the cord k¹ which passes over the pulley k². The
straightening lever / carries at its end the roller and the latter is
pressed against the wire by the weight ², suspended on the cord / which
passes over the pulley 1.
The wire A is coiled around the wheel i in the groove ** and is
conducted therefrom to one of the knee pieces b; the required tension

page_text: of the wire is obtained by the adjustment of the brake, and as the wire
is drawn from the wheel i it is straightened by the roller P. As each
arm a¹ comes opposite the surface 1 of the cam e, the bar of that arm is
pushed outward, and the action of the cutting and holding devices takes
place, as above described.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5, m is a bracket or standard in which is supported
the revolving shaft n. This shaft carries the disc or plate n¹ whereon
is fixed the pin n³. o is the vice wherein the wire A is held, o¹ is a
treadle for operating the said vice; p is an arm which by means of the
handle p¹ is turned around the pin n³ thereby bending the end of the
wire A over the said pin; q is the fly wheel whereby the shaft n is
turned to twist the wire and complete the formation of the loop.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The rotating circular frame or wheel with devices for holding
and cutting the wire constructed and operating substantially as herein
set forth.
Second. The rotating circular frame or wheel with four slotted arms,
the adjustable knee pieces or brackets with the holding and cutting
devices supported upon the said arms, the adjusting screws, the fixed
central cam, and the other parts of the machine constructed, combined,
and operating to straighten, measure, and cut the wire in the manu-
facture of wire bale ties, substantially as set forth.
Third. The mechanism for forming the loop on the said wire ties,
constructed and operating substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Cole Lowber, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
DANIEL COLE LOWBER. (L.S.)