Improvements in or relating to Wire-drawing Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wire-drawing Apparatus.
I, RICHARD ARLISS, of Cliff Cottage, Hathersage, near Sheffield, in the County
of Derby, Wire Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to wire-drawing apparatus capable of drawing wire
of uniform and of varying diameter.
A wire-drawing apparatus constructed according to this invention is provided
with dies automatically adjustable by any convenient mechanism to vary the
-cross section of the wire whilst the latter is passing through them, and with
grippers which grip the wire, draw it through the dies, and are operated by
a connecting-rod adjustable as to its length and connected to an oscillating
slotted link quick-return gear operated by a crank pin adjustable radially upon
a rotary disc on the main shaft of the machine. The length of stroke of the
gripper is variable by adjustment of the crank pin and a given length of stroke
may be made to begin nearer to or further from the dies according as the
length of connecting-rod is adjusted.
In proximity to the dies is an automatic cut-off device comprising a cutter
movable in close proximity to the face of a guide through which the drawn
wire issues, the device being as a whole carried in a movable box or holder;
the cutter is preferably operated to the desired intervals by a lever controlled
by a fixed or adjustable cam carried on the rotary disc above referred to, or is
otherwise operatively connected with the main shaft of the apparatus.
The grippers are conveniently carried by a sliding plate or block moving
along guides made to receive also the adjustable holder of the cutting-off device;
this holder, by means of the tappett in the path of the gripper-block can be
made to move in company with the wire whilst effecting the cut. In the return
stroke of the grippers just after the drawing of a wire or spoke is completed,
they may be caused to come against the movable cut-off box or holder to return
it in the guides to the position it should occupy at the commencement of the
operation of drawing the succeeding spoke.
In making butted spokes for cycles wire supplied to the machine is fed into
the grippers and the portion engaged by them may constitute one butt of the
spoke, the succeeding portion being drawn down to a smaller diameter by the
automatic adjustment of the dies aforesaid; for a double-butted spoke these
dies can be caused to open again by cams suitably disposed thus leaving at the
opposite end of the spoke a portion of wire of the original diameter, which
can be cut by the automatic cutter so that part of it goes with the completed
spoke, the remaining part serving as a butt on the following spoke.
Dated this 11th day of September 1899.
4.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Wire-drawing Apparatus.
I, RICHARD ARLISS, of Cliff Cottage, Hathersage, near Sheffield, in the County
of Derby, Wire Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 wire-drawing apparatus capable of drawing wire
of uniform and of varying diameter.
A wire-drawing apparatus constructed according to this invention is provided
with dies automatically adjustable by any convenient mechanism to vary the
cross-section of the wire whilst the latter is passing through them; and with
grippers which grip the wire, draw it through the dies, and are operated by
a connecting-rod adjustable as to its length and connected to an oscillating
slotted link quick-return gear operated by a crank pin adjustable radially upon
a rotary disc on the main shaft of the machine. The length of stroke of the
gripper is variable by adjustment of the crank pin and a given length of stroke
may be made to begin nearer to or further from the dies according as the
length of connecting-rod is adjusted.
In proximity to the dies is an automatic cut-off device comprising a cutter
movable in close proximity to the face of a guide through which the drawn
wire issues, the device being as a whole carried in a movable box or holder;
the cutter is preferably operated to the desired intervals by a lever controlled
by a fixed or adjustable cam carried on the rotary disc above referred to, or is
otherwise operatively connected with the main shaft of the apparatus.
The grippers are conveniently carried by a sliding plate or block moving
along guides made to receive also the adjustable holder of the cutting-off device;
this holder by means of the tappet in the path of the gripper-block can be
made to move in company with the wire whilst effecting the cut. In the return
stroke of the grippers just after the drawing of a wire or spoke is completed,
they may be caused to come against the movable cut-off box or holder to return
it in the guides to the position it should occupy at the commencement of the
operation of drawing the succeeding spoke.
In making butted spokes for cycles wire supplied to the machine is fed into
the grippers and the portion engaged by them may constitute one butt of the
spoke, the succeeding portion being drawn down to a smaller diameter by the
automatic adjustment of the dies aforesaid; for a double-butted spoke these
dies can be caused to open again by cams suitably disposed thus leaving at the
opposite end of the spoke a portion of wire of the original diameter, which
can be cut by the automatic cutter so that part of it goes with the completed
spoke, the remaining part serving as a butt on the following spoke.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wire-drawing apparatus constructed according
to this invention;
Figure 2 is a front end elevation;
Figure 3 is a plan of the same;
Figure 4 is a rear end elevation
Figure 5 is a side elevation of frame with parts removed;

page_text: Figure 6 is a front end elevation of the frame;
Figure 7 is a plan of the same, and
Figures 8 and 9 are side and front elevations respectively of the cutter box
drawn to a larger scale.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
Upon a frame A is secured by any convenient means a bed B, and integral
with the bed B is a support or frame piece C having a longitudinal undercut
guide D.
At the forward end of the support or frame-piece C is secured a head E
having a recess F adapted to receive a plate G for the purpose of holding
movable dies H in position. A table K is fastened to the head E being partly
received by a groove within which slides a plate L. The plate L rising and
falling in the groove is brought into contact when desired with the dies H.
The table K is placed in a convenient position relatively to the dies H so that it
may serve to guide wire through the dies a suitable backing being placed upon
the table if necessary. A block M is arranged to slide in the guide D of the
frame piece C and pivotted to the block at M₁ are grippers N constructed in
any well known manner. The grippers, together with the block M are recipro-
cated by a slotted link O to which they are connected by an adjustable rod P.
The adjustment of the rod P may be effected by forming the rod in two parts,
one having a right and the other a left-handed thread, the two parts being
connected by a threaded sleeve.
At the rear end of the frame A, at that end remote from the dies is mounted
a shaft R carried in bearings R R2, the latter being formed in a pedestal R³
secured to the bed B. On one end of the shaft R beyond the bearings are
mounted fast and loose pulleys R, and at the opposite end of the shaft is
mounted a fly wheel R. Between the bearings is mounted a pinion R fast upon
the shaft and the slotted arm 0 is also mounted upon this part of the shaft,
being free to oscillate upon it.
A short shaft or spindle R6 mounted in a bearing R and formed in the upper
end of the pedestal R³ carries a toothed wheel R8 adapted to gear with the
pinion R5. At the side of the toothed wheel R8 is a disc S which is also made
fast to the shaft or spindle R".
One face of the disc S is provided with an undercut groove St (Figure 5) which
receives a bolt carrying a block (2 adapted to slide within the slotted link () so
that as the disc S revolves oscillatory motion may be imparted to the link.
The length of are described by the oscillating link may be varied by securing the
bolt of the block 02 in the groove S¹ nearer to or farther from the centre of the
dise S. The free end of the link O is pivotted at 01 to the rod P so that the
movement of the link O is imparted to the grippers N.
The cutter box T is carried in the longitudinal guide D of the frame-piece C
in front of the sliding block M being made integral with a sliding block T¹,
Figures 8 and 9. Within the cutter box a detachable perforated disc T2 is
secured by a set screw. During the operation of the machine wire is drawn
through this perforated disc and a cutter T is arranged to slide over the
surface of the disc to sever the wire when necessary. The cutter T is carried
in a groove in the box and is retained in place by a plate T. The lower end
of the cutter projects beyond the bottom of the box T. A pin T6 is fastened
to the cutter and projects through a slot T8 in the plate T5, and a pin T is secured
to the plate T5 a spring T being mounted between the two pins so that the
cutter may normally be kept down in its inoperative position. A. reciprocating
bar C2, Figures 5, and 7, is mounted in supports (5 of the frames, being con-
nected at the forward end by a bolt T" to the cutter box T which is provided
with a threaded socket T10 to receive the bolt T The free end of
the bar C is bent at right angles in a horizontal plane and carries an adjustable
set screw situated opposite the end of the guide D of the frame piece C.
A lever L3 is pivotted to a bracket L' by a pin L5, the pin being secured by

page_text: any convenient means to the frame piece C. The fore part of the lever L³ is pre-
ferably provided with a plate L6 carrying an adjustable set screw having a lock
nut L'.
The set screw is adapted to strike the sliding plate L by which movement. is
communicated to the dies H. That end of the lever remote from the plate L and
indicated at L8 is opposed to a cam $2 on the disc S so that it may be depressed
at the required intervals and the plate L6 with its set screw raised and thus
operate the dies H through the medium of the sliding plate L.
A second lever V pivotted about a pin V₁ secured in any convenient manner
to the frame is similarly provided at one end with a plate or flattened portion V³
adapted to strike the cutter T when the latter is brought directly over it.
That end of the lever V remote from the plate V2 and indicated at V³ is
arranged to come into contact with the cam S3 on the disc S for the purpose of
operating the cutter at the required intervals. Springs C6 support the ends L8 V³
of the levers L³ V.
The operation of this machine when used for drawing wire for spokes is as
follows:-
Wire of the required diameter is threaded through the dies and through the
perforated disc T3 in the cutter-box T, the wire being supported by and guided
through the dies by the table K. A sufficient length of the wire is allowed to
project beyond the disc T2 in the cutter-box to serve as a hold for the grippers N
and this portion of the wire finally forms one head of the finished spoke.
If now the mechanism is set in movement by bringing the driving belt from
the loose pulley R* on to the fast pulley R the gear wheels R5 R8 will be set in
motion and the disc S made to revolve. The block 02 will thus cause the link O
to be reciprocated in the direction indicated by an arrow bringing with it the
grippers N and sliding block M. As soon as the grippers N
commence to draw the wire through the dies H the cam S¹ commences
to operate the lever L so that the dies H are brought closer together. This
causes the wire to be reduced in diameter so that as the grippers retreat a length
of wire (the length being regulated by the length of stroke permitted) of even
diameter is drawn through the dies H. Just before the grippers arrive at the
end of their stroke the cam S¹ allows the end L8 of the lever L³ to again rise
so that the dies H open and wire is allowed to pass through without its diameter
being reduced.
When a sufficient length of wire of full diameter has been drawn through the
dies and through the disc T2 of the cutter-box T, the rear end of the block M
comes into contact with the set screw carried by the bar C2 so that the cutter-box
is caused to travel backwards with the grippers N and their sliding block M until
the end of the cutter T is brought directly over the plate V of the lever V.
The cam Snow strikes the end V3 of the lever V so that the plate V2 is raised
and the cutter T, driven forward across the disc T severing the wire during
its passage.
The object of drawing the cutter-box T back from the head E is that a sufficient
length of wire of full diameter should be left projecting from the dies H to serve
as a hold for the grippers N during the next operation and to form the head
of the next spoke.
During the return movement of the grippers N the sliding block M strikes the
sliding block T₁ of the cutter-box T and thus replaces it in position, the end V³
of the lever V having been released from its engagement with the cam $3.
A pin M³ of suitable length is screwed in the sliding block M so that on
the return motion the links of the grippers N may come in contact with the
pin M³ as a security for pushing back the block M to its normal position.
It is obvious that if desired the cutter-box T with. its operating mechanism may
be dispensed with as the spokes may be drawn in one continuous length and after-
wards cut up by hand or by separate mechanism. It is also obvious that the
link O may be used to operate a second device arranged on the opposite side to

page_text: that upon which the grippers are at present arranged so that two lengths of
wire may be drawn at each oscillation of the link.
The cam or cams may be in one with the disc S or may be made integral with
the disc S or attached thereto, and may be of any desired shape or length so that
the diameters of the wire may be varied according to different requirements.
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 wire-drawing machine the combination with an oscillating link such
as adjustably connected to the grippers of a disc such as S carrying upon one
face an adjustable block by which the link is operated and a cam arranged upon
the periphery of the disc to operate the dies with or without a second cam for
operating a cutting device substantially as described.
2. In a wire-drawing machine the combination with the mechanism for draw-
ing the wire of a device substantially as described for reciprocating the cutter
box and operating the cutter for the purpose described.
3. The complete wire drawing machine substantially as described or illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of June 1900.
RICHARD ARLISS.
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.