IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WIRE BANDS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth of the firm of Wirth and Company
Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WIRE BANDS," a communication from
Gustav Pickhardt, a person resident at Hagen in the Empire of Germany
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1883.
FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company Patent Solicitors at Frankfort-
on-the-Main in the Empire of Germany "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WIRE BANDS"
[a communication from Gustav Pickhardt, a person resident at Hagen in the Empire
of Germany]
This Invention relates to elastic wire bands.
According to the said Invention wire bands, for use as belts for driving
machinery, as elevators, and for trellis work, are made of different lengths and
widths according to the purpose for which they are required and are manufactured
from the "Jarolimek" wires (i.e. those described in the Specifications to British
Letters Patent N° 2941 and 3658 of the year 1880. in any of the following
manners, that is to say :-
1st. A number of spiral springs are laid close to one another which springs are
made of rather thick wire and have a suitable pitch. These springs are joined
together to form a band and short spiral springs are twisted or screwed at intervals
into the aforesaid springs.
2nd. A number of short spiral springs are laid close to one another and are
connected at the centre or at one third of their length by a transverse spring in
such a manner that each piece of spring of similar length is screwed in until it
reaches the transverse spring the pieces of spring last introduced are again connected
in the same manner with a transverse spring and other pieces of spring are
subsequently introduced and connected, this process being continued until a band of
the desired length is obtained
In some cases the pieces of spring are connected in the middle by means of

page_text: transverse springs and in other cases the springs are connected at one third of their
length.
The first has the advantage of being stronger and causing greater friction upon
the pulleys over which it is passed. The second has this advantage that each piece
of spring is at once fixed in and the band can be connected at its ends in the same
manner as that in which it is formed.
The bands may be used to run round smooth rollers, rollers with wedge-shaped
grooves, convex rollers provided with leather, and the like.
3rd. A number of spiral springs are laid side by side which springs are made of
a very thick wire and have a suitable pitch. These springs are joined to form a
band which may be of sufficient width to constitute a thick wire net or trellis work
whereas short or long transverse springs are screwed into the turns or convolutions
of the parallel springs which are in a diagonal line. The untwisting or unscrewing
of the transverse springs is prevented by rolling this web or net in order to flatten
it and form a complete and closed fabric which when manufactured of a large size
is particularly useful for hurdles for malt kilns and the like.
I sometimes construct a wire trellis in the shape of a cross or star made of spiral
springs, these springs being made of a thick wire and having a suitable pitch. In
this wire trellis the springs cross each other in a regular manner and at long
intervals forming regular openings or loops.
This wire web is rendered stronger by being rolled flat and may be used for
enclosures or trellis work of all description as well as for all purposes of industry
or agriculture.
4th. Spiral springs made with a very thick wire and having a suitable pitch are
screwed directly into one another so that the said springs form, either in the
direction of the width of the band or that of its length, a continuous chain.
In both cases this wire fabric manufactured in great lengths and of small width
may be used as driving belts, traces, elevators and the like. When they are made
very wide they are particularly well adapted for the closing of doors and windows
and may be used in the manufacture of window blinds, fire proof curtains for
theatres, network for torpedoes, and may be arranged for many other purposes, such
as for elastic armour for war vessels.
When required this wire fabric may be rolled flat.
The process described of manufacturing wire trellis may be modified in the
following manner, that is to say:-Several spiral springs, laid by the side of one
another and which are made with a very thick wire and have a suitable pitch, are
joined to form a band in such a manner that through every corresponding bend or
convolution of the long springs are screwed transverse springs of suitable length,
When this band is made sufficiently wide it forms a wire trellis which is very useful
for many purposes.
Short pieces of spiral springs as wide as desired and screwed as above described
are connected by other pieces of spiral springs of the same length and screwed in
the same manner as above described, the arrangement being such that the central
points of all the pieces of spiral springs fall in the centre line of the band thus
formed. Such bands are particularly suitable for driving belts, the ends being
joined in the same manner as the springs are in the formation of the band itself.
This band is plaited in such a manner for the above mentioned purpose that the
convolutions of the wires lie on the outside of the wire fabric cross-wise upon the
axis of the band and are consequently not parallel to the said axis as would be the
case in the reverse arrangement, whereas the band in this last case causes much less
friction upon the pulley than in the first case.
When the spiral springs are properly twisted or screwed they do not twist or
unscrew from the band by themselves. This untwisting may be further prevented
by straightening the last turn or convolution at the ends of all the springs whereby
the edge of the band is rendered flat.
Pieces of spiral springs of suitable pitch and outside diameter are screwed into
and parallel with one another in such a manner that the intersecting points of all

page_text: adjacent spirals are parallel to the axis of the band, whilst the spiral springs
themselves have an oblique direction to the axis of the band. In this case the
pieces of springs are so cut and formed that both ends of the wire are concealed in
the same band the edges of which are flat.
In this band the ends can be connected in the same manner as the springs are in
the formation of the band itself.
The untwisting or unscrewing of the said springs can be prevented by rolling the
said band flat
When this fabric is manufactured very wide and long it may be used in a great
many ways when it is not always necessary to have the surface of the band in an
oblique direction to the axis of the spiral springs.
Lastly a chain trellis may be formed by rolling the springs which have a suitable
pitch and are connected together in the shape of a net. This chain trellis
manufactured in large widths may be used for enclosures and trellis work of all
description, for hurdles for malt kilns and other purposes, as also in the shape of
small bands for driving belts for transmission of power or for the transport of
materials, or as elevators
The edge spring on the wide side of the band is coiled in a contrary direction
and rolled to obtain a flat edge on both sides of the band and a regular surface
upon the side which is intended to be passed around a pulley.
The band may also consist of a similar number of springs coiled right and left
and rolled, which springs are joined in the middle by means of a spiral spring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th September 1883.
"
FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort-
on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WIRE BANDS
a communication from Gustav Pickhardt, a person resident in Hagen, in the Empire
of Germany,
This invention relates to elastic wire bands.
According to the said invention wire bands for use as belts for driving machinery
as elevators and for trellis work are made of different lengths and widths according
to the purpose for which they are required and are manufactured from the
"Jarolimek" wires (described in the specifications of former Letters Patent dated
July 16th A.D. 1880 N° 2941, and September 9th A.D 1880 N° 3658) in any of the
following manners as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
As shown in Figure 1 a number of spiral springs f, f f f are laid close to
one another which springs are made of rather thick wire and have a suitable
pitch. The springs are joined together to form a band by short spiral springs q
twisted or screwed at intervals into the aforesaid springs as shown in the
drawing.
In Figure 2 a number of short spiral springs fare shown as being laid close to
one another and connected at the centre of their length by a transverse spring.
Into these springs other springs f¹ of similar length are screwed until they reach
the transverse spring 9 as shown in Figure 3. The springs f' last introduced are
again connected in the same manner as the springs f by a transverse spring q¹.
Other springs are subsequently introduced and connected in a similar manner this
operation being continued until a band of a desired length is obtained
In some cases instead of screwing the spring f¹ right up to the springs q' as
shown in Figure 3 I leave a space between the end of the springs fl and the
spring 9. which space corresponds to about one third of the length of the spring f
as shown in Figure 4.
The belt shown in Figure 3 has the advantage of being stronger and causing
greater friction upon the pulleys over which it is passed, while the belt shown in
Figure 4 has this advantage that each piece of spring is at once fixed in place and
the band can be connected at its end in the same manner as it is formed.
The bands may be used to run over smooth rollers with wedge-shaped grooves,
or convex rollers covered with leather or the like.
A number of spiral springs made of thick wire and having a suitable pitch are
sometimes laid side by side. These springs are joined to form a band which may
be of sufficient width to constitute a wire-net or trellis-work whereas short or long
transverse springs are screwed into the turns or convolutions of the parallel springs
in a diagonal direction as shown in Figure 8. The untwisting or unscrewing of
the transverse springs is prevented by rolling this band or net in order to flatten
it and form a complete and closed fabric which, when manufactured of a large
size, is particularly useful for hurdles for malt-kilns and the like.
In Figure 9 I show a wire-trellis made of spiral springs, the openings of which
are cross or star-shaped. In this wire trellis the springs cross each other in a
regular manner and at long intervals, thus forming regular openings or loops.
This wire web is rendered stronger by being rolled flat, and may be used for
enclosures or trellis work of all description as well as for other purposes of industry
or agriculture.

page_text: Figure 10 shows a number of spiral springs made with a very thick wire and
having a suitable pitch, which springs are screwed directly into one another, so
that the said springs form either in the direction of the width of the band or in
that of its length a continuous chain.
In both cases, this wire fabric manufactured in great lengths and of small width
may be used as driving belts, traces, elevators and the like.
When made wide it is particularly well adapted for the closing of doors and
windows, and may be used in the manufacture of window blinds, fire-proof
curtains for theatres, network for torpedoes, and may be arranged for many other
purposes, such as for elastic armour for war vessels.
When required this wire fabric may be rolled flat.
The process described, with reference to Figure 8, of manufacturing wire trellis
may be modified in the following manner, that is to say: Several spiral springs
ffff laid by the side of one another, as shown in Figure 5 and which are made
with a very thick wire and have a suitable pitch, are joined to form a band in such
a manner, that through the corresponding bends or convolutions of the long springs
are screwed transverse springs qqq of suitable length. When this band is made
sufficiently wide it forms a wire trellis which is very useful for many purposes.
Short pieces of spiral springs ff, as wide as desired and twisted as above
described are connected by other pieces of spiral springs, as shown in Figure 6, of
the same length and screwed in the same manner as above described, the arrange-
ment being such that the central points of all the pieces of spiral springs fall in the
centre line of the band thus formed. Such bands are particularly suitable for
driving belts, the ends being joined in the same manner as the springs are in the
formation of the band itself. This band is plaited in such a manner for the above
mentioned purpose that the convolutions of the wires lie on the outside of this
wire fabric crosswise to the axis of the band, and are consequently not parallel to
the said axis as would be the case in the reverse arrangement, whereas the band in
this last case causes much less friction upon the pulley than in the first case.
When the spiral springs are properly twisted or screwed they do not untwist or
unscrew from the band by themselves. The untwisting may be further prevented,
by straightening the last turn or convolution at the ends of all the springs,
whereby the edge of the band is rendered flat.
Pieces of spiral springs ff Figure 7 of suitable pitch and outside diameter are
screwed into and parallel with one another in such a manner that the intersecting
points of all adjacent spirals are parallel to the axis of the band, whilst the spiral
springs themselves have an oblique direction to the axis of the said band. In this
case the pieces of spring are so cut and formed that both ends of the wire are
concealed in the same band the edges of which are flat. In this band the ends can
be connected in the same manner as the springs are in the formation of the band
itself.
The untwisting or unscrewing of the said springs can be prevented by rolling the
said band flat.
When this fabric is manufactured very wide and long it may be used in a great
many ways when it is not always necessary to have the surface of the band in an
oblique direction to the axis of the spiral springs.
Lastly a chain trellis may be formed by rolling the springs ffff (Figure 11)
which bave a suitable pitch and are connected together in the shape of a net.
This chain trellis manufactured in large widths may be used for enclosures and
trellis work of all descripton, for hurdles for malt-kilns, and other purposes; as also,
in the shape of small bands, for driving belts for transmission of power or for the
transport of materials or as elevators.
The edge spring on the wide side of the band is coiled in a contrary direction
to the other springs and rolled, in order to obtain a flat edge on both sides of the
band and a regular surface upon the side which is intended to be passed around a
pulley.

page_text: The band may also consist of a similar number of springs coiled right and left
and rolled, which springs are joined in the middle by means of a spiral spring.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me and the
manner of performing the same I wish it understood that I claim
The elastic wire bands or trellis formed of closely wound wire springs, as shown
in the accompanying drawing, to be used as means for transporting or raising
material, as driving belts, hurdles for malt-kilns, window blinds, curtains for
theatres, nets for torpedoes or elastic armour for war vessels, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof I the said Frank Wirth have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
FRANK WIRTH (L.S.)