Machine for Making Wire Fencing.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
Machine for Making Wire Fencing.
1, WILLIAM EDENBORN, Wire Fence Manufacturer, The Rokery of the City
of Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois, one of the United States of North
America, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for a machine for making
wire fencing, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improved machine for making a fencing consisting of
longitudinal strands of wire tied together in pairs by transverse strands that are
wound at their ends about two of the longitudinal strands, these transverse strands
being arranged in break-joint fashion, those connecting the second and third wiros
from the top of the fencing being located in the spacos between those connecting
the two top wires, and so on down the fencing. My machine is automatic in its
operation, and produces the finished article from coils of wire.
My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described and
pointed out in the claims.
Figure I is a top or plan view of my improved machine.
Figs. II and III are enlarged detail transvorse sections taken on line II-III,
Fig. 1, the dogs pivoted to the cross bead not being shown in Fig. II.
Fig. IV is a top view of the crimping dogs in open position.
Fig. V is a top view of the crimping dogs closed.
Fig. VI is a side elevation.
Fig. VII is an enlarged, vertical, transverse section taken on line VII-VII,
Fig. 1.
Figs. VIII, IX and X are diagrains illustrating the operation of the coiling
spindles.
Fig. XI is a dotail top view of same.
.
Fig. XII is an enlarged, detail, vertical section taken on line XII-XII,
Fig. I, looking in the direction of the arrow A.
Fig. XIII is a similar view, taken on line XII-XIII, Fig. 1, looking in the
direction of the arrow B.
Fig. XIV is a diagram showing a section of the fencing made by my improved
machine.
Fig. XV is an enlarged transverse section taken on line XV-XV,
Fig. XIII.
Fig. XVI is a side view of a series of rollers to straighten the wire from which
the transverse wires are cut before it enters the machine.
Fig. XVII represents a modification of the means for feeding the strand
wires.
Fig. XVIII represents a modification of the take-up.
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a bed-plate, that may have suitable
supporting legs, not shown. Secured to this bod-plate by boxes 2 is a shaft 3
having bevel gear connection 4 with the shaft 5 journaled in boxes 6 by which
it is supported on the bed-plate. The shaft 5 is bent to form a crauk 7. (The end
of the crank is shown removed or broken off in Fig. 1.)
8 represents a long rack connected to the crank 7 by means of a pitman 9. This
rack lies beneath and meshes into a number of pinions 10 formed upon or secured
to sleeves 11 (see Figs. 1 and VII) these sleeves being supported by a bracket or
stand 12 secured to the bed-plate 1 and in which the sleeves are journaled, this
bracket also serving to support the rack 8, as shown in Fig. VII. It will be

page_text: observed that as the rack is moved back and forth by the crank-shaft 7 there will
be imparted to the sleeves 11 a back and forth rotary movement.
Within each sleeve 11 is a spindle 13 having an eccentrically arranged finger or
pin 14, the inner end of the pin fitting in the head 15 of the spindle, as clearly
shown in Fig. VII. The spindles are loose within the sleeves and are caused to
turn therewith by virtue of the pina 14 passing through caps or heads 16 secured
to the sleeves by screws 17 or otherwise. 18 represents the strand or longitudinal
wires of the fencing. There is a spindle 13 for each strand wire, and each wire
passes through a central perforation in the head 15 of its spindle and also through
a perforation in the cap 16. As stated, the spindles 13 fit loosely within their
sleeves, and they have end movement therein so as to cause the fingers 14 to be
protruded from the face of the cap 16 at the proper time and then to cause the
fingers 14 to recede until their outor ends are substantially flush with the outer
faces of the raps. This end movement is imparted to the spindles 13 by means of
hell crank levers 19 fulcrumed on a rod 20. The upper ends of the levers aro
provided with yokes 21 fitting in grooves 22 in the ends of the spindles 13. The
levers are operated to retract the spindles by means of the cams 23 on the shaft 3,
and the levers are moved in the other direction to cause the fingers 14 to be
protruded by means of springs 24.
The strand wires are fed forward intermittently by passing botween rollers 26
and 26, (see Figs. I and VI) set screws 27 being provided for the purpose of
causing the upper roller to bear with more or less pressure upon the lower roller.
The lower roller 26 is provided with a pinions 28 engaged by a pinion 29 meshing
into a pinion 30 on the shaft 3. The shaft 3 is provided with a gear wheel 31
engaging a pinion 32 on a driving shaft 34 provided with a pulley 35. The
pinion 30 may be termed a mutilated pinion, that is to say, two of its sides or
quarters are provided with cogs and the other two sides or quarters have no cogs,
the result of which is that the roller 26 is moved intermittently; when the
of the pinion 30 engage the piniou 29, the roller 26 will be turned, and then while
the cogless portions of the pinion 30 are passing the pinion 29, the roller 26 will
remain idle. This results in the strand wires receiving an intermittent movement,
and allows them to remain stationary while the transverse wires are being wrapped
about the strand wires.
coga
In Fig. XVII, I have shown a modification of the mechanism for imparting an
intermittent movement to the strand wires, in which the roller 26 is provided with
a ratchet wheel 36 engaged by a pawl 37 on a sliding bar 38 supported by a
lug 39 on the housing 40 of the rollers 25 and 26. This bar 38 is connected to an
extension 41 on a ring 42 that fits over an eccentric 43 on the shaft 3. As the
parts move from the position shown in full lines, Fig. XVII, to the position shown
in dotted lines, the roller 26 is turned, and remains idle while the parts are moving
back from the position shown in dotted linca to the position shown in full lines.
44 and 45 represunt. the transverse wires. The fencing shown in Fig. XIV
comprises eight strand wires. When this number of strand wires is used, it
requires seven transverse wires to connect the strand wires. It requires four of
these transverse wires to connect the first and second, the third and fourth, the
fifth and sixth, and the seventh and eighth strand wires together, and it requires
three to connect the second and third, the fourth and fifth, and the sixth and
seventh strand wires. The first set of wires is indicated at 45, and the second set
at 44, Fige. XII aud XIII. These wires are fed forward intermittently, time
being given after they are fed forward for the transverse wires to be cut, and for
the fingers 14 to wrap their ends about two of the strand wires, and also for the
strand wires to be moved forward again after the wrapping and the cutting of the
transverse wires. This intermittent movement of the transverse wires is effected
by a head 46 for the wires 44 and a head 47 for the wires 45. Each head is
mounted loosely ou a rod 48 supported by standards 49 on the bed-plate 1, the 5
beads having spring actuated dogs 50 that engage the wires on the forward
movement of the heads and that slip over the wires as the heads move back.

page_text: To prevent the wires being carried back by the heads, one of the standards 49 is
provided with dogs 50 that do not interfere with the forward movement of the
wires, but prevent the wires from moving backward.
The heads 46 and 47 are moved by means of levers 51 and 52, (see Fig. 1)
pivoted at 53 to the bed-plate, their inner ends being pivoted to the heads 46
and 47 respectively, and their outer ends being engaged by a cam 54 ou the
shaft 3. It will thus be seen that as the shaft 3 is turned, the heads 46 and 47
will be moved, and that the head 46 will move forward while the bead 47 is
moving backward, and vice versa, and the parts are so disposed that first ono sot
and then the other set of the wires 44, 45 are fed forward, and each set is fed
forward at the proper time.
As the transverse wires are fed forward, they are guided so that each will pass
over one and under the other of two of the strand wires, as seen in Fig. XII.
This guiding of the transverse wires is effected by two levers 55 and 56, pivoted
respectively at 57 and 58 to a standard 59. To the levers are secured guide
tubes or boxes 60, one for each transverse wire (see Figs. XIII and XV).
The tubes are so arranged on the levers 55 and 56 as to cause the transverse
wires to be projected in the proper direction to cause them to be fed to
the strand wires as stated. To the levers 55 and 56, close up against the
euds of the tubes 60, are knives or cutters 64, that operate in conjunction with
stationary knives or cutters 62 made fast to the bracket or standard 12, (see
Fig. XII) to sever the transverse wires, the levers 55 and 56 being moved for this
purpose by means of a cam 63 on a shuft 64 (see Figs. 1 and XIII) the shaft 64
being journalo in hoxes 65 and having bevel gear connection 66 with the shaft 67
journaled in boxes 68, the other end of the shaft 67 having a bevel gear con-
nection 69 with the shaft 5. The cam 63 is so formed as to cause the levers 55
and 56 to be moved immediately after the transverse wires move forward, the
movement of the levers effecting the cutting of the transverse wires into proper
lengths. As these wires are cut, the spindles 13 move end wise, protruding the
fingers 14 so as to bring them into a position that will cause them to engage the
transverse wires as the spindles revolve, one finger engaging beneath one end of
each transverse wire and another finger engaging the other end of this transverse
wire from above. As the spindles revolve, the fingers wrap the transverse wires
about the strand wires, nɛ shown in Figs. VIII to XI inclusive, and as the
wrapping progresses, the fingers are gradually withdrawn by the retraction of the
spindles 13, and just at the time the wrapping is completed, the fingers 14 finally
leave the wires, this condition of the parts being represented in Fig. XI.
As the fencing is formed, it is taken up and moved along intermittently. My
preferred manner of doing this is by the use of a mechanism that will form crimps
(see Fig. XIV) in the strand wires to provide for expansion and contraction of the
fencing when in service without danger of the strand wires being broken. The
mechanism that I have shown for thus taking up the fencing as it is made, and also
for forming crimps in the strand wires, is represented in Figs. 1 to V inclusive, and
consists of a cross bend 70, held in guides 71 secured to the bed-plate of the
machine, and which carries a slide 72. The slide 72 is capable of moving end wise
with relation to the cross head, and it carries a number of dogs 73 pivoted at 74 to
the slide above tho cross head. The strand wires are shown in dotted lines in
Figs. 1, 11 and 111, and also in Fig. VI, and there is a dog 73 for each strand
wire. 75 represents dogs pivoted at 76 to the upper face of the cross bead. There
is a pair of these doga for each dog 73, as shown in Fig. I. Beneath the rruss
head 70 in a plate 77 that has oblique slots 76 in which fit pins 79 projecting from
the under faco of the slide 72. The plate 77 is connected by links 80 to cracks 81
on a rockshalt 82 secured to the bed-plate 1 by means of boxes 83. The shaft 82
has-a crank 84 connected by a rod 85 to an eccentrically located wrist pin 86 on
the wheel 31, see Figs. I and VI. As the wheel 31 revolves, it imparts a rocking
movement to the shaft 82, causing the movement of the cross head 70, and the
parts which it carries, back and forth in the direction of the length of the strand

page_text: wires. 87 represents a dog pivoted to one of the guides 71 (see Fig. 1) and which
is capable of moving only in the direction of the arrow. When the cross head 70
is in its rear or inner position shown in Fig. I, and before the rockshaft 82 com-
mences to move the plate 77, the end of the slide 72 is behind the dog 87. When
the rockshaft commences to move the plate 77 the cross head 70 is held from
forward movement until the slide 72 moves out from behind the dog 87. The
slide is thus moved out from behind the dog 87 by means of the pins 79 on the
slide fitting in the oblique slots 78 in the plate 77, and this end movement of
the slide causes the dogs 73 to move from the position shown in Fig. IV to the
position shown in Fig. V, thus crimping the strand wires between the movable
dogs 73 and the fixed dogs 75. By the time that the end of the slide passes the
end of the dog 87 (in which position it is shown in Fig. 1) the wires have been
fully crimped, and now the further turning of the shaft 82 pulls the cross head 70
with the parts attached to it in the direction of the dotted arrow, Fig. I, and the
fencing is thus moved forward or taken up the distance apart of the transverso
wires. When the fencing has been moved this distance, the shaft 82 rocks in the
other direction, and the first action of the plate 77 is to move the slide 72 back,
thus releasing the strand wires by pulling the dogs 73 away from them, or from
the position shown in Fig. V to the position shown in Fig. IV. The further
movement of the shaft 82 in this direction carries the cross-head 70 with the parts
that are attached to it back to their inner position, aud as the parts move back, the
dog 87 yields when pressed against by the slide, and as soon as the slide passes,
the dog springs back into the position shown in Fig. I, so that the next time the
shaft 82 rocks forward the dog will keep the crosshead from moving until the slide
has moved end wise to crimp the wires, as explained.
As stated, the dogs 73 and 75 are pivoted to their supports, so that as the crosshead
moves back these dogs will turn on their pivots if they come against the transverse
wires of the fencing so as to pass under these transverse wires, and will then
automatically assume au upright position.
The mechanism I have just described for crimping the strand wires also acts as
a take-up mechanism by moving the completed fencing forward the distance of the
space between the transverse wires, but it is obvious that a take-up mechanism
might be used which would not crimp the wires, and such a mechanism is shown in
Fig. XII, where 90 represents a roller baving grooves 91. This roller would be
driven intermittently by any suitable means, and as it revolves, the grooves 91
receive the transverse wires, causing the movement or take-up of the fencing at
the proper time, and this fencing may pass around a drum 92 having pins 93 to
engage the transverse wires, and from the drum the fencing may pass to a
spindle 94 upon which it is wound ready for shipment. The rollers or drums 90
and 92 may not themselves be driven, but the movement of the fencing may be
effected by the turning of the spindle. No means is shown for turning the spindle,
as any well-known mechanism such as is common on barb wire machines may be
used for this purpose.
It is evident that one of the mechanisms shown and described for taking up the
fencing may be depended upon to produce the forward movement of the strand wires,
instead of using the feed rollers, in which case the feed rollers would still be useful
to maintain a tension on the strand wires and keep them taut at the point of
application of the transverse wires.
The wires from which the transverse wires are cut would ordinarily be taken
from a reel, and it is desirable to bave the natural coil taken out of these wires
before they are fed, and this may be done by an ordinary system of straightening
rolls, such as is shown in Fig. XVI.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for

page_text: intermittently feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for intermittently
feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for guiding and cutting the
transverse wires, and mechanism for winding the ends of each section of the
transverse wires about two of the strand wires, substantially as set forth.
2. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for
feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for feeding a series of transverse
wires, mechanism for guiding and cutting the transverse wires, and mechanism for
winding the ends of each section of the trausverse wires about two of the strand
wires, substantially as set forth.
3. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for
intermittently feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for intermittently
feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for guiding and cutting the
transverso wires, mechanisin for winding the ends of each section of the transverse
wires about two of the strand wires, and mechanism for intermittently taking up
the fencing after it is formed, substantially as set forth.
4. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles.
each provided with a wire coiling finger, mechanism for moving strand wires-
through said spindles, mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires, and
mechanism for cutting enid transverse wires, substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for mak ng wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles
each provided with a wire coiling finger, means for causing the movement of a
serios of strand wires through said spindles, means for feeding a series of transverse-
wires across said strand wires, means for guiding and cutting off said transverse
wires, and mechanism for turoing said spindles to cause said fingers to wind the-
euds of each section of the transverɛe wires about two of the strand wires,.
substantially as set forth.
6. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles-
provided with fingers, a series of sleeves enclosing said spindles, a rack for turning
said sleeves and spindles, bell crank levers for imparting a longitudinal movement
to said spindles, mechanism for feeding a sories of transverse wires across a series
of strand wires that pass through said spindles, and means for guiding and cutting-
off said transverse wires, substantially as set forth.
7. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for
intermittently feeding a sories of strand wires, mechanism for intermittently
feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for winding the ends of each
section of the transverse wires about the strand wires, and mechanism for guiding
and cutting said transverse wires; said last mechanism consisting of levers 55.
and 56 provided with guide tubes 60 and kuives 61, said kuives being arranged to-
co-act with stationary knives, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for
intermittently feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for intermittently
feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for winding the ends of each section.
of the transverse wires about two of the strand wires, and mechanism for guiding
and cutting said transverse wires; said last mechanisin consisting of pivoted
levers 55 and 56 provided with guide tubes 60 and knives 61, and a cam 63,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism for
feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires,.
mechanism for cutting the transverse wires, and mechanism for winding the ends
of each section of the transverse wires about two of the strand wires; said
mechanism for feeding the transverse wires being in duplicate, one of which feeds
a set of said wires for connecting the first and second and the third and fourth
strand wires together, and the other of which feeds a set of said wires for
connecting the second and third and the fourth and fifth of said strand wires,.
substantially as set forth.
10. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles
provided with fingers, mechanism for moving strand wires through said spindles,.

page_text: mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for cutting said
transverse wires, and mechanism for turning said spindles consisting of pinions, one
for each spindle, a rack engaging all of the pinions, and means for inoving the
rack, substantially as set forth.
11. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanisin for
intermittently feeding a series of strand wires, mechanism for.feeding a series of
transverse wires, mechanism for guiding and cutting the transverse wires,
mechanism for winding the ends of each section of the transverse wires about two
of the strand wires, and mechanism for forming crimps in the strand wires,
substantially as set forth.
12. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism through
which strand wires paas, mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires,
mechanism for guiding and cutting the transverse wires, mechanism for winding
the ends of each section of the transverse wires about two of the strand wires,
aud mechanism for forming crimps in the strand wires, substantially as
set forth.
13. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of mechanism
through which straud wires pass, mechanism for feeling a series of transverso
wires, mechanism for guiding and cutting the transverse wires, mechanism for
winding the ends of each scetion of the transverse wires about two of the strand
wires, and mechanism for crimping the strand wires and taking up the fencing,
substantially as set forth.
14. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles
cach provided with a wire coiling finger, mechanism for moving strand wires
through said spindles, mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires,
mechanism for cutting said transverse wires, and mechanism for crimping said
strand wires, substantially as set forth.
15. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles
through which strand wires pass, and which are provided with wire coiling fingers,
mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for cutting said
transverse wires, and mechanism for crimping the strand wires and taking up the
foncing, substantially as set forth.
16. In a machine for making wire fencing, the combination of a series of spindles
each provided with a wire coiling finger and through which the strand wires pass,
mechanism for feeding a series of transverse wires, mechanism for cutting said
transverse wires, and mechanism for crimping the strand wires and taking up the
fencing, consisting of a crosshead provided with dogs, a slide provided with dogs,
mechanism for moving the slide and cross head, and a dog for holding the cross
head from movement until the slide has been moved, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 20th day of Auril 1896
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
164, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.