Improvements in Barbed Wire, in the Manufacture of same, and in Machinery therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Barbed Wire, in the Manufacture of same, and in
Machinery therefor.
I, JOHN DRENNAN CURTIS, of Worcester, in the County of Worcester, and
State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, 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 the manufacture of two strand, two pointed barbed wire,
with the barbs coiled on one of the strands, and the strands twisted together, and
the object of my invention is to improve upon the manufacture of barbed wire of
the class above referred to, as now ordinarily made, with the barbs made from
round wire coiled on one of the fence strands, and to produce a barbed wire, with
the barbs made from half round wire, or from wire of non-circular cross section,
coiled around one of the fence strands, and having their points twisted in a direction
transverse to the axis of the barb.
My invention consists in my improved method of manufacturing barbed wire of
the description above mentioned, the important feature of which, is the twisting of
the barb wire transverse to its axis, to produce barbs with their points twisted in a
direction at right angles to the axis of the barb, and my invention also consists in
the means for carrying out my improved method of manufacturing barbed wire, and
in the barbed wire manufactured by my method.
In carrying out my invention, and manufacturing the barbed wire, the means for
twisting the barb wire transverse to its axis, to produce barbs with twisted points,
as above described, may be combined with any of the ordinary and well known
automatic machines now in general use for manufacturing the ordinary two pointed
barb wire, with the barbs made from round wire, and coiled around one of the
strands.
In the drawings, I have shown the mechanism for twisting the barb wire,
combined with the well known Stover barbed wire machine, which was patented
in the United States of America, May 29, 1883, No. 278,624, and to which Patent,
reference is hereby made for a detail description of the construction and operation
of said machine.
The Stover machine, without my improvements, is adapted to automatically
manufacture a two strand barbed wire, having a two pointed wire barb, made from
round wire, known as the "Glidden" barb, combined with one of the strands.
Referring to the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a Stover barb wire machine, corresponding to Fig. 2, of
the Stover Patent referred to, with my improvement attached thereto.
Fig. 2 is a sectional detail, on enlarged scale, of the additional twisting
mechanism.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the mechanism, shown in Fig. 2, looking in the direction
of arrow a, same figure.
Fig. 4 is a plan view, of a section of barbed wire of my improved manufacture,
having half round wire barbs.
Fig. 5 is a cross section on line xx, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of arrow b,
same figure.
Fig. 6 is a plan view, of a section of barbed wire of my improved manufacture,
having flat barbs.
Fig. 7 is a cross section on line y y, Fig. 6, looking in the direction of arrow d,
same figure, and,

page_text: Figs. 8 and 9 are cross sections of the half round barb wire, and the flat barb
strip, respectively.
In the accompanying drawings, I have designated the several parts of the
machine, shown in Fig. 1, by the same letters of reference as are used in Fig. 2 of
said Stover Patent, and reference is hereby made to said Patent for a detail
description of the construction and operation of the several parts of the machine,
shown in Fig. 1.
It is only necessary to describe herein, the operation of those parts of said
Stover machine, shown in Fig. 1, which are directly connected with the twisting
mechanism, used in this instance, to twist the barb wire to make the points of the
barbs twisted, as above described, so that those skilled in the art to which my
invention belongs, will clearly understand the construction and operation of said
twisting mechanism. It will be understood, as above stated, that the barb wire, or
strip, from which the barbs are made, is of non-circular cross section, and preferably
a half round wire, or a flat wire, or strip.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wire strands a³, and 2³, are fed in under
the rolls R, at the rear of the machine, and one of said strands, al, passes through
the barb coiling or wrapping spindle W. The barb wirez is fed in under the
roll T', and instead of passing through the guide, as shown in Fig. 2 of said
Stover Patent, it passes through the guide A, of the twisting mechanism, (see
Fig. 1), which is substituted for the guides of said Patent.
The free end of the barb wire a, is fed forward under the main wire r', and over
the turning finger 7, of the wrapping spindle W, and is coiled, or wrapped,
preferably once, around the main wire, by the revolution of the spindle W, and
finger g.
After the free end of the barb wire has been wrapped around the main wire,
the movable cutter, supported in the top of the angular rocking part Y, is
operated, and cuts off the barb wire a, upon an acute angle, leaving a sharp
pointed projecting barb. The main wires a¹, and e, are then fed forward pre-
paratory to the wrapping of another barb around the wire ', as fully described in
said Stover Patent to which reference is hereby made.
I will now describe the construction and operation of the twisting mechanism,
used in this instance, to twist the barb wire transverse to its axis, and make the
points of the barbs twisted, in a direction at right angles to the axis of the barb,
and which mechanism is shown by dark lines in Fig. 1, in its proper relative
position, and in detail views in Figs. 2 and 3.
The guide A is provided with a stud B, extending out from one side, at the rear
part thereof, which is secured in its bearings by means of a set screw s³, and by
means of said set screws, the guide A may be adjusted in its bearings, as desired.
The guide A has a longitudinal hole L' therein, as shown in Fig. 2, through
which the barb wire z extends; and said guide A is cored out at its front end, in
the upper part thereof, and into said cored-out part fits a pinion C³, which is fast
on the hollow shaft D. Said shaft D has its bearings in the front end of the
guide A, and serves as a shaft, for the pinion C', a central longitudinal hole E', in
the shaft D corresponds in size to the central longitudinal hole L' in the guide A,
except at the front end of said shaft D, the hole E' is reduced in size, and made
non-circular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3.
In the upper end of the arm A', extending up from the upper surface of the
guide A, is pivoted on a pin F¹, the upper end of the segment gear G³, which is
adapted to mesh with, and operate the pinion C', as shown in Fig. 3.
Upon the top of the rocking part Y, carrying the movable cutter u, is secured,
by a screw H², in this instance, a rigid arm I', the outer end of which on the
forward movement of the cutter u, is adapted to engage the ear or projection J³, on
the segment gear G³, and move said segment gear G³, and cause the pinion C¹ and
shaft D to revolve, and twist the barb wire, in this instance, after the free end
thereof, is wrapped or coiled around the wire strand, and before the same is severed
or cut-off by the cutter u.

page_text: A spring N is, in this instance, connected with the segment gear Gº, and with a
stationary part of the machine, and serves to draw back the segment gear G, and
revolve the pinion C¹ and shaft D, in the opposite direction, after the barb wire is
cut off by the cutter u, and upon the withdrawal of the cutter, preparatory to the
feeding forward of the barb wire for another barb.
By means of the non-circular hole E', in the end of the twisting shaft or
spindle D, the barb wire is held at the point where it passes through said non-
circular opening, and the revolution of the shaft D will twist the barb wire before
it is cut off. The return revolution of the shaft D will allow the barb wire to
untwist back of the guide A, but the twist at the point where the barb wire is cut
off is set, and will remain in the barb wire, and said twisted end will form the free
end of the barb wire, to be fed forward and wrapped or coiled around the wire
strand.
It will thus be seen that in the completed barb, each end will be twisted.
From the above description, in connection with the drawings, the operation of
the twisting mechanism, above described, for twisting the barb wire a, after the free
end thereof has been coiled around the main wire a, and before the barb wire is
severed or cut off by the movable cutter u, will be readily understood by those
skilled in the art, and is as follows:-
After the free end of the barb wire has, in this instance, been wrapped or coiled
once around the main wire a', by the coiling or wrapping spindle W and the finger
thereon, the movable cutter u, through the operation of the rocking part. Y,
moved forward to cut off the barb wire.
is
The operation of the rocking part Y, causes the arm I', fast on said part Y, to move
the segment gear G', in the direction of the arrow c, Fig. 3, causing the pinion C
to be revolved, and also the shaft D, on which said pinion C¹ is fast.
The revolution of the shaft D, will cause the barb wire r to be twiste:], where it
is held by the non-circular opening E', in the end of the shaft D, before the cutter u
touches the barb wire, to sever, or cut it off.
After the barb wire has been cut off by the cutter u, the rocking part Y returns
to its former position, carrying the arm I'.
The spring N draws back the segment gear G³, and causes the pinion C³, and
twisting shaft D to be turned back to their first position, preparatory to the twisting
of the barb wire again, after the free end has been fed forward, and wrapped or
coiled around the fence strand.
The advantages of my improvements in the manufacture of barb wire will be
readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.
By making the barbs from wire of non-circular cross section, preferably half
round, or flat, only about one-half of the amount of metal contained in the round
wire, heretofore used in making the "Glidden barb, is used, thus saving about
one-half the weight of the ordinary barb, and consequently lessening considerably
the weight of the barbed wire.
By twisting the barb wire transverse to its axis, and giving a twist to the points
of the barb, in a direction at right angles to the axis thereof, I am enabled to
stiffen the coil of the barb, and attach the barb firmly to the fence strand, and
cause the edges of the barb to be presented, to resist pressure or bending.
It will be understood, that in carrying out my invention, above described, I do
not limit myself to the particular form of the twisting mechanism, shown in the
drawings, and above described, or the particular manner of combining the same
with the mechanism for coiling on the barb, and the mechanism for cutting off the
barb, as any other suitable mechanism may be employed.
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. The improvements in the manufacture of barbed wire, which consists in coiling
a barb wire of non-circular cross section around one of the strands, and then twisting

page_text: the barb wire in a direction transverse to its axis, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth.
2. In the manufacture of barbed wire, the method of forming and applying the
barbs, which consists in coiling a continuous barb wire of non-circular cross section
around one of the strands, then twisting said barb wire in a direction transverse to
its axis, and then cutting it off, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
3. In machinery for making barbed wire, the combination with fence strand
supplying or feeding mechanism, and barb wire supplying or feeding, and coiling
mechanisms, of twisting mechanism arranged and operating to twist the barb wire in
a direction transverse to its axis after it has been coiled upon its fence strand,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
4. In machinery for making barbed wire, the combination with the fence strand
supplying or feeding mechanism, barb wire supplying or feeding, and coiling
mechanisms, and mechanism for cutting off the barb wire, of twisting mechanism
whereby the barb wire is twisted in a direction transverse to its axis after it is
coiled upon its fence strand and before it is cut off, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth.
5. The combination with a strand of wire fencing, of a wire barb of non-circular
cross section throughout its length, and coiled at its central portion around the
strand, and having its points twisted, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with a strand of wire fencing, of a two pointed wire barb,
made from a non-circular wire, and coiled at its central portion once around the
strand, with its projecting points having a quarter turn or twist, in a direction at
right angles to the axis of the barb, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a strand of wire fencing, of a wire barb made from half
round wire, and coiled at its central portion around the strand, and having its points
twisted, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with a strand of wire fencing, of a two pointed wire barb
made from half round wire, and coiled at its central portion once around the strand,
with its projecting points having a quarter turn or twist, in a direction at right
angles to the axis of the barb, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 14th day of January 1892.