Patent ID: 7617713

Claim:
A die for drawing associated wire products, comprising: at least a first die portion having first and second ends, the at least a first die portion having a cavity fashioned at least partially interior to the at least a first die portion for use in drawing an associated wire; wherein the cavity extends from the first end of the at least a first die portion to the second end; wherein the associated wire has an associated wire diameter d, wherein the associated wire travels through the cavity along a first axis; wherein the cavity comprises: a first drawing contour for reducing the cross-sectional area of the associated wire, wherein the first drawing contour is adjacent the first end of the first die portion. wherein the first drawing contour is substantially conical, wherein the first drawing contour forms an angle a with the first axis that is between 5 and 12 degrees, exclusive of 5 degrees; a first bearing region having a length b that is less than 0.3 times the diameter d of the associated wire, wherein the first bearing region is adjacent the first drawing contour, wherein the first bearing region is substantially cylindrical; a second drawing contour for reducing the cross-sectional area of the associated wire, wherein the second drawing contour is adjacent the first bearing region, wherein the second drawing contour is substantially conical, wherein the second drawing contour forms an angle a 1 with the first axis that is between 5 and 12 degrees, exclusive of 5 degrees; a second bearing region having a length b 1 that is less than 0.3 times the diameter d of the associated wire, wherein the second bearing region is adjacent the second drawing contour, wherein the second bearing region is substantially cylindrical; a non-drawing contour for use in guiding the associated wire through the second end of the at least a first die portion, wherein the non-drawing contour is adjacent the second bearing region, wherein the non-drawing contour is adjacent the second end of the first die portion, wherein the non-drawing contour is substantially conical, wherein the non-drawing contour forms an angle c with the first axis that is between 20 and 35 degrees; wherein the first drawing contour, the first bearing region, the second drawing contour, the second bearing region, and the non-drawing contour are located within one die; wherein the first bearing region is located between the first drawing contour and the second drawing contour, wherein the second bearing region is located between the second drawing contour and the non-drawing contour; wherein the first drawing contour reduces the wire's first-contour-entering cross-sectional area by an amount ranging from about 1.5 to 16.2%; wherein the second drawing contour reduces the wire's second-contour-entering cross-sectional area by an amount ranging from about 2% to 6%.