Abstract: A decoiler for delivery of wire or rod feed stock to a downstream production machine from a pre-formed coil. The decoiler includes an extended length rotatable mandrel adapted to extend along the interior of the coil such that the mandrel supports loops of the coil in hanging and slidable relation along the mandrel. At least a first feed head is disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the mandrel. The first feed head is adapted to feed the wire or rod feed stock from a rear loop of the coil outwardly in a curved path to form a spiral feed loop having a diameter greater than the coil. A variable height guide element is disposed at a position below the first feed head. The variable height guide element engages and follows an interior of the spiral feed loop to change height with a change in diameter of the spiral feed loop and to provide an output signal for speed control of the first feed head to maintain the diameter of the spiral feed loop within predefined limits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting segments of wire from an advancing wire strand is disclosed. The segments can have a selectively predetermined length, and are cut from a strand traveling into a machine at a feed speed. The machine includes a moveable cutter that accelerates to the feed speed of the strand in a direction along the strand. A length of strand extending past the cutter is determined at real time based on a signal from a proximity sensor. When the speed of the cutter closely matches the feed speed and when the length of the strand extending past the cutter is determined to be equal to the predetermined length, the cutter is commanded to cut the strand and return to a home position.

Abstract: A closed-knife rod cutting machine is provided with air ejection apparatus for automatic discharge of cut rods. The gage pin is compliant in the direction of the knife return stroke to permit ejection of a lodged cut rod by the advancing rod stock. The free end of the compliant gage pin is tapered to assist in clearing cut rods loosely lodged in knife, and the gage pin is timed to retract when the knife engages the rod stock at the beginning of the cutting cycle.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A descaler is provided for descaling the scale on hot finished wire or green rod. The descaler comprises two rollers that are mounted to a rotatable support plate. The support plate and the rollers rotate in unison. One of the rollers pivots relative to the support plate such that the rollers can be positioned substantially parallel to allow wire to be easily fed between the rollers for set up purposes and can be positioned substantially perpendicular in which the rollers are arranged to effect wire descaling when wire is pulled through the descaler. Rotation of the roller support plate from the initial set up position automatically pivots the one roller into the working position. The pivoting movement of the one roller is accomplished using the tension of the wire that is created as the roller support plate is rotated and/or a cam mechanism.

Abstract: A descaler is provided for descaling the scale on hot finished wire or green rod. The descaler comprises two rollers that are mounted to a rotatable support plate. The support plate and the rollers rotate in unison. One of the rollers pivots relative to the support plate such that the rollers can be positioned substantially parallel to allow wire to be easily fed between the rollers for set up purposes and can be positioned substantially perpendicular in which the rollers are arranged to effect wire descaling when wire is pulled through the descaler. Rotation of the roller support plate from the initial set up position automatically pivots the one roller into the working position. The pivoting movement of the one roller is accomplished using the tension of the wire that is created as the roller support plate is rotated and/or a cam mechanism.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A wire uncoiler for holding coils of wire on mandrels for uncoiling and drawing by a downstream wire drawing machine. The movable restraining arm of each mandrel is biased by a spring mechanism to control wire payoff to the downstream drawing machine. The spring mechanism can be manually adjusted by a crank handle to control the tension in the spring and therefore the amount of restraining force applied by the restraining arm. The manual adjustment can be done while the wire drawing machine is actively drawing wire from the mandrel.

Abstract: An automatic set-up system for a wire drawing machine. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for substantially automating the set-up process for a wire drawing machine, including the steps of attaching the end of a wire coil to a power-driven capstan, wrapping a sufficient number of wire wraps around the capstan, releasing the end of the wire from the capstan, and feeding the wire to a downstream compensation arm and production machine. Through the use of the present invention, the initialization or set-up process is substantially automated in that the operator simply needs to present wire to the machine, and initiate the process to automatically perform the set-up function and ultimately feed the wire to the downstream production machine. Moreover, due to greatly reduced operator interaction the machine is more reliably set up, and the operator is less likely to be caught or injured by the machine.

Abstract: An in-line wire drawing machine with a floor mounted wire coil turntable and laterally disposed power-driven capstan. The present invention provides an in-line wire drawing machine which substantially reduces the footprint required for an in-line wire drawing machine while enabling relatively large diameters wire to be drawn therethrough. The wire coil is mounted at floor level to allow the coils to be easily loaded onto the drawing machine. The turntable and capstan are mounted in side-by-side fashion to allow the wire to be paid off from the coil in an arc following the natural arcuate cast of the wire coil. This avoids the problem of requiring the operator to physically force the wire against its natural cast and through the guide rollers of the drawing machine which is extremely difficult when using large diameter wire.

Abstract: A release assembly for wire cutting apparatus. The present invention provides a release assembly for wire cutting apparatus which allows for dynamic alteration of the cut parameters. The release assembly allows for the length of the wire to be cut to be altered, allows for the biasing force to be increased or decreased to thereby reset the release assembly for a wide range of wire gauges, and allows for the stroke length to be altered to thereby either increase or decrease the cut frequency. The release assembly includes a housing having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal chamber. A plunger tube is slidably disposed in the longitudinal chamber and is biased towards the proximal end by a dynamically adjustable spring mechanism. A gauge rod is mounted within the plunger tube at an adjustable axial position. In operation, the wire being pulled from the coil engages the gauge rod and pushes the gauge rod and plunger tube in the distal direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously feeding the wire to a wire cutting apparatus. The present invention provides a pair of mandrels provided in an in-line configuration and provided on a turntable. An active coil is loaded onto one of the mandrels while a idle coil is loaded onto the other mandrel. As the wire is being pulled to the wire cutting apparatus from the active coil the tail end of the active coil is bent into abutting relationship with the lead end of the idle coil and welded together. As a result, when the active coil is exhausted, the pulling force of the cutting machine enables the carousel to rotate so that the idle coil assumes the active position and the new coil can be loaded onto the now idle coil for a continuous feed of wire to the wire cutting apparatus.

Abstract: The leading end portion of an elongated length of wire is cut off from the remaining length of wire each time the wire dwells after being advanced along a generally horizontal path. The cutting is effected by moving a cutter downwardly into cutting engagement with the wire and by immediately thereafter moving a wiper downwardly into engagement with the leading end portion of wire to push that portion downwardly and, if necessary, to cause shearing of any uncut diameter of the wire. The cutter and the wiper are actuated by a single, double-acting eccentric which serves to positively advance and positively retract both the cutter and the wiper. The cutter is carried by an arm which is actuated directly by the eccentric while the wiper is carried by a pivoted link connected to the arm. The eccentric, the arm and the link coact to cause the wiper to overtake the cutter as the cutter approaches the bottom of its cutting stroke.

Abstract: Wire is straightened as an incident to being pulled through axially spaced upstream, intermediate and downstream straightening dies carried within a rotating arbor. Each die is formed with a groove which is specially shaped to cause the wire to tend to follow its natural path as the wire is straightened, the shape of the grooves reducing high stress concentrations on the dies and increasing the service life thereof.

Abstract: Wire is fed along a predetermined path by virtue of being pinched between an upper set of feed rolls and a lower set of feed rolls while the upper and lower rolls are rotated in opposite directions. The upper feed rolls are journaled cantilever fashion by an upper carrier which is fixed to the main frame of the apparatus. The lower feed rolls are similarly journaled by a lower carrier which is adapted to be moved upwardly toward the upper carrier to cause the lower feed rolls to pinch the wire against upper feed rolls after the wire has been threaded between the rolls. The lower carrier is moved upwardly by actuators which are offset laterally from the cantilevered rolls.

Abstract: An in-line wire drawing machine includes a power-driven capstan rotatable about a horizontal axis and operable to unwind wire from a coil and to pull the wire through a drawing die for reducing the diameter of the wire. In order to conserve floor space, the coil is supported on an overhead turntable located above the capstan and rotatable about a vertical axis to enable unwinding of the coil. Wire unwound from the coil is directed rearwardly therefrom to a pair of guide rollers, proceeds downwardly alongside the rear of the machine and then travels forwardly to the die. A tangle detector is located upstream of the die and automatically shuts down the machine if the wire in the coil becomes tangled or snagged and fails to pay off of the coil in a free manner.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for drawing a length of wire through a die and for supplying the wire to a using station wherein the apparatus utilizes a mechanical variable-speed drive mechanism and a sensing arm for sensing the error between the consumption and feeding rates of the wire and integrating the same. An electromechanical apparatus couples the sensing arm to the variable-speed drive so that the full range of drive ratios of the variable-speed mechanical drive mechanism can be utilized without the occurrence of a pull-back force at the wire. The mechanical pivoting of the sensing arm is translated to an electrical signal by way of the electromechanical apparatus which incorporates a plunger for oscillatory motion in response to the pivoting of the compensator arm. An electrical device is sensitive to the displacement of the plunger in a manner to provide a signal having a linear relationship to the magnitude of the displacement by the plunger caused by its oscillatory movement.

Abstract: A wire drawing machine having first and second capstans for unwinding wire from first and second coils and for pulling the wire through first and second wire drawing dies. The output from both capstans is directed to a single production machine, with the capstans alternately supplying the production machine so as to maintain a substantially continuous flow of wire to that machine.