Abstract: An induction wire preheater for heating electrical wire includes left and right inductors, each having a longitudinal passageway through which the wire being heated is passed. Both inductors are fixedly mounted on a mounting plate and/are tilted relative to each. A lower wheel is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate below the inductors, and an upper wheel is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate above the inductors. First, second and third auxiliary wheels are also provided. In use, wire enters the preheater from the right, passes under the first auxiliary wheel, over the upper wheel, through the left inductor, under the lower wheel, through the right inductor, over the second auxiliary wheel, over the upper wheel a second time, under the third auxiliary wheel and then exits from the left.

Abstract: A braiding machine for use in applying a tubular shaped braid around a product includes a closed loop induction heater for applying heat to the product as it is being fed through the braiding machine before it is wound on a take-up reel for use or further processes. The induction heater includes an inductor and a pair of pulley wheels and is attached to the frame of the braiding machine by a pair of brackets. The heater can be by-passed if the product does not require heat. The braiding machine is especially useful in applying a tubular metal braid over an insulated wire core which is itself covered by a served metal coated mylar strip having a heat sensitive adhesive on one surface which must be activated before the product is complete.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of cooling wire after it has been annealed comprising a cooling wheel which acts as a pulley for the wire downstream of the annealing apparatus, the rotatable cooling wheel having a hollow hub with a metal channel on its outside in which channel the heated wire is wrapped, the wire being cooled by the heat transfer through the metal channel wall to circulating water inside the hub, the water inside the hub kept circulating by a pair of flow passageways into and out of the hub cavity as well as by a stationary scrubber in the hub cavity which prevents the water from stagnating against the sides of the channel.

Abstract: A preheater for heating either intermediate or small size electrical wire includes left and right inductors, each having a longitudinal passageway through which the wire to be heated is passed, one inductor being fixedly mounted on a mounting plate with its passageway vertical and the other inductor being pivotally mounted on the mounting plate so that its passageway can be either positioned vertically or tilted at an angle from vertical, a lower wheel rotatably mounted on the mounting plate below the inductors, a first upper wheel sized for use with intermediate diameter wires and a second upper wheel sized for use with small diameter wires, only one of the upper wheels being mounted on the mounting plate at a time. When intermediate size wire is being run, the pivotally mounted inductor is positioned with its passageway vertical and the first upper wheel is rotatably mounted on the mounting plate above the inductors and vertically aligned with the wheel.