Abstract: A loop transport system for baskets containing looped rod material to be drawn in a drawing machine is provided. Such system includes a conveyor arranged in a substantially closed loop. The conveyor supports and guides a plurality of baskets containing the material to be drawn sequentially to a feeder station, a payoff station, a delivery station and a basket removal station. In these different stations the functions to be performed therein are executed simultaneously or at least partially at the same time. To significantly improve the effectiveness of such a transport system and to reduce the drawing time, due to the inevitable tears in the looped rod material, the invention provides in the area between the payoff station and the delivery station a basket handling branch for the introduction and extraction of baskets containing the looped rod material to be drawn.

Abstract: A mechanical pipe expander for a step-by-step expanding of steel pipes formed with a spiral welded seam. The expander includes an expander head that performs the expanding made up of circumferentially arranged segments over which the pipe assumes a circumjacent position and after which the segments move radially outward to forcibly engage the inside of the pipe. In order to avoid the segments contacting the inside welded seams of the pipe, the segments are formed with one or more complementary spiral slots and if the pipe has cross welded seams with one or more corresponding cross spiral slots.