US1894703A - Wire straightening apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1'7, 1933. R. c. PIERCE WIRE STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l QN l@ w Y f .EWI

Jan. 17, 1933. R. c. PIERCE WIRE STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed June 3. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ....Ilr

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Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE ROBERT C. PIERCE, OF NILES, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONAL-STANDARD COMPANY, 0F NILES, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN WIRE STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Application led June 3, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for straightening wire. In certain cases, for example, in the manufacture of reinforcing elements for tire beads, it is necessary or desirable to remove all bends from the wire to be used.

I have found that the ordinary wire straightener will remove small bends and kinks in wires, but will not produce a straight wire through a substantially continuous length. That is, the ordinary wire as received from the wire manufacturer is straight as this `term is ordinarily used. That is, the wire is free from-small kinks and bends. Such wirehowever, is ordinarily shipped and sold in coils having a diameter of from twelve to twenty-two inches. Wire of the character commonly used in making reinforcing elements for tire beads is ordinarily of such a character that if it is formed into a coil of this diameter, it will be bent beyond the limit of its elasticity and will retain therefore a bend or curvature. That is, when this so-called straightened wire or wire, as it is ordinarily received from the manufacturer in coils of this size, is unwound from such a coil, it will not lie substantially straight through a practically continuous length but will tend to retain some of the curvature that it had in the coil and will, if left free, coil up to a certain extent into a. spiral. Wire with this amount of curvature is undesirable for the use mentioned.

One of the features of my invention is the provision of a wire straightening apparatus adapted for use on commercial wire that is called straight in the ordinary commercial sense, for the purpose of removing from such wire practically every trace of bend or vcurvature in the same, so that the wire, after being straightened by my apparatus, will lie out substantially straight and flat through practically an desired length.

One of the eatures of my invention is the provision in 'connection with, or as a part of, wire straightening apparatus, of a hauloii" drum or Wheel having a diameter large enough so that after the wire is pulled through the straightening rollers, it will not again be given another permanent curvature Serial No. 541,883.

or bend because of its wraps around the hauloff drum. In order to prevent this undesired curvature or bend which otherwise would be put in the wire by the haul-off drum, such drum or wheel must have a diameter sufliciently large, depending upon the character and 'constituency of the wire, so that the wrapping of the wire around the drum will not again bend it beyond the limit of its elasticity. In other words, the diameter of the haul-.off drum must be sufficiently great, considering the characteristic of the wire, so that after the wire is wrapped around the drum and then taken off, it will come off perfectly straight and free from practically all bends or curvature so that it will lie out practically flat through substantially any desired length, without any tendency to curve or form itself into a spiral.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings Figure l is a View in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale in side elevation of the straightening rollers; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the wire straightening rollers; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the groove in the wire straightening rollers.

As shown in the drawings, l0 indicates a coil of wire as the same ordinarily is shipped or sold by a wire manufacturer. This wire is usually called straight in the commonly accepted use of this term. That is, the wire is free from all small kinks or bends. The wire, however, is ordinarily sold in coils having a diameter of substantially twelve to twenty-two inches and when removed from this coil, it is found that long lengths of the wire will not lie absolutely straight but will have a tendency to coil or twist up into spiral formation.

The coil of wire l0 is placed upon a rotatable spool or swift 11 from which it is dispensed to the wire straightening apparatus. From the spool 11, the wire may pass over 2 assegna a guide roller 12 and thence to 'the straightening rollers 13, which will be described more in detail hereinafter.

Numeral 14 indicates a haul-od wheel or drum around which the wire is wrapped. This drum is driven from any suitable source of power and serves to draw the wire through the straightening rollers 13. Ordinarily, one wrap of wire around the drum 14 issui'dcient, but at times, two, three or more wraps may be required. It is to be particularly noted that the diameter of the drum 14 is relatively large. The-diameter of this drum must be suiiiciently great so that the wire 15, after being wrapped around the same and pulled through the straightening rollers, will come ofl' of the drum practically straight for any desired length, as above described. The exact diameter of the drum 14 will depend upon the particular characteristics of the wire being straightened. For example, the material of which the Wire is made, its elasticity, stretchability, and the like, -must be considered. Also, the diameter of the wire will affect the diameter of the drum 14 required.

After leaving the haul-o drum 14, the wire 15 may preferably pass over a guide roller 16 and thence to the receiving drum 17. It is to be understood that the drum 17 is preferably frictionally driven, permittinr the necessary slip, so that the wire 15 wi be taken up after it leaves the guide roller 16. 18 may indicate movable guide bars for the purpose of evenly distributing the wire on the drum 17. The particular construction and operation of these guide bars form no part of the present invention.

The straightening rollers themselves are shown more in detail in Fig. 3. For example, these may include two sets of rollers designed to give the wire first a series of alternate opposite bends in a vertical plane and then in a horizontal plane. The bends given by each set of rollers preferably decrease progressively in magnitude. Each set of rollers includes two rows, the rollers in one row being staggered with respect to those in the other.

Since the construction and operation of the two sets of rollers lare substantially the same, I shall describe in detail but one. rlhe rollers operating in a vertical plane include the upper row 2O supported on the block 21 in the lower edge of rollers 22 supported on the block 23. The rollers 2() are staggered with respect to the rollers 22. The peripheries of the rollers are grooved to receive the wire 15. In passing between the rollers 20 and 22, the wire is given a series of alternate opposite bends in a vertical plane, and the rollers are preferably adjusted so that these bends decrease progressively in magnitude.

The rollers designed to give the wire its alternate bends in a horizontal plane are substantially the same as those just described. These rollers are indicated by 24 and 25.

I have found that in the ordinary wire straightening apparatus, considerable tension or pull is required to draw the wire through the straightening rollers. I believe that if this tension is suiiicient to stretch the wire slightly, the wire is much more likely to again receive a permanent set or bend as it passes around the haul-olf drum. In other words, I am of the opinion that the objectionable permanent set or bend that is ordinarily found in the so-called commercially straightened coiled wire is due either to the fact that the haul-oli' drum has a diameter too small, or to the fact that too much tension is required to pull the wire through the strengthening rollers. Possibly both ofthese factors may contribute in varying degrees. One of the features of my invention is the provision of ball-bearing straightening rollers which very considerably lessen the tension or pull required to draw the wire between them. One of these rollers is shown in Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale. As here shown, the periphery 20 which is, in fact, the roller, may represent also the rollers 22, 24 and 25. l This roller 20 is in the form of a ring mounted on balls 26 operating on the internal ring or raceway 27 carried by the supporting shaft or screw 28. In Fig. 5 is shown the V-shaped groove 29 on the rollers in which the wire 15 lies. Bv providing ballbearing rollers as shown, I have found that the pull or tension required to draw the wires between the rollers is sufficiently low so that no substantial stretch is put in the wire hetween the rollers and the haul-off drum 14. 'Ihat is, there is not a suhcient amount of stretch in the wire at this point to cause the wire to take any permanent set or bend as it is wrapped around the haul-off drum 14.

After the wire leaves the guide roller 12, it passes between two additional guide. rollers 12a and 12b which are suitably grooved and provided with ball-bearings. These rollers are similar to the rollers 20 and 22 above described.

It has been found that at times, the socalled commercialwire, as it comes from the wire manufacturer, has a certain amount of twist in it or a twist is produced in the wire as it is unwound from the spool or swift 11. My apparatus serves to remove such twist from the wire.

Another advantage in using the ball-bearing rollers is that this construction revents or lessens heat that otherwise would e transmitted to the wire from the bearings of the rollers.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that is capable of many modications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Wire straightening apparatus, including: a plurality of ball-bearing mounted rollers adapted to give the wire a series of alternate opposite bends first in one plane and thenv in a plane substantially at right angles to thefirst; and means for drawing wire between said rollers, said means including a haul-oil' drum around which the wire is wrapped, the diameter of such drum being sufliciently great and the tension exerted on the wire in pulling the same between said rollers being such that the Wire will not receive a permanent set or bend by being wrapped around said drum.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the ball bearing mounted rollers include an inner ring, an outer rotatable ring having a peripheral wire-straightening groove, and balls mounting said outer rotatable ring on the inner ring.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the ball bearing mounted rollers include an inner ring, an outer rotatable ring having a V-shaped peripheral wire-straightening groove and balls mounting said outer rotatable ring on the inner ring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 27th day of May, 1931.

ROBERT C. PIERCE.

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