US2744546A - Machine for bending wire into irregular sinuous form - Google Patents

Description

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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R. J. WILLIAMS MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM .WN N %\X o o o o o. o o o o o o o o o o o o o .m

May 8, 1956 Filed June 4, 1952 y 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. 12/54/4 JflQ ZZLk/ras;

May 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 11F 1 5mm: .EE.

7 INVE NTOR. 322%42'4 J/Vz/Zkns.

y 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 I v 7 Sheets-Shet 5 i r 4/ 46- v 4'4 r z 47 -75 79 Q M2 INVENTOR. zjard .1 1x742). BY

Mair/M76.

ay 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 8, 1956 R. J. WILLIAMS 2,744,546

MACHINE FOR BENDING WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Filed June 4, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR.

United States Patent MACHINE FOR BENDIN G WIRE INTO IRREGULAR SINUOUS FORM Application June 4, 1952, Serial No. 291,606

' 24 Claims. (Cl. 140-91 This invention relates to wire forming machines, and particularly to a machine for bending a plurality of wires into predetermined sinuous form.

While the present machine has many applications for bending wire to predetermined variable sinuous forms, the application herein described by way of example is that pertaining to the construction of spring strips having parallel torsion bars spaced the same or varying distances apart in different portions of the lengths thereof controlled by spacer bars which are disposed in aligned relation at the edges of the strip. When sinuous springs of like configuration were constructed, machines were provided through which the wire was drawn and acted upon by fingers which produced like bends therein. It was found, however, that because of the uniform construction of the spring, satisfactory seat and back cushions could not be constructed therefrom because of the uniform force exerted at all points throughout the length thereof resisting deflection. It is well known in the seating art that a predetermined contour should occur to a seating area when a load is applied thereto. The force resisting deflection, when the desired contour is produced to a seating area, should vary from the main load supporting section, which is about two-thirds rearwardly from the front edge, to a lesser force forwardly and rearwardly thereof.

The spring strip illustrated as formed by the present machine is designed to exert more force at the main load supporting portion and less force forwardly and rearwardly thereof. This strip is described and claimed in the copending application to Hyland C. Flint et al., Serial No. 290,874, filed May 31, 1952, now Patent No. 2,684,844, issued July 27, 1954, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. It was found that by spacing the torsion bars closer together a softer seating area was provided, and when spaced farther apart that a harder seating area or one exerting greater forces could be provided. Therefore, to construct a load supporting portion in a sinuous type of spring strip, the torsion bars must be maintained parallel when selectively spaced to produce the proper contour when properly loaded and to exert load supporting pressures which reduce in intensity forwardly and rearwardly of a point substantially two-thirds rearwardly from the front edge of the seating area. The present machine, operating on a plurality of wires in a single operation, was found to produce spring lengths equally as fast as the machine which produced uniform torsion bars and loops in the spring strip. The machine has a plurality of swingable arms pivoted at one end to a support and joined at the top end by a plurality of links which are swingable on the pivots through an angle of substantially 90. These links are joined by forming links which are connected to the swinging links in a manner to cause the links to swing in a predetermined manner when force is applied at each end thereof to cause the links to move from an extended, substantially aligned relationship to a collapsed or wire forming relationship. Power is supplied by a pair of 2,744,546 Patented May 8, 1956 ice hydraulic rams, the retraction of which, after the formed springs are ejected from the forming links, returns the links to substantially aligned relationship. A hopper supports a plurality of precut lengths of wire which are fed therefrom into a carrier which transfers a predetermined number of the wires adjacent to the forming links into which they are moved by suitable advancing fingers carried by the transverse members. After the Wires are disposed within the extended links, the rams are again operated to produce the collapsing of the links and the forming of the wires which are stressed beyond the form desired so that, when ejected, the overstressed por tions will spring back to a desired shape with the torsion bar portions thereof disposed in parallel relationship. Ejecting mechanism moves the formed wires from the links and the links are then moved to substantially aligned relationship.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to

provide a machine for forming a plurality of wires into sinuous formations having parallel torsion bars which are spaced apart different amounts throughout the length of the formed strip; to provide a series of swinging and forming links which are pivoted together and which are disposable in substantially aligned relation for receiving the wires and which are thereafter collapsed to cause the wires to be bent into predetermined sinuous formation; to provide a hopper for supporting a plurality of lengths of wire adjacent to forming links from which a predetermined number of the wires are fed to a carrier and which transfers the wires to the links before each bending operation; to provide an assembly of links for bending wires to predetermined varying sinuous form having ejecting mechanism which moves the formed wire from the links after the bending thereof, and, in general, to provide a wire bending machine which is simple in construction, positive in operation and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the inven tion, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a broken view in elevation of a wire bending machine embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken end view, with parts in section, of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, with the swinging and forming links in collapsed position, taken at the right-hand end of the machine as illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3, taken at the left-hand end of the machine;

' ture illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 88 thereof;

Fig. 9 is a broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, taken on the line 9-9 thereof;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line Ill-10 thereof;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, taken on the line 11-11 thereof;

Fig. 12 is a broken view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, as viewed from point 12 thereof;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, taken on the line 13-13 thereof;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, taken on the line 14-14 thereof, and

Fig. 15 is a broken view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 10, as viewed from the point 15 thereof.

The machine of the present invention comprises a base 20 which supports a pair of columns 21 and 22 at each end. An I-bearn 23 is supported between the columns 22 on plates 24, being secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 25. A plate 26 is welded or otherwise secured to the top of the I-beam on which a slide bar 27 is secured by bolts 28. The slide bar has a T-shaped head 29 communicating with the slot 31 in which a bolt 32 extends into engagement with a T-shaped nut 33. The bolt supports an arbor 34 in clamped position for receiving a sleeve 35 on the end of a swinging arm 36. Bearing surfaces 37 are provided internally of the sleeve 35 and at the ends thereof to which lubricant may be delivered through a fitting 38. A plurality of the arms 36 are supported for pivoted movement in the slide bar 27 in which the ends are adjusted in predetermined spaced relation to each other. The opposite ends of the arms support swingable links 39 which have a threaded connection with a bushing 41 which pivots within an aperture 42 in the upper end of the arm. The fitting 38 on the end of the arm communicates with the bushing 41 which may be lubricated.

The bushing 41 has a plunger 43 mounted therein for movement outwardly thereof engaged by a spring 44 which urges the plunger to retracted position, as illustrated in Fig. 8. The end of the plunger is provided with a head 45 which is disposed in position to engage and eject the wires after the forming operation. A plate 46 is in alignment with nibs 47 on the opposite end of the push rod 43 from the head 45 and is actuated by suitable mechanism, hereinafter to be described, for advancing into engagement with the nib and moving the rods lengthwise to eject the formed wires.

The links 39 are mounted to swing on an arc of substantially 90 on the bushing 41 at the end of the arm and are of the straight bar type having an aperture at each end. The links 39 have forming links 54 disposed therebetween and secured thereto by pivots 53 to form a continuous link chain, as illustrated in Fig. 6, when the links 39 and 54 are disposed in substantially aligned relationship. The links 39 and 54 are moved into sinuous relationship, as illustrated in Fig. 5, when the swinging links 39 are moved from a position substantially normal to the arms 36 to a position in substantial alignment therewith. The links 54 are provided with extending fingers 51 and 56 with an adjustable setscrew 55 provided in each of the fingers 51 disposed in position to engage a projecting finger 56 on an adjacent link 54. By adjusting the setscrews 55, the degree of bending by the forming links 54 is thereby controlled and, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the point of bends of the wire is beyond an angle of 90 to provide a limited amount of spring back which will occur to the bends so that after the bending operation the torsion bar portions 57 of the spring strip will be in parallel relation to each other.

The spring strip is illustrated in Fig. 7 wherein it will be noted that all of the torsion bars 57 are in parallel relation but which are spaced different distances apart by the spacing bars 58. The spacing bars 59 and 60 near the ends are of greater length than the spacing bars therebetween and the former are formed into supporting members at each end of the load supporting portion 'of the resulting spring element. The endmost torsion bars 61 terminate in U-shaped supporting ends 62, which is the formation of the zigzag springs employed prior hereto and which support the present spring strip in the various types of supporting elements developed heretofore for the zigzag spring. By shortening or lengthening the forming links 54, the length of the spacing bars is changed and the resulting force provided by the torsion bars at that point is in like manner changed, increased if the length of the spacing bar is increased, and decreased if the length of the spacing bar is decreased.

For moving the links to extended or collapsed position, a pair of rams 63 is mounted on the machine, one at each end thereof, having an arm 64 on the end connected by a pivot 65 to a pair of angle-shaped links 66 and 67. The links 66 and 67 are connected by pivots 68 to the endmost arms 69 by slots 71 in the lower end thereof. The pair of links 66 and 67 is employed to provide sulficient movement to bend the ends of the wires about the pins 72 carried by the links 67. The links are bifurcated and are joined by pivot pins 73 to swingable links 74 which are similar to the swingable links 59 hereinabove referred to. The links 74 are secured to pivots 75 which are rotatable within apertures 76 in the offset end portions of the arms 69. Similar pins 73 are employed in all of the swingable links 51 and 52 extending into the bifurcated portions 77 of the forming links 54. Each of the forming links is provided with a slot 78 into which a plurality of the wires to be formed are received. A spring-pressed ball 79 at the mouth of each slot retains the Wires therewithin.

The forming links 81, as illustrated in Fig. 3, have extending fingers 82 supporting adjusting screws 83 which abut the ends of the arms 64 to thereby limit the movement of the arms relative to the links. Similarly, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the forming links 84 carry finger 85 which support adjusting screws 83 for limiting the move ment of the arms 64 relative to the links 84. The links 74, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, have right-angle portions 86 which are engaged by adjustable screws 83 carried by the adjacent swingable links 87. An adjusting stud 88 is provided in the links 67 to control the final relationship with the links 66 near the end of the forming movement on the wires.

After the wires have been formed, the ram 89 is actuated to swing a lever 91 on a pivot 92 to have the arm 93 thereof move the plate 46 against the nibs 47 of the plungers 43 to move the plungers 43 forwardly, to thereby eject the formed wires from the forming links 54. The plate 46 is supported upon a plurality of rods 94 in supporting bushings 95 between which a spring 96 is provided for retracting the rod and the plate 46. After the formed wires are ejected, the hydraulic rams retract the arms 64 to thereby move the links on the arms 36 into aligned relationship in position to receive a plurality of additional wires to be formed.

The wires are retained in a hopper 97 with their ends ali ned by the hopper end walls and are continuously agitated by a plurality of fingers 98 secured on a rod 99 having an arm 101 thereon which is connected to a link 102 mounted on an eccentric '103. The eccentric is driven through a gear reduction unit 104 by a motor 105 to cause the fingers 98 to move within'the housing at the delivery aperture 106 thereof. The rods in this manner are maintained lengthwise of the delivery aperture from which they move into the slot 107. The arm 101 has a link 108 pivoted thereon which has a plunger 109 mounted therein having a sleeve 111 pivoted on the inner end thereof. An end cap 112 is threaded on the end of the link 108 for retaining a spring 113 within the aperture in the link about the plunger 109. The end of the plunger is pivoted to a link 114 which is secured to a shaft 115 on which an arm 116 is secured. The arm 116 supports an adjustable finger 117 which is oscillated by the link 108 across the slot 107 to permit the wires to move out of the slot and into the slot 118 to retain the slot filled with the wires. The slot 118 communicates with a slot 119 which is aligned with a slot 121 in a sector plate 122 which is pivoted on a shaft 123, as illustrated in Fig. 14.

The sector plate 122is welded to a collar 124 having a bearing 125 therein which engages the shaft 123. An operating arm 126 is secured to the shaft :123 by a key 127. The arm 126 is pivoted to an adjustable link 128, the opposite end of which is pivoted to a cross head 129 of a slide 131. The slide 131, as illustrated in Fig. 11, is supported in a pair of guides 132 secured on the side of the sector plate 122. The guide has an apterture 1'33 centrally thereof intermediate the ends. A pin 134 is secured in the sector plate and extends within the forward end of the slot 133 in abutting relation to 'a spring 135 which is disposed in the slot in abutting relation to the rear end of .the slide. The spring 135 urges the slide toward the shaft 123 into retracted position. The sector plate 122 has a cam surface 136 which wipes across the end of the slot 119 when rotated clockwise from the position illustrated in Fig. 10.

When a plurality of wires are to be delivered to the forming links 54, the shaft 123 is rotated clockwise by the extension of the piston rod of the ram 137 illustrated in Fig. 2, which moves the arm 138 outwardly to rotate the arm 139 which is secured to the shaft 123. The rotation of the shaft 123 rotates the arm 126 which operates through the link 128 and the slide 131 to cause the sector plate 122 to rotate therewith. This simultaneous rotation will continue until a lip 141 on the sector plate engages a lip 142 on the forming link '54, to thereby align the slot 121 with the slot 78 in the links, as illustrated in dot and dash line of Fig. 10. When the movement of the sector plate is stopped in this manner, the continued rotation of the shaft 127 advances the arm 126 relative to the sector and causes the slide 131 to move outwardly of the guide plates 132 against the tension of the spring 135. This movement advances a finger 143 along the slot 121 to thereby move the wires from the slot into the slot 78 in the forming links 54. The springpressed balls 79 retain the wires within the slots 78, after which the retraction of the ram 137 returns the slide 1351 and sector 122 to its initial posit-ion. An adjustable stud 144 is secured on a fixed support 145 in the path of movement of the sector plate 122 for interrupting its counterclockwise movement for aligning the slot 121 with the slot 119 when in stop position.

A tiltable bar 146 is mounted for tilting movement on a stud 147 and urged in clockwise rotation by a spring 148 secured to the inner end of the bar and to the sector plate 122 by a pin 149. The frame 150 of the machine carries a block 151 having an adjustable stud 152 on the end thereof in position to tilt the bar 146 counterclockwise at the end of the counterclockwise movement of the sector plate 122. The bar has a tapered finger 153 which moves over the endmost wire in the slot 121 upon the initial movement of the sector plate 122 in a clockwise direction, which moves the spring-pressed end of the bar 146 away from the head 1'52 and causes it to move clockwise. The sloping end of the finger 153 functions as a cam to move the bar 146 counterclockwise when the finger 143 of the slide moves the wires from the slot 121.

The wires are thus maintained under complete control from the time they are placed within the hopper to the time they are delivered to the forming fingers. In the hopper the wires are agitated by the oscillating movement of fingers 98 so as to be aligned with the opening 106 from which they move into slots 107. The oscillating finger 117 controls the delivery of the wires from the slot 107 into the slots 118 and 119 from which they are moved into the slot 121 when aligned with the slot 1l19. In any other position of the sector plates 122, the cam surfaces 136 retain the wires within the slot 119. When the sector plate 122 is rotated clockwise, the tapered finger 153 on the end of the til-table bar 146 engages the endmost wire of the group of wires within the slot 121 and retains the wires therein while being transported, from alignment with the slot 119 into alignment with the slot 78 of the forming links 54. After the delivered wires have been moved from the slot 121 into the slot 78, they are retained therein by the spring-pressed balls 79. It

is to be understood that a plurality of the sector plates 122, fingers 117 and 98 are employed throughout the length of the hopper 97 and that on the present machine siX sets of these elements are utilized.

When operating the machine, the swingable and formable links 51 and 52 are disposed in extended relation to each other, as illustrated in Fig. 6, by the movement of the rams 63 to retracted position to fan out the arms 36 on the pivots on the beam 23. Thereafter, the sector plates 122 are rotated clockwise to move a plurality of wires received from the slots 119 into a position of alignment with the slots 78 of the forming links into which they are moved by the operation of the fingers 143 past the tapered fingers 153 which retain the wires within the slots 121 of the sector plates during the clockwise movement thereof. Thereafter, the sector plates are retracted to their initial position and the rams 63 move the arms 64 outwardly to collapse the aligned links from the position illustrated in Fig. 6 to the positions illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. By adjusting the various stop studs carried by the various links, the relative positions of all of the links are thereby controlled so as to produce the degree of bends in the wire as is necessary to take care of the spring back which will occur when the formed wires are removed from the links. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 clearly illustrate the amount of over-bend which is required to produce the formed Wire element as illustrated in Fig. 7, in which the lateral bars 57 are disposed in parallel relation to each other. Any length of spacing bars 58 may be produced in the element by changing the various forming links 54 having forming portions 154 spaced from a retaining portion 155 to provide a slot 156 for receiving the Wires.

After the rams 63 have been extended and the wires are formed to predetermined shape, the ram 89 is actuated for moving the plate 46 which advances the plunger 43 to cause the heads 45 to engage and move the formed wires from the links. The ram then retracts the plates 46 and the rams 63 are retracted for again extending the links into aligned relationship, as illustrated in Fig. 6, after which additional wires are fed to the links and the operation is repeated.

Any fluid may be employed for operating the rams, and it is contemplated that air will be employed in the machine hereinafter illustrated, controlled by electrically operated valves which are energized from a control panel which produces automatic operation of the machine for continuously bending the plurality of wires and ejecting them from the forming links. It is to be understood that links 51 and 52 can also be changed at points throughout the length of the forming mechanism for lengthening or shortening the torsion bars 57 at points in the length of the formed wire element. By changing either of the forming or swinging links, the length of the spacing and forming bars of the spring element may be changed at any point in the length of wire element formed by the machine.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for forming a length of Wire into predetermined shape, including, in combination, a plurality of forming links having forming portions about which the wire is bent, link bars disposed between said forming links and pivoted thereto, means for moving the links from extended aligned relationship to predetermined sinuous relationship with the link bars revolved substantially and the forming links moved outwardly and toward each other parallel to their aligned position substantially in the form in which the wire is to be bent, and stop means carried by the forming links for regulating their relative position at the end of the forming operation to provide a proper shape to the wire and including a predetermined desired over-bend to take care of the spring back which occurs when the formed wire is moved from the links.

2. A machine for bending wire to predetermined form in a single operation, including, in combination, a plurality of swingable links, arms pivoted at one end with the opposite ends having the swingable links pivoted thereto, a forming link pivoted between the ends of adjacent swingable links having slots therein disposed in aligned relation for receiving the wire when the links are disposed in aligned relation, and means for applying a force at the ends of the links for collapsing said links into predetermined sinuous relationship to each other to substantially the form in which the wire is to be bent.

3. A machine for bending wire to predetermined form in a single operation, including, in combination, a plurality of swingable links, arms pivoted at one end with the opposite ends having the swingable links pivoted thereto, a forming link pivoted between the ends of adjacent swingable links having slots therein disposed in aligned relation for receiving the wire when the links are disposed in aligned relation, means for applying a force at the ends of the links for collapsing said links into predetermined sinuous relationship to each other to substantially the form in which the wire is to be bent, and stop means on the forming links for regulating the relative position of the forming links to each other when in collapsed position.

4. A machine for bending wire to predetermined [orm in a single operation, including, in combination, a plurality of swingable links, pivoted arms on which the swingable links are pivoted, forming links connected between adjacent ends of the swingable links having slots therein for receiving the wire when the links are disposed in aligned relation, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly for collapsing said links into predetermined sinuous relationship to each other to substantially the form in which the wire is to be bent, adjustable stop means on certain of said links for regulating the relative position of the links to each other when in collapsed position, and means including additional links at the ends of the link assembly for producing a loop at the wire ends during the forming operation of the wire.

5. A machine for bending wire to predetermined form in a single operation, including, in combination, a plurality of swingable links, pivoted arms on which the swingable links are pivoted, forming links connected between adjacent ends of the swingable links having slots therein for receiving the wire when the links are disposed in aligned relation, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly for collapsing said links into predetermined sinuous relationship to each other to substantially the form in which the wire is to be bent, adjustable stop means on certain of said links for regulating the relative position of the links to each other when in collapsed position, and means carried by said swing- I able links for ejecting the formed wire from the collapsed links.

6. A machine for bending wire to predetermined form in a single operation, including, in combination, a plurality of swingable links, pivoted arms on which the swingable links are pivoted, forming links connected between adjacent ends of the swingable links having slots therein for receiving the wire when the links are disposed in aligned relation. means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly for collapsing said links into pre determined sinuous relationship to each other to substantially the form in which the wire is to be bent, adjustable stop means on certain of said links for regulating the relative position of the links to each other when in collapsed position, means carried by said swingable links for ejecting the formed wire from the collapsed links, and a plate carried by said machine for engaging and moving all of said ejecting means simultaneously.

'7. In a machine for bending Wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, and plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position.

8. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving lengths of wire to be formed, and means for receiving and delivering a wire from said hopper to said forming links when said forming and swingable links are disposed in substantially aligned relationship.

9. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving lengths of wire to be formed, means for receiving and delivering a wire from said hopper to said forming links when said forming and swingable links are disposed in substantially aligned relationship, means for agitating said wires in said hopper for causing them to be delivered therefrom into a delivery slot, and means for operating said agitating means.

10. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving lengths of wire to be formed, means for receiving and delivering a wire from said hopper to said forming links when said forming and swingable links are disposed in substantially aligned relationship, means for agitating said wires and said hopper for causing them to be delivered therefrom into a delivery slot, means for operating said agitating means, additional means oscillatable across said slot for controlling the delivery of the wires in the slot, and means for connecting said oscillating means to said operating means for said agitating means.

11. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving and delivering lengths of wire to be formed from a slot therein. and a pivoted sector having a slot aligned with said hopper slot when in one position and having a cam surface which closes the slot when the sector is advanced past the slot for delivering a wire to said links.

12. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving and delivering lengths of wire to be formed from a slot therein, a pivoted sector having a slot aligned with said hopper slot when in one position and having a cam surface which closes the slot when the sector is advanced past the slot for delivering a wire to said links, advancing means for said sector, and means carried by said sector for retaining the wire therein while the sector is advanced.

7 13, In a machine for bending wire tosinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving and delivering lengths of wire to be formed from a slot therein, a pivoted sector having a slot aligned with said hopper slot when in one position and having a cam surface which closes the slot when the sector is advanced past the slot for delivering a wire to said links, advancing means for said sector, means carried by said sector for retaining the wire therein while the sector is advanced, and ejector means carried by said sector for moving the wire past the retaining means to said links.

14. In a machine for bending wire to sinuous form, supporting means movable toward each other, swingable links pivoted on each of the supporting means for substantially 90 swingable movement, forming links pivoted to adjacent ends of the swingable links for outward movement substantially parallel to each other, means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly when the links are in aligned relation for moving said links from substantially aligned to collapsed position, plungers carried by certain of said supporting means for moving the formed wire from the links when the links are in collapsed position, a hopper carried by said machine for receiving and delivering lengths of wire to be formed from a slot therein, a pivoted sector having a slot aligned with said hopper slot when in one position and having a cam surface which closes the slot when the sector is advanced past the slot for delivering a Wire to said links, advancing means for said sector, means carried by said sector for retaining the wire therein while the sector is advanced, ejector means carried by said sector for moving the wire past the retaining means to said links, and stop means on one of said forming links for limiting the movement of said sector to wire-delivering position.

15. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a length of wire,including, in combination, a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slotthe'rein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing 10 said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, and adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position.

16. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a' length of wire, including, in combination, a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slot therein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position, and ejecting means carried by said arms and links for engaging and moving the formed wire from said links when in final forming position.

17. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a length of wire, including, in combination, a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slot therein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position, ejecting means carried by said arms and links for engaging and moving the formed wire from said links when infinal forming position, a pair of L-shaped links joined to said endmost arms and links, and actuating means secured to adjacent ends of said parallel links for moving said pair of L-shaped links toward each other causing said arms to swing toward each other as the links are collapsed.

18. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a length of wire, including, in combination, a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slot therein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position, ejecting means carried by said arms and links for engaging and moving the formed wire from said links when in final forming position, a pair or" L-shaped links joined to said endmost arms and links, actuating means secured to adjacent ends of said parallel links for moving said pair of L-shaped links toward each other causing said arms to swing toward each other as the links are collapsed, a stud extending from said L- shaped links, and a forming bar on said L-shaped links for receiving and forming a loop in the ends of the wire about said stud at each end of the formed wire strip.

19. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a length of wire, including, in combination,

a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slot therein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position, ejecting means carried by said arms and links for engaging and moving the formed wire from said links when in final forming position, a pair of L-shaped links joined to said endmost arms and links, actuating means secured to adjacent ends of said parallel links for moving said pair of L-shaped links toward each other causing said arms to swing toward each other as the links are collapsed, a stud extending from said L-shaped links, a forming bar on said L-shaped links for receiving and forming a loop in the ends of the wire about said stud at each end of the formed wire strip, a hopper supported above said links for containing lengths of wire to be formed, means for delivering one or a plurality of the wires from said hopper to said links, and means for moving the wire from said moving means to the slot in said links when the links are in aligned relation.

20. In a wire bending machine for forming irregular convolutions in a length of wire, including, in combination, a base, a plurality of arms pivoted on said base, a plurality of swingable links pivoted on the ends of the arms, forming links joining the ends of said swingable links and having a slot therein and a forming surface, said swingable and forming links being movable into substantially aligned relation to have the slots in the forming links substantially aligned, actuating means for applying a force to the ends of the link assembly and causing said links to collapse in a predetermined manner relative to each other to form the wire in the slots of the forming links about the forming surfaces thereof, adjustable stop means carried by certain of said links for controlling the relative relationship of the links to each other when in final forming position, 'ecting means carried by said arms and links for engaging and moving the formed wire from said links when in final forming position, a pair of L-shaped links joined to said endmost arms and links, actuating means secured to adjacent ends of said parallel links for moving said pair of L-shaped links toward each other causing said arms to swing toward each other as the links are collapsed, a stud extending from said L-shaped links, a forming bar on said L-shaped links for receiving and forming a loop in the ends of the wire about said stud at each end of the formed wire strip, a hopper supported above said links for containing lengths of wire to be formed, means for delivering one or a plurality of the wires from said hopper to said links, means for moving the wire from said moving means to the slot in said links when the links are in aligned relation, means for retaining the wires in said hopper during the time the wire is moved to the links, means for releasably retaining the wires in the moving means, and means for retaining the wires in the links during the bending operation.

21. A machine in which a straight length of wire is bent into a sinuous form having adjacent oppositely disposed U-shaped loops which may vary in width, said machine having a plurality of forming links each containing a slot for receiving a portion of a length of wire when the formin g links are in aligned relation, swingable links having the ends pivoted to the ends of the forming links and spacing the latter from each other, said links being disposed in substantially aligned relation when the forming links have the slots thereof in aligned relation, and means for swinging said swingable links about the centers thereof and causing said forming links to move outwardly and toward each other while retained in substantially parallel relationship for folding loops in the wire having a width the length of the slots.

22. A machine in which a straight length of wire is bent into a sinuous form having adjacent oppositely disposed U-shaped loops which may vary in width, said machine having a plurality of forming links each containing a slot for receiving a portion of a length of wire when the forming links are in aligned relation, swingable links having the ends pivoted to the ends of the forming links and spacing the latter from each other, said links being disposed in substantially aligned relation when the forming links have the slots thereof in aligned relation, and means for swinging said swingable links about the centers thereof and causing said forming links to move outwardly and toward each other while retained in substantially parallel relationship for folding loops in the wire having a width the length of the slots, some of said forming links being of greater length than the others to provide loops of greater width.

23. A machine in which a straight length of wire is bent into a sinuous form having adjacent oppositely disposed U-shaped loops which may vary in width, said machine having a plurality of forming links each containing a slot for receiving a portion of a length of wire when the forming links are in aligned relation, swingable links having the ends pivoted to the ends of the forming links and spacing the latter from each other, said links being disposed in substantially aligned relation when the forming links have the slots thereof in aligned relation, means for swinging said swingable links about the centers thereof and causing said forming links to move outwardly and toward each other while retained in substantially parallel relationship for folding loops in the wire having a width the length of the slots, some of said forming links being of greater length than the others to provide loops of greater width, and adjustable stop means on certain of said links which limit the movement of the formable links to thereby provide the desired shape to the loops in the resulting formed wire.

24. A machine in which a straight length of wire is bent into a sinuous form having adjacent oppositely disposed U-shaped loops which may vary in width, said machine having a plurality of forming links each containing a slot for receiving a portion of a length of wire when the forming links are in aligned relation, swingable links having the ends pivoted to the ends of the forming links and spacing the latter from each other, said links being disposed in substantially aligned relation when the forming links have the slots thereof in aligned relation, means for swinging said swingable links about the centers thereof and causing said forming links to move outwardly and toward each other while retained in substantially parallel relationship for folding loops in the wire having a width the length of the slots, some of said forming links being of greater length than the others to provide loops of greater width, adjustable stop means on certain of said links which limit the movement of the formable links to thereby provide the desired shape to the loops in the resulting formed wire, said swingable links being slightly off center with relation to the aligned slots in said formable links to cause the swingable links to swing in a desired direction when force is applied to the ends of the links when substantially aligned, and means applying a force to the opposite ends of said links when in substantially aligned relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Other references on following page) 13 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,336,611 Paul l Nov. 7, 1911 2,549,061 Van Orman Apr. 1, 1924 Muller Jan. 7 1930 867,035 V1te111 June 14, 1932 5 565,797

Palmer July 13, 1937 14 Hill Dec. 14, 1943 Dauenhauer Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 24, 1940 Great Britain July 29, 1943

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