GB2283024A - A method for manufacturing woven wire screen mesh - Google Patents

Abstract

Warp wires are crimped and cut to length and are fed alternately to upper and lower heddles 21, 22 of a loom. To maintain spacing between alternate wires a pair of spacer bars 29, 30 are inserted between the wires and are linked by a link element 35. The longitudinal wires are tensioned by a weight 36 and cross wires are woven with the longitudinal wires. The woven mesh 40 is led to a cutting table on which it is tensioned by a weight and hook envelopes are attached to two opposed squared-off edges of the mesh in a press. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Method for Nanufacturina Woven Wire Screen Mesh" The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a woven wire screen mesh of the type used particularly for sieving and grading aggregate material in the mining the quarrying industry.

According to the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a woven wire screen mesh comprising the steps of: de-coiling wire of required diameter from coil; straightening the wire by passing it between adjacent nip rollers; passing the straightened wire between a pair of opposed crimping rollers having crimping teeth to crimp the wire to a crimp of desired depth; leading the crimped wire to a downwardly inclined take off trough; cutting the crimped wire to form longitudinal wires of a desired length; arranging strands of crimped longitudinal wires between adjacent guides; feeding the crimped longitudinal wires along an upwardly inclined take-up table to a loom;; feeding alternate longitudinal wires to upper and lower heddles of a loom to form a first set of wires led to the upper heddle and a second set of wires led to the lower heddle; inserting spacing means between alternate groups of longitudinal wires being led to the upper and lower heddles; tensioning the longitudinal wires prior to entry to the heddles; forming crimped cross wires; weaving the cross wires with the longitudinal wires at the loom head; leading the wire mesh thus formed to a cutting table adjacent to the loom; aligning the mesh on the cutting table; and cutting the mesh to a desired length.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the spacing means comprises a pair of spacer bars and the method includes the step of inserting one spacer bar between one side of the first set and an adjacent side of the second set of wires, and inserting a second spacer bar between the other side of the first and second sets of wires.

In a preferred arrangement the method includes the step of interlinking the spacer bars, with link means after fitting.

In one embodiment of the invention, the woven mesh is tensioned by applying a weight to one side of the woven mesh at the loom take-off and inserting a stop at the opposite side of the woven mesh.

In a preferred arrangement the guide means between which groups of wires are led comprise guide pegs inserted in mounting locations.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of cutting the mesh to a desired length by passing a saw mounted on a carriage across the mesh to cut the mesh. Particularly, the cutting table is moved, as required to cutting to accommodate a desired size of woven wire screen mesh.

In a particularly preferred arrangement the method includes the steps of manually forming a sample mesh using the crimped wires and, if necessary, adjusting the crimp to achieve a desired mesh tension.

In one embodiment of the invention the mesh is an elongate mesh and the method includes the steps of feeding a longitudinal wire having a shallow crimp to the loom and weaving cross wires of deeper crimp with the longitudinal wires.

In a further embodiment of the invention the method includes the steps of: cutting the mesh to a desired size; centring the mesh; forming mounting hook envelopes; attaching mounting hook envelopes to two opposed side edges of the cut mesh; and bending the mesh with mounting hook envelopes attached to form mounting hooks along opposed side edges.

In this case preferably prior to attaching the mounting hook envelopes cross wires of the mesh adjacent the side edge to which the envelope is to be attached are stripped from the mesh.

Typically the method includes the step of inserting a support into the hook and applying a second bending force to the hook and mesh.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical woven wire screen mesh manufactured by the method of the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the wire mesh of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side partially cross-section view of the mesh of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of apparatus used in de-coiling wire, straightening wire, crimping wire and cutting wire used in the method of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a loom used in the method of the invention; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating the operation of part of the loom used in the method of the invention; Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively side and perspective views of spacer means used in the method of the invention;; Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are respectively plan, end, side elevational and perspective views of mesh tensioning means used in the method of the invention; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a cutting table used in the method of the invention; Fig. 14 is a plan view of a mesh cutting apparatus used in the method of the invention; and Figs. 15 and 16 are respectively perspective and plan views of wire stripping steps used in the method of the invention; Referring to the drawings the invention provides a method for manufacturing a woven wire screen mesh such as the mesh 1 illustrated in Figs 1 to 3. The mesh 1 comprises a plurality of longitudinal crimped wires 2 and cross wires 3 interwoven with the longitudinal wires 2. In this case, the mesh is an elongate mesh and is woven as will be described in detail below.Opposite side edges of the mesh are in this case fitted with hook envelopes 5 and the mesh and envelopes are bent into the hook formations illustrated.

In the method of the invention wire 10 is de-coiled from a reel 11 and led between spaced nip rollers 11 to straighten the wire 10. The straightened wire 10 is then passed between a pair of opposed crimping rollers 11, 12 having crimping teeth 13, 14 respectively to crimp the wire 10 to a crimp of desired depth. The crimp wire is then led to a downwardly inclined take-off trough and cut to form longitudinal wires of a desired length. Strands of the crimped longitudinal wires 10 are grouped together between adjacent floor guide pegs 15 and led along an upwardly inclined take-up table to a loom 20. Alternate longitudinal wires are fed to upper and lower heddles 21, 22 of the loom to form a first set of wires led to the upper heddle 21 and a second set of wires led to the lower heddle 22.To maintain spacing between alternate wires 10 in a group spacing means comprising a pair of spacer bars 29, 30 are inserted between adjacent wires 10. One of the spacer bars 29 is inserted between one side of a first set of wires led to the upper heddle 21 and the adjacent side of the second set of wires led to the lower heddle 22.

The second spacer bar 30 is inserted between the other side of the first and second sets of wires led to the heddles 21, 22. The spacer bars 29, 30 are interlinked by a link element 35.

The spaced longitudinal wires 10 are tensioned by applying a tensioning weight 36 as illustrated in Fig. 6 prior to being led in to the heddles 21, 22.

Crimped cross wires are also formed in a similar manner to the forming of the longitudinal wires as described above.

To ensure the correct tension in the weave of the mesh, a sample section of mesh is first interwoven manually using the crimped wire to be used for forming the mesh. The tension of the mesh is checked and, if necessary, the depth of the crimps formed in the wires is adjusted until the mesh is of a desired tension.

The cross wires 3 are weaved with the longitudinal wires.

The woven mesh 40 thus formed is led to an adjacent cutting table 42. To tension the woven mesh and ensure that the mesh is correctly aligned at both the in-feed and out-feed side of the loom, the mesh 40 is tensioned on the cutting table 42 by hanging a weight 45 from one side of the mesh 40 as illustrated in Fig. 10 and inserting a peg 46 on the other side of the mesh which acts as a stop.

The mesh 40 is tensioned between the weight 45 and peg 46.

To cut the mesh 40 to a desired length a circular saw 45 mounted on a carriage 46 is drawn through and across a slot 48 in the cutting table 42. The carriage 46 is drawn across the table 42 by a handle 49. The cut mesh is then further cut to a desired size in a cutting machine 50 illustrated in Fig. 14 including a cutting lead-in bed 51 having an aligning element 52 in the form, in this case, of a piece of angle iron for squaring off the mesh at the cut edges.

The squared off cut mesh is transferred to a work table 60 on which some of be cross wires 61 at the side edges of the mesh to which the mounting hook envelopes 5 are to be attached. The envelopes are then fitted to the side edges of the mesh and the envelope is pressed to form the hook shaped formation in a press 63. The bending may be done in a number of steps. In some cases a support bar is inserted in the hook formation and the hook formation is further bent to form a flatter hook.

The invention provides a cost effective and highly efficient method for forming high quality wire mesh screens for use in the mining and quarrying industry for grading material.

Many variations on the invention will be readily apparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described with may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A method for manufacturing a woven wire screen mesh comprising the steps of: de-coiling wire of required diameter from a coil; straightening the wire by passing it between adjacent nip rollers; passing tPe straightened wire between a pair of opposed crimping rollers having crimping teeth to crimp the wire to a crimp of desired depth; leading the crimped wire to a downwardly inclined take-off trough; cutting the crimped wire to form longitudinal wires of a desired length; arranging strands of crimped longitudinal wires between adjacent guides; feeding the crimped longitudinal wires along an upwardly inclined take-up table to a loom; feeding alternate longitudinal wires to upper and lower heddles of gloom to form a first set of wires led to the upper heddle and a second set of wires led to the lower heddle;; inserting spacing means between alternate groups of longitudinal wires being led to the upper and lower heddles; tensioning the longitudinal wires prior to entry to the heddles; forming crimped cross wires; weaving the cross wires with the longitudinal wires at the loom head; leading the wire mesh thus formed to a cutting table adjacent to the loom; aligning the mesh on the cutting table; and cutting the mesh to a desired length.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spacing means comprises a pair of spacer bars and the method includes the step of inserting one spacer bar between one side of the first set and an adjacent side of the second set of wires, and inserting the second spacer bar between the other sides of the first and second sets of wires.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the method includes the step of interlinking the spacer bars, with link means after fitting.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the woven mesh is tensioned by applying a weight to one side of the woven mesh at the loom take-off and inserting a stop at the opposite side of the woven mesh.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the guide means between which groups of wires are led comprise guide pegs inserted in mounting locations.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the step of cutting the mesh to a desired length by passing a saw mounted on a carriage across the mesh to cut the mesh.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the cutting table is moved, as required, to accommodate a desired size of woven wire screen mesh.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the steps of manually forming a sample mesh using the crimped wires and, if necessary, adjusting the crimp to achieve a desired mesh tension.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mesh is an elongate mesh and the method includes the steps of feeding a longitudinal wire having a shallow crimp to the loom and weaving cross wires of deeper crimp with the longitudinal wires.

10. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the steps of: cutting the mesh to a desired size; centring the mesh; forming mounting hook envelopes; attaching mounting hook envelopes to two opposed side edges of the cut mesh; and bending the mesh with mounting hook envelopes attached to form mounting hooks along opposed side edges.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein, prior to attaching the mounting hook envelopes cross wires of the mesh adjacent the side edge to which the envelopes are to be attached are stripped from the mesh.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11 including the step of inserting a support into the hook and applying a second bending force to the hook and mesh.

13. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Woven wire screen mesh whenever manufactured by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.