US1923900A - Mechanism for forming wire fabric - Google Patents

Description

' Aug. 22, 1933.

w. c. WILSON 1,923,900

MECHANISM FOR FORMING WIRE FABRIC 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1.932

1933- w. c. WILSON 1,923,900

MECHANISM FOR FORMING WIRE FABRIC Filed July 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. C. WILSON MECHANISM FOR FORMING WIRE FABRIC ju/F/ a z/5m 49 W Patented Aug. 22, 1933 osirso STATES MECHANISM FOR FORMING WIRE FABRIC Walter C. Wilson, Western Springs, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a Corporation of New Jersey Application July 28, 1932. Serial No. 625,472

13 Claims. (Cl. 140-105) This invention relates to a mechanism for making reenforced sheets and fabrics and units built up of such material. More particularly it relates to a machine for forming wire fabric and air filter units of crimped wire.

Y The principal object of the invention is to devise a'mechanismfor forming sheets and fabrics consisting of layers of material of reenforcing material intermediate the layers. Another object is to devise a machine for crimping wire and for forming the crimped wire into a fabric;

Another object is to devise a machine for forming filter units of crimped wire, which are .of substantially uniform resistance to air flow and which are structurally capable of withstanding vibration and other forces to which they are subjected. A more specific object is to devise a machine operative to form a continuous fabriclike layer of crimped wire and to wind said layer into a cylindrical spool.

These and other objects, which will be apparent, are accomplished by a construction formed on a machine as shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one sideof a machine particularly designed to form filter units embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the other side of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing in addition the spool rack and the spools mounted thereon which supply the wire to the machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail showing the means for connecting the crimped wire fabric to the winding spool at the beginning of the formation of a filter unit; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the wire crimping portion of the machine shown in section.

A plurality of spools of wire are rotatably mounted on spindles 11 which are vertically positioned on the shelves 12 of the spool rack 13. Any desired number of spools of wire may be mounted .oneach shelf. The spools may be freely rotatable or frictionally engaged with the spindles 11 to maintain the wire under slight tension. The machine'which performs the crimping and winding operations is mounted on a frame structure 14, which may be of any conventional construction. Said frame structure includes, as a rigid part, thereof, vertically extending side plates 15. Transversely extending bars 16 adjacent, respectively, thebottom and top of the side plates 15, extend transversely at one end.

A plurality of spaced vertical bars 17 are connected to the bars 16. A lower pair of rollers 18, an intermediate pair of rollers 19, and an upper pair of rollers 20 are horizontally mounted transversely between the plates 15 adjacent the ends thereof at which the bars 1'7 are positioned. Each pair of said rollers is similarly formed with axially extending crimping teeth 21. These rollers may be termed as axially corrugated, although the teeth 21 are similar to the teeth ordinarily employed in gears.

The teeth, however, are so formed as to not cut the wire being passed therethrough and crimped by the teeth. The shaft 22 rotatably mounted between the side plates 15 of the frame scribed, carries a chain sprocket 23 non-rotatably mounted thereon. Said sprocket is connected by a chain 24 to a sprocket wheel 25, which is nonrotatably mounted on a shaft 26. The shaft 26 carries the lower roller of the upper pair 20. A second sprocket 2'7 is also mounted on the shaft 22. Said sprocket is connected by a chain 28 to a sprocket 29, non-rotatably mounted on a shaft 30 which carries the lower roller of the pair 21. It will be understood that by this sprocket and chain construction the lower rollers of the pairs 18 and 20 are driven in an anti-clockwisedirea tion, the upper rollers being driven by the lower rollers in a clockwise direction.

At a location forwardly spaced from the three pairs of rollers a fourth pair 31 arranged parallel with respect to the first mentioned pairs, is rotatably mounted between the side plates 15 in substantially horizontal alignment with the center pair 19. These rollers are corrugated or formed with teeth similar to the others. The lower roller 31 is mounted on the shaft 22 previously referred to. Said shaft also projects through the side plate 15 of the frame structure at the side opposite to the location of the sprock ets, 23 and 27, previously described. A large .diameter fiywheel 32 is mounted on said end of the shaft 22 outside the side plate 15. The fiywheel 32 is circumferentiallygrooved to form a pulley for carrying ,a belt 33, which also extends around the pulley 34 of an electric motor 35. Said motor is mounted above the frame structure on a bracket 36 rigidly secured thereto. An idler pulley 37 is provided for maintaining the tension of the belt. r

A chain sprocket 38 is secured to the shaft 22 between the pulley 32 and the side plate. Said sprocket is connected by a chain '39 to a chain sprocket 40 fixed to a projecting'end of a shaft structure for a purpose to be hereinafter de- 1 construction drives the center pair of rollers at a much higher rate of speed than the upper and lower pairs 18 and 26. A horizontally extending braclret i2 is rigidly secured to one side plate of the frame structure. Said bracket serves as a mounting means for a winding spool 43. A grooved pulley id is mounted concentrically with the spool for driving the same. A belt 45 connects said pulley with a grooved pulley 46 mounted on the shaft 22. Said pulleys are of substantially the same diameter. A friction clutch is interposed between the pulley 44 and the spool 43. Said clutch consists of two mating portions 4;? formed on the end of the spool and i8 formed on the pulley as, said portions being resiliently engaged by a comparatively light pressure spring 49, Said spring is mounted around a shaft 50 rigidly secured to the bracket 42. The pulley is and the spool 43 are rotatably mounted on said haft. A nut 51 threaded on the end of the shaft 50 forms an abutment for the one end of the spring l9, the other abutting the end of the spool. V

The driving spool 43 is provided at one end with a radial flange 52 substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of the largest spools of the unit to be wound. Near the center of the spool said flange is provided with an opening 53. To secure the web or fabric to the spool when a new unit is started, a securing member is pro-- vided. Said member consists of a collar 54 which is adapted to fit over "he end of the spool oppo site the flange 52. Said member is also provided with a finger-lile portion 55, which extends from, the collar axially along the spool and is of a length sufficient to be fitted into the opening 53. With the machine set up as shown in Figure 5, the operation will be clear from the description above given of the crimping and winding mechanism. The wires from the set of spools on the lower rack extend around the guide bars 17, which maintain them in evenly spaced relation, and between the lower pair of corrugated rollers 18. Said rollers crimp the wire, as illustrated in Figure 5. The crimped set of wires are then passed between the crimped rollers 31. The wires from the spools onthe upper shelf of the rack are fed through the rollers 20 the rollers 32 in the same manner. As previously described, the rollers 18 and 20, as well as the rollers 81, are driven at substantially the same speed, the wires being delivered from the set of spools on the center shelf are fed between the rollers 19. As previously described, these rollers are rotated at a speed several times the speed of the rollers 18 and 20 and correspondingly several times the speed of the rollers 31. As a result the crimped wire is delivered from the rollers 19 at a speed much faster than it is being taken through the rollers 31. As a result said wire forms loops, as shown in Figure 3, and is thrown in various directions up and down and crosswise. However, the two converging sets of wires from the rollers 18 and 20 engage the looped wire and press it down as all three sets of wires are fed through the'compacting or bonding rollers 31. It has been found that a machine operated in this manner will form a web or fabric of wires with the center set of wires extending more or less regularly transversely across the other two sets. A web or fabric is thus formed which has a crosswise support.

To start a new spool the end of the web or fabric is secured to the spool by the securing member, as described, by inserting the end of the web under the fingerlike element 55. The spool is driven by the belt 45, the clutch being constructed to at all times maintain the proper tension on the web being wound without exerting too much force to wind the spool or filter unit tighter than is desirable.

A unit constructed in the manner as described, is very uniform in composition. The inspection of the structure by a light transmitted through a portion of the unit shows that the wires are uniformly spaced and'that the center set of wires forms a support axially of the unit. This is a very desirable construction as the unit is particularly designed for use in an air cleaner of the liquid type, such as shown in my U. S. Patents Nos. 1,838,511, 1,838,512 and 1,83%,"13, December 29, 1931. By forming the units by the methods known in prior practice it was found that after a period of operation with the unit positioned with the axis in a vertical direction, the entire unit settled down, that is, the wires settled closer together. This was due to the absence of support the vertical direction. It was to overcome diiliculties of this kind that the present filter unit was de vised and constructed. The machine was also devised to form a unit of this particular construc tion, although it is possible that the machine may have other uses for making units or fabrics of a similar construction.

Applicant has shown and described a'filter unit I and a particular machine for constructi g said unit. However, it is to be understood that he claims as his invention all modifications falling within the scope or" the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for forming reeniorced sheet-like material which comprises means for feeding two layers or" material in spaced r lation with respect to each other at a uniform speed, means for feeding a series of flexible elements between the two layers at a much higher rate of speed, and means for compacting the two layers and the flexible elements together the difference in the rate of delivery speed being efiective to throw the flexible elements transversely across the layers of material. 2. A device for forming a fabric which comprises means for feeding two sets of spaced flexible elements at a substantiallyuniform speed, said sets being ispacedrelation with respect to each other, means for feeding a third set of spaced flexible elements at a much higher rate of delivery between said sets, and means for compacting the three sets oi elements together, the higher rate of delivery of the intermediate set of elements being effective to throw said elements transversely between the other two sets of elements. p I

V 3. A device for forming filter fabric which comprises means for feeding two sets of spaced wires under tension suflicient to hold them in position said two sets being spaced apart with respect to each other, means for feeding a third set' of spaced wires at a much higher rate of speed between said sets, and means for crimping the three sets of wires together, the elements of the intermediate set of wires being thrown transversely across. the elements of the other two sets. 4. A device for forming fabric of crimped wire which comprises means for crimping and delivering two series of spaced wires ata substantially uniform rate of delivery, means for crimping and delivering a third series of wires and delivering them between the first mentioned series at a much higher rate of speed whereby the wires of the third series are thrown transversely across the other two series, and means for compacting the three series of wires into a fabric.

5. A device for forming a filter unit of crimped wire which comprises means for separately crimping and delivering two series of spaced wires, means for crimping a third series of wires and delivering them between the first mentioned series at a much higher rate of speed, means for compacting the three series of wires, and means for winding the web so formed into a unit.

6. A device for forming air' filter fabric of wire which comprises two spaced pairs of crimping rollers horizontally mounted on a frame structure, means for driving said rollers at substantially the same speed, a third pair of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure between the first named pairs, means for driving said rollers at a rate substantially greater than the speed of the two pairs,

means for delivering wire to be crimped to all three pairs of rollers, and a fourth set of crimping rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure positioned to receive the crimped wires from the other three sets of rollers.

'7; A device for forming air filter units of wire which comprises two spaced pairs ofmating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on a frame structure, means for driving said rollers at substantially the same speed, a third pair of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure between the first named pairs, means for driving said rollers at a rate substantially greater than the speed of the two pairs, means for delivering wire to be crimped to all three pairs of rollers, spaced vertical guides positioned to maintain the wires in equally spaced relationship prior to passage through the rollers, and a fourth set of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure positioned to receive the corrugated wires from the other three sets of rollers.

8. A device for forming air filter units of wire which comprises two spaced pairs of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on a frame structure, means for driving said rollers at substantially the same speed, a third pair of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure between the first named pairs, means for driving said rollers at a rate substantially greater than the speed of the two pairs, means for delivering wire to be crimped to all three pairs of rollers, spaced vertical guides positioned to maintain the wires in equally spaced relationship prior to passage through the rollers, a fourth set of mating corrugated rollers horizontally mounted on the frame structure positioned to receive the corrugated wires from the other three sets of rollers, a winding spool horizontally mounted on the frame structure, means for driving said spool, and means for securing the crimped wires being delivered from the fourth set of rollers to the spool whereby a crimped wire unit is formed.

9. A device for forming'a reinforced sheet-like material which comprises means for feeding two layers of material in spaced relation with respect to each other, means for delivering a series of prises meansfor feeding two sets of spaced flexible elements in spaced relation with respect to each other, means for feeding a third set of flexible elements between said two sets with portions of the third set transversely positioned with respect to the elements of the two sets, and means for compacting the three sets of elements together.

11. A device for forming a filter fabric which comprises means for feeding two sets of spaced wires under tension sufficient to hold them in position, said two sets being spaced apart with respect to each other, means for feeding a third set of wires between said two sets with portions of the third set being positioned substantially transversely with respect to the first two sets, and means for crimping the three sets of wires together.

12. A device for forming fabric of crimped wire which comprises means for crimping and delivering two series of spaced wires at a substantially uniform rate of delivery, means for crimping and delivering a third series of wires between the two first mentioned series with portions of said third series arranged at angles with respect to the first two series, and means for compacting the three series of wires together into a fabric.

13. A device for forming a filter unit of crimped wire which comprises means for separately crimping and delivering two series of spaced wires, means for delivering a third series of wires between said two series with portions of the third series positioned at angles with respect to the wires of the first two series, means for compacting the three series of wires, and means for winding the web so formed into a unit.

WALTER C. WILSON.

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