US1994187A - Method and apparatus for producing wire - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1935. '5, BENNINGTON 1,994,187

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE Filed Nov. 27, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 H 4 INVENTOR."

MJW A MW ATTORNEY.

March 12, 1935. E. T. BENNINGTON D 1,994,187

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March 12, 1935. E. T. BENNINGTON 1,994,187

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE v Filed Nov. 27, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

March '12, 1935. E. T. BENNINGTON I 1,994,187

METHOD AND APPARA'J'LUS FOR PRoDucINe WIRE Filed Nov. 27, 1953 6'Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR. I /M ATTORNEY.

March 12, 1935. E. 1-. 'BENNINGTON ,1 7.

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE Filed Nov. 27, 1955 e Sheets-She et 6 INVENTOR.

QM J ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES 'PATET FEE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE Earl '1. Bennington, Huntsburg, Ohio Application November 27, 1933, Serial No. 699,875

3 Claims. (CI. 80-34) This invention relates to amethod and apparatus for producing small size wire. In order to bring out the utility and the mechanical and economical advantages to be derived from, my improved method and apparatus, it is necessary to set forth the method of making steel wire and red at present in general use. practice in the trade to refer to rod as the product of the hot mill regardless of its shape or size and to wire: as a product that is produced after drawing on a cold wire drawing machine and which must be finished at a size corresponding to some standard wire drawing gage.

1 and the Morgan or continuous type mill. In

' pass.

modern mills the Garrett type has been displaced by the Morgan or continuous type of mill but there are still in existence a few installations of the Garrett type mills. My method and apparatus is well adapted for use with both type mills,

although it is particularly useful when used with the continuous type mill.

The continuous type mill is practically automatic in its production of wire rod and will pro-. duce 450 tons in a twenty-two hour day of No. rods, which are practically round and have a diameter of .207 of an inch, which is the standard size rod produced by practically all mills. In the continuous mill the billets are set into the back of a furnace in such a way that each billet can be pushed by a power pusher through the furnace when it is heated to the proper temperature forrolling. The rod is then pushed directly into the first set of rolls of the rod mill and the billet passes continuously from there through the various essential rolls or stands, usually ten or eleven stands. In passing through each stand, the cross section of the steel is reduced and it shape is altered. The billets usually start in the form of a rectangular bar 1 x 1%" and in thirty-feet lengths and betweeneach pass the billet is turned 90 by means of a guide before it enters the next Since the cross sectional area of the billet is reduced by each pass, the length of the billet is correspondingly increased. Therefore, the speed of each succeeding set of rolls or stands must be increased to compensate for the increased speed of the steel at each succeeding pass. By actual figures the steel enters the first pass at It is common' a speed of about 20 feet per minute and leaves the last pass at a speed of about 300 feet per minute on the older mills, and 4200 feet per minute on the new and modern equipped continuous mills. At each succeeding pass the steel is formed into a shape to be received by the next smaller pass and there is a tendency to stretch the steel at each succeeding pass due to the fact that each set of rolls is operated at a higher speed than that actually required to pass its fin-- ished area. For example,- if a rod one square inch in area is traveling. at 1000 feet per minute, a'half-inch square rod will travel at exactly 2000 feet per minute; but the peripheral speed of the rolls will be in excess of the speed of the steel. The amount of increase of the peripheral speed of the rolls varies with the individual ideas of designers and. engineers; but there is usually be tween 5% and increase, which means that the rolls actually slip over the steel to this extent.

It is the usual practice in steel mills to finish hot at No. 5 size; and this is considered the smallest size practical with the type of rollingmills now in general use. The last pass of the mill' carries a groove which is intended to produce a round shape having a diameter of approximately .207 of an inch. After the production of No. 5 rods, the process of producing wire of various sizes is practically the same in all of the mills. As the rod leaves the rolling mill at a higher temperature than the billet enters the mill, the increase in temperature being due to the rapid working 'of the steel, a coating or scale of iron' oxide is formed on the surface of the rod which must be removed before the rod is in condition to be drawn through steel dies to its final size. This scale, of course, would cut and injure the dies very rapidly. Therefore, the rod, after it has cooled, is sent to what is called a cleaning house and submerged in a combination of sulphuric acid and water to remove the scale. After the scale is removed, the acid is washed off the rod in a rinsing tank and the sull ,coat or rust coat is put on the rod, as it is assumed in some mills that this rust coat acts as a lubricant, facilitating the drawing of the wire. This sull coat is applied to the rod in.what is called a sull rack. After the sull coat is applied, the rod is submerged in a hot lime solution and a lime coat put on the rod. The object of the lime coat is to absorb any acids which may have remained on or in the rod and to act as a lubricant in drawing the wire through the die. The lime, after being applied, must be baked or dried and thereafter the rod is installed in what is called a baker and the lime coat baked thereon. The rod is then delivered to the wire drawing department where it is first pointed and then reduced to a smaller size by drawing it slowly through a die. The amount of reduction obtained in this first pass'is of course determined upon by the chemical and physical characteristics of the steel. The speed at which it can be drawn through the die is regulated by the ability of the die to dissipate heat. The speed at which the wire is drawn through the die varies in practice from about 150 feet per minute to somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 feet per minute, common practice being abou 500 feet per minute.

As the steel is limited in its ability to stand cold working and varies in accordance with the composition of the steel, it is usual practice to draw No. rod down to about No. 12 to No. 14 wire in the first series of operations. When the wire reaches this point in size, it becomes too brittle for further working until annealed, so it is then delivered to the annealing department where it is annealed by two processes, namely: the continuous process in which the wire is caused to move slowly through an annealing oven and while passing through the oven its temperature is raised to an annealing point and then slowly reduced. The other form of annealing, and probably the most satisfactory, is what is known as pot annealing where the wire is installed in cast iron pots and the pots placed in an oven which is raised to an annealing temperature and then allowed to cool slowly. After the wire is annealed, it must then be put through the operation of cleaning and baking, etc. again before it is in shape tobe further reduced in size. The annealing operation causes a scale to form on the surface of the wire the same as when it is first rolled. In mills that produce what is called fine wire, a wire of very small diameter, this process of annealing and cleaning takes place several times. However, from the standpoint of tonnage, the greatest tonnage is produced in the sizes from No. 9 to No. 14. Within this size range lies practically all of what is known as common wire products, such as nails, fence, barbed wire, bailing wire, ties and a great deal of wire which eventually is made into rivets, screws, and hundreds of other devices commonly used.

I have devised a method and apparatus for practicing the same which will eliminate most of the cleaning, baking and annealing operations hereinbefore referred to and which will enable me to produce small size wire, that is wire of No. 5 to No. 18 or No. 20 size in a continuous operation and while the wire is still hot.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing wire, particularly small size wire, with a minimum number of operations and with a minimum amount of equipment, space and man power.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing wire of the character described in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum the cleaning house operations and the rehandling operations incident to the cold drawing processes hereinbefore referred to.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method or process of producing wire of small size which consists in taking the hot wire from the rod mill and, while the wire is still hot, reducing its size by passing it through or between rapidly rotating disks disposed with their peripheral edges adjacent each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing small size wire in a continuous process and without permitting the wire to cool until reduced to the desired size, thus greatly reducing the cost of production.-

Further and more limited. objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in side elevation showing my improved apparatus in position to receive rod from the rod mill; Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged detail views of the series of disks which perform the drawing operation; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the tensioning device through which the wire is passed as it emerges from the rod mill; Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;. Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one of the stands showing the disks for reducing the size of the wire and the mechanism for operating the same; Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of one of the stands; Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the yoke or spider for removing the disks into and out of operative position; Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of the spider shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view showing the mechanism for operating the -spider; and Fig. 13 is a view in side elevation of one of the stands through which the wire is drawn.

My machine or apparatus is designed to receive the hot rod from the rod mill, which is designated by the reference character 1. The reference characters 2 and 3 designate the last pair of rolls of the rod mill. The apparatus consists essentially of a plurality of stands which are indicated by the reference characters 5, 6 and 7 which are supported one above the other in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of supporting rods 8. It is of course to be understood that the number of stands may be increased, depending upon the size of the wire desired. Supported on the uppermost stand is a tensioning device 9, shown in detail in Fig. 5, which places a tension on the wire as it comes from the rod mill. The rod is delivered from the rod mill while hot and is passed through a guide tube 10 which is supported in any suitable manner.

The tensioning device 9 will first be described in detail, reference being had particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7. V

Supported on the uppermost stand 5 and projecting upwardly therefrom are a pair ofsupports 11 and 12. Carried by the supports 11 and 12 is a horizontal supporting member 13 having a threaded opening therein. Supported by the member 13 is a slotted block 14 having a threadas shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 7. The object of the scoring is to eliminate the tendency for the surfaces of the disks to acquire an uneven bearing surface due to the peening action set up on these surfaces when rotated rapidly. Without scoring these surfaces acquire a series of depressions and extensions due to the metal at one point peening and moving to pile up at another point. With scoring the metal always flows towards the scormg leaving an even, round and smooth surface.

The disks 22 engage in slots provided in the block I .14. The block 17 is provided with a cylindrical opening 23 in which is arranged a piston 24 which is provided with a skirt portion 25 which is slidably mounted upon the tubular member 16. The lower end of the cylidrical opening 23 isclosed by means of a plate 26 which is held in place by bolts 2'7. Leading through the plate 26 is a conduit 28 through which fluid, either liquid or air, is admitted to the piston chamber. The cover plate 26 is provided with a conventional stuifing box 29. Surrounding the lower end of the skirt 25 and rigidly secured thereto is a yoke 30 in which are pivotally secured links 31, 32, 33 and 34 which project through angular enlarged openings provided in the arms 18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. The inner ends of the links 31, 32, 33 and 34 are held in place by means of pins 35. The outer ends of the links 31, 32, 33 and 34 are provided with enlarged head members 36. When fluid pressure is admitted through the conduit 28, the piston 24 will be moved upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 5 and the arms 18, 19, 20 and 21 will be engaged by the enlarged head members 36 and will be moved inwardly. rod mill is delivered through the tubular guide 10 and thence through the tubular member 16 and passes downwardly between the disks 22. This wire is indicated by the reference character 37. It will now be clear that by increasing or decreasing the pressure upon the piston 24 the amount of tension placed upon the rod 37 may be varied as desired. v

Pressure cannot be applied to the tension device until the rod reaches the power driven disks. Therefore, in starting each rod through the machine the tension device must be released and be closed quickly and automatically as soon as the wire rod is gripped by the power operated disks. In order to accomplish this I have provided a photo-electric cell which is preferably located in the tube or guide 10 at the proper point. When the end of the wire rod passes the photo cell, the circuit is closed in the cell which in turn closes the circuit of a three-way magnetic valve M in the pipe 28 which causes the valve to open and admit air to the cylinder of the tension device thus applying tension to the wire. When the last end of the rod has passed through the cell, the circuit is automatically broken andthe'magnetic valve deenergized. This causes the valve to close thepressure side of the line and open to release the air in the cylinder and to thus permit the disk 22 to be spread so as to admit the next rod therebetween. Obviously there will be a lapse of time between the passing of the first end of the rod through the photo cell and the actual application of pressure to the tension device. This lapse of time will be uniform for each size of wire and the photo cell will therefore be located ahead of the tension device at the proper point to reduce toa minimum the amount of wire passing through the tubular guide 10 before the tension is applied to the wire.

The mechanism for reducing the size of the rod will now be described, reference being had particularly to Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive. Each of the stands 5, 6 and I is identical in construction and therefore only one will be described in detail. Each stand consists of a circular bed plate 38 which is supported by the supports 8. The bed plate 38 is provided with four rectangular open- The hot rod from the' ings. Secured in therectangular openings are motor supporting plates 39, 40, 41 and 42. Each motor plate is pivotally supported at one side-by,

means of a rod 43 which extends through ears provided on the base plate 38 and the motor plates, respectively. Carried by each of the motor plates are electric motors 44, 45, 46 and 47 from which extend shafts 48, 49, 50 and 51, respectively. Secured to the outer ends of-the shafts are disks 52, 53, 54 and 55, respectively, the outer peripheries of which are grooved. The base plate 38 has a central opening therein through which the wire rod extends, and disposed below such opening is a yoke or spider 56 shown in detail in Figs. 10 and which coincides with the opening in the base plate 38. Extending outwardly from the yoke 56 are four arms 57, 58, 59 and 60 having upstanding apertured ears 61 thereon. The inner end of 82.011 of the motor supporting plates is provided with downwardly projecting apertured ears 62 disposed atthe opposite side thereof and which 'are disposed adjacent the apertured ears 61. Connecting the ears 61 and 62 are links 63. Projecting downwardly from the bottom side of the motor supporting plates are longitudinally extending bars 64, and secured thereto on opposite sides thereof are arms 65 and 66 which are secured thereto by means of bolts 67. The outer ends of the bars 65 and 66 are shaped as shown most clearly in Fig. 9 and pivotally support a counterweight 68 which tends to move the motor supporting plates to the position shown in Fig. 13. The spider 56 is provided with a centrally disposed threaded opening 69 which receives therethrough a tubular screw 70 to the lower end of which is connected an operating wheel 71. The upper end-of the screw 70 extends through a boss 72 provided on the motor supporting plate 38 and is rotatable with respect thereto. By turning the wheel '71 in either direction, the spider 56 may be moved Tp or .down. The arms 57, 58, 59 and 60 being operatively connected to the outer ends of the motor supporting plates 39, 40, 41 and 42, respectively, it will be seen that the motor supporting plates may be moved up or down by means of the hand wheel 71. As the motors and disks are carried by the motor supporting plates, it will be seen that the pressure between the disks may be regulated by means of the hand wheel '71. It is to be understood that each of the stands 5, 6 and 7 contains the same mechanism and that the disks of each succeeding stand are shifted 45 with respect to the stand above or below it, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The motors all rotate in the same direction and'the speed of the disks is regulated by the gearing between the motors and disks. The speed of each succeeding set of disksis determined by the increase in length of .Wire due to the reduction area, of the wire and the speed of each succeeding set of disks is between 5% and 10%.- greater-than the speed of the wire. This may be accomplished by using disks of larger diameter or by changing the gearing providing the driving connection between the motors and the disks. The size of the grooves in the peripheries of each succeeding set .of disks is progressively vice 9 and then downwardly through the several stands in succession. Assuming that No. rod is delivered from the rod mill at 4200 feet per minute, I can produce No. 12 wire at the rate of 16,000 feet per minute. This requires that the peripheral speed of the disks be approximately 17,500 feet per minute to take care of the increase in length of the rod as it passes through the apparatus. The tensioning device produces a tension on the rod so that the large motor driven disks will have something to pull against in reducing the area of the Wire. The speed of the disks and the size of the grooves will be so proportioned that there will be about a 5 percent slip between the rod and the disks, so that the last set of disks will be pulling against the next adjacent set of disks to some extent. As hereinbefore explained, this combina-- tion of stands can be carried on indefinitely and is limited only by the physical strength of the material involved. If desired, I may make use of three disks instead of four. The finished wire leaves the wire drawing apparatus through the center of the hand wheel. The size of the finished wire depends upon the size of the grooves in the last series of disks. If desired, a piece of pipe may be connected between the several sets of stands toform a guide for the wire rod. It will also be seen that the operation of reducing the cross sectional area of the wire is continuous and carried out while the wire is still hot.

It will now be clear that I have provided a. method and apparatus for producing wire which will accomplish the objects of the invention as hereinbefore stated. It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in the particular apparatus used without departing from the spirit of my invention as the apparatus herein disclosed is only one form of apparatus that may be used. It is therefore to be understood that the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is merely illustrative and is not to be considered in a limiting sense, as the invention islimited only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a rod mill, of an apparatus for reducing the cross sectional area of the wire produced by the rod mill comprising several series of disks arranged in alignment and having the peripheral edges thereof grooved and disposed adjacent each other, means for rotating the disks of each series at diflerent speeds, means for feeding the wire from the rod mill between the first series of disks including a tubular guide and a tension device and means operated by the passage of the wire through the tubular guide for controlling the operation of the tension device.

2. The combination with a rod mill, of an apparatus for reducing the cross sectional area of the wire produced by the rod mill comprising several series of disks arranged in alignment and having the peripheral edges thereof grooved and disposed adjacent each other, means for rotating the disks of eachv series at different speeds, means for feeding the wire from the rod mill between the first series of disks including a tubular guide and a pressure actuated tension device and means for automatically controlling the operation ,of the tension device including a photo-electric cell operatively connected with a magnetic valve for controlling the operation of the tension device.

3. The combination with a rod mill, of an apparatus for reducing the cross sectional area of the wire produced by the rod mill comprising several series of disks arranged in alignment and having the peripheral edges thereof grooved and disposed adjacent each other, means for rotating the disks of each series at different speeds, means for feeding the wire from the rod mill between the first series of disks including a tubular guide and a pressure controlled tension device and means for automatically controlling the operation of the tension device including a magnetic valve for controlling the delivery of fluid to the pressure controlled tension device and a photo-electric cell arranged within said tubular guide and operatively connected with said magnetic valve.

EARL BENNINGTON.

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