US2310914A - Apparatus for operating on wire stock - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1943- F. W. GAINES,3D., ETAL 1 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WI RE STOCK Filed Aug 25, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOKS FIGIFEEICK W- 64mm: )0;

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Feb. 9, 1943. w. GAINES, an, EIAL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WIRE STOCK s Sheets-Sheet 2 ONN . INVENTORJ fikspse/cz 14 60%.?! Mum/w 4 57/4527- ATTORNEYS MWYM 1943- 'F. w. GAINES, 30., ETAL 2,310,914

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON=WIRE STOCK Filed Aug. 25, 1941 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l l I4.

W ATTORNEYS Feb- 9, 1943.

F. w; GAINES, an, ETAL, 2,310,914 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WIRE STOCK s 5 4 i m mm ym Mm Wi w w m: A u (A & MM 8 24 7 Filed Aug. 25, 1941 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hl l luwl u l hur FIIIILIII Filed Aug: 25, 1941 F. W. GAINES, 3 D., El'AL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WIPE STOCK Feb. 9, 1943.

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MAL/AM ,4 Ems-er M W fi I A ORNEY5 1943- F. w. GAINES, 3b., ETAL 2,310,914

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WIRE STOCK Filed Aug. 25, 1941 "s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR:

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BY MAL/14M 457/4527- ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT; JOFFICE APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON WIRE STOCK Frederick W. Gaines, 3rd, Cleveland Heights, and William A. Ehlert, South Euclid, Ohio, asslgnors to The Ajax Manufacturing Company, Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 25,1941, Serial No. 408,142

' trating the mounting for the upper feed rolls.

11 Claims. This invention relates to improved apparatus for straightening wire stock and for cutting desired lengths from the leading end of the stock.

An object of our invention is to provide an improved arrangement in *which the drawing, straightening, and cutting of the wire stock can al1 be carried out in the same machine and in a desired sequence during the forward travel of the stock.

A further object of our invention is to provide apparatus of this kind embodying novel stock feeding means as. well as a novel cut-oil mechanism by' which desired lengths or sections of stock can be cut rapidly from the leading end and with greater accuracy than has heretofore been obtainable.

Yet another object of our invention is to provide apparatus of this kind having novel means for permitting fine adjustment of the stock gauge to be made while the machine is in operation.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel steps of procedure and in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which are hereinafter described in detail and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation showingone embodiment of our improved apparatus for operating on wire stoc Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing, on a larger scale, an intermediate section or unit of the machine which embraces the stock feeding and straightening means;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of such intermediate section or unit;

Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the cut-oil unit or section of the machine showing the same on a larger scale than in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of such cut-ofi unit;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the machine substantially as indicated by line 6-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is another transverse sectional view taken through the machine substantially as indicated by line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a partial side elevation of the machine showing the drive for the feed rolls;

Fig. 9 is a partial transverse sectional view taken through the cut-off unit of the machine as indicated by line 9-9 of Fig. 5; a

Fig. 10 is a partial end elevation looking toward the cut-oil unit as indicated by line l0|0 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a partial vertical sectional view illusthe view being taken as indicated by line ll--Il Fig. 14 is another partial longitudinal sectional view taken through the cut-oil unit of the machine as indicated by line ll-H of Fig. 7;

Fig. 15 is a partial transverse sectional view taken through the cut-ofl unit as indicated by line Ii-II 0! Fig. 12; and

Fig. 16 is a partial transverse sectional view taken through the cut-oil unit, of the machine adjacent the main power shalt as indicated by line l6l6 of Fig. 5.

Our novel apparatus for operating on wire stock will now be described in greater detail, and although in so doing, particular reference will be made to the embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular apparatus but may be embodied in various other similar machines and equipment.

Our improved apparatus comprises in general a wire-drawing unit 20 in which the stock 2| is subjected to an intermittent drawing or sizing operation, a stock feeding and straightening unit 22, and a cut-01f unit 23 in which sections or. blanks 2la. of desired length are cut from the leading end of the stock. Each of the units just referred to will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The drawing unit 20 corresponds substantially with the wire-drawing machine of United States Patent No. 2,226,400 granted December 24, 1940,

and as disclosed in said patent, comprises a frame 24 having a reciprocating slide 25 therein carrying a wire-drawing die 26. The slide 25 may be actuated during the drawing stroke by a lever 2'! which is carried by a transverse rock shaft 28. The drawing unit 20 also includes a stock gripping device 29 which grips and holds .the stock during the drawing stroke and prevents with the die slide 25 by rods 33. .These diflerent elements of the drawing unit to which we have just referred are all described in detail in the above-mentioned United States patent, and further explanation of their construction and operation in the present case is deemed unnecessary.

The feeding and straightening unit 22, which comprises the intermediate section of the machine, is provided with a frame 22a having a pair of feed rolls 34 and 35 at the end thereof adjacent the drawing unit 20 and a second pair of feed rolls 36 and 31 adjacent the cut-off unit 23. Between the two pairs of feed rolls we provide a stock straightening means which acts to straighten the stock immediately after it-has been drawn and this device may be any suitable straightener which will accomplish this purpose. In this instance the straightening device comprises banks 38 and 39 of grooved straightening rollers. 38 lie in a substantially horizontal plane and are arranged in two rows or groups disposed on opposite sides of the stock 2| and with the rollers of one row disposed opposite the intervening spaces of the other row. The bank 39 comprises a similar arrangement of rollers 39a, but the rollers of this bank are arranged to lie in a substantially vertical plane. The banks 38 and 39, as here shown, each comprise seven straightening rollers, although a larger or smaller number of rollers might be employed. The individual rollers of these banks are mounted on blocks 40 which are slidable transversely of the axis of the stock so that the rollers of one row can be adjusted toward or away from the rollers of the other row. The three center-rollers of each bank are located or adjusted so that they will produce overbending of the stock in a direction transversely of its axis, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. This overbending is shown somewhat exaggerated in Figs. 2 and 3, and in the actual machine is only as much as is necessary to obtain a desired straightness of the drawn stock.

The straightening of the stock at a point in the apparatus immediately following the drawing operation is important and produces improved results not heretofore obtainable. Wire stock such as that on which the present apparatus is designed to operate is supplied to headers, screw machines, or other machines for producing bolts, screws, studs, and a variety of other articles requiring straight cold drawn blanks for their fabrication. This stock is usually cold drawn and is taken up in coils during the drawing operation. These coils are stored until needed and during this time the stock becomes agehardened. If such age-hardened stock is supplied to a conventional straightening machine, it will be found that the straightened stock will not remain straight, but will acquire a warp corresponding with the bowed or curved contour of the stock while it remained in its coiled condition. Efforts have been made to overcome this tendency by passing the stock through rotary straightening devices, but these have introduced other difficulties such as a tendency to mar the stock and to cause the stock to swell during the cut-off operation. Such rotary straighteners are also subject to rapid wear, because the stock has become age-hardened while in the coiled condition and is difiicult to straighten and requires a large amount of overbending.

We have found that by subjecting the stock to a straightening operation immediately following a drawing operation which has been per- The individual rollers 38a of the bank formed in a straight line, the stock is not subjected to uneven strains as caused by coiling and will not thereafter have any tendency to warp or bend when it has been incorporated in blanks or various manufactured articles. The stock is drawn in a straight line by the reciprocating action of the drawing die 26 and is then subjected to a straightening operation while it is still free from age-hardening. When cold drawn coiled stock is supplied directly to the action of a straightener, the stock can twist and skew as it advances and this causes uneven strains in the stock which also produce warping and interfere with the accuracy of the cut-off operation. The gripping device 29 holds the stock from twisting or skewing during the drawing stroke and the drawing die holds the stock against twisting or skewing during the feeding of the stock, and therefore such uneven strains will not occur in the stock. The straightening operation, as above explained, consists in subjecting the stock to overbending in two different transverse planes, but which need be only a relatively slight amount of overbending. The important thing is that the stock is drawn in a straight line, is held against twisting or skewing, and is straightened immediately following the drawing operation, and we have found that with stock which has been thus treated, the blanks can be cut off more accurately as to length and the articles manufactured therefrom will remain straight indefinitely.

We find it desirable to employ the two pairs of feed rolls above referred to because this permits one pair of feed rolls 34 and 35 to be located immediately adjacent the drawing unit 2. to receive the drawn stock therefrom and feed the same through the banks 38 and 38 of straightening rollers. The other pair of feed rolls II and 31 can be located between the straightening means and the cut-off mechanism, and when a coil of stock is used up and the end passes through the feed rolls 34 and 35, the other pair of feed rolls 36 and 31 will continue to feed the stock into the cut-off unit 23.

As shown in the drawings, the feed rolls of each pair have peripheral grooves which grip the stock and advance the same as the rolls are driven intermittently. The lower rolls 34 and 36 are actuated by driving the shafts 34a and 36a upon which they are mounted and the upper rolls are mounted on shafts 35a and 31a which are driven from the shafts of the lower rolls by the spur gears 4| and 42. The shafts a and 36a are journaled in the frame 22a to rotate on fixed axes and are driven in a manner to be presently explained.

A novel mounting arrangement for the upper rolls 35 and 31 permits these rolls to swing toward or away from the lower rolls to properly grip the stock. Since the mountings for both of the upper rolls are substantially identical, it is only necessary to describe the mounting arrangement for the roll 35. The shaft 354 carrying the upper roll 35 is journaled in a swinging head 43 which has a hinge connection 44 with the frame 22a at a point offset laterally from the plane of the rolls. The frame 22a has an upwardly extending forked portion 48 thereon providing a recess or guideway 41 in which the swinging head 43 is vertically movable. A compression spring 43 located in a recess of the frame 22a at a point beneath the head 43 acts on the latter in a direction tending to separate the upper roll 35 from the lower roll 34. The roll may be shifted or'yieldably pressed toward the roll 34 for the desired extent by means of a compound lever arrangement adapted to act on a rounded projection ill of the head 43. This compound lever arrangement may comprise a lever having a hinge connection 52 at one end thereof with the frame 22a and a second lever I3 yieldably fulcrumed on the frame and having a cam or eccentric portion 54 engageable with the outer end of the lever II. The fulcrum for the lever 53 may comprise a forked memberor yoke 55 having a threaded stem 58 extending the forward movement of the stock pulls the die slide 25 up against the lever 21 so that the die slide will be ready for the next drawing stroke.

The second pair of feed rolls 88 and Il may be driven from the shaft 34a of the feed roll a stroke of the die slide 25 by adjusting the position through the opening of a 1113 51 of the frame. A

compression spring 58 surrounding the stem below the lug 5! acts on the yoke 55 to cause the compound lever to yieldably shift the feed roll toward the roll 34.v With the arrangement just described, it will be seen that the lever 63 will be very easy to operate. because its force is applied to the lever 5| .through the eccentric portion 54; andit is only necessary to swing the lever 53 about its pivot 53a to cause closing or opening of the feed rolls. A pair of lock nuts "a may be provided on the stem 58 as an adjustable abutment which determines the extent to which the yoke 55 can be moved by the spring 58. The springs and 68 are so selected that whenthe lever 53 is swung upwardly to release the spring 58, the spring 49 will lift the head 43 to separate the rolls and when the lever 53 is swung down to the position shown in the drawings, the action of the levers and the spring II will shift the head 43 downwardly, compressing the spring 49 and pressing the roll 35 against the stock 2|.

In the present apparatus, the pairs of feed rolls are driven intermittently and for the proper interval to advance the stock aftereach drawing stroke of the die slide 25. To obtain this timed actuation of the feed rollswe flnd it desirable to drive the rolls from the actuating means for the die slide. As mentioned above, the die slide is actuated by the swinging lever 21 which is carried by the transverse rock shaft 20. The lever 21 may be actuated by a link or connecting rod 60 which connects the lower end of this lever with a transverse shaft 6| joumaled in the frame 22a. The link 60 may be connected with the shaft 6| by means of an eccentric block 02 which is adjustable relative to the axis of the shaft for varying the drawing stroke of the die slide 25. The rock shaft 28 also carries a lever 63 which is connected with the shaft 34a of the lower feed roll 34 by means of a link 84 and a clutch 65 having an arm or lever tea with which the link is connected.

The clutch 65 is a one-way clutch of a construction known to those skilled in the art and is arranged so that the clutch arm 65a will have an idle stroke during the drawing stroke of the die slide 25, and will have a working stroke during the return stroke of the lever 21. When the clutch arm 65a swings through its idle stroke the feed rolls remain stationary, the stock at this time being held against backward movement by the gripping device 29 while the drawing die is being pushed over the stock by the working stroke of the die slide 25. During the working stroke of This of the block 69 in the forked portion of the lever The cut-off unit 23 of the machine comprises a frame 23a. having thereon an elongated hollow member or stock guide I0 into which the stock is fed from the feedrolls l8 and 31, and a pair of I shearing dies H and 12 located between such hollow member and the feed rolls and adapted to shear the stock after the desired length has been fed into the hollow member. The hollow member 10 may comprise a bar suitably mounted on the frame 23a and having a longitudinally extending groove or recess 10a therein. The bar is preferably arranged with the groove or recess on the bottom or underside thereof, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, so that when the section of stock has been cut of! by the dies 'II and I2, it can drop from the member 10 onto an inclined section I! of the frame, from which it slides or rolls into the trough 14.

For supporting the stock while it is being fed into the hollow member 10, we provide a shutter II which 'forms a closure for the groove Ila.

This shutter may be in the form of an angle bar,

as shown in the drawings, and is carried by a plurality of longitudinally spaced swinging arms 16 so that the shutter may be moved away from the groove of the member 10 to release the section of stock therefrom. The arms I6 may be connected with. a. rock shaft 11 to which rocking movement is imparted for opening the shutter in timed relation to the cutting of the stock, as will be presently explained. a

The die II is a stationary hollow die which is suitably mounted in the frame 23a and through which the stock is fed into the hollow member Ill. The die I2 is in the form of a cutter or blade movable transversely of the hollow die II, and

may be carried by a slide 18 which is reciprocable in a guideway provided in the frame. The slide 18 has an opening 18a through which thestock extends below the cutter 12, so that upon downward movement of the slide, the stock will be cut on the shaft and engaged by the link. The shaft 8| may have a fly wheel 84 thereon which is p driven from a suitable power device such as the electric motor by means of a suitable belt .8 or the like. The fly wheel 84 is not keyed to the shaft 8|, but is keyed to a sleeve 81 which is journaled on the shaft and cooperates with a clutch 0!. The fly wheel may rotate continuously, but the shaft BI is driven only when a section of stock is to be cut off. The clutch 88 is of the kind known as a single-revolution clutch, and since clutches of this kind are well known in the art, it need not be described in detail. When this clutch is engaged, in a manner to be presently explained, it connects the fly wheel 84 with the shaft 8i and causes the shaft to be driven for a single revolution, whereupon it automatically disconnects the fly wheel from the shaft. During this single revolution of the shaft 8 I, the cutter I2 makes one stroke and cooperates with the die II to shear the stock.

The mechanism for controlling the cut-oil operation will be described next. This mechanism includes a stock gauge 89 having an arm portion or flnger 99a located in the hollow member I and adjustable therealong for varying the length of sections to be cut from the stock. The stock gauge 89 also has a block or head portion 89b slidable in an elongated hollow. gauge guide b and the gauge can be adjusted longitudinally of the hollow member 10 by means of a rotatable screw 90 extending through a threaded opening in such block or head portion. The screw 90 may be rotated by means of the pinion 9I and driving gear 92 located at the outer end of the frame 234:. The pinion 9I is connected with the screw 90 and rotates the latter in one direction or the other when the gear 92 is driven by the handle 93. This can be done while the machine is in operation and is a distinct advantage for making fine adjustments for length of blanks without stopping the machine.

The stock gauge 89 also has limited movement in the hollow member I0 in response to the engagement of the stock with the gauge, and this limited movement is utilized to trip the clutch 99 by which the fly wheel 89 is connected with the shaft 8|. The inner end of the gauge screw 90 carries a pair of spaced collars or abutments 94 and 99 which are pinned or otherwise connected to the gauge .screw. A forked lever 99 engages the collar 99 and is mounted on a transverse shaft 91 so that outward movement of the gauge screw will cause rocking of this transverse shaft. The shaft 91 carries a latch lever or trigger 98 which cooperates with an arm 99a of a star lever 9..

The star lever 99 may also be referred to as the clutch control lever and is journaled to rock on a transverse shaft I00. An arm 99b of the star lever carries a roller IOI which, as will be presently explained, cooperates with a cam I02 mounted on the shaft 9|. An arm 990 of this same lever cooperates with the clutch 98 and is normally in engagement with the shoulder or abutment I09 thereof, as shown in Fig. 12. A fourth arm 99d of the star lever 99 is connected with a rod I04 which extends through a ing I05 and is acted upon by a compression spring I06 surrounding the rod between the lug and an abutment I0I provided adjacent the outer end of the rod. The spring I09 exerts a pull on the arm 99d tending to swing the star lever 99 in a direction to disengage the arm 990 from the clutch abutment I09 but the latch lever 98 normally engages the arm 99a and prevents such swinging of the star lever.

When the stock is fed into the hollow member I0 and engages the stock gauge 99, it moves the gauge outwardly for the limited amount above mentioned, thereby pulling the gauge screw 90 in a corresponding direction and rocking the shaft 91 by means of the lever 99. The rocking of the shaft 91 swings the latch lever 99 upwardly, thus releasing the arm 99a and permitting the spring I09 to swing the star lever in a 79 clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 12, thereby disengaging the arm 99c from the clutch abutment I09, and at the same time swinging the arm 99b in a direction to press the roller I9I against the surface of the cam I02. At the time that the latch lever 98 is tripped in the manner Just explained, the cutter slide I8 is in its upper position and the cam I02 then stands with its low point I02a opposite the roller IOI. When the arm 99c is disengaged from the abutment I09 of the clutch 89, the clutch is thereby tripped and connects the fly wheel 99 with the shaft 9I. The shaft 8i now makes one revolution, thereby actuating the cutter slide I9 and cutting 03 the section of stock which has been fed into the hollow member I0. During this revolution of the shaft 8|, the roller IOI rides on the cam I92,

and by the time that the one revolution of the shaft has been completed, the high point I92b of the cam will have arrived under the roller IN and will have rocked the star lever 99 in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 12, to reengage the arm 99c with the clutch abutment I08, which disengages the clutch thus disconnecting the fly wheel from the shaft. This counter-clockwise movement of the lever 99 sweeps the arm 99a across the beveled face 990 of the latch lever 98, whereupon the arm 99 is caught and held by the shoulder or trigger portion 98b of the lever 98. The latch lever 99 is normally swung toward engagement with the arm 99a by the action of a compression spring I09 on a lever I09 connected with theshaft 91.

To lessen the shock resulting from the. engagement of the clutch abutment I09 with the arm 99c of the lever 99, we may provide the am 990 with a movable thrust block IIO which is cushioned by a compression spring III suitably mounted in a recess of the arm. In addition to this cushioning means on the arm 990, we may decrease the momentum of the clutch 99 by slowing down the shaft 8i during or just prior to the engagement of the clutch abutment I09 with the thrust block IIO. For this purpose we may provide a suitable friction brake II2 arranged to act on the shaft 8I as shown in the drawings. This brake also acts to stop the shaft 9| after the clutch is diseng ed.

It will be seen from the foregoing explanation that when the cutter I2 starts its downward movement to shear the stock, the outer end of the stock is being held against the stock gauge 89 by the feed rolls so that the length to be cut will be accurately gauged. As soon as the cutter bites into the stock it will be held by the cutter and the gauge can then be moved away from the stock so that the severed section or blank can drop freely out of the hollow member 19 as soon as the shearing operation is completed. For thus moving the gauge we provide a pair of levers H8 and Ill which are mounted on and keyed to the transverse shaft I00 at laterally spaced points and a cam I29 with which the lever II4 cooperates.

The lever II3 has an opening in the head thereof through which the gauge screw 99 e!- tends. This opening of the lever I I8 has a counter-bore H31; in which is located a compression spring I I9. The collars 94 and 95 of the gauge screw 90 are spaced apart a greater distance than the thickness of the head of the lever 9 so that there will be some lost motion between the lever and the collar 95. The spring 9 n4:- mally pulls the gauge screw inwardly and hollh the collar 94 against the lever III, but durim the initial outward movement of the gauge screw resulting from the engagement of the stock with the gauge 99, the spring I I6 will yield and permit the lost motion between the collar 95 and the lever M9 to be taken up. This predetermined limited outward movement of the gauge screw thus permitted by the spring H is suflicient to actuate the latch lever 99 to release the arm 99a of the star lever 99.

The lever I I4 is a bell crank lever of which the downwardly extending am 441 carries a roller Ill. The arm II4b is connected with a rod Ill carrying an abutment or spring seat II9 against which the compression spring I20 acts. The opposite end of the compression spring engages a seat I 2i which can be adjusted inwardly or outwardly by the screw I22 to vary the compression of the spring. The roller III cooperates with the cam I23 which is mounted on the shaft 9|, and the spring I20 normally holds the roller III against the cam. During the single revolution of the shaft 9|, which produces the cutting stroke of the slide 10, the roller III descends the cam I23 and the spring I20 thereupon-rocks the levers H4 and H9 causing the gauge screw 90 to move the gauge 89 away from the end of the stock 2|. After the stock has been severed by the cutter I2, the roller III ascends the cam I23, thereby swinging the levers H4 and H9 in the opposite direction and causing the gauge screw 90 to pull the gauge 99 back to its regular position ready to be again engaged by the leading end of the stock when the latter is fed into the hollow member I0.

It was stated above that the shutter I5 is swung to an open position during the cut-off operation to permit the severed section of stock an interval of time when the forward movement of the stock ceases while the two pairs of feed rolls are still being driven. When this occurs,

the feed rolls slide relative to the stock, but into drop out of the hollow member 10. For actuating the rock shaft 11 to thus swing the shutter I5 we provide a cam I24 on'the shaft 8i and a lever I25 which is actuated by this cam. The lever I25 may be pivoted on the shaft I00 and the arm I25a thereof may carry a roller I29 which engages the cam I24. The other arm I25b of this leveris connected with the rock shaft TI by the links I21 and I28, the bell crank lever I29, and the lever arm I90. When the shaft 0| is rotated during the cutting operation, the lever I25 will be rocked by the cam I24 and will cause the shutter to be swung to its open pcsition shown in broken lines in Fig. 9. After the cutting operation is completed, the roller I26 descends the cam I24, and the lever I25 is swung in a direction to close the shutter I5 by the action of the spring I3I.

We have explained above that the cut-ofislide I9 and the associated mechanism are actuated from the shaft 8|, which is driven by the electric motor 85, and have also explained that the die slide 25 and the two pairs of feed rolls are actuated from the shaft BI. It should also be explained that the shaft BI may be driven from the shaft 8| as by means of a chain I 92 extending around the sprockets I33 and I34. By driving the shaft 6| from the shaft 0|, it will be seen that the drawing, feeding, and cut-oil operations can all be carried out' in timed sequence to each other. In connection with the cut-off operation, it should likewise be explained that when the leading end of the stock 2i is fed against the stock gauge 89 and shifts the latter through the limited distance which releases the latch lever 99, the stock remains in engagement with the gauge 99 until the die I2 actually begins to cut into the stock. There is, therefore.

asmuch as this is only for a relatively short interval, no damage is done to the stock.

When a new length of stock is started through the machine, it may be desirable to out one or more sections on of the leading end for purposes of adjusting or testing the apparatus and also to get rid .of any irregular portion which may occur at the leading end of the stock. To enable the operator to initiate such a cut-off operation whenever desired, we provide a manually operable trip lever I35 which is connected with the rock shaft 91. When this trip lever is swung to the left, as seen In Fig. 12, it will lift the latch lever to release the star lever 99 and initiate a cut-off operation in the same manner as if the latch lever 98 had been lifted as the result of the engagement of the leading end of the stock with the gauge 89.

From the foregoingdescription and the ac companying drawings. it will now be understood that we have provided novel apparatus-for operating on wire stock and with which blanks cut accurately to a desired length can be produced rapidly and economically and such blanks will be entirely free of the tendency to warp or buckle.

While we have illustrated and described our novel apparatus in a more or less detailed manner, it will be understood. of course, that we do not wish to be limited to the particular procedure and apparatus herein described in detail, but regard our invention as including such changes and modifications as do not constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope "of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a pair of cooperating feed rolls adapted to receive therebetween a strand of wire stock to be fed,

" a frame member having one of said rolls mounted thereon and'having a guideway therein above said one roll, a head carrying said second roll, said head being hinged to said frame member for movement in said guideway, a lever pivoted on said frame at one side of said guideway and engageable with said head, a fulcrum at the other side of said guideway and movably connected with the frame by means including a compression spring, and a second lever pivoted on said fulcrum and having a cam portion held against the first lever by the action of said spring on said fulcnnn.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a, pair of cooperating feed rolls adapted to receive therebetween a strand of wire stock 'to be fed, a. frame member having one of said rolls mounted thereon and having a guideway therein above said one roll, a head carrying the second roll and movable in said guideway, a spring acting on said head in a direction to separate said rolls, a lever acting on said head to close the rolls, said lever being pivoted on said frame at one side of said guideway, a fulcrum at the other side of said guideway and movably connected with the frame by means including a compression spring, and a second lever pivoted on said fulcrum and having a cam portion held against the flrstlever by the action of said spring on said fulcrum.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a

pair of cooperating feed rolls adapted to receive therebetween a strand of wire stock to be fed, a frame member having one of said rolls mounted thereon and having a guideway therein above said one roll, a head carrying the second roll and movable in said guideway, a spring acting on said head in a direction to separate said rolls, a. leverarranged to act on said head to close the rolls, a yoke adjacent the outer end of the first lever and having yieldable connection with said frame member, and a second lever fulcrumed on said yoke and having an eccentric portion engaging the first lever adJacent its outer end. a

4. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, a pair of feed rolls engageable with wire stock for feeding the same against said gauge, a cutter spaced from the gauge, means for actuating the cutter including a movable control member, said gauge being capable of predetermined movement in response to the engagement of the stock therewith and being connected with said control member so that said predetermined movement causes actuation of the latter, said feed rolls being capable of relative sliding on the stock for holding the same against the gauge so that the stock length will be accurately gauged for the cut-ofl operation, and means for moving the gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, means for feeding wire stock longitudinally against said gauge, a cutter spaced from said gauge and operable to sever a corresponding length from said stock, said stock gaugebeing' capable of predetermined movement in response to the engagement of the stock therewith, means controlled by such movement of the stock gauge and operable to cause actuation of said cutter, and means for moving the gauge away from the stock substantially upon engagement of the cutter with the stock.

6. A cut-ofl' apparatus for wire stock comprising,a cutter adapted to sever the stock, an elongated hollow member having a bottom opening and a movable shutter closing said bottom opening, a stock gauge spaced from the cutter to correspond substantially with the length of stock desired, means for feeding the stock into said hollow member and against said gauge, means for actuating said cutter, said stock gauge being movable in response to engagement of the stock thereagainst, a movable control for the cutter actuating means adapted to be actuated by such movement of the stock gauge, means for moving the gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation, and means for opening said shutter in timed relationto the actuation of said cutter.

7. A cut-oil? apparatus for wire stock comprising, a cutter adapted to sever the stock, an elongated hollow member having a bottom opening and a movable shutter closing said bottom opening, a stock gauge in said hollow member, means for feeding the stock into said hollow member and against said gauge,-means for actuating said cutter, said stock gauge being adjustable along said hollow member to vary the length of stock to be cut and having limited movement in response to engagement of the swck thereagainst, means for adjusting the position of the stock gauge, means for actuating said cutter. a movable control for the cutter actuating means adapted to be actuated by said limited movement of the stock gauge, means for moving the gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation, and means for opening said shutter in timed relation to the actuation of said cutter.

8. A cut-oi! apparatus for wire stock'comprising, a cutter adapted to sever the stock, an elongated hollow member, means for actuating said cutter, a trip device controlling the cutter actuating means, a rod extending longitudinally of said hollow member and connected with said trip device, a stock gauge in said hollow member and connected with said rod, said gauge and rod being capable of predetermined movement to actuate said trip device in response to engagement of the stock with the gauge, means for moving the gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation, and means for feeding the stock into said hollow member and against said gauge.

9. A cut-oil. apparatus for wire stock comprising, a cutter adapted to sever the stock. an elongated hollow member, means for actuating said cutter, a trip device controlling the cutter actuating means, a rod extending longitudinally of said hollow member and connected with said trip device, a stock gauge in said hollow member and connected with said rod, said gauge and rod being capable of predetermined movement to actuate said trip device in response to engagement of the stock with the gauge, means for feeding the stock into said hollow member and against said gauge, said rod having screw connection with said gauge and being rotatable for shifting the gauge relative to the cutter.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, means for feeding wire stock against said gauge, a cutter spaced from the gauge and operable to sever the stock, means for moving the gauge in the direction of stock travel for shifting the gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation. and a common shaft for actuating said cutter and said gauge moving means.

11. In apparatus of the character described, an elongated hollow member having a stock discharge opening, a stock gauge in said hollow member, means for feeding wire stock into said hollow member and against said gauge, a cutter spaced from said gauge and operable to sever the stock, a shutter closing said stock discharge opening and being movable to release the severed stock, means for moving said gauge away from the stock during the cutting operation, and a common shaft for actuating said cutter, said movable shutter and said gauge moving means.

FREDERICK W. GAINES, 3:. WILLIAM A. EHLERT.

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