US3266412A

US3266412A - Apparatus for the formation of bundles of wire

Info

Publication number: US3266412A
Application number: US477400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rodenbusch Alfred
Original assignee: Schloemann AG
Current assignee: Schloemann AG
Priority date: 1965-08-05
Filing date: 1965-08-05
Publication date: 1966-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-16

Description

Aug. 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 14- Roaeh l Jcfi Aug. 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A Roo epfiz/acb g- 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION BUNDLES 'OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet s N W mw -m mm My ow fvi 3 A d g x mm mm NW m on O l N E g mm fie 8 Q a J E a m MTF INVENTOR. A; Rm// rAZ/sc 6 BY J g- 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. A. R ode/7150605 Aug. 16, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 5, 1965 w m I! a 6 III l/Jl/ll/ I VIII [Ill/T11 Fig. 10

INVENTOR. A Poo e0 A :45:

%M. 9 f/M 16, 9 A. RODENBUSCH 3,

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 v INVENTOR. A Roa nbusvfi Aug. 16; 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 v 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. A- Rodenbusc/r BY JM QM,- $4M 6, 1966 A. RODENBUSCH 3,266,412

APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES OF WIRE Filed Aug. 5, 1965 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 fi P H Q g R.

H rDr4/ INVENTOR;

BY A, R0 a'cwbaacA JWY JM United States Patent 3,266,412 APPARATUS FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNDLES 0F WIRE Alfred Rodenbusch, Dusseldorf, Germany, assignor to Schloemanu Aktiengesellschaft Filed Aug. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 477,400 11 Claims. (Cl. 100-50) This application is a c-ontinuation-in-part application of my application Serial No. 383,098, filed July 16, 1964 (now abandoned).

Rolled wire is handled in the form of circular rings or coils, each coil being loosely bound or lashed twice, as a rule. For inland commerce, coils of wire are regularly dispatched in this form.

When a multiple loading is to be expected, in the case of overseas deliveries for example, such a binding is however as a rule insufficient. In such cases bundles are usually made up of a number of coils of wire, four coils for example, by binding them together In this connection it has been found that binding at only two positions of the periphery is not sufficient.

The apparatus hereinafter described renders possible an operatively simple and economical production of bundles of wire with more than two bindings, preferably with four.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises, above a table capable of being raised and lowered, two rotatable and co-axial pressure jaws or spiders, spaced apart from one another, and each provided with a plurality of arms, at least one of the pressure jaws being provided with a drive by which it can be turned about its axis through at least about 90, and at least one of them being provided with a drive by which it can be displaced in an axial direction. The table drive is preferably so adjusted in relation to the pressure-jaw drive that the lowering of the table already begins after only a part of the pressure-jaw movement has first been effected.

One form of construction of the invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1, 3 and 5 show the apparatus in elevation in three different operative positions;

FIGURES 2, 4 and 6 show end views of FIGURES 1, 3 and 5;

FIGURE 7 shows a modified form of Wire-binding press, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section;

FIGURE 8 shows the wire-binding press in FIGURE 7 in plan viewfrom above;

FIGURE 9 shows a cross section through the wirebinding press on the section line IXIX in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 shows a cross section through the wirebinding press on the section line XX in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 shows an end view of the wire-binding pressof FIGURE 7 from the right-hand end;

FIGURE 12 shows a view of the left-hand end of the bearing of the left-hand pressure spider of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 13 shows a hydraulic circuit; and

FIGURE 14 shows an electric circuit.

The apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 6 comprises a base frame 1 with a vertical wall 1a, in the upper part of which a bearing is provided for the shaft 2 of a pressure jaw or spider 3 provided with four arms. The shaft 2 is rotatable by a drive not shown, which may be provided in a casing 4, and which is preferably hydraulic, it being as a rule sufficient that the shaft should be rotatable through 90.

Upon a horizontal track 1b on the base frame 1, by means of supporting wheels 5, a travelling frame 6 can move horizontally. A vertical wall or cheek 6a on this Patented August 16, 1966 frame is provided with a bearing for the spindle 7 of a travelling pressure jaw or spider 8, provided with'four

arms

8a, 8b, 8c and 8d. The spindle 7 has no drive, but is freely rotatable. The horizontal movement of the travelling frame is effected by a hydraulic drive, not represented, which may be provided wholly or partly in the casing 4. In the horizontal part of the base frame 1, hydraulic cylinders 9 are provided, the piston rods 10 of which carry a table plate 11.

The arrangement works in the following manner:

After the travelling frame 6 has moved as far as possible outwards, a number of coils of wire 12 (four such coils being shown in the drawings) are placed upon the table 11, which for this purpose is moved into the highest position, represented by FIGURES 1 and 2. The coils may be placed upon the table 11 by means of a crane for example. To enable such a crane to bring the coils easily on to the table/11, this table is raised so high that the spike of the crane, engaging in the interior of the coils of wire 12, can conveniently pass through between two arms of the pressure jaw 3. The table 11 is then lowered so far, by means of the lifting cylinders 9, that the central axis of the wire coils 12 is located substantially in the center line of the shaft 2 and of the spindle 7. The travelling frame 6 is then moved in the direction of the arrow P in FIGURE 1, and at the same time the table '11 is further lowered, as indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 3, so as to obviate any injury to the surface of the wire.

As soon as the coils of wire 12 have been compressed far enough, they are provided with a comm-on binding, which extends either along two opposite sides and transversely over the external surface of the bundle, this arrangement not being shown, or on two opposite sides with one binding 13 each, as shown in FIGURE 4. The binding or lashing 13 consists for instance of a steel band. The pressure jaw 3 is then turned through in the direction of the arrow Q in FIGURE 6, so that the arm 8d assumes the position previously occupied by the arm 8a. It thereby becomes easy to apply two further bindings or lashings 14.

The travelling frame 6 is then retracted in the direction opposite to the arrow P in FIGURE 5, so that the coils of wire connected with one another by the

bindings

13 and 14 then come to lie upon the table 11. After the travelling frame 6 has been moved to its outermost position, the table 11 is again brought into the position which it had in FIGURE 1, so that the coils of wire 12, now bound together into a bundle, can be raised again by the lifting apparatus.

The arrangement of the constructional example comprises an ejector 15, the ram 15a of which can be hydrau lically advanced, and can press laterally against the bundle of wire raised by the table 11, in such a way that the bundle of wire is rolled off the table 11.

An essential feature of the invention is the rotatability of the pressure jaws, which renders it possible to provide more than two bindings or lashings in a simple manner for each bundle.

Thewire-binding press illustrated in FIGURES 7-14 consists essentially of a frame 20, with a track 21 (FIG- URE 10) for a carriage 22, and a hydraulic power unit 23, which operates, by way of a number of pipes upon various pistons, which are guided in cylinders, and are connected with levers.

This wire-binding press operates in the following manner:

Upon the switch 25 (FIGURE 13) being closed, the motor 26 drives the pressure-medium pump 24. This pump sucks pressure fluid, oil for example, out of the sump 27, and forces it into the pipe 28. To this pipe 28 is connected a safety valve 29, which limits the oil to a maximum pressure by gauge of 140 atmospheres. The pressure fluid flows out from the pipe 28, through a reversing valve 30, which passes the pressure oil back directly into the oil sump 27 if it is not taken off by the further consumers. After passing the reversing valve 30 the pressure oil is supplied through the pipe 31 to the consumers. For this purpose the reversing valves 32 and 33 are connected with the pipe 31. The reversing valve 33, upon the machine being switched on, stands in the position shown in FIGURE 13, while the reversing valve 32 has been thrown over to through-flow by a pressure relay or watcher 35 and the magnet M8. The storage vessel 34, holding about 30 liters, is now filled by way of the pipe 38. After reaching a predetermined. gauge pressure, for instance 70 atmospheres, the flow of current to the magnet MS is interrupted by the pressure-watcher 35. A spring impels the pressure slide of the reversing valve 32 back into the position shown. The safety valve 36 limits the pressure, to 30 atmospheres, for example, if the pressure-watcher 35, owing to a fault, fails to shut off the supply of pressure fluid through the reversing valve 32. A pressure gauge 37 connected with the pipe 38 indicates the pressure of the fluid therein, which is also the pressure prevailing in the storage vessel 34. The pressure in the pipe 31 is shown by the pressure gauge 82.

In the initial position for putting in the coils of wire to be compressed, the table 40 is in its uppermost position (FIGURE 9). Means such as a spike-lift stacker, not shown, lays a number of loose wire bundles on the table 40.

By pressing the push-button Drl (FIGURE 14) the relay R1 is subjected to voltage (24 volts for instance),

'and actuates the associated switch r1, which, by way of the relay R2, r2, closes a circuit which includes the magnet M2. This magnet M2 actuates the reversing valve 41 (FIGURE 13), so that by way of the pipe 42, the throttle 43 and the

pipes

44 and 45, the piston 46 is displaced in the hydraulic cylinder 47, and therefore the table 40 is lowered. In the valve 41 the control slide is for this purpose displaced downwards, so that the slide member 48 connects the pipes 44 and with one another, and also the

pipes

50 and 51. By the pipe 51 the pressure fluid flowing back out of the cylinder 47 is admitted to the general sump 27.

The table 40 (FIGURE 7) is raised and lowered by means of the hydraulic cylinder 47, the piston 46, the bellcrank levers 52 and 53, and the connecting rod 54. The combined levers 52 and 53 are for this purpose pivotally supported in the frame 24) by the

bearings

55 and 56. By the double joint 58 the piston rod 57 and the connecting-rod 54 are connected with the lower arm of the bellcrank lever 52. The joint 59 connects the connecting-rod 54 with the lower arm of the bell-crank lever 53. By the joints 60 and 61 the upper arms of the bell-crank

levers

52 and 53 are connected with the table 46.

After the pressing of the push-button Drl, and after the electrical and hydraulic switching operations described above, the table 40 descends until a switch cam 62 (FIG- URE 7) on the switch rod 64 actuates a switch 63, and thereby opens the switch S1 (FIGURE 14). The relay R2, r2 is thereby released, so that the magnet M2 is deenergised. In the reversing valve 41 (FIGURE 13) the control slide is returned by a spring into the mid position. The switch cam 62 is so arranged that the table holds, if the coils of wire 70, arranged as shown in chain-dotted lines, are standing in the middle of the

press spiders

67 and 68.

By the switch 63 and the switch cam 62 the switch contact S2 (FIGURE 14) is at the same time closed. The relay R3, r3 is thereby actuated, as well as R11, and the magnet M1 pulls up. The pull magnet M1 displaces the control slide in the reversing valve 33, in such a way that the sliding member 71 connects the

pipes

31 and 72 with one another, and also the

pipes

74 and 73, and the pressure medium flows into the

cylinders

75 and 76 and displaces the

pistons

77 and 78, as a result of which the lefthand press spider 68 (FIGURE 7), with the carriage 22, is moved towards the right-hand press spider 67. Thus, the bundles of wire placed between the press spiders are compressed. The compression pressure required for this purpose is provided by the pressure-fluid pump 24, which is capable of raising the pressure up to the point at which the safety valve 29 responds, to 140 atmospheres, for instance. To the pipe 72 is connected a pipe 83, and to the latter a storage vessel 84, as well as the pressure watchers D1 and D2. The pressure watcher D1, upon a pressure of 70 atmospheres for instance, being exceeded, closes the switch contact d1 (FIGURE 14), so that the magnet M2 pulls up again. Since the pressure of 70 atmospheres for instance is large enough, the table 41) is now lowered further, until it reaches its lowest position, in order to hold fast the wire lashings 70 between the

pressure spiders

67 and 68. Upon the arrival of the table in its lowest position a switch cam 69 on the switch rod 64 can release the contact r 1. It is however also possible to hold the table fast in its lowest position under pressure, and to close the contact Dr3/ 4 subsequently by pressing the push-button Dr3, so that the relay R4 responds, and the contact r4/2 is closed and the contact r4/1 is opened. In the further course of the operations the contact r4/1 is closed again by opening the contact S11. The pressure in the

cylinders

75 and 76 is meanwhile raised further until the pressure-watcher D2 responds, at 100 atmospheres, for example, and releases the switch contact d2, so that the magnet M1 is tie-energised, and the controlling slide-valve of the reversing valve 33 returns by spring force into its original position. The pressure at the

pressure spiders

67 and 68 is maintained, since the leakage losses are compensated for by the storage 84.

While the pressure spiders are compressing the bundles of wire, a binding is effected with a suitable steel band on each side of the wire-las hing press. Thereupon the pushbutton D12 is pressed.

By pressing the push-button Dr2 a relay R5, r5 is actuated, and one of the magnets, M3 or M4 is energised. The magnet M3 is energised if the switch contact S3 is closed, whereas the magnet M4 is energised if the switch contact S4 is closed. The switch contacts S3 and S4 are connected with a slide-switch, which is reversed shortly before the pressure spider reaches its end position. Such a slide-switch is preferably mounted on the right-hand bearing block 66. As shown in FIGURE 14, the magnet M4 pulls up, and brings the controlling slide of the reversing valve 39 into the position shown in FIGURE 13. The piston 79 is thereby displaced in the cylinder 86. The piston rod 81 is connected with the lever 85 (FIGURE 11), which is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 86. The

pressure spiders

67 and 68 compressing the wire bundles are turned through about by the displacement of the piston 79. To maintain this angular adjustment a notched disc 87 and a spring-controlled latch 88 are provided on the left-hand bearing block 65 (FIG- URES 7 and 12).

The notched disc 87 is mounted fast upon a shaft a, carrying the left-hand spider 68, and by this shaft is positively connected with the spider. On its periphery the disc 87 has two arcuate recesses or notches b spaced 90 apart, for engaging a roller c rotatably mounted on the latch 88, which is slidab'ly guided in the associated bearing block 65. The radius of curvature of each of the arcuate recesses b is equal to the radius of curvature of the roller 0. The latch 83 is loaded by a spring d, which constantly urges the roller c against the disc 87, so that by engaging the roller 0 in one or other of the recesses b it accurately adjusts the spider 68 in one of two predetermined angular positions.

The next two bindings are now established, for which purpose steel strip, for instance Signode band or wire, may likewise advantageously be employed.

After these four bindings have been carried out, the push-button D23 is pressed, whereby at the same time the contacts Dr3/1 and Dr3/4 are closed, and the contacts Dr3/ 2 and Dr3/ 3 are opened. By the closing of the contact Dr3/1 the relay R6, r6 is actuated, and the magnets M6 and M5 pull up. The magnet M5 displaces the controlling slide of the reversing value 41 (FIGURE 13), so that the

pipes

44 and 50 are connected with one another, and also the

pipes

45 and 51. The table 40 is thereby raised out of its lowest position, so as to support the finished wire bundles. At the same time the left-hand pressure spider 68 is returned towards the left (FIGURE 7) into its initial position, 'by the magnet M6 pulling up and the controlling slide of the reversing valve 33, and by the difference between the forces acting upon the two ends of the

pistons

77 and 78. Hence the pres sure fluid is passed out of the left-hand portions of the

cylinders

75 and 76, through the pipe 72, the slide-valve member 90 of the hydraulic reversingvalve 33 and the pipe 74, into the other sides of the

cylinders

75 and 76. Since no piston rods are provided in the cylinders on this side, the pressure fluid can expand, so that a fall of pressure occurs, which is partly compensated for by the storage 84. The contact d1 is therefore re-opened by the pressure-watcher D1.

This return of the left-hand pressure spider 68 is effected more rapidly than the rise of the table 40, since the pressure fluid, before entering the pipe 44, has to pass a throttle valve 43. Accordingly, upon the pressure spider 68 reaching its end position, first the contacts S6 and S11 are released, and then, upon the arrival of the table 40 in the mid position, the contact S5 is opened by the cam 62 on the switch rod 64 and the switch 63. The circuit with the magnets M5 and M6 is thereby deenergised, so that the controlling slides of the reversing switches (or valves) 33 and 41 return to their zero positions.

The table is held in the position such that the bundles of wire 70, as already described above, are located in the middle of the pressure spiders 67 and 68 (FIGURE With the release of the contact S5, the switch contact S7 is at the same time closed, this being lodged in the switch casing 63. The relay R7, r7 is hereby actuated, and then the relays R8, r8/ 1, r8/ 2, and also R9, r9, and the magnet M7. Now, by the relay R8, the contact 18/1 is opened, and the relay R7, r7 is thus de-energised. In the circuit R9, R8, r8/ 2, the contact Dr3/ 2 takes over the interrupting of the flow of current, and thus the releasing of the self-holding of the relay R8, r8/2, upon the push-button Dr3 being pressed.

The magnet M7 displaces the controlling slide of the reversing valve 91, in such a way that the sliding member 92 connects the

pipes

93 and 95 with one another, and also the

pipes

94 and 96. The pressure fluid from the pipe 93 is hereby forced through the pipe 95 into the

cylinders

97 and 98, so that the

pistons

99 and 100, with the

piston rods

101 and 102, actuate the ejector 103 (FIGURES 8 and 10). The finished wire bundle 70 is thus thrown out on to the discharge track 105 and into the channel 106. From the position shown in FIGURE 10 the wire bundle 107 is transported for shipment with a spike-lift stacker, not shown.

When the ejector 103 arrives in the upper position, the contact S8 (FIGURE 14) is closed by a limit switch, so that the relay R10, r10/ 1, r10/2 is actuated. The contact r10/2 is thus opened, as a result of which the flow of current through the magnet M7 is interrupted, and the controlling slide of the reversing valve 91 (FIGURE 13) goes back under spring pressure into the position there shown. The ejector 103 thereupon returns into its lower position.

The ejector, upon reaching the upper position, actuates a further limit switch, which closes the contact S9 for a short time, and thus allows the magnet M5 to pull up. Now the relay R12, r12 responds, and keeps the magnet M5 under voltage. The magnet M5 displaces the controlling slide of the reversing valve 41, as already described above, and causes the table 40 to travel into its uppermost position, in which a limit switch releases the contact S10, so that the magnet M5 is de-energised, and the controlling slide of the reversing valve 41 goes back into its mid position.

When the contacts S2 and 23 are open, R11 is not under voltage, so that the current relay D3, when the pressure in the branch circuit of the pipes 38 land 42 is too small, switches on the magnet M8 by closing the contact d3, whereby this branch circuit, particularly the storage vessel 34, is recharged. During this charging the relay R13, r13 opens. The current relay D3 terminates the charging operation by releasing the contact d3 and switching off the magnet M8, so that the reversing valve 32 moves into the locked position.

With the contact d3 opened, the contact r13 of the relay R13 is closed. If at the same time the circuit S2, R3, M1, R11 is open, the magnet M9 receives current, and throws over the reversing valve 30 to the other position, in which the pressure fluid flows back directly into the sump 27, and the safety valve 29 is not loaded. As soon as the pressure-watcher D3 responds, or the magnet M1 is switched on, the relay R13 or R11 switches off the magnet M9 by the contacts r13 or r11/2, so that the pressure fluid can be supplied to the consumers through the pipe 31.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches, comprising: two oo-axially arranged rotatable pressure jaw-s facing one another with plane unobstructed radial surfaces, an indexing rotary drive for rotating one of the pressure jaws through a predetermined angle, the second pressure jaw being adapted to rotate in unison with the driven jaw, means for displacing one of the pressure jaws axially to apply pressure to coils of wire placed between the pressure jaws, a table arranged underneath the space between the pressure jaws, means for raising and lowering the table from a mid position, in which coils of wire resting thereon would be substantially co-axia-l with the rotatable pressure jaws, into positions above and below the said mid position, and a sensing switch for controlling and checking the adjustment of the table in its lmid position.

2. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 1, the pressure jaws being formed by spiders having arms arranged crosswise, the arms, when in any adjusted position, being inclined in such a way that the table, when extending longitudinally beyond either of the pressure jaws, can ascend between the inclined arms.

3. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 1, the means for displacing one of the pressure jaws including a first piston andcylinder unit, the means for raising and lowering the table including a second piston-and-cylinder unit, and the apparatus further comprising: means for supplying pressure fluid to the said first piston-and-cylinder unit when the table is in its mid position, and pressure-controlled means for diverting part of the pressure fluid to the said second piston-and-cylinder unit to lower the table when about half the maximum compression of the coils of wire is achieved.

4. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 1, further comprising automatic actuating devices for initiating and controlling the following operations in succession: lowering the table from an upper position to the mid position, holding the table in the mid position, displacing the movable pressure jaw towards the other pressure jaw, and lowering the table from the midposition as soon as the pressure jaws have effectively gripped the coils of wire placed between them.

5. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 4, the said automatic actuating devices being electro-hydraulically operated.

'6. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a pressurewatcher for measuring the pressure exerted by the pressure jaws, this pressure-watcher being adapted to initiate the lowering of the table out of the midspo-sition as soon as the pressure exerted has reached a predetermined fraction of the maximum pressure contemplated.

7. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into buncihes as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means for controlling simultaneously the axial retraction of the displaceable pressure jaw and the raising of the table from its lowered position into its mid position.

8. Apparatus for compressing coils of Wire into bunches as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ejector adapted to exert 'a thrust against one side of a bunch of coils of wire resting on the table when the table is in its mid-position, thereby rolling the bunch off the table.

9. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an inclined dis charge track on to which the ejector pushes the completed bunches, and a reception channel adapted to receive the completed bunches from the discharge track.

10. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 1, further comprising pressure fluid cylinders arranged underneath the table and extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the pressure jaws and pistons slidable in the said cylinders for axially displacing the di-splaceable pressure jaw and for raising and lowering the table.

11. Apparatus for compressing coils of wire into bunches as claimed in claim 10, further comprising bel-lcrank levers connecting the table with at least one of the said pistons.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,822,086 2/1958 Franks.

2,883,925 4/1959 Pritchard et a l. 100-1 2,901,966 9/1959 Bocher 10012 2,920,555 1/1960 Sherriff 100-214 2,930,313 3/1960 Bocher 100-3 3,129,658 4/1964 Valente 100218 3,195,444 7/1965 McLean l007 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,049,294 1/ 1959 Germany.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

BILLY J. WILHITE, Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING COILS OF WIRE INTO BUNCHES, COMPRISING: TWO CO-AXIALLY ARRANGED ROTATABLE PRESSURE JAWS FACING ONE ANOTHER WITH PLANE UNOBSTRUCTED RADIAL SURFACES, AN INDEXING ROTARY DRIVE FOR ROTATING ONE OF THE PRESSURE JAWS THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ANGLE, THE SECOND PRESSURE JAW BEING ADAPTED TO ROTATE IN UNISON WITH THE DRIVEN JAW, MEANS FOR DISPLACING ONE OF THE PRESSURE JAWS AXIALLY TO APPLY PRESSURE TO COILS OF WIRE PLACED BETWEEN THE PRESSURE JAWS, A TABLE ARRANGED UNDERNEATH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE PRESSURE JAWS, MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE TABLE FROM A MID POSITION, IN WHICH COILS OF WIRE RESTING THEREON WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY CO-AXIAL WITH THE ROTATABLE PRESSURE JAWS, INTO POSITIONS ABOVE AND BELOW THE SAID MID POSITION, AND A SENSING SWITCH FOR CONTROLLING AND CHECKING THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE TABLE IN ITS MID POSITION.