US3376722A - Wire guide having fluid supply means - Google Patents

Description

April 9, 1968 F. c. HOLMES 3,375,722

WIRE GUIDE HAVING FLUID SUPPLY MEANS Filed July 28, 1964 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U m *3 INVENTOR {I I 7 BY N y IHH HW' I 7 WM,

A ril 9, 1968 F. C. HOLMES WIRE GUIDE HAVING FLUID SUPPLY MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1964 INVENTOR. ZWJZW United States Patent O 3,376,722 WIRE GUIDE HAVIN FLUID SUPPLY MEANS Frank C. Holmes, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to The US. Baird Corporation, Stratford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed July 28, 1964, Ser. No. 385,712 11 Claims. (Cl. 72-43) In US. Patent 3,025,889 which issued Mar. 20, 1962 to Murray G. Clay there is disclosed a wire forming machine for forming wire into preselected shapes such as springs. As disclosed in that patent, a strand of wire is passed by means of feed rolls into the end of a wire guide (or qui1l). Upon emerging from the quill, the wire is acted upon by wire forming tools in accordance with a predetermined sequence to form the spring or other acticle desired. The tolerance between the outer diameter of the wire and the inner diameter of the quill passage is quite small. This has created certain problems. For example, when forming certain types of coated wire, for

example, wire which has been tinned or cadmium coated,

flakes of the coating are often dislodged during passage through the quill. These flakes are apt to jam or clog the wire passage and sometimes reduce the clearance between the wire and the wall of the passage until passage of the wire is completely restricted. A second problem is that friction of the wire through the passage results in heating of'the wire. This results in size variations and makes it diflicult to form objects, such as springs, which require close tolerances. In addition to the above listed difliculties, it is often desired to color the wire for purposes of coding, decoration, or protection. Also, it may often be desirable to introduce a lubricant into the quill to expedite passage of the wire and its manipulation by the forming tools.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved wire quill particularly suited for a wire forming machine. Other objects are to provide such a quill which includes provisions for dislodg-ing particles of foreign material from the wire passage; for coloring the wire; for lubricating the wire; and for readily cleaning and flushing the quill. Other objects, features,

and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, the appended claims, and the figures of the attached drawing, wherein:

I FIG. 1 is a front view of a wire forming machine equipped with the improved quill of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the machine of FIG. 1, non-essential portions being broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the machine ofFIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating the quill'of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 shows two elements comprising part of the .quill of this invention, separated to illustrate details of their construction.

.The objects of this invention are achieved in a general sense by providinga quill having a wire passage therethrough and a fluid passage communicating with the wire passage.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a wire forming machine 10 which is adapted to form a length of wire W into a predetermined configuration, such as that of a coiled tension spring. The machine comprises a face slanted reservoir 70 3,376,722 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 the referenced patent and need not be further described herein.

The wire W initially passes through felt or other suitable material 26; if desired, material 26 may be oil soaked waste or the like to lubricate the wire at this time. It then passes around a first feed roll 28 which cooperates with a second feed roll 30 to grip the wire and feed it into the rear end of a quill 32 constiucted in accordance with this invention. The mounting of quill 32 and its relationship to the face plate 12 and wire forming tools T, T is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The face plate 12 is provided with a raised boss 34. Both the face plate 12 and the boss define a threaded opening into which is screwed a split tube 36. Tube 36 includes a slit opening 38 extending along a portion of its length. The quill 32 is slid into split tube 36 and a clamping nut 40 is screwed onto the end of tube 36' so as to compress the tube and tightly grip the quill.

The quill 32 of this invention is made up of four distinct parts, which are clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3-6. These parts include a main body portion 42 which is essentially tubular in shape. The rear end of body 42 is provided with a taper 44 on opposite sides which enable it to fit between the feed rolls 28, 30. Body 42 has an enlarged bore 46 extending inwardly a short distance from its forward end and communicating with a small bore 48 extending to the rear of main body 42. The juncture between the small and large bores forms an annular shoulder 50.

A wire-forming end piece 52 is seated against the shoulder 50. One end of the end piece 52 is cylindrical in shape so as to fit snugly within the large bore 46. The other end is flattened to provide working space for the tools T, T. End piece 52 includes an inner passage 54 for receiving the wire W and feeding it to the tools.

The small bore 48 encloses a core C made up of a pair of matching semi-cylindrical half cores 56, 58 which are illustrated in FIG. 6. Each of half cores 56, 58 is provided with a curved taper 60 at its wire receiving end so as to fit closely between the Wire feed rolls 28, 30, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The flat inner side of each of half cores 56, 58 is provided with a semi-cylindrical groove 62 which, when mated, form a close fitting elongated substantially uniform diameter continuous wire passage through the center of core C. Along the mating edges of one side of each of the half cores 56, 58 there is provided a chamfer 64 which extends along the major portion of its length but terminates short of the wire receiving end. Chamfers 64 cooperate to form an axially extending V shaped groove 66 along the outer'surface of core C which is disposed wholly within the region enclosed by the main body 42. The inner end of each of the half cores 56, 58 is cut away as at 68 to form a radially extending which communicates with the wire passage formed by the grooves 62.

A transverse opening 71 in the rear end of body 42 receives a fluid inlet line 72 and communicates with bore '48. As will be seen by reference to FIGS. land 2, the

fluid inlet line 72 is connected by means of a T 74 and a line 76 through a metering valve 78 to the fluid outlet 80 of a fluid supply tank 82. The top of supply tank 82 is connected through a T 84 and a petcock 86 to a discharge line 88. T '84 is connected by means of line 90 to another T 92. T 92 and 74 are interconnected by Several modes of operation may be employed with the apparatus of this invention. For example, it has been set forth in the above objects that one problem which the invention is designed to overcome is that of jamming of the wire due to flakes of coating which clog the wire passage in the quill. It has also been stated that it may be desired to provide means for cooling the wire passing through the quill so that it may be formed at a lower temperature. Both these objects may be achieved by passing air through the quill. When this mode alone is employed, the supply line 98 is capped and metering valve 78 and petcock 86 are closed. Air under pressure is then admitted to the system through the metering valve 96 and flows through lines 94 and 72 to the quill illustrated in FIGS. 36. As will be seen from these figures, the air which enters the quill from fluid supply line 72 passes through opening 71 and into the axial groove 66. Air travels along the groove 66, entering reservoir 70, and then passes into the inner passage 54 in end piece 52 and the wire passage formed by grooves 62 around wire W. The air moving under pressure agitates and loosens any foreign matter, such as flakes of coating material, in the wire passage, and the mechanical motion of the wire carries these loosened flakes out of the quill. At the same time, the air cools the wire W, thus achieving two of the objectives of this invention.

An alternative method of operation of the invention is to add a second fluid to the air being fed to the quill. The second fluid may be, for example, a liquid color, such as paint or dye, a lubricant or a liquid coolant. The second fluid may be stored in supply tank 82. Proper adjustment of the metering valve 78 permits the liquid second fluid to flow from tank 82 through line 76 and to become entrained in the air passing into fluid inlet line 72. The second fluid flows into the quill by the same route previously described. It will also be noted that the configuration of the cutaway portions 68 which define the reservoir 70 provide a pool of the second fluid at this location, through which the Wire W passes. Thus, the wire becomes evenly coated as it passes into the end piece 52.

The entire piping system and the quill may be easily cleaned by introducing a suitable solvent into supply line 98. With valve 78 shut off, the solvent is forced through the line 72 and the quill by the pressure of air from metering valve 96.

It will be apparent that the objects of this invention are admirably achieved by the apparatus which has been herein described. It will also be apparent that a number of variations and modifications may be made in the apparatus of the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. For example, a conventional spray gun mixing device may be substituted for the mixing valve arrangement described. Further, the term fluid is intended to encompass liquids and other fluid materials, such as gases and powdered solid materials. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative only rather than limiting. This invention is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A quill for a wire forming machine which comprises: wire guide means defining an elongated, substantially uniform diameter continuous wire passage therethrough and a fluid passage communicating with said wire passage for introducing a fluid therein.

2. A quill for a wire forming machine which comprises: a sleeve having a first end and a second end; a wire forming end piece contained partially within said sleeve and extending from a first end thereof, said end piece defining a first wire passage therethrough; and a core member positioned within said sleeve including first and second ends, the first end of said core being in substantially abutting relationship with said end piece, the second end of said core extending from the second end of said sleeve, said core defining an elongated substantially uniform diameter continuous second wire passage from its second end to its first end, said first and second wire passages being aligned, said core defining a fluid passage communicating with said first and second wire passages.

3. The quill of claim 2 wherein said fluid passage communicates with said wire passage at the abutting ends of said end piece and core.

4. The quill of claim 2 wherein said core is substantially cylindrical, wherein said wire passage is axial of said core, and wherein said fluid passage is formed between the outer surface of said core and the inner surface of said sleeve.

5. The quill of claim 2 wherein said core comprises first and second semi-cylindrical portions, said second wire passage and said fluid passage being partially formed by each of said portions.

6. A quill for a wire forming machine which comprises: a tubular sleeve having a first end and a second end; a wire forming end piece contained partially within said sleeve and extending from the first end thereof, said end piece defining a first wire passage therethrough; first and second semi-cylindrical core members positioned within said sleeve and forming a cylindrical core having a first end abutting said end piece and a second end extending from the second end of said sleeve, the flat sides of said core members defining an elongated substantially uniform diameter continuous second wire passage axially of said core and aligned with said first wire passage and further defining a fluid passage along the surface of said core parallel to said second wire passage, the first end of said core being cut away to form a fluid reservoir between said wire passage and said fluid passage; and fluid supply inlet means connected to supply fluid to said fluid passage.

7. A wire forming machine which comprises: wire forming tool means selectively positionable to form a wire fed thereto; a quill positioned to guide a wire to said tool means defining an elongated substantial-1y uniform diameter continuous wire passage therethrough and a fluid passage communicating with said wire passage; fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to said fluid passage; and wire feed means arranged to feed a wire through said quill.

8. The machine of claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means supplies compressed air.

9. The machine of claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means supplies a liquid.

10. The machine of claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means supplies a lubricant.

11. The machine of claim 7 wherein said fluid supply means supplies a coloring agent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,026,103 5/1912 Moor 72---1 8 1,896,674 2/1933 Longwell 72--41 1,953,502 4/1934 Reimers 72-41 2,203,751 6/ 1940 Simons 72-45 2,909,209 10/1959 Ciccone et a1. 7243 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. HERBST, Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A QUILL FOR A WIRE FORMING MACHINE WHICH COMPRISES: WIRE GUIDE MEANS DEFINING AN ELONGATED, SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DIAMETER CONTINUOUS WIRE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND A FLUID PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID WIRE PASSAGE FOR INTRODUCING A FLUID THEREIN.

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