US3462993A - Machine for the drawing of superfine wire - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26. 1969 J. v. @GRADY 3,462,993

MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING OF SUPERFINE WIRE Filed July 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

g- 1969 J. v. OGRADY 3,462,993

MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING OF SUPERF'INE WIRE Filed July 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR JOSEPH v. O'GRADY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,462,993 MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING 0F SUPERFINE WIRE Joseph V. OGrady, Locust, N.J., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Perth Amboy, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 29, 1966, Ser. No. 568,867 Int. Cl. BZlc 1/08 US. Cl. 72-289 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire drawing machine of the step-cone type having two capstan shafts and a capstan roller shaft, the capstans of each capstan shaft comprising a series of capstans of increasing diameters fixed to the shaft, the increase in diameter of a successive capstan relative to a preceding capstan being proportioned in the usual manner to care for wire elongation resulting in drawing the wire to a smaller cross-sectional area equal to a standard gauge-size (e.g., B & S gauge) reduction and the capstans of the second capstan shaft being of increasing diameters such that the capstans of the second shaft operate at peripheral speeds relative to corresponding capstans of the first shaft which care for elongations corresponding to fractional gauge-size reductions whereby by selectively placing dies between successive capstans of the first shaft, the wire first also passing over a roller of the capstan roller shaft, full gauge-size reductions are made, and by selectively placing fractional gauge dies between corresponding capstans of the first and second capstan shafts and complemental fractional gauge-size dies between the second and first capstan shafts, fractional reductions equal to a full gauge-size reduction occur. The three shafts are preferably arranged in a triangular formation and the complemental fractions of gauge-size reduction are preferably one-half.

The present invention relates to wire-drawing machines and particularly to wire-drawing machines of the type in which a plurality of capstans of different diameters are mounted on each of the capstan shafts, such a machine being commonly known as a step-cone wire-drawing machine.

Conventional machines of the step-cone type include two or more capstan shafts in horizontal or vertical array, the speed of the shafts and the sizes of the step cones being selected to coincide with the increased length of the wire as the wire is progressively reduced in crosssectional area.

As will be obvious, once the desired reductions have been determined, the capstan diameters must be commensurate with the wire elongation produced during each stage of reduction, since the shaft speed is the same for all capstans of the set.

Ordinarily, the capstans of the drawing shaft would be so related to each other in diameter as to produce the same amount of reduction in each stage, and most frequently this amount is that for a full B & S gauge size (the cross-sectional area of one gauge size is 20.5% less than that of the preceding size).

It is often desirable to use a single machine for drawing wire both to finished sizes larges than B & S gauge 45 and to sizes smaller than this gauge. However, in drawing to smaller than B & S gauge 45, it is preferable that the reductions below this gauge be taken in halfgauge size steps, since otherwise undue breakages are apt to occur.

As it seen firom the above discussion, a machine of the step-cone type is not adapted to these two types of Patented Aug. 26, 1969 use, since the capstans of a shaft cannot have diameter ratios to satisfy both the one-step reduction per stage throughout and diameter ratios to satisfy some stages of one-step reduction and other stages of one-half step reduction.

By the present invention a shaft is added preferably having the same number of stepped capstans as the remaining capstan shafts, the shaft being arranged so that the wire is drawn through dies effecting an area reduction equal to one gauge number until gauge 44 is reached and thereafter the wire is drawn through dies for half-size reductions from size 44 down to whatever size is desired. This is accomplished by driving the added step capstan shaft at a speed which is correlated with the half B & S size reductions.

It is an object of the invention to provide a wiredrawing machine of the step-cone type which will efficiently produce very fine wire.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a wire-drawing machine wherein full B & S size reductions occur through each of the dies in the early stages of the drawing operation and less-than-full size reductions occur in the later stages.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wiredrawing machine as indicated wherein by the addition of a single shaft having step capstans corresponding to the stepped capstans of the final stage of the machine but operating at a different speed, the wire may be drawn through half-gauge, or other reduced area reductions on some of the capstans of the stage without necessitating that all reductions in the dies associated with the capstans of the stage be of the like degree.

It is a still further object of the invention to accomplish the result indicated above by simple means consisting essentially of adding a capstan shaft having a set of capstans of the same respective diameters as the capstans of the final drawing shaft, the added shaft being driven at a speed correlated to the half-gauge reductions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a step cone or capstan drawing machine capable of providing a final product of either full or one-half B & S gauge sizes.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the appended drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a drawing machine in accordance with my invention showing in a somewhat schematic manner the arrangement of two sets of stepped capstans together with the necessary dies and die holders and;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the capstans appearing at the center in FIGURE 1 showing partcularly the wire path for drawing wire to a specific size. In FIGURE 2 the dies and die holders have been omitted in order that the path of the wire be clear.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1 there are shown at the left of that figure, two capstan shafts 10 and 11 having stepped capstans 12 and 13 mounted thereon. Each stepped capstan comprises siX individual capstans having diameters indicated as a, b, c, d, e and f.

In the usual manner the capstans having the same letter are of the same diameter and likewise in the usual manner the shaft 13 rotates at a speed increased over that of capstan shaft 10 to the same extent that the wire is elongated in drawing it so that its reduction in area is the reduction between two B & S wire sizes.

Mounted in the path of wire to capstan 10a is a die 14- and mounted in the path of wire extending between capstan 12 and capstan 13 is a plurality of dies designated 3 15a to 15]. The dies 15a through 15 are mounted in die holders 16 and 17 in two groups.

The capstan a is a drawing capstan and draws the wire through die 14 to produce the first reduction. The remaining capstans of capstan 12 are essentially not capstans at all but merely pulleys. All of the capstans 13a through are drawing capstans, each serving to draw the wire through a corresponding die and to cause a full B & S size reduction as this occurs.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art the path of the wire is through die 14, thence around capstan 10a, through die 15a, one and one-half turns around capstan 13a, back to capstan 1011, a half turn about that capstan, then back to die 15b, to capstan 13b, thence one and one-half turns around that capstan back to capstan 10b, and so on until the wire passes through die 15], is wrapped approximately one and on-half turns about capstan 13 and thence passes to a single die 18 mounted in the die holder 20.

During the passage about the capstans 12 and 13 as indicated a wire will in the particular arrangement being described be reduced six full B & S sizes. The arrangement thus far described is conventional and has been described primarily to contrast this arrangement with the arrangement of the succeeding stage which incorporates my invention.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a second pair of capstan shafts 21 and 22 is provided. Each of these capstan shafts has a respective capstan 23 and 24 mounted thereon, the capstans 23 and 24 being composed of six individual capstans a to f, the a capstans having the same diameters, as do the remaining similarly lettered capstans.

Capstan shaft 22 is driven at a speed greater than the speed of capstan shaft 21 by an amount such that the peripheral speed of the individual capstan relative to the speed of the corresponding capstan of the capstan 23 is equal to the elongation of the wire through one B & S size reduction.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an additional capstan shaft 25 which is arranged in a triangular formation as respects shafts 21 and 22. Mounted on the shaft 25 is a capstan 26 which is also comprised of six individual capstans a through 7" corresponding in diameter with the correspondingly lettered individual capstan of the capstans 23 and 24.

Mounted in position to cooperate with the upper reaches of the wire passing from capstan 23 to capstan 24 are dies 27 and 28 mounted in die holders 30 and 31 respectively. The dies in holders 30 and 31 are designed to produce one full B & S size reduction.

Mounted to cooperate with the reaches of wire extending from capstan 23 to capstan 25 are die holders 32 and 33 in which dies 34 and 35 are mounted. These dies are such as to produce one-half of a B & S size reduction. In a similar manner dies 36 and 37 are mounted in die holders 38 and 40 respectively in the path of reaches of wire extending between capstan 26 and capstan 24, these dies likewise being such as to produce one-half of a full B & S size reduction. Mounted within the housing 41 are two die holders 42 and 43.

Mounted in the die holder 42 is a die 44 which, although of an exact B & S size number, is one-half B & S size smaller than the preceding die as will appear later Mounted in the die holder 43 are two dies 45 and 46. One of these dies is a one-half size die, that is, is of a B & S number ending with /2 and the other is of an even B & S number and is utilized when the machine is drawing full wire sizes only, that is, when capstan 24 is being utilized and capstan 26 is not.

Mounted outside the housing 41 are two capstan shafts 47 and 48. Mounted on shaft 47 is a single capstan 50 having a diameter the same as the diameter of the capstan 26f, capstan shaft 47 being driven at a speed above that of capstan shaft 25 such that a one-half size elongation is cared for.

Mounted on capstan shaft 48 are two capstan 51 and 52. Capstan 51 has a diameter such that it will be satisfied by one-half gauge reduction, while capstan 52 has the same diameter as capstan 24f.

Capstan shaft 48 is driven at a speed corresponding to an elongation of one full gauge as respects the speed of capstan shaft 22 when finish capstan 52 is utilized; and at the same time is equivalent to one-half gauge reduction when finish capstan 51 is utilized. Thus when not utilizing capstan 26 the wire passes directly from the capstan 24 to the capstan 52 whereas when utilizing capstan 26 the wire passes from the largest used capstan 24 to the capstan 51. (It should be noted that in FIGURE 2 the capstans 50 and 51, 52 are shown out of vertical alignment whereas in FIGURE 1 they are shown in vertical alignment. The reason for this is to better illustrate the operation with respect to FIG- URE 2.)

From what has been said hereinabove it will be realized that by utilizing the arrangement of the present invention it is entirely possible to draw to finish sizes which are either a full B & S gauge number or one-half B & S gauge number. In order that this may be made clear a description of each operation will be given. In each instance it is assumed that the wire entering die 18 is number 39 B & S wire. In the first instance the drawing of this wire to size 46 will be considered and in the second instance the drawing of the same wire to size 46% will be considered.

The size 39 wire is reduced in die 18 to size 40 and then passes about capstan 23a for one and one-half turns approximately and thence passes through a size 41 die and Wraps about the capstan 24a.

Thence the wire passes over capstan 23b and through a die designated 27 of size 42 thencewraps about the capstan 24b and passes over capstan 23c. The wire next goes through a die of size 43 of the set designated 27 and wraps around capstan 24c. Thereafter the wire passes over capstan 23d through a die of gauge 44 of the set of dies designated 27 and thence wraps about capstan 24d and passes over capstan 23e. The wire then goes through a die 35 which is a B & S size 44 /2 die and wraps about capstan 26c from whence the wire passes through a die 36 of size 45 B & S and wraps about the capstan 246.

From capstan 24e the wire passes over capstan 23f thence through a second die of the die set 35 which die is of size 45 /2 B & S and thence wraps about capstan 26 and passes through die 44 which is of B & S size 46 and thence to the finishing capstan 50. It will be seen that by the use of nine dies the wire has been reduced from size 39 to size 46 while at the same time no reductions of greater than half size have taken place from size 44 to 46.

The result of this arrangement is that the finer sizes can be drawn efiiciently without danger of breaking while at the same time materially reducing the number of dies over the number which would be required if the speeds of the shafts 23 and 24 relative to each other were adjusted so as to make a half size reduction at each pass of the wire between these capstans. Additionally, as was mentioned and as will be brought out in the following description it is entirely possible to draw wires to half B & S sizes on the same machine without modifying any of the shaft speeds.

If it is desired to draw number 39 wire down to size 46 /2 the same procedure will be followed as has just been described except that the wire instead of passing from capstan 26 to die 44 will pass from that capstan to a die 37 which is B & S size 46 and will thence wrap around capstan 24f and pass through die 45 which is of B & S size 46 /2 and then to capstan 51, the diameter and speed of which are, as has been stated, such that it will be satisfied by onehalf gauge reduction. It will be noted that the wire has been reduced from 39 B & S gauge to 46% B & S gauge by use of only ten dies.

The examples given above are of course merely typical and many additional size reduction combinations are possible. In each instance in accordance with conventional practice the string-up of the machine is determined by figuring backward from the finishing end and determining the die sizes and their locations in accordance with the pattern desired, giving heed to the fact that half-size reductions are not desirable when the wire is to be finished to a gauge size greater than 44 B & S.

It will be seen that when wire reductions are to be performed ending in a gauge size 44 or greater the stringup will be such as to eliminate the use of the added capstan 26. If it be assumed that it is desirable to draw size 42 wire reducing it from size 35 entering the die 18 the path of the wire would be as follows: through die 18 around capstan 23a through a die of the set 27 of B & S gauge size 36 thence around capstan 24a, about capstan 23b to die 27 of B & S size 37, thence wrapping about capstan 24b passing about capstan 230, through a die of set 27 of B & S size 38, thence wrapping about capstan 24c passing about capstan 23d, through die 27. of B & S size 39 to capstan 24d, wrapping about that capstan and passing over capstan 23a, thence through die 27 of B & S size 40*, wrapping about capstan 24e, passing over capstan 23f and thence through a die 27 of B & S size 41. Then the wire extends about capstan 241 and passes through die 46 which is of size 42 and thence is wrapped about the final finishing capstan 52. It is to be noted that in this example only seven dies are required to reduce the wire through seven full gauge sizes.

In the past when it was desired to produce reductions in wire through use of one-half gauge size reductions and where the step-capstan or step-cone arrangement was utilized the number of dies utilized even when drawing the larger B & S sizes was materially increased because of the fact that the shafts were driven at speeds corresponding to one-half gauge reductions or some fractional gauge size reductions and could not be available both for one-half and for full reductions.

Utilizing the arrangement of the present invention however, full reductions may be taken through some of the dies and half reductions through others merely by utilization of the added capstan shaft operating at a speed midway between the speed of the two shafts of a pair of shafts.

Frequently, moreover, with the older system two pairs of capstan shafts were utilized, the reductions on one being a proportion of the total gauge size reduction and the reductions on the other being some different proportion of the gauge size reduction. This arrangement also was not efficient since particularly when taking full size reductions and drawing heavier wire, it was necessary to take a larger number of smaller reductions which required a greater number of dies and a much less eflicient operation.

In describing the typical examples hereinabove the reductions through dies associated with the capstan 13 were not considered simply because those reductions in this example are always full B & S size reductions. However, normally the device of my invention would be preceded by a pair of capstans such as 12 and 13 and thus the total reduction through the machine would be increased by seven B & S gauge sizes. As has been indicated and has been conventional practice the setup of the machine is determined by working back from the finishing end and all the drawing capstans are not necessarily utilized. If the number of reductions is less than necessitates the use of all the capstans the wire is entered onto any one of the capstans of the first set which is desirable and proper.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that many variations may be made. For example, only one set of three drawing capstans arranged in a generally triangular formation is preferable in the practice of my invention. Also, the capstans of each stage have been described as comprising a number of capstans corresponding in diameter, the speed of the respective shafts being proportional to the wire elongation; it is entirely possible to provide shafts driven at the same speed the individual corresponding capstans having diameters proportional to the wire elongation. Again, although the examples described in detail provide for only 4 half-size reductions, as many at 12 such reductions may occur.

I wish therefore not to be limited by the foregoing description but on the contrary to be limited solely by the claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire drawing machine of the type having a first capstan shaft and a second capstan shaft, the first capstan shaft having a plurality of capstans mounted thereon for rotation therewith, each capstan having a diameter greater than the preceding capstan to provide a peripheral speed greater than that of the preceding capstan equal to the elongation produced by drawing wire through a die producing an area reduction of one standard gauge size for the material drawn and said second capstan having a series of capstan rollers thereon corresponding to the capstans of the first shaft about which a Wire passes during its progress to a die and to a succeeding capstan of the first shaft, the improvement comprising, in combination, a third capstan shaft having a series of capstans corresponding to the capstans of said first shaft mounted thereon for rotation therewith, each said capstan being of a diameter relative to a corresponding capstan of said first shaft and relative to said third shaft speed to provide a peripheral speed for said third shaft capstans greater than the speeds of the corresponding first shaft capstans by an amount equal to the elongation produced by drawing the wire through a die producing an area reduction of a fraction of the standard gauge-size reduction for the material, means selectively mounting drawing dies producing a full gauge-size reduction in the path of wire from a capstan on said first shaft over a roller capstan of said second shaft to a succeeding capstan on said first shaft, means selectively mounting dies producing a fraction of a full gauge-size reduction in the path of wire from a first shaft capstan over a corresponding roller to a corresponding third shaft capstan and means selectively mounting dies producing a complement of said fraction of a full gauge-size reduction in the path of wire from a third shaft capstan to next successive first shaft capstan whereby wire may be drawn through a desired number of dies producing a full gauge-size area reduction followed by drawing through a series of dies each producing a fraction of a full-size reduction.

2. A wire drawing machine as claimed in cliarn 1 wherein said first, second and third shafts are parallel to each other and are arranged in a generally triangular formation.

3. In a wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, corresponding capstans and capstan rollers of all three shafts having the same diameter, said first shaft rotational speed being greater than the rotational speed of said second shaft by an amount proportional to wire elongation for full gauge-size reductions, said third shaft rotational speed being greater than said first shaft rotational speed by an amount proportional to wire elongation for half gauge-size wire reduction.

4. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fourth shaft is provided having a capstan thereon positioned to draw wire through a die mounted in the path of wire from the largest capstan of said third shaft, said fourth shaft capstan being driven at a peripheral speed greater than that of the third shaft, said increase in speed being proportional to wire elongation equivalent to one-half gauge-size reduction.

5. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein an additional shaft is provided adjacent to said first shaft, said additional sha-ft having a pair of capstans thereon, said capstan diameters being proportioned to produce linear velocities corresponding to wire elongations equivalent to one-half gauge-size reduction and one gauge-size reduction, respectively, and a pair of dies selectively positionable between the largest diameter capstan of said first shaft and one of said capstans of said additional shaft, whereby wire may be drawn through a selected die to produce a one-half gauge-size reduction or a full gauge-size reduction selectively.

6. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fourth shaft is provided having a capstan thereon positioned to draw wire through a die mounted in the path of wire from the largest capstan of said third shaft, said fourth shaft capstan being driven at a peripheral speed greater than that of said third shaft, Said speed difference corresponding to a Wire elongation equivalent to a one-half gauge-size reduction, and wherein a fifth shaft is provided adjacent to said first shaft, said fifth shaft having a pair of capstans thereon, said capstan diameters being proportioned to produce linear velocities corresponding to wire elongations resulting from reductions of one-half gauge-size and one gauge-size, respectively, a pair of dies selectively positionable between the largest diameter capstan of said first shaft and one of said capstans on said fifth shaft whereby wire may be drawn through a plurality of dies to produce an odd number of half gauge-size reductions, an even number of half gauge-size reductions, or a plurality of full gaugesize reductions followed by an odd or even number of half gauge-size reductions.

7. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein respective capstans of said third shaft are of the same diameter as those of said first shaft and wherein said third shaft is driven at an angular speed greater than that of said first shaft by an amount producing peripheral speed differences equal to the elongation produced by one-half standard gauge-size reduction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,946 10/1901 ODonnell 72--289 757,671 4/1904 McMahon 72-289 1,720,676 7/1929 Hosford 72289 RONALD D. GREFE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 72-279, 281

Images