WO1995005906A1 - Method and machines for the production of product consisting of two parallel steel wire-meshes and intermediate panel of insulating material - Google Patents

Abstract

An invention referring to a method for the production of a construction product composed of two parallel steel wire meshes held in position by means of transverse wire spacers and composed of a panel of insulating material placed between steel wire meshes, which method is characterised sequentially by the following: the simultaneous production of the two steel wire meshes, their placement in parallel position to each other and next to the two outer surfaces of the insulating panel, the positioning of the transverse wire spacers between the two steel wire meshes, the welding of the wire spacers' edges on each of the meshes, and the invention refers to a group of machines, operating independently to each other for the production of the above construction product.

Description

METHOD AND MACHINES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PRODUCT

CONSISTING OF TWO PARALLEL STEEL WIRE-MESHES AND

INTERMEDIATE PANEL OF INSULATING MATERIAL

The invention refers to a method for the production of a construction product composed of two parallel steel wire meshes held in position by means of transverse wire spacers and composed of a panel of insulating material placed between the steel wire meshes (Fig. 1) which method is characterised sequentially by the following:

c_r^* The simultaneous production of the two steel wire meshes.

Their placement in parallel position to each other and next to the two outer surfaces of the insulating panel.

<3^* The positioning of the transverse wire spacers between the two steel wire meshes

Φ= The welding of the wire spacers' edges on each of the meshes, and

the invention refers to a group of machines, operating independently to each other for the production of the above construction product, which are characterised in sequence by:

1. A FEEDING MACHINE of ready steel wire meshes, produced by an ordinary machine of production of wire meshes, which is characterised by the rellocation of the wire meshes from the usual horizontal production position to a vertical one and by their placement in pairs and for every pair in parallel position to each other.

2. A WELDING MACHINE of production of steel wire meshes, characterised by the fact that (a) it produces two steel wire meshes simultaneously and (b) the two steel wire meshes are produced directly in vertical position during a parallel synchronised operation of the machine.

3. A MACHINE OF FEEDING of the above welding machine of steel wire mesh production with any (arbitrary) number of longitudinal wires, which is characterised by the utiilisation of only one pay-off wire feeding unit, out of which each longitudinal wire is straightened, cut to the desired length and positioned next and parallel to others according to the desired steel wire mesh configuration.

4. MACHINE OF TRANSPORTATION of two, at each step, transverse wires and of their POSITIONING transversely with respect to the longitudinal wires, into the said welding machine of production of steel wire meshes which is characterised by the easy and automatic adjustment of the distance between the two transverse wire spacers and by the simultaneous translation and positioning of the two transverse wires from the left and the right sides corresponding to the longitude wire mesh configuration.

5. A SYSTEM OF PRESSURE REGULATION applied on the welding electrodes of steel wire mesh welding machines, which is characterised by the insertion between the heads of the moving electrodes and their common translation carrier of hydraulically communicating pistons so that the pressure of liquid inside them remains uniform and is regulated by an independent hydraulic system.

6. A MACHINE of ADVANCING and POSITIONING of spacing and connecting, transversely (with respect to the plane of the two steel wire meshes) steel rods, which is characterised by the straightening and cutting of the steel rods and by advancing them to the space between the two parallel steel wire meshes and the insulating foamy material in-between, so that the wires "penetrate" the insulating material and are temporarily held by it.

7. A MACHINE of WELDING of the steel rods positioned according to the process of machine (6) by their two ends with the two parallel located steel wire meshes, which is characterised by the simultaneous welding of a large number of connecting steel rods by their two edges, while the operation of each machine is synchronised with the operation of the rest of the machines according to the requirements and the said product production speed.

8. A MACHINE of PRODUCTION of MEANDRIC SHAPE of WIRE from coil which, according to an embodiment, is inserted between the two steel wire meshes in the form of spacer for the positioning and supporting of the two meshes at a distance and especially for the case where no insulating material is inserted between them, which is characterised by sequential bends of a part of the wire being trapped between two pins (at each step) while a third pin, located between the previous two ones, rotates having as a center one of the said pins and bends the wire, while at the same time the other pin approaches the first one in a way that the wire is always in contact and the non-elaborated portion of the wire remains on the same straightening axis.

STATE OF THE ART

The state of the art includes:

Methods of production of the said construction product consisting of two parallel wire meshes and the in-between insulating panel. The method of the Italian company REIN (Figure 2) is an example thereof. According to this method, the complete steel wire truss (201) is constructed first and it is composed of the two parallel steel-wire meshes (202), kept at a distance by means of transverse connecting and spacing rods (203). On the process, the steel-wire truss is placed horizontally on a conveyor belt wider than the steel wire truss. During the transportation of the steel wire truss by the conveyor belt (204) first a layer of sand is applied (205) covering the lower of the two steel wire meshes to a specific height and then the layer of the insulating material (206) fabricated on site, is applied on the top of sand layer covering the space between the two meshes. After the fixing of the insulating material, the conveyor belt (204) is set in motion and unloads the steel wire truss (201) to another conveyor belt (207) discharging the sand layer at the gap between the two belts. It remains thus only the steel wire truss (201) and the in- between insulating material (206). The following consist the main disadvantages of above method:

• Bad quality of produced product, uneven height of insulating material, dirty surface of insulating material due to attached sand spots, uneven edges of insulating panel.

• Bad production conditions, mainly due to the application of sand layers and the on-site production of insulating material, that cause pollution inside the production area and contaminate the processed materials with dust and hazardous gases. • High production cost due to the requirement of necessary infrastructure for the production of both the steel wire truss structure and the insulating material.

Concluding, it should be mentioned that it is not known the method which combines the automated production of the two steel wire meshes, the use of ready panels of insulating material and the welding of supporting and spacing steel rods on the steel meshes during the production process as soon as they pass through the insulating material.

Apart from the state of the art which refers to the general method of production of the said product, the state of the art which concerns each one of the machines used for the embodiment of the production method is also mentioned:

1. As far as the feeding machine of ready wire meshes is concerned, it is mentioned that it comprises only a simple mechanism, allowing the use of ready meshes for the product production. No other relevant production method offers the ability of either producing steel-wire meshes for the steel- wire truss or using ready meshes for the production process.

2. With respect to the welding machine for the simultaneous production of two vertically positioned steel wire meshes: All known machines of production of large dimension steel-wire meshes use the horizontal layout for its production. This is dictated by the need of avoiding possible deformation to the wire due to buckling, which would occur if the meshes were placed in vertical position. In order to maintain the straightened form while in vertical position, the wires should be supported in many points, and in addition the supports should not obstruct the advancing and production process of the steel wire mesh. This configuration requires a large area for the installation of the components for the construction of big wire mesh, a fact which consists a main disadvantage. It is worth-noting that there are machines for the production of wire mesh in vertical position, of small dimensions. In this case, the small dimensions of the wires do not create deformations due to buckling on the wires and on the mesh so produced. 3. With respect to the machine feeding the welding machine for the wire mesh production with any (arbitrary) number of longitudinal wires using only one pay¬ off unit: All the machines producing steel wire meshes of large dimensions (used in the construction industry) use for their feeding with longitudinal wires following:

(a) already straightened and cut to the desired length longitudinal wires, which are placed (usually manually) into the respective slots of the welding machine.

(b) a number of pay-off units equal to the number of longitudinal wires which compose the mesh, with similar disadvantages.

The disadvantages in case (a) are long delay for the positioning of the transverse wires and low productivity, and in case (b) extreme complication, high cost and complexity regarding the adjustment and synchronization of the entire machine.

4. With respect to the machine of transportation of two transverse wires at a time and of positioning them in a variable distance for the welding process: The mesh producing machines adjust the distance of transverse wires by adjusting the length of advancing step of the longitudinal wires (i.e. if one transverse wire was to be welded at every welding strike on the longitudinal wires, the length of advancing step of the longitudinal wires at the interval between the two welding strikes might change and, thus, it would regulate the distance between the two transverse wires). However, in the case of machines welding two or more transverse wires at a single welding strike, the adjustment of the distance between every two transverse wires is very difficult and it may usually: a) either be changed at specific distance steps b) or require the manual rellocation and adjustment of the entire feeding group of the two transverse wires both implicating disadvantages.

It is repeated that the present system provides for the easy and automatic (even at every welding strike if needed) adjustment of the distance between two transverse wire spacers.

5. Regarding the System of Regulation of pressure applied by the welding electrodes, usually independent pistons are used for the translation of moving electrodes and for application of pressure by them at each mesh under construction. Modification of the above process consists the utilisation of one single piston (301) for the translation of two electrode heads (302), where the two electrodes are positioned at the two edges of the common carrier (303), which is pressed in the middle by piston (301), where a pin-and-brachet pivoting joint (304) is interferred between connecting piston (301) and carrier (303) of electrodes (302) in order to provide independence in the motion of two electrode heads (Fig. 3).

The disadvantages of above systems are: ^ .Excessive complexity and construction cost.

^ -Excessive complexity in their programming and operation control (especially when pressure adjustment is required at every welding strike).

^ Low reliability due to independent operation of every piston.

®" Requirement of high power, to be exerted by the hydraulic system, for the pistons' translation.

It is reminded that in the present method, all the electrodes are supported by a common rigid carrier, which is moved by only one piston, while small pistons regulate only the pressure of each electrode head.

6. With respect to the machine of advancing and positioning the connecting and spacing rods between the two steel wire meshes and their temporary support by the insulating material, and

7. the machine welding the transverse spacing rods at their ends on the two meshes, as well as

8. the machine of production of wire of meandric shape, no bibliographic data exists on methods similar to the present invention.

As for the state of the art, it is mentioned that the use of the said product for construction purposes is very recent and the reported production methods are not characterised by a highly inventive step, while the majority of the existing machines is not fully automated. The present method and production process is the first fully automated and integrated one for similar product. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A. Production method

The method uses ready-made panels of insulating material (401) of large dimensions, preferably made of foamy insulating material. Examples of such a material are the polystyrene, polyurethane etc. (Rg. 4). The method offers two alternatives concerning the steel wire meshes used in the construction of steel wire truss:

1. The use of ready meshes, already produced by conventional machines that produce large meshes used by the construction industry. In this case, the present method provides the vertical positioning (Fig. 4a) of the ready meshes (402) in pairs, at such a distance that the insulating panel(402) is freely interferred in-between, allowing predefined gaps at both sides of the panel and the meshes.

2. The integration of machine of simultaneous construction of two wire meshes, directly in vertical position, in an effort to reduce the space required for the operation of said machine and to reduce as much as possible the necessary translations of the constructed meshes before their final positioning across the insulting panel.

Regardless of the case, finally the two steel wire meshes (402) are placed across the insulating panel (401), leaving a predefined gap from the surface of the panel (Rgure 4b). On the process, special mechanisms of straightening, cutting and positioning produce and place the transverse, connecting and spacing rods of the two meshes. These special mechanisms push the rods (402) to insert the insulating panel and penetrate it, until the two edges of each rod (403) reach the same level with the trasverse and longitudinal wires of each mesh (Rg. 4c). Thereafter, another welding machine, welds the edges of the transverse, connecting and wire spacers on the longitudinal or transverse wires (Rg. 4d).

Characteristics and advantages of the production method

a) Modular construction: The production method teaches the stepwise construction of the product by means of independent processes (construction or positioning of steel wire meshes, penetration of transverse spacers, welding of transverse spacers) resulting to:

(1) -Excellent quality control at each construction phase.

(2) Full automation of each process. (3) Easy coordination of the production steps in every process (Actually, no simultaneous completion of many processes is required. Each process follows the previous one. Every quality shortfall or process delay of a previous process does not influence the next one)

(4) Ability of production without high initial investment, since the method allows construction with or without production of steel wire mesh by using ready made panels of insulating material, while at a latter stage it allows the extension of the initial production cell integrating a unit of production of steel wire mesh.

(5) Ability of independent operation of each part of the production cell in a way that the initial investment serves apart from the production of the above product, also for:

• Independent production of steel-wire meshes.

• Independent production of steel-wire trusses of two steel wire meshes without insulating panel. • Production of reinforcements of columns and beams in reinforced concrete applications.

• Production of various elements for the construction industry, making it thus a very low risk investment.

(6) Easy regulation of each process for the production of products with different specifications (dimensions, insulation width, wire diameter etc.). If more than one processes were simultaneously undergoing, the regulation would be extremely difficult.

(7) Very limited space for the production and ability to accomodate the production in different spaces for each process. (b) The vertical mesh production, besides the space saving, allows the utmost safe vertical transportation and storage of the finished product, which is particularly useful to the construction industry where transportation at long distances is often required. (c) The vertical production arrangement allows the use of identical mechanisms for the processes to be accomplished at both sides of the product. Apart from the low cost of machinery used due to utilisation of identical parts, higher precision in construction is achieved through the total coordination control for the operation of each mechanism.

(e) The vertical production arrangement allows the easiest automation in line of any additionally required process i.e. hardening of meshes, painting, spraying of the insulating panel with protective material, zinc-plating etc.

(f) Ability of easy adjustment of the processes for the production of curved shaped products (in the direction of production) with the placement of the production machines in arc configuration curving of the steel wire meshes and use of curve panel of insulating material. (g) Ability of uninterrupted production (not only rectangular panel) with the use of rolls of wire-mesh which continuously unwind vertically and successive panels of insulating material placed one next to the other between the two steel meshes followed by continuous feeding and welding of connecting wire spacers. If the above process, with or without the use of insulating material, is transfered on a vehicle, allows the on-site construction of long walls, bridges (i.e. if the production cell is placed on a floating means) and other elements of large dimensions, (h) Rnally, if instead of foamy insulating material another type of material is positioned between the two meshes, i.e. transparent plate of plexiglass, and using the said ability of painting and hardening of steel wire mesh, the production of finished products is feasible, which may be used in the in line production of greenhouses, roofs for buildings etc. It is self-understood that the material penetration process in order to support the transverse wire spacers may be modified i.e. by preheating of the wire spacers, by using drilling prior to inserting the spacers etc.

B. PRODUCTION MECHANISMS

1. Steel wire mesh feeder from a conventional mesh contruction machine to a machine producing subject structural element. The conventional machines of mesh production, as mentioned, produce meshes in horizontal position. Their final product is placed horizontally on a table (501). In Rg. 5 the arrangement of vertically relocating of the meshes and positioning them in pairs one opposite to the other in order to include the insulating material, is shown. Two inclined planes (510,511) are placed at both sides of the table (501) and on the plane slide the racks (504) and (505) slide. On the edges of the racks a hook (508,509) is hunging, so that during their upward movement the last longitudinal wire is trapped at each side of the horizontally positioned mesh and pulled to the position B and B'. Thereafter, when the rack returns to its lower position, the mesh passes below under the table edge table to the lower part of the inclined plane. The activation in turns of the racks (504,505) always allows the positioning of the two meshes one opposite to the other, at the lowest part of each inclined plane. Then, the meshes in pairs are guided to the welding area of the transverse wire spacers by means of a simple transportation and further rise to the vertical position.

Characteristics and advantages of the machine

^ Simple operation.

^ Continuous operation for the positioning of the meshes in pairs. ^ Minimization of control and coordination requirements.

©= Without any modification, use of the same machine for meshes of any length.

Independent operation from other parts of the machine.

«= Use of the same system for any mesh geometry and arrangement.

2. Welding machine of simultaneous construction of two meshes directly in vertical position. The arrangement is shown by Rgures 6, 7 and 8 (Rg. 6 must be considered as a cross section of the machine at the horizontal plane, while Rg. 7 as a cross section of the machine in the vertical plane). The longitudinal wires are supported by and pass through the guides (602), while the transverse wires are held in the so created gap between the parts (615) and (616). The moving heads of the electrodes (608) lower the transverse wire, from the position (614) to the position (614) welding it on the longitudinal wires. The motion of the longitudianl wires across the direction of the arrow (603) advances the mesh under construction and disengage the welded transverse wire from parts (615) and (616).

Characteristics and advantages of the machine

• Construction of meshes in a vertical position with the resulting advantages. • Continuous operation depending only on the available length of longitudinal wires. Practically, the machine can be used for the continuous production of mesh.

• Independent operation resulting to the advantageous independent use for the production of steel wire meshes.

• Symmetric construction for the simultaneous production of two meshes, with the resulting advantages.

• Minimization of movable parts.

• Solid construction. • Easy regulation of the various dimensions of the mesh under construction.

• Ability to produce curved mesh by using curved longitudinal wires. The meshes under construction are guided along both sides of the insulating material or used independently.

3. Automatic machine for the feeding of wire mesh production machine with longitudinal wires, usiing only one pay-off unit. In this machine (Rg. 9), the wire fed from the pay-off unit is straightened, cut and at the same time placed one by one in the slots (907) of the carrier (908). After each straightening, cutting and placement in the slot, the carrier is moved to enable next wire's placement in another slot. The carrier is moved either horizontally for the production of horizontal mesh, or vertically for the construction of vertical mesh. The carrier is filled up with the straightened longitudinal wires during the welding operation of the wires of the finished mesh.

Characteristics and advantages of the machine

• Simple operation.

• Low construction cost.

• Time saving due to one pay-off unit renewal instead of several ones equal to the number of longitudinal wires.

• Small installation and operation area.

• Simple adjusting of various longitudinal wire lenghts.

• Ability to use various lengths of longitudinal wires for the same type of mesh. • Independent operation and, therefore, use of the machine as independent straightening machine used in the construction industry. • Ability to produce curved or polygonal "longitudinal" wires (using additional bender and suitable carrier).

4. Conveyor of two transverse wires to the welding head position with easy adjustment of the distance between them. With this system (Rg. 10 & 11), the transverse wires (38) are carried by grippers located underneath the longitudinal wires and along them. The grippers driven by a system of mechanisms are free to move underneath and along the longitudinal wires, also able to place all transverse wires anywhere on the welding electrode. The position of placement of the transverse wire is controlled by the control system of the machine during its operation and it can be any point on the lower electrode heads. The inventive element of the mechanism is its independence from the fixed electrodes (30,31) and their support base. The grippers also bear the transverse wires (38) during the welding phase and free them after welding. Two transverse wires are simultaneously fed at a time, one from each side of the mesh.

Characteristics & advantages of the mechanism

• Increased flexibility concerning the dimensions and types of mesh that can be produced.

• Easy and automatic regulation of the distance of the transverse wires, even during in line production.

• Reliability of the mechanism. Since the mechanism is independent, it can be maintained, checked and adjusted more easily, than in the case it were part of the electrodes supporting base.

• Because of the two symmetric mechanisms, the purchase cost as well as the adjustment and control needs are dramatically reduced. In case of malfunction, the machine operates only with one mechanism without interrupting its production until the other part is repaired.

• The complexity of mechanisms, which is inevitable in the conventional mesh welding machines, where the welding electrodes, the feeding of the longitudinal wires and the transverse wire positioning mechanisms are mounted in the part of the machine, is avoided. • The mechanism operates irrespective of the diameter and length of the transverse wires. On minimal modifications, the mechanism can produce curved or polygonal transverse wires. Modifications are meant to be of the proper arrangement of the electrodes and of the slots receiving the transverse wires.

5. System of easy and automatic pressure regulation applied by the electrodes on mesh welding machines. According to this arrangement (Rg. 12) the moving welding electrodes (220) are supported on a rigid carrier (212). However, between the carrier and the electrode heads, pistons (1), (2), (3), (4), ..., (v) are inserted, the cylinders of which communicate hydraulically in a way that the pressure in all of them to be common. This common pressure is regulated by the hydraulic circuit (222), (223), (224), (225) in a way that when the carrier (212) with the electrode heads is lower and pressed against the steady lower electrodes, the pressure to reach the desired value.

Characteristic and advantages of the arrangement

• Equal distribution and uniformity of exerted forces.

• Easy global adjustment.

• Quick adjustment.

• Precise knowlegde of the exerted pressure. • EExtreme simplicity in construction and operation with small precision requirements.

• Absolute control and precision regarding the pressure applied by the electrode heads.

• Small requirements as far as the hydraulic system controlling the electrode heads is concerned. In conventional machines the hydraulic system of the movable electrodes requires extreme accuracy for the application of a desired pressure.

6. Feeding Machine of connecting wire spacers. According to this arrangement (Rg. 13) the connecting wire spacers (318) are straightened, cut and fed in turns towards the two already positioned meshes (319) and (321) with the insulating material (320) in-between and they are placed accordingly supported by the insulating material (320). The spacing rods pierce the foamy material as appropriate. 7. Connecting wire spacers' Welding Machine. According to this arrangement (Fig. 14), vertically arranged pairs of electrodes in the form of a "comb", penetrate the openings of the steel wire meshes and engage between their succesive movable and immovable electrodes, the edges of the wire spacers and of the longitudinal or transverse mesh wires. Then the movable electrodes lower and the transverse wire spacers are welded.

Characteristics and advantages of above mechanisms 6 & 7 are the following:

• Simple operation.

• Modular independent construction & operation.

• Twin symmetric construction.

8. Machine of production of wire of meandric shape from coil. In case there is no insulating material between the two meshes to support the spacers, the arrangement of Rg (15) is used, where a continuous feeding of spacers (504) in a meandric shape configuration is used and the wire spacers (504) are welded on the meshes (501) and (502). The welding is achieved by a machine similar to one described in paragraph 7 hereinabove. The production method of meandric shape wire refers to the bending of the wire by means of the heads (602), (604) and (606) with no rotation of the already shaped portion in every successive bending of the wire (Rg.16). More specifically, the head (604) forms the arc AA' as in Rg. (16), the head (602) remains immobilized and the head (607) moves along with the wire towards its feeding direction, forming a retrogressive motion BB' as in Figure 16.

Characteristics and advantages of the method.

^■»" The product does become deformed due to successive bends as in the conventional bending machines, since it is only moved on the working plane of the machine to its feeding direction.

^< " The wire being fed from a coil is simply straightened and bent using the arrangement of the three heads with no friction or tension which cause damages.

®- Using an arrangement of more heads (Fig. 17) it is possible to produce meandric shape of wire with irregular shape of turns, inclined or rectangular, as shown in Figure (18a, b & c) which are used by the Wire Industry, Steel Sheet Industry, Tube industry etc.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 1. Feeder of the machine of construction of said structural element with steel wire mesh fed from a conventional mesh production machine. The mesh produced by the mesh production machine (Rg. 5) is initially positioned at A, laying on the table (501) of the machine. Usually the transverse wires (502) are positioned on top of the longitudinal wires (503), while at the structural panel the longitudinal wires (503) should be positioned externally as shown with positions (D and D'). The left rack (504) bearing a hook (508), slides inside the guide (510) assisted by the cog-wheel (506). There are many racks (504) (e.g. one every 1 m). The respective cog-wheels (506) are connected with and powered by the long shaft (512) which rotates driven by motor (514). The right rack (505) bearing the hook (509) slides inside the guide (511) assisted by the cog-wheel (507). There are many racks (505) (e.g. one every 1 m.). The respective cog-wheels (507) are connected by a long shaft (513) which rotates driven by motor (515).

When a mesh is finished, it is located on position A on the table of the mesh production machine. Assuming that we want to place the mesh to the left of the structural panel (position D), then we activate motor (514) and the rack (504) with the hook (508) starts rising from its initial lower position. The hook (508) engages the last left longitudinal wire of the mesh and starts elevating the mesh until it reaches the lowest position B. Thereafter, the motor's (514) rotation is reversed and the mesh from its position B starts lowering and follows the inclined plane formed by the guides (510), until it reaches the lowest position C underneath the table of the machine. Then, by means of piston (516) the mesh is pushed towards the center of the machine where it reaches the vertical position D. The same applies when we wish to place the mesh to the right of the structural panel (position D') activating the right elements and moving it to the successive positions (A-B'-C-D'). From the positions D and D\ by using a mechanism of step motion, it is easy to guide the two vertical meshes inside the structural panel production machine, along with the intermediate insulating material.

2. Welding machine for the simultaneous construction of two meshes vertically positioned. The respective Rgures are 6, 7 and 8. Rg. 6 presents a horizontal cross section of the welding spots of the machine. Rg. 8 shows a horizontal cross section of the entire machine. The machine is symmetric with respect to the plane x-x, therefore only half of it is presented in Rg. 6. The longitudinal wires of one of the vertical meshes are those numbered (601), which remain to their position by means of the immovable parts (602) and move along the direction of arrow (603). The immovable welding electrodes (604) are supported by base (605), which is connected with one of the poles of transformer (607) by means of a copper bar (606). There are two groups of immovable electrodes (604 and 604'), each one connected by means of the base (605, 605') and of the copper bar, with each of the two transformer

(607) poles (Rg. 7.). The movable electrodes (608) are supported by the base (609). The base (609) is driven by piston (610), attached to it through a pivot joint by means of pin (611).

The base (609) does not rotate about the symmetry axis of piston (610) due to the rotation-restrictive angle (612). After the welding, the movable electrodes

(608) return to their initial position by means of springs (613 and 613') acting on base (609). The initial position of the transverse wire is the (614) and the final one is the (614'). The transverse wire takes the initial position (614), vertically and downwards, either fed from a feeder or from a pay-off, straightening and cutting system. The said wire is supported by the jaws (615) and (616). The jaw (616) rotates with respect to the immovable machine, secured on the element (618), about the vertical axis (620) [The jaw (618) is attached on axis (620) by means of the grips (619)]. This rotation is small and only the necessary one for the translation of the transverse wire between the positions (614) and (614'). The jaw (615) rotates about the jaw (616) by means of the shaft (621) which is secured on the element (618) by means of the bearings (622). The jaw (615) is held close to the jaw (616) by means of the spring (617). The element (618) is held at an initial position determined by the adjusting screw (624) by means of the sprint (623). There are two pairs of jaws (615 and 616) placed according to their height between the gaps of the movable (608) and immovable (604) electrodes.

The welding of the transverse wire is processed as follows:

(a) Placement of the transverse wire at the position (614).

(b) Displacement of the movable electrodes towards the welding position, in which case the transverse wire by rotation of system (616- 618-619) receives the position (614') at which it is in contact with the longitudinal wires (601).

(c) Welding-Retracting of the movable electrodes. (d) Advancement of the steel-wire meshes where, by means of opening of jaw (615) the welded transverse wire occupies the position (614").

(e) Return of the system (615-616-617-618-619) to its initial position, allowing us to bring the new transverse at the position (614).

In Rgure 8 we see the typical arrangement of the machine in a view where it appears also as a straightening system using straightening rotors (825).

3. Automatic Machine of Feeding the Machine of Wire-Mesh production with longitudinal wires using only one Wire Feeding Reel. In Rgure 9 the wire (901) appears coming from coil already installed on the reel (902). It is pulled by pulling rollers (903) and passes through the set of straightening rollers (904) and cutter (905). Afterwards, the wire, guided by the guide (906), is advanced to the collectors (907) of the carrier (908). The number of collectors is the same as the number of longitudinal wires of the mesh.

In Rgure 9 only three collectors have been designed for simplicity. The collectors bear a cover able to open from below (909). The cover is of orthogonal shape, bears a pivoting joint along its long side and closes by means of the action of a spring. The mutual distances of the collectors are the same as the mutual distances of the longitudinal wires in the mesh. However, their length is such that the encagement of the wire creates a correct orientation of the longitudinal wires, i.e. 200 to 300 mm. The carrier (908) with the collectors (907) is able to move on a system of rails (910) by means of rollers (911) with the ail of the motor (912) through the gear (913) and the steady rack (914). The carrier may be put in two positions: position A and position B. In position A the carrier is set in stepwise motion having of basic step the distance between the longitudinal wires. In every halt, the mentioned system of parts (902, 903, 904, 905 and 906) carries a longitudinal wire at the respective collector slot of the carrier.

It has to be pointed out that finally the wire is engaged by the collector (907) pressed against by the cover (909) through the spring of cover retrack. For the wire, however, to pass the piston (915), the time it lowers the wire guide (906) (after the cutter 905), opens at the same time the cover (909) of the collector (907) for the free passage of the wire as well as it lofts a mechanical stop of the temporary halt of the carrier (908). The longitudinal wires placed sequentially inside the collectors (907) of the carrier (908) leave out of the carrier from the side of the cutter (905) portion of them equal to the distance of the cutting edges of the cutter from the respective edge of the collector, while the leave portion from the other side equal to the remaining length of the longitudinal wire.

The portions of the longitudinal wires left out at the side of the cutter are relatively small i.e. 100-150 mm for the correct positioning of the edge of the wire, since finally those portions will be guided with the least tolerance of distance above the welding electrodes (916). The free portions of the wires of the other side touch loosely some flat, horizontal surface (917). At position (A) the loading of the carrier with the longitudinal wires takes place, by means of stepwise displacement of the carrier and after the completion of the loading, the carrier travels in fast pace towards the position (B). Position (B) is such that finally the free portions (918) of the wires to be placed directly above the steady welding electrodes (916). The wires already engaged inside the collectors, are held at a higher position than the already welded ones (i.e. at 10 mm distance), enabling that way the free translation of the carrier from position (A) to position (B). For the disengagement of the wires from the collectors (907) of the carrier in its (B) position, the tooth-shaped parts (919) and (920) are used, which move in synchronised motion downwards by rack and pinion mechanisms. Following their downward motion of them (919 & 920), the engaged wires are pressed against the collectors (907), at their two, left-out portions close to the collector, the spring activated covers of the collectors open and finally the longitudinal wires are set free and positioned inside the flat elements (921) and (922).

The elements (921) and (922) are held in an upper position by means of the springs (925) and (926) and of the blocks (927) and (928). During the lowering motion of the elements (919) and (920), those elements touch the dents (923) and (924) of the elements (921) and (922) and pull them along their downward movement. The dents (923) and (924) are adjusted in such a way that the remaining gap D between the heads of the triangular shaped elements (921) and (922) allow a small freedom of motion of the longitudinal wires, not preventing thus the motion in the direction of its axis. Reapeatingly, the procedure of feeding of longitudinal wires and the initial phase of production of mesh is as follows: (a) The carrier is at position A where, following its stepwise movements one after the other all the longitudinal wires are loaded.

(b) After the end of the loading of the carrier by the longitudinal wires has completed the welding of the transverse wire of the previously constructed mesh and having removed the previously mentioned constructed mesh, the carrier with all the loaded longitudinal wires moves to position B.

(c) The triangular-shaped elements (919) and (920) are lowered and at first they disengage the wires from the collectors of the carrier by means of a simple push and afterwards they engage the wires loosely between their triangular slots and the straight-edge elements (921) and (922).

(d) The first transverse wire is welded and the stepwise advancement of the grid along the direction of the longitudinal wires as well as the following welding of the transverse wires.

4. Transporter of two transverse wires for welding, enabling easy adjustment of the distance between them. The two transverse wires (1 & 2) already straightened and cut, initially are placed inside the collectors (3) and (4) respectively (Rg. 10). The gates of the collectors (3) and (4) are the (5) and (6) held at close position by means of the springs (7) and (8) respectively. The collectors (3) and (4) are not continuous throughout their length but they are interrupted at intervals of 10 to 40 mm for the brackets (9) and (10) to pass through. Those brackets bear a pivoting arm (11) and (12), held in its close position by means of the spring (13) and (14).

A number of left brackets (9) are located between the collectors (3) that have a common supported shaft (15), which bears pivot joints on the carriers (17) and (17'). Part (17') is located towards the reader. In a similar way, a number of right brackets (10) are located between the collectors (4) having common compressing shaft (16) which bears pivoting joints on the carriers (18) and (18'). (Carrier (18') is located towards the reader). Carrier (117, 117') and (118, 118') bear wheels rolling thus on the rails (119, 120) (Fig. 11). There are, also, the chains of motion (121) and (12T). (The chain (12T) is located towards the reader which is set in motion by means of the sprockets (122, 122') and (123, 123'). The sprockets (122') and (123') are located towards the reader.

The powered sprockets are the (122, 122') which are connected by the shaft (124) powered by motor (125). The carrier (117, 117') is attached by means of connection (126, 126') to the upper branch of the chain. It is an easy task now to show that the rotation of the motor (125) and the two pairs of carriers (117, 117') and (118, 118') may move either with direction towards the center of the welding machine or towards the edges of it. The pistons (28, 29) where they are out hold respectively the brackets (9, 10) to their upper position which is the position of the, transverse wires, a few mm above the steady electrodes (30, 31) respectively (Fig. 10). The springs (32, 33) returns the brackets (9, 10) to their final lower position, where it is possible during the translation of the brackets from the center to the ends to pass under the already loaded in the collectors wire.

The curved mechanical guides (34, 35) act in a way that under the action of the pistons (28, 29) when the brackets (9, 10) are at the left and right hand side of the collectors (3, 4) respectively have the same height as the height of the wire already loaded inside the collectors. The operation of one circle of the above mechanism is as follows:

(a) The brackets (9, 10) are located on the left and the right hand side of the collectors (3, 4) respectively. The action of pistons (28, 29) counterbalances the action of springs (32, 33) but because of the existence of the mechanical curved guides (34, 35) the brackets (9, 10) are held at the height of the wire which is located on the collectors (3, 4).

(b) Under the action of the motor (125) (Rg. 11) the carriers (117, 117', 118, 118') are moved towards the center of the machine pulling the shafts (115, 116) carrying the brackets (9, 10). It is pointed out that the brackets (9 or 10) form a group of brackets and not a single one, as it appears in Rg. 10.

(c) The curved mechanical guides (34, 35) hold the brackets to the height of the wires that are loaded inside the collectors until the brackets (9, 10) encapsulate the wire in the process of releasing it from the collectors (3, 4) by a simple push and opening the gates 95, 6) (Rg. 10).

(d) During the motion of the brackets towards the center with the two wires encapsulated, they reach the end of the length of the curved mechanical guides (34, 35) and the pistons (28, 29) are extended to the maximum and raise the brackets to their final upper position which corresponds to the position of the wires a few mm above the steady electrodes (30, 31).

(e) At the end of the course of the brackets towards the center, the two wires are located a few mm above the steady electrodes and in predefined distance b between them which is the step of the transverse wires in the case of transversely equally spaced mesh. At that moment, a command of halting the motor (125) is given along with the one of halting the action of pistons (28, 29) (Fig. 10). Then, the returning springs tend to return the brackets (9, 10) to their lower position. However, the wires, touching the steady electrodes, stop this motion of the brackets (9, 10).

(f) The pistons 937) lower the upper bridged electrodes (36), a command for welding action is given, welding the two transverse wires with the above located longitudinal wires (38).

(g) The motor (125) starts rotating at reverse sense forcing the carriers and the brackets (9, 10) to move from the center to the edges.

(h) Because of the fact that the two transverse wires are welded, brackets 99, 10) are pulled and separated from them and when they are fully disengaged, the continuous action of springs (32, 33) in connection with the deactivation of the pistons, brings the brackets (9, 10) to their lower position that is designed to facilitate the passage of the brackets (9, 10) under the already loaded new transverse wires.

(i) At the end of the outward course of the brackets, motor (125) stops. Through the action of pistons (28, 29) and the insertion of the curved mechanical guides (34, 35), the brackets occupy the position mentioned in part (a) starting up again the operation circle of the mechanism. It is to be noted that after the brackets (9, 10) overpass the collectors (3, 4), the loading of new transverse wires start. The distance b of the two transverse wires changes easily either by means of change of the number of pulses, if the sense of distance is received by a pulse generator either by means of displacement of the terminal switch.

5. System of easy regulation of the pressure of electrode heads in mesh welding machines. For the application of the required pressure of the movable electrodes (220) on the steady electrodes (221) when a node of wires of a mesh to be welded has been inserted, several hydraulic pistons are used (1, 2, 3, ...v), depending on the size of the machine (Fig. 12). Those pistons usually are of single action, the reverse action realised by means of springs (211). All of the above pistons are supported on a rigid carrier bar (212). The carrier bar (212) is lowered and raised by the pistons (213, 214) having an upper (215, 216) and a lower (217, 218) terminal switch. The pistons (1, 2 v) have a hydraulic pressure coming from the hydraulic gas accumulator (222). During the lowering of the carrier bar (212) for the welding action and before it strikes the terminal switches (217, 218), the moving electrodes come in contact with the nodes of the wires to be welded and compress them against the steady electrodes (221).

With the lowering motion of (212) to proceed the pistons (1, 2, 3, ...v) are compressed forcing their hydraulic fluid to be stored in the hydraulic accumulator (222) which has large enough capacity compared to the capacity of V pistons allowing thus only a slide change of pressure p of the gas (223) that is essentially the pressure of the compressing electrode heads remains constant and equal to p.π.D2/4 (D=diameter of each of V pistons). In order to increase the above pressure, it is enough to increase p by means of transferring oil from the tank (224) through the manually operated (or electropowered) pump (225) to the accumulator (222) resulting an increase of the pressure of air of the accumulator due to decrease of its volume. Decreasing the applied force is achieved through decreasing the p pressure by extracting oil from the accumulator to the tank (224) by means of the control valve (226) when the gas pressure in the accumulator (222) is decreased (because of increase of its volume).

6. Machine of advancing the connecting and spacing rods in machine of production of structural elements with insulation. The wires used for the production of the connecting rods are the 1, 2, 3, 4, ...v which are fed from equal number of coils vertically or horizontally unwinding. (Rg. 13). Initially, they are guided through the guides (311) towards the entrances of the straightening rotors (312). Every rotor is the known wire advancing and straightening rotor of the U.S. Patent No. 5, 042, 280 bearing limited number of free rollers inclined relatively the axis of straightened wire. Depending on the angle of inclination 9 of the roller with respect the wire (of diameter D) in every revolution of the rotor we have a specific advancement of the wire given by the formula π. D. tan (90 -φ)

The rotors (312) are supported each one by means of two bearings on the frame of the machine (bearings are not shown in picture) and they rotate by means of a chain (314) which encircles the sprockets (313) of the rotors (312) as it appears in Rg. (13). The chain (314) is powered by motor (316) through sprocket (315). Because of the reverse rotation of certain straightening rotors relatively to the rest, the angle of their rollers is -φ if φ is the angle of the first ones.

The cutters of the wires are the (317), the guides of the wires from the end of cutters to the edge of the structural element are the tubes (318). The structural element consists of the meshes (319) and (321) and the intermediate insulating panels (320). The length of the connecting spacing rod I is approximately equal to the distance of the two meshes d divided by cosw, where w is the inclination angle of the connecting rod with respect to the planes of the meshes: l=d/cosw

The advancement of the wire through the rotors takes place during the between two cuts at the desired length I. During the cutting action, the rotation of the rotors halts, the cutters contributiing to their total stop. Due to the fact that it is not possible for the cutters to approach the mesh, the distance of the cutting tools from the mesh must be a multiple of the length I. In Rg. (13) this distance is (21). The connecting, spacing rods rods are held in their position by the intermediate insulating panels and they are welded on the horizontal (longitudinal) wires of the two side meshes when they arrive at the welding section. For the generation of the length n.l the cutters (317) are movable while the guiding tubes (316) are replaceable and of variable length. 7. Welding Machine of the transverse spacing rods in construction elements composed of one intermediate insulating panel and two side steel wire meshes. The non-movable welding electrodes are the (401) that, through the intermediate copper bars (404), are connected by means of bolts with the steady copper bars (405) (Rg. 14). The two steady bars (405) are in contact (electrically conducting) by means of bolts (409) with the terminals of the transformer (407). Also, the two steady bars (405) are mechanically connected by means of bolts (408) and insulating taps with the moving frame of the welding machine (406). The transformer (407) is also mounted with bolts on the moving frame of the welding machine (406).

The movable electrodes are the (402) (only one is drawn). They are of elongated shape, since they create electric bridges among the steady electrodes (401) one they press the crossing points of the wires in the mesh (403). Every movable electrode (402) is supported at its two ends by two guides (411). Every guide (411) allows the vertical translation of the end of the electrode (402). Every guide (411) has a strong spring (412) which holds the end of the movable electrode (402) at the lower end of the guide (411). The guides (411) are mounted on the frame (410) which moves vertically sliding on the guide rods (411) relatively to the movable frame of the machine (406) by means of the single stroke piston (414). The upwards retracking of the frame (410) when the piston (414) is deactivated, takes place by means of the springs (415).

The moving frame of the machine (406) slides on the sliding rails (416) which are mounted on the steady base of the machine (417) by means of double stroke piston (418). The movable transformer (407) is electrically powered by the extendable cable (419). The phases of operation of the welding machine are the following:

(a) The piston (414) is not activated, therefore the frame (410) is at its upper position. The piston (418) is not extended and consequently the moving frame of the machine (406) is at the leftmost position.

(b) The piston f(418) is activated and is extended forcing the moving frame of the machine (406) to move to its right position.

(c) The gap Δ betweem the ends of the moving electrode (402) and of the steady electrodes (401) is of dimension large enough to host the cross-points (403) created by the ends of the transverse spacing rods and the longitudinal wires of the vertically located meshes.

(d) The piston (414) is activated lowering the frame (410) to a lowest position. (e) At this position, the stiff springs (412) are compressed pressing through the moving electrodes (402) the cross-points (403) of the wires on the steady electrodes (401). The stiffness of the springs is pointed out since those springs must be able to bring in contact the electrodes (402 and 401) with the intermediate cross-points of the wires (403) for an electrically conducting path to be created even if the deformation of the longitudinal wires cannot be avoided.

(f) The transformer (407) is charged and electric current passes sequentially from the following points:

Terminal 1 of the transformer-bar (404.1)-electrode (401.1)-first cross- point-second electrode-second cross-point-electrode (401.2)-bar

(404.2)-second terminal of the transformer, allowing two simultaneous weldings of the two cross-points of the wires since they are the only points of the above circuit of the highest electric resistance.

(g) The piston (414) is deactivated and the frame (410) by means of the springs (415) is raised, lifting along the movable electrodes (402).

(h) The piston (418) returns to its retracked position, therefore the movable frame of the machine (406) comes to its leftmost position, (i) Now the electrodes (401 and 402) have totally disengaged the meshes of the construction element and a forward stepping of the element under construction takes place allowing cross-points in sequence to face the electrodes (401 and 402). (j) The step (a) follows and a new cycle of welding process is repeated.

8. Machine of production of wire of maiandric shape from coil. The Figures 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 present embodiments of the above machine. A first embodiment appears in Rgures 19 and 20. The three rollers materializing the principle of operation are the (500), (501) and (502) out of which the roller (500) is steady in place and around it the bending action takes place by means of rotation of roller (501) while the roller (502) moves at the horizontal direction by means of translation of the body (504) on which the roller (502) is mounted, sliding through rollers (506). The spring (505) serves the return of roller (502) to its initial position. According to the principle of operation, the wire (507) is immobilized during the bending process, held at rollers (500) and (502) by means of pistons (503) and (510) which press the wire (507) on the rollers and immobilize it. The roller (501) is supported on the body (508) and through the translation screw (511), powered by stepper motor (512) is able to move to various distances from roller (500) being supported and sliding on the body (509).

The entire body (509) rotates around roller (500) by means of sprocket (513) which in turn is activated through chain (514) and sprocket (516), the latter being powered by a stepper motor (or according to different emodiments by a hydraulic or servomotor (517)). The arrows and the dotted line indicate the new position of the wire under bending (590) while the final positions of bending rollers are the (591) for roller (501) and (592) for roller (502). The Rgure 20 indicates in isometric view the emodiment of body (509) in the slot of which slides and is supported the block (508) of support of roller (501), the translation screw (511) of block (508) powered by stepper motor (512), the position of rotation roller (500) and the parts (513), rotation sprocket (514), power chain (516), sprocket (517), rotation motor (518), mounting base of sprocket (513) and of body (509). Following the bending, the wire must be advanced, therefore, roller (502) must be retracked behind the plane of bending in order not to bother the advancement of wire. The roller (501) returns to its initial position and, therefore, it doesn't bother the advancing of the wire. In Rgure 20(B) the retracking process appears. For example, the roller (502) is mounted on piston (595) which slides inside cylinder (519), which in turn is housed on block (504). The space (520) of the cylinder is filled or is emptied from oil allowing the lifting or retracking of roller (500).

The arrow (596) shows the sense of advancement of the wire. The Rgure (21) shows a second embodiment of the principle of operation of the mechanism of generation of wire of maiandric shape. The three rollers which materialize the principle of operation are the (533), (532) and (538), while pistons (537) and (529) immobilize the wire on the two end rollers (533) and (538). The roller (532) rotates about roller (533) through the translation screw (534) and of stepper motor (535). The body (530) on which the block (531) is supported and slides, rotates by means of the following combination: sprocket (522), chain (527), powered sprocket (526). The difference from the previous embodiment constitutes on the fact that the system of bending is movable while the third roller (538) is steady. The entire system of sprockets of body (530) and of bending rollers (532) and (533) is mounted on the body (523) that slides through rollers (525) along the direction of the wire while the spring (524) serves its retracking. The new position of rollers after the bending is the (539) for roller (532) and the (540) for roller (533). The arrow (597) indicates the direction of feeding of the wire. Retracking is anticipated for roller (533). The advantage of the principle of operation of mechanism of Rgure (21) compared to mechanism of Rgure (19) is the fact that the distribution of forces during the bending process assists directly the translation of body (504) and of roller (502). We mention as a detail of the mechanism the fact that piston (529) is supported on body (523) and not on body (530). The mechanism of Rgure (19) and (21) serve the generation of shapes of wires of triangular elementary cell maiandric type. The Rgure (22), presents an embodiment for the generation of maiandric shapes of trapezoid cell.

Two bending mechanisms are anticipated, that means a total of four (4) rollers the (549), (546), (547) and (548). The roller (549) is steady and on it the wire is immobilized by means of piston (563) while roller (546) rotates and comes to the position (562) for the first bending. The roller (548) moves along the horizontal direction by means of sliding of block (550) through the rollers (551) while the roller (547) executes a second bending. The new position of the rollers is the (561) for roller (547) and the (599) for the roller (548). The returning springs (553) return the body in its initial position. The remaining parts of the mechanisms are the same as the ones of the previous Figures, that is, sprockets (556), (558), (554), (552), motors (559), (560), chains (555), (557), pistons (563), (564), supporting bodies (542), (543), sliding blocks (544), (545) while retracking is anticipated for roller (548). Finally, the Rgure (23) presents an embodiment for the generation of maiandric shapes of arbitrary form (triangular, trapezoid, polygon etc.). According to this embodiment, two bending mechanisms are anticipated, similar to the embodiment of Rgure 22, where, however, the two supporting bodies (580) and (581) engage each other at the point of roller (574) according to the detail of Figure 25(B). On the supporting bodies (580) and (581) several bending rollers are placed (573), (576), (574) and several other roller containing a retracking mechanism. The bending process and the sequential retracking or lifting of each of rollers (573), (576), (574) or others, generate any kind of maiandric shape of elementary cells of any polygon shape. Rnally, according to another embodiment (Rg. 25), the mechanism of production of wire of maiandric shape can be combined with a mechanism of application of torsion on the wire, comprising of a steady jaw (855) for the gripping of the wire, preventing the torsion from being extended to the coil and by a rotating jaw (856) gripping and rotating the wire (along with the already formed end) causing plastic deformation to the length of the wire between the jaws (855) and (856) brings the already formed part to plane (860) of angle q with respect to the bending plane (861). On the process, the wire is advanced in a way that the next bending takes place in the plane (861). That way the generation of wire of maiandric shape of three-dimensional geometry is possible. Changing the position of the roller (or rollers according to other embodiments) and of the torsion of the wire in various planes, the generation of various shapes of three dimensional maiandric shapes can be generated with varying elementary cells at every step etc.

Claims

1. Method for the production of a construction product composed of two parallel steel ire meshes held in position by means of transverse wire spacers and composed of a panel of insulating material placed between the steel wire meshes, which is characterised sequentially by the following:

«° The simultaneous production of the two steel wire meshes. ^■s^* Their placement in parallel position to each other and next to the two outer surfaces of the insulating panel.

^ The positioning of the transverse wire spacers between the two steel wire meshes ^ The welding of the wire spacers' edges on each of the meshes.

2. Method, as in Claim 1 where the following machines, able to orerate independently to each other, are used for the production of the above construction product, which are characterised in sequence by:

A. A FEEDING MACHINE of ready steel wire meshes, produced by an ordinary machine of production of wire meshes, which is characterised by the rellocation of the wire meshes from the usual horizontal production position to a vertical one and by their placement in pairs and for every pair in parallel position to each other.

B. A WELDING MACHINE of production of steel wire meshes, characterised by the fact that (a) it produces two steel wire meshes simultaneously and (b) the two steel wire meshes are produced directly in vertical position during a parallel synchronised operation of the machine.

C. A MACHINE OF FEEDING of the above welding machine of steel wire mesh production with any (arbitrary) number of longitudinal wires, which is characterised by the utiilisation of only one pay-off wire feeding unit, out of which each longitudinal wire is straightened, cut to the desired length and positioned next and parallel to others according to the desired steel wire mesh configuration.

D. MACHINE OF TRANSPORTATION of two, at each step, transverse wires and of their POSITIONING transversely with respect to the longitudinal wires, into the said welding machine of production of steel wire meshes which is characterised by the easy and automatic adjustment of the distance between the two transverse wire spacers and by the simultaneous translation and positioning of the two transverse wires from the left and the right sides corresponding to the longitude wire mesh configuration.

E. A SYSTEM OF PRESSURE REGULATION applied on the welding electrodes of steel wire mesh welding machines, which is characterised by the insertion between the heads of the moving electrodes and their common translation carrier of hydraulically communicating pistons so that the pressure of liquid inside them remains uniform and is regulated by an independent hydraulic system.

F. A MACHINE of ADVANCING and POSITIONING of spacing and connecting, transversely (with respect to the plane of the two steel wire meshes) steel rods, which is characterised by the straightening and cutting of the steel rods and by advancing them to the space between the two parallel steel wire meshes and the insulating foamy material in-between, so that the wires "penetrate" the insulating material and are temporarily held by it.

G. A MACHINE of WELDING of the steel rods positioned according to the process of machine (6) by their two ends with the two parallel located steel wire meshes, which is characterised by the simultaneous welding of a large number of connecting steel rods by their two edges, while the operation of each machine is synchronised with the operation of the rest of the machines according to the requirements and the said product production speed.

H. A MACHINE of PRODUCTION of MEANDRIC SHAPE of WIRE from coil which, according to an embodiment, is inserted between the two steel wire meshes in the form of spacer for the positioning and supporting of the two meshes at a distance and especially for the case where no insulating material is inserted between them, which is characterised by sequential bends of a part of the wire being trapped between two pins (at each step) while a third pin, located between the previous two ones, rotates having as a center one of the said pins and bends the wire, while at the same time the other pin approaches the first one in a way that the wire is always in contact and the non-elaborated portion of the wire remains on the same straightening axis.

3.Method as in claim 1, where it is used ready-made panels of insulating material (401) and ready meshes, already produced by conventional machines that produce large meshes used by the construction industrywhich is characterised by the vertical positioning of the ready meshes (402) in pairs, at such a distance that the insulating panel(402) is freely interferred in-between, allowing predefined gaps at both sides of the panel and the meshes, while in the process special mechanisms of straightening, cutting and positioning produce and place the transverse, connecting and spacing rods of the two meshes pushing the rods (402) to insert the insulating panel and penetrate it, until the two edges of each rod (403) reach the same level with the trasverse and longitudinal wires of each mesh (Rg. 4c), while hereafter, another welding machine, welds the edges of the transverse, connecting and wire spacers on the longitudinal or transverse wires (Rg. 4d).

4. Method as in Claim 1, where the wire mesh feeder from a conventional mesh contruction machine to the machine producing subject structural element is characterised by two inclined planes (510,511), placed at both sides of the table (501) while on the plane slide the racks (504) and (505) bearing on their edges a hook (508,509), so that during their upward movement the last longitudinal wire is trapped at each side of the horizontally positioned mesh and pulled to the position B and B' while thereafter, when the rack returns to its lower position, the mesh passes below under the table edge table to the lower part of the inclined plane, while the sequential activation of the racks (504,505) always allows the positioning of the two meshes one opposite to the other, at the lowest part of each inclined plane from where the meshes in pairs are guided to the welding area of the transverse wire spacers by means of a simple transportation and further rise to the vertical position.

5. Method as in Claim 1, where the Welding machine of simultaneous construction of two meshes directly in vertical position is characterised by the supporting and passing of the longitudinal wires through the guides (602), while the transverse wires are held in the so created gap between the parts (615) and (616) allowing he moving heads of the electrodes (608) to lower the transverse wire, from the position (614) to the position (614) welding it on the longitudinal wires, while the motion of the longitudianl wires across the direction of the arrow (603) advances the mesh under construction and disengage the welded transverse wire from parts (615) and (616).

β.Method as in Claim 1, where the automatic machine for the feeding of wire mesh production machine with longitudinal wires, is characterised by the usage of only one pay-off unit, with the wire fed from the pay-off unit to be straightened, cut and at the same time placed one by one in the slots (907) of the carrier (908), while after each straightening, cutting and placement in the slot, the carrier, filled up with the straightened longitudinal wires during the welding operation of the wires of the finished mesh.is moved, either horizontally for the production of horizontal mesh, or vertically for the construction of vertical mesh to enable placement of the next wire in another slot

7. Method as in Claim 1, where the machine of production of steel wire mesh, according to Claim 2, is characterised by the use of a Conveyor of two transverse wires to the welding head position, where the transverse wires (38) are carried by grippers located underneath the longitudinal wires and along them.where the grippers driven by a system of mechanisms are free to move underneath and along the longitudinal wires, and are able to place all transverse wires anywhere on the welding electrode, and bear the transverse wires (38) during the welding phase and free them after welding, allowing two transverse wires to be simultaneously fed at a time, one from each side of the mesh, while the position of placement of the transverse wire is controlled by the control system of the machine during its operation and it can be any point on the lower electrode heads.

δ.Method as in Claim 1, where the machine of production of steel wire mesh according to Claim 2, is characterised by the usage of System of easy and automatic pressure regulation applied by the electrodes on mesh welding machines, which system is characterised by the fact that (Rg. 12) the moving welding electrodes (220) are supported on a rigid carrier (212), where between the carrier and the electrode heads, pistons (1), (2), (3), (4), .... (v) are inserted, the cylinders of which communicate hydraulically in a way that the pressure in all of them to be common, and their common pressure is regulated by a hydraulic circuit in a way that when the carrier (212) with the electrode heads is lowered and pressed against the steady lower electrodes, the pressure to reach the desired value.

9. Method as in Claim 1, where the Feeding Machine of connecting wire spacers is characterised by the fact that the connecting wire spacers (318) are straightened, cut and fed towards the two already positioned meshes (319) and (321) pierce the insulating material (320) in-between and are placed at the appropriate locations supported by the insulating material (320) of foamy material.

10.Method as in Claim 1, where the wire spacers' Welding Machine, is characterised by (Fig. 14), vertically arranged pairs of electrodes in the form of a "comb", that penetrate the openings of the steel wire meshes and engage between their succesive movable and immovable electrodes, the edges of the wire spacers and of the longitudinal or transverse mesh wires, in a way that when the movable electrodes lower and the transverse wire spacers are welded on the longitudinal wires of the two side meshes.

11. Method as in Claim 1 , where in case of no insulating material between the two meshes to support the spacers, a continuous feeding of spacers (504) in a meandric shape configuration is used and the wire spacers (504) are welded on the meshes (501) and (502) by a machine similar to one described in Claim 10.

12.Case as in Claim 11,where the production of meandric shape wire is characterised by the bending of the wire by means of three heads (602), (604) and (606) with no rotation of the already shaped portion in every successive bending of the wire (Rg.16) where the middle head (604) forms the arc around the first head (602) that remains immobilized and the third head (607) moves along with the wire towards its feeding direction, forming a retrogressive motion BB^* as in Rgure 16.

13. Method as in Claim 1 , where in case of no insulating material between the two meshes to support the spacers, a mesh of wave configuration is used instead of spacers (504) of meandric shape, where the wavy inntermediate mesh is composed out of meandric shape longitudinal wires and of straight transverse wires,the longitudinal wires placed at distances from each other same or multiple of the distande of the longitudinal wires of the two side meshes

14. Method of production of meandric shape wire as in Claim 12 , where in the position of the intermediate head (604) a moulding block is used for the purpose of create an arbitrary shaped form on the wire under bending.

15. Method as in claim 12, where the middle head executes the bending of the wire again, but now the third head ( 607) is immobilised and the first head (602) along with the wire being engaged on it moves , sliding on rollers , advancing the wire from coil at the same time.

16.Method of production of meandric shape of wire, according to Claims 12, 14, 15, where before the bending means, a mechanism of applying a torsion on the wire, deforminf it permanently is placed resulting in the production o Thre Dimensional meandric shapes of wire.

17. Case as in Claim 13, where the bending of an initially plane mesh to form a wavy mesh of usage as in Claim 13 , is performed by methods similar to ones used for the production of meandric shape wires as described in Claims 12, 14, 15 where however the actuating means of bending the wire are of shape extended in the transverse direction to include the mesh under bending.