Attachment for a wire or strip forming machine

Claim 1

THE COMBINATION IN A CYCLICALLY OPERABLE WIRE OR STRIP FORMING MACHINE OF, A BED, A MANDREL CONNECTED WITH SAID BED AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM SO AS TO HAVE A REAR PORTION LOCATED ADJACENT SAID BED AND A FORWARD PORTION LOCATED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM SAID BED, MEANS FOR FEEDING A WORKPIECE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MANDREL TO SAID REAR PORTION THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF FORMING TOOLS WHICH ARE MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BED AND WHICH SEQUENTIALLY COOPERATE WITH SAID REAR MANDREL PORTION THROUGHOUT A PREDETERMINED FORMING PHASE OF EACH CYCLE OF OPERATION OF THE MACHINE TO PROGRESSIVELY BEND THE WORKPIECE AROUND THE SAID MANDREL AND INTO SUCH A SHAPE AS TO BRING ITS TWO ENDS INTO JUXTAPOSED ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP AFTER IT IS DELIVERED TO SAID REAR MANDREL PORTION BY SAID FEEDING MEANS AND WHILE IT REMAINS AT THE SAME AXIAL POSITION ON SAID REAR MANDREL PORTION, MEANS FOR MOVING A WORKPIECE FROM THE REAR TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID MANDREL AFTER THE COMPLETION OF SAID FORMING PHASE, AND MEANS FOR WELDING TOGETHER THE JUXTAPOSED ENDS OF A WORKPIECE AT THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID MANDREL WHILE ANOTHER WORKPIECE IS BENT AROUND THE REAR PORTION OF SAID MANDREL BY SAID TOOLS.