Machine for making wire reinforcement cages

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE FOR FABRICATING REINFORCEMENT WIRE CAGES, A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL BEAMS EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM A COMMON CENTER WITH THEIR OUTER ENDS IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RELATION, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BEAMS IN A NORMAL POSITION, MEANS RELEASABLY SECURING SAID BEAMS IN SAID NORMAL POSITION, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID BEAMS IN A LOWERED POSITION, AT LEAST CERTAIN OF SAID BEAMS BEING LOWERABLE TO SAID LOWERED POSITION, A STATIONARY WIRE FEED UNIT MOUNTED ON EACH BEAM, EACH UNIT HAVING MEANS FOR FEEDING A WIRE VERTICALLY, A CIRCUMFERENTIAL WIRE FEED MEANS MOUNTED FOR CIRCULAR MOVEMENT AROUND THE VERTICALLY FED WIRES, AND WELDING UNITS CARRIED BY SAID FEED UNITS FOR WELDING THE INTERSECTIONS OF THE VERTICALY FED WIRES AND THE WIRE WRAPPED THEREAROUND, EACH SAID WIRE FEED UNITS BEING IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION WHEN THE BEAM ON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED IS IN SAID NORMAL POSITION AND BEING IN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION WHEN SUCH BEAM IS IN SAID LOWERED POSITION.