Wire forming machine

Claim 2

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside each other, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof, a rotatable element having an arm pivotally mounted thereon for engaging and looping the strand about a pin on one of said wheels to impart an undulatory configuration to said strand, said rotatable element being disposed adjacent the peripheries of said wheels at a position at which the pins of one wheel are spaced from the adjacent pins of the other wheel by a distance intermediate the maximum and minimum spacing between said pins, and mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly disposed to each other.

Claim 3

A wire forming machine according to claim 1 wherein wire removal means is disposed adjacent the peripheries of said wheels at a position at which the pins of one wheel are spaced from the adjacent pins of the other wheel by a distance less than the maximum spacing between said pins. 3 A wire forming machine according to claim 1 wherein wire holding means is disposed adjacent the peripheries of said wheels at a position at which the pins of one wheel are spaced from the adjacent pins of the other wheel by a distance which is approximately the maximum spacing between said pins.

Claim 4

A wire forming machine according to claim 1 wherein cam means forming a part of said rotatable element is engageable with a part of said arm to provide predetermined swinging movement of said arm about its pivotal mounting on said rotatable element.

Claim 5

A wire forming machine according to claim 1 wherein means associated with the strand of wire affords a frictional drag resistance against feeding of the strand of wire so as to facilitate looping of said strand about a pin on the other of said wheels.

Claim 6

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside each other, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof, a rotatable element having an arm pivotally mounted thereon for engaging and looping the strand about a pin on one of said wheels to impart an undulatory configuration to said strand, mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly disposed to each other, means associated with the strand of wire to afford a frictional drag resistance against feeding of the strand of wire so as to facilitate looping of said strand about a pin on the other of said wheels, and moveable releasing means disposed adjacent said other wheel and operable in coordination with movement of said arm for engaging the wire adjacent a pin on said other wheel to swing the wire out of engagement with said arm.

Claim 7

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside each other, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof, a rotatable element having an arm pivotally mounted thereon for engaging and looping the strand about a pin on one of said wheels to impart an undulatory configuration to said strand, mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly disposed to each other, means associated with the strand of wire to afford a frictional drag resistance against feeding of the strand of wire so as to facilitate looping of said strand about a pin on the other of said wheels, and moveable releasing means disposed adjacent said other wheel and operable in coordination with movement of said arm for engaging the wire adjacent a pin on said other wheel to swing the wire out of engagement with said arm.

Claim 8

A wire forming machine according to claim 6 wherein said releasing means comprises an oscillatable finger which engages the wire and moves it toward said other wheel a distance sufficient to disengage said arm.

Claim 9

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside each other, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof, a rotatable element having an arm pivotally mounted thereon for engaging and looping the strand about a pin on one of said wheels to impart an undulatory configuration to said strand, mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly disposed to each other, and a reciprocal plunger engageable with the wire adjacent said one wheel following looping thereof about a pin thereon for moving the wire toward said one wheel and for securing the wire against dislodgment from its looped relation relative to said pin.

Claim 10

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside each other, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof, a rotatable element having an arm pivotally mounted thereon for engaging and looping the strand about a pin on one of said wheels to impart an undulatory configuration to said strand, mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly disposed to each other, and a reciprocal plunger engageable with the wire adjacent said one wheel following looping thereof about a pin thereon for moving the wire toward said one wheel and for securing the wire against dislodgment from its looped relation relative to said pin.

Claim 11

A wire forming machine according to claim 8 wherein said reciprocal plunger is arranged with its axis in coincidence with the center of rotation of said rotatable element.

Claim 12

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside Each other, driving means for imparting constant rotation to said rotatable wheels, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof and extending radially outward therefrom, the pins on one wheel being spaced axially from the adjacent pins on the other wheel, continuously rotatable means for looping the strand of wire about the pins on said wheels to establish a series of loops along the length of said strand thereby to impart an undulatory configuration initially fixed in position on said strand while said wheels rotate continuously, and mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly spaced to each other, said means for looping a strand of wire about the pins being disposed adjacent the peripheries of said wheels at a position at which the adjacent pins of one wheel are spaced axially from the adjacent pins of the other wheel by a distance intermediate the maximum and minimum axial spacing between said pins whereby rotation of said wheels imparts a tension force to the strand of wire to cause the wire to become stretched and set without appreciably changing the initial disposition of the strand of wire relative to said pins and without shifting the undulations along the length of said strand.

Claim 13

A wire forming machine comprising a pair of rotatable wheels disposed alongside Each other, driving means for imparting constant rotation to said rotatable wheels, a plurality of pins secured to each of said wheels about the periphery thereof and extending radially outward therefrom, the pins on one wheel being spaced axially from the adjacent pins on the other wheel, continuously rotatable means for looping the strand of wire about the pins on said wheels to establish a series of loops along the length of said strand thereby to impart an undulatory configuration initially fixed in position on said strand while said wheels rotate continuously, and mounting means for rotatably supporting said wheels in such manner that their axes of rotation are angularly spaced to each other, said means for looping a strand of wire about the pins being disposed adjacent the peripheries of said wheels at a position at which the adjacent pins of one wheel are spaced axially from the adjacent pins of the other wheel by a distance intermediate the maximum and minimum axial spacing between said pins whereby rotation of said wheels imparts a tension force to the strand of wire to cause the wire to become stretched and set without appreciably changing the initial disposition of the strand of wire relative to said pins and without shifting the undulations along the length of said strand.