Wire length measuring and cutting apparatus

Claim 2

In a wire length measuring and cutting apparatus, the combination of a frame; a pair of simultaneously rotating drive shafts mounted on and extending between opposite ends of said frame; a pair of wire feeding clamps shiftable, respectively, along said shafts and non-rotatably guided on said frame for counter reciprocating feed and return strokes thereof; a pair of mechanical transducers movable, respectively, with said feeding clamps along said shafts in cooperative engagement therewith and operable to convert rotary movements of said shafts into axial movements of said feeding clamps selectively in opposite directions; cycling means operatively associated with said transducers so as to effect said feed and return strokes of said feeding clamps; wire input means at one end of said frame; jaw means operatively mounted on each of said feeding clamps for selective adjustment thereon to wire gripping and wire releasing positions in cooperative relation to wire protruding from said input means; wire cutting means operatively mounted on said frame adjacent said one end thereof; and actuating means for said jaw and cutting means controlled by said cycling means so that said jaw means will be in said wire gripping position during said feed strokes and in said wire releasing position durIng said return strokes of said feeding clamps, and so that said wire cutting means will execute a cutting stroke upon completion of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising wire conveying means extending transversely of said frame; auxiliary wire clamping means operatively associated with said conveying means and selectively adjustable to wire gripping and wire releasing positions; actuating means for said conveying and auxiliary wire clamping means controlled by said cycling means so that upon completion of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps said auxiliary wire clamping means will be adjusted to said wire gripping position thereof and said conveying means will subsequently be moved a predetermined distance transversely of said frame; and actuating means operatively associated with said conveying means for adjusting said auxiliary wire gripping means from said wire gripping to said wire releasing position thereof.

Claim 4

In a wire length measuring and cutting apparatus, the combination of a frame; a pair of simultaneously rotating drive shafts mounted on and extending between opposite ends of said frame; a pair of counter reciprocating wire feeding clamps shiftable, respectively, along said shafts and non-rotatably guided on said frame; a pair of mechanical transducers movable, respectively, with said feeding clamps along said shafts in cooperative engagement therewith and each including a control element selectively adjustable to neutral and opposite axial drive establishing positions; cycling means operatively associated with said transducer control elements so as to initiate a feed stroke of one of said feeding clamps from one toward the other of said frame ends while simultaneously initiating a return stroke of the other feeding clamp from said other toward said one frame end, and subsequently to initiate a return stroke of said one feeding clamp while simultaneously initiating a feed stroke of said other feeding clamp; wire input means at said one end of said frame; jaw means operatively mounted on each of said feeding clamps for selective adjustment thereon to wire gripping and wire releasing positions in cooperative relation to wire protruding from said wire input means; wire cutting means operatively mounted on said frame adjacent said one end thereof; and actuating means for said jaw and cutting means controlled by said cycling means so that said jaw means will be in said wire gripping position during said feed strokes and in said wire releasing position during said return strokes of said feeding clamps, and so that said wire cutting means will execute a cutting stroke upon completion of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 5

In a wire length measuring and cutting apparatus, the combination of a frame; a pair of simultaneously rotating drive shafts mounted on and extending between opposite ends of said frame; a pair of counter reciprocating wire feeding clamps shiftable, respectively, along said shafts and non-rotatably guided on said frame; a pair of mechanical transducers movable, respectively, with said feeding clamps along said shafts in cooperative engagement therewith and each including a control element selectively adjustable to neutral and opposite axial drive establishing positions; cycling means operatively associated with said transducer control elements so as to initiate a feed stroke of one of said feeding clamps from one toward the other of said frame ends while simultaneously initiating a return stroke of the other feeding clamp from said other toward said one frame end, and subsequently to initiate a return stroke of said one feeding clamp while simultaneously initiating a feed stroke of said other feeding clamp; wire input means at said one end of said frame; jaw means operatively mounted on each of said feeding clamps for selective adjustment thereon to wire gripping and wire releasing positions in cooperative relation to wire protruding from said wire input means; wire cutting means operatively mounted on said frame adjacent said one end thereof; and actuating means for said jaw and cutting means controlled by said cycling means so that said jaw means will be in said wire gripping position during said feed strokes and in said wire releasing position during said return strokes of said feeding clamps, and so that said wire cutting means will execute a cutting stroke upon completion of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 6

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein a pair of drive decelerating cam elements are fixedly mounted on said frame in cooperative relation to said transducer control elements so as to stop said return strokes of said feeding clamps at said one frame end, and said feed strokes at a predetermined distance therefrom; and wherein said cycling means are operable to adjust said transducer control elements to a first operative position for simultaneously initiating a feed stroke of one and a return stroke of the other of said stopped feeding clamps, and to subsequently adjust said transducer control elements to a second operative position for simultaneously initiating a return stroke of said one and a feed stroke of the other of said stopped feeding clamps.

Claim 7

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cycling means comprise a master slide reciprocably mounted on said frame; motor means on said frame operable to shift said master slide alternately in opposite directions; motion transmitting means operatively connected with said master slide and cooperable with said transducer control elements on said feeding clamps in said stopped conditions of the latter so as to initiate a feed stroke of one and a return stroke of the other of said feEding clamps in response to a shift of said master slide in one direction, and so as to initiate a return stroke of said one and a feed stroke of said other feeding clamp, in response to a shift of said master slide in the other direction.

Claim 8

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising motion transmitting means operatively connected with said master slide and with said wire cutting means so as to operate the latter by a shift of said master slide in either direction.

Claim 9

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising control means for said motor means responsive to movement of one of said feeding clamps, into one of its stopped positions so as to effect a shift of said master slide in one direction, and responsive to movement of said one feeding clamp into the other of its stopped positions so as to effect a shift of said master slide in the other direction.

Claim 10

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising dual control means for said motor means operative to effect a shift of said master slide from one position to another upon a feed stroke of one and a return stroke of the other of said feeding clamps, and to subsequently effect a shift of said master slide from said other to said one position upon a return stroke of said one and a feed stroke of said other feeding clamp.

Claim 11

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising a pair of drive accelerating cam elements and a pair of drive decelerating cam elements mounted on said frame in cooperative relation to said transducer control elements so as to adjust the latter to full speed positions subsequent to initiation of said feed and return strokes of said feeding clamps, and so as to adjust said transducer control elements to neutral positions upon completion of said feed and return strokes of said feeding clamps.

Claim 12

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein one of said drive decelerating and one of said drive accelerating cam elements are mounted at said wire input end of said frame, and wherein the other drive decelerating and accelerating cam elements are adjustably mounted for positioning at preselected spacings from said wire input end.

Claim 13

In a wire feeding and cutting apparatus, the combination of a frame; a pair of simultaneously rotating drive shafts mounted on and extending between opposite ends of said frame; a pair of wire feeding clamps shiftable, respectively, along said shafts and non-rotatably guided on said frame for counter reciprocating feed and return strokes thereof; a pair of mechanical transducers movable, respectively, with said feeding clamps along said shafts in cooperative engagement therewith and operable to convert rotary movements of said shafts into axial movements of said feeding clamps selectively in opposite directions; cycling means operative associated with said transducers so as to initiate said feed and return strokes of said feeding clamps, wire input means at one end of said frame; wire gripping jaws mounted, respectively on said feeding clamps for back and forth movement thereon into and out of wire straddling positions, and each selectively adjustable in said wire straddling position to wire gripping and wire releasing positions in cooperative relation to wire protruding from said wire input means; means including cam elements fixedly mounted on said frame and cam follower elements associated, respectively, with said jaws for moving said jaws into said wire straddling positions preparatory to said feed strokes, and out of said wire straddling positions preparatory to said return strokes of said feeding clamps; wire cutting means operatively mounted on said frame adjacent said one end thereof; and actuating means controlled by said cycling means for adjusting said jaws in their wire straddling positions to said wire gripping positions preparatory to said feed strokes, and to said wire releasing positions preparatory to said return strokes of said feeding clamps, and for operating said wire cutting means upon completioN of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 14

In a wire feeding and cutting apparatus, the combination of a frame; a pair of simultaneously rotating drive shafts mounted on and extending between opposite ends of said frame; a pair of wire feeding clamps shiftable, respectively, along said shafts and non-rotatably guided on said frame for counter reciprocating feed and return strokes thereof; a pair of mechanical transducers movable, respectively, with said feeding clamps along said shafts in cooperative engagement therewith and operable to convert rotary movements of said shafts into axial movements of said feeding clamps selectively in opposite directions; cycling means operative associated with said transducers so as to initiate said feed and return strokes of said feeding clamps, wire input means at one end of said frame; wire gripping jaws mounted, respectively on said feeding clamps for back and forth movement thereon into and out of wire straddling positions, and each selectively adjustable in said wire straddling position to wire gripping and wire releasing positions in cooperative relation to wire protruding from said wire input means; means including cam elements fixedly mounted on said frame and cam follower elements associated, respectively, with said jaws for moving said jaws into said wire straddling positions preparatory to said feed strokes, and out of said wire straddling positions preparatory to said return strokes of said feeding clamps; wire cutting means operatively mounted on said frame adjacent said one end thereof; and actuating means controlled by said cycling means for adjusting said jaws in their wire straddling positions to said wire gripping positions preparatory to said feed strokes, and to said wire releasing positions preparatory to said return strokes of said feeding clamps, and for operating said wire cutting means upon completioN of a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 15

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said cycling means comprises a master slide reciprocably mounted on said frame, a pair of cam tracks on said master slide, and cam follower elements in cooperative relation, respectively, with said cam tracks and with said jaws so that movement of said master slide in one direction will adjust one of said jaws to said wire gripping position and the other jaw to said wire releasing position, and so that movement of said master slide in the other direction will adjust said one jaw to said wire releasing and said other jaw to said wire gripping position.

Claim 16

A wire feeding and cutting machine as set forth in claim 12 wherein said reciprocable master slide is further operatively connected with said wire cutting means so that the latter will move into cutting position by movement of said slide element in one direction, and so that said cutting means will again move into cutting position by movement of said master slide in the other direction.

Claim 17

An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 and further comprising a pair of endless conveyors extending transversely of said frame and spaced transversely from each other, and auxiliary wire clamping means operatively associated with said conveyors and controlled by said master slide so as to move from wire straddling to wire gripping positions upon a feed stroke of each of said feeding clamps.

Claim 18

In a wire length measuring and cutting apparatus of the type wherein a pair of counter reciprocating wire feeding clamps are alternately operative to advance a length of wire from a supply of wire stock a wherein a cutting mechanism severs the advanced wire length after a feed stroke of each of said clamps, the improvement comprising, a pair of transversely spaced shafts rotatably mounted on said apparatus in axially fixed positions, drive means for continuously rotating said shafts, a pair of rotary to lineal motion transducers having driving connections, respectively, with said shafts and axial thrust transmitting connections, respectively, with said feeding clamps, and control means operatively associated with said motion transducers for initiating a feed stroke of one and a return stroke of the other of said feeding clamps, and for subsequently initiating return stroke of said one and a feed stroke of the other of said feeding clamps.

Claim 19

In a wire length measuring and cutting apparatus of the type wherein a pair of counter reciprocating wire feeding clamps are alternately operative to advance a length of wire from a supply of wire stock a wherein a cutting mechanism severs the advanced wire length after a feed stroke of each of said clamps, the improvement comprising, a pair of transversely spaced shafts rotatably mounted on said apparatus in axially fixed positions, drive means for continuously rotating said shafts, a pair of rotary to lineal motion transducers having driving connections, respectively, with said shafts and axial thrust transmitting connections, respectively, with said feeding clamps, and control means operatively associated with said motion transducers for initiating a feed stroke of one and a return stroke of the other of said feeding clamps, and for subsequently initiating return stroke of said one and a feed stroke of the other of said feeding clamps.