Patent US5121573A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5121573A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wire cleaning apparatus and system
Assignee: Florida Wire and Cable Co
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Filing: 1990-05-10
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Granted: 1992-06-16
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Expires: 2010-05-10
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus, for in-line cleaning of wire being formed, disposes abrasive elements in confronting relationships on opposite sides of the travel path and in surface contact with the wire running between them.
Inventors
- 👤 Giuseppe Vassena
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:34
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21C; B21C43/00; B21C43/02; B21C43/04; B24; B24B; B24B29/00; B24B29/02; B24B29/06; B24B29/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S451/00; Y10S451/909
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
291 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least two pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being parallel to one another, perpendicular to said travel path, and spaced from one another therealong, said mounting means also being adapted to permit selective positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two fixed orientations rotated about said associated common axis, and including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least two mounting plates disposed within said housing on opposite sides of said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of both of said pairs; said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axes being non-intersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in one of said orientations thereof which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
291 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least two pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being parallel to one another, perpendicular to said travel path, and spaced from one another therealong, said mounting means also being adapted to permit selective positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two fixed orientations rotated about said associated common axis, and including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least two mounting plates disposed within said housing on opposite sides of said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of both of said pairs; said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axes being non-intersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in one of said orientations thereof which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
225 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least one pair of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers on an associated common axis perpendicular to said travel path, said mounting means also being adapted to permit selective positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two fixed orientations rotated about said associated common axis; said end faces of said buffer elements lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axis being non-intersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in one of said orientations thereof which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
225 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least one pair of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers on an associated common axis perpendicular to said travel path, said mounting means also being adapted to permit selective positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two fixed orientations rotated about said associated common axis; said end faces of said buffer elements lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axis being non-intersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in one of said orientations thereof which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said apparatus includes at least two of said pair of buffers, said mounting means spacing said buffer pairs from one another along said travel path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein one of said buffer pairs is disposed with said common axis thereof perpendicular to said common axis of the other of said buffer pairs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said apparatus is a self-contained device adapted for installation into a system for the production of wire and the like.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing is elongated, wherein said end members are plates, and wherein said housing additionally includes a plurality of bars attached adjacent opposite ends thereof to said plates and extending therebetween to space said plates longitudinally from one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said abrasive material of which said buffer elements are made comprises rubber and a relatively soft abrasive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said abrasive is boron carbide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said buffer elements are of cubic form, and wherein said selective positioning is effected with removal of said buffer elements from said mounting means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least one pair of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including an element having an end face made of an abrasive material comprising rubber and a relatively soft abrasive; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers on an associated common axis perpendicular to said travel path, said end faces of said buffer elements being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for the abrasive cleaning and polishing of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least one pair of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including an element having an end face made of an abrasive material comprising rubber and a relatively soft abrasive; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers on an associated common axis perpendicular to said travel path, said end faces of said buffer elements being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said mounting means includes a support for each of said buffer elements and at least two mounting plates disposed within said housing on opposite sides of said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of said pair, and wherein said apparatus additionally includes means for biasing said mounting plates toward one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein there are at least four of said buffer pairs, said buffer pairs being spaced from one another along said travel path and being disposed on alternating, mutually perpendicular axes; and wherein there are at least two additional of said mounting plates so disposed and so mounting said supports, said additional plates being disposed on opposite sides of said travel path displaced about said travel path by 90° from said first-mentioned opposite sides thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said abrasive is boron carbide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said apparatus is a self-contained device adapted for installation into a system for the production of wire and the like, wherein said housing is elongated, wherein said end members are plates, and wherein said housing additionally includes a plurality of bars attached adjacent opposite ends thereof to said plates and extending therebetween to space said plate longitudinally from one another.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said buffer elements are of cubic form, and wherein said mounting means removably supports said buffer elements for selective positioning thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
218 words
A self-contained abrasive cleaning and polishing device adapted for installation into a system for the production of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least four pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including an element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being perpendicular to said travel path and spaced from one another therealong, and each of said common axes being perpendicular to each said common axis adjacent thereto, said mounting means including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least four mounting plates disposed within said housing at 90° intervals about said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of two of said pairs, said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
218 words
A self-contained abrasive cleaning and polishing device adapted for installation into a system for the production of metal wire and the like, comprising a housing having means defining an axial travel path therethrough, mounting means, and at least four pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including an element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being perpendicular to said travel path and spaced from one another therealong, and each of said common axes being perpendicular to each said common axis adjacent thereto, said mounting means including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least four mounting plates disposed within said housing at 90° intervals about said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of two of said pairs, said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
333 words
A system for the in-line processing of wire and the like, comprising: means for producing a continuous-length workpiece having a surface deposit thereon; means for continuously taking-up such a workpiece; and apparatus, interposed between said means for producing and said means for taking-up, for abrasive cleaning and polishing of the workpiece surface, said apparatus including a housing having means defining an axial travel path for the workpiece therethrough, mounting means, and at least two pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being parallel to one another, perpendicular to said travel path, and spaced from one another therealong, said mounting means also being adapted to permit positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two orientations rotated about said associated common axis, and including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least two mounting plates disposed within said housing on opposite sides of said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of both of said pairs; said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axes being nonintersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in on of said orientations thereof, which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
333 words
A system for the in-line processing of wire and the like, comprising: means for producing a continuous-length workpiece having a surface deposit thereon; means for continuously taking-up such a workpiece; and apparatus, interposed between said means for producing and said means for taking-up, for abrasive cleaning and polishing of the workpiece surface, said apparatus including a housing having means defining an axial travel path for the workpiece therethrough, mounting means, and at least two pairs of stationary buffers, each of said buffers including a removable element having a flat end face made of an abrasive material; said mounting means being operatively attached to said housing and disposing said buffers of each of said pairs on an associated common axis, said common axes being parallel to one another, perpendicular to said travel path, and spaced from one another therealong, said mounting means also being adapted to permit positioning of each of said buffer elements in either of at least two orientations rotated about said associated common axis, and including a support for each of said buffer elements and at least two mounting plates disposed within said housing on opposite sides of said travel path, each of said plates mounting said support for one buffer element of both of said pairs; said end faces of said elements of each pair of buffers lying substantially perpendicular to said associated common axis, and being disposed in confronting relationship to one another on opposite sides of said travel path; said housing having end members at the opposite ends thereof, each of said end members having a guide element therein for cooperatively defining the axis of movement of a workpiece along said travel path, said common axes being nonintersecting with said axis of movement so as to thereby cause said axis of movement to traverse said end face of each of said buffer elements along a line in on of said orientations thereof, which is different from the line traversed thereacross in the other of said buffer element orientations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 17 wherein said housing is elongated, wherein said end members are plates, and wherein said housing additionally includes a plurality of bars attached adjacent opposite ends thereof to said plates and extending therebetween to space said plates longitudinally from one another.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 17 wherein said abrasive material of which said buffer elements are made comprises rubber and a relatively soft abrasive.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-16 | 1995-12-16 | 1996-06-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-16 | 1999-12-16 | 2000-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-16 | 2003-12-16 | 2004-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |