Multi-draw wire drawing machine

Abstract

A multi-draw wire drawing machine includes upper and lower wire drawing stations that are adapted to selectively operate together for multi-drawing operations, and independently of one another for single-draw operations.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A multi-draw wire drawing machine adapted to receive wire from an upstream location and to supply drawn wire to a downstream location, the wire drawing machine comprising: 
 an upper wire drawing station including an upper draw die and an upper capstan positioned to draw wire therethrough;    a lower wire drawing station including a lower draw die and a lower capstan positioned to draw wire therethrough;    said stations both having inlets positioned to receive wire from said upstream location and having exits positioned to supply wire to said downstream location; and    a wire guide positioned to selectively guide wire exiting from one of said stations to the other of said stations and said downstream location.    
     
     
         2 . A multi-draw wire drawing machine adapted to receive wire from an upstream location and to supply drawn wire to a downstream location, the wire drawing machine comprising: 
 an upper wire drawing station including an upper draw die, an upper capstan adapted to draw wire therethrough, and an upper-capstan speed control responsive to use of wire downstream thereof; and    a lower wire drawing station including a lower draw die, a lower capstan adapted to draw wire therethrough, and a lower-capstan speed control responsive to use of wire downstream thereof;    the draw dies, capstans, and capstan speed controls of said upper and lower wire drawing stations substantially mirroring each other about a first horizontal axis extending therebetween such that wire flows into and out of said stations in substantially the same directions;    at least one of said wire drawing station being adapted to receive wire from said upstream location, and at least one of said wire drawing stations being adapted to supply drawn wire to said downstream location.    
     
     
         3 . A multi-draw wire drawing machine adapted to receive wire from an upstream location and to supply drawn wire to a downstream location, the wire drawing machine comprising: 
 an upper wire drawing station including an upper draw die, an upper capstan adapted to draw wire therethrough, and upper-capstan operating controls;    a lower wire drawing station including a lower draw die, a lower capstan adapted to draw wire therethrough, and lower-capstan operating controls; and    said stations both having inlets positioned to receive wire from said upstream location and having exits positioned to supply wire to said downstream location; and    said upper-capstan operating controls and said lower-capstan operating controls being independently operable of one another.