Apparatus for projecting wire

Abstract

An apparatus ( 100 ) for projecting a stay wire ( 7 ) across a plurality of line wires ( 2 ) in a fence mesh forming machine. The apparatus ( 100 ) has at least two rollers ( 109 ) defining a wire travel path (W) between the rollers and arranged to contact the wire ( 7 ) and move the wire along the wire travel path (W) upon rotation of the rollers ( 109 ). At least one of the rollers ( 109 ) is arranged to be directly driven by a respective motor ( 115 ). Preferably, each of the rollers ( 109 ) is arranged to be directly driven by a respective motor ( 115 ).

1 . An apparatus for protecting a stay wire across a plurality of line wires in a fence mesh forming machine, the apparatus comprising three rollers defining a wire travel path and arranged generally annularly about the wire travel path to contact the wire and move the wire along the wire travel path upon rotation of the rollers, wherein each of the rollers is arranged to be directly driven by a respective motor. 
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each motor comprises a housing with a dirve shaft extending from the housing, and wherein a rolelr is mounted on the dirve shaft of each motor. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each roller comprises a generally arcuate contact surface extending about its perimeter for receipt of, and contact with, part of the wire to be projected. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rollers are biased towards the wire travel path, to assist in maintaining contact between the rollers and a wire as it is being moved through the wire travel path. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , comprising a compresssion spring arranged to push against a member associated with each roller to bias the rollers towards the wire travel path. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the bias of each roller is adjustable. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein an adjuster is associated with each spring, and is configured such that moving the adjuster alters the amount of spring force which biases each roller. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each motor is an electric servo motor. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rollers are arranged at angles of about 120 degrees about the wire travel path. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising more than three rollers arranged generally annularly around the wire travel path. 
   
   
       11 . A fence mesh forming machine comprising:
 a machine bed arranged to pass a plurality of substantially parallel line wires therethrough; and   an apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  configured to project a stay wire a plurality of line wires.   
   
   
       12 . A fence mesh forming machine as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the rollers for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined speed, to project the stay wire a predetermined distance. 
   
   
       13 . A fence mesh forming machine as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is configured to project the stay wire across all of the line wires in the plnrality of line wires. 
   
   
       14 . A method of projecting a stay wire across a plurality of line wires in a fence mesh forming machine comprising a machine bed arranged to pass a plurality of substantially parallel line wires therethrough and an apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , the method comprising feeding a stay wire between the rollers of the apparatus, and operating the apparatus to project the stay wire across a plurality of line wires. 
   
   
       15 . A method as clailmied in  claim 14 , comprising rotaiting the rollers for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined speed, to project the stay wire a predetermined distance. 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising protecting the stay wire across all of the line wires in the plurality of line wires.