Production of multiple elongated products such as wire

Abstract

A bundle of hexagonal billets, each billet being coated with a shear transmitting medium, is extruded through one form of die having a plurality of hexagonal die apertures, to produce simultaneously a plurality of individual hexagonal wires. The bundle may be extruded through another form of die having a single die aperture with a transverse cross-section registering with the transverse cross-section of the bundle, to produce simultaneously a plurality of individual hexagonal wires. In each case, the billet material is advanced against and through the die by means of frictional or viscous drag force exerted along the surface of the billet material toward the die. The foregoing operations may also be applied to drawing.

What is claimed is:  .[.1. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products from billet material, said method comprising: 
     
        plurality of elongated products therefrom..]. 2. Method as in claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.58.Iaddend., wherein: .[.c.]. .Iadd.e.Iaddend.. the die lubricating material is wax.  .[.3. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products from billet material, said method comprising:   a. coating the billet material with shear transmitting medium capable of lubricating a die;   b. applying force along the surface of the coating of shear transmitting medium on said billet material toward the entrance end of a die having a plurality of die apertures extending therethrough thereby to apply frictional drag force along the surface of the billet material toward the entrance end of the die;   c. advancing said billet material by means of said frictional drag force against said die in such manner that the billet material and the coating of shear transmitting medium thereon are substantially evenly distributed to all of said die apertures, whereby each die aperture is lubricated by the said shear transmitting medium and the billet material is deformed in passing through the said die apertures to produce simultaneously a   
     
     
        plurality of elongated products therefrom..]. 4. Method as in claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.59.Iaddend., wherein: .[.d.]. .Iadd.e.Iaddend.. the .[.shear transmitting medium.]. .Iadd.die   
     
     
        lubricating material .Iaddend.is wax. 5. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising: a. coating each of a plurality of elongated billets with die lubricating material;   b. assembling said plurality of coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle .Iadd.with effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle.Iaddend.;   c. .[.passing.]. .Iadd.applying a frictional drag force along the outer periphery of .Iaddend.the bundle of coated elongated billets .[.through.]. .Iadd.in the direction of .Iaddend.a die having a plurality of die apertures extending therethrough .[.in.]. such .[.manner.]. that .Iadd.said effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle will cause each of said billets to advance toward a different one of said die apertures with .Iaddend.each die aperture .[.receives.]. .Iadd.receiving .Iaddend.one of said coated elongated billets and .[.is.]. .Iadd.being .Iaddend.lubricated by the die lubricating material thereon, thereby deforming said billets in said die apertures to produce simultaneously a plurality of elongated products   
     
     
        therefrom. 6. Method as in claim 5, wherein: 
     
     
       d. the die lubricating material is wax. 7. Method as in claim 5, wherein: d. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that the thickness of the die lubricating material between adjacent surfaces of adjacent   
     
     
        billets in the bundle is substantially uniform. 8. Method as in claim 5, wherein: d. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are regular polygons;   e. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that adjacent   
     
     
        surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are parallel to each other. 9. Method as in claim 8, wherein: f. in performing step (c), each coated elongated billet is passed through a die aperture having a polygonal transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of its   
     
     
        respective billet and decreasing in size toward its exit end. 10. Method as in claim 9, wherein: g. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are regular hexagons. 11. Method as in claim 9, wherein: g. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are equilateral triangles. 12. Method as in claim 9, wherein: g. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are squares. 13. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising: a. coating each of a plurality of elongated billets with shear transmitting medium capable of lubricating a die;   b. assembling said plurality of coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle .Iadd.with effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle.Iaddend.;   c. applying .Iadd.a frictional drag .Iaddend.force along the peripheral surface of the coating of shear transmitting medium on said bundle toward the entrance end of a die having a plurality of die apertures extending therethrough .[.thereby to apply frictional drag force along the surfaces of all of the elongated billets in the bundle.].;   d. advancing said bundle by means of said frictional drag force against said die.Iadd., said effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle causing all of said billets to advance together, .Iaddend.in such manner that each die aperture receives one of said coated elongated billets and is lubricated by the coating of shear transmitting medium thereon, thereby deforming said billets in said die apertures to produce simultaneously a plurality of elongated products   
     
     
        therefrom. 14. Method as in claim 13, wherein: 
     
     
       e. the shear transmitting medium is wax. 15. Method as in claim 13, wherein: e. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that the thickness of the shear transmitting medium between adjacent surfaces of adjacent   
     
     
        billets in the bundle is substantially uniform. 16. Method as in claim 13, wherein: e. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are regular polygons;   f. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that adjacent surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are parallel to each other.   
     
     
            Method as in claim 16, wherein: g. in performing step (d), each coated elongated billets is passed through a die aperture having a polygonal transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of its   
     
     
        respective billet and decreasing in size toward its exit end. 18. Method as in claim 16, wherein: h. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are regular hexagons. 19. Method as in claim 16, wherein: h. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are equilateral triangles. 20. Method as in claim 16, wherein: h. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are squares. 21. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising: a. coating each of a plurality of elongated billets, the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets being regular polygons, with die lubricating material;   b. assembling said plurality of coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle, the billets being assembled so that adjacent surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are parallel to each other .Iadd.with effective engagement between said adjacent billet surfaces.Iaddend.; and   c. .[.passing.]. .Iadd.applying a frictional drag force along the outer periphery of .Iaddend.the bundle of coated elongated billets .[.through.]. .Iadd.in the direction of .Iaddend.a die aperture having a transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of the bundle and decreasing in size toward its exit end .[.in.]. such .[.manner.]. that .Iadd.said effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle will cause each of the billets to advance toward the die with all of the coated elongated billets passing simultaneously through said die aperture, with .Iaddend.the die aperture .[.is.]. .Iadd.being .Iaddend.lubricated by the die lubricating material and the elongated billets .[.are.]. .Iadd.being .Iaddend.simultaneously reduced in the die aperture to produce simultaneously a plurality of elongated products, the die lubricating material preventing the individual elongated products from   
     
     
        welding to each other during passage through the die aperture. 22. Method as in claim 21, wherein: 
     
     
       d. the die lubricating material is wax. 23. Method as in claim 21, wherein: d. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that the thickness of the die lubricating material between adjacent surfaces of adjacent   
     
     
        billets in the bundle is substantially uniform. 24. Method as in claim 21, wherein: d. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are regular   
     
     
        hexagons. 25. Method as in claim 21, wherein: d. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are equilateral   
     
     
        triangles. 26. Method as in claim 21, wherein: 
     
     
       d. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are squares. 27. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising: a. coating each of a plurality of elongated billets, the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets being regular polygons, with shear transmitting medium capable of lubricating a die;   b. assembling said plurality of coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle, the billets being assembled so that adjacent surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are .[.adjacent.]. .Iadd.parallel .Iaddend.to each other .Iadd.with effective engagement between said adjacent billet surfaces.Iaddend.;   c. applying .Iadd.a frictional drag .Iaddend.force along the peripheral surface of the coating of shear transmitting medium on said bundle toward the entrance end of a die aperture having a transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of the bundle and decreasing in size toward its exit end .[.thereby to apply frictional drag force along the surfaces of all of the elongated billets in the bundle.].; and   d. advancing said bundle by means of said frictional drag force into said die aperture.Iadd., said effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle causing all of said billets to advance together, .Iaddend.in such manner that the die aperture is lubricated by the shear transmitting medium and the elongated billets are simultaneously reduced in the die aperture to produce simultaneously a plurality of elongated products, the shear transmitting medium preventing the individual elongated products from welding to each other during   
     
     
        passage through the die aperture. 28. Method as in claim 27, wherein: 
     
     
       e. the shear transmitting medium is wax. 29. Method as in claim 27, wherein: e. in performing step (b), the billets are assembled so that the thickness of the shear transmitting medium between adjacent surfaces of adjacent   
     
     
        billets in the bundle is substantially uniform. 30. Method as in claim 27, wherein: e. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are regular   
     
     
        hexagons. 31. Method as in claim 27, wherein: e. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are equilateral   
     
     
        triangles. 32. Method as in claim 27, wherein: e. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are squares. .[.33. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising:   a. assembling a plurality of elongated billets in the form of a bundle;   b. passing the bundle of elongated billets through a die having a plurality of die apertures extending therethrough in such manner that each die aperture receives one of said elongated billets, thereby deforming said billets in said die apertures to produce simultaneously a plurality of   
     
     
        elongated products therefrom..]. 34. Method as in claim .[.33.]. .Iadd.57.Iaddend., wherein: .[.c.]. .Iadd.d.Iaddend.. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are polygons;   .[.d.]. .Iadd.e.Iaddend.. in performing step (a), the billets are assembled so that adjacent surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are parallel   
     
     
        to each other. 35. Method as in claim 34, wherein: .[.e.]. .Iadd.f.Iaddend.. in performing step (b), each elongated billet is passed through a die aperture having a polygonal transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of its respective billet and decreasing in size toward its   
     
     
        exit end. 36. Method as in claim 35, wherein: .[.f.]. .Iadd.g.Iaddend.. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated   
     
     
        billets and the die apertures are regular hexagons. 37. Method as in claim 35, wherein: .[.f.]. .Iadd.g.Iaddend.. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated   
     
     
        billets and the die apertures are equilateral triangles. 38. Method as in claim 35, wherein: .[.f.]. .Iadd.g.Iaddend.. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated   
     
     
        billets and the die apertures are squares. 39. Method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, said method comprising: a. assembling a plurality of elongated billets in the form of a bundle .Iadd.with effective surface engagement between adjacent elongated billets included in said bundle.Iaddend.;   b. applying a frictional drag force along the surface of the bundle toward the entrance end of a die having a plurality of die apertures extending therethrough .[.thereby.]. .Iadd., said effective surface engagement between adjacent elongated billets include in said bundle serving .Iaddend.to advance said bundle toward said die in such manner that each die aperture receives one of said elongated billets, thereby deforming said billets in said die apertures to produce simultaneously a plurality   
     
     
        of elongated products therefrom. 40. Method as in claim 39, wherein: c. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets are polygons;   d. in performing step (a), the billets are assembled so that adjacent surfaces of adjacent billets in the bundle are parallel to each other.   
     
     
            Method as in claim 40, wherein: e. in performing step (b), each elongated billet is passed through a die aperture having a polygonal transverse cross-section substantially registering at its entrance end with the transverse cross-section of its   
     
     
        respective billet and decreasing in size toward its exit end. 42. Method as in claim 41, wherein: f. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are regular hexagons. 43. Method as in claim 41, wherein: f. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are equilateral triangles. 44. Method as in claim 41, wherein: f. the transverse cross-sections of the elongated billets and the die   
     
     
        apertures are squares. 45. A method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising: d. altering the shape of the reduced billets by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of apertures of a shape different from that of the reduced billets in such manner that each   
     
     
        die aperture receives one of the reduced billets. 46. A method as set forth in claim 45, wherein: e. step (d) is performed immediately following the performance of step (c).   
     
     
        7. A method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising: d. forming elongated products of round shape by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of circular apertures in such manner that each die aperture receives one of the   
     
     
        reduced billets. 48. A method as set forth in claim 47, wherein: e. step (d) is performed immediately following the performance of step (c).   
     
     
        9. A method as set forth in claim 24, further comprising: e. forming elongated products of round shape by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of circular apertures in such manner that each die aperture receives one of the   
     
     
        reduced billets. 50. A method as set forth in claim 49, wherein: f. step (e) is performed immediately following the performance of step (c).   
     
     
        1. A method as set forth in claim 27, further comprising: e. altering the shape of the reduced billets by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of apertures of a shape different from that of the reduced billets in such manner that each   
     
     
        die aperture receives one of the reduced billets. 52. A method as set forth in claim 50, wherein: f. step (e) is performed immediately following the performance of step (d).   
     
     
        3. A method as set forth in claim 27, further comprising: e. forming elongated products of round shape by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of circular apertures in such manner that each die aperture receives one of the   
     
     
        reduced billets. 54. A method as set forth in claim 51, wherein: f. step (e) is performed immediately following the performance of step (d).   
     
     
        5. A method as set forth in claim 30, further comprising: f. forming elongated products of round shape by passing the reduced billets through a die having extending therethrough a plurality of circular apertures in such manner that each die aperture receives one of the   
     
     
        reduced billets. 56. A method as set forth in claim 55, wherein: g. step (f) is performed immediately following the performance of step (d). .Iadd. 57. A method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products from a plurality of elongated billets, comprising the steps of:   a. assembling the plurality of elongated billets in the form of a bundle with effective surface engagement between adjacent elongated billets included in the bundle;   b. aligning each of the elongated billets in the bundle with a different one of a plurality of laterally spaced apertures extending through a die; and   c. applying a frictional drag force along the outer periphery of the bundle of billets in the direction of an entrance end of the die such that the effective surface engagement between adjacent elongated billets included in the bundle will cause each of the billets to advance toward its respective aligned die aperture as a part of the bundle and then to pass through said respective aligned die aperture, whereby a plurality of elongated products will be produced simultaneously. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 58. A method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products from a plurality of elongated billets, comprising the steps of:   a. coating each of the elongated billets individually with die lubricating material;   b. assembling the coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle with effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle;   c. aligning each of the coated elongated billets in the bundle with a different one of a plurality of apertures extending through a die; and   d. applying a frictional drag force along the outer periphery of the bundle of billets in the direction of an entrance end of the die such that the effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle will cause each of the billets to advance toward its respective aligned die aperture as a part of the bundle and then to pass through said respective aligned die aperture, whereby a plurality of elongated products will be produced simultaneously. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 59. A method of simultaneously producing a plurality of elongated products, each elongated product having a like, transverse cross-section in the form of a relatively small, first regular polygon, from a plurality of elongated billets, each elongated billet having a like, transverse cross-section in the form of a relatively large, second regular polygon, said first and second regular polygons having a like number of sides, comprising the steps of:   a. coating each of the elongated billets individually with die lubricating material;   b. assembling the coated elongated billets in the form of a bundle of regular polygons, with adjacent surfaces of adjacent coated elongated billets in the bundle in effective engagement with one another while extending in parallel to one another;   c. aligning the bundle of coated elongated billets with a die aperture, extending through a die and being so shaped at an entrance end thereof as to register substantially with the outer periphery of a transverse cross-section of the bundle, the die aperture decreasing in size toward an exit end of the die; and   d. applying a frictional drag force along the outer periphery of the bundle of coated elongated billets in the direction of the entrance end of the die such that the effective surface engagement between adjacent coated elongated billets included in the bundle will cause each of the billets to advance toward the die with all of the coated elongated billets passing simultaneously through the die aperture, with the die aperture being lubricated by the die lubricating material and the coated elongated billets being simultaneously reduced in the die aperture so as to produce a plurality of elongated products, each having a transverse cross-section in the form of one of said first regular polygons. .Iaddend.