Wire winding and tying machine with magnetized hanking head

Abstract

A wire winding and tying machine useful in the winding of steel wire strands or the like includes a tie stock dispenser that delivers a pre cut length of tie stock to a platform. A banking unit picks up the tie stock and delivers it to a position above pre wound strands. The hanking unit includes rockable arms that press the tie stock ends about the wound strands to a position to engage a twister that winds the tie stock about the strands.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a strand hanking apparatus having a winding plate that winds a strand about vertical fingers and delivers a pre cut length of wire over the wound strand that improvement comprising (a) means for supporting a pre cut length of wire,   (b) a reciprocating hahking head adjacent said support means having a magnetized lower surface for gripping said wire with ends protruding,   (c) rockable clamping arms mounted above and coupled to the hanking head,   (d) means for moving the head to pick up the pre cut length of wire from the support means and deliver the wire to the wound strand,   (e) means for lowering the head with the pre cut length of wire magnetically affixed thereto to engage the wound strand,   (f) means for rocking said arms to engage protruding ends of the wire and locate it partially about the strand and grip the wound strand, and   (g) twisting means positioned below the winding plate engaging the terminal portions of the wire to complete a tied hank.   
     
     
       2. In a strand hanking apparatus having a winding plate with wire engaging fingers extending perpendicularly therefrom and means feeding at least a strand to a finger and rotating the plate to wind the strand about the fingers, that improvement comprising (a) means for delivering a pre cut length of ferrous wire onto a magnetized transfer platform,   (b) a hanking head, said head having a magnetized lower surface and rockable clamping arms mounted thereabove,   (c) means for laterally moving the head from a position over the winding plate to a position over the magnetized transfer platform to pick up the pre cut length of ferrous wire on the magnetized lower surface of the hanking head and return the head to a position over the winding plate,   (d) means for rocking the arms to engage the ferrous wire and to move the same about the wound strand and to simultaneously grip the wound strand, and   (e) twisting means positioned below the winding plate engaging the ferrous wire to complete a tied hank.   
     
     
       3. A wire winding and typing machine for winding a strand having ends into a hank and then individually tying, comprising: a hanking head with a pair of clamping arms and a lower face; said lower face including a plurality of magnetic elements;   conveying means for delivering ferrous wire to said lower face, said ferrous wire being magnetically affixed to said lower face;   means for moving said head from said conveying means to said wound strand to deliver the wire,   a winding plate having spaced winding fingers and an adjustable clamp adjacent one finger   said strand ends remaining fixed to said winding plate, and   twisting means for engaging said wire to complete a tied hank.   
     
     
       4. The machine of claim 3, including means for moving the clamping arms for closing the arms together, said arms having protrusions positioning the ferrous wire beneath the wound hank, whereby said ferrous wire is positioned between the hanking head and the hank with downwardly projecting ends. 
     
     
       5. The machine of claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of L-shaped winding fingers, each with a first portion disposed through said winding plate; second portions of said fingers being spring-biased in a downward direction urging said first portions toward the exterior of the winding plate; and   a cylinder disposed adjacent to said second portion to engage said second portion to rock said first portion toward the inside of the winding plate to permit easy removal of a tied shank therefrom.   
     
     
       6. The machine of claim 5, further comprising: a carriage having a predetermined travel linked to a linear motor means for the supply of tying wire;   a pair of cutting blades proximal to said conveying means capable of cutting said wire;   whereby when the predetermined travel is completed, one of the cutting blades cuts the wire to be transferred to the banking head.   
     
     
       7. The machine of claim 3, wherein the twisting means has a driving shaft which is concentric to a driving shaft of the winding plate; said twister shaft and said winding plate shaft being driven by the same drive means; and   an index cam wheel is provided having as many teeth as the twister has arms linked to the shaft of the tying twister; and   a trigger is anchored to the shaft of the winding plate and in spring-biased engagement with the index wheel.