Methods and apparatus for forming wire tapes

Apparatus for deforming an elongated workpiece by hydrostatic extrusion so as to form an integral article, which article comprises a plurality of elongated members, each of substantially circular cross-section, extending longitudinally in parallel while arrayed in a substantially laterally extending line, and joined together in edge-to-edge contact substantially along parallel, longitudinally extending lines of tangency between adjacent elongated member, the apparatus comprising:

• first die aperture wall means, having a fixed configuration and effective upon passage of the elongated workpiece therethrough, for deforming the elongated workpiece into an intermediate structure, which intermediate structure comprises a plurality of elongated elements extending in a longitudinal direction, in parallel, while arrayed in a substantially laterally extending line, and joined together along adjacent lateral edges of adjacent elements, each of said elements having a cross-section which includes a substantially circular, arcuate portion between said adjacent lateral edges of adjacent elements and a non-circular, junction region substantially converging toward each of said adjacent lateral edges of adjacent elements;
• second die aperture wall means, having a fixed configuration and effective upon passage of said intermediate structure therethrough, for compressing said intermediate structure substantially laterally, along the substantially laterally extending line in which the plurality of elongated elements are arrayed in said intermediate structure, to round out said non-circular, junction regions in such manner as to form an integral article comprisng a plurality of elongated members, equal in number to the number of elongated elements in said plurality of elongated elements, with the elongated members each having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, and being joined together along adjacent lateral edges of adjacent elongated members;
• the lateral distance across said second die aperture wall means being smaller than the lateral distance across said first die aperture wall means;
• each said die aperture wall means having a plurality of interconnected apertues;
• and
• means for applying hydrostatic forces to the elongated workpiece in such direction as to extrude the elongated workpiece, first through said first die aperture wall means and thereafter, as said intermediate structure, through said second die aperture wall means.

Apparatus for deforming an elongated workpiece by hydrostatic extrusion so as to form an integral article, which article comprises a plurality of elongated members, each of substantially circular cross-section, extending in parallel while arrayed in a laterally extending line, and joined together in edge-to-edge contact substantially along parallel, longitudinally extending lines of tangency between adjacent elongated members, the apparatus comprising:

• first die aperture wall means, having a fixed configuration which defines a plurality of generally circular apertures arrayed in a substantially laterally extending line and interconnected by non-circular, junction areas which converge along substantially flat surfaces, said surfaces meeting one another at substantially ninety degree angles, such that an elongated workpiece, upon being displaced longitudinally through said first die aperture wall means, will be deformed into an intermediate structure comprising a plurality of substantially circular elongated products extending longitudinally in parallel while arrayed in a laterally extending line, and joined together along non-circular, junction regions at adjacent lateral edges of adjacent elements;
• second die aperture wall means, having a fixed configuration which is so configured as to apply substantially lateral compressive forces to said intermediate structure upon the displacement of said intermediate structure longitudinally through said second die aperture wall means;
• the lateral distance across said second die aperture wall means being smaller than the lateral distance across said first die aperture wall means;
• each said die aperture wall means having a plurality of interconnected apertures;
• and
• means for applying hydrostatic forces to the elongated workpiece in such direction as to extrude the elongated workpiece longitudinally, first through said first die aperture wall means and then, as said intermediate structure, through said second die aperture wall means.