Method and apparatus for forming wire mesh cages
AssigneeExpo Wire Company
InventorsRichard V. Smith, Arthur M. Shannon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically forming and welding wire mesh cages useful in reinforcing standard concrete pipe. Prefabricated wire mesh is fed from a coil through a straightener and shear section onto a mandrel. A predetermined length of the wire mesh is sheared and then rolled in cage form on the mandrel and, once rolled, is welded to retain the mandrel shape. The entire operation is automatically controlled by an integrated electrical control and logic system and is run by a single operator. The welding system employs a plurality of small TIG welders which are operated in sequence to reduce power supply demands and which can weld wire in any condition even rusted wire.
Claims35
Apparatus for forming a cage from a section of wire mesh having a plurality of longitudinal and transverse wires comprising frame means, mandrel means mounted on said frame means, means associated with said mandrel means for wrapping said section around said mandrel means so that opposite ends of said longitudinal wires are positioned adjacent each other, welding means mounted on said frame means and including a plurality of welding units each associated with the opposite ends of one of said longitudinal wires, and control means for energizing said welding units to weld said opposite ends together.
Apparatus for forming a cage from wire mesh having a plurality of longitudinal and transverse wires comprising support means for holding a coil of wire mesh, mandrel means around which a cage is formed, shear means between said support means and said mandrel means, feed means for feeding the wire mesh off the coil to said shear means and said mandrel means, said shear means being operable to cut a section of said wire mesh of predetermined length, means associated with said mandrel means for wrapping said section around said mandrel means so that opposite ends of said longitudinal wires are positioned adjacent each other, welding means mounted adjacent said mandrel means and including a plurality of welding units each associated with the opposite ends of one of the longitudinal wires, and control means for energizing said welding units to weld said opposite ends together.
A method of forming and welding a cage from a section of wire mesh having a plurality of longitudinal and transverse wires comprising wrapping said section around a mandrel, clamping said section on said mandrel so that opposite ends of each of said longitudinal wires lie adjacent each other, providing a plurality of welding units each located adjacent the opposite ends of one of the longitudinal wires, and sequentially energizing the welding units to weld the longitudinal wires in sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.