Apparatus and method of forming needle blanks from wire stock

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus and method for forming curved and pointed needle blanks from a coiled length of wire needle stock material. The apparatus includes an inner mandrel having a circumferential wire receiving groove and at least one longitudinally extending broach receiving channel formed in the outer surface. The apparatus also includes an outer member having an inner surface defining a bore sized to receive the inner mandrel wrapped with wire needle stock. The outer member includes at least one longitudinal broach receiving channel formed in the outer member inner surface. The outer mandrel further includes a circumferential wire receiving groove formed in the inner surface such that, when wrapped with the length of wire needle stock material, the inner mandrel is threaded into the outer member. The apparatus further includes at least one broach which is movable within the channels to cut the length of wire needle stock into curved and pointed needle blanks. The method includes wrapping a length of wire needle stock around an inner mandrel and inserting the wire wrapped mandrel within an outer member. The method further includes moving at least one broach within a longitudinal channel formed in at least one of the mandrel and outer member to cut the length of wire needle stock into needle blanks. A needle blank formed by the apparatus and method is disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.