Drawing machine

An apparatus for drawing a strand, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame extending in a longitudinal direction;
• a first pair of substantially identical first linear motors each having
• a primary fixed on the frame, and
• a movable secondary slidable along the respective primary in the direction,
• the primaries extending parallel to the direction and being transversely spaced on a first plane extending in the direction;
• a first strand clamp capable of gripping the strand and fixed between the secondaries;
• a second pair of substantially identical linear second motors longitudinally spaced downstream in the direction from the first pair and each having
• a primary fixed on the frame, and
• a movable secondary slidable along the respective primary in the direction,
• the primaries of the second motors extending parallel to the direction and being transversely spaced along a second plane extending in the direction and crossing the first plane with the primaries of the second motors offset transversely from the primaries of the first motors;
• a second strand clamp capable of gripping the strand, separate from the first clamp, and fixed between the secondaries of the second motors in longitudinal alignment with the first clamp;
• and
• means for supplying electricity to the primaries of the first and second motors and thereby longitudinally, alternately, and oppositely displacing the secondaries and first and second clamps in the frame such that the clamps and any strand held by them are advanced longitudinally through the frame in hand-to-hand fashion.