US3183699A

US3183699A - Wire drawing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3183699A
Application number: US146626A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Ehlert
Original assignee: Ajax Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Ajax Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1961-10-20
Filing date: 1961-10-20
Publication date: 1965-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-18

Description

May 18, 1965 w. A. EHLERT WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20. 1961 NdE ON INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A. EHLERT ATTORNEYS y 18, 1955 w. A. EHLERT 3,183,699

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS ATTORNEYS y 8, 1965 w. A. EHLERT 3,183,699

WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS WlLLlAM A. EHLERT ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 w. A. EHLERT WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001:. 20. 1961 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A. EHLERT BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,183,699 WIRE DRAWDIG APPARATUS William A. Ehlert, South Euclid, ()hio, assignor to The Ajax Manufacturing Company, Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 2th, 1961, Ser. No. 146,626 17 Claims. (Cl. 72-161) This invention relates to wire drawing apparatus of the reciprocating-die type frequently used in association with a cut-off mechanism or a fabricating machine such as a cold header and, as one of its objects, aims to provide novel drawing apparatus of this kind which is capable of faster, quieter and more reliable operation than comparable wire drawing apparatus heretofore available.

In wire drawing apparatus of the reciprocating-die type, as heretofore provided, the drawing die has been located on the main slide and the return stroke of the die, and of the slide carrying the same, has been produced by the feeding of the drawn wire to the associated machine. When the drawn wire is thus fed against a feed stop of such an associated machine, the inertia effect of the slide tends to cause buckling of the drawn Wire.

This buckling tendency creates a problem which has been more and more aggravated by the increasing speeds of operation of drawing apparatus of this kind, as Well as by the increasing mass of the die slide as the size or" the drawing apparatus is increased to handle larger wire sizes. This problem has been still further aggravated in drawing apparatus of this kind which includes a wire straightener in a connected relation to the die slide, because the inertia effect of the straightener is then cumulative to the inertia effect of the die slide.

It has also been a characteristic feature of the reciprocating-die type of wire drawing apparatus that the die slide is disengageable and re-engage-able by a swingable actuating lever. The re-engagement of the actuating lever with the die slide has produced noise and shock which are objectionable and the level of which has been further raised by the increased operating speeds and machine sizes being used in present day wire drawing apparatus of this kind.

Another object thereof, this invention accordingly provides novel wire drawing apparatus which successfully overcomes the problems just explained above.

Still another object is to provide novel wire drawing apparatus having a first slide actuat-able through a work stroke by an actuating lever and a second slide carrying a drawing die and movable through a drawing stroke along the wire by pushing engagement of the first slide therewith, the first slide being disengageable from the die slide to permit feeding of the drawn wire without being subject to inertia effects of such first slide.

A further object is to provide novel wire drawing apparatus of the character above mentioned and having means for lessening the noise and shock effects of the re-engagement of the first slide with the die slide.

As another object thereof, this invention provides novel wire drawing apparatus of the character indicated above wherein straightening means for straightening the Wire ahead of the drawing die is movable with the first slide so that the die slide will also be relieved from inertia ice ment relative thereto; and other guide means for supporting and guiding the die slide While the first slide is disengaged therefrom.

Other objects, novel characteristics and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of wire drawing apparatus embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the apparatus showing the driving means thereof and the association of the apparatus with a fabricating machine;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the apparatus on section line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal vertical section corresponding with a portion of FIG. 4 but showing the same on a larger scale; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken through the apparatus on section line 66 of FIG. 4.

In the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the novel wire drawing apparatus 10 is shown as comprising a frame structure 11 supporting first and second movable slides 12 and 13, of which the slide 12 is an actuating slide and the slide 13 is a die slide carrying a drawing die 14 for movement through successive drawing strokes along a Wire 15. The apparatus 10 also includes a swing-able actuating lever 16 (commonly referred to as a draw lever) for the first slide 12, and a drawing grip device 17 for gripping and holding the wire during the drawing movement of the die 14 there along.

The wire drawing apparatus 10 can be embodied in a combined machine which performs other operations on the drawn wire 15 such as straightening and cutoff operations or, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, can be located in a tandem relation to a fabricating machine 19 such as a cold header or the like to which the drawn wire is supplied at substantially the rate of production by the drawing apparatus 10.

When the drawing apparatus 10 is located in such a tandem relation to a fabricating machine, the frame structure 11 can be connected with the fabricating machine as by suitable spacer rods 20 extending therebetween. As is understood by persons skilled in this art, the draw lever 16 can be operated by power transmitted thereto from the fabricating machine 19 as by means of a suitable drive eccentric 21 secured on a shaft 22 and having a crank pin 23 with which the draw lever is connected by a drag link 24. The shaft 22 is rotatably supported in an auxiliary frame member 25 and driven from the fabricating machine by a sprocket 26 and a drive chain 27 extending therearound. The fabricating machine 19 is here shown as having a pair of feed rolls 28 and 29 which also serve the drawing apparatus 10 as a feed means for feeding the drawn wire 15' to the fabricating machine. The feed rolls 28 and 29 are located on a feed support bracket 30 of the fabricating machine 19 and are suitably driven by the latter as by means of a sprocket 31 and a drive chain 32 extending therearound.

The frame structure 11 is of a suitable shape and is here shown as having spaced

upright side walls

34 and 35 and a top opening 36 therein and extending therealong between such side walls. Along the top of the

side walls

34 and 35 the frame structure 11 is provided with laterally

spaced guides

37 and 38 to which

cover plates

39 and 40 are secured as by means of screws 41 for defining a pair of

longitudinal guideways

42 and 43 along which the first slide 12 is reciprocably movable.

The frame structure 11 is also provided with a pair d of laterally spaced bearings and 46 (see FIG. 6) in which a shaft 47 is rockable for swingably sup orting the draw lever 16. The intermediate portion of the lever 16 is located between the adjacent ends of the bearings 45 and es and is secured to the shaft 47 as by means of a key .8. The lower end of the draw lever 16 is connected with the drag link 24 by a pivot pin 49.

The first slide 12 comprises a'pair of longitudinally spaced

slide members

50 and 51 connected by a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending thrust rods 53 and 54 (see FIG. 1). The slide member 50 transmits drawing thrust from the lever 16 to the die slide 13 in a manner explained hereinafter. The slide member 51 forms a movable carrier for a wire straightening device 55 which will be described. hereinafter.

The slide member 50 comprises a body portion 53 --1 vided on the slide member 50. The engagement of the thrust portion 1411 against the thrust portion 1130 of the i die slide 13 is cushioned against shock and noise by yieldhaving laterally spaced

longitudinal side portions

57 and 53 which extend into the

guideways

42 and 43 for sliding movement therealong as guide followers during the reciprocation of the first' slide 12 by the draw lever 16. At pointsspaced inwardly from the

side portions

57 and 58 the slide member 511 is provided with laterally spaced longitudinally extending guide portions 59 and 61) which co-operate with a pair of cover plates 61 and 52 secured thereon to define a second pair of guideways 63 and 64 located on the slide member 51) and along which the die slide 13 is reciprocably movable. The slide member 50 is also provided with a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending clearance slots 6'7 and 68 which are located between the

side portions

57, 58 and the guide portions 5%, and accommodate portions of the draw lever 16 during the swinging movement of the latter.

The draw lever 16 is yoke-shaped at the upper end by being provided with a pair of laterally spaced yoke arms 69 and 70 which project upwardly through the clearance slots 67 and 63. The yoke arms 69 and 7(1are provided with

guide slots

71 and 72 in which apair of crosshead blocks 75 and '76 are slidably received. The yoke arms 69 and '70 of the lever 16 are connected with the slide 12 by means of pivot pins 77 and 78 mounted in the slide body 51% so as to extend across the clearance slots 67 and 68 and on which the crosshead blocks. 75 and 76 are rockably supported. The pivot shafts 77 and 78 have their inner ends secured in the slide body 50 as by means of suitable set screws 79. The

guide slots

71 and 72 are here shown as formed in part by plate members 80 secured to the yoke arms 69 and 7G by screws or the like 81. a

The die slide 13 is here shown as comprising a slide member 83 having a body portion 83 which includes a die box 85 for thedrawing die 14, and guide follower members 87 and 88 secured to such body along opposite sides thereof as by suitable screws 89. The guide members 87 and 88 operate as guide followers in the guideways 63 and 6.4 for slidably mounting the die slide 13 ontheslide member 5@ of the first slide 12. For a purpose to be presently explained, the body 83* of the die slide 13 is preferably made of a suitable lightweight ma terial such as aluminum, magnesium or beryllium.

The die box 85 includes a suitable die mount portion 91 having a recess 2 in which the drawing die .14 is received and secured as by means of a set screw 93.

The die box 85 contains a lubricant chamber 94 adjacent the die 14 an-d'which is adapted to contain lubricant for the drawing operation. The die box 85- is provided at the top thereof with a removable cover 95 and is also provided with suitable end openings in which aligned bushings 97 and 98 are disposed for passage of the wire 15 through the die box and drawing die.

The die slide 13 is actuatable through its drawing stroke in a direction away from the grip device 17 by movement imparted thereto by the slide member 50 of the first slide 12. For this purpose the die slide 13 is provided with a thrust portion 103 to which pushing force is applied by an opposed thrust portion 1111 proable bumper means 1&2 provided on one of these thrust portions, preferably the latter.

The bumper means 162 comprises a body or slab of cushioning material of limited flexibility and which is propriate flexibilityand wear-resistant and abrasion-resistant characteristics equal to nylon.

From the construction of the wire drawing apparatus 19 as thus far described, it will be seen that swinging of the draw lever 16 will impart a positive reciprocating movement to the first'slide 12 by reason of the fact that the yoke arms as and 70 of the lever are pivotally connected with the slide member 50 by the pivot pins 77 and 78. Swinging of the upper portion of the lever 16 toward the right, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, and ina direction away from the grip device 17 causes the thrust portion 191 to push against the thrust portion 100 of the die slide 13 to thereby actuate the drawing die 14 through a drawing stroke along the wire 15.

The thrust portion 101 of the slide member 50 is disengageable from the thrust portion 100 of the die slide 13 duringthe return movement of the slide member 56) by the lever 16. Such disengagement is made possible by the fact that the die slide 13 is supported in the guideways 63 and 64 in a relatively free-floating condition so far as longitudinal movement of the die slide is concerned. Upon the occurrence of the disengagement of the thrust portion 101 from the thrust portion 100, the die slide 13 is free to be moved through its return stroke by the advance feeding movement imparted to the Wire 15 by V the feed rolls 28 and 29.

When the wire drawing apparatus 10 is used as a part of a combined machine, or in a tandem relation to the fabricating machine 19 as shown in the drawings and described above, the drawn wire 15 is usually fed into engagement with a conventional feed stop (not shown) by the feed-

rolls

28 and 2?. By constructing the body 83 of the die slide 13 of a lightweight material and supporting the die slide for a free-floating movement, as explained above, it will be seen that inertia effects of the die slide during thefeeding of the drawn wire 15 against the feed stop will be relatively small and the tendency of such inertia etfect to cause buckling of the drawn wire is minimized or eliminated.

It will .now also be understood that, since the first slide 12 is reciprocated in a positive manner by the connection of the draw lever 16 with the slide member 50, the mass andkinetic energy of the first slide will have no effect on the die slide 13 during the feeding of the drawn wire 15. Since the slide member 50 is actuated in a positive manner by the lever 16 and is normally disengaged from the die'slide 13 during the feeding of the drawn Wire 15 by the feed rolls 28 and 29, the inertia of the first slide will never act on the die slide, and consequently, will not produce any tendency to cause buckling of the drawn wire.

Thegrip device 17 is a conventional drawing grip device comprising; a pair of co-ope'ra-ting grip blocks 105 and 1016 between which the drawn wire 15 passes. These grip blocks are mounted for limited shifting movement in a grip box 107 and automatic-ally grip and hold the wire against backward movement during the drawing stroke of the die 14. V

The wire straightening device 55 is a conventiona straightening device comprising rows-of grooved straighteningrolls 55 and 55* between which the wire 15 passes and which-rolls produce transverse bending of the wire for straightening the same in a well-known manner. The

straightening device 55 is suitably supported on the slide member 51 of the first. slide'12 for movement along the wire during reciprocation of the first slide by the draw lever 16.

Since the straightening device 55 i mounted on a portion of the first slide 12, it will likewise be actuated in a positive manner by the lever 16 and in a relatively isolated relation from the die slide 13. The straightening device 55 increases the total mass and kinetic energy of the first slide 12 but, since the first slide is reciprocated in a positive manner by the lever 16, the increased mass and kinetic energy of the first slide will not be transmitted to the die slide =13 and cannot produce any buckling tendency in the drawn wire 15 For use in starting a lead portion of the wire 15 through the drawing die 14, the drawing apparatus 19 is provided with a third slide 110 and a second grip device 111 on such third slide. The device 111 automatically grips and holds the wire 15 during the starting of the die 14 onto the lead portion of the wire. The third slide 110 is mounted on the frame structure 11 by having laterally spaced

edge portions

112 and 113 slidably received in the guideways 4?. and 43.

The third slide 110 is located on the frame structure 11 at a point between the

slide members

50 and 51 of the first slide 12 and on the side of the die slide 13 opposite from the thrust portions 100. The third slide 110 is adjustably shiftable along the frame structure 11 to suitably position the second grip device 111 in a desired adjacent relation to the die slide 13. When the desired adjustment of the third slide 110 has been made it can be secured in such adjusted position by suitable clamping devices 115 and 116 provided on the frame structure 11 adjacent the

guideways

42 and 43 thereof. The third slide 11% is provided with suitable longitudinal passages in the edge portions 112 and 114 through which the thrust rods 53 .and 54 of the slide member 51 extend with operating clearance.

The grip device 111 is of a conventional construction similar to that of the grip device 17 and comprises a pair of co-operating grip block 118 between which the Wire 15 extends and which operate to automatically grip and hold the wire against backward movement when the drawing die 14 is being pushed onto the lead portion thereof. When the wire 15 has been started through the die 14 for a distance sufficient to enable the drawn wire 15 to be gripped by the feed rolls 28 and 29, the second grip device 111 is rendered inoperative, as by means of a suitable actuating lever 120, and remains ineffective during the normal running of the drawing apparatus 10.

The drawing apparatus 10 includes an auxiliary supporting and guiding means for the die slide 13 and which auxiliary means is here shown as comprising a pair of laterally spaced

guide rods

122 and 123. These guide rods are connected at one end thereof with the frame structure 11, as by the anchorage connections 124, and extend longitudinally in the frame opening 36. The

guide rods

122 and 123 are of a length such that they extend through the slide member 50 and through the die slide 13 and have their

free ends

122 and 123 slidably received in spaced

passages

125 and 126 of the third slide 110. The third slide 110 supports the

end portions

122 and 123 of the guide rods so that the intermediate portions of these rods provide a suitable supporting and guiding means for the die slide 13 when the latter is disengaged, or partially disengaged, from the first slide 12.

From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be understood that this invention provides novel wire drawing apparatus of the reciprocating-die type which is capable of faster and quieter operation, with less likelihood of interruption, than previously available wire drawing apparatus of this type. It will now also be understood that, in the operation of this novel drawing apparatus, a first slide is actuatable in a positive manner while leaving the die slide in a relatively free-floating condition so that inertia effects will be minimized and the tendency to cause buckling of the drawn wire, when fed against a conventional feed stop, will be substantially eliminated. Because of the substantial reduction in inertia effects on the die slide, the novel drawing apparatus can also be used successfully for drawing wire of a small size at a considerably faster rate than has heretofore been practical in drawing apparatus of this type.

Although the novel wire drawing apparatus of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In wire drawing apparatus; a frame means; first and second slide means movable relative to said [frame means and relative to each other along a wire to be drawn; a drawing die carried by said second slide means for movement through successive drawing strokes along said wire; grip means on said frame means for gripping and holding the wire during said drawing strokes of the die; actuating means on said frame means and effective on said first slide means for imparting successive movements to said first slide in the direction of the drawing stroke; said second slide means being engageable by said first slide means and actuatable thereby during the successive movements of said first slide in the direction of the drawing stroke for producing the successive drawing strokes of said drawing die.

2. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first slide means includes thrust means disengageable from said second slide means during return movements of said first slide means following movement in the direction of the drawing stroke; and feed means operable to advance the wire and cause return movement of said second slide means while the thrust means of said first slide means is disengaged therefrom.

3. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuating means is operably connected with said first slide means for reciprocating the same; and thrust means on said first slide means for pushing against said second slide means during movement of said first slide means in the direction of the drawing strokes by said actuating means and disengageable from said second slide means during movement of said first slide means in the opposite direction by said actuating means.

4. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 3 and comprising thrust means on said second slide means engageable by the thrust means of said first slide means; one of said thrust means comprising a flexible wear-resistant material subject to limited flexing by the pushing force of said first slide means.

5. In wire drawing apparatus; a frame means; first and second slide means movable relative to said frame means and relative to each other along a wire to be drawn; lever means swingable on said frame means and effective on said first slide means for imparting successive work strokes thereto in one direction along said wire; a drawing die carried by said second slide means for movement through successive drawing strokes in said one direction along said wire; grip means on said frame means for gripping and holding the wire during said drawing strokes of the die; said second slide means being engageable by said first slide means and actuatable thereby during the successive work strokes of the latter for producing the successive drawing strokes of said die; feed means operable to feed the drawn wire; and means supporting said second slide means for a substantially free return movement by the feeding of the drawn wire and substantially independent of inertia effects of said first slide means.

6. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 5 Wherein said second slide means is comprised of a light-Weight metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum,

magnesium and beryllium for decrease of inertia effects on said second slide means.

7. In wire drawing apparatus; a frame means; first and second slide means movable relative to said frame means and relative to each other along the axis of a wire to be drawn; lever means swingab'le on said frame means and effective on said first slide means for imparting successive work strokes thereto in one direction along said wire; a drawing die carried by said second slide means for movement through successive drawing strokes in said one direction'along said wire; grip means onsaid frame means for gripping and holding the wire during said drawing strokes of the die; said second slide means being engageable by said first slide means and actuatable thereby during said work strokes for producing the successive drawing strokes of said die; and straightening means connected with said first slide means for movement along said wire in straightening co-operation therewith ahead of said die during said work strokes.

' 8. in wire; drawing apparatus; a frame means having a first guideway thereon; a first slide operable in said first guideway and having a second guideway thereon; a second slide operable in said second guideway; lever means swingable on said frame means and connected with said first slide for imparting reciprocating movement thereto including successive work strokes in one direction along the axis of a wire to be drawn; a drawing die carried by said second slide for movement through successive drawing strokes in said one direction along said wire; grip means on said frame means for gripping and holding said wire during said drawing strokes of the die; thrust means on the first slide engageable with the second slide during said work strokes for producing said drawing strokes of the die; and feed means operable to feed the drawn Wire and thereby also impart'return movement to said second slide while'said first slide is disengaged therefrom.

9. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim Sand comprising a second thrust means on said second slide engageable by the thrust means of said first slideg/the thrust means ofone of said slides'comprising nylon pad means. I

l0. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the reciprocating movement ofrsaid first slide includes return strokes and said thrustv means is disengageable from said second slide in response to said return strokes; and means operable to impart return movement to said second slide including feed means for feeding the drawn wire.

11. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the mass of said second slide is substantially smaller than the mass of said first slide for reducing inertia effects tending to cause buckling offthedrawn wire upon engagement thereof with a feed stop.

12; In wire drawing apparatus; a'frame means having a first guide means thereon; a first reciprocably movable slide means guided by said first guide means; a second guide means on one portion of first slide'means; a die slide guided by said second guide means; a drawing die on said die slide for movement through a drawing stroke along a wire to be drawn; grip means on said frame means and effective to hold the wire against'backward movement duringthe drawing stroke of said die; straightener means on another portion of said first slide means and movable along the wire to straighten the same ahead of said die; and lever means swingable on said frame means and connected with said first slide means to reciprocate the same for producing straightening and return movements of said straightener means; said first slide means being engageable with said die slide, during movement of the first slide means in one direction by said lever means, for producing said drawing stroke of the die substantially concurrently with the straightening stroke of said straightener means and, during movement in the opposite direction bysaid lever means, being disengage- 75 able from said die slide while producing the return movement of said straightener means.

' l3. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 12 and comprising means operable to impart a return stroke to said die slide including feed means for feeding the drawn wire.

14. Wire drawing apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the mass of said die slide and die is substantially smaller than the combined'mass of said first slide means and straightener means for reducing inertia effects tending to cause buckling of the drawn wire upon engagement thereof with a feed stop.

15. In wire drawing apparatus; a frame means; first and second slide means movable relative tosaid frame means and relative to each other along the axis of a wire to be drawn; lever means swingable on said frame means and having positive pivotal connection with said first slide means for reciprocating the same; a drawing die carried by said second slide means for movement through successive drawing strokes in one direction along said wire; a first grip'means on said frame means on one side'of said second slide means for gripping and holding the wire during said drawing strokes; a second grip means supported by said frame means on the other side of said second slide meansrand adapted to grip and hold said wire during starting movement of said die onto a lead portion of the wire; said second slide means being engageable by said first slide means and actuatable thereby during said starting movement and drawing strokes of said die; and actuating means connected with said lever for swinging the same to cause the reciprocation of said first slide means.

l6. in wire drawing apparatus; a frame means; first and second slide means reciprocably movable relative to said frame means and relative to each other along the axis of a wire to be drawn; lever means swingable on said frame means and connected with said first slide means for reciprocating the same; a drawing die carried by said second slide means for movement through successive drawing strokes in one direction along said wire; a first grip means on said'frame means on one side of said second slide means for gripping and holding the wire during said drawing strokes; a third slide'means adjustable shiftable on said frame means and located on the side of said second slide means opposite from said first grip means; a second grip means on said third slide means for gripping and holding the wire during starting movement of said die onto a lead portion of said wire; and securing means for securing said third slide'rneans in adjusted position on said frame means; said first slide means being movable in one direction by said lever means while said first slide means is in pushing engagement with said second slidemeans for producing the starting movement and drawing strokes of said die. a

17'. Wire drawing. apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said first and second slide means have co-operating guide portions providing'for the relative movement therebetween so that. said first slide means is partially disengageable from said second slide means duringreturn movement imparted to said'first slide means by said lever means; and guide rod means having one portion connected with said frame means and another portion supported on said third slide means; said guide rod means being in supporting and guiding co-operation with said second slide means for supporting and guiding the latter during the partial disengagement of said first slide means therefrom.

' References Cited by the Examiner UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 2,213,336 9/40 Clouse 2053 XR 2,226,400 12/40 Gaines 205-4 CHARLES W. LANHAlvLPrimary Examiner.

LEONPEAR Examiner. 7

Claims

1. IN WIRE DRAWING APPARATUS; A FRAME MEANS; FIRST AND SECOND SLIDE MEANS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME MEANS AND RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ALONG A WIRE TO BE DRAWN; A DRAWING DIE CARRIED BY SAID SECOND SLIDE MEANS FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH SUCCESSIVE DRAWING STROKES ALONG SAID WIRE; GRIP MEANS ON SAID FRAME MEANS FOR GRIPPING AND HOLDING THE WIRE DURING SAID DRAWING STROKES OF THE DIE; ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID FRAME MEANS AND EFFECTIVE ON SAID FIRST SLIDE MEANS FOR IMPARTING SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS TO SAID FIRST SLIDE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DRAWING STROKE; SAID SECOND SLIDE MEANS BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID FIRST SLIDE MEANS AND ACTUATABLE THEREBY DURING THE SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS OF SAID FIRST SLIDE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DRAWING STROKE FOR PRODUCING THE SUCCESSIVE DRAWING STROKES OF SAID DRAWING DIE.