US3469429A - Turn-layers with an edenborn rotating laying tube - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 30, 1969 r o. DOPPER ET AL TURN-LAYERS wmu AN EDENBORN ROTATING LAYING TUBE Filed Feb. 13,- 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 30, 1969 o. DOPPER ET AL TURN-LAYERS WITH AN EDENBORN ROTATING LAYING TUBE Filed Feb. 15, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 30, 1969 DQPPER ET AL 3,469,429

TURN-LAYERS WITH AN EDENBORN ROTATING LAYING TUBE Filed Feb. 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent US. Cl. 72134 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a device for continuously forming rod or wire into a series of helical turns. A rotary laying tube is utilized for bending the rod or wire into the turns, and the tube has an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of the tube, and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path. There is a rotary worm thread guide coaxial with and immediately following the tube, and the guide has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the circular path of the outlet opening. Moreover, there are drive means which rotate the tube and the worm thread guide at the same speed.

This invention relates to a turn-layer with a rotating laying tube on the Edenborn principle, by which the material is laid continuously in individual turns.

In turn-layers of the usual construction, the wire or rod coming from the last roll stand, after running through a water cooling tract, is guided round in an arc in such a way it runs from above into a hollow shaft rotating about a vertical axis, and is thereby laid in turns. The hollow shaft, at its outlet end, is constructed as a laying tube, and is angularly bent and spatially curved in such a way that the outlet aperture moves upon a circular path corresponding to the mean diameter of the wire rings, and the wire issues tangentially to this circular path, the peripheral speed of the outlet aperture being equal to the rolling speed .of the wire or rod. As used throughout this specification, the term wire is meant to include wire rod and rod, namely, material from a rod mill, and such material after having been drawn.

In more recent wire-reeling installations, for the purpose of improving the cooling conditions, the wire is first fanned out into non-concentric turns by the laying tube of the turn-layer upon a conveying device, and then supplied to a collecting device, the individual turns of wire falling into a collecting device at the end of. the conveyor.

These installations all have the disadvantage that the Wire, owing to the ninety-degree deflection and the angularly bent and spatially curved laying tube, has to overcome a high frictional resistance, which produces in the wire a backlash, which frequently leads to disturbances behind the last roll stand. On this ground, also, it is not possible to cool the wire down below 700 C. in a water cooling tract preceding the reel, since with a decreasing wire temperature the resistance to deformation increases. Attempts to remove these difficulties by employing chain drivers or centrifugal drivers, which, in place of the ninetydegree deflection, were arranged above the turn-layer, did not bring about the desired success.

Further difliculties arise, as shown by experience with plant in operation, when assembling the turns of wire that have been fanned out upon a conveyor in the collecting means, owing to the fact that individual turns do 3,469,429 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 not fall down vertically, but tilt up in collecting vessels. The cause of this behaviour resides in the fact that individual turns, owing to the scattering nature of the deposition upon the conveyor, may become de-phased in the conveying direction in such a way that they arrive at the deflection of the conveyor sooner than the turns located beneath them, and in so doing bend downwards the turns that are not yet lying freely.

For the purpose of simplifying the carrying away of wire lashings, it is known to arrange, beyond a turn-layer with a laying tube rotating about a horizontal axis, a conveyor upon which are arranged a plurality of curved collecting horns, with their tips directed towards the laying tube. In this case the turns of wire formed in vertical planes are deflected into a horizontal plane, and then assembled into a wire bunch or coil. With this plant, however, it is not possible to have a small and definite distance between turns, and moreover a further treatment of the wire from the rolling heat is not to be carried out, since the individual turns in wire rings are subjected to different cooling conditions, and the wire therefore does not receive an even texture throughout its length.

The object of the present invention is to improve the devices for the formation of the individual turns of wire in such a way that they can also be employed with high rolling speeds, over a wide range of wire cross-sections and at a relatively low temperature, whilst the formation of a series or string of turns of wire with definite spacing of the turns is ensured. Furthermore the turns of wire are laid without disturbance upon a succeeding conveyor, in order thereby to ensure a high degree of reliability in the operation of the plant.

According to the invention, therefore, a method is proposed for the formation of individual turns of wire, wherein the rolled stock is fed into a worm thread, rotating, jointly with the laying tube, about a vertical or a horizontal axis, and shaped into a series of turns of wire.

Owing to this measure, the wire, coming from the train of rolls for instance, is shaped in the worm thread into turns of wire with a definite spacing of turns, and is laid in turns of wire and guided to a subsequent conveyor, which takes over the turns of wire, and supplies them for instance to a collecting station. The conveyor may be of various designs. Thus it may support and carry forward the turns of wire in the position in which they are formed by the worm thread, that is, with a laying tube rotatable about a horizontal longitudinal axis, standing in a vertical plane, or, in the case of a laying tube rotatable about a vertical longitudinal axis, which might be etfected for example by means of successive worm conveyors concentrically embracing the individual turns of wire, or by means of circulating conveyor belts concentrically arranged along the turns of wire.

It would also be possible for the lower portion of the turns of wire to be retarded, in the case of a laying tube rotatable about a horizontal longitudinal axis, after leaving the worm thread before running up on to a conveyor upon a chute, or on a tripping edge, a sprocket wheel, a cam disc or the like, and to be thereby titled forward and advanced horizontally. To the turns of wire a definite guidance, with a predetermined diameter of turn, is additionally given by the worm thread.

For the carrying out of the method with this turnlayer there is associated with the laying tube a worm thread rotating jointly with the latter, and the outlet aperture of the laying tube is directed into the worm thread. In this case the axis of rotation of the laying tube may be arranged in either a horizontal or a vertical plane.

According to further features it is possible to influence the formation of the turns of wire in various ways. Thus the wire introduced from the laying tube into the worm thread may be guided towards that wall of the worm thread, which is located in front of the outlet aperture of the laying tube, i.e. the wall of the worm thread which faces in the generally upstream direction. For clarity, the wall of the worm thread which faces in the generally upstream direction is termed the leading wall herein, while the wall of the worm thread which faces in the generally downstream direction is termed the trailing wall. In addition, the worm thread wall may be adjusted for influencing the spacing of the turns and the axial speed of the turns of wire issuing from the turn-layer. This is particularly advantageous in the case of strongly cooled wire, which, of course, owing to its greater resistance to change of form, occasions greater friction in the laying tube, for the laying tube can then be made comparatively short, and the tube guide presents to the wire a relatively small frictional resistance, since the laying tube renders possible a steep outlet angle of the wire, and therefore obviates any excessively harsh bending of the wire. In the event of disturbances, the outlet aperture of the tube can be more easily supervised.

On the other hand the wire introduced from the laying tube into the worm thread may be guided parallel to the worm thread wall located behind the outlet aperture of the laying tube. In this case the angle of swing of the laying tube can be altered, and the laying tube can be changed. This has the advantage that the wall of the worm thread punshes the wire out of the turn-layer, which is advantageous, particularly for the threading of the free end of the wire issuing from the last roll stand. Here a flatter inclination of the laying tube must be allowed for, with a greater turning around of the wire in the laying tube, and therefore a greater amount of friction with a longer laying tube. On the other hand, the expulsion of the wire from the turn-layer has the advantage that when conveying the turns of wire away, these are concentrically embraced by worm conveyors or by conveyor bands arranged around the turn-layer, whereby a guarantee is given for undisturbed operation.

Moreover a further method of operation is possible, in which the wire issuing from the laying tube is guided towards the worm thread wall located behind the outlet aperture of the laying tube. This renders it possible to produce turns of wire of different diameters, within limits, which has the advantage of the uniform distribution of temperature and density of laying, in the case of tilted turns of wire overlapping upon a conveyor. The laying tube is preferably so arranged as to rotate about its longitudinal axis. The laying cone is surrounded, on grounds of safety, and for the sake of a uniform formation of turns, with a hollow cylinder, shutting off the laying cone itself and the worm thread from the exterior. The internal diameter of the hollow cylinder is somewhat greater than the external diameter of the walls of the worm. The laying tube is rockably or exchangeably arranged upon the rotary cone, so as to influence the axial issue speed and the spacing of the turns of wire from the laying tube. The pitch of the worm thread can be varied by displacing or adjusting the walls of the worm. The laying tube is preferably of divided construction, to enable the outlet aperture, which is particularly affected by wear, to be easily and quickly exchanged, and to enable the angle of issue to be varied.

To enable an adaptation to a desired spacing of turns to be effected, the worm thread is provided with a pitch that decreases in the conveying direction. The pitch of the worm thread is dimensioned to correspond to the turn spacing of the turns of wire.

Various embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows in side elevation a turn-layer, with a laying tube directed towards the leading wall of the worm thread, and with an adjustable pitch of the walls of the worm thread;

FIGURE 2 shows the same turn-layer in front elevation;

FIGURE 3 shows in side elevation a turn-layer with a laying tube directed towards the trailing wall of the worm thread or parallel thereto, and a laying tube adjustable as regards its inclination to the worm thread;

FIGURE 4 shows the same turn-layer in front elevation;

FIGURE 5 shows in side elevation a turn-layer with conveying means guiding the series or string of turns of wire on its outer periphery;

FIGURE 5a shows the device of FIGURE 5 in crosssection;

FIGURE 6 shows in side elevation a turn-layer with Worm conveyors guiding the series of turns of wire;

FIGURE 6a shows the device of FIGURE 6 in crosssection;

FIGURE 7 shows in side elevation a turn-layer with conveying means guiding the series of turns of wire on its inner pheriphery;

FIGURE 7a shows the device of FIGURE 7 in crosssection; and

FIGURE 8 shows a turn-layer with means tilting the turns of wire out of the vertical plane into a horizontal plane, and conveying means guiding the turns.

Fundamentall the two different methods of operating the turn-layer may be employed. In FIGURES 1 and 2 the wire is guided, by means of a laying tube 63, towards the leading wall of the worm thread, whereas in FIGURES 3 and 4 the wire issuing from the laying tube is guided either parallel to or towards the trailing wall of the worm thread.

In FIGURES l and 2, the laying tube 63, bearing upon a rotating frame 64, and a worm thread 65 secured upon the frame 64, are designated as turn-layers. The entry end of the laying tube 63 is insertible in a hollow shaft 61, driven by a drive not illustrated, whilst its outlet end traverses the frame 64 and the wall of the worm drive 65. The laying tube 63, and its outlet end 63a are secured to the frame 64 with clips shackles 62, 62a. The outlet end 63a of the laying tube 63 is directed to the leading wall of the worm thread 65. In order to be able to influence the feeding movement or the spacing of the turns of wire W formed, or to adapt it to the thickness of the wire, a portion of the wall of the last worm thread 65 is displaceably constructed, with the result that its pitch can be altered. This is effected by virtue of the fact that the wall of the worm thread 65 in this section is movably connected with the periphery of the frame 64. For this purpose, elongated holes 67 are provided in the frame in the direction of conveyance of the wire turns W, and in these holes, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft 61, the wall of the worm thread 65 can be displaced by means of screw connections 68. A casing 66 shuts off the worm thread from the exterior, and thus limits the diameter of the turns.

The rolled wire D, running into the laying tube from a train of rolls not illustrated, is shaped, by means of the laying tube and the Worm thread, jointly rotating, into turns of wire W, within the casing 66, and, in consequence of the pitch of the worm thread, is advanced on to a conveying device. Hence the axial outlet speed of the turns of wire W in formation, and therefore also the spacing of the turns of wire W, are dependent only upon the pitch of the worm thread 65. This construction of the turn-layer is particularly advantageous when the friction and the bending work in the laying tube, and also the backlash of the wire towards the last roll stand, are to be kept small. The diameter of the turns of wire normally corresponds to about the mean diameter of the worm thread.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 a further constructional example of the turn-layer is illustrated. Upon a laying cone 74 connected with a hollow shaft 71 are secured the laying tube 73 and a worm thread 75. The hollow shaft 71 is rotated by a drive not illustrated. The rolled wire D supplied from a rolling mill not illustrated, and introduced through the hollow shaft 71 into the laying tube 73,

passes through the outlet end 73a of the laying tube 73 into the space bounded by the wall of the worm thread 75 upon the laying cone 74, and is continuously shaped into turns of wire. The outlet end 7312 of the laying tube 73 is parallel to the trailing wall or is directed towards the trailing wall of the worm thread 75.

With parallel running of the wire in relation to the trailing wall of the worm thread, the turns of wire W run along the front of the wall on the periphery of the laying cone 74, are therefore formed in the free space between the walls of the worm thread, and run over without further guidance on to the adjoining conveying device. The diameter of the turns of wire corresponds normally to about the mean diameter of the worm thread 75.

The outlet end 73a of the laying tube 73 is adjustable with respect to its inclination in relation to the trailing wall of the worm thread 75. For this purpose the screw connections 77 of the clip or shackle 78 are displaceable in elongated holes. The laying tube 73 is secured to the laying cone 74 by means of a clip or shackle 72. Such an arrangement of the outlet end 730 of the laying tube 73 renders it possible to modify the spacing of the turns of wire W in formation, particularly in the case of rolled wire of relatively large cross-section, and to influence the axial speed of issue of the wire turns W from the turnlayer. Such an inclination of the outlet end 73a of the laying tube 73 has the further advantage that when the end of the rolled wire D is running out of the last roll stand of the rolling train, the trailing wall of the worm thread 75 still pushes out from the turn-layer the turns of wire W that are still being formed. It has also been found that when the turns of wire W are guided close against the wall of the worm thread 75, these turns of wire W receive a different diameter, within certain limits, so that upon the wire turns W being tilted over on to a horizontally arranged endless conveyor, the consolidation of material on the outer long sides of the overlapping turns of wire W is relaxed, which elfects a uniform cooling. The periphery of the worm thread 75 is enclosed externally by a casing 76, whereby the diameter of the turns of wire is limited.

The worm thread according to FIGURES 1 to 4 may likewise by of multi-start construction, with its pitch diminishing towards the end, to adapt it to the desired spacing of turns, or to impart to the turns of wire (with diminishing pitch) a lower velocity. The laying tube, and also the worm thread, may be secured either upon a frame revolving with the hollow. shaft or upon a laying cone revolving with the hollow shaft. The frame has the advantage, over the laying cone, of a small moment of inertia. The worm thread is surrounded at its pheriphery by a casing constructed as a hollow cylinder, the internal diameter of which is slightly greater than the external diameter of the worm thread. The size of the turns of wire that are being formed is thereby limited in its diameter, but for the most part adjust itself to a diameter corresponding to the mean diameter of the worm thread.

The turn-layer may be followed by conveying devices of various kinds for the removal of the series of wire turns. FIGURES 5 to 7a illustrate in principle different constructional examples.

In FIGURES 5 and 5a the rolled wire D, issuing from a mill train not illustrated, is shaped by means of a laying cone 83, which is rotated by means of a drive *81, and upon which, jointly with a worm thread 84, a laying tube 82 is secured, into wire turns W, forming a string of wire turns. Owing to the pitch of the worm thread 84, the individual turns of wire W are continuously moved forward, and pass, standing upright, between traveling endless conveyor belts 85 bearing on the periphery of the series of turns of wire. At the end of the conveyor track the movement of the lower section of each successive turns is checked by a so-called tripping edge 89, so that the wire turns W tip into a collecting device such as the vessel 86. Instead of the tripping edge, a chute, a cam chain or a cam disc may be employed for retarding the lower part of the wire turns.

In FIGURES 6 and 6a a further constructional example for the removal of the series of turns of wire is illustrated in principle. The rolled wire W runs through a laying tube 92 secured upon the laying cone 93 into a worm thread 94, which is likewise mounted upon the laying cone 93. The wire is continuously shaped, in the worm thread 94, into a series of turns of wire formed of the wire turns W. The periphery of the worm thread 94 is concentrically enclosed by conveyor worms 95, which receive between them the turns of wire W, and, at their end, by retarding the lower portions of the turns at a tripping edge 99, tilt them over into a horizontal plane, and collect them as rings in a collecting device 96. The devices according to the embodiment of FIG- URES 5 and 6 may also be installed in a vertical axial plane, insofar as the length of the conveyor path does not require too great an over-all height for the plant.

In FIGURES 7 and 7a a further constructional example of means for the removal of the series of turns of wire is illustrated in principle. The rolled wire D issuing from a train of rolls not illustrated, is shaped, by means of a laying cone 103-, which is rotated by a drive 101, and upon which a laying tube 102 is secured jointly with a worm thread 104, into a series of turns of wire W. Owing to the pitch of the worm thread 104, the individual wire turns W are continuously advanced, and assume a position suspended from an endless conveying means 107, upon which there bears from above a further endless conveying means 105, so that the series of turns of wire is continuously advanced to an endless chain conveyor 108', which follows the endless conveying device 107. The chain of the chain conveyor 108 is toothed, in order to ensure a reliable transportation of the turns of wire W to the collecting device 106. Upon leaving the chain conveyor 108, the turns of wire W are retarded at the lower portion of the turns owing to their sliding upon a guide 109, and are thus carried over into a horizontal position, from which they are deposited in the collecting vessel 106.

In FIGURE 8 is illustrated in principle another constructional example of a conveying device that follows the turn-layer for the series of wire turns. The rolled wire D, issuing from a train of rolls not illustrated, is shaped by means of a laying cone 113, which is rotated by a drive 111, and upon which, jointly with a worm thread 114, a laying tube 112 is secured, into a series of turns of wire W. Owing to the pitch of the worm thread 114, the individual turns of wire W are continuously moved forward. Since the turns of wire W, at the lower section of their turns, are retarded at a tripping edge or some similar delaying device 119, the wire turns W are laid upon an endless conveying means 115, turning into the horizontal position overlapping one another, and are fed to a collecting device. A simple chute, without any tripping edge or a cam wheel or cam chain, is likewise suitable for retarding the lower section of the turns. It is also possible to let the turns fall directly onto a smooth conveyor band and tilt them over, with the band moving at a suitable speed, insofar as the conveying speed of the conveyor band is small in relation to the axial speed of issue of the turns of wire W. In all the constructional examples a laying cone need not necessarily hold the laying tube and the worm thread, but the two parts may likewise be secured upon a revolving frame. A casing constructed as a hollow cylinder, and shutting off the periphery of the worm thread from the exterior, is on the contrary necessary, in order to limit the turns formed as regards their size.

We claim:

1. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; and drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series.

2. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for altering the angle of inclination of said outlet opening with respect to said worm thread guide means.

3. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said laying tube means has a replaceable outlet end portion.

4. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said worm thread guide means comprises a generally helical wall having a leading face and a trailing face, and said outlet opening is inclined towards said leading face.

5. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said worm thread guide means comprises a generally helical wall having a leading face and a trailing face, and said outlet opening is inclined towards said trailing face.

6. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said worm thread guide means comprises a generally helical wall having a leading face and a trailing face, and the axis of said outlet opening is parallel to said trailing face.

7. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said worm thread guide means has a pitch which decreases towards the outlet end of said worm thread guide means.

8. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said laying tube means comprises a rotary laying cone and tube means fixed to said cone, said worm thread guide means comprising a generally helical wall secured to said laying cone.

9. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said worm thread guide means comprises a generally helical wall at least part of which is adjustable for altering the pitch of at least part of said worm thread guide means.

10. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical casing enclosing said worm thread guide means, the internal diameter of said cylindrical casing being only slightly greater than the external .diameter of said worm thread guide means.

11. Turn forming means as claimed in claim 9, the pitch of said worm thread guide means being adjustable to correspond to the spacing of the turns and to the axial speed of the issuing turns of said series.

12. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of a plurality of endless bands bearing, in the direction of conveyance, upon the peripheries of the individual turns of said series.

13. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of a plurality of endless chains bearing, in the direction of conveyance, upon the peripheries of the individual turns of said series.

14. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of worm conveyors hori zontally enclosing said series of turns, said worm conveyors being of the same pitch as said worm thread guide means.

15. Turn forming means for continously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of a plurality of endless bands bearing, in the direction of conveyance, against the internal peripheries of the individual turns of said series.

16. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotation of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means,

F whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predetermines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said Worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of a plurality of endless chains bearing, in the direction of conveyance, against the internal peripheries of the individual turns of said series.

17. Turn forming means for continuously forming wire into a series of turns, comprising a rotary laying tube means for bending said wire to form said turns, said laying tube means having an inlet opening located adjacent the axis of rotating of said laying tube means and an outlet opening rotatable in a circular path; rotary worm thread guide means coaxial with and immediately following said laying tube means, said worm thread guide means having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of said circular path; drive means for rotating said laying tube means and for rotating said worm thread guide means at the same speed as said laying tube means, whereby said laying tube means lays said turns in said worm thread guide means and said worm thread guide means predete-rmines the axial spacing between said turns of said series; and conveying means following said worm thread guide means for carrying away said turns, said conveying means consisting of a horizontally extending endless conveyor, and said turn forming means further comprising tripping means, located at a point adjacent to said circular path of said outlet opening, and adapted to check the advance of said turns at their lowest point as they leave said worm thread guide means, thereby tilting said turns forward into a recumbent position upon said horizontal endless conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 814 9/1859 Perkins et al. 72-142 X 1,945,898 2/1934 Hood 72-66 X 3,053,306 9/1962 Brock et a1. 72-66 3,103,237 9/1963 Crum 140-2 3,167,108 1/1965 Nagele 72-66 3,266,694 8/1966 Morris 72-66 FOREIGN PATENTS 889,907 2/1962 Great Britain.

MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 72-66, 142, 143

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