Process and apparatus for high speed cutting and coiling of wire

Abstract

A continuous, high speed process for cutting a length of wire into wire segments and for forming these segments into coils includes the steps of continuously pushing the wire through a cutter at a constant speed, cutting the wire into a succession of wire segments, and directing the segments, in sequence and at the constant speed, to coilers, where they are coiled 'on the fly'. When a wire segment is completely wound, it is automatically removed from the coiler, whereby the coiler is empty and ready to receive another segment. While one coiler is coiling one of the wire segments, the next segment is directed to a different coiler which is empty. This allows continuous high speed movement of segments through the cutting and coiling process, with no space between the tail end of one segment and lead end of the next segment. Process efficiencies are substantial, and reduce the cost of the coiled wire products.