An automated wire feeder assembly to first repetitively receive a wire from a gripper of an automated processing tool and then load the wire into a hollow conduit coupled to the gripper of the automated tool. The wire feeder assembly includes belts that pivot between open and closed positions and each belt rotate to advance a wire into the conduit attached to the gripper of the automated tool. When the belts are in the open position the gripper of the automated tool places a free end of the wire into a wire guide. Pivoting the belts to the closed position engages the belts with the free end of the wire. Once the belt is engaged with the free end of the wire, rotating the belts advances the wire out of the wire feeder and into the gripper conduit.

Methods and apparatus to control advancement of a welding electrode wire for arc ignition are disclosed. An example electrode wire feeder includes a wire feed motor to advance electrode wire to a welding torch, a temperature monitor to determine a temperature of the electrode wire using at least one of a temperature measurement or a thermal model, and a motor controller to control a run-in wire speed based on a temperature of the electrode wire.

A winding machine (100; 100a, 100b) for wrapping strands of rolled material, such as a bar, a rod, wire or the like, around a reel into coils: a reel (50; 50a, 50b); a base flange (1) defining a first catching recess (6) intended to receive an end of a first strand (17; 17a, 17b); a first cover (9) movable between an open position leaving the first catching recess (6) exposed and a closed position covering the first catching recess (6) to form a closed passage for the end of the first strand (17; 17a, 17b) in order to secure the end of the first strand to the reel (50; 50a, 50b). At least a second element (2) defining a second catching recess (4); and at least a second cover (8) movable between an open position leaving the further catching recess (4) exposed and a closed position covering the second catching recess (4) to form a closed passage for the end of a second strand (27; 27a, 27b) in order to secure the end of the second strand to the reel (50; 50a, 50b).

A reel apparatus and method comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to the inner and outer flange assemblies. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is spooled from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly.

Method and system for feeding a twisted metal cable braided into a plurality of braids or a flat wire from a support or spool to a winder or winding machine, including unwinding the cable or wire from the spool, measuring a property of the cable or wire from among its tension, velocity and quantity, possible adjustment of the property and feeding the cable or wire to the machine with the property constant. The cable or wire is unwound in a controlled way in a direction at right angles to the axis of the spool directly from such spool or through a return member which receives the cable or wire from the spool from which it is unwound in an uncontrolled way, such controlled unwinding preventing the cable changing the structure of its braids through loosening or stretching and the wire undergoes torsion before its property is measured.

A feed assist unit (1) includes a base portion (2) having a plurality of ribs (16a-d) on a lower surface (18) thereof. A dome portion (4) is connected to the base portion (2), and a rotating conduit portion (6) has a curved shape and is coupled to the dome portion (4). Each of the ribs (16a-d) has a first end (20) adjacent to the dome portion (4) and a second end (22) adjacent an associated side (14) of the base portion (2). The feed assist unit (1) has first and second central axes (A-A, B-B) oriented perpendicular to each other. First and third of the ribs (16a, 16c) are oriented parallel to the second central axis (B-B) and the second and fourth of the ribs (16b, 16d) can be oriented parallel to the first central axis (A-A). The first and third ribs (16a, 16c) are offset from the second central axis (B-B) by an offset length (OL) and the second and fourth ribs (16b, 16d) are offset from the first central axis (A-A) the offset length (OL).

Apparatuses, systems, and/or methods for securing and unsecuring a wire feeder in an automatic welding system without using tools are disclosed. The welding system can include, for example, a robotic arm with a welding torch, an adaptor, and a wire feeder. The adaptor can include, for example, a quick-disconnect member located on the robotic arm. The wire feeder that can be removed from the adaptor after the quick-disconnect member has been actuated. The wire feeder can be installed and secured with tools by placing the wire feeder in the actuator and actuating the quick-disconnect member of the actuator.

A guidance and maintenance machine (100) includes a guide roller (102) and an application roller (104), each having a plurality of respective grooves (102a, 104a) defined on a respective circumferential surface (102b, 104b). The guidance and maintenance machine includes at least one preparation comb (200) having a support (202) with an upper surface (202d) from which a plurality of teeth (204) extend. The teeth, with a predetermined uniform height, are aligned in parallel along a length of the support and are positioned at a pitch between them in correspondence with corresponding grooves (102a) of the guide roller (102) so that the comb (200) feeds filaments (50) from a supply creel (304), where the filaments are stored, to the guide roller (102) at a predetermined pitch positioning outside the guide roller.

A threading nozzle for threading a wire electrode for a threading device in a wire electrical discharge erosion machine includes a threading-nozzle body having a guide bore configured to guide the wire electrode along a longitudinal axis of the former and a gap that splits the threading-nozzle body in two parts which are connected at a flexural hinge configured in the threading-nozzle body. The gap splits the guide bore in two parts.

The disclosure provides a hose manufacturing machine, which includes a spool and a pintle assembly. The spool rotates about a central axis. The pintle assembly includes a spindle and a brake arrangement. A first end of the spindle is attached to the spool along the central axis. The brake arrangement includes a brake disc and a force plate. The brake disc includes a brake surface and is attached to a second end of the spindle. The force plate includes a number of brake pads. The brake pads has a relatively higher wear coefficient than the brake disc. The brake pads of the force plate contact the brake surface of the brake disc to at least partially restrict the rotational motion of the spool.