An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

A process of applying a fluid containing one or more additives to a surface of a linear substrate in a linear compartment. The process includes passing the linear substrate through first and second seals of the linear compartment, contacting the linear substrate with the fluid within a chamber within the linear compartment while an exposure gap has a first length that is greater than zero, the contacting being conducted for a time with the fluid at a temperature. The linear compartment is dimensionally reconfigurable, optionally during an infusion process.

A drawing machine (1) for drawing a tube (2), defining a longitudinal axis (Y), comprising a first die (3) for carrying out the drawing of the tube by means of the use of a mandrel (4); a device for varying the inclination (5) of the tube inlet into said first die (3); a second die (6) for carrying out a skin pass operation on the tube, arranged downstream of said first die (3); an in-line system for detecting the eccentricity of the tube; a data processing system (7) for processing signals originating from said detection system and sending input data to said device for varying the inclination (5) of the tube to vary the inclination of the tube so as to correct the eccentricity of the tube in-line; wherein said in-line system for detecting the eccentricity of the tube comprises a first detection head comprising at least three first transducers (8) arranged downstream of said first die (3).

A drawing machine (1) for drawing a tube (2), defining a longitudinal axis (Y), comprising a first die (3) for carrying out the drawing of the tube by means of the use of a mandrel (4); a device for varying the inclination (5) of the tube inlet into said first die (3); a second die (6) for carrying out a skin pass operation on the tube, arranged downstream of said first die (3); an in-line system for detecting the eccentricity of the tube; a data processing system (7) for processing signals originating from said detection system and sending input data to said device for varying the inclination (5) of the tube to vary the inclination of the tube so as to correct the eccentricity of the tube in-line; wherein said in-line system for detecting the eccentricity of the tube comprises a first detection head comprising at least three first transducers (8) arranged downstream of said first die (3).

Provided are apparatuses for the processing of one or more components of a fluid into the surface of a linear substrate. The apparatuses include a processing barrel having a chamber defined therein as well as a linear substrate inlet and a linear substrate outlet. The processing barrel also includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. An exposure gap is defined between the linear substrate inlet and the linear substrate outlet. The chamber is dimensionally reconfigurable so that the exposure gap can have a length from zero to greater than zero.

Provided are apparatuses for the processing of one or more components of a fluid into the surface of a linear substrate. The apparatuses include a processing barrel having a chamber defined therein as well as a linear substrate inlet and a linear substrate outlet. The processing barrel also includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. An exposure gap is defined between the linear substrate inlet and the linear substrate outlet. The chamber is dimensionally reconfigurable so that the exposure gap can have a length from zero to greater than zero.

Provided are a high-strength bead wire and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes preparing a wire rod containing 0.86% to 1.02% by weight of carbon, applying 5 g/m.sup.2 to 10 g/m.sup.2 of phosphate coating onto the surface of the wire rod, and drawing the wire rod onto which the phosphate coating is applied. In the drawing, the wire rod is drawn by a drawing apparatus including a drawing die capable of drawing the wire rod and a pressure die installed in front of the drawing die and capable of applying pressure to the wire rod. The diameter of the pressure die is 1.05 times to 1.20 times the diameter of the drawing die. The high-strength bead wire includes a wire rod containing 0.86% to 1.02% by weight of carbon and 5 g/m.sup.2 to 10 g/m.sup.2 of the phosphate coating applied onto the surface of the wire rod and is manufactured by the above-described method.

Equipment for cold-drawing a metal wire. The equipment comprises a sequence of a sleeve and a drawing die in the advancing wire path; the sleeve comprises a hole for inserting the wire to be drawn, and the drawing die comprises a conical hole. The equipment comprises first support means of the sleeve and second support means of the drawing die coupled with each other so as to keep the sleeve and the drawing die in place to allow the wire to advance from the sleeve to the drawing die. The first support means comprises a hole for inserting the metal wire which precedes the hole of the sleeve in the metal wire path; the hole of the first support means is coaxial with the hole of the sleeve and has a smaller diameter than the initial opening of the sleeve hole in the metal wire path.

Equipment for cold-drawing a metal wire. The equipment comprises a sequence of a sleeve and a drawing die in the advancing wire path; the sleeve comprises a hole for inserting the wire to be drawn, and the drawing die comprises a conical hole. The equipment comprises first support means of the sleeve and second support means of the drawing die coupled with each other so as to keep the sleeve and the drawing die in place to allow the wire to advance from the sleeve to the drawing die. The first support means comprises a hole for inserting the metal wire which precedes the hole of the sleeve in the metal wire path; the hole of the first support means is coaxial with the hole of the sleeve and has a smaller diameter than the initial opening of the sleeve hole in the metal wire path.