DEVICE FOR MECHANICAL CLEANING OF WIRE RODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DRAWN METALLIC WIRES

Abstract

A device for the mechanical cleaning of wire rods for the production of drawn metallic wires includes a pair of elements supported by a shaft, each element having a truncated-conical body and a flat disk that closes the truncated-conical body, defining an internal annular space that contains the steel wool. The flat disk has openings that are shaped as a slot. The two elements being disposed one in front of the other, with a space between the two flat disks. During operation, by rapid rotation of the shaft, the steel wool expands under the effect of a centrifugal force in radial direction, thus creating an axial thrust component on the steel wool such that the steel wool escapes partially and elastically from the openings of the flat disks so that the steel wool brushes against the surface of the wire rod in transit in the space between the two elements.

Claims

1. Device for mechanical cleaning of wire rods for production of drawn metallic wires, comprising a pair of elements supported by a shaft, each element comprising a truncated-conical body and a flat disk that covers the truncated-conical body, defining an internal annular space that contains steel wool; the flat disk being provided with openings shaped like a slot; the two elements being disposed one in front of the other along a plane of symmetry, wherein a space is provided between the two flat disks, said space being suitable for receiving said wire rod, wherein, during the operation, by means of a rapid rotation of the shaft, said steel wool expands under the effect of a centrifugal force in radial direction, thus creating an axial thrust component on said steel wool towards said flat disks in such a way that said steel wool escapes partially and elastically from the openings of the flat disks, so that the steel wool brushes against the surface of the wire rod that is in transit in the space between the two elements, thus producing a cleaning action on the surface of the wire rod in contact with the steel wool by means of high-speed rubbing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elements are independent and removable from the shaft.

3. The device of claim 1, also comprising a hub fixed to said shaft, said hub supports masses; said masses expand radially during a rapid rotation of the shaft, thus creating additional forces for stabilizing the steel wool during rotation and ensuring a sufficient axial thrust.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said hub and said shaft are splined.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said hub comprises a cylindrical body and a plurality of oscillating masses connected to the cylindrical body by means of pins disposed in eccentric peripheral positions of the cylindrical body.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said flat disks have a disc-like shape and comprise a plurality of spokes with a plurality of ribs that protrude from the spokes inside the openings.

7. The device of claim 1, also comprising a mobile support to provide a fast access to its parts in order to refill the steel wool and facilitate an insertion step of the wire rod.

8. System comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 1, wherein each device is applied sequentially along a forward traveling direction of the wire rod and on different working planes parallel to the axis of the wire rod in order to increase the cleaning effect and the uniformity on the entire circumference of the profile of the wire rod.

Description

[0037] Additional characteristics of the invention will appear manifest from the following description, with reference to the appended drawings, which are a merely illustrative and not limiting embodiment, wherein:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the device according to the invention taken along a sectional plane perpendicular to the forward traveling direction of the wire rod;

[0039] FIGS. 2 and 3 are front views of the device of FIG. 1 taken along the direction of arrow A of FIG. 1, which illustrate the device in a non-operating and an operating position, respectively;

[0040] FIG. 4 is a side view of a flat disk of the device of FIG. 1;

[0041] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a hub of the device of FIG. 1, when the device is stopped; and

[0042] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the hub of FIG. 5 during a rotation of the device.

[0043] With reference to the figures of the appended drawings, the invention relates to a device (1) for the mechanical cleaning of a wire rod (20) used in particular for the production of metal wires by means of drawing.

[0044] With reference to FIG. 1, the device (1) basically comprises two similar shell-shaped independent elements (8).

[0045] A shaft (6) supports the elements (8) in specular position relative to a plane of symmetry (17). The elements (8) can be easily removed from the shaft (6). The elements (8) are mounted in an assembly between an adapter (11) and a spacer (7) and are tightened on the shaft (6) by means of a nut (12) and a stud bolt (13).

[0046] The shaft (6) is revolvingly supported by rolling bodies on a suitable structure (7a) (shown with a broken line), in such a way that the shaft (6) can rotate at a high speed, for example in the direction of the arrow (21).

[0047] Each element (8) comprises components that define a compartment (40) where an agglomerate abrasive material, such as steel wool (4), is housed. The steel wool (4) is the active abrasive component.

[0048] A hub (5) is coupled with the shaft (6).

[0049] With reference to FIGS. 1-3, each element (8) comprises: [0050] a truncated-conical disk (3) integral with the hub (5) and [0051] a flat disk (2) that closes the truncated-conical disk (3).

[0052] Advantageously, the shaft (6) and the hub (5) are of splined type for a splined coupling.

[0053] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the hub (5) comprises a cylindrical body (50) and a plurality of oscillating masses (15) fixed to the cylindrical body (50) by means of pins (14) disposed in eccentric peripheral positions of the cylindrical body (50).

[0054] FIG. 4 illustrates the conformation of the flat disk (2) that has a disc-like shape provided with a plurality of openings (18) shaped as a slot. Each opening (18) is defined by spokes (31) with a plurality of ribs (31′) orthogonal to the spoke (31) that protrude from the spokes (31) inside the openings (18).

[0055] With reference to FIG. 1, the flat disk (2) is integral with the truncated-conical body (3) by means of stud bolts (2a) and nuts (2b). The flat disk (2) and the truncated-conical body (3) define the compartment (40) that houses the steel wool (4). The removal of the flat disk (2) provides access to the compartment (40) of the element (8) in order to fill the compartment (40) with the steel wool (4).

[0056] A space (19), which is wider than the diameter of the wire rod (20), remains between the flat disks (2) of the two elements (8). In view of this, the wire rod (20) can be inserted in the space (19) without obstacles or interferences. As a matter of fact, the wire rod (20) exclusively interferes with the steel wool (4) that comes out of the openings (18) of the flat disk (2).

[0057] The shaft (6) rotates at high speed around its rotation axis (25) along the rotational direction (21) or in opposite direction. The rotation of the shaft (6) drives the two elements (8) into rotation.

[0058] During the rotation of the two elements (8), centrifugal forces (9) are exerted on the steel wool (4), expanding the steel wool (4) radially outwards.

[0059] Given the tapered conformation of the truncated-conical body (3), the steel wool (4) is wedged radially into an ever-smaller volume of the element, generating an axial component (10) that pushes the steel wool (4) towards the flat disk (2).

[0060] Such an axial component (10) forces the steel wool (4) to come out of the holes (18) of the flat disk (2). Due to the particular shape of the openings (18) of the flat disk (2) and to the elastic property of the steel wool, the steel wool (4) is only partially ejected into bulges that escape from the openings (18) of the flat disk (2), partially occupying the space (19) that is transversely crossed by the wire rod (20) in a skewed direction with respect to the axis of rotation (25) of the shaft.

[0061] Because of the rotation of the device (1), the steel wool pads that are extroflected from the openings (18) of the flat disk (2) interfere with the rod wire (20) in transit, in a controlled manner, exerting a simultaneous rubbing on the two opposite sides.

[0062] The abrasive effect of the steel wool (4) is directly correlated with the contact speed of the cutting edges of the steel wool, and with the surface of the wire rod in contact with the cutting edges of the steel wool. Such a contact speed depends on the rotational speed of the device (1) and on the distance of the wire rod (20) from the axis of rotation (25) of the shaft (6).

[0063] The value of the forces applied on the steel wool mass also depends on the angular velocity of said steel wool mass. Such an angular velocity of the steel wool mass cannot be excessively high to avoid instability phenomena due to cohesion failure and consequent uncontrolled expulsion of steel wool parts.

[0064] However, it is essential to ensure an axial thrust such as to extroflect the steel wool through the openings (18) of the flat disk (2). The centrifugal forces (9) that are inertially created on the low density mass of the steel wool, at a safety rotational regime, are insufficient to ensure a stable and reliable working equilibrium during operation.

[0065] For this reason, it is necessary to create an additional controllable centrifugal thrust. Such an additional centrifugal thrust is given by the construction of the hub (5) that incorporates the oscillating masses (15).

[0066] With reference to FIG. 5, in idle conditions, the oscillating masses (15) adhere to the cylindrical body (50) of the hub.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 6, when the hub (5) rotates in the direction of the arrow (24), the oscillating masses (15) expand radially, partially occupying the compartment (40) of the elements (8) that contain the steel wool (4), creating a thrust with the adjustable and predictable axial component (10).

[0068] In view of the above, the efficiency of such a device is manifest, it being able to maintain control of a loose and non-compact mass, such as the steel wool, subject to disintegrating forces, and to exploit the high effectiveness of the high-speed abrasion process of the steel wool.

[0069] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a practical application of the device (1) mounted on a mobile support (28), for instance an oscillating support around an axis (29). The mobile support (28) allows a rapid access to the elements of the device (1) in order to refill the steel wool and facilitate an insertion step of the wire rod (20) in the space (19).

[0070] The wire rod (20) travels in forward direction with a continuous movement along the forward traveling direction indicated by the arrow (27) towards a drawing machine installed downstream the device (1). The wire rod (20) is driven by pulleys (22).

[0071] FIG. 2 shows the device (1) in non-operating position, wherein the wire rod (20) is not in the space (19) of the device.

[0072] By rotating the mobile support (28) around the axis of rotation (29) in the direction of the arrow (26), the device (1) passes from the non-operating position to an operating position (shown in FIG. 3) wherein the wire rod (20) is in the space (19) of the device.

[0073] With reference to FIG. 3, by rotating the mobile support (28) around the axis of rotation (29) in the direction of the arrow (26a), the device (1) passes from the operating position to the non-operating position (shown in FIG. 2) wherein the wire rod (20) is not in the space (19) of the device.

[0074] A system can comprise a plurality of devices (1). Each device (1) is sequentially applied along a forward traveling direction of the wire rod (20) and on different working planes that are parallel to the axis of the wire rod in order to increase the cleaning effect and the uniformity on the entire circumference of the profile of the wire rod.