STEEL WIRE MESH MADE OF STEEL WIRES HAVING HEXAGONAL LOOPS, PRODUCTION DEVICE, AND PRODUCTION METHOD

Abstract

A steel wire netting, in particular a hexagonal netting, made of steel wires includes hexagonal meshes, in particular for civil engineering purposes, preferably for an application in the field of protection from natural hazards, wherein the steel wires are alternatingly twisted with neighboring steel wires and wherein the steel wires are formed from a high-tensile steel or at least have a wire core made of a high-tensile steel, wherein an, in particular average, ratio calculated from an, in particular average, mesh width of the hexagonal meshes and an, in particular average, mesh height of the hexagonal meshes, measured perpendicularly to the mesh width, amounts to at least 0.75, preferably to at least 0.8.

Claims

1. A hexagonal netting made of steel wires with hexagonal meshes, in particular for civil engineering purposes, preferably for an application in the field of protection from natural hazards, wherein the steel wires are alternatingly twisted with neighboring steel wires and wherein the steel wires are formed from a high-tensile steel or at least have a wire core made of a high-tensile steel, wherein an, in particular average, ratio calculated from an, in particular average, mesh width of the hexagonal meshes and an, in particular average, mesh height of the hexagonal meshes, measured perpendicularly to the mesh width, amounts to at least 0.8, wherein the mesh width is a distance between two twisted regions which delimit a hexagonal mesh, which extend at least substantially parallel to each other and which are situated on opposite sides of the hexagonal mesh, wherein the mesh height is a distance between two corners of the hexagonal mesh which are situated opposite each other in a direction parallel to a main extension direction of the twisted region, and wherein the high-tensile steel of the steel wires has a tensile strength of at least 1,560 N/mm.sup.2.

2. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein the high-tensile steel of the steel wires has a tensile strength of at least 1,700 N/mm.sup.2 and preferentially of at least 1,950 N/mm.sup.2.

3. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein an, in particular average, length of a twisted region delimiting a hexagonal mesh is at least 30%, preferably at least 35%, of the, in particular average, mesh height.

4. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein an, in particular average, length of a twisted region delimiting a hexagonal mesh is at least 50%, preferably at least 55% and preferentially at least 60% of the, in particular average, mesh width.

5. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein an, in particular average, length of a twisting within a twisted region-delimiting a hexagonal mesh is less than 1.1 cm, preferably less than 1 cm.

6. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein a twisted region delimiting a hexagonal mesh comprises more than three consecutive twistings.

7. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein at least one, in particular average, aperture angle of the hexagonal mesh, spanning the hexagonal mesh in a longitudinal direction, is at least 70, preferably at least 80 and preferentially at least 90, wherein the longitudinal direction of the hexagonal mesh runs parallel to a main extension direction of the hexagonal mesh.

8. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein the hexagonal meshes have an, in particular average, mesh width of approximately 60 mm, approximately 80 mm or approximately 100 mm.

9. The hexagonal netting steel according to claim 1, wherein the high-tensile steel of the steel wires is implemented of a stainless type of steel or at least has a sheath of a stainless type of steel.

10. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein the steel wires have a corrosion protection coating or a corrosion protection overlay.

11. The hexagonal netting according to claim 10, wherein the corrosion protection coating is realized at least as a class B corrosion protection coating according to the standard DIN EN 10244-2:2001-07, preferably as a class A corrosion protection coating according to the standard DIN EN 10244-2:2001-07.

12. The hexagonal netting according to claim 1, wherein at least two sub-pieces of the steel wires survive without rupturing, in particular in a test run, a screw-like winding around each other, further comprising at least N+1 twistings, preferably N+2 twistings and preferentially N+4 twistings, wherein N is, if applicable by rounding down, a number of twistings of the steel wires delimiting the hexagonal meshes to opposite sides.

13. A production device for a braiding of a hexagonal netting with hexagonal meshes from steel wires, further comprising a high-tensile steel, according to claim 1, with at least one array of twisting units for an alternating twisting of steel wires with further steel wires which are guided on respectively opposite sides of the steel wires, and with at least one rotatable roller, which is supported downstream of the twisting units and has on a sheath surface dogs configured to engage into the newly braided hexagonal meshes, thus pushing or pulling the hexagonal netting forward, wherein the twisting units are configured to over-rotate the steel wires such that a rotation angle swept over by the twisting units during a twisting process is larger than a total twisting angle of the twisted regions delimiting the hexagonal meshes of the finished hexagonal netting, and/or that the rotatable roller is configured to over-expand a mesh width of the hexagonal meshes, in particular as compared to the mesh width of a finished hexagonal mesh, by a stretching unit, which is integrated in the rotatable roller, which is supported downstream of the rotatable roller or is arranged separately, being configured to stretch a finished hexagonal netting at least in a direction parallel to the mesh width at least by 30%.

14. The production device according to claim 13, wherein the over-rotating of the intertwisted steel wires and/or the over-expanding of the hexagonal meshes is configured to compensate a rebound of the high-tensile steel wires, which are substantially more elastic as compared to a non-high-tensile steel.

15. The production device according to claim 13, wherein the twisting units are configured to twist the steel wires at least M-fold with one another, wherein M is given by the formula M=U+0.5*G, and U is an uneven integer 3, which preferably corresponds to a number of twistings within a twisted region of the finished hexagonal netting which delimits a hexagonal mesh, and wherein G is any real number 1 and 3.

16. (canceled)

17. A production method for a braiding of a hexagonal netting with hexagonal meshes according to claim 1, wherein during the production of the hexagonal netting the steel wires are over-rotated in twisted regions of the hexagonal netting, and/or wherein the hexagonal meshes are over-expanded in a direction parallel to the mesh width at least by 30%.

18. (canceled)

19. A production method for a braiding of a hexagonal netting with hexagonal meshes, in particular by means of a production device according to claim 13, wherein during the production of the hexagonal netting the steel wires are over-rotated in twisted regions of the hexagonal netting, and/or wherein the hexagonal meshes are over-expanded in a direction parallel to the mesh width at least by 30%.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0039] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. In the drawings four exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated. The drawings, the description and the claims contain a plurality of features in combination. Someone skilled in the art will purposefully also consider the features separately and will find further expedient combinations.

[0040] It is shown in:

[0041] FIG. 1 a portion of a steel wire netting with hexagonal meshes, which constitutes the prior art,

[0042] FIG. 2 a schematic plan view of a steel wire netting with hexagonal meshes according to the invention,

[0043] FIG. 3 a schematic section through a steel wire of the steel wire netting with a corrosion protection overlay,

[0044] FIG. 4 a schematic section through a steel wire of the steel wire netting with a corrosion protection coating,

[0045] FIG. 5 a schematic illustration of a test device for carrying out twisting tests,

[0046] FIG. 6 a schematic side view of a production device for a braiding of the steel wire netting with the hexagonal meshes,

[0047] FIG. 7 a further schematic illustration of the production device from a perspective view,

[0048] FIG. 8 a schematic, partly sectioned detail view of a portion of the production device, with a rotatable roller and with twisting units,

[0049] FIG. 9 a schematic, partly sectioned detail view of a portion of the production device, with an alternative rotatable roller,

[0050] FIG. 10 a schematic flowchart of a production method for a braiding of the steel wire netting with the hexagonal meshes,

[0051] FIG. 11 a schematic plan view of an alternative steel wire netting according to the invention,

[0052] FIG. 12 a schematic section through a steel wire of a further alternative steel wire netting according to the invention, and

[0053] FIG. 13 a schematic section through a steel wire of an additional further alternative steel wire netting according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a section of a steel wire netting 254 with hexagonal meshes 216, which constitutes the prior art and is currently produced and distributed by the company of the applicant of the patent document PL 235814 B1 (Nector Sp. z o.o., Krakow, Poland). The steel wire netting 254 is produced from steel wires 210, 212, 214, which are made of high-tensile steel. The steel wire netting 254 has a mesh width 218 and a mesh height 220. A mesh width/mesh height ratio of the prior art steel wire netting 254 is considerably less than 0.75. The mesh width/mesh height ratio of the prior art steel wire netting 254 is approximately 0.5.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows schematically a steel wire netting 54a according to the invention. The steel wire netting 54a is configured for an application for civil engineering purposes. The steel wire netting 54a is configured for an application in the field of protection from natural hazards. The steel wire netting 54a is realized as a hexagonal netting. The steel wire netting 54a comprises hexagonal meshes 16a. The steel wire netting 54a is made of steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a. The steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a are made of a high-tensile steel. The high-tensile steel which the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a are made of has a tensile strength of at least 1,700 N/mm 2 and maximally 2,150 N/mm.sup.2. In the example shown the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a are made of a high-tensile steel with a tensile strength of approximately 1,950 N/mm.sup.2. In addition, it is conceivable that the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a made of the high-tensile steel have a (non-high-tensile) corrosion protection overlay 50a (see FIG. 4) or a (non-high-tensile) corrosion protection coating 48a (see FIG. 3). If the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a have the corrosion protection coating 48a, the corrosion protection coating 48a is realized at least as a class B corrosion protection coating according to the standard 10244-2:2001-07. In the case shown exemplarily in FIG. 3, the corrosion protection coating 48a is realized as a class A corrosion protection coating according to the standard DIN EN 10244-2:2001-07.

[0056] In order to form the hexagonal meshes 16a, the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a are alternatingly twisted with neighboring steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a. The intertwisted steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a form twisted regions 24a. The twisted regions 24a in each case comprise at least three consecutive twistings 28a, 38a, 40a. Each twisting 28a, 38a, 40a comprises a 180 winding of a steel wire 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a around a further steel wire 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the twisted regions 24a comprise precisely three twistings 28a, 38a, 40a. Each of the twistings 28a, 38a, 40a has a length 26a. The lengths 26a of the twistings 28a, 38a, 40a are approximately equal. The forms of the twistings 28a, 38a, 40a are approximately equal. The average length 26a of the twistings 28a, 38a, 40a within the twisted regions 24a of several of the hexagonal meshes 16a is smaller than 1.1 cm.

[0057] The hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a have a mesh height 20a. The mesh height 20a is measured perpendicularly to the mesh width 18a. The mesh height 20a is implemented as a largest aperture length of the hexagonal meshes 16a. The mesh height 20a is measured between a corner 66a of the hexagonal mesh 16a, in which a twisting 28a, 38a, 40a (differing from the twisted regions 24a) of the two steel wires 10a, 12a, which delimit the hexagonal mesh 16a all around, starts, and a further corner 68a of the hexagonal mesh 16a, in which the twisting 28a, 38a, 40a (differing from the twisted regions 24a) of the steel wires 10a, 12a, which delimit the hexagonal mesh 16a all around, ends.

[0058] The twisted regions 24a respectively delimit the hexagonal meshes 16a on two opposite-situated sides. Each twisted region 24a (possible exception: an edge of the steel wire netting 54a) delimits two neighboring hexagonal meshes 16a at the same time. Each of the twisted regions 24a has a length 22a. The lengths 22a of the twisted regions 24a are approximately equal. The average length 22a of the twisted regions 24a delimiting the hexagonal meshes 16a amounts to at least 30% of the average mesh height 20a of several hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a.

[0059] The hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a have a mesh width 18a. The mesh width 18a is implemented as a shortest distance between the two twisted regions 24a delimiting a hexagonal mesh 16a. The average length 22a of the twisted regions 24a delimiting the hexagonal meshes 16a amounts to at least 50% of the average mesh width 18a of several hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a. The average mesh width 18a of the hexagonal meshes 16a typically amounts to approximately 60 mm, approximately 80 mm or approximately 100 mm. In the case shown exemplarily in FIG. 2, the mesh width 18a is approximately 80 mm.

[0060] An average ratio of the average mesh width 18a of several hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a and the average mesh height 20a of the hexagonal meshes 16a is at least 0.75. A mesh width/mesh height ratio formed from the mesh width 18a and the mesh height 20a is at least 0.75. In the case shown exemplarily in FIG. 2, the mesh width/mesh height ratio is 0.8.

[0061] The hexagonal meshes 16a have a first aperture angle 44a that spans the hexagonal meshes 16a in a longitudinal direction 42a of the hexagonal meshes 16a. The longitudinal direction 42a points in a production direction of the steel wire netting 54a, i. e. from a twisted region 24a that was produced later towards a twisted region 24a that was produced earlier. Alternatively, the longitudinal direction 42a may point in the opposite direction. The first aperture angle 44a spans the hexagonal mesh 16a in a corner 66a that is situated further frontwards in the longitudinal direction 42a. The hexagonal meshes 16a have a second aperture angle 70a that spans the hexagonal meshes 16a in the longitudinal direction 42a. The second aperture angle 70a spans the hexagonal mesh 16a in a corner 68a that is situated further rearwards in the longitudinal direction 42a. The two aperture angles 44a, 70a are situated in opposed corners 66a, 68a of the hexagonal meshes 16a.

[0062] The average first aperture angle 44a of several hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a is at least 70. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first aperture angle 44a is approximately 90. The average second aperture angle 70a of several hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a is at least 70. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second aperture angle 70a is approximately 90. The opposite-situated average aperture angles 44a, 70a of the hexagonal meshes 16a, which span the hexagonal meshes 16a in the longitudinal direction 42a, differ from each other by maximally 8. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the opposite-situated aperture angles 44a, 70a of the hexagonal mesh 16a are approximately equal.

[0063] Viewed along the longitudinal direction 42a, the two steel wires 10a, 12a, which delimit a hexagonal mesh 16a of the steel wire netting 54a all around, in each case have an entry curvature 30a on respectively opposite-situated sides of the hexagonal mesh 16a, in a transition 72a in which the respective steel wire 10a, 12a passes from an at least substantially straight section 32a of the respective steel wire 10a, 12a that delimits the hexagonal mesh 16a to a twisted region 24a of the steel wire 10a, 12a that delimits the hexagonal mesh 16a. Viewed along the longitudinal direction 42a, the two steel wires 10a, 12a, which delimit a hexagonal mesh 16a of the steel wire netting 54a all around, in each case have an exit curvature 34a on respectively opposite sides of the hexagonal mesh 16a, in a further transition 74a (differing from the transition 72a) in which the respective steel wire 10a, 12a passes from the twisted region 24a that delimits the hexagonal mesh 16a to an at least substantially straight further section 36a of the steel wire 10a, 12a that delimits the hexagonal mesh 16a. The average entry curvature 30a and the average exit curvature 34a of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of several hexagonal meshes 16a are approximately equal.

[0064] The steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a have a rupture resistance suitable for the production of the hexagonal meshes 16a with the mesh width/mesh height ratio of 0.75 or more. The steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire netting 54a are realized in such a way that two sub-pieces of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 16a survive in a first twisting test run a screw-like winding around each other comprising at least N+1 twistings, wherein N is, if applicable by rounding down, a number of twistings of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a delimiting the hexagonal meshes 16a to opposite sides. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a thus survive at least four twistings. In particular, for each steel wire batch the first twisting test run is executed before usage for the production of a steel wire netting 54a. For this purpose, two sub-pieces of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire batch are clamped into a test device 76a at opposite ends (see FIG. 5) and are twisted with each other until a wire rupture of at least one of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a is detected.

[0065] Moreover, the steel wires 10a, 12a of the steel wire netting 54a are realized in such a way that in a second twisting test run two sub-pieces of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a survive a screw-like winding and unwinding of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a around each other, comprising at least three, preferably at least five and preferentially at least seven back-and-forth twistings. The test pieces of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a are herein alternatingly wrapped with each other by respectively 180 and then unwrapped. An 180 twisting in one of the two twisting directions is herein counted as one back-and-forth twisting. For an execution of the second twisting test run, the two sub-pieces of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a of the steel wire batch are also clamped into the test device 76a at opposite ends and are twisted back and forth until a wire rupture of at least one of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a is detected. This advantageously allows, on the one hand, ensuring that the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a do not break during the production of the steel wire netting 54a according to the invention, in particular in an over-rotating of the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a and/or do not break in an over-expansion of the steel wire netting 54a. On the other hand, it is in this way advantageously possible to state that the wire netting 54a according to the invention is capable of providing a sufficient protective effect as it has, for example, a sufficiently high rupture resistance also in the case of an event (for example a rockfall) involving plastic and/or elastic deformation.

[0066] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the test device 76a for carrying out the first twisting test run and/or for carrying out the second twisting test run. The test device 76a comprises two steel wire holding devices 78a, 80a for a positionally fix and rotationally fix holding of a pair of steel wires 10a, 12a. Prior to a start of the respective twisting test run, the steel wires 10a, 12a held in the steel wire holding devices 78a, 80a are guided side by side and parallel to each other. When the respective twisting test run is carried out, one of the two steel wire holding devices 78a, 80a is held in a rotationally fix manner while the other one of the two steel wire holding devices 78a, 80a is rotated around a rotation axis that runs parallel to the initial longitudinal directions 82a of the steel wires 10a, 12a held by the steel wire holding devices 78a, 80a.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of a production device 52a for a braiding of the steel wire netting 54a having the hexagonal meshes 16a, in particular for a braiding of a hexagonal netting, from the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a comprising the high-tensile steel. The production device 52a comprises a first wire supply device 84a for supplying at least part of the starting material, for example at least the steel wire 10a. The first wire supply device 84a is configured to receive at least one bobbin 86a with the wound-up high-tensile steel wire 10a so as to be rotatable, in particular unrollable. The production device 52a comprises a wire alignment device 88a. The wire alignment device 88a is configured for at least partially straightening the previously rolled-up steel wire 10a. The production device 52a comprises a second wire supply device 90a. In the second wire supply device 90a the steel wire 12a is wound up in spiral fashion.

[0068] The production device 52a comprises an array of twisting units 56a, 58a (see also FIG. 8). The twisting units 56a, 58a are configured for twisting the steel wires 10a, 12a fed from the wire supply devices 84a, 90a with each other. The twisting units 56a, 58a are configured for twisting respectively one steel wire 10a alternatingly with further steel wires 12a, 14a, which are guided on respectively opposite-situated sides of the steel wire 10a. The production device 52a comprises a rotatable roller 60a. The rotatable roller 60a is arranged within the production device 52a downstream of the twisting units 56a, 58a. The rotatable roller 60a is configured to push, respectively pull, the already intertwisted steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a, preferably pulling them away from twisting regions of the twisting units 56a, 58a. The rotatable roller 60a is configured for a continuous rotation. The production device 52a comprises a netting roll-up device 92a. The netting roll-up device 92a is configured to accept the finished steel wire netting 54a from the rotatable roller 60a and to roll the steel wire netting 54a into netting rolls 94a.

[0069] FIG. 7 shows a further schematic illustration of the production device 52a in a perspective view.

[0070] FIG. 8 shows schematically a partly sectioned detail view of a portion of the production device 52a. In the section shown in FIG. 8, three twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are illustrated. A first twisting unit 56a comprises two twisting elements 96a, 98a. A second twisting unit 58a, which is arranged next to the first twisting unit 56a, also comprises two twisting elements 100a, 102a. The twisting elements 96a, 98a, 100a, 102a of one of the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are in each case realized as half-shell sub-elements of a cylinder shape. Each twisting element 96a, 98a, 100a, 102a of one of the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a guides a single steel wire 10a, 12a, 14a. The twisting elements 96a, 100a, which are situated to the front in FIG. 8, guide respectively one steel wire 10a, 14a that has been wound from the bobbin 86a and straightened. The twisting elements 98a, 102a, which are situated to the rear in FIG. 8, guide a steel wire 12a that has been wound up freely in spiral fashion. The twisting elements 98a, 102a, which are situated to the rear in FIG. 8, are arranged on a rail 106a that is supported so as to be longitudinally movable. The twisting elements 98a, 102a are guided along with the movement of the rail 106a. The rail 106a can be moved back and forth in both directions along a longitudinal axis of the rail 106a. The rail 106a can be moved back and forth in both directions parallel to a rotation axis 108a of the rotatable roller 60a. The rail 106a can be moved back and forth in both directions perpendicularly to rotation axes 110a of the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a. In a movement of the rail 106a, different twisting elements 96a, 98a, 100a, 102a are brought together alternatingly. For example, first the two twisting elements 96a, 98a belonging to the first twisting unit 56a are brought together and the corresponding steel wires 10a, 12a are twisted. Then one of the twisting elements 96a of the first twisting unit 56a is brought together, by the movement of the rail 106a, with one of the twisting elements 102a of the second twisting unit 58a. The twisting elements 96a, 98a, 100a, 102a, after having been respectively brought together, rotate around a shared rotation axis 110a, as a result of which the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a, guided respectively by the twisting elements 96a, 98a, 100a, 102a which were brought together, are twisted with one another. During the twisting and the switching of the rail 106a, the rotatable roller 60a rotates and while rotating pulls the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a out of the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a.

[0071] The twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are configured to over-rotate the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a during the twisting process in which the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a are twisted with each other in order to form the twisted regions 24a. The over-rotation of the intertwisted steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a is configured to compensate, after the twisting process, a rebound of the high-tensile steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a, which are considerably more elastic as compared to a non-high-tensile steel. The over-rotation of the intertwisted steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a is configured for producing a planar steel wire netting 54a with hexagonal meshes 16a, which has narrowly wrapped twisted regions 24a. The twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are configured for twisting the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a with each other in the twisting process at least M-fold, wherein M is given by the formula M=U+0.5*G, and U is an uneven integer 3, and G is any real number 1 and 3. In the case shown by way of example, the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are configured for twisting the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a in the twisting process more than 3.5-fold. In the case shown by way of example, the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a are configured for twisting the steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a in the twisting process approximately 4-fold.

[0072] The rotatable roller 60a comprises on a sheath surface 62a dogs 64a. The dogs 64a are configured to engage into the newly braided hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a, thus pushing or pulling the steel wire netting 54a forward in the running twisting process. The rotatable roller 60a is configured to over-expand the hexagonal meshes 16a in a direction of the mesh width 18a in comparison to the mesh width 18a of a finished hexagonal mesh 16a. The dogs 64a are configured to over-expand the hexagonal meshes 16a in the direction of the mesh width 18a. The dogs 64a have a shape which generates an over-expansion of the hexagonal meshes 16a in the direction of the mesh width 18a. A width of each dog 64a of the rotatable roller 60a is larger than the mesh width 18a of the finished steel wire netting 54a. The over-expansion of the hexagonal meshes 16a is configured to compensate a rebound of the high-tensile steel wires 10a, 12a, 14a, which are considerably more elastic as compared to a non-high-tensile steel.

[0073] FIG. 9 schematically shows the portion of the production device 52a which is also shown in FIG. 8, with the production device 52a comprising an alternative rotatable roller 60a. The production device 52a comprises a stretching unit 134a. The stretching unit 134a is configured for a stretching of a finished steel wire netting 54a in directions parallel to the mesh width 18a. The stretching unit 134a is configured for a stretching of the finished steel wire netting 54a by at least 30%. In the case illustrated exemplarily in FIG. 9, the stretching unit 134a is integrated in the alternative rotatable roller 60a. The stretching unit 134a comprises stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a. The stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a are realized as projections in the rotatable roller 60a. The stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a are configured to engage into the hexagonal meshes 16a. The stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a are configured to attack at the twisted regions 24a of the hexagonal meshes 16a and to pull the hexagonal meshes 16a apart in directions parallel to the mesh width 18a. For example, as a result of a back-and-forth movement of the stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a during the rotation of the rotatable roller 60a, the individual hexagonal meshes 16a of the steel wire netting 54a are temporarily over-expanded. Alternatively it is conceivable that the stretching unit 134a is supported downstream of the rotatable roller 60a or that the stretching unit 134a is arranged separately from the production device 52d comprising the rotatable roller 60a and the twisting units 56a, 58a, 104a.

[0074] FIG. 10 shows a schematic flow chart of a production method for a braiding of the steel wire netting 54a having the hexagonal meshes 16a. In at least one method step 122a two steel wires 10a, 12a of a steel wire batch are clamped into the test device 76a and the first twisting test run and/or the second twisting test run are/is carried out. If the first twisting test run and/or the second twisting test run have/has been survived, the steel wires 10a, 12a of the steel wire batch that has now been tested are used for the production of a steel wire netting 54a according to the invention and/or are fed to the production device 52a.

[0075] In at least one further method step 120a the one (tested) steel wire 10a is fed to the first twisting unit 56a. In the method step 120a, the further (tested) steel wire 12a is fed to the first twisting unit 56a. In at least one method step 124a, the two steel wires 10a, 12a are twisted with each other. In the production of the steel wire netting 54a, in the method step 124a, the steel wires 10a, 12a are over-rotated in the twisted regions 24a of the steel wire netting 54a. In the method step 124a the steel wires 10a, 12a are over-rotated in the twisted regions 24a of the steel wire netting 54a at least by a half twist, preferably at least by a full twist. After the over-rotation the over-rotated steel wires 10a, 12a automatically rebound by the over-rotated amount due to the high elasticity of high-tensile steel, such that the geometry according to the invention of the hexagonal meshes 16a is brought about.

[0076] In at least one further method step 118a the steel wire netting 54a that is being created is attacked at the twisted regions 24a by the dogs 64a of the rotatable roller 60a and is taken along with the movement of the rotatable roller 60a. By the dogs 64a, in particular by the engagement of the dogs 64a in the hexagonal meshes 16a, the hexagonal meshes 16a are in the method step 118a over-expanded in directions parallel to the mesh width 18a. After passing the rotatable roller 60a, the over-expanded hexagonal meshes 16a automatically rebound at least by a portion of the expansion due to the high elasticity of high-tensile steel, such that the geometry according to the invention of the hexagonal meshes 16a is brought about.

[0077] Alternatively or additionally, in at least one further method step 126a the hexagonal meshes 16a of the finished steel wire netting 54a are additionally or alternatively stretched. In the method step 126a the hexagonal meshes 16a of the finished steel wire netting 54a are stretched by the stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a which are integrated in the rotatable roller 60a or by stretching elements 112a, 114a, 116a which are implemented separately from the rotatable roller 60a. After the stretching by the stretching unit 134a, the stretched hexagonal meshes 16a automatically rebound at least by a portion of the stretching due to the high elasticity of high-tensile steel, such that the geometry according to the invention of the hexagonal meshes 16a is brought about.

[0078] In FIGS. 11 to 13 three further exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The following descriptions and the drawings are essentially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, wherein with regard to components having the same denomination, in particular to components having the same reference numerals, principally the drawings and/or the description of the other exemplary embodiments, in particular of FIGS. 1 to 10, may be referred to. In order to distinguish between the exemplary embodiments, the letter a has been added to the reference numerals in FIGS. 1 to 10. In the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 11 to 13, the letter a has been replaced by the letters b to d.

[0079] FIG. 11 schematically shows an alternative steel wire netting 54b according to the invention. The steel wire netting 54b comprises hexagonal meshes 16b. The steel wire netting 54b is realized from steel wires 10b, 12b, 14b. The steel wires 10b, 12b, 14b are made of a high-tensile steel. For a formation of the hexagonal meshes 16b, the steel wires 10b, 12b, 14b of the steel wire netting 54b are alternatingly twisted with neighboring steel wires 10b, 12b, 14b of the steel wire netting 54b. The intertwisted steel wires 10b, 12b, 14b form twisted regions 24b. The twisted regions 24b of the alternative steel wire netting 54b in each case comprise more than three consecutive twistings 28b, 38b, 40b, 128b, 130b. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the twisted regions 24b of the alternative steel wire netting 54b comprise five consecutive twistings 28b, 38b, 40b, 128b, 130b.

[0080] FIG. 12 schematically shows a section through a steel wire 10c of a further alternative steel wire netting 54c according to the invention. The steel wire 10c is made of a high-tensile steel. The high-tensile steel of the steel wire 10c is implemented of a stainless type of steel.

[0081] FIG. 13 schematically shows a section through a steel wire 10d of an additional further alternative steel wire netting 54d according to the invention. The steel wire 10d comprises a high-tensile steel. The steel wire 10d has a sheath 46d of a stainless type of steel. The steel wire 10d comprises a core 132d of a non-stainless type of steel. Either both subregions, the sheath 46d and the core 132d, or only the core 132d may be made of the high-tensile steel.