Wire feed drive assembly
First Claim
1. A drive assembly for a wire feeding station having a first feed wheel and a second feed wheel that form an adjustable feed nip to pull a wire through the wire feeding station, comprising:
- a single drive motor having a motor shaft extending along a drive axis;
a first drive gear fixed to the motor shaft of the drive motor;
a second drive gear positioned in engagement with the first drive gear such that rotation of the first drive gear rotates the second drive gear;
a rigid first drive shaft operable to rotate the first feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the first drive gear by a first flexible coupling and a second end coupled to the first feed wheel by a second flexible coupling; and
a rigid second drive shaft operable to rotate the second feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the second drive gear through a third flexible coupling and a second end rotatably coupled to the second feed wheel through a fourth flexible coupling,wherein the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel are each supported by a mounting block, wherein the mounting blocks are movable relative to each other to adjust the position of both the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel of the feed nip, wherein the flexible couplings provide a driven link between the drive motor and the first and second feed wheels and allow the first and second drive shafts to be separately angled relative to the drive axis as the first and second feed wheels move relative to each other.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wire feed station of a wire processing system draws a supply of wire into the system. The wire feed station includes first and second feed wheels that create a nip to pull the wire through the feed station. A drive assembly is coupled to the first and second feed wheels to cause rotation of the feed wheels. The drive assembly includes first and second drive shafts that are coupled to the first and second feed wheels through a pair of flexible couplings. The flexible couplings allow the first and second feed wheels to move relative to each other to adjust the feed nip. The flexible couplings allow a single drive motor to rotate the first and second feed wheels through a pair of drive shafts without the use of a complex belt or gear assembly.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A drive assembly for a wire feeding station having a first feed wheel and a second feed wheel that form an adjustable feed nip to pull a wire through the wire feeding station, comprising:
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a single drive motor having a motor shaft extending along a drive axis; a first drive gear fixed to the motor shaft of the drive motor; a second drive gear positioned in engagement with the first drive gear such that rotation of the first drive gear rotates the second drive gear; a rigid first drive shaft operable to rotate the first feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the first drive gear by a first flexible coupling and a second end coupled to the first feed wheel by a second flexible coupling; and a rigid second drive shaft operable to rotate the second feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the second drive gear through a third flexible coupling and a second end rotatably coupled to the second feed wheel through a fourth flexible coupling, wherein the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel are each supported by a mounting block, wherein the mounting blocks are movable relative to each other to adjust the position of both the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel of the feed nip, wherein the flexible couplings provide a driven link between the drive motor and the first and second feed wheels and allow the first and second drive shafts to be separately angled relative to the drive axis as the first and second feed wheels move relative to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A wire feed station, comprising:
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a first feed wheel supported by a first mounting block; a second feed wheel supported by a second mounting block, wherein the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel create a feed nip, wherein the first mounting block and the second mounting block are movable relative to each other to adjust the position of both the first and second feed wheels and the size of the feed nip; a single drive motor having a motor shaft extending along a drive axis; a first drive gear mounted to the motor shaft; a second drive gear positioned in engagement with the first drive gear such that rotation of the first drive gear rotates the second drive gear; a rigid first drive shaft operable to rotate the first feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the first drive gear through a first flexible coupling and a second end coupled to the first feed wheel through a second flexible coupling; a rigid second drive shaft operable to rotate the second feed wheel and having a first end coupled to the second drive gear through a third flexible coupling and a second end rotatably coupled to the second feed wheel through a fourth flexible coupling; wherein the flexible couplings allow the first and second drive shaft to be angled relative to the drive axis as the position of both the first feed wheel and the second feed wheel of the feed nip is adjusted while providing a driven connection between the single drive motor and the first and second feed wheels. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification