NEW COPPER WIRE DRAWING PLANT 115 



between operations, low inventories and multiple operation of machines by 

 operators. Capacity can be increased without rearrangement. Adequate 

 space has been provided to facilitate maintenance. The entire distance 

 from the receival of rod to the wire shipping area is 100 feet. One electric 

 truck and the crane just mentioned, suffice to handle and transport all 

 materials in the building. 



On either side of the main flow of material, space is provided for storage 

 of rod, shop maintenance machines and racks. 



Processes in the Wire Mill and Flow of Material 



Copper rod is delivered on double prongs of an electric truck, approxi- 

 mately 4,000 pounds at a time, and is placed adjacent to each of the No. 1 

 drawing machines, Fig. 21. Here each 250-pound coil is placed on the 

 floor of the eight-foot diameter supply table. A maximum of four coils is 

 maintained on the table at a time. The rod ends are electro-welded to 

 form a continuous supply. As rod from one coil is converted to wire, the 

 operator pushes a button and rotates the table 90° to locate the next coil. 

 This process of supplying coils, welding rod ends and rotating the supply 

 table is repeated while the machine continues to fill the 1000-pound reel with 

 14 gage (.064") wire at 5000 f.p.m. 



When the machine automatically stops, the operator opens the spooler 

 compartment and actuates an air operated mechanism which releases and 

 pushes the two-foot diameter 1000-pound reel off the take-up arbor. An 

 empty reel is placed on the arbor and locked. The guard is closed and the 

 push button starts the machine with no additional attention on the part of 

 the operator, who returns to the welding operation after placing the filled 

 reel in the storage area. 



The 1000-pound reel must be up-ended before it can be placed under the 

 supply compartment of the No. 2 machine. The up-ending device. Fig. 

 22, consists of two floor castings, a pneumatic hoist and cables. The opera- 

 tor first rolls the large reel on the first floor casting and then actuates the 

 pneumatic hoist. The cables hinge upward two castings like covers of a 

 partly closed book, forming 45° angles with the floor. At this position 

 the weight of the reel settles onto the second casting. The operator re- 

 leases the air and the reel is gently lowered upon floor rollers. The axis 

 of the reel is now vertical. 



One end of the copper wire is electro-welded to the wire end of one of the 

 two reels in the supply compartment. As the machine empties the first 

 reel, the operator pushes the second and third reels into the supply position 

 within a compartment. A continuous supply is thereby provided with 

 safety and ease of handling. 



