Wear resistant drive roller for wire feeding mechanism

Abstract

A drive roller is provided for use on a wire feeding mechanism. The drive roller includes a hub having an axis and an outer surface extending circumferentially about the axis. A plating is on the outer surface of the hub and extends circumferentially thereabout.

1 . A drive roller for use on a wire feeding mechanism to advance a continuous length of wire, said drive roller comprising: 
 a hub having an axis and an outer surface extending circumferentially about said axis; and    a plating on said outer surface and extending circumferentially thereabout.    
   
   
       2 . The drive roller of  claim 1  wherein said plating is a chrome alloy.  
   
   
       3 . The drive roller of  claim 2  wherein said chrome alloy has between about 96% and about 97% chromium.  
   
   
       4 . The drive roller of  claim 2  wherein said plating has a hardness of about Rockwell C 70 to about Rockwell C 72.  
   
   
       5 . The drive roller of  claim 2  wherein said plating has a thickness of about 0.0004 inches to about 0.0006 inches.  
   
   
       6 . The drive roller of  claim 1  wherein said plating is a nickel coating.  
   
   
       7 . The drive roller of  claim 6  wherein said plating has a hardness of approximately Rockwell C 60.  
   
   
       8 . The drive roller of  claim 6  wherein said plating has a thickness of about 0.0001 inches to about 0.0030 inches.  
   
   
       9 . The drive roller of  claim 1  wherein said outer surface includes a first groove extending circumferentially therearound.  
   
   
       10 . The drive roller of  claim 9  wherein said outer surface includes a second groove extending circumferentially therearound for use when said first groove is sufficiently worn.  
   
   
       11 . The drive roller of  claim 9  wherein said groove is one of U-shaped and V-shaped.  
   
   
       12 . A drive roller for use on a wire feeding mechanism to advance a continuous length of wire, said drive roller comprising: 
 a hub having an axis and an outer surface extending circumferentially about said axis; and    a plating on said outer surface extending circumferentially thereabout, said plating tangentially and compressively contacting an associated continuous length of wire.    
   
   
       13 . A wire feeding mechanism for advancing a continuous length of wire along a pathway, said wire feeding mechanism comprising: 
 a housing having two roller supports each rotatable about a corresponding axis transverse to said pathway, said roller supports being on opposite sides of said pathway and being driveably engaged with each other;    a drive roller on each roller support for rotation therewith and having a roller axis coaxial with the axis of the corresponding roller support, said driver roller including a hub having an outer surface extending circumferentially about said roller axis, and one of a plating and a coating on said outer surface; and    said one of a plating and a coating of each of said drive rollers tangentially and compressively contacting a continuous length of wire therebetween such that the wire is advanced along said pathway in response to the rotation of said drive rollers.    
   
   
       14 . The wire feeding mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said drive rollers is radially adjustably positionable relative to said pathway.  
   
   
       15 . The drive roller of  claim 12 , wherein said plating is a chrome alloy.  
   
   
       16 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said chrome alloy has between about 96% and about 97% chromium.  
   
   
       17 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said plating has a hardness of about Rockwell C 70 to about Rockwell C 72.  
   
   
       18 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said plating has a thickness of about 0.0004 inches to about 0.0006 inches.  
   
   
       19 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said plating is a nickel coating.  
   
   
       20 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said plating has a hardness of approximately Rockwell C 60.  
   
   
       21 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said plating has a thickness of about 0.0001 inches to about 0.0030 inches.  
   
   
       22 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said outer surface includes a first groove extending circumferentially therearound.  
   
   
       23 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said outer surface includes a second groove extending circumferentially therearound for use when said first groove is sufficiently worn.  
   
   
       24 . The drive roller of  claim 12  wherein said groove is one of U-shaped and V-shaped.  
   
   
       25 . A method of imparting wear-resistance to a drive roller for use on a wire feeding mechanism to advance a continuous length of wire, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a drive roller having a hub with an axis and an outer surface extending circumferentially about said axis;    liquid honing said outer surface to prepare said outer surface for a chrome alloy plating; and    electrolyzing said drive roller outer surface to apply said chrome alloy thereto.