Method and device for making wire baskets
A device and method for making a wire basket, the device having a spinning fixture with a top plate with an outer periphery, arms attached at a top end at the periphery of the top plate and projecting downwardly, such that bottom ends of the arms collectively form a circular arrangement having a diameter greater than the diameter of the top plate, a means for guiding wire onto the spinning fixture such that the wire is wound onto the spinning fixture in a preselected pattern, and contacts to maintain the wire onto the spinning fixture in preselected locations, and the method including providing an apparatus for delivery of wire through a wire feed and for translating the wire feed lineally along a traverse, providing a spinning fixture for winding wire thereon, and winding a preselected pattern of wire onto the spinning fixture by translating the wire feed along the transverse.
1 . A device for making a wire basket, comprising:
a) a rotatable spinning fixture with a circular top plate with an outer periphery;
b) at least three arms attached at a top end at the periphery of the top plate and projecting downwardly at an angle theta relative to the vertical, such that bottom ends of the arms collectively form a circular arrangement having a diameter greater than the diameter of the top plate;
c) a traverse apparatus for guiding wire onto the spinning fixture such that, as the spinning fixture is rotated, the wire is wound onto the spinning fixture in a preselected pattern, the traverse apparatus comprising a traverse guide oriented parallel to the arms, and a wire feed movable along a length of the traverse guide; and
d) the spinning fixture includes contacts to maintain the wire on to the spinning fixture in preselected locations.
2 . The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the traverse apparatus further comprises a traverse drive operatively coupled to the wire feed, the wire feed being moveable along the length of the traverse guide by the traverse drive.
3 . The device claimed in claim 2 , wherein the contacts are prongs which extend away from a top surface of each arm.
4 . The device claimed in claim 3 , wherein each of the arms comprises a longitudinal member having the top surface and a pair of side plates positioned on both sides of the longitudinal member, each side plate of the pair of side plates having at least two of the prongs extending therefrom.
5 . The device claimed in claim 4 , wherein the pair of side plates is coupled to the longitudinal member, the pair of side plates having:
an extended position, where the prongs extend beyond the top surface of the longitudinal member; and
a retracted position, where the prongs are situated below the top surface of the longitudinal member.
6 . The device claimed in claim 5 , wherein each side plate is coupled to its corresponding longitudinal member with two pivoting links.
7 . The device claimed in claim 5 , wherein each of the arms further comprises a spring coupled to the pair of side plates to bias the pair of side plates in the extended position.
8 . The device claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a release actuator operatively coupled to each side plate to shift the respective side plate into the retracted position.
9 . The device claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a welding apparatus having welding electrodes for forming welds at wire crossing locations on the wire.
10 . The device claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a fixture ring positioned in contact with the bottom end of each side plate, the release actuator operatively coupled to shift the fixture ring, which in turn shifts each side plate between the extended position and the retracted position.
11 . The device claimed in claim 9 , wherein the welding apparatus is oriented parallel to the arms at the angle theta relative to the vertical.
12 . The device claimed in claim 11 , further comprising at least three additional arms without side plates, the at least three additional arms being attached at the top end at the periphery of the top plate alternately with the arms and projecting downwardly at the angle theta relative to the vertical.
13 . The device claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least three arms are rigidly attached at the top end at the periphery of the top plate.
14 . A method for making a wire basket, comprising:
a) providing a traverse apparatus comprising a traverse guide and a wire feed movable along a length of the traverse guide, for delivery of wire through the wire feed;
b) providing a rotatable spinning fixture for winding wire thereon, the spinning fixture comprising a top plate with an outer periphery and at least three arms attached at a top end at the periphery of the top plate, the at least three arms projecting downwardly at an angle theta relative to the vertical, and positioning the spinning fixture such that the at least three arms are orientated parallel to the traverse guide; and
c) winding a preselected pattern of wire onto the spinning fixture by rotating the spinning fixture while selectively moving the wire feed along the length of the traverse guide.
15 . The method claimed in claim 14 , wherein the spinning fixture comprises longitudinal members having a top surface, the winding step further comprising directing the wire onto contacts extending above the top surfaces of the longitudinal members to form the preselected pattern of wire.
16 . The method claimed in claim 15 , further comprising forming welds at wire crossing locations on the formed wire pattern.
17 . The method claimed in claim 16 , wherein the spinning fixture comprises side plates coupled to the longitudinal members, the contacts being prongs fixed to the side plates, the method further comprising retracting the side plates such that the prongs are situated below the top surface of the longitudinal member after the winding and welding is complete.
18 . The method claimed in claim 17 , wherein the preselected wire pattern is a diamond shaped wire pattern formed with a single strand of wire.
19 . The method claimed in claim 18 , further comprising releasably securing an end of the single strand of wire to the top plate prior to winding the preselected pattern of wire onto the spinning fixture.
20. A wire basket for firmly securing the root ball of an agricultural product removed from the ground, the wire basket comprising:
a continuous wire structure forming a basket-shape, the continuous wire structure formed from a single, continuous length of wire that forms diamond shaped openings in the continuous wire structure;
the continuous wire structure having an open top configured to allow a stem of the agricultural product to extend outwardly through the open top and a closed bottom configured to encompass the root ball;
the continuous wire structure configured to allow the continuous wire structure to be tightened around an interior lining of a material surrounding the root ball to hold the root ball intact;
the continuous wire structure having an upper circumference formed from upper loops of the single, continuous length of wire, the loops forming the open top of the wire basket;
a tie laced through the upper loops,
wherein the upper circumference is configured to be reduced when the tie laced through the upper loops, is tightened, and
wherein the upper loops are configured to bend as the upper loops are collectively pulled together around the agricultural product.
21. A method of using a wire basket to firmly secure a root ball of an agricultural product, the method comprising:
providing a continuous wire structure forming a basket-shape, the structure formed from a single, continuous length of wire that forms diamond shaped openings between the single, continuous length of wire;
the continuous wire structure having an open top configured to allow a stem of the agricultural product to extend outwardly through the open top and a closed bottom configured to encompass the root ball;
the continuous wire structure configured to allow the continuous wire structure to be tightened around an interior lining of a material surrounding the root ball to hold the root ball intact;
the continuous wire structure having an upper circumference formed from upper loops of the single, continuous length of wire, the loops forming the open top of the wire basket;
providing a tie;
lacing the tie through the upper loops of the continuous wire structure;
placing the wire basket around the root ball of the agricultural product, wherein the wire basket has an exterior framework of a symmetrically patterned basket-shaped grid structure forming the diamond shaped openings;
wherein the agricultural product extends through the open top of the continuous wire structure with the root ball within the closed bottom of the continuous wire structure;
tightening the continuous wire structure around an interior lining of a material surrounding the root ball to hold the root ball intact
wherein the tightening of the continuous wire structure is accomplished by tying an upper circumference formed from upper loops of the single, continuous length of wire, the loops forming the open top of the basket shape of the structure before any tightening of the structure around the lining and root ball, wherein the upper loops are configured to be tightened by pulling the tie laced through the upper loops, the tightening with the tie causing the loops to bend as they are collectively pulled together toward and around the top of the agricultural product at the point at which the stem of the product extends from the root ball, the tightening further causing the continuous wire structure to stretch and constrict around the lining and root ball to hug it tightly.