Release assembly for a wire cutting apparatus

摘要

A release assembly for wire cutting apparatus. The present invention provides a release assembly for wire cutting apparatus which allows for dynamic alteration of the cut parameters. The release assembly allows for the length of the wire to be cut to be altered, allows for the biasing force to be increased or decreased to thereby reset the release assembly for a wide range of wire gauges, and allows for the stroke length to be altered to thereby either increase or decrease the cut frequency. The release assembly includes a housing having a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal chamber. A plunger tube is slidably disposed in the longitudinal chamber and is biased towards the proximal end by a dynamically adjustable spring mechanism. A gauge rod is mounted within the plunger tube at an adjustable axial position. In operation, the wire being pulled from the coil engages the gauge rod and pushes the gauge rod and plunger tube in the distal direction. A sensor senses the distal movement and sends a signal to the cutting mechanism to make a cut in the wire and drop the wire from the cutting machine. The plunger tube is retained in the housing by two collars. The distance between the two collars is dynamically adjustable during cutting operations to adjust the travel distance of the plunger tube. The position of the housing relative to the wire coils is also dynamically adjustable to control the cut length of the wire.