The present invention relates to a multi-wires band collating machine for drawing together, side by side, a plurality of wires, and gluing them together to produce a continuous strip or ribbon of wires, other- wise known as wire band . This strip or ribbon of wires can then be cut to length and/or shaped to produce, for example, strips of staples or strips of pins/nails.

The present invention also relates to the staples and pins/nails obtained using such a multi-wire band collating machine.

In conventional multi-wires band collating machines nitro-cellulose based adhesives are employed to glue the wires together. Generally speaking these adhesives produce a secure and acceptable end result. However, because these adhesives contain 70% to 75% solvent, usually acetone, it is essential to provide heaters together with vapour extraction equipment in the vicinity of the machine to draw off the acetone vapours. In concentration acetone vapours are both hazardous to health and highly combustible.

The vapour extraction equipment must be positioned so as to draw off solvent vapours from the adhesive coated wires. Not only, therefore, does the vapour

extraction equipment add to the overall length of the multi-wires band collating machine, which may present problems when siting the machine where limited space is available, but the speed at which the wires are fed through the machine must be regulated so as to ensure that all the solvent vapour is drawn off from the adhesive coated wires before they finally exit the vapour extraction equipment. Typically, the wires travel through the machine at 6 - 9 meters per minute. A further drawback with these conventional machines is that vapour extraction equipment adds to the overall costs of the machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-wires, band collating machine which obviates or at least substantially mitigates the problems associated with conventional machines,. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a multi-wires band collating machine comprising wire collating means for drawing together, side by side, a plurality of wires, an adhesive station where adhesive from an adhesive reservoir -containing a UV light cured adhesive is applied to the wires, and adhesive curing means in the form of a UV lamp. UV light cured adhesive does not present any problems from a health and safety point of view, and certainly does not necessitate the provision of vapour

extraction equipment. The absence of vapour extraction equipment means that the overall length of the machine, as compared with conventional machines, can be reduced. A further advantage arising from the use of UV light cured adhesive is that the speed at which wires can be fed through the machine can be increased over that of conventional machines because UV light cured adhesive cures almost instantly upon exposure to UV light. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the UV adhesive carries a colouring so that the finished product (staples or nails/pins) obtained from the multi-wire band collating machine is coloured. Different colours may be employed for different products and/or product sizes, and it is even possible to envisage that within a range of products a colour coding system might be employed to distinguish the products from one another. It has been found that UV light cured adhesive will readily carry suitable colourings. However, this is not the case with conventional nitro-cellulose based adhesives.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a strip of staples or nails/pins which are glued together using a UV light cured adhesive.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be

described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows in elevation a schematic view of a multi-wires, band collating machine according to the present invention; and,

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings there is shown a winding drum 1 which is rotatably driven to draw a plurality of wires 2 through a multi-wires band collating machine, generally indicated by reference 3, and a pair of band pulling rollers 4. The wires 2 are each drawn from a respective drum and the drums are supported on a frame (not shown) in conventional manner.

The multi-wires, band collating machine 3 comprises a wire collator 5 which serves to draw together and flatten the wires 2 passing therethrough. After passing through the collator 5 the wires 2 lie side by side in a flat strip or ribbon. After the wire collator 5 there lies an adhesive station 6 which is connected to an adhesive reservoir 7 containing a UV light curing adhesive. As the wires 2 pass through the adhesive station 6 they are coated with adhesive from the adhesive reservoir 7. Lastly, the wires 2 pass through an adhesive curing station 8 which essentially comprises a UV lamp and reflector where the adhesive

coating the wires 2 is cured.

It may be convenient to provide a colouring in the UV light cured adhesive so that the strip or ribbon of wires output from the machine assumes this colour. By using different colours for different products or sizes of products it is an easy matter to distinguish these products from one another and a colour coding system may even be devised.

As shown in the drawings the strip or ribbon of wires 2 which exits the machine 3 is wound onto the drum 1. The finished product on the drum 1 is then processed separately to make for example, strips of staples or pins/nails. However, it will be readily appreciated that rather than wind the ribbon of wires onto a drum for processing separately, the ribbon of wires can be fed directly into a further processing machine as it exits the machine.