CA1113845A

CA1113845A - Electric-pulse tube expander

Info

Publication number: CA1113845A
Application number: CA334,164A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gennady B. Vilsky; Alexandr M. Kurach; Alexei-Garri G. Ivanov; Gennady V. Byzov; Nikolai N. Stefanishin; Vadim A. Shkolnikov; Pavel I. Tsarenko; Boris Y. Mazurovsky; Vasily I. Sokolov
Original assignee: PROEKTNO-KONSTRUKTORSKOE BJURO ELEKTROGIDRAVLIKI AKADEMII NAUK UKRAINSKOI SSR
Current assignee: PROEKTNO-KONSTRUKTORSKOE BJURO ELEKTROGIDRAVLIKI AKADEMII NAUK UKRAINSKOI SSR
Priority date: 1978-08-22
Filing date: 1979-08-21
Publication date: 1981-12-08
Also published as: JPS6031575B2; DE2953046T1; FR2433988B1; FR2433988A1; JPS55500746A; WO1980000424A1; DE2953046C2; IT7925249A0; IT1163702B

Abstract

ELECTRIC-PULSE TUBE EXPANDER

Abstract of the Disclosure An electric-pulse tube expander comprises a bed, a vertical guide and horizontal guides, a device for supplying energy to electric-explosion cartridges, a current-pulse generator and a control system. The energy supplying device is formed with a multi-electrode system designed to expand several tubes by a single current pulse. To facilitate spacing adjustments, the electrodes are mounted on mutually hinged protective shields capable of angular motion and of locking in position. The tube expander is provided with mechanisms for tube bundle rotation, vertical motion of the device for supplying energy to the electrode-explosion cartridges and horizontal motion of the vertical guide, comprising travel setting elements connected to the current--pulse generator through the control system. After the energy supplying device effects a preset motion and /or tube bundle is rotated as required, the generator delivers, on order from the above elements, a current pulse to the electric-explosion cartridges. The provision of the travel setting elements for the energy supplying device obviates the need for complicated re-adjustments when expanding tubes the ends of which are placed in bundles side by side, along a circle or a spiral.

Description

3~ 4 TI~E OF THE INVENTION
ELECTRIC-PU~SE TUBE EXPANDER
BACEGROUND OF ~HE INVEI~rION
The i~vention relates to metal working and more particularly to apparatus for electric-pulse expanding of tubes.
As is known, electric-pulse expanding of tubcs can be put into offect using electric explo~ion cartridges comprising a body, a fiIler and a conductor. ~he electric-pulse cartridges are ins~rted into tubes to be expanded. As an electrode approaches the el~ctric_explo~
~io~ Cartridge~ a pulse of energy is supplied to tbe cartridge to effect a high-vo'Itage explosion. ~he generated pressure pulse acts upon the inside sur-f~ce of the tub~ which is 'expàndcd as a result of an elastic-plastic deformation.
'~The electric-pulse tube expander can be employed for expanding tubes o~ h~at-exchange apparatus, expanding tubes in free state (not insertsd into a tube plate) or set into dies a~d/or performing other oporations invDlving deformstion of tubes.
~ here i8 knDwn an apparatus for electric-pulse expan-sion of tubes comprising a b~d, a vertical quide and hDrizontal gu1des~ an electrode for dcllver'ing a pulse . . ~. . .

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to a tube being oxpanded, designed for vertical and horizon-tal motions, d~ives for moving the el~ctrode in vertical and borizDntal planes, a genorator croating a current pulse for expanding tubes and a control systom for oporating the apparatus.
Tho prior-art appa~atus is intendod to oxpand tubos which must bo arranged in horizontal and vertical rows, ono tubo por pulso, and has a relativoly low officioncy.
Tbe invention provides an apparatus for electric-pulse oxpanding of tu`oos, w~ose improved arran~ement and a novel dosign of a dovic~ for supplying energy to el~ctric--cxplosion ¢artridgos ~ould onhance the tbroughput capa¢ity and bho officioncy of the apparatus, expand process possibilities t~ereof and simplify adjustmonts.
The abovo and other objects of the invontion aro attainod in an apparatus for ele¢tric-pulse e~pansion of tubos ¢omprising a bed- mDunting a vertical guide whoroin is se¢ured for~mDtion a devico for suppl~ing onorgy to ele¢tric-explosion ¢artridgos inserbed into tubos, horizontal guides mounted on tbe bed, mocbsnisms for vorbical motion of t~c dovi¢o for suppl~ing enorgy bo tho electriv-oxplosion cartridgos and for borizontal mobion of tbe vorti¢al guidc, a ¢urront pulso genorator connected to tho dovi¢o for supplying onergy to the olo¢tric-explosion ¢artridges and ¢oupled to a control _~_ . .

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system, which, according to the invention, includes a mechanism for positioning a bundlo of tubes and whorein tho dovice for supplying energy to the electric-oxplosion cartridges i9 formod with a single or sevoral pairs of electrodes connected to current pulse generator terminals, the generator being coupled via the control~ ;~
system with the mechanism for vortical motion oi tho dovice for supplying energy to tbo electric-oxplosion :~
cartridges, witb ths mechanism for horizontal motion of tho vertical guide and with the mechanism for positio~
ning tube bundles.
It i~ advantagoou9 to connect pairs oi ~lectrodos in sorios with respect to one anobher.
Of each pair of electrodes, one electrode mag bo connected to the negative, and the other, to the positive torminals of the current pulse generator.
Each pair of tbe electrodes should be preferably attached to protecbive shields mounted on a sliding bar, the protective shields being hinged to one a~other for angular motion and locking in position~
. Ono of the electrodes ma~ bo conne¢ted to the positive terminal of the currenb pulso generator, and the other) ., . ~ , ~ j ,:

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the one in contact ~itb a bundle of tubes, to t~e negative :-terminal of the current pulse generator.
It is useful to provide the mechanism for positio~ing ba~dlcs of tubes with several pairs of supporting rollers, a common sbaft o~ the live rollers being geared to olements setting the angular position o~ tube bu~dles and coupled with the current pulse generator through a control sy~tem.
Tbe tube expandor may be Judiciouslg prDvided with travol setting elements controlling the motion of the vortical guide and of the dcvice for supplying energy to the electric-explosion cartridges, tbe drives of the mechanisms for horizontal motion of the vertical guide and for vortical motion o~ the dovico ~or supplying ~ -energy to the ele~tric-explosion cartridges being coupled thro~gh tho travol 9etting elements witb the control s~stem and the current pulse ge~erator;
Each travel 9etting.element for controlling tho horizontal motion of bhe vortical guide and the vcrtical mobion of the dovico ~or.supplying energy to the electric--oxploslo~ cartridges can be advantageou91y formed ~lth a single-reduction goar ~hose driving gear s~aft would bo provided with platos interacting with contactless _~_ . ~,. . . .,,: -: . ' , :

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switcbes coupled via a pulse counter witb tbe control s~stem of tbe tube expandor and tho curront pulso generator. ' -The tube expander according to the ~nvention i8 designed to expand bundled tubes arra~ged in horizontal and vertical rows, along concentric circles and spiras.
The tubo expandcr is bighly efficient, as it i9 capable of expanding several tubes by a single pulse. Tbe tubo expander requires no accurate setting of tbe drive for horizontal motion of the electrode tbrough a distanco separating tubes being expanded, this dispensing with tbo need for interchangeable gears and simplifying tubo expandor read~ustments. The tubo expandor improves both officioncy and electric discbarge conditions.
These and other objects and features of tho invention becomo readily apparent from one embodiment thereof wbich will now be described by way of example with reference to the acc~mpanging drawing which presents tbe gearing dlagram of the electric-pulse tub~ expand~r, according to the inv~ntion.
Tho electric-pulse tube oxpandor illustrated compri-ses a bed 1 mounting a vortical gido 2 with an attached ~.:
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thersto device ~or supplying energ~ to electric-explosion eartridges 3 formed with a pair o~ electrodes 4 conaected to terminals o~ a curr~nt pulse generator 5.
Tbo electric-explosion cartridges 3 are i~serted into tubos (not shown~.
Tbe electrodes 4 aro metallic rods with a dielsctrie eoat. ~he eleetrodes 4 are seeurod witb tbe aid o~ a binge 6 and proteetivs shields 7 to a 91iding bar 8 tbrough wbicb tbe electrodes 4 are attached to the v~rtical guido

2. Tbe protectivo sbields 7 o~ tbe electrode 4 are provided with a positioning mechanism 9.
~ hc oxpand~r includes horizontal guides 10 placed on the bed 1, a mechanism 11 for vertieal mot.ion of the deviee ~or supplying energ~ to tbe eleetrie-explosion eartridges 3.
Tbe meebanism 11 eomprises a driving goar 12 and a driven gear 13 ~Ihose shaft earries a plato 14 interaeting witb a contactless switeh 15 wir~d to a pulse count~r 16 eonnceted to a control system 17 coupled with the eurrent pulse generator 5.
~ ho expander comprises a meehanism 18 for borizontal motion o~ the verticalguide 2, including a drlving gaar 19 and a driven gear 20 wboss sbaft earries a plate h~l ~..~ .....
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` "'', ,~'' '' ~ ' ' , ' .' ' 21 interacting with a co~tactless switch 22 wired to a pulse counter 23 coupled with tho control system 17 itsel~ connected to the current pulse gen~rator 5.
The cxpander also incorporates a mechanism 24 ~or posi-tioning tube bundles comprisinæ ~wo pairs of supporting rollers, each composed o~ live rollers 25 and idle rol-lers (not shown). A commo~ shaft 26 of the live rollers 25 carries a drivi~ gear 27 meshing with a driven gear 28 whose shaft receives a plats 29 interacting with a ~ ?
contactless switch 30 coupled with a pulse counter 31 connected to the control system 17 joined to the curre~t pulse generator 5.
Tho dri~e of the mechanism 11 comprises an electric motor 32 and a reducing gear 33.
The drive of t~e mechanism 18 conslsts of an electric motDr 34 and a reducing gear 35.
~ he drive of the mechanism 24 i9 composed of an olectric motor 36 and a reducing gear 37.
Tubes to be expanded are arranged in a bundle 38.
q~ho reducing gears 33 and 35 mesh wibh mobion scrows 39 and 40.
~ ho electric-pulse tube expander operates in ths follo-wing manner.
~ o expand tubes arran~ed in horizontal rows in -8 ;~
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the bundl~s 38, the electrodes 4 are brought with tho aid of the mechanism ~1 for vertical and the mechanism 18 for horizootal motions against the extreme cartridges

3 inserted into the tubes to bc expanded.
~ he protective shields 7 are set at a specified angle to provide ~he same spacing of the working ends of the electrodes 4 as that of the tubes in the bundle 38 with the aid of the hinge 6 and locked in position by the positioning mechanism 9.
The current pUl9e generator 5 and the co~trol system 17 are energized. The current pulse generator 5 deliver~
a current pulse through the olectrodes 4 to the electric--explosion carbridgos 3. A high-voltage explosio~ of conductors composing the electric-explosion oartridges 3 produces a prsssure pulse deforming tube walls. ~ soon as the high-voltage discharge takes place, the control system 17 energizes the electric motor 34 of th~
mechanism 18 to eff3ct the horizontal motion o~ the ver~
cal guido 2.
~ orquo is transmitted via the reducing gear 35 to the travel screw 40 with tbe offect that the vertical guido 2 carrying the slid~ng bar 8 with the electrodes 4 moves along tho guidos 10 toward a next batch of tho electric-explosion cartridges 3.

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At the sams time, torqu~ is transmit~ed from the reducing gear 35 to the driving gear 19 meshing with the driven gear 20 whos2 shaft accommodates the plate 21.
As the plate 21 passes between coils of the contactless switch 22, a pulse i5 dslivered to thc pulse counter 23.
After the counter ~3 receives a specified number of pulses, corresponding to the distance between the tubes to be expanded in the bundle 38, the counter 23 ini-tiates a signal to tbe control s~stem 17 which orders the generator 5 to deliver a current pulse. The cycle ~ :
is then resumed.
When tbe electrodos 4 coms to the extreme cartridges 3 ln a row, tbe control system 17 energizes the elec~ric motor 32 of the mechanism 11 for vertical motion of the device for supplying energy to tbe el~ctric-explosion cartridges 3. ~rom the el~ctric motor 32, torque is transmitted via the reducing gear 33 to tbe travel -~
screw 39 witb the ef~ect that the sliding bar 8 moves along the v~rtical guide 2 toward the next horizontal rows of the cartridges 3, ~be driving gear 12, set on bhe same shaft as the travel screw 39, transmits torque to th~ driven gear 13 who9e shaft carries tbe plate 14. A pul9e is delivered to the pulse cou~ter 16 as the .
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plate 14 passes between coils of the con~actless switch 15.
Once the counter 16 receives a preset number of pulses, corresponding to the spacing o~ the horizontal rows o~ the tubes in the bundle 38, the counter 16 dolivers a signal to the control system 17 which initiates orders to the generator 5 for discbarging a current pulse and to e~ergize the mechanism 18 for effecting a horizo~tal motion of the vertical guido 2.
If so roquired by process conditions, the mecbanism 11 for vertical motion can operate under conditions doscribed previously for tho mechanism 18, ths mechanism 18 thon moving the vertical guid~ 2 tbrougb one step (spacing) between vertical rows of tho rubes in the bu~dle 38.
When expanding tubcs placed in the bundle 38 along concentric circles, the electrodes 4 are placed opposite the electric-explosion cartrid~es 3 ~he control system 17 then energizes the current pulse generator 5 which dolivers a high-voltage discharge through the electrodes

4 to the electric-explosion cartridges 3, the mechanism 24 for burning the tube bundle 38 being swltched on simul-tanoously with the discharge. Torquc ~rom the electric motor 36 is transmitted to tho live rollers 25 ~hich -1n~
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positiDn the tube bundle 38. ~he shaft 26 of tbe live rollers 25 carries a driving gear 27 which transmits torque to ~he driven gear 28, the plate 29 turning together with the gear 28. A pulse is delivered to the :
pulse counter 31 as the plate 29 passes between coils of ~he contactless switch 30. Once a speci~ied number of pulses, corresponding to a 9pecified angle of rota-tion of the tube bndle 38, has been delivered to the pulse counter 31, it initiates an order to the ~enerator

5 to deli~er a current pulse, and the cgcle is~hen resumed. '~ith alL the tubes positioned on a circle expanded, the control s~stem 17 energizas the mecbanism :
11 for vertical motion? whicb operates as previously described, with the effect that the electrodes 4 are : :
moved toward next concentric circles.
~ he simultaneous operation of the mechanism 11, 18, 24 is designed tD move the electrodes 4 t~rough an~ patb. : .:
The electric-pulse tube expandor i8 thus designed to expand several tubes by a single currenb pulse, thi~
providing both h~gh throughput oapacity and e~ficienc~
tbereof.
Provision o~ the travel setting elements for control- :
ling the motion of tbe electrodes 4 in 9pace and the angle of rotation o~ the tube bundle 38 simplifies the , .

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, ~ 113B45 adjustment Df th~ expander and expands the process potentialities thereof, allowing it to handle tubes who~e ends in the bundle 38 are arranged not only in rows, but also alDng circles, spirals or in any other suitable manner.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE
DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An electric-explosion tube expander comprising:
a bed;
a vertical guide and horizontal guides mounted on said bed;
electric-explosion cartridges set in said tubes arranged in a bundle;
a current pulse generator; terminals of said current pulse generator;
a device for supplying energy to said electric--explosion cartridges;
a mechanism for horizontal motion of said vertical guide;
a mechanism for vertical motion of said device for supplying energy to said electric-explosion cartridges;
a mechanism for rotating said tube bundle;
said device for supplying energy to said electric-explosion cartridges, mounted for movement along the above vertical guide, being a single or several pairs of electrodes connected to said terminals of the above current pulse generator coupled with said mechanisms for horizontal motion of said vertical guide via the above control system, with the mechanism for vertical motion of said device for supplying energy to the electric--explosion cartridges and with the mechanisms for rota-ting said tube bundle.

2. An expander as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pairs of electrodes are interconnected in series.

3. An expander as claimed in claim 1, wherein one electrode of each said pair of electrodes is connected to the negative, and the other electrode, to the positive terminals of said current pulse generator.

4. An expander as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said electrodes is connected to said positive terminal of said current pulse generator, and the other electrode, in contact with said tube bundle, is connected to said negative terminal of said current pulse generator.

5. An expander as claimed in claim 1, comprising:
elements setting the angle of rotation of said tube bundle; said mechanism for rotating tube bundle containing several pairs of supporting rollers; live rollers of said supporting rollers, a common shaft of said live rollers of the above supporting rollers; said common shaft of said live rollers geared to said elements for setting the angle of rotation of said tube bundle coupled via the control system with the said current pulse generator.

6. An expander as claimed in claim 1, comprising travel setting elements controlling the horizontal motion of the vertical guide and the vertical motion of the device for supplying energy to the electric-explosion cartridges;
drives of said mechanism for horizontal motion of the vertical guide and of said mechanism for vertical motion of the device for supplying energy to the electric--explosion cartridges;
said drives of the above mechanisms for horizontal motion of the vertical guide and vertical motion of the device for supplying energy to the electric-explosion cartridges being coupled via the above travel setting elements with the control system and the current pulse generator.

7. An expander as claimed in claim 2, comprising:
protective shields;
a sliding bar;
each said pair of electrodes attached to said protective shields mounted on the above sliding bar;
said protective shields hinged one to another for angular motion and locking in position.

8. An expander as claimed in claim 3, comprising:
protective shields;
a sliding bar;
each said pair of electrodes attached to said protective shields mounted on the above sliding bar.

9. An expander as claimed in claim 5, comprising:
a single-reduction gear;
a driven gear;
a shaft of said driven gear;
a plate;
a contactless switch;
a pulse counter said travel elements governing the horizontal motion of the above vertical guide or the vertical motion of the above device for supplying energy to the electric-explosion cartridges, composing the above single-reduction gear;
said plate on said shaft of the above driven gear of said single-reduction gear;
said plate interacting with the above contactless switch coupled via the above pulse counter with said control system and said current pulse generator.

10. An expander as claimed in claim 6, comprising:
single-reduction gears;

driven gears;
shafts of said driven gears;
plates;
contactless switches;
pulse counters;
said travel setting elements controlling the horizontal motion of the said vertical guide or of vertical motion of said device for supplying energy to the electric-explosion cartridges, composing the above single-reduction gears; said plates placed on the above shaft of said driven gear of the above single-reduction gears;
said plates interacting with said contactless switches coupled via the above pulse counter with said control system and said current pulse generator.