GB2052332A

GB2052332A - Tube flanging device

Info

Publication number: GB2052332A
Application number: GB8017281A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Wartsila Oy AB
Current assignee: Wartsila Oy AB
Priority date: 1979-05-28
Filing date: 1980-05-27
Publication date: 1981-01-28
Also published as: DE3019849A1; BR8003349A; IT8022370A0; JPS55158837A; FI73152B; FR2457727A1; NL8003046A; NO801575L; BE883514A; ES8102483A1; ES491838A0; DK231280A; SE8003971L; FI73152C; FI791685A; IT1130675B; AU5872980A

Abstract

A device for plastically deforming the end portion of a tube 12 to form a flange 16 thereon, comprises a flange forming tool, in the form of a pressure bar 8, arranged to be applied against the inner surface of the tube 12 and means for rotating the pressure bar around the inner surface of the tube and simultaneously giving it an angular movement outwardly against the wall of the tube. The pressure bar 8 is radially adjustable relative to the tube axis, on a tool sledge 7, which is slidably mounted on a support member 2 provided with guide means 13. For causing the angular movement of the pressure bar 8, the tool sledge 7 is arranged to be moved relative to the support member 2 guided by the guide means 13. For obtaining the rotational movement of the pressure bar 8 around the inner surface of the tube 12, the support member 2 is mounted in a rotatable unit 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tube flanging device This invention relates to a device for plastically deforming the end portion of a tube to form a flange thereon, the device being of the kind comprising a tool arranged to be applied against the inner surface of the tube and means for rotating the tool around the inner surface of the tube and simultaneously giving it an angular movement outwardly against the wall of the tube.

Devices of this kind are previously known. However, a drawback of these known devices is their poor adaptability for tubes of different sizes and different wall thicknesses, because in their construction, for instance, the adjustment clearances required to flange tubes of different wall thicknesses have not been taken into consideration. As a result, the quality of the flanging has been uneven and flange shape defects have occurred.

The present invention aims to provide an improved device of the kind referred to, which has a simple and reliable construction and which is suitable for the flanging of tubes of different sizes and with different wall thicknesses.

According to the invention, a device of the kind referred to is characterised in that the tool is radially adjustable, relative to the tube axis, on a carrier which is movably mounted on guide means in a support member, the carrier being arranged to be moved on said guide means, relative to said support member, to produce said angular movement of the tool, and in that for obtaining said rotational movement of the tool around the inner surface of the tube, said support member is mounted in a rotatable unit.

With a device in accordance with the invention, it is possible easily to choose the radius of the bending point of the flange to suit the wall thickness of the tube, whereby the quality of the flanging will be uniformly high, irrespective of the wall thickness of the tube.

For mounting the flange forming tool to the carrier, the carrier may be provided with guide bars or the like guiding means on which the tool is movably mounted, for example slidably mounted.

Adjustment of the position of the tool relative to the carrier can then with advantage be arranged to be carried out by means of an adjustment screw, preferably passing transversely through the tool.

Movement of the carrier relative to its support member can with advantage be carried out by means of a power cylinder connected to the carrier.

The rotatable unit in which the support member of the carrier is mounted can be a hollow, substantially cylindrical member, journalled at one of its ends.

The device is also provided with means for supporting the tube to be flanged and keeping it in position during the plastic deformation of the tube end portion.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side view of one embodiment of a flanging device in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Figure land Figure 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of part of Figure 1 showing the attachment of the tool to its carrier.

The drawings show a device for producing a flange 16 on a tube 12 (see Figure 3) employing a tool in the form of a pressure bar 8 mounted in a rotatable cylindrical member 1. The member 1 is attached by means of a unit 5 to a shaft 14 driven by a suitable motor (not shown). The pressure bar 8 has a freely rotatable head mounted on a body portion 8a which is slidably fitted on guide bars 10 of a carrier in the form of a tool sledge 7. The position of the pressure bar 8 relative to the tool sledge 7 can be set, in the directions indicated by the arrows A, by means of an adjustment screw 11. By means of this adjustment, the radius of the flange 16 at its bending point 17 can be adjusted to suit the wall thickness of the tube 12.

The tool sledge7 is movably mounted on a support member 2. For moving the tool sledge 7 relative to the support member 2 in the directions indicated by the arrows B, in order to vary the angle of the pressure bar 8 relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube 12, the tool sledge 7 has guide grooves 9 and there are corresponding guide rails 13 in the support member 2. Movement of the tool sledge 7 on the support member 2 is carried out by means of a power cylinder 15.

The support member 2 is mounted on guide bars 3 in the cylindrical member 1, one end of each guide bar 3 being secured to the wall of the member 1 and the other end of the guide bar being fixed to a beam 4 secured to the member 1. A screw-threaded bar 6 is provided for moving the support member 2, and with it the pressure bar 8, in the radial direction of the cylindrical member 1 for flanging tubes of different diameters.

The limit position of the pressure bar 8 at the end of the flanging operation on the tube 12 is shown in chain lines in Figure 3. Since the tube 12 is mounted in the device in a known manner, the mounting is not shown in detail in Figure 3, but simply indicated with dotted lines.

1. A device for plastically deforming the end portion of a tube to form a flange thereon, which device comprises a tool arranged to be applied against the inner surface of the tube and means for rotating the tool around the inner surface of the tube and simultaneously giving it an angular movement outwardly against the wall of the tube, characterised in that the tool is radially adjustable, relative to the tube axis, on a carrier which is movably mounted on guide means in a support member, the carrier being arranged to be moved on said guide means, relative to said support member, to produce said angular movement of the tool, and in that for obtaining said rotational movement of the tool around the inner surface of the tube, said support member is mounted in a rotatable unit.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tube flanging device This invention relates to a device for plastically deforming the end portion of a tube to form a flange thereon, the device being of the kind comprising a tool arranged to be applied against the inner surface of the tube and means for rotating the tool around the inner surface of the tube and simultaneously giving it an angular movement outwardly against the wall of the tube. Devices of this kind are previously known. However, a drawback of these known devices is their poor adaptability for tubes of different sizes and different wall thicknesses, because in their construction, for instance, the adjustment clearances required to flange tubes of different wall thicknesses have not been taken into consideration. As a result, the quality of the flanging has been uneven and flange shape defects have occurred. The present invention aims to provide an improved device of the kind referred to, which has a simple and reliable construction and which is suitable for the flanging of tubes of different sizes and with different wall thicknesses. According to the invention, a device of the kind referred to is characterised in that the tool is radially adjustable, relative to the tube axis, on a carrier which is movably mounted on guide means in a support member, the carrier being arranged to be moved on said guide means, relative to said support member, to produce said angular movement of the tool, and in that for obtaining said rotational movement of the tool around the inner surface of the tube, said support member is mounted in a rotatable unit. With a device in accordance with the invention, it is possible easily to choose the radius of the bending point of the flange to suit the wall thickness of the tube, whereby the quality of the flanging will be uniformly high, irrespective of the wall thickness of the tube. For mounting the flange forming tool to the carrier, the carrier may be provided with guide bars or the like guiding means on which the tool is movably mounted, for example slidably mounted. Adjustment of the position of the tool relative to the carrier can then with advantage be arranged to be carried out by means of an adjustment screw, preferably passing transversely through the tool. Movement of the carrier relative to its support member can with advantage be carried out by means of a power cylinder connected to the carrier. The rotatable unit in which the support member of the carrier is mounted can be a hollow, substantially cylindrical member, journalled at one of its ends. The device is also provided with means for supporting the tube to be flanged and keeping it in position during the plastic deformation of the tube end portion. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side view of one embodiment of a flanging device in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Figure land Figure 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of part of Figure 1 showing the attachment of the tool to its carrier. The drawings show a device for producing a flange 16 on a tube 12 (see Figure 3) employing a tool in the form of a pressure bar 8 mounted in a rotatable cylindrical member 1. The member 1 is attached by means of a unit 5 to a shaft 14 driven by a suitable motor (not shown). The pressure bar 8 has a freely rotatable head mounted on a body portion 8a which is slidably fitted on guide bars 10 of a carrier in the form of a tool sledge 7. The position of the pressure bar 8 relative to the tool sledge 7 can be set, in the directions indicated by the arrows A, by means of an adjustment screw 11. By means of this adjustment, the radius of the flange 16 at its bending point 17 can be adjusted to suit the wall thickness of the tube 12. The tool sledge7 is movably mounted on a support member 2. For moving the tool sledge 7 relative to the support member 2 in the directions indicated by the arrows B, in order to vary the angle of the pressure bar 8 relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube 12, the tool sledge 7 has guide grooves 9 and there are corresponding guide rails 13 in the support member 2. Movement of the tool sledge 7 on the support member 2 is carried out by means of a power cylinder 15. The support member 2 is mounted on guide bars 3 in the cylindrical member 1, one end of each guide bar 3 being secured to the wall of the member 1 and the other end of the guide bar being fixed to a beam 4 secured to the member 1. A screw-threaded bar 6 is provided for moving the support member 2, and with it the pressure bar 8, in the radial direction of the cylindrical member 1 for flanging tubes of different diameters. The limit position of the pressure bar 8 at the end of the flanging operation on the tube 12 is shown in chain lines in Figure 3. Since the tube 12 is mounted in the device in a known manner, the mounting is not shown in detail in Figure 3, but simply indicated with dotted lines. CLAIMS

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said carrier is provided with guiding means on which said tool is movably mounted, the setting of the position of the tool relative to the carrier being arranged to be performed by means of an adjustment screw.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which said adjustment screw passes transversely through the tool.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims, in which a power cylinder is connected to said carrier for moving it relative to said support member.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, in which said rotatable unit is a substantially hollow cylindrical member, journalled at one of its ends.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising means for firmly supporting the tube and keeping it in position during its plastic deformation.

7. A device for plastically deforming the end portion of a tube to form a flange thereon, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in,the accompanying drawings.