GB2108411A

GB2108411A - Method of manufacturing bladed wheels e.g. turbine wheels

Info

Publication number: GB2108411A
Application number: GB08133549A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiroshi Ito; Toshihiko Yoshio; Masao Nagashima
Original assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 1981-11-06
Filing date: 1981-11-06
Publication date: 1983-05-18
Also published as: GB2108411B

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a bladed wheel is disclosed in which blades (1) are set on a setting jig (5) (Fig. 1 (not shown)); a core member (6) is put on the blades so set; the core member (6) is secured to the blades (1) to construct a sub-assembly (A); and this sub-assembly is put on a shell member (10) set on another setting jig (9) and is secured at respective blades (1) to the shell member (10). Also disclosed is the further step, after putting the sub-assembly (A) on the shell member (10) of putting an annular retainer member (12) on the shell member (10) and securing it thereto. This retainer member (12) is provided at its outer circumferential portion with engaging grooves (13) for engagement with respective base shoulder portions (15) (Figs. 5, 6 (not shown)) of claw members (4) extending from inner end portions of respective blades (1) and at its inner circumferential portion with respective receiving surfaces (16) (Fig. 5 (not shown)) for pressing upon respective claw members. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of manufacturing bladed wheels This invention relates to a method of manufacturing bladed wheels such as a turbine wheel or a pump wheel for a torque convertor.

In a conventional method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, blades are interposed between a core member disposed on one side of the blades and a shell member disposed on the other side of the blades and the blades are then secured to these members at respective end portions of the blades.

Difficulties arise, however, in that setting the respective blades in position requires much trouble and manufacture is therefore troublesome.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, comprising setting a number of blades on a setting jig; putting a core member on the blades so set; securing the core member to the blades to construct a sub-assembly; putting this sub-assembly on a shell member set on another setting jig; and securing the sub-assembly at respective blades to the shell member. In this method difficulties in setting the blades in position are minimised but it is further desirable that the operation of securing the respective blades of the sub-assembly to the shell member be made simple and easy.To this end there is provided a method as just defined, wherein after putting the sub-assembly on the shell member an annular retainer member which is provided at its outer circumferential portion with engaging grooves for engagement with respective base shoulder portions of claw members extending from inner end portions of respective blades and at its inner circumferential portion with respective receiving surfaces for pressing upon respective claw members is put on the shell member and is secured thereto.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa sectional side view showing a first step for obtaining a semi-assembly in a method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, Figure 2 is a sectional side view showing a second step for obtaining an entire assembly, Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the entire assembly, Figure 4 is a top plan view of the entire assembly, Figure 5 is an sectional side view on a larger scale of a detail of the assembly, Figure 6 is a top plan view of a detail of a modified form of the assembly, and Figure 7 is a sectional side view of a torque convertorutilising a bladed wheel produced by the method illustrated in Figures 1 to 5.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1 denotes a blade formed from sheet metal, and provided at its middle portion of one side edge with a projection 2 and at its both end portions of the other side edge with a pair of claw members 3, 4. The blade 1 is shown set on a setting jig 5. As shown in Figure 1, a necessary number of the blades 1 is arranged on the jig 5 radially and at regular intervals. Numeral 6 denotes a core member formed from sheet metal and which is put on the blades 1 as shown in the same Figure. The core member 6 is previously provided in its middle portion with a number of slits 7 and is mounted, at respective slits 7, on respective projections 2 of the blades 1. Thus the core member 6 and the blades 1 are held in position one with another.With the core member 6 and the blades 1 so positioned, the member 6 is secured to the blades 1, for example by Mig welds 8 (Figures 2 to 4) applied, at respective mutually mounting portions of the member 6 and blades 1, by a welding torch 8a from above, and thereby there is obtained a semi-assembly A.

The setting jig 5 has a metallic jig base 5a having a number of setting grooves 5b, a pressure member Sc for pressing down the blades 1, and a pressure member 5d for pressing down the core member 7.

Next, as shown in Figure 2, the semi-assembly A is put on a shell member 10 formed from sheet metal and previously set on another setting jig 9. The shell member 10 is previously provided in its outer circumferential portion with a number of slits 11, and is mounted at respective slits 11 on respective claw members 3 of resepctive blades 1 of the semi-assembly A. Thus the shell 10 and the blades 1 are held in position one with another. Separately, an annular retainer member 12 formed of sheet metal is prepared, and is provided in its outer circumferential portion with respective engaging grooves 13.The member 12 thus prepared is so mounted at respective grooves 13 on the other end portions of respective blades 1 as to be brought into engagement with respective claw members 4 of the blades land under this condition the retainer member 12 is fixed to the shell member 10, for example by spot welding 14, and thus there is established an entire assembly B as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The assembly B is thereafter subjected to a soldering treatment and all the component parts thereof are connected fast together to obtain the final product.

Figure 7 shows one example of a torque convertor wherein such a product is used as a pump wheel. In this Figure, C denotes a turbine wheel and D denotes a stator wheel. The turbine wheel C may be also obtained by almost the same method as just described.

Reverting to Figures 4 and 5, the retainer member 12 is provided at its outer periphery portion with U-shaped engaging grooves 13 for engagement with shoulder portions 15 formed on base portions of respective claw members 4 extending from the inner end portions of respective blades 1, and is provided at its inner periphery portions radially inside respective grooves 13 with respective receiving surface portions 16 for pressing down respective claw members 4. Thus, when the retainer member 12 is put on the shell member 10, respective blades 1 are guided at the inner end portions by respective grooves 13 for being held in their respective predetermined angular positions and, at the same time, are held at respective claw members 4 between the shell member 10 and respective receiving surfaces 16.From this condition, the retainer member 12 is fixed to the shell member 10 by the spot welding 14.

The engaging grooves 13 may be so modified as to be a Vform as shown in Figure 6. Thus, in this method, a number of blades is in the first place set on a setting jig, and, under this condition, these blades are assembled with a core member. As the blades are set in position by the jig this sub-assembling work is simple. Next, the resultant sub-assembly is placed on a shell member, which has been previously set on another jig so that finalising the assembling work is also simple. Thus, the entire assembly work is simple and reliable, and an exceilent product can be obtained economically.

Further, the retainer member serves to guide base end shoulder portions of the claw members extending from inner ends of respective blades so as to set respective blades in respective predetermined positions, and serves also to hold the claw members so as to fix respective blades. Thus the work of setting, and fixing, a number of blades can be carried out simply and reliably.

Claims

1. Method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, comprising setting a number of blades on a setting jig; putting a core member on eke blades so set; securing the core member by the blades to construct a sub-assembly; putting this sub-assembly on a shell member set on another setting jig; and securing the sub-assembly at respective blades to the shell member

2. A method as claimed in claim 1; wherein the core member is secured to the blades by Mig welding.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein after putting the sub-assembly on the shell member an annular retainer member which is provided at its outer circumferential portion with engaging grooves for engagement with respective base shoulder portions of claw members extending from inner end portions of respective blades and at its inner circumferential portion with resepctive receiving surfaces for pressing upon respective claw members is put on the shell member and is secured thereto.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the annular retaining member is secured to the shell member by spot welding.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4 and comprising subjecting to a soldering treatment the assembly that is constituted by the secured together blades, core member, shell member and retainer member.

6. A method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 with or without the modificaton of Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A bladed wheel as claimed in claim 6, substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 and 7, with or without the modification of Figure 6, of the accompanying drawings.

7. A bladed wheel manufactured by the method claimed in anyone of the preceding claims.

8. A bladed wheel as claimed in claim 7, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 and 7, with or without the modification of Figure 6, of the accompanying drawings.

New claims filed on 21 July 1982 Superseded claims 1 to 8 New claims:- 1 to 7 CLAIMS

1. A method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, comprising settings number of blades on a setting jig; putting a core member on the blades so set; securing the core mernber by the plates to construct a sub-assembly; putting this sub-assembly on a shell member set on another setting jig; and securing the sub-assembly at respective blades to the shell member via an annular retainer member which is provided at its outer circumferential portion with engaging grooves that engage with respective base shoulder portion of claw members extending from inner end portions of respective blades, and at its inner circumferential portion with respective receiving surfaces that press upon respective claw mem bers, and that is put on the shell member and is secured thereto.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core member is secured to the blades by Mig welding.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the annular retaining member is secured to the shell member by spot welding.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1,2 or3 and comprising subjecting to a soldering treatment the assembly that is constituted by the secured together blades, core member, shelf member and retainer member.

5. A method of manufacturing a bladed wheel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 with or without the modification of Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A bladed wheel manufactured by the method claimed in any one of the preceding claims.