GB2231820A

GB2231820A - Angle plate of flat metal

Info

Publication number: GB2231820A
Application number: GB9008301A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Manfred Keller
Original assignee: Selzer Fertigungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Selzer Fertigungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1989-04-11
Filing date: 1990-04-11
Publication date: 1990-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-11
Also published as: GB2231820B; GB9008301D0; DE3911817C2; CH680943A5; FR2645603A1; DE3911817A1

Description

2 2 3 -1 IS i2 (Z) - 1 ANGLE PLATE OF FLAT METAL This invention relates to

an angle plate of flat metal with two flanges which meet at a right angle and are provided, at least in or on one flange, with function contours which are accurately positioned with respect to the other flange and/or a cover plate which may be fitted to both flanges.

is Angle plates constructed in this manner, the special feature of which lies in the low-tolerance dimensioning, are required in large numbers especially in automobile engineering. The functional contours, such as holes, slits, guide slots and the like, present in the flanges of such angle plates, must be positioned accurately in their relative locations in order that the angle plates may fulfil the intended functions within the framework of the total construction, for example in gears. The closetolerance manufacture proves in practice to be extraordinarily difficult, especially where a cover plate to be fixed to both flanges is associated with the angle plate, in which cover plate there are also function contours, contours the position of which relative to the function situated in the flanges is determined by dimensions that must be accurately maintained.

The most obvious method of making such an angle plate from one piece of flat metal or sheet bent to a right angle presents problems in many respects, especially where an angle plate of suitable steel, after being made, must be subjected to heat treatment for case-hardening.

-.2 It has proved to be impossible to form the function contours correctly in the flat, still unbent material, because the subsequent bending operation does not permit accurate, relative positioning of the function contours in the two flanges. Therefore all the function contours must be formed only after the bending operation, in at least one additional operation. The removal of the burr from the subsequently formed function contours is rendered very difficult by the angle shape.

after the bending, forming of the function of burr of same, the angle plate is takes if now, contours and remova then heat-treated, then a stress relief place, leading to a distortion of the angle piece which prejudices the 90 angle of the bend. From the resultant angular error, the relative positioning of the function contours is lost. An expensive straightening operation, requiring gauging, must therefore follow which is difficult to carry out on the already hardened angle plate and can lead to crack formation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an angle plate, the form of which shall make possible an economical, dimensionally accurate production without the requirement for subsequent working operations.

Accordina to the and straightening present invention, there is provided an angle plate of flat metal with two flanges which meet at a right angle and are provided, at 91 with least in or on one flange function contours which areaccurately positioned with respect to the other flange and/or a cover 3 plate which may be fitted to both flanges, the flanges being formed as initially separately-produced plates, equipped with all the desired function contours, which plates are provided at those edges intended for connection with one another at the corner each with complementary, mutually engaging section contours, by which the two plates can be joined together to form a corner joint firmly clamped solely by mechanical means, wherein the section contours each comprise basically a) a plane inclined surface, which is back-cut both b) from an inner face of the associated plate and from the edge of this plate intended for the corner connection, a resilient tongue, which is disposed at a distance from the inclined surface, and at least one abutment surface which, when the corner joint is assembled, bears against an inner face of the other plate.

Thus, according to the basic idea of this invention, the two flanges of the angle plate are made as separate, plate-shaped parts, which already possess before being joined together all the function contours, formed in the with any necessary removal of burr. These parts possess at their joint edges section contours, which not only make possible an entirely mechanical clamping together of the plates without the assistance of hot jointing processes, such as welding or hard soldering, but also automatically assure the relative positioning of the function contours and the 90 angle in the jointing operation. Subsequent heat-treatment is unnecessary, because the plates can be flat material plate-shaped complementary 4 case-hardened as flat parts even before the function contours are introduced and deburred, with the result that angular errors caused by heat treatment are avoided.

is By the inclined surfaces of the section contours, formed back-cut in a special way, in conjunction with the resilient or elastic tongues, a firm clamping of the corner joint is achieved, the bearing surfaces in cooperation with the associated inner faces of the plates in each case assuring accurate positioning and angular setting. Any manufacturing tolerances present along the joint edges are taken up by the resilient which ensure a firmly pressed together and bearina of the inclined tongues, therefore surfaces. surfaces dimensional play-free mutual These inclined surfaces, and also any inclined at the function contours, can be produced with accuracy by fine cutting or stamping in the tool arrangement as described for example in DE 38 05 846 Cl. All other contour portions of the section contours at the joint edges, especially the abutment surfaces, are orientated exactly perpendicularly to the plane of the plates, which again can be achieved by fine cutting or stamping.

The preferred arrangement of the inclined surfaces is such that the inclined surfaces, se t at an angle in two respects, are each set at acute angles of the same value. According to claim 3, good clamping results are achieved with acute angles of about 1C, without the joining together of the two plates being made difficult.

1 With the preferred form of embodiment, the relative position of the inclined surfaces and.of the resilient tongues for a firm clamping together is with advantage constructed so that the inclined surface of one plate faces outwards and the inclined surface of the other plate faces inwards, with the resilient tongues of the two plates possessing engagement surfaces facing towards each other, of which the engagement surface of said one plate faces outwards and that of said other plate faces inwards. inclined associated is The distance between the outwardly-facing surface and the engagement surface of the tongue of said one plate is then arranged to be somewhat larger than the distance between the inwardly facing inclined surface and the engagement surface of the associated tongue of said other plate, in such a manner that, when the corner joint is assembled, the two inclined surfaces are firmly pressed together by the braced-together tongues. This form of construction provides that the plates, initially placed against each other at the two inclined faces of the joint edges and held at a 90 angle, are pressed and locked together by their resilient tongues.

To facilitate the pressing and locking operation, it is advantageous if the engagement surfaces of the resilient tongues are such that the outwardly facing engagement surface is plane and is orientated perpendicularly to the plane of the plate, while the inwardly facing engagement surface is convex.

For the purpose of connecting to a cover plate, at least one projection can be integrally formed on each of the 6 edges of the plates adjacent to the resilient tongues. The cover plate, which can be pushed, is then provided with apertures corresponding to the projections, onto the projections to secure the corner joint formed by the plates and can be firmly connected to both plates by fixing of the projections in the apertures.

The firm joining of the cover plate to the angle plate composed of the two plates is advantageously carried out by hot-riveting. Preferably, the edges of the apertures situated on the outer face of provided projections is with chamfers displaced the cover plate are into which material of the form-fittingly when the projections are secured in the apertures. By the fitting of the cover plate on the two plates joined together to form the angle plate, the plates connected at a right angle together with the cover plate form a non-releaseable assembly, so that even by the application of force the two plates can no longer be pulled apart in opposition to the joint direction, at their mutually engaging and firmly clamped section contours.

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 1 is an elevation of the outer face of one plate of an angle piece according to the invention, Figure 2 is an edge view of the plate shown in Figure 1, looking onto the edge of the plate shaped by the forming of the one section contour for the corner connection, Figure 3 is a plan on the plate of Figure 1, Figure plate, 4 is an elevation of the outer face of the other Figure 5 is an edge view of the plate of Figure 4, viewed on the edge of the plate shaped by the forming of the other section contour for the corner connection, Figure 6 is a plan view of the plate of Figure 4, Figure 7 is a view of the two plates at the start of forming the corner joint, viewed on the outer face of the plate of Figure 4, Figure 8 is a plan on the plates in the position shown in Figure 7, Figure 9 is an enlarged, partial detail from Figure 7 of the portion in the circle IX, Figure 10 shows the joined-together plates, viewed in the same direction as Figure 7, Figure 11 shows the joined-together plates, viewed on the outer face of the plate of Figure 1, Figure 12 is a plan view of the joined-together plates shown in Figures 10 and 11, Figures 13 to 15 are illustrations corresponding to Figures 10 to 12, but with a cover plate before fitting of same, Figures 16 to 18 are illustrations corresponding to Figures 13 to 15, with the cover plate fitted on the plates and before hot-riveting, and Figures 19 to 21 are illustrations corresponding to Figures 16 to 18, after hot-riveting.

The groups of Figures 1 to 6, 7 to 9, 10 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 18 and 19 to 21, each show different manufacturing phases of the angle plate in the time sequence of the manufacturing operations. Reference will first be made to Figures 1 to 6.

The plate 1, shown in Figures 1 to 3, possesses an outer face 2, an inner face 3, and a function contour, forme'd as an elongate hole 4 and passing from the outer face 2 to the inner face 3. A section contour referenced generally 5 is disposed at its edge intended for the corner connection, which will be explained in more detail below. In the example shown, the left outer edge 6 and the lower. edge 7 of the plate 1 are formed rectilinear, from the upper edge out, which serve in a manner fixing of a cover plate.

whereas 8 two projections 9 stand to be described for the The section edge 5 possesses, near the top, resilient or elastic tongues 10, produced by cutting-out, near the bottom an inclined surface 11, and two abutment surfaces 12 and 13, spaced apart and lying in the same plane.

From Figures 4 to 6, the other plate 14 of the angle plate can be seen, which also possesses, agreeing in 9 is principle with the plate 1, an outer face 15, an inner face 16, a function contour in the form of an offset cruciform slit 17 passing from the outer face 15 to the inner face 16, a section contour referenced generally 18, a flat outer edge 19, a flat bottom edge 20 and an upper edge 21, from which stand out two projections 22 for the fixing of the aforementioned cover plate.

The plate 14 also possesses, at its section contour 18 designed for forming the corner joint, at the top a resilient tongue 23 and at the bottom an inclined surface 24. Between the tongue 23 and inclined surface 24, there is an elongate abutment surface 25.

The section contour 5 of the plate 1 and the section contour 18 of the plate 14 are formed complementarily for mutually engaging. For this purpose, the inclined surface 11 of the plate 1 faces outwards, whereas the inclined surface 24 of the plate 14 faces inwards. Furthermore, the tongue 10 of plate 1 possesses an outwardly orientated, plane engagement surface 26, whereas on the tongue 23 of plate 14 an inwardly orientated, convex engagement surface 27 is provided. The distance between the inclined surface 11 and the plane engagement surface 26 is made somewhat larger than the distance between the convex engagement surface clamping together of the section contours 5 and 18, formed.

inclined surface 24 and the 27. This is important for the two plates 1 and 14 at their when the corner joint is being The two inclined surfaces 11 and 24 are formed back-cut in a special manner. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the inclined surface 11 is back-cut, as viewed both from the inner face 3 and also from the edge forming the section contour 5. Correspondingly, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the inclined surface 24 is formed back-cut, as viewed both from the inner face 16 of the plate 14 and also from the edge forming the section contour 18. The inclined surfaces 11 and 24, which lie plane-parallel to each other in the jointed position, can accordingly each be regarded as planes inclined in two respects. The inclined settings of the inclined surfaces 11 and 24 are characterised by the equal angles c,?,, as can be seen from Figures 1, 2 and 4, 5. The angles oe,, in the present example, both have the value 16.

is As can be seen from Figure 1, the lateral arrises 28 and 29, situated respectively at the inner face 3 and outer face 2 of the plate 1, are so orientated that they make acute angles o4- with perpendiculars to the edge of this plate intended for the corner connection.

correspondingly, the lateral arrises 30 and 31, of the inclined surface 24, situated respectively at the inner face 16 of the plate 14 and at the outer face 15, also make an acute angle ú>'- with the perpendicular to the edge of the plate 14 intended for the corner joint. In the case of plate 1, the front arris 32 of the inclined surface 11 makes a further acute angle 0,C (Figure 2) with a perpendicular to the plate 1. Finally, the front arris 33 of the inclined surface 24 also makes an acute angle C> (Figure 5) with a perpendicular to the plate 14.

11 Both the plates 1 and 14 can be produced by fine cutting or stamping, with all their outer contours and function contours, from a suitable steel sheet materialf can be deburred as required and also case-hardened by heat treatment, before the connecting together of the two plates to form the angle plate. For this purpose, the plates 1 and 14 are brought into the position shown in Figures 7 to 9. Here, the inclined surfaces 11 and 24 are first brought loosely against each other, but due to the tilting of the plates still do not have any surface contact with each other. In this position, however, the two plates 1 and 14 make a right angle with their inner faces 3 and 16 as shown in Figure 8. In this position, the resilient tongues 10 and 23 are still not yet in is engagement.

If, starting from the position of the two plates 1 and 14 illustrated in Figures 7 to 9, a sufficient force is now applied onto the plate 1 in the direction of arrow 34 (Figure 7), while the plate 14 is held firmly, then the engagement surface 27 of the tongue 23, assisted by its convex shape, pushes onto the plane engagement surface 26 of the tongue 10 of plate 1, until the relative position of the two plates 1 and 14, illustrated commencing with Figures 10 to 12, has been reached. In this operation, the tongue 10 deflects elastically slightly downwards, whereas the tongue 23 deflects elastically slightly upwards, and thus a firm pressing- together is obtained of the two inclined surfaces 11 and 24. By the bracing action of the two resilient tongues 10 and 23, an engagement comparable to locking-together takes place between the two plates 1 and 14. The forces acting here 12 along the two mutually engaging section contours 5 and 18 are a function basically of the spring forces of the tongues 10 and 23, which can be influenced by corresponding sizes of the cut-outs producing the tongues 10 and 23. The two plates 1 and 14, so long as a cover plate has not been fitted, can only be separated again by considerable application of force in the direction opposite to arrow 34.

As is clearly apparent from Figures 10 and 11, when the corner joint of the angle plate has been formed, the abutment surfaces 12 and 13 of the plate 1 bear tightly and flatly against the inner face 16 of the plate 14, whereas the abutment surface 25 of plate 14 bears is correspondingly tightly and flatly against the inner face 3 of plate 1. By these flat bearing contacts, not only is the 90 angle of the angle plate defined, but also an accurate relative positioning of the elongate hole 4 with respect to the cruciform slit 17 is effected.

Figures 10 to 21 illustrate the connecting of a cover plate 35 to the two plates 1 and 14 of the angle piece. For this purpose, four apertures are provided in the cover plate 35, of which the apertures 36 are associated with the projections 9 of plate 1 and the apertures 37 with the projections 22 of plate 14. The spacings between the apertures correspond exactly to those between the projections 9 and 22. If, starting from the position of the cover plate 35 illustrated in Figures 13 to 15, this plate is moved further downwards, then the projections 9 and 22 pass through the associated apertures 36, 37 respectively, until the cover plate 35 comes to bear on 11 13 the upper edges 8 and 21 of plates 1 and 14 respectively. The projections 9 and 22 can now be partly heated to the temperature sufficient for hot- riveting, and then riveted. As a result, the projections are non- releaseably secured in the apertures, so that the cover plate 35 is joined to the plates 1 and 14 of the angle plate to form a single-part workpiece. The cover plate 35 now permanently fixes the corner joint formed from the section contours 5 and 18 of the plates 1, 14 respectively. As can be seen from Figure 18, the edges of the apertures 36 and 37 are provided with chamfers 38, into which material of the projections is displaced form-fittingly during the hot-riveting, as Figures 19 and 20, cut away for this purpose, clearly show. In the cover plate 35 also, there is a function contour in the form of a circular aperture 39, passing through the material thickness of the plate, the relative position of which contour to the elongate hole 4 and cruciform slit 17 is accurately established by the corresponding arrangement of the apertures 36 and 37 with respect to the projections 9 and 22 respectively. The circular aperture 39 is, of course, also formed in the cover plate and the latter if necessary is heat-treated, before the joining together with the assembled plates 1 and 14 in the manner described is carried out.

14

Claims

CLAIMS:

b) c) 1. An angle plate of flat metal with two flanges which meet at a right angle and are provided, at least in or on one flange, with function contours which are accurately positioned with respect to the other flange and/or a cover plate which may be fitted to both flanges, the flanges being formed as initially separately-produced plates, equipped with all the desired function contours, which plates are provided at those edges intended for connection with one another at the corner each with complementary, mutually engaging section contours, by which the two plates can be joined together to form a corner joint firmly clamped solely by mechanical means, wherein the is section contours each comprise basically a plane inclined surface, which is back-cut both from an inner face of the associated plate and from the edge of this plate intended for the corner connection, a resilient tongue, which is disposed at a distance from the inclined surface, and at least one abutment surface which, when the corner joint is assembled, bears against an inner face of the other plate.
2. An angle plate according to claim 1, wherein the lateral edges of the plane inclined surface, which are situated on the inner face and the outer face of the associated plate make equal first acute angles with perpendiculars to the edge of this plate intended for the corner connection, and the front edge of the inclined surface situated at the edge intended for the corner 1 1 R connection makes a second perpendicular to the plate, angles being of the same value.

acute angle with a the first and second acute
3. An angle plate according to claim 2, wherein the acute angles are approximately 16'.
4. An angle plate according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the inclined surface of one plate faces outwards and the inclined surface of the other plate faces inwards, with the resilient tongues of the two plates possessing engagement surfaces facing towards each other, of which the engagement surface of said one plate faces outwards and that of said other plate faces inwards, and the distance between the outwardly-facing inclined surface and the engagement surface of the associated tongue of said one plate is somewhat larger than the distance between the inwardly facing inclined surface and the engagement surface of the associated tongue of said other plate, in such a manner that, when the corner joint is assembled, the two inclined surfaces are firmly pressed together by the braced-together tongues.
5. An angle plate according to claim 4, wherein the outwardly facing engagement surface is plane and is orientated perpendicularly to the plane of the plate, while the inwardly facing engagement surface is convex.
6. An angle plate according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one projection is integrally formed on each of the edges of the plates adjacent to the resilient tongues and a cover plate is 16 provided, which can be pushed, with apertures corresponding to the projections, onto the projections to secure the corner joint formed by the plates and can be firmly connected to both plates by fixing of the projections in the apertures.
7. An angle plate according to claim 6, wherein the projections are secured in the apertures by hot-riveting.
8. An angle plate according to claims 6 and 7, wherein the edges of the apertures situated on the outer face of the cover plate are provided with chamfers, into which material of the projections is displaced form-fittingly when the projections are secured in the apertures.
9. An angle plate of flat metal with two flanges, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1990 a ThePac.-tOLliec.SacHwise.66 71 High Holborn, LondonWC1R4TP- Further copies maybe obtainedfrom The Patent Office. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpmgton, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techmques ltd. St MarY Cray. Kent, Con. 1187