US1329969A - Shaping of sheet metal - Google Patents

Description

T. M. yHARRISON.

SHAPING 0F SHEET METAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2|19I9.

1 ,$29,969. Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET T. M. HARRISON.

SHARING 0F SHEET METAL.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2| l9l9. 1,329,969.-

4Patented Feb. 3,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHET 2.v

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` J 416' 26 44 M j UNITED` sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

i 'rnRonoRE n. HARRISON, or IIAWTIIORN, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA sHArING or SHEET METAL.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Application filedv September 2, 1919. Serial No. 321,116.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE MARFIRET HARRISON, a subject of they King of Great Britain and Ireland residing in the cit of Hawthorn, a subur of the city of lllel- ,bourne, in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, and whose post-ollice address is 2 Hill street, in the said city of Hawthorn, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Connected with the Shaping of Sheet Metal, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to the bending and shaping of sheet metal by hydraulic power.

Sheetmetal has previously been yshaped in various-"ways, a method in common practice being to place 'the metal to be shaped between a positive and a negative die and then press thetwo dies together. The objection to such a method has been the expense associated w-ith the construction of the dies and the powerful and costly machinery necessary to operate them. A further objection has been the requirement of different dies according to the thickness of the material under treatment.

The objectof the present invention is to provide a comparatively cheap, simple and effective apparatus in which sheet metal 'may be transformed to a desired shape in a speedy and economical manner. Aceord= ing to the invention the sheet of metal to be shaped is gripped around its marginal portion between two relatively movable blocks and acquires the required shape by the aid of pressure water admitted to a flexible container which forces the metal into a shaping recess or cavity in one of the blocks. The

sides or edges of the sheet are gripped in such a manner that although tightly held, the metal is' permitted to creep or slip inwardly to a' certain extent to take the shape of said recess when the hydraulic pressure is admitted. By this means the metal may beI converted to both regular and irregulare forms without distortion or rupture. Any wrinkles forming Aat the marginal portion of the sheet are ironed or smoothed out as the metal is drawn inwardly. The invention is especially useful. in its application to the manufacture of panels, mudguards, or

other portions of motor vehicles, but may be applied for various other purposes.

Referring to the drawings which forml The iiexibl'e pressure water container is in a collapsed state.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the lower block and the parts resting thereon. y y

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a modification, the flexible pressure water container being expanded and the sheet of metal forced into the shaping chamber by the hydraulic pressure.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inventlon.

Fig. 6 shows a sheet of metal as it emerges from the machine after the shaping operation. The article being shaped is in this instance a corner panel for motor car bodies, but it will be obvious that the invention is equally applicable to the shaping of various other sheet metal articles.

Fig. 7 shows a finished corner panel after the out-turned border fiange and the superfluous end portion seen in Fig. 6 have been removed.

`On reference to the seen that the numerals and loose pulleys on a 5 is a belt shifting device for moving the driving belt 10 onto either of said pulleys. The shaft 4 carries a bevel pinion 6 which 'drawings it win be 2 and 3 indicate fast vdrives a bevel wheel 7 on a worm shaft 8. A worm 9 on said worm shaft engages a wormV wheel 11 lixed on a main shaft 12 which isas desired. p The lower end of each connect.

pulley shaft 4, whilev ing rod is pivoted to and supports a pin 20 carried by an upper or shaping block 25` which moves along the guides 14.

The underneath or grippin surface 21.

of the shaping block or of the epending lip Ithereof hereinafter described, is, if necessary, longitudinally curved as in Fig. 1 to conform to the Shape that the border of the sheet metal is to acquire. Inside the border of the sha in block is formed a shaping recess or c am r 22., The area, hei ht an conformation of this recess or cham er determine the shape to be imparted to the sheet metal. Into said chamber the metal is up wardly forced and shaped by hydraulic pressure as hereinafter described.

Preferably there is formed on the underneath surface of the upper block and surrounding-l said chamber a depending lip 23. This lip conforms to the marginal shape of said chamber and its inner edge or corner 24 which forms the marginal edge or corner of the chamber is formed square as shown. This square corner of the shaping chamber in contradistinction to a rounded corner forms a material feature of the invention as it causes the marginal portion of the sheet metal to be thoroughly ironed or smoothed out as it is drawn inwardly by the hydraulic $0 preure. Beneath the shaping block is a lower block 26. This block rests upon the base or foundation 12 and may, if desired, be capable of being moved to .a slight degree either laterally or lonoitudinally in order that it may be readily allned with the upper block. The upper surface 27 of the lower block may also be longitudinally curved to conform to the 'border surface 21 of the shaping block as shown.

Outside 'the lower block and situated in y any suitable position is a valve 29 controlling a water inlet pipe 31 which communi- Cates with awater passagewayv 32 leading to the'center of the upper surface of the lower block.-

A drain pipe 33 also communicates with said water passageway and is fitted with a pressure gage 34 and a discharge valve 36 for the purpose of draining the apparatus when the sheet metal has been shaped.

In combination with the foregoing a flexible pressure water container of stout rubber, canvas or like elastic or flexible material is employed. This 4container is preferably in the form of a bag 37 which is closed on all l sides and is provided at its bottom with an orifice having a n'pple 39 which is screwed or otherwise connected to the water passageway 32 of the lower blockas seen in Fig. 2. The marginal edges of the bag lie within the border of the chamber 22 1n the upper block.

The elastleor flexible bag preferablyl rests 65 on a protecting sheet 4 1 of rubber, fabric or y chamber 22.

driving belt is moved onto like material which lies on the upper surface of the lower block and has its edges turned up over the sides of the bag as at 42 to yprotect the latter from injury. A hole isformed through the center of this sheet to pass the nipple 39 of the bag.

Resting on the upper surface of the lower block is a rubber or like flexible lpad or cushion 44. The inner edge 43 of this cushion conforms to the marginal shape of the chamber in the upper block and surround-s the elastic bag above mentioned.

Resting upon said cushion is a metal ironing frame 46 upon which the metal sheet 45 to be treated is placed. The upper or gripping surface 40 of this frame conforms to the shape or curvature of the surface 21.

he inner edge of said frame is provided with a 'square corner 47 and conforms precisely to the square marginal edge 24 of the chamber in the upper block beneath which edge it is disposed. The ironing frame 46 is held in position by tongues 48 or other suitable means attached to the lower block.

Instead of the bag 37, the flexible pressure water container may be in the form of `a rubber or other 'suitable flexible sheet 51 as shown in Fig. 4. In this embodiment a jointing groove 52 is formed in the upper surface of the lower block. This groove follows the marginal contour of the edge of the shaping` chamber 22 and above it is situated a combined jointing and crowning v frame 53. The frame 53 which vis preferably made of metal extends completely around the shaping chamber and upon it the metal sheet 45 to be treated is placed. When the upper block is lowered as in Fig. 4, it presses the marginal portion of the flexible sheet into the jointing groove and thus forms a watertight joint-between said sheet and the lower block. If the bag 37 or sheet 51 are made of comparativel. inextensible vmaterial such as canvas, su cient slackness must be left inside the gripped border to enable the container to fill out to the shape of the It will be seen that the cushion 44 in the one case and the flexible sheet 51 in the other form a resilient bed for the ironing frames 46 and 53 respectively, thereby allowing said frames to yield slightly in a downward direction and allow the metal sheet 45 to creep inwardly between the ironing frame and Ithe vupper block when the hydraulic pressure is applied.

This invention operates as follows z-The the fast pulley by the belt `shiftingdevice which may, if desired, be arranged to automatically return the -belt to the loose pulley when the ecceny trics or cranks have been moved to their Y lower dead center position, as hereinafter described. The worm ear rotates the main shaft and operates t e eccentrics to 'raise 130 of the upper block and the u of the metal ironing frame.

the upper block sutiiciently to allow thesheet of metal under treatment to be placed in position. Said sheet is placed on top of the ironing frame with its mariginal edges overlapping'the same to a su 'cient extent on all sides to provide a firm grip and allow of the inward creepage of the metal which occurs when the pressure water is admitted. The upper block is now lowered until the eccentrics or cranks have reached their lower dead center, the connecting rods thus holding the upper block down in operative osition without any possibility of upwar movement when the hydraulic pressure is a plied. The marginal portion of the sheet o metal is now gripped between the lower-surface 21 er surface 40 ressure water is now admitted to the flexible container causing the latter to expand or lill out'and force the sheet of metal upwardlyT into the shaping chamber until the sheet has assumed the precise shape of said chamber, which will occur in a few moments after the admission of the pressure water. The pressure may now be cut off by closing the valve 29 and the water released from the container by opening the' valve 36. The upper block is then raised and the shaped metal sheet removedv Although the border of the sheet is held i tightly between the upper block and the ironing frame the hydraulic pressure causes the edges to adually creep or sli inwardly as the metal takes its new siia this being permitted by the yielding of the flexible cushion or sheet beneath the ironing frame. The wrinkles or creases which form around the border of the metal sheety are thus elfectively ironed or smoothed out as the metal passes between .the cornersor edges 24 and 47 into the shaping chamber the shaped article emerging with perfectly .smooth sides and a border flange out-turned squarely from the shaped portion of the sheet as in Fig. 6. This iange is afterward removed by suitable cutters leaving a smooth and uncrinkled edge on the finished article as in Fig.` 7.

By adj ustingthe length of the connecting rods 17 with the means rovided, the grip on the sheet may be regu ated and different thicknesses of metal accommodated.

- The invention provides a simple and effective means of `rapidly imparting various shapes either regular or irregular to sheet metal without distortion, rupture or undue straining thereof.. The corner panel for motor car bodies with its varying contour from end to end illustrates a good example of the work performed bythe invention.`

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for shaping and drawing Pea sheet metal, com rising in combinationa pair of opposed b ocks, one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming insize and shape to the article to be obtained, said cavity having a marginal gripping edge; a rigid, metal shaping f1 wme on vwhich the work sheet is adapted to rest, yieldingly' supported upon the other block and having a gripping edge for direct co-action with the first-named marginal gripping edge and which exactly conforms thereto in size and shape; means for producing a relative movement between said blocks in a direction to grip the work sheet between said co-acti edges; an e ansible element between whic 'and the shaping lcavity the work sheet is interposed; and means ,for applying iuidpressure immediately against said expansible element to force it and the work sheet into said cavity and thereby shape the sheet against the walls thereof; the yielding mounting of said shaping frame ena'bling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to permit creeping of the sheet between the coacting gripping edges- 2. Apparatus for shaping and drawing metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks, one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming in size and shape to the article to be obtained, said cavity having an abrupt marginal gripping edge; a rigid metal shaping frame on which the work sheet is adapted to rest, yieldingly supported upon ythe other block and having an abrupt marginal gripping edge for direct co-actlon with the first-named gripping edge and which exactly conforms thereto in size and shape;'means for producing a relative movement between said blocks in a direction to grip the work sheet between saidv co-acting edges; an ex pansibie element between which and the shaping ca vity the work sheet is interposed; and means for applying fluid pressure im` mediately a inst sald expansi'ble element to force it an the work sheet into said cavity and 'thereby shape the sheet against the walls thereof; the yielding mounting of said shaping frame enabling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to per mit creeping of the sheet between the coacting gripping edges; the square corners produced by the abrupt formation of said edges acting to iron out and smooth the metal as the latter passes between them into the shaping cavity.

3. Apparatus for shaping and drawing sheet metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks. one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming i'i size and shape to the article to be obtained, said cavity having a marginal gripping edge; a rigid, metal shaping frameI on which the work sheet is adapted element to force it and the work sheet intol said cavityand thereby shape the sheet against the walls thereof; the yielding mounting of said shaping frame enabling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to permit creeping of the sheet between the co-acting gripping edges'.

4. Apparatus for shaping and drawing sheet metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks, one of which has its working face provided with conforming in size and sha e to the article to be obtained, said cavity aving a mai-ginal gripping edge; arigid, metal shaping frame on which the work sheet is adapted to rest, yieldingly supported upon the other block and having an open central portion, the marginal edge of which exactly conforms in size and shape to the first-named edge and is designed for direct co-action therewith; means for producing a relative movement between said blocks in a direction to grip the work sheet between said co-acting edges; an expansible element between which and the shaping cavity the work sheet is interposed; and means for applying fluid pressure iinmediately against said expansible element to force it and the work sheet into said cavity and thereby shape the sheet against the walls thereof; the yielding mounting of said shaping frame enabling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to permit creeping of the sheet between the co-acting gripping edges.

5. Apparatus for shaping and drawing sheet metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks, one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming in size and shape to the article to be obtained, said cavity havinga marginal gripping edge; the other block being formed with a fluid supply passage which opens through its working face; a rigid metal shaping frame on which the work sheet is adapted to rest, yieldingly supported on the second-named block and having' a marginal gripping edge for direct co-action with the first-named edge and which exactly con-4 forms thereto in size and shape; means for producing relative movement between said blocks in a direction' to grip the work sheetbetween said co-acting edges; a flexible bag a shaping cavity mounted on the working face of the secondnamed block and connected with said fluid supply passage, the work sheet being interposed between said bag and the shaping cavity; and means for supplying pressure fluid through said passage to said bag to expand the latter and thereby force the work sheet into saidcavity and against the walls thereof; the yielding mounting of said shaping frame enabling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to permit creeping of the sheet between the co-acting gripping edges.

6. Apparatus for shaping and drawing sheet metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks, one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming in size and shape to the article to be obtained, said cavity having a marginal gripping. edge; a rigid, metal shaping frame on which the work sheet is adapted to rest, having an open central portion the marginal edge of which exactly conforms in size and shape to the first-named edge and is designed for direct co-action therewith; a yielding cushion arranged upon the other block and upon which the shaping frame is immediately mounted; means for producing a relathe yielding` mounting of said shaping frame enabling it to yield slightly during the shaping operation so as to permit creeping of the sheet between the co-acting gripping edges.

7. Apparatus for shaping and drawing sheet metal, comprising in combination a pair of opposed blocks, one of which has its working face provided with a shaping cavity conforming in size and shape to the arv ticle to be obtained, said cavity having a marginal gripping edge; the other block being formed with a luid supply passage which opens through its working face; a rigid metal shaping 4frame on which the work sheet is adapted to rest, having an open central portion the marginal edge of'which exactly conforms in size and shape to the first-named edge and is designed for direct co-action therewith; a yielding cushion arranged upon the second-named block and upon which the shaping frame is immediately mounted, said cushion having an open central portion the marginal edge of which forms a continuation of that of the frame opening; means for producing relative movement between said blocks in a direction to grip the work sheet between said co-acting edges; an expansible bag connected with the fluid supply passage and arranged upon the second-named block within the confines of the openings in the frame and cushion, the work sheet being interposed between said 4 bag and the shaping cavity; and means for supplying pressure fluid through said passage to said bag to expand the latter and thereby force the work sheet into said cavity and against the walls thereof, the yielding THEO. M. HARRISON.

Witness JACK NANCE.

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