US1384485A - Method of forming axle-housings - Google Patents

Description

A. L. PUTNAM.

METHOD OF FORMI-NG AXLE HOUSINGS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. ISI8.

A 1,384,485. Patented July 12,1921.

' rear or driving axles.

ourrsn- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.EZLDEN l]. PUTNALM, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

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RATIUN O DELAWBBIE.

OF W'ILMINGTDN, DELAWARE, A CORPO- METHOD OF FORNIING AXLE-HOUSINGS.

il',38 .t,485.

Specification of Letters .Patent. Patented July 1 1921 Application filed Eieptember 25, 1918. Serial No. 255,639;

To all-whomit may concern: 7

Be it known that I, Anions L. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States of America, re siding at Detroit, in the county of "Wayne and State of hiichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mothods oi Forming Axle-Housings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing i's.

The invention relates to axle housings and more particularly to that type employed for It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction which may be formed of pressed metal, combining the advantages of the cast metal and sheet metal constructions as heretofore manufactured, and also having additional advarr tages as hereinafter set forth.

1n the present state of the art axle housings of one type a re -formed of pressed sheet metal of uniform gage, but to secure the, necessary strength reinforcements are required; for instance, the outer ends which arry the wheel-supporting boa-rings require reinforcement and it is also desirable to reiniorce the central portion which houses and supports the differential gearing. In another type of structure the housing is formed of cast metal with the reinforcements integral therewith, but this requires greater weight to secure the necessary strength and is otherwise less desirable in the pressed metal construction.

With the present invention the advantages of the two types are combined by forming the axle housing; from a flat metal blank of I varying thickness, the metal being distributcd in a predeterminedmanner and then" pressing this blank to the desired form. In this way the portions of the metal which are of greater thickness will form the desired reinforcements which are properly lo- (rated and the whole constrrction will be integral with the increased strength oi wrought metal over [it t metal.

in tho. d mwings:

Fl} es l. l and .1" are respectively a plan riow and side elovatirm. oi the original Maui; and a piuu view site/r the first opera-- iiou; I

his. 2 is a lmuritudiiud section through an apparatus for mrl'oraniugthe first pen ation on the blank to vary the thickness of different portions thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view after the second operation;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

Fig. i is a side elevation of the pressed halt section of the axle;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the-complete axle.

The housing embodying my invention comprises two similar sections which are joined to each other along the longitudinal plane, preferably by welding. These sec tions A and A have end portions B which are substantially semi-cylindrical in form but are provided with reinforcing ribs C to increase the strength thereof. The central' portion D of. the housing is enlarged to receive the dili'erential gearing and between the cent 'al portion and the end portions are tapering portions E. The gage of the metal is "varied in the several portions, being oi greatest thickness in the end portions and at'thc center where the differential gear ing is housed and support-echwhile the tapering portions between the center and the ends are of less thickness, gradually merlging into the portions of greater thickness.

' To form this structure a fiat blank is first prepared. with the metal varied in gage and properly distributed to form the required reinforcements. This operation is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which a flat bar of metal, shown in Figs. 1 and l, is rolled-between the rollers F and (it. These rollers have a. limited oscillatory movement imparted thereto by suitable means, such as the crank arms H, links 1, connecting rod 1 and actuating crank J, the effect oli such movement being to reciprocate the work between the rolls. The rolls are also variably pressed toward oaoh ptlrer by suitable means, such as the adjusting screw of one of the rolls toward those of the others. The periphery of the rolls is also fashioned to produce in the blank an annular bead L or other reinforcement at the same time that the metal is being thinned in other portions. 7 r" and Fig. 2, the blank after this rolling operation is elongated and widened in the portion rolled, leaving end. portions of the original thickness and width. Between the router and thiclter portions the gage of the K, for rnoving the journals Thus, as shown in Fig. 1

metal is gradually tapered. While at the center is forined'the lead reinforcement L, before referred to.

The next operation upon the blank is illustrated in Figs. 3 and a and consists in fnshinentztry half sections ar then welded to each other as shown in Fig What I claim as my invention is 1. The process of forming axle housings, comprising the forming of a blank of" varying gage, drop forging'the thicker portions of said blank to fashion the same, and pres ing the thinner portions.

2. The process of forming housings, comprisingthe rolling of e lather to thin v and Widen the central portion thereof leer- 111g end portions oforign al th ckness and nose ies

comprising reciprocating a fist bar beta 21. pair of rolls to thin and Widen the central portion of said our.

e. The process of forming axle housings 0 comprising the reciprocatiem of (let oars l tween rolls to thin and. Widen the ce ter PQltlOll thereof leaving the end portions of origiriial thickness and Width and the formetion by said rolls of integral reinforcements 35 upon. said her.

5. The process of forming axle housings, comprising the rolling of u fiat her to thin and widen the center portion thereof, lesv- 111g end portions of original thickness and Width, and the subsequent fashioning of said center portion and end portions to form re spectively a housing for the diiferentinl gearing and axle housing.

in testimony whereof 1 mill my signature.

ALDEN L, PETER-1M.

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