US1523713A - Pressing metal - Google Patents

Description

L. C. PRITNER ET AL PRESSING METAL Jan. 20, 1925. 1,523,713

Filed Aug. 15, 1922 meniars 192 111? 6. Darfzls:

Patented Jan, 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQEQ INDSAY C. PRI'INER AND HENRY C. DOB-BIS, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PBESSING- METAL.

Application filed August 15, 1922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LINDSAY (l. PRITNER and HENRY C. DORRIS, citizens of the United States, and residing in the city of J ohnstown, county of Cambria, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressing Metal; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to pressing metal and to the dies and apparatus therefor which comprise a portion of the method and mechanism in shaping a plate of metal, with particular reference to forming a railway truck side frame of the type generally disclosed in the G. A. Anderson Patent 1,422,074, dated July 11, 1922.

The type of truck side frame referred to is formed of one metal plate, and all the members thereof are substantially integral, so that the entire truck side frame may be said to be composed of one piece of metal, shaped and formed in its various parts to provide the different members, each of which is adapted to perform its proper functions in use.

Prior operations in forming such a truck side frame may consist in taking a plate of metal, preferably of iron or steel, cutting it to shape, then forming flanges on various of its edges, and then bending the cut and flanged plate about its intermediate portion until the two sides are at a small angle with each other, with the edges of the flanges substantially opposite; this being done in this manner to allow the withdrawal of the top bending die, as disclosed in our other application entitled Metal bending, filed August 15, 1922, Serial No. 581,933.

After the steps above mentioned have been connyleted, the out, flanged and partially bent plate is placed on our bottom pressing die, which die is of contour, size and proportions adapted to fit closely against the sides and parts of the flanges of the plate. When the frame blank is in this position one of its sides rests on the bottom die and the other projects upwardly therefrom at a small angle, in other words the two sides of the plate frame are not completely closed together.

A top die, which substantially conforms to the outer contour of the flanged and bent Serial No. 581,932,

plate and certain of the interior flanges thereof is provided and arranged. to be moved up or down in registry with the bottom die, and after the plate is set carefully on the bottom die the top die is brought down and closes the two sides together.

One of the final operations in finishing a truck frame made in this way consists in welding the adjacent edges of the flanges or portions thereof together. This present operation brings the edges opposite each other with the portions of the same which are to be welded arranged at a predetermined distance apart of about one-quarter or threeeighth inches, more or less, and in the subsequent operation these portions of the contiguous edges of the flanges are welded together either electrically or otherwise.

After the two sides of the plate forming the truck frame are thus closed, the partially completed frame is withdrawn and the operation may be continued on another.

The dies may be arranged in any suitable press operated hydraulically or otherwise,

.and the bottom die may be secured to the bottom platen thereof and the top die may be movable to and from the bottom die, or viceversa, or both of the dies may be'made to move toward each other and retracted from each other as desired.

In order that the work may be done accurately, the dies are provided with projecting portions which are adapted to slidingly contact with each other, so that when the closed pressed frame is of a certain and predetermined overall thickness, the sides are substantially parallel and all or portions of the contiguous flanges are spaced the desired distances apart, so they may be ready for the next operation of welding as above described.

Although we prefer to weld the continuous parts of the flanges of our frames, this welding may be omitted, as the frame may be used without it.

Having thus given a general description of our invention, we will now, in order to make the matter more clear, refer to the annexed sheet of drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the top pressing die; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the bottom pressing die; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bottom pressing die; i is a side elevation of the top pressing die, and

Fig. is an end elevation illustrating the position of the top and bottom pressing dies just before they begin the pressing action on a previously partially formed pressed steel,

truck side frame, the top pressing die also being shown in dotted lines at the end'of its working stroke. 7

Referring now to the characters of refer ence on the drawings :1 is the top die in general, 2 generally indicates the bottom die, 3 are the extending end portions of the top die projections 9 and '10, provided with wear plates4 attached thereto, and which as the top die moves down, bear against the wear plates 6 of the bottom die, which are secured to the projecting portions 7 and 8 thereof, and these serve to maintain the alignment and position of the dies with respect to each other in order that the work shall be accurate. The top die is provided with projections 9 and 10, and the bottom diehas corresponding projections 7 and 8, the inner surfaces of which conform to shape of the top and bottom of the side frame, and these. are provided with guides 6 and slides 1, comprising the wear plates referred to,

' which bear against each other in order to maintain mutual registry of the dies. 5 are cut-away portions adapted'to contact "with the stop on the press (not shown) to aid in setting the dies in proper relative position. When the dies are in their final closed position, the upper surfaces ofthe projections 7 and 8 of the bottom die are.

adapted to contact with the corresponding surfaces 9 and 10 of the top die, which therefore determines the width of the space or openings between the dies when they are closed in order to maintain the desiredthickness of the pressed shape. The top die provided with a recess 11 formed in the working face thereof and of contour such as to substantially fit against the top and bottom edges of the frame, and is also provided with spacing blocks therein, namely, end spacing blocks 13, central spacing block 15', and intermediate spacing block 17. These are adapted to fit within portions of the corresponding openings in the frame and further assist in thefformation thereof. The top die is also provided with small blocks 19 near its ends for. engaging the ends of the integral pedestal tie bar of the frame. The bottom dies is also provided with a recess 12 corresponding to the general contour of the frame to be pressed, and is similarly provided with end spacing blocks 14, central spacing block 16,

and intermediate spacing block 18, adapted to. fit in portions of the various openings of the frame. The bottom die 'isalso provided with small blocks 20 adapted to contact with the ends of and support the tie bar members on one side of the frame. 21 indicates the pressed metal truck side frame in general,

22 are the integral pedestal tie bars on each side thereof, and 23 is a former, which is in the upper portion of the top arch bar member of the frame, this former having been introduced in the prior operation for the purpose of shaping and maintaining the form of this part of the truck side frame. This former is composed of a metal bar of approximately rectangular cross-section with rounded edges and for the purpose offacilitating its withdrawal it is mace in two pieces of taper .or. wedge form, so that one-half may be withdrawn in one direction and the otherin the other, and the starting of. said withdrawal may be accomplished by striking the projecting end of one of the wedge pieces with a sledge, which overcomes the initial frictiomafter which the two pieces may be easily with drawn, preferably in the opposite direction. This former assists in'maintaining the shape of the top arch bar, but is particularly useful in prior operations and may or maynot be used in this present one asdesired.

Having thus described our apparatus, we will now explain its method of operation-: The dies being apart as illustrated in Fig. 5, a previously cut, flanged and partially bent truck side frame, as illustrated at 21, is introduced and laid in the recess 12 of the bottom die, whereupon certain of its various portions are supported by the working faces of the projections 7 and 8 and the various blocks, 14:, 16, 18, and 20. After this is done the top die is moved downwardly and the other side of the frame is engaged by the top die and-gradually enters'the space 11, whereupon the blocks, 13, 15, 17 and 19 engage the various sides of the flanges and tie bars thereof to maintain them in shape during the final forming, and as the top .die is moved downwardly. the various slides 4: thereof engage'with corresponding guides 6 of the bottom .die to maintain them in registry. The topdie is continued in its down ward movement until the lower faces of the projections 9 and 10 contact with the corresponding projections 7 and 8 of. the bottom with its sides substantially parallel. This operation may be performed either hot or cold, but we prefer to accomplish it when the. frame is hot from the previous operation. After this is done the top die is retracted, and the frame 21 is withdrawn from the bottom die and the operation may be repeated with another. a

' Althoughiwe have described and illustrated our 'iIlVBJltiOllllIl considerable detail, we do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details thereof as shown and described, but may use such modifications in, substitutions for, or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the .scope of our inven- 1 tion, or as pointed out in the claims.

'die,,whereupon the truck frameis closed Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The steps in the method of forming a truck side frame, which comprises taking a previously cut and flanged blank, which has been partially bent with its sides at an angle to each other, introducing the same between a pair of dies substantially conforming to the shapes of certain of its parts, then causing the dies to relatively move toward each other a predetermined distance, whereby the sides of the blank are brought together as desired.

2. The steps in the method of forming a truck side frame, comprising taking a previously cut and edge flanged plate, the sides of which have been bent at an angle to each other, introducing the same into a die having portions which substantially conform to the top and bottom surfaces of said side frame and to the boundaries of portions of the openings therein, then projecting a similar top die against said plate, causing it to be gradually introduced into said top die, and then closing the dies to a predetermined distance apart, whereby the frame is pressed to the shape desired.

3. A top and bottom die, each provided with rojecting portions of contour similar to the top and bottom of a truck side frame, a plurality of forming blocks projecting from the surfaces between said projecting portions, and of size and shape adapted to contact with portions of the previously formed flanges of said frame, and means for relatively advancing and retracting said dies.

4:. Bending dies, comprising a bottom die having side projections, the inner surfaces of which conform to the top and bottom members of a truck side frame, a plurality of forming blocks mounted within the dies and between the projections aforesaid, said blocks being of size and shape adapted to contact with portions of the previously formed flanges of said frame, guides on one die and corresponding slides on the other adapted to contact with each other and maintain the same in registry.

5. Bending dies, comprising a to and a bottom die each having side projections, the inner surfaces of which conform to the top and bottom members of a truck side frame, a

plurality of forming blocks mounted within signatures.

LINDSAY C. PRITNER. HENRY C. DORRIS.

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