US1999205A

US1999205A - Closure plug and method of forming same

Info

Publication number: US1999205A
Application number: US611067A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard L Parish
Original assignee: American Flange and Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: American Flange and Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 1932-05-13
Filing date: 1932-05-13
Publication date: 1935-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-30

Description

April 30, 1935. R. L. PARISH 2 eets-Sheet' l Filed May 13, 1952 April 1935- R. 1.. PARISH R 1,999,205

CLOSURE PLUG AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed May 13, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m JZ\ J4 ZL9\ I l I Patented Apr. 3i), 11%35 rarer caries CILQ'PSETRE PLUG AND METHQD @IF FEDRMUING SAME Richard IL. Parish, Chicago, lillL,

assignor to American Flange & Manufacturing (Company, Chicago, lit, a corporation of lillinois Application May 13, 1932, Serial No. 611,067

8 Claims.

My invention relates to closure plugs and method of forming same, and it has to do more particularly with a plug well adapted for closure of the openings in metallic containers suited for transportation and storage of oil, gasoline, and the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved, simple, inexpensive and light weight, yet highly efiicient and durable, closure plug formed of sheet metal.

A further object is to provide from a single piece of sheet metal a plug having an externally threaded, cup-shaped body, an exterior gasketreceiving and supporting surface, a head with a seal seat thereon, and lug means integral with the body and formed therein in the shaping of the sheet metal for facilitating insertion and removal of the plug from the opening which it is adapted to close.

Another object is to provide a novel and inexpensive method of forming a plug of the foregoing character, the same being carried out in such a manner as to condense, thicken and strengthen the wall of the completed plug surficient to accommodate the finishing operations and to withstand the conditions of use to which it may be subjected.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of'ablank from which the body of the plug may be formed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of die structure (diagrammatically shown) illustrating the initial forming of the blank of Fig. 1 into a cup shape;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the cup formed by the die of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of die structure, illustrating a preliminary forming operation on the cup of Fig. 3; v i

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line S5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the cup after its preliminary forming by the die of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view of a finalforming die, illustrating in vertical section the cup formed thereby;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on line for rotation thereof; and

Fig. 11 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the finished plug.

In general, the steps involved in making a plug 5 according to my invention include the forming of a single cylindrical blank of sheet metal of desired size into a cup-shaped blank of greater depth than the finished plug. This cup blank is then acted upon by a die suitably shaped to strike or 10 punch the side wall of the cup radially inward at diametrically opposed points to initially form opposed hollow lugs projecting within the cup body; and during this same operation I preliminarily compress the side wall of the cup in 15 axial direction, reducing somewhat its height and increasing slightly the thickness of its side wall. The cup blank thus treated is then subjected to the action of a final-forming die to further compress its side wall in axial direction, thereby further compacting and thickening the cup side wall to the desired extent for threading and final finishing of the plug. During this final forming operation, the inwardly projecting lugs initially pressed from the side wall of the cup are finally shaped to provide finished lugs which may be engaged by a suitable tool (such as a monkeywrench, screw driver, bar of metal, etc.), inserted within the finished plug for screwing the same 7 into or out of the opening it is adapted to close. 3

After the cup body has been formed as last stated, it is finally finished to form the completed plug by externally threading the same and by shaping the upper exterior part thereof above the threads to provide a gasket receiving space and a head having a seal seat surface.

In the drawings. I have illustrated the foregoing steps of my invention together with one form of structure which may be employed in carrying out the same. Specifically, a preformed cylindrical blank i5 (Fig. 1) is formed into a cup l6 (Fig. 3) by die structure which may take the form of male and female die members ll and i8, respectively (Fig. 2) I The preformed cup it is'next acted upon by the die structure which may take the form shown in Fig. 4. Specifically, the cup blank is inserted (with its bottom downward) in a female die member l9 which is provided with a pair of internal, diametrically opposed punch members 28 which project inwardly into the die cavity 2!, which die members 20 have their upper surfaces, preferably, rounded as at 22. After the cup 56 is inserted in the die member i9, it is then engaged and pressed inwardly by a male die member 23. This latter die member is provided with a head portion 24 having a reduced portion 25 depending therefrom providing a shoulder 25 which engages the upper rim of the cup blank. This die member 23 is also provided in its reduced portion 25 with diametrically opposed recesses 2'! adapted to align with the die punch members 29, which re cesses are of enlarged dimensions adapted to freely receive the punch members 23 and the cup wall material forced thereinto by such punch members. In the use of this die structure (Fig.

'4), as the die member 23 is moved inwardly with the cup Hi, the femalepunch members 23 strike or punch the side wall of the cup into the male die recesses 21 forming preliminary indentations in the side wall of the blank and providing inwardly projecting, hollow and diametrically-opposed lugs 28, of a shape best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. During this operation, the side wall of the cup is slightly compressed axially and is slightly thickened thereby reducing the height of the same as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

The cup blank i5 is, preferably, finally completed by a die structure such as that illustrated in Fig. 7. More particularly, this die structure includes a female die member 29 having a cylindrical, unobstructed cavity 30, in which the preformed cup blank of Fig. 6 is adapted to be seated. The preformed blank is then acted upon by a male die member 3| which is provided with a head 32 and a reduced depending shank portion 33 having diametrically opposed recesses 34 adapted to align with and receive the preliminarily-formed hollow lugs 28. With this structure, as the male die member 3| is moved inwardly, the shoulder 35 thereof formed by its

portions

32 and 33 engages the top of the blank rim with the lugs 28 received in its recesses 34, and as this movement is continued the side wall of the cup is compressed axially and compacted to further and finally thicken the same as shown in Fig. '7. As this action takes place, the metal forming the lugs 28 is bowed and fiowed somewhat further inwardly and the top portions of these lu'gs are flattened so that they finally take the shape shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive. It will be noted that the height of the cup wall has been reduced so that the top portions of the lugs 28 extend approximately fiush with the top edge of the cup, and that the lugs so formed take substantially a wedge-shape in horizontal section (Figs. 8 and 10). It will be further noted that the finished lugs 28 are so shaped and related that an object, such as a bar of metal 36 as illustrated in Fig. 10, inserted within the plug body will seat against opposite sides of opposed lugs at the bases of the lugs so that a firm and secure engagement is insured and great pressure may be applied to the bar 35 to rotate the plug body Without danger of distortion and injury to the plug body and lugs.

After the plug blanks has been finished to the extent shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, it is then finally finished by externally threading the same as at 31 and by cutting away its top part at an angle to provide a head 38 having an angular seat surface 39. The threads 31 extend only part way to the angular seat 39 leaving a smooth, annular gasket-receiving and supporting surface 40.

The advantages of my invention first above stated will be obvious from the foregoing. A simple and inexpensive plug formed of sheet metal is provided. The plug is of a single piece construction and is light in weight, which is a material factor with respect to shipping expense. Furthermore, a plug formed in accordance with my invention is strong and durable and capable of withstanding the usage and handling to which plugs of this character are ordinarily subjected.

I claim: 5

l. A closure plug formed entirely from a single piece of sheet metal which comprises a cup-shaped body having the lower part of its outer side wall threaded, a head having an angled seat surface formed at the top of the outer side wall of said 10 body, said head being spaced from said threaded portion to provide a gasket-receiving space, the side wall of said body having diametrically-opposed, inward indentations triangularly-shaped in cross-section providing internal lugs adapted to 15 be engaged by a suitable tool to rotate the plug.

2. The method of forming a sheet metal closure plug having a cup-shaped body which comprisesthe steps of shaping a preformed cylindrical fiat blank of sheet metal of uniform thickness into 20 the form of a cup of substantially uniform diameter, striking the side wall of the cup radially inward at diametrically opposed points below the upper or free edge of the cup and simultaneously compressing the side wall of the cup in axial di- 26 rection, thereafter additionally compressing the cup side wall in axial direction to finally compact and thicken the same and simultaneously and finally shaping the inwardly struck portions to provide inwardly-extending lugs triangularly 30 shaped in cross-section within the finished plug, and externally threading the outer wall of the cup.

3.- The method of forming a sheet metal closure plug which comprises the steps of shaping a preformed, cylindrical fiat blank into the form of a 35 cup of greater depth than the finished plug, striking the side wall of the cup radially inward at a plurality of points to provide triangularly-shaped lugs within the cup, compressing the cup side wall in axial direction to thicken the same and to 0 bring it to the finished depth of the plug, and finally externally threading the compressed side wall.

4. The method of forming a sheet metal closure plug which comprises the steps of shaping a pre- 45 formed, cylindrical fiat blank into the form of a cup of greater depth than the finished plug, simultaneously compressing the side wall of the cup in axial direction and striking the side wall inwardly at a plurality ofpoints finally cgmprgs s ggiak /m side wall to the depth of the finished plug and simultaneously and finally shaping said inwardlystruck portions to provide lugs for insertion and removal of the plug, and finishing the plug by externally threading its outer side wall and shap- 55 ing its side wall above its threaded part to form a head spaced from said threads by a gasket receiving space.

5. In a closure plug formed from a single piece of sheet metal, a cup-shaped body having its lower so outer portion threaded, a head of substantially the same diameter as said threaded portion provided at the upper end of said body and spaced head. I

6. In a closure plug formed of'a single piece of 70 sheet metal of uniform thickness, a cup-shaped body having its side wall thickened and the lower outer portion of said side wall threaded, a head formed on the upper part of said body within the diametrlcal limits of said threaded portion and 76 section that are formed from the material of said side wall and which project inwardly toward each other from said side wall to be engaged by a tool for applying the plug to or removing it from a threaded opening.

7. A closure plug formed entirely from a single piece of sheet metal which comprises a cupshaped body having the lower part of its outer sidewall threaded, a head having a seat surface formed at the top of the outer side wall of said body, said head being spaced from said threaded portion to provide a gasket-receiving space, the side wall of said body having diametrically-op posed, inward indentations providing internal lugs I adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool to rotate the plug.

8. The method of forming a sheet metal closure plug which comprises the steps of shaping a-preformed, cylindrical flat blank into the form of a cup of greater depth than the finished plug, striking the wall of the cup radially inward at a plurality of points to provide lugs within the cup, compressing the cup side wall in axial direction to thicken the same and to bring it to the finished depth of the plug, and finally externally threadingthe compressed side wall.

RICHARD L. PARISH.