US2210437A - Blank and method for making hollow wrought metal articles - Google Patents

Description

ug- 6, 1940' B. WENDEL 2.210.437

BLANK AND METHOD FOR MAKING HOLLOW WROUGHT METAL ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO Cg/M 4 004;

flwll. w fi v I? F/ 7 44', ATTQRZZ/Q F. B. WENDEL Aug. 6, 1940.

BLANK METHOD FOR MAKING HOLLOW WROUGHT METAL ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1957 ,3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y lNVENTR.

,Pei iiied Aug. 6, 1940 PATENT OFFICE BLANK AND METHOD FOR MAKING HOILOW WROUGHT METAL ARTICLES Frans B. Wendel, Long Island City, N. Y.,- ar

signor, by direct and mesne assignments, to

W. S. 'A., Incorp6rated, New York, N. Y., a; corporation of New York Application April 6,1937, Serial No. 135,269

I 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-157) .I'he present invention relates to hollow articles of wrought metal. More particularly it relates to branched fittings having a plurality ,of angularly related branches, especially T fittings ior pipe and like connections. Still more particularly the invention relates to so-called reduction fittings, that is, fittings having angularly related branches .of difierent diameter adapted to be secured to and join pipes of different size.

Integral wrought metal fittings, as heretofore produced by the --method hereinafter explained. when such fittings have been; of the reduction typ have been made by first forming the fittings with branches of substantially the same diameter i and after the fittings have been formed the desired reduction in diameter or one or more of the branches has been made by subsequent reducing operations, such as swaging or the like.

This method oi manufacture is relatively ex pensive, the reduction fittings "produced by such methods costing several times as much as T's of, the same basic size and having branches of or branches which are eventually to be of larger diameter than another branch or branches, being first formed so as to-have a non-circular crosssection which is thereafter shaped to circular or other desired final. cross-section having a-minimum diameter substantially greater than the minimum diameter of such branch as first formed a The branches which in the finished fitting are 'to be oi larger diameter advantageously are formed with generally oval or elliptical crosssectiom with the minor diameter equal to or substantially q t to the diameter of the shell from which the semi-finished blank is formed. The semi-finished blank'is then apertured- .at the ends of the formed branchesand thereafter worked by means of suitable die or mandrel apparatus to\ make the apertured. branches into branches of desired cross-section having-a minimum diameter greater than the diameter of the the shell shown in Fig. 12;

For a more complete description of the invention and 01' the details thereoff'referenee may rest be hadto the ensuing portion of this description in which I will describe preferred I method andmeans for manufacturing a' reduc- 5 tion T fitting in accordance with the invention, a it being understood however that such description is without limitation with respect to general use of the invention, which may be applied to other specific shapes of fittings.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification: Y

Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of die forming apparatus and a shell blank used in carrying the invention into eiiect; 15

Fig. 2 is a transverse central section of the pair of die blocks, one of which is shown in Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing'the shell blank after a iormi'ng operation; v

Fig. 4 is a view similar .to Fig. 3 showing the shell blank alter a further forming'operation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the semi-finished blank shown in Fig. 4 with the end waus'cr the blank removed;

Fig. 6 isan end elevation of die and mandrel apparatus for further forming the blank shown inFig.5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of risi Fig. 8-is a section-showing the dies and man- .drel illustrated in Fig. 6, with the dies closed;

Figs. 9 to 11,- inclusive, are views similar to Figs. 6 to 8 respectively showingdiflerent die apparatus for further shaping the blank shown 'inFig.6;

4 Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a completelyformed T produced in accordance with the inven'tion; and Fig. 15 is a view showing die apparatus for belling the ends of the 1 shown in Flg. 14.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates one of a pair of die blocks, lland l2 shownin Fig. 2. Each 0! these die .blocks is semi-circularly recessed at M and it respectively to provide a cylindrical bore I I. This bore intersects the transverseboreformed by semi-oval'recesses 22 and 24 in the respective dieblocks. In the term of apparatus shown in the shell.

' method of forminga semi-finished T blank by the aid of the above described dies, but it is to be understood that other specific steps and means may, within the scope of the present invention, be employed to eflect the forming of themetal to the interior contour of the dies.

'A cylindrical shell blank 26 having a hemispherical closed bottom 28; and open at the top isinserted in the dies, which are held together in a suitable press, and a filler'of liquid is introduced into the shell. A punch "having a shoul-' der 32 is forced downwardly into the die bore I8,

the shoulder'seating ag'ain'st the upper end of A passage 34 in the punch permits excess liquid to flow from the shell prior to the seating of the shoulder 32'." When the shoulder seats, the shell is filled-with liquid which is trapped therein. As the punch descends, the mechanical end pressure on the shell combined with the internal pressure exerted by the trapped filler bulges the unsupported portions ,of the metal of the shell outwardly in lateral direction,

' as indicated in Fig. 3. Irforder tq torcethe metal the T.

-.into uniform and complete contact with the in-- ner surfaces ofthe die recesses, a plurality of punch operations maybe required, the number depending upon the length desired for the run of After the final blank forming operatiohis'c'an rled out, the blank hasthe form shown in Fig. 4,

,the run portion 36 of the T, formed by the laterally bulged branches 38 and 40, being generally oval in cross section and the neck or outlet 42 being cylindrical. After the blank isthus formed, the branches 38 and "are apertured.

preferably by cutting off the end walls and 46 by sawing to form a semi-finished blank of v the kind shown in Fig. 5.,

As will be evident from Fig. 5, all that is required to make a reduction fitting of the desired character from the semi-finished blank shown in the figure is to work the run portion of the T to the desired I final cross-sectional shape, which in the ease of the, usual pipe fitting is cylindrical.

rhiemey be accomplished by forcing a suitably L-shaped mandrelthrough the runof the -T or I by a pressing operation in suitable dies.

One suitable form of die apparatus is shown in Figs. 6 to 8 and comprises die blocks 50 and .l! having cooperating semi-cylindrical recesses II .and 56. The die block 52 is provided with a suitable recess. for the reception of the neck 42 of the blank, and the neck, may be advan tageously supported internally by a plug'or the like I. Plug may be loose orsuitably pinned asst". For internally guiding the'run of the T'dur ing the pressing operation in these dies, a collapsible mandrel may be' employed comprising top and bottom shoes and a and side shoes as and II.-. '}'Ihese shoesare connected by'pivoted j links 12, pivoted on the longitudinally extending pins: I4, the-shoes being suitably recessed to receive theselinks when the mandrelis 001-.

. is not required in order to bringthe blank to the In some instancesit may be desirable to curve asthe inventionis concerned, the primary charlapsed so as to be insertabie in the blank as indicated in Fig. 6. j

The pressing operation for shaping the run of the T to cylindrical section will be largely obvious from the drawings. When the dies 50 and 52 are moved together from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 8, the spreading action of the mandrel causes the side shoes 68 and III to bear against the side walls of. the T. and insure the outward bulging of these-walls into contact with the die walls. As

will be noted in Fig. 8, the length of the links 12 is ,such that when the dies close, there is some clearance between the side shoes 68 and I0 and the metal of the blank. Some clearance obvidrel from the blank after the pressing operation, and it will be evident that as the dies come into ,closed position, internal pressure from the shoes desired shape in the dies.

In connection with this operation it is to be noted that the semi-finished blank is afdvantageously formed, as shown in Fig. 5, with the curved portion of the laterally extending bulges adjacent the neck 42 and indicated at 16, curved on a largerradius than-the curved portion 18 at the bottom of the run. Advantageously, the portion -16 is curved to the same radius as. that of the finished run portion of the' T while the bottom portion I 8 of the run portion is advantageously curved to the same radius as that of the bottom of the shell. These radii need not necessarily be employed but it will be evident from Figs. 6 and 8 that with the portion Ii curved as indicated, the blank shownin Fig. 5 can be formed so that the subsequent spreading operation does not necessitate any appreciable change in the contour of I the walls of the T at the place of juncture of the run with the outlet. f r

In some instances when the run is finished to final form by means of pressing dies, the use of an internal mandrel may not be required due to the-natural tendency of the side walls to bulge outwardly when subjected to compression by the dies, and Figs. 9 to 11 illustrate suitable die apparatus-for use without'an internal mandrel. In this form of the apparatus the die blocks 50a and 52a are generally similar to those shown in Fig. 6. but in this instance as a precautionary measure the plug a providing internal support for the neck of the blank is advantageously extended'upwardly as indicated at 601) to insure against any possibility ofthe side walls of the blank buckling inwardly as the dies are brought together. 'From thenature of the curved s n,- faces of the dies and the blank as indicated in Fig. 10, it will be evident that the natural tendency of the side walls is to spread outwardly.

the sidewalls of the die recesses slightly outw -to increase the dimensions: (Fig. 2) 'at the center line ofthe run to facilitate the natural tendency of the side walls to bulge outwardly when compressed between the forming dies.

It will be appreciated that the exact cross. 1

section of the run portion of the semi-finished *blank may be yaried within the scope of the invention and it will be appreciated that in so-far acteristicof the blank forming'operation or operations is to produce a laterally bulged branch or branches haying cross-sectional areas larger than the cross-sectional area of-theshell and a cross-sectional dimension parallel to 7 ously is required in order to withdraw the manthe axis of the shell substantially greater than quire wall thickness greater than necessary or .desirable for branch or branches of smaller diameter. v Such fittingsmay very advantageously be made in accordance with the present invention and in Figs. 12 and 13' there is illustrated the method by means of which this may be accomplished.

In this instance shell 26 is formed with walls the thickness of which varies along the length of the shell. Preferably, the portion of. the shell denoted by dimension a is formed-with walls of uniform thickness which are relatively thin, while the walls of the portion denoted by b are tapered to produce gradually increasing wall thickness toward the bottom of the shell. The degree of thickening of the tapered portion of the wall will depend upon the difierence in thickness between the run portion and the neck desired in the finished T. with such form of shell the portion of the punch below the shoulder 32 is advantageously shaped to conform to the shape of the inner surface of the shell and the forming operations for producing the semi-finished blank are A the same as those previously described. Due to be secured. Suchg'bulging may advantageously at 82 in Fig. 15, the bulged ends of the branches the nature of the stresses imposed on the metal by the forming operations, and 'thetendency of' the metal to compress where it flows around the rounded corners 80 of the die blocks" and H, the taperedportion of the shell will be worked toprovide a-run portion for the T of substantially uniform wall thickness, which wall thickness will be greater than the wall thickness of .theneck. It will be appreciated that the relative lengths of the dimensions a' and b shown in Fig. 12 will be determined by the relative length of the neck and run portions -of the finished 1' to be formed therefrom, the-point-v on the shell where the tapered wall portion commences. preferably being approximately at the place of juncture of 1 the neck and run portions in the finished T.

After the forming operation described in conjunction with Figs. 6 to ll'has been performed, the T has the shape shown'inl ig. 14. This shape obviously constitutes a complete T and in so far as the present invention is concerned may be considered as a finished 1'. A The complete or finished 1' may, of. course. be modified by further treatment to make it suitable for diiferent modes of attachment. If the T is intended to.

be used as a welded fitting the T requiresno further treatment other than suitable beveling of the open ends of'the branches if such ends are bulging of the shell into the die blocks to form a semi-finished blank, forms per so no part of the present invention but constitutes the subject matter of application Serial No. 42,624, filed 'jointly by me and Thomas H. Pearsall.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that many changes and variations in the method and apparatus hereinbefore described by way of example may be made without departing from the principles of the invention, and certain features hereinbefore described may, within the scope of the invention, be used to the exclusion of others.

The-scope of the'invention is understood to embrace all that mayfall within the purview of the appended claims when they are construed as broadly as is consistent with the state of the prior art.

What I claim is: 1'. The method of forming an integral wrought metal reduction T; by the aid of a punch having a pilot portion and a circumferential shoulder,

at the end of saidpilot portion and a cooperating diehaving a T-shaped recess including a run portion of generally oval crossesection and a branch portion extending laterally from said run portion, said branch portion having substantially the diameter of the branch portion of. the

IT to be made and said run portion having amajor diameter substantially in line with the axis of said,branch portion and -of materially greater length than the diameter-of said branch portion and a minor diameter normal to the major diameter and of substantially the same length as the diameter of said branch portion; which consists in placing a shell blank having a closed end and having substantiallythe diameter of said outlet branch in the die with the of introducing liquid filler into the shell, moving said punch inwardly of the die with the pilot portion of the punch within the open end of the shell to seat said shoulderagainst the end'wall of-the open end ofthe shell to effect a liquidtight seal and to trap the liquid in the shell and continuing the movement of the punch after such seating to form'the shell inwardly of the die by mechanical end pressure, whereby to bulge the shelliby the combined action of ,the mechanical 7 end pressure and the trapped liquid, aperturing the closed ends of said run portion and thereafter working-the runportion from the cross-- desiredfor welding purposes: if desired, the.

ends of the branches may be treated in the usual mann for a threaded fitting, and if a fitting or the so-called sweat joint type i desired, the

ends at the several branches may be. bulged to receive the ends of the pipe to which tired is to be effected in known manner by means of suitably recessed die blocks, one, of which is shown being formed within the die blocks by means 'of the shouldered punches I. X l

sectional shape formed by the bulging operation or operations to a substantially circular crosssection of larger diameter than that oi said branch portion.

- metal reduction 1; by the aid-of a punch having a pilot portion and a circumferential. shoulder at the end of said'pilot portion and a cooperating die having a T-shaped recess including a run portion of generally oval-cross-section and a branch portion e ending laterally from said run portion, s branch portion having 'substantially the diameter of the branch portion of theT to be made and said run portion i having a major diameter substantially in line with the axis of said branch portion and of mathe closed end '01 the shell at the juncture of the run and branch portions of the die recess, the closed 'end portion'of said blank and the cylindrical portion thereof adjacent to the closed end having appreciably greater 'wal thickness than the cylindrical portion of the bl nk adjacent to the open end thereof, bulging theclosed end portion ot the shell laterally in opposite directions to form a T-shaped blank having a closed ended run portion 0! cross-sectional contour corresponding to the cross-section of the run portion of the die recess, and wall thickness greater than thatoi' .the branch portion of'the blank; byone or more bulging operations each including the steps r introducing liquid filler into the shell, moving said punch inwardlypt the die with the pilot portion of the punch within the open end of the shell to seat'said shoulder against the end .wall of the open end of the shell to eiiect a liquid tight seal and to trap the liquid in the shell and continuing the movement of the punch aiter; such seating to form the shell inwardly of the die by mechanical end pressure,

whereby to bulge the shell by the combined actionoi the mechanical end pressure and the trapped liquidaperturing the closed ends of said run portion and'thereatter working the run portion from the cross-sectional shape formed by the bulging operation or operations 'to'a sub stantially circular cross-section of larger diam,- eter than thatoi said branch portion.

3. A semi-flnishgd blank adapted to be formed intoa reduction'T; said blank consisting of an integral seamless hollow T-shaped body of wrought metal having a closed ended run portion and abranch portion extending laterally tion and having a major diameter in line with,

l the axis of the branch portion and substantially longer than the diameter of the branch portion and a minor diameter normal to the major diameter and of substantially the same length as the diameter of the branch portion; whereby said run portion hasa perimeter substantially greater than the perimeter of the branchportion and is adapted ;to be shaped to circular cross-section of larger diamet'r than that of the branch portion subsequent to aperturing the closed ends of the'blank.

4. A semi-finished blank adapted to be formed into a reduction T, said blank consisting of an integral seamless hollow fT-shaped .body of wrought metal having a closed ended run portion and a branch portion extending laterallythere- .Irom intermediate its ends, said run portionbeing 0! generally oval shape in croa-section and having a, inajordiameter'in line with the axis of the branch portion and substantially longer than the diameter of the branch portion and a minor diameter normal to the major diameteradapted to be shaped to circular cross-section of larger diameter than that of the branch portion subsequent 'to,'apertm'ing the closed ends of the mans B, WENDE'L.

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