US2213648A - Method of forming corrugated car ends - Google Patents

Description

A. w. FRASER 2,213,648

Sept. 3, 1940.

Original Filed March 14, 1935 INVENTOR ALEXANDER W. FRASER I Oil ATTORN EYS Sept. 3, 1940. A. w. FRASER METHOD OF FORMING CORRUGATED CAR ENDS Original Filed March 14, 1935 3, Sheets-Sheet 2 w z 4 I a 2 0 I. Z 4 u a 1- E 7 H II? m m rd m 2/ FM m u A n U W m 1 n u A, "I m H M: 6 m i H u a u f n L n f 4 u u 2 n u m w a m m: m .m m: 1 m: n W & IILIUL: Lt: a T 4 5 l INVENTOR ALEXANDER W. FRASER ATTORNEYS Sept. 3, 1940. A. w. FRAiiER METHOD OF FORMING CORRUGATED CAR ENDS Original Filed Mafch 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STTES AENT ()FFICE METHOD OF FORMIN G CORRUGATED CAR DS Alexander W. Fraser, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, assignor to National Steel Car Corporation, Limited, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada 1937, Serial No. 120,852

Claims.

The invention relates in general to a method of forming corrugations in steel car ends, car sides, car doors and similar heavy metal structural parts of railroad cars and otherbuilding constructions, and the invention specifically relates to an improved method for forming corrugated car ends, referred to in my Patent No. 2,079,553 granted May 4, 1937 for Power press, of which this application is a division.

The car ends in the said application are characterized by having a reinforcing corrugated area spaced inwardly from the outlining edges and in which the corrugated area is formed of two sets 1 of corrugations, with the corrugations of each set extending parallel to each other; the corrugations of one set intersecting the corrugations of the other set to form a checker-board design and wherein the corrugations are each of a U-shaped fiat web and inclined side wall type, with relatively narrow corrugations forming one set identified as vertical posts extending with uniform cross sectional configuration from end to end, hurdling or overlapping the relatively wide horizontal corrugations of the other set, sometimes hereinafter identified as horizontal girders.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified method of forming intersecting corrugations in heavy steel or equivalent metal plates and, specifically, to provide a simplified means for forming the corrugated area of the said application car end.

Corrugated car ends of the type under discussion are usually formed in one or more sections with dimensions when formed of one piece, substantially eight or nine feet Wide, four to five feet high, and with a thickness of three to five sixteenths of an inch, and are usually made by die pressing high grade rolled sheet steel. It is the usual practice to form one of the sections constituting the car end in a single die-stamping operation and this procedure necessitates certain refinements of practice, such for instance, as the maintaining of this large area plate at a relatively high temperature and the employment of large sized presses of the order of two thousand five hundred ton presses.

The present method features the forming of the corrugated area of such plates by die-pressing relatively small portions of the plate in each of a series of succeeding stamping operations, and the forming of corrugations in plates of large area on a relatively small size press. In one method of practicing the invention, the corrugations can be formed on a press of relatively low capacity, such as a one thousand ton type of press, thus permitting of the fabrication of heavy type die-pressing of car ends on presses commonly found in the ordinary car and railroad repair shops.

Briefly, the method consists in using a die press having means in its two coacting dies for forming two parallel corrugations in the plate, with the two corrugations properly spaced apart, together with the associated intersecting part or parts of all of the transversely intersecting corrugations required in the finished plate. The method is practiced by feeding a fiat plate between the coacting dies of the press and in the first step initially forming the first of the series of parallel corrugations with their respective portions of the vertical hurdling corrugations, or rather partly forming the first set of corrugations at the beginning of the first press movement, and, subsequently, during the final movement of the first press movement completing the formation, if not already formed, of the first set of corrugations, and simultaneously forming the second set of identical corrugations. Then, separating the dies and reheating, if necessary, the portion of the plate next to be worked upon, the plate is advanced so as to locate the second succeeding horizontal wide corrugation on the die which had just previously formed the corresponding wide oorrugation of the first set, and then using the first corrugation-forming die as a holding means to die form the third corrugation, or rather third set of corrugations. The operation is continued with the last-formed wide corrugation advanced into and then held by the most advanced part of the die, while the rear part of the die is forming the next succeeding wide corrugation and associated parts, all operations being preferably practiced with a clamp forming part constituting the rear portion of the die acting to hold the portion of the plate next to be worked upon in its original portions so as to prevent buckling in parts of the end intended to be fiat,

The invention also features the utilization of- 40 flat condition as well as the outlining marginal a tions, while holding the material not yet worked, or intended not to be worked upon, from any incidental warping.

Still another object of the invention is to form the desired corrugated area with that nicety of control of the material being worked upon to permit the formation of the required corrugations without unduly thinning out the material forming each corrugation and the providing of that degree of clamping intensity of the metal being worked upon which will permit a relatively cold fiow of material to the part forming the corrugation and at the same time minimize, if not eliminate objectionable buckling in the parts immediately adjacent the corrugation being formed.

This phase of the invention is provided by utilizing a work-holding clamp as part of the corrugation forming which will hold the flat portions of the plate adjacent and outlining the portion at the time being formed into corrugations, with an intensity of clamping action sufficiently great to prevent buckling but not so high as to prevent the desired edgewise creeping of the material from the uncorrugated into the portion in which the corrugation is being formed for the time being. In this connection it is suggested that the work holding clamp have a slightly greater clearance at the intake end of the material than at the discharge end adjacent the corrugation forming side thereby to facilitate feeding of the plate into the portion being corrugated.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from a consideration of the method features of the disclosure and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one method of practicing the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel modifications of the preferred method as well as to the products produced following such method or methods.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 to 5 are explanatory views illustrated as if in end elevation of a die press showing successive steps in corrugating sheet metal in practicing the method herein featured;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of opposite .ends of the lower die shown in the preceding figures and with the midportion broken away; 7

Fig. '7 is a view in elevation of the upper die looking at the same from the right side of the showing in Figs. 1 to 5;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the companion parts of the lower die;

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the lower right hand corner of a car end constructed by following the method herein featured. It can be assumed also that either the lower or upper half of this figure also represents a plan View of either one of the dies shown in end elevation in the preceding figures, it being understood, of course, that both the upper and lower dies are each of twice the length of the showing in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the car end shown in Fig. 1, showing one of the vertical corrugations intersecting two of the horizontal corrugations, but likewise it can be assumed that the showing in Fig. 10 is a portion of one of the dies which forms the correspondingly shaped portion of the car end.

Fig. 11 is a view of the die press shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and illustrating the position of the parts during the instant of time during the descent of the upper die immediately following the position shown in Fig. 1 and before the die has completely seated as shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the partly formed blank if removed from the press at the Fig. 11 stage of the initial die pressing.

Referring to the finished structure, there is eventually formed a substantially flat sheet metal plate or panel ll] having inturned side flanges I I and an outlining flat uncorrugated edge portion 12; Within the outlining fiat edge area l2 the plate is provided with two sets of corrugations to form a central reinforced area to the panel as a whole one set of corrugations It being relatively numerous extends horizontally in parallel relation and the copending disclosure features the forming of these corrugations equidistantly spaced apart to form integral girders in the finished plate. The other set of corrugations it being less numerous and in the instant case constituting four, are relatively narrow and extend vertically, and like the horizontal corrugations in the copending disclosure feature the forming of these vertical corrugations substantially equidistantly spaced apart horizontally. These corrugations intersecting each other at right angles to form an elongated block-like or checkerboarddesign over the entire reinforced area. The trough or channel [5 of the girder forming corrugation I3 is continuous across the entire reinforced area and is straight from end to end. The trough or channel I6 of the post forming corrugation I4 is likewise continuous from end to end across the reinforced area but of course is not straight being of undulatory form. The post forming corrugations M are continuous and project outwardly not only from the fiat uncorrugated portion of the plate but extend up the sides of, pass over and project beyond the corrugations l3 as shown at 18, Fig. 10. The posts Hi then extend over the girder forming corrugations l3 and along the trough or uncorrugated space 29 formed between the adjacent pairs of the girder forming corrugations I3.

Referring to the showings in Figs. 1 to 8 it will be understood that there is illustrated a conventional form of die pressing machine including a stationary bed 2! and a movable power actuated plunger 22 mounted for vertically reciprocatory movement. A relatively stationary two part male die 23 is carried by the bed 2| on the upper side thereof and the plunger 22 is provided on its underside with a one-piece coacting female die 24.

The die 23 is formed primarily of two relatively movable parts: a middle, long rectangular bar or strip 25 rigidly secured to the bed 2|, and an encircling or rather middle bar-enclosing, rectangular, hollow frame. The frame includes two long outside strip bars or plates 26 and 21, extending parallel to and in edgewise vertical sliding engagement with opposite long sides of the middle strip 25 and two connecting end members or blocks 42 and Q3. The strips 26 and 21 ment in the bed by means of supporting legs 28 passing through the'bed 2i, through a bolster All carried by a press bed 38 and resting on top of a pressure cushion Q9 guided for vertical -move-.

ment in the press bed. The frame is normally I maintained in position elevated above the bed 2!,

by means of cushioning springs 59 bearing upwardly against the pressure cushion G9, or, in some forms of such presses by pneumatic cushions, or plungers, such as are commonly found in presses of this character. In the instant case the pads having a resistance to being depressed equal to. about one fifth of the force inherent in the plunger 22 acting to depress the pad forming frame. The strip 26 has a smooth top face 29 and constitutes in the right hand side of the showing one of the elements of a flat-face workholding jaw or clamp for securing the work plate as hereinafter outlined. The top surface of strip 26 is continuous and on the same level with the top surface of the end blocks 32 and 43 and with the fiat faces of the strips 25 and 21.

The middle strip 25 and the outside strip 21 are each provided with a longitudinally extending rib one being the duplicate of the other designated respectively 30 and 3i, each designed to form any and all of the girder forming corrugations l3 and each half length of said rib having the shape in plane shown at any of the strips marked H3. The top face of each of these strips 25 and 27 is provided on opposite sides of the base of its rib with a flat top face; the faces on opposite sides of rib 38 marked- 3! and 32 and. the similar faces on opposite sides of rib 3i marked 33 and 34. The two top faces 35 and 34 when in the position shown in Figs. 3 and maintain the trough or uncorrugated spaces in the finished structure.

The top, die-forming surface of each of the strips and 21 is also provided with a plurality, in the instant case with four, transversely extending beads 35 and 36, one for forming each of the upstanding relatively narrow corrugations M. It is understood, of course, that each bead extends when the pad 27 is in its lowermost position continuously across and between the two ribs 32 and 3|. 1

' The die 24 is formed as the negative or complement of the two part die 23, except that the portion 31 immediately above and forming the coacting element of the clamp jaw 26 is formed fiat and preferably polished as is the top face of the floating clutch element 28 but has a greater clearance at its outer edge, as indicated at 38, than at its inner edge 39 when the die elements. are in their proper corrugation forming relation. The left two-thirds of the underside of the die 24- is provided with two identical channels 40 and ll for receiving respectively the ribs 36 and 3i and with transversely extending smaller grooves 42,-

one for each of the beads 3536. When viewed in plane, a part of the underside of die 25 corresponds to the showing in Fig. 10 in its inclusion of two grooves I5 and one of the transverse grooves it.

It will beunderstood that the press is provided with conventional parts such, for instance, as a crank 5| actuated by a main gear 52 in mesh with a source of power indicated by the pinion drive 53 for reciprocating the plunger 22, as means for adjusting the cushioning tension on the floating pads, feed tables for feeding the stock to the press and for withdrawing the finished product from the press and with guides and templets for locat- Idirection indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 10 until the advanced edge e meets a stop (not shown) but located to bring the channel H5 at I the upper edge of the end plate as shown in Fig. 9. Other stops are used to insure the requisite width of edge portion !2 and flange II tothis particular piece of work. At this time the plate assumes roughly the position indicated in Fig. 1.

Power is then turned on to lower the plunger 22 and during the lowering movement of its initial operation two actions take place. First, the left portion of the coacting dies, that is the pad 21 andthe coacting part immediately above the same, catches the portion of the plate therebetween and the entire frame and with it the pad 21 is lowered against the resistance of the frame holding springs.

These springs are so tensioned relative to the plate being worked upon that the associated die parts begin to form the first corrugation marked I3 Fig. 9. As the upper die bears down on the plate 23 the first corrugation I3 begins to form somewhat semi-circular in cross section as shown at l5 with the beginnings of the associated hurdling corrugation M as shown by the two transversely aligned humps Ma and Mb as shown in Fig. 12. As the top die continues to-move down beyond the position shown in Fig. 11 towards the position shown in Fig. 2, these humps Ma and Mb will gradually increase in length both towards each other until they unite and away from each other until they form the complete hurdling portion of the length indicatedbyl l in Fig. 9. At the end of this step the parts are at least approximately in the position shown in Fig. 2. By this time the upper die has taken up the clearance between the clamp elements 26-31 and their connecting end pieces but the die parts formed by 1 the middle strip 25 and the corresponding parts above the same have not yet contacted or have just about contacted with the uncorrugated portion of the plate therebetween;

As the upper die continues to lower, the first corrugation I3 is more or less completely formed. By the time the top die has finally closed'completely on the bottom die asshown in Fig. 2 but before the floating die 21 commences to move down there is formed not only the corrugation I3 but the intersecting portions of each of .the corrugations M embraced within the bracket marked I3 Fig. 9. It will thus be seen that the advanced edge of the plate is held between the left hand portion of the dies and is held from movement in the direction of advance of the plate (shown by the arrow) by the rib 3l,-and is held from lateral movement in the transverse direction by the several sections M of thetrans versely extending corrugations engaging over the beads. 36. While this advanced corrugated portion of the plate is thus being held with any deelements with sufficient intensity to prevent this" part of the plate from buckling, but with suflicient slipping to permit the held portion of the 75" ond corrugation in position between the die ele- 252l-4243 is being pressed firmly into engagement with the bed 2i and both of the corru gations forming parts of the dies have completed their final pressing action so that at the end of the step indicated in Fig. 3, the first two corrugations I3 I3 have'been completely formed, and the adjacent fiat portions surrounding the same have been kept flat.

' The upper die is then elevated to its normal raised position and the corrugated edge of the plate is then raised out of engagement with the lower die elements. The plate is then advanced one step in the direction of the arrows and into its next succeeding position in the die assembly, the second corrugations E3 being located on the rib 3| of the floating pad 21, and, of course, with the transverse corrugation portion I l fitted over the beads 36 of this floating pad and the parts are then in position to form the third corrugation I3 The plunger is lowered with the second or succeeding stroke of the machine, first into the position shown in Fig. 4 so as to clamp the secments and in this way to hold the second corrugation firmly in place during the operation of forming the third corrugation. The third corrugation is formed beginning with the position of the dies as shown in Fig. 4 and ending with the position of the dies as shown in Fig. 5, at which time the third corrugation I3 and its associated transverse portions M are formed, while the surrounding fiat portion is held in such fiat position.

It will be understood that this operation is repeated, each previously formed corrugation being utilized as a holding and spacing meansto locate the next succeeding parallel wide corrugation and associated part of the continuous transverse corrugations until the required area has been formed with its arrangement of intersecting corrugations.

By practicing the method herein disclosed it is possible to form a one-piece corrugated car end or similarly large construction unit without necessity of using the powerful presses heretofore found necessary in pressing car ends into their requisite corrugated forms.

As each corrugation after the first is formed by the same die part 25 and the coacting part im mediately above 25, it follows that all of the wide corrugations 13 are of identical contour and that at the end of the procedure each transverse corrugation I4 is of identical conformation through its length, thus providing a car end of any desired number of corrugations l3 formed from a die' assembly composed only of two corrugation forming parts. Even though the high, or most advanced, portions l8 of the corrugations M are pressed out of the plane of the fiat sheet considerably in advance of the depth of the channels I5, the refinement practiced in this method of permitting the creeping of the plate into the portion being formed into corrugations results in forming each corrugation separately without appreciably thinning out the metal as it is curved into the U-form in cross section characterizing the corrugations in the finished plate. Finishing the clamping faces of the jaw elements with'a machine smooth finish minimizes frictional resistance to the advance of the metal into the trough forms while the portion of the plate next to be corrugated, as well as the outlining edge portions, are'held in their initial fiat condition and are thus freed from strain and lines of weakness which might otherwise occur when the flat portions are subsequently subject to the action of the corrugation forming dies. It will be understood, of course, that the clearance illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 between the jaw elements has been purposely exaggerated in order to show it, but in" actual practice the increase in clearance is slight and the action might be more properly designed in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: 1. In the art of forming corrugated metal car ends of the type in which the corrugated area isformed of a set of parallel corrugations of relatively large number, extending horizontally and spaced vertically in the finished end, and a second set of parallel corrugations of relatively small number extending vertically and spaced apart horizontally and intersecting the horizontal corrugations in the finished end, and which corrugated area is surrounded by a flat uncorrugated outlining marginal portion,- the method which consists in die forming in a flat sheet of heated metal the first two horizontal corrugations and so much of the vertical corrugations as intersect the said first two horizontal corrugations, the die forming area being located with the first of said two corrugations adjacent and spaced from the upper or lower edge of the completed car end sufficiently to form in the finished car end the requisite width of flat marginal portion at this edge of the plate, the second corrugation being spaced inwardly from said first corrugation the preset distance required of the corrugations of this set in the finished car end, then heating the portion of the plate next to be die formed, locating the second corrugation with its associated portion of the vertical corrugations on thedie which formed the first corrugation so as to be held thereby from movement in two directions at right angles to each other in the plane of the plate, die forming the next horizontal corrugation and its associated portion of the vertical corrugations to join with the preceding portions of the vertical corrugations, and continuing the successive beatings and die forming operations until the corrugated area is completed.

2. The method of forming a corrugated sheet metal plate consisting in subjecting succeeding portions of a flat metal plate to the repeated action of the same dies to form the plate with corrugations in sequence with each corrugation including a longitudinal element and a plurality of transverse elements forming the design in plan of a patriarchal cross and locating the transverse elements of each succeeding corrugation in line to form continuations respectively of the correspondingly transverse elements of the next proceeding corrugation. I

3. The method'of forming a sheet metal plate with two sets of intersecting corrugations to form a checkerboard effect, consisting in successively pressing corrugations, each in the form of a patriarchal cross in plan and constituting a unit of a repeated pattern form in plan and constituting a unit of a repeated pattern form, in a flat metal plate in sequence with the ends of certain of the corrugations tapered and terminating short of the adjacent margins of the plate and successively protecting the next preceding previously formed corrugation of the series from deformation while holding the plate as a whole in its initial fiat form.

4. The method of forming a sheet metal plate with two sets of intersecting corrugations to form a checker-board effect, consisting in successively pressing corrugations, each in the form of a cross, in a flat metal plate in sequence with at least one corrugation Opening into and aligned with its companion in the next unit with the ends of certain of the completed corrugations tapered and terminating short of the adjacent margins of the plate and successively protecting the next preceding previously formed corrugation of the series from deformation, and at each pressing clamping the area, including the previ ously formed corrugation, surrounding the area being formed into the next succeeding corrugation.

5. In the art of forming corrugations in metal plates and wherein certain of parallel corrugations have their ends spacedfrom the adjacent edges to form flat marginal areas, the method of forming a succeeding one of said parallel corrugations following the previous formation of the next preceding corrugation, said method including the step of heating the area to be die formed, die-forming said succeeding corrugation while clamping the preceding relatively cold corrugation in its formed configuration and while clamping in its flat form the balance of the relatively cold area about the area at the time being formed into said succeeding corrugation.

6. In the art of forming corrugations in metal plates and wherein certain of parallel corrugations have their ends spaced from the adjacent edges to form fiat marginal areas, the method of forming a succeeding one of said parallel corrugations following the previous formation of the next preceding corrugation, said method including the step of die-forming said succeeding corrugation while clamping the preceding corruga-' tion in its formed configuration and while clamping in its fiat form the balance of the area about the area at the time being formed into said succeeding corrugation, while subjecting the marginal area beyond the ends of the corrugation being formed to a flat clamping action of sufiicient holding effect to form or maintain the flat marginal areas at opposite edges of the plate and thus avoid crimping or puckering in such areas and said clamping action being insuificient to prevent creeping of the metal from said fiat edge areas into the corrugations.

'7. In the art of forming a corrugated panel from a sheet of metal and wherein the corrugations form a repetition of a unit pattern, each including a major corrugation and a minor corrugation extending at right angles to its associated major corrugation and in alignment with the corresponding minor corrugation on the next adjac'ent pattern unit, the method which consists in subjecting a portion of the sheet to a flat die pressing operation to form completely one unit of the pattern While holding the sheet from moving and repeating the operation on a succeeding portion of the sheet displaced from the preceding portion in the direction of the length of the preceding minor corrugation.

8. In the art of forming a corrugated panel in which certain of the corrugations are arranged parallel to each other and other corrugations are disposed at right angles to the parallel corrugations, the method which consists in die pressing a limited portion of a sheet metal plate while the plate is held stationary to form one of the parallel corrugations and the adjacent portions of the other corrugations, while flexing an adjacent portion of the plate and repeating said operation on the next adjacent portion of the plate.

9. In the art of forming corrugated areas in sheet metal car ends and in whichthe corrugations are arranged in checker-board fashion in intersecting sets, the method which consists in subjecting a flat sheet of metal to a heating and then immediately to a succession of die pressing operations beginning adjacent one edge and proceeding step by step towards the opposite edge and at each succeeding die pressing operation forming a corrugation of one set spaced a requisite distance from the similar previously formed corrugation of said set, and at the same time forming the intersecting parts of the other set of a length projecting laterally from the single corrugation being formed sufficiently long to meet and form a continuation of the same formed during the next succeeding pressing operation, and at each operation holding the uncorrugated part of the sheet immediately adjacent the corrugation being formed and which part is to be corrugated at the next step in its fiat condition to prevent the same from buckling.

10. In the art of forming a sheet metal panel including in its final form two sets of corrugations the corrugations of one set each having a relatively Wide flat top and the corrugation of the other set being each substantially U-shaped in cross section and hurdling over the Wide fiat top corrugations without change of cross sectional form, the method which consists in initially forming in a sheet of metal, a single corrugation having on opposite sides of the crown thereof a plurality of short parallel corrugation sections transverse to the single corrugation, leaving the balance of the sheet fiat for the time being, and then simultaneously subjecting the single corrugation so formed to two die forming operations, one displacing the previously formed sections in a direction away from the plane of the sheet to a distance equal to thedepth of the hurdled corrugation in the finished panel and at the same time forming the single corrugation into a single flat topcorrugation extending across the parallel corrugations and hurdled thereby and repeating said operation to form a second set of hurdled corrugations and associated hurdling corrugation sections, the latter located to form a continuation of each of the first formed hurdling corrugations.

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