US2272111A - Machine or apparatus for shaping metal tubes, containers, and the like - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1942. J. A. DOVE 2,272,111

MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR SHAPING METAL TUBES, CONTAINERS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

In venlor by I Feb. 3, 1942: J. A. DOVE 2,272,111

MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR SHAPING METAL TUBES, CONTAINERS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 o l/ I/ I 32 Inventor John fiflove,

N All ney J. A.'DOVE Feb. 3, N42

MACHINE 0R APPARATUS FOR SHAPING METAL TUBES, CONTAINERS, AND THE LIKE Filed April 21, 1939 3 Sh'ts-Sheet 3 Fig. 8.

Inventor Johnflflave, by

Att ney Patented Feb. 3, 1942 1 2,272,111 MACHINE on. APPARATUS FoR SH METAL TUBES, CONTAINERS, AND

LIKE

John Arthur Dove, Sutton-in-Ashfield, England. a'ssignor to Barringer, Wallis & Manners, Lim ited, Rock Vally, Mansfie'ld England Application April 21, 1939, Serial No. 269,2"75'v In Great Britain April25, 1938 3 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements machines or apparatus for shaping metaltubes,

containers and the like, and is primarily concerned with the shaping of thin sheet metal articles by the exercise of pressure thereon at the part or parts to be shaped. I h

The invention refers more particularly to that kind of machine wherein the shaping of tubular; cylindrical or annular bodies, such for example as sheet metal containers,is eifected by a bulging or expanding tool operating within the work while the latter is suitably supported.

An important object of the present invention is to provide simple and efiective means for supporting the work in the machine during the shaping operation, and forenabling said work to be easily and rapidly assembled in and removed from said supported position.

According to the present invention, in' a machine or apparatus of the kind aforesaid there is provided an outer or female die which accommodates the Work during the shaping operation and is so constructed that said work can be assembled within and removed from the die in a lateral direction, i. e., in a direction at right angles to the axial or longitudinal centre of the work.

More particularly the outer or female die'forj accommodating the work while being shaped comprises a plurality of hinged sections capable: of being opened for insertion of the work therein and closed upon the work during the shaping operation; means being also included for releasably fastening the hinged die in the closed'p'osition.

The invention also includes means whereby during the shaping of thework at least one "end of the work has exerted thereon a yielding or "resilient pressure. p

For the purpose of more fully describingthe nature of this invention; reference will now be madeto'the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates in part sectional elevation a hinged outer or female die according to this invention in the open position, together with an axially displaceable end support for the work.

Figure 2 isa Vertical section on Z 2 o'f'l igure l.

Figure 3 illustrates in part sectional elevation the die in the closed position,'the axiallydisplacetherein after beingsh'apedythe box having one end closed and having aside seam which is locked at the end-remote from said closed end.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view illus-. trating one methodof locking the end of the side seam of a box to be shaped;

Figurefi'is asection on6-'6 of Figure '5. Figure? is a-section-on 1- of Figure 5;

Figure8 illustratesin part sectional elevation a modified construction of outer die withshaped box therein, andalso including a end support forthe work.

By way'of example the invention will be described as applied to a machine such as that set forth in thespecification of my prior co-pending application :filed August 30,'1937,.Serial No. 161,707 new Patent No. 2,194,385, dated March- 19, 1940. This machine is for shaping tubular orsimilar articles eitherseamed or seamless and having either one end or. both ends open, the

shaping being effected by theapplication of pres: sure on the interior of the work; there being provided a relatively reoiprocatable headstock and tool holder and means for supporting the work on the headstock so as to present an open end of the work to the expanding tool for permitting entry and removal of said tool. The-tool advantageously' comprises a plurality of pressure members movable outwards to exert pressure on the work-piecefor expanding or bulging same to the required, shape, and means are also providedior. effecting relative .rotation and/or reciprocation between the work and the tool during the shaping operation. Also the headstockv has associated therewith end supports for the Work between which said Work is releasably clamped or gripped during the shaping operation.

5 In theapplication' of the present invention to v a machine as above, an outer or female die Ill,

is suitably fitted'between' the two end supports for thework; sai'd die having its inner face shaped" I .to'therequired contour of the wall of the finishedi article. This die is advantageously of cy-.

lindrical"o-r'sleeve like formation and is divided;

i l yinto two halves II, l2, one-half l I being suitably tfixed while the other'half I2 able end supportsmoved to a position engaging the end'of the Work, and a shaping tool in its operative position within the work.

Figure 41 is an enlarged sectional elevation 'is hinged'to said fixed half so as to be capable of being'swung open for permitting assembly in the die of the work 13' to' be shaped and removal of the shaped article. Ahandle l4 maybe provided onthe hinged half ofthe die for facilitating openingand closingv thereof, and means through the hinged die and illustrating a box are providedfor fastening the two halvesinthe closedposition.

Wlier'ef the workisassembled and-gripped,116-.v

spring pressed tween two end supports I5, I6, at least one of said end supports is arranged to be axially displaced for facilitating assembly and removal of the work in the machine. For example, one end support It associated with the headstock may form part of or be carried by a sleeve I'I that is rotatably mounted upon a non-rotatable boss or the like I8, there being a pin and inclined or cam slot connection I9, 29 between the boss and sleeve and a handle EI upon the latter, so that by rotating the sleeve on the boss the end support I6 may be caused to approach or recede from the opposite end support I5.

In some cases the outer die Ill may be formed with at least one part of its length spring-loaded. In other words, the die may be divided in a direction at right angles to its axis, and springs or like resilient elements incorporated at the division or divisions so as to permit of a limited degree of axial extension and contraction of the die. For example, one end portion 22 of the die (Figure 8) may be so spring-loaded, by a plurality of spaced compression springs 23 in opposed pockets 24; and with such an arrangement, when the die is closed on to the work and an axially displaceable end support I 6 (such as that beforedescribed) is moved up to the work, the springloaded portion 22 of the die is axially moved a short distance to compress the springs 23 and contract said die. moved away from the work after the shaping operation, the spring elements 23 of the springloaded portion 22 of the die It function to displace said portion axially and slightly extend the die. axial movement and prevented from rotation by pins 25 co-operating with holes 26. The springloading of the part 22 serves to assist in releasing the grip of the outer die on the work and consequently also assist in the easy and rapid removal of the shaped article when the die is opened. More particularly is this the case where the article being bulged is of polygonal shape or formed with flats and/or where bulging is effected along a portion of the length of the article or along a portion of the article spaced from each end thereof. The die is advantageously secured in the closed position during the shaping operation by a short arm or angle plate 21 fixed to the axially displaceable end support I6 for the work, and so arranged that the action of rotating the sleeve IT to move the part It up against the end of the work causes said arm 21 to pass over the hinged half I2 of the die and automatically fix same in the closed position.

During the shaping operation it is advisable to fix the container or article between end supports, at least one of which exerts a resilient or yielding pressure upon the work. One advantage gained by this is that any elongation or axial contraction of the work which may take place during shaping is allowed for, while another advantage is that the possibility of the work becoming damaged when clamping same in position is minimised.

Let it be assumed that a tubular container is being shaped having its one end closed by a disc or wall portion I311. The open end or mouth of the container formed with a curled, or partly curled edge, is assembled over or around a spigot or short annular flange 26 projecting from a portion of the head-stock constituting the end support I5 (Figure 8), or in another alternative the open end may be assembled within an annular groove or channel or between inner and When the end support I6 is The end 22 is guided and limited in its a resiliently mounted plate, disc or ring.

outer annular spigots. The opposite or closed end I3a of the container may be gripped or supported by a resilient or cushion member and/or An internal support, such as the flange 26, at the open end of the container is advisable, as same greatly assists in preventing inward collapse of a seam in the container wall.

A rubber or like compressible pad or disc 28 may be fixed to the face of the end support I6, adapted when said end support is moved towards the work to engage the end wall I3a of the container I3 and provide a cushion bearing therefor. Alternatively or additionally, the end support IE may comprise a plate or the like capable of a limited degree of axial movement relatively to the aforesaid sleeve H or other carrier against the resistance of a plurality of small compression springs 29. These springs may be pocketed in the member I6 and in a plate or flange 30 on the sleeve I1, and headed pins or screws 3| cooperating with holes in the flange 30 function to guide and limit. the movement of the member I6 against the resistance of the springs 29 (Figure 8). Thus the member I6 is pressed resiliently towards the end of the container being shaped. When dealing with a seamed sheet metal container, the possibility of the seam being broken or burst is also minimised by the use of a compressible pad 28 and/or a spring-mounted end support I6. Instead of, or in addition to, providing the spring-mounted or like resilient support at the closed end of the container, same may be provided at the open end.

The tool 32, operating within the work to shape same to the internal contour of the aforesaid hinged outer die, may embody a plurality of pivoted arms 33 terminating in pressure rollers 34, there being provided means, such for example as those described in the aforesaid patent specification, for variably determining the outward displacement of the pressure members while relative reciprocation is imparted between the tool and the work.

Where the head-stock with the assembled work is reciprocated, means may be provided for automatically rotating the aforementioned rotatable sleeve I1 carrying the resilient or compressible end support so as to press the latter into engagement with the end of the work and subsequently remove same therefrom. This may be accomplished by providing on the sleeve H a laterally projecting pin preferably with a roller, which is adapted to coact with an inclined slot or cam groove on a relatively fixed member so that when the head-stock is traversed in one direction the sleeve is rotated and caused to approach the work, and when reciprocated in the opposite direction to recede from the work. The inclined slot or cam groove terminates. in a horizontal portion so that when the sleeve has been rotated to the required extent the head-stock can be further traversed without affecting said sleeve.

Where a seamed container is being shaped it is, as aforesaid, advantageous to fix an end wall or base on the container prior to shaping. This serves. to lock the seam at one end of the container; and in order to eliminate the possibility of the seam bursting or collapsing at or towards the open end of the container, said seam may be provided at one or more positions in its length with locking means. One method of doing this is illustrated in Figures 5 to 7. The major part of the length of the seam 35 is formed in the usual manner of two oppositely folded edge por- 2,272,111 I I I ofthe work to supportthe same-one of said tions hooked one within the other and cramped together as at 36 in Figure :7. Atv the open end of the container one edge portion 31' of the seam is :entered into the outer fold of a double or ,8 fold 38 formed at the opposed; edge portion,

"members being provided with an. axial hole for thereby positively resisting tendency of the joint for internally supporting the openle'nd oi'the the entryof the expandingto ol'and at least one of said members, being axially'movableymeansfor moving said-movable member into and out of engagementfwith the work?" a die disposed between said supporting members: arranged to i circumferentiallysurround th'e work; which die a is longitudinally divided into a plurality of elecontainer. The provision of a locked seam suchduo es the'necessity' of employing an internal supportffor the open end: of the container.

' as above described, however,":eliminates ,or re- It is to be understood,however,- that the ma-g chine in i accordance with this invention can be utilised for shaping either se'amed'or seamless articles; For example, same can ,be used for shaping a container of solid'drawn'metalhav j ing an end wall or base integral with thecircum ferential wall. I

I claim: 7 1. In an apparatus ;for shaping-thin "metal tubes or containers of thekindwherein a rotat-- able expanding tool is. introduced axially within the work to operate on the walls thereof to cause them to assume the conformation of a die,rwork supporting means comprising a pair of supporting members disposed to engage theend portions 3 engaging position.

ments, atleast one of which is movable transversely of theaxisof the Work whereby the latter may. be laterally introduced into and withdrawn from the die, and :whichdie" is also divided transversely with one. portion thereof mounted for limited axial movement relative to the other; and means for retaining said'die elements in "operative work" surrounding position. I j- 2; fAnapparatus,'ias set forthin claim 1, having resilient means *tendingto axially separate the transversely; dividedparts .of the die, and

means for limiting the extent; of such separation.

- An apparatus as set forth in claim'l, having resilient means. provided at the transverse division of the die tending to vaxially separate the transversely jdivided parts thereof, and, having said movable workesupporting member arranged Y toclose said die .parts against the action of said resilient meansflassaidmember moves to work JOHN. THUR novE.

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