US2282588A - Apparatus for forming metal articles - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1942. L O 2,282,588

APPARATUS FOR FORMING METAL ARTICLES I Filed July 22, I939 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Geae a: #4 acer Lye/v.

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May 12, 1942. G. A; LYON APPARATUS FOR FORMING METAL.ARTICLEB Filed July 22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m Qn E QM \3 mun W Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FORMING METAL ARTICLES George Albert Lyon, Allenhurst, N. J. Application July 22, 1939, Serial No. 285,879

2 Claims. ,(CL113-49) This application is a continuation in part of U wheel disks permits the more economical manu- T facture of vehicle wheels, since the wheels themselves may be designed solely for strength and utility without regard to ornamental appearance, the wheel disks being employed for this latter purpose. The most popular form of wheel disk at the present time is a wheel disk having a highly polished exterior surface. In order to minimize the total cost of the wheel assembly, it is of course, necessary to minimize the cost of the wheel disk itself as much as possible. The thinner the sheet metal stock is, which is employed to make a wheel disk, the greater the saving is in the manufacturing costs. It has been found that a wheel disk maybe constructed of a sheet of metal stock having a thickness dimension of such a character that if a single thickness of metal stock is engaged by the resilient wheel disk fastening elements on the wheel, the metal of the disk would be deformed at that point, but which, when presented as a double thickness of metal formed by a fold, the metal in the disk at the point of engagement of the wheel disk fastening element is not deformed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel apparatus for us in the manufacture of metal articles and particularly wheel disks possessing the above highly desirable characteristics.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel apparatus for manufacturing wheel disks which is extremely economical and which provides a resulting product which is rugged and reliabl in use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel apparatus for manufacturing wheel disks of the type having an integral folded fastening flange.

Another and further object ofthis invention is to provide novel apparatus for-forming an axially extending integral folded fastening flange.

Another and still further object of this invention is to provide novel apparatus for directly forming a double thickness of metal in a sheet metal article and particularly in a wheel disk to provide a fastening flange which extends obliquely axially rearwardlyand radially inwardly.'

5 portion of a die press having circular symmetry The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention-itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with"fur-' ther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a wheel disk of the type for which my novel apparatus is employed in the manufacture thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the wheel disk taken along the line II-II of Figure 1; v t

Figure 3 shows a pro-formed metal blank formed of sheet metal stock as it appears before it is placed in the novel apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a die press having circular symmetry, which apparatus is employed to form the integral folded flange of the wheel disk;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but shows the die press at the completion of its flange forming operation;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional View of a showing a modified form of apparatus in which a double thickness obliquely extending folded flange is formed directly in a single operation; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the various elements of the press and the metal stock as it appears after the forming operation in this press.

'In the various figures of the drawings, I have illustrated apparatus which is employed in the forming of an integral folded fastening flange in a wheel disk structure which provides the wheel disk with a double thickness of metal where it is the body part of the wheel, when the outer-pe- L'Il central dome-shaped portion I I and an outer ring portion I2. At the junction of the central crown portion II with the outer ring portionIZ, an integral depending folded fastening flange I3 is provided which extends axially rearwardly and radially outwardly. The folded flange I3 is arranged to be engaged by resilient wheel .disk fastening elements (not shown) carried .on the wheel.

While the central crown portion I I of the wheel disk Ill has been illustrated as a simple convex surface, and while the outer ring portion I2 has been illustrated as having a convex crosssectional configuration, it will, of course, be understood by those skilled in the art, that any suitable configuration may be given these portions .of the wheel disk without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

One embodiment of my invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings which illustrates apparatus for forming an integral axially extending folded or double thickness flange. Prior to inserting the metal stock in the apparatus shown in Figure 4, the metal stock is provided with the shape as shown in Figure 3 in any suitable manner such as by means of a die press. This metal blank l4 has a central dome-shaped portion I5 and an outer ring portion I6 which is joined to the dome-shaped portion I5 by an upstanding axially extending wall portion l1. It will be observed that the ring portion I5 extends away from the upstanding wall portion I? at a slightly acute angle thereto.

Turning now to Figures 4 and 5, I have illus- I trated therein one embodiment of the present invention wherein a die press of novel design is provided for, forming the integral folded flange in the metal blank I4 which is shown in Figure 3. For purposes of simplicity, only a portion of the .die press has been illustrated, ,but it is to be understood that this die press has circular symmetry, therefore the illustration is suflicient to completely illustrate its novel design and construction. Moreparticularly, the die press which is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 includes .a lower die block I8 having an upstanding solid die ring I9 defining an interior opening 25 above the base of the die block. Inside the opening is a reciprocal die pad 2I normally urged upwardly by a plurality of springs 22 or the equivalent disposed and carriedin recesses 23 on the base of the die block, and bearing against the underside of the die pad 2|. The outward movement of the die pad 2| is limited in any suitable manner (not shown). As seen in Figure 4,. the die pad 2| is in its uppermost position.

The die press illustrated in-Figure 4 also includes an upperdie member 24 which is provided hold-down ring 21 which is normally urged downwardly by a plurality of springs 28 or their equivalent, each of which is seated in a confronting recess in the die 24 and the hold-down ring 21 respectively, as at 29 and 30. The downward movement of the hold-down ring 21 with respect to the central die pad 25 is limited by a plurality of pins 3|, each firmly fixed in the stationary ring 26, and an end of which extends into a suitable recess 32 in the hold-down ring 21. As the holddown ring 21 is seen in Figure 4, it is in its lowermost position with respect to the central die part 25.

The upper surface 33 of the die ring I9 of the lower die member I8 is shaped to have the ring portion I6 of the metal article or blank intimately seated thereon, and the opposing face 34 of the hold-down ring 21 is shaped complemental to the surface 33 so as to intimately engage the upper portion of the ring portion I6. A cut out recess is provided on the upper inner side of the die ring I9, as at 35. The side wall 35 of the cut out portion of the die ring I9 in conjunction with the side wall of the die pad ZI provides a confined forming space 36 in which the folded flange of the wheel diskwill be formed.

From inspection of Figure 4, it will be observed that the portion of the die ring I9 which lies immediately below the cylindrical portion I1 is cut away in such a manner that upon application of an axial pressure to the upper die member 24, the metal in the article forming the cylindrical portion I1 will be forced or pushed downwardly into the confined forming space 36. More specifically, as the downward force is applied to the central crown portion I5 of the blank I4, the metal forming the cylindrical portion I1 is progressively rolled and unrolled down into the forming space 36 until the crown portion I5 has reached a position as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. As is clearly shown in Figure 5 the metal which in Figure 4 formed the cylindrical wall portion I1 has now been folded downwardly into the forming space 35 into an integral depending folded flange 31. As will at once be observed from an inspection of Figure 5, the folded flange 31 provides a double thickness of metal at this point.

At the completion of the pressing operation, as shown in Figure 5, the upper die member 24 is raised and the resulting metal article lying on the die pad 21 and the lower die ring I9 is removed .from the press. This article is now taken and by any suitable rolling, spinning or pressing operation the depending folded flange 31 is bent obliquely radially outwardly until it has assumed the shape illustrated in Figure 2 and identified by the reference character .I 3. The wheel disk is now completed and it includes a central crown-shaped portion II, an outer ring portion I2, and a depending integrally folded fastening flange I3. It is, of course, to be understood that the axially extending folded flange 31 may be bent obliquely inwardly instead of outwardly if desired.

In Figures 6 and 7, I have illustrated a modified .form of the present invention wherein the apparatus is arranged to form the integral folded flange directly into an obliquely inwardly extending flange thus eliminating the need for a subsequent rolling or forming step as is required in conjunction with the apparatus illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 when the flange is to extend in an oblique direction to the axis of the disk.

Referring first to Figure 6, the die press which is fragmentarily illustrated therein includes a lower die block 38 having an upstanding central die portion 39. The upstanding central die portion 39 includes a flat central portion 40 which does not engage the metal blank I 4 and an annular die surface 4| which is shaped to have the ring portion l6 intimately seated thereon. The die surface 4 I, however, continues downwardly as at 42, at an oblique angle, and then upwardly as at 43, at a second oblique angle, as is clearly shown in the drawings. The obliquely inclined surfaces 42 and 43 form an annular groove or forming space in which the integral depending flange will be formed in the manner presently to, be described.

The die press illustrated in Figure 6 also includes an upper die member 45 which is provided with a central depending die portion 46 complemental in character to the dome-shaped configuration of the metal article l4. Spaced from the central die part 46 is a depending fixed ring 41, and in the space between the fixed ring 41 and die part 46 is a reciprocal hold-down ring 48, which is normally urged downwardly by a plurality of springs 49 or the equivalent, each of which is seated in confronting recesses 50 and in the die member 45 and the hold-down ring 48 respectively. The downward movement of the hold-down ring 48 is limited by a plurality of pins 52 each firmly fixed in the stationary ring 41 and having an end portion 53 which extends into a suitable recess 54 in the hold-down ring 48. As the hold-down ring 48 is seen in Figure 6, it is in its lowermost or outer position with the inner horizontal edge of each respective slot 54 abutting a pin 52.

The inner lower corner of the hold-down ring 48 is preferably rounded off, as at 55, and the outer lower corner of the depending central die portion 46 is also preferably rounded off, as at 55.

As the upper die member 45 is moved downwardly under pressure, the metal in the metal part or blank l4 at the junction point of the ring portion [6 and the central dome-shaped portion I5 is rolled or forced downwardly along the inclined surface 42 of the forming space 44.

apart if desired.

The metal article or blank I4, which is now in the form of a wheel disk, may now be removed from the die press after its flange forming operation, and any final finishing or polishing steps may thereafter be performed upon it to place it in its final condition for use on a vehicle wheel. Due to the fact that there is'a double thickness of metal in the fastening flange 5'! of the wheel disk, the wheel disk at this point is capable of withstanding greater forces without permanent disforming than it is throughout the the portions of the wheel over which the double thickness flange is snapped are relatively stiff, it is clear that an increase in strength of the wheel disk in its fastening flange portion is not only desirable but necessary to prevent any undesirable disforming of the wheel disk at this point when relatively thin sheet metal stock has been employed in making the disk.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for shaping a disk-like part having crown and ring portions and a wall portion connecting said crown and ring portions, cooperative die. parts including a member for engaging the crown portion of said part, an annular member concentric with said crown engaging member and mounted for relative axial movement with respect thereto for engagement with the ring portion of said part, said annular member having a sloping wall corresponding in shape to the wall portion of said part and arranged to initially contact thesame, said base member having a relatively narrow inclined annular recess with its outermost extremity aligned with and arranged to receive a lower extremity of said wall portion, said crown engaging member being movable toward said base member whereby the ma terial of said wall portion is progressively curled and radially deflected inwardly into a double thickness slanting skirt between said crown and ring portions, said inclined recess slanting downwardly and inwardly under said crown engaging member directly under the crown portion of the part engaged thereby so as to deflect the wall portion downwardly and inwardly and underneath said crown portion whereby the ensuing skirt is turned back under said crown portion.

2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by the inclined recess being defined at its lower end by a relatively narrow shoulder and in the direction of its length by a relatively long downwardly and radially inclined surface terminating at said shoulder.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

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