US2543480A - Heavy-duty hydraulic tube end forming machine with automatically operated chuck, punch, and stop means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 27, 1951 J. L. VAlLL HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED CHUCK, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS Filed July 30, 1945 Y.

5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jfi/v. 144/44 J. L. VAIL HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED CHUCK, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS Filed July 50, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 27, 1951 2,543,480

I IN V EN TOR. Jmv A. Z444 Feb. 27, 1951 J. 1.. VAILL 2,543,480

HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED CHUCK, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS Filed July so, 1945 s Sheets$heet 3 INVENTOR. JH/VA. 1/4/41.

1951 J. L. VAILL HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED cnucx, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS Filed July 30, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

Feb. 27, 1951 J. 1.. VAILL 2,543,430

HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORMING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED CHUCK, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS Filed July 30, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v j I J "33a, 30

75 i 1 it 29 ll id ii 1 i! IL I I I f i fin; 1 i I TH" 56 .37

' INVENTOR. L7/m Z. M441.

AT 7 @5125 'Y Patented F eb. 27, 1951 HEAVY-DUTY HYDRAULIC TUBE END FORM- ING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED CHUCK, PUNCH, AND STOP MEANS John L. Vaill, Waterbury, Conn.

Application July 30, 1945, Serial No. 607,758

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to tube end forming machines, and more particularly to a manuallycontrolled hydraulically-operated machine for automatically beading, flaring, fianging, expanding, sinking, and otherwise shaping the end of a tube of any workable material, such as aluminum, steel, etc.

One object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above nature, in which the tube will be manually inserted and pushed against an adjustable stop member and then clamped by means of a pair of cooperating chucking die members before the shaping or forming operation.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature, in which the stop member will be swung downwardly out of the way of the forming tool before the latter strikes the end of the tube.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature in which the stop member is pivotally connected to the upper crosshead of the machine, and is movable with it downwardly out of the way of the forming tool before the latter strikes the end of the tube.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature having a split horizontal chucking die, the upper section of which is movable downwardly by hydraulic action for clamping the work tightly against the lower section prior to and during the forming operation.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature in which provision is made of a set of interchangeable dies and punches, which will permit a wide variety of tube sizes and shapes to be formed on a single machine.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature in which sinking and expanding tools may also be selectively carried by the same ram which operates the beading, flaring, and fianging punch.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature, in which the tube end forming operation will be performed automatically in a fraction of the time required with former manual methods, and which machine may be operated by relatively unskilled labor on a mass production basis.

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature which will be relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, safe and quiet in operation, powerful, double-acting, self-lubricated, having 'a, minimum of moving parts, and very efiicient and durable in use.

embodying the present invention.

Fig. '2 is a rear elevation of the same, showing the arrangement of the operating valves and piping connections.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view Of the same, showing a flaring punch holder secured on the forward end of the reciprocating ram.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, on a larger scale,

of one half of the split tube-chucking die.

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly in section, of a flared tube produced by the machine.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine, taken along the line 66 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6A is a fragmentary sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 6, showing the die, the punch, and the stop bar in the positions they would 00- cupy at the end of a flaring operation, and also showing the flared tube partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a, transverse sectional view taken along the line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an intermediate sinking die which is adapted to be detachably connected to the tool-carrying ram and which is interchangeable with the forward tube end forming punch holder.

Fig. 8a is a fragmentary sectional view showing the appearance of the sinking die when installed in operating position in the opposed slots of the ram.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the forward part of the ram, showing the expanding punch installed at the rear of the ram recess.

The heavy duty hydraulic tube end forming machine herein disclosed is similar in some respects, and constitutes an improvement over a light weight pneumatically-operated tube end forming machine, disclosed in a prior application by the same inventor, Serial No. 556,189, filed September 28, 1944, and entitled Tube End Forming Machine, patented May 25, 1948, No. 2,442,224.

In the cycle of operation of the present machine, when the start push button is pressed, the crosshead will first move down to close the chucking dies about the tube, which has previously been inserted manually through said dies. The horizontal ram (carrying the forming tool or tools) will then move forwardly to process the tube end shape, and then withdraw-each phase of the operating cycle progressing automatically without further attention on the part of the operator. The upper chucking die will then rise to permit the manual removal of the formed tube.

The present machine employs the cold forging principle. A steady hydraulic pressure is exerted on the full circumference of the tube end, with the result that more severe and complete working of the metal becomes possible than could be accomplished with any rolling or spinning process where only a small section of the tube was engaged at one time.

During the forming operation, the gauge may actually be increased, resulting in greater strength, and smooth tube end shapes will be obtained which are free from all rolling and spinning marks, as well as hammer impressions. Objectional vibrations are also eliminated due to the absence of rapidly rotating eccentric rolls and reciprocating swaging hammers.

A wide variety of tube end shapes may be produced with a single machine. The tools are relatively inexpensive and the machine is ef-- ficiently laid out to accommodate the numerous forms of tools. Thus, a simple set of tools consisting of a punch, and a pair of clamp blocks may be employed to produce work within commercial tolerances, or a more elaborate self-contained set of tools can be built requiring no adjustments, to obtain a combination of shapes to fit exacting specifications with one operation.

A safety feature of the machine is the emergency stop button, which, when depressed at any time during the operating cycle, causes the machine to reverse instantly, and open up the chucking dies so that the tube may be removed, whenever desired.

Essentially the machine is a versatile, doubleaction automatic hydraulic press. It is doubleaction by reason of the fact that it operates both the vertically-movable crosshead and the horizontally-movable forming ram. It is automatic in that the pressing of the start push button causes the machine to complete an entire cycle of operation within a short time.

The chucking crosshead and the tool-carrying ram are both actuated by pistons located in hydraulic cylinders in which oil under pressure is forced by a motor-driven pump from an oil reservoir which is built into the frame of the machine. The pump is operated from an independent control box which starts and stops the motor. Hy-

draulic valves installed in the hydraulic circuit,

located at the rear of the machine, control the operating pressures of the system and the proper sequence of each phase of the cycle. All of these valves are accessible and easily adjusted.

By means of the present machine, numerous tube end shapes such as beads, single and doublelapped flares, single and double-lapped flanges, expanded and reduced sections, as well as com binations of the same, may be readily formed on tubes of any workable metal or alloy.

In view of the fact that the present machine has only a few moving parts and that only the motor and pump bearings and the horizontal traverse slide require lubrication, long life can be expected therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral ID indicates the rectangular. frame of the machine, and the numeral lOa the upper portion thereof. The

4 frame H] is supported upon the fiOOr by means of four vertical legs, as shown.

In the forward part of the upper frame portion ltla, provision is made of an upstanding end thrust lug H which is adapted to support a pair of complementary cooperating bottom and top chucking dies |2, E3, the former of which is seated on the frame portion |0a. Each of the chucking dies |2, I3 is herein shown (Fig. 4) as being provided on one flat horizontal face with a plurality (three in this instance) of semi-circular die grooves l6, l1, l8, and on its opposite face with a single semi-circular die groove IS. The die grooves l6, l1, |8, [9 are provided with beveled edges 20, 2|, 22, 23, respectively, as shown. The outer sides of both chucking dies 52, i 3 are provided with vertical rectangular slots 24, 25 which are adapted to absorb the end thrust of the forming ram and guide the movable chucking die in its up and down movements in cooperation with apair of vertical ribs 25, 2'! formed on a pair of .L-shaped brackets 28, 29 secured to the upper frame Illa.

The upper chucking die l3 is adapted to be raised and lowered into and out of clamped position by means of a pair of vertical draw bars 30, 3|, which are preferably round in cross section, and provided on their upper ends with a pair of nuts 32, 33, respectively, which engage tightly against a movable upper crosshead 38 which embraces said drawbars, and to which crosshead the upper movable chucking die is detachably secured as by screws 33a, 330. located in tapped holes 3317,3327.

Provision is also made of a lower crosshead 35 which is secured to the drawbars 30, 3! by a pair of nuts 36, 31 located underneath said lower crosshead 35. The crosshead 35 is adapted to be connected by means of a chucking cylinder bolt 38, having a head 39 and a threaded lower end 48, to a tapped upper neck 4| of a chucking piston 42. which is adapted to reciprocate vertically within a chucking cylinder 43 supplied with light oil under pressure from an oil reservoir 85, through a pair of ports 44, 45.

By means of this construction, it will be seen that the chucking piston 42 is adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly, respectively, to clamp and unclamp the tube T between the chucking dies |2, |3.

After the tube T has been clamped tightly between the chucking dies 2, l3, by the mechanism described above, it is adapted to be headed, flared, flanged, expanded, sunk, double-la flared, double-lap flanged, etc. by means of a horizontal toolcarrying U-shaped plunger gate or ram 25 which is adapted to slide within a pair of horizontal dovetailed ways 46a, 46a mounted in the top of the frame section Illa.

The ram 46 has secured thereto at its forward end, as by screws 46b, a punch-holding block 48, which has a punch 49 detachably held therein selectively, in any one of three horizontal sockets 50, by set screws 41.

The ram 46 is provided with a forward rectangular recess 41a having a pair of opposed intermediate vertical slots 5|, 52 for selectively receiving a reducing (or sinking) die (Fig. 8), shaped to fit within said slots 5|, 52 (see Fig. 8A), and having a pair of side flanges 54, 55 (see Fig. 8), said side flanges being adapted to rest upon the top surface of ram 48 at points adjacent said slots 5|, 52.

The recess 47a in the ram 45 is also provided with a rear cylindrical socket 56 above which is a vertical aperture 51 for receiving a vertical set screw 51a which is adapted to engage a centering plug 59 of a detachable expanding punch 58 (as clearly shown in Fig. 9)-said plug 59 fitting in said socket 55.

It will be understood that the end punch 49, the sinking die 53, and the expanding punch 58 may be selectively employed, and in use may be detacliably secured on the front of the ram 45, in the opposed recesses 51, 52, and in the rear socket 556, respectively.

Embracing the rear end of the ram 46 is a U- shaped adaptor member fill having a vertical pivot pin passing therethrough, said pivot pin being provided with a knurled top head 82 for convenience in manipulation.

The adaptor member iii) is provided with a reduced rear threaded section 63 which is adapted to be screwed into a ram-operating piston rod 66 which is connected to a piston located within a horizontal working cylinder 65 supplied with oil under pressure from the pump 8i! through a pair of ports 66, 61.

In order to limit the inward movement of the tube T when it is being inserted between the chucking dies l2, I3, provision is made of a substantially vertically adjustable rectangular open bracket 58 having a forwardly-oflset horizontal bottom stop bar 69. The bracket 83 is provided at its top with a forwardly inclined ear H! which is pivoted. on a horizontal pin ii, mounted in a pair of opposed pivot brackets l2, 73 secured to a raised section of the upper crosshead 34, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and '7 of the drawing.

Provision is also made of a pair of rearwardlyextending coiled springs M, 75 located in a horizontal position in sockets on the rear of the upper cro shead 3 !said springs engaging intermediate sections of the vertical legs of the stop bracket 68, as shown.

In order to adjust the position of the bottom stop bar 59, provision is made of a horizontal adjusting screw 76 having a forward threaded end located in a tapped hole 1'! on the rear of the upper crosshead 34, and being provided with a knurled rear head 18 for convenience in manipulation.

The intermediate portion of the stop-adjusting screw is adapted to be located within an elongated slot '19 formed in the bracket 68 below the forwardly inclined top ear 'H).

The numeral 8i! indicates a hydraulic pump which is adapted to be driven by an electric motor 34 under the control of a motor starter 82, having a pair of start and stop switch push buttons 33, EM, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. 0'11 for operating the hydraulic system is stored in the reservoir 85. Provision is also made of a pair of relays 8%, 8? located near the lower portion of the frame I 0said relays being connected to a four-way valve 88, having a pair of solenoids 89, 95, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Provision is also made of a main relief valve iii and a secondary relief valve 92, arranged as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to continue the cycle of operation, automatically, after the machine has been started into operation by means of a start switch button 96, provision is made of a pressure switch 93, a counter-balanced valve 94, and a sequence valve 95, as shown.

To permit the machine to be reversed whenever desired, an emergency stop switch button 9'! is located adjacent the start button 95.

Operation In the operation of the machine herein disclosed, the motor-driven pump 88 will first force oil under pressure from the reservoir to the chucking cylinder 43 for depressing the upper chucking die it against the lower die 12, thereby lowering the stop bar 69 out of the path of the forming tool, and subsequently will deliver oil under pressure to the working cylinder 65 to force the punch-carrying ram 46 forwardly toward the tube T.

The operating cycle of the machine is started by actuating the start push button 96, which is located conveniently at the upper front portion of the machine. This causes the contacts of the relay -56 to close, and energize one coil 89 of the solenoid-operated four-way valve 88. Oil under pressure will then flow from the pump 80 through the main relief valve 9 I, the solenoid valve 88, the secondary relief valve 92, into the chucking cylinder 43, causing the upper chucking die 13 to descend and clamp the tube '1', which has previously been inserted manually through the end of the machine against the adjustable stop bar 69.

The oil pressure will then build up and cause the secondary relief valve 532 to open, permitting oil to flow into the rear of the piston in the main working cylinder 55-5, and thus causing the ram 38 to carry the forming tool against the tube T.

When the tube T has been shaped by the forming tool carried by the ram, the pressure will build up still further and cause the pressure switch 93 to close automatically and actuate the second relay 8'! which will reverse the position of the solenoid valve 88. Oil will then be admitted to the forward side of the piston in the working cylinder 65, and the ram 46 will be caused to return to its original rear position.

It will be understood that during the rearward movement of the tool-carrying ram 46, the crossheads 34 and 35 will be held in the down position by the counter-balance and sequence valves 95, 95.

When the ram returns to its original rear position, it will also be understood that the operation of the valves 94, 95 will admit oil to the chucking cylinder 43 causing the vertical crossheads 34, 35 to rise to their original elevated positions.

The tube T may then be removed manually from the machine, which will then be ready for another operating cycle.

If at any time it is desired to remove a defective tube, or stop the machine for any other reason, without the necessity of completing the entire cycle of operation, it will only be necessary to depress the emergency stop button 9?, causing the operating cycleto reverse itself immediately.

It will be understood that if desired, the system can be so regulated that only the crosshead will descend and rise, or that only the ram will reciprocate.

The relays 86, 81, are, of course, controlled by the push buttbns 96, 97 and the automatic pressure switch .93. In other words, the actuation of the start button 95 will operate the relay 85, while the actuation of the stop button 91, or the automatic operation of the pressure switch 93, will cause the other relay 81' to func-- tion.

One advantage of the present machine is that it is extremely easy to operate, because it is merely necessary for the operator to sit or stand in front of the machine and manually insert the tube T through an opening inside of the casing, until it engages the stop bracket 68. It will then only be necessary to operate the start push button 96, whereupon the upper chucking die [3 will close upon the tube T, and the successive steps of the forming operation will thereafter be performed automatically, including the retracting of the tool-carrying ram, and the opening of the chucking dies, after which the tube T may be removed manually by the operator.

A further advantage is that the stop bracket may be readily adjusted by the manipulation of the control knob 18 on the end of the stop screw 16 so as to control the outside diameter of the bead or the shape of the flare, flange, etc. formed on the tube end, with a high degree of accuracy.

A further advantage is that all moving parts of the machine may be enclosed by a protective casing (not shown), thereby making it entirely safe for the operator.

A further advantage is that with the present machine it is possible to produce a flare in which all waviness is eliminated.

A further advantage is that progressive operations may be performed with the same machine by means of three sets of tools laid side by side (as shown in Fig. 4).

The present machine also makes it possible to produce a steep flare on the end of a tube, and, if desired, mandrels may be used, which may or may not be collapsible, and may or may not be used with strippers.

A further advantage of the present machine is that since the tube is arranged in a horizontal position, longer lengths may be handled than was possible with vertical crank-operated presses.

While there has been disclosed in this specification several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for automatically forming the end of a tube made of a material capable of being cold-worked. hydraulic means for chucking said tube to hold it in stationary position, a punch for engaging the'end of said tube, a hydraulically-operated punch-holding ram mounted to reciprocate in said machine, means for operating said chucking means to clamp said tube, means responsive to the completion of said chucking operation to automatically thereafter successively advance and retract said ram to force said punch into and out of engagement with the end of said tube and open said chucking means, and stop means to limit the inserted position of the end of said tube prior to the closing of said chucking means, said stop means being fixed upon said chucking means for movement therewith during clamping and uncla-mping movement thereof.

2. In a machine for forming the end of a tube made from a material capable of being coldworked, a frame, a stationary lower chucking die secured to said frame, a hydraulically-operated downwardly movable crosshead, an upper chucking die secured to said crosshead for clamping 8 said tube against said stationary chucking die, a forming tool, a. hydraulically-operated ram having means for detachably holding said tool, means responsive to the completion of the clamping of said tube for automatically thereafter successively advancing and retracting said ram to force said tool into and out of forming engagement with the end of said tube and raising said upper chucking die, and stop means to limit the inserted position of the end of said tube prior to the closing of said chucking dies, said stop means being fixed upon said upper chucking die for movement therewith during clamping and unclamping movement thereof.

3. In a machine for forming the end of a tube made from a material capable of being coldworked, a frame, a stationary lower chucking die secured to said frame, a hydraulically-operated downwardly movable crosshead, an upper chucking die secured to said crosshead for clamping said tube against said stationary chucking die, a forming tool, a hydraulically-operated ram having means for detachably holding said tool, means responsive to the completion of the clamping of said tube for automatically forcing said upper die down upon said tube, and thereafter successively advancing and retracting said ram to force said tool into and out of forming engagement with the end of said tube and raising said upper chucking die, and a rectangular open stop bracket pivoted to said crosshead above the position of said tube, said bracket having a bottom stop bar initially in alignment with said tube to limit the position thereof when it is being inserted through the chucking dies, prior to the closing thereof, the downward movement of said crosshead during the closing of said chucking dies serving to move said stop bar out of alignment with said tube and ram.

4. In a machine for forming the end of a tube made from a material capable of being coldworked, a frame, a stationary lower chucking die secured to said frame, a hydraulically-operated downwardly movable crosshead, an upper chucking die secured to said crosshead for clamping said tube against said stationary chucking die, a forming tool, a hydraulically-operated ram having means for detachably holding said tool, means responsive to the completion of the clamping of said tube for automatically forcing said upper die down upon said tube, and thereafter successively advancing and retracting said ram to force said tool into and out of forming engagement with the end of said tube and raising said upper chucking die, and an open rectangular spring-pressed stop bracket pivotally connected to said crosshead to limit the position of the end of said tube when it is inserted between said chucking dies prior to the closing thereof, whereby the operation of moving said crosshead downwardly will cause said stop block to move out of alignment with said tube and said ram.

5. In a machine for forming the end of a tube made from a material capable of being coldworked, a frame, a stationary lower chucking die secured to said frame, a hydraulically-operated downwardly movable crosshead, an upper chucking die secured to said crosshead for clamping said tube against said stationary chucking die, a forming tool, a hydraulically-operated ram having means for detachably holding said tool, means responsive to the completion of the clamping of said tube for automatically forcing said upper die down upon said tube, and thereafter successively advancing and retracting said ram to force said tool into and out of forming engagement with the end of said tube and raising said upper chucking die, and said ram having an open rectangular recess at the forward end thereof, means for detachably and selectively securing to the end of said ram a punch for beading, flaring, or flanging the end of said tube, means on the opposite sides of said ram recess for detachably and selectively securing a tool for reducing the diameter of the end portion of said tube, and means in the rear of said ram recess for detachably and selectively securing a tool for expanding the diameter of the end portion of said tube.

6. In a machine for forming the end of a tube made from a material capable of being coldworked, a frame, a stationary lower chucking die secured to said frame, a hydraulically-operated downwardly movable crosshead, an upper chuck.- ing die secured. to said crosshead for clamping said tube against said stationary chuckin die, a

forming tool, a hydraulically-operated ram having means for detachably holding said tool, means responsive to the completion of the clamping of said tube for automatically forcing said upper die down upon said tube, and thereafter successively advancing and retracting said ram to force said tool into and out of forming engagement with the end of said tube and raising said upper chucking die, a U-shaped adaptor embracing the rear of said ram, and a removable vertical pivot pin passing through the arms of said adaptor and said ram, said adaptor having a reduced threaded rear end detachably connected to the hydraulic ram-operating piston. JOHN L. VAILL.

10 REFERENCES orrsn The following references are of record in the file oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 410,000 Matheson Aug. 29, 1889 489,439 Vollmer et a1 Jan. 3, 1893 716,217 Glenn Dec. 16, 1902 774,154 Budd Nov. 8, 1904 818,337 Barnes Apr. 17, 1906 989,805 Reynolds Apr. 18, 1911 1,150,040 Kuhn Aug. 17, 1915 1,383,840 Mueller et a1 July 5, 1921 1,740,792 Strachauer Dec. 24, 1929 1,868,094 Devine July 19, 1932 1,914,235 Benbow June 13, 1933 1,950,154 Rosenberg Mar. 6, 1934 1,955,356 Brenner Apr. 17, 1934 2,023,657 Wilson Dec. 10, 1935 2,100,939 Brenner Nov. 30, 1937 2,176,188 Poole Oct. 17, 1939 2,241,807 Cotner May 13, 1941 2,299,105 Muir Oct. 20, 1942 2,301,028 Esch Nov. 3, 1942 2,302,115 Gazey Nov. 17, 1942 2,394,841 Bugg Feb. 12, 1946 2,438,999 Hartley Apr. 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 565,662 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1944

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