US2662499A - Apparatus for making wheel covers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 G. A. LYON 2,662,499

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS Filed June 21, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l m 0 C L E N W G m AM on 0 P. S U T A R A D: P A

Dec. 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 21, 1949 al 271 5.27 far 660%66 55m" [ya/v Patented Dec. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2,662,499 APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich. Application J une 21, 1949, Serial No. 100,368

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for making wheel covers and more particularly wheel covers of the kind that are adapted for use to protectively and ornamentally cover the outer side of automobile wheels.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for making vehicle wheel covers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for simply and emciently forming a bulged configuration in the marginal portion of a full disk wheel cover.

According to the general features of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for making vehicle wheel covers, a rigid supporting block, a resiliently pliable annulus of rubbertype material carried by said block and providing the sole support for a wheel cover blank having a generally channel-shaped formation with which the supporting surfaces of the annulus are substantially complementary, and forming die means having complementary formation to the upper surface of the cover member and a cover margin receiving groove formation adjacent to and opening toward a marginal portion of the cover and the periphery of the supporting annulus, said die means being operable to press the cover against the supporting annulus to deflect the supporting annulus toward said forming groove to drive the cover marginal portion bulgingly into said forming groove.

According to other general features of the invention the supporting block and the die means include generally convergently related surfaces generally converging toward the forming groove in order to facilitate deflection of the material of the annulus into the forming groove.

According to still other general features of the invention means are provided for restraining deflection of the supporting annulus to any substantial extent away from the forming groove, but aflording a small clearance with respect to the die means in the fully compressed condition of the die means whereby to afford a small pressure relief clearance for the inner margin of the annulus.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diametrical sectional view through a full disk cover blank adapted to be further processed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the blank;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged radial sectional view through the blank showing the same after a further step in the formation thereof;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view through the apparatus for further shaping the cover blank and showing the blank according to Figure 3 in the apparatus ready for further processing;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view similar to Figure 4, but showing the apparatus in the relative functional relationship assumed upon completion of the marginal bulging of the cover blank;

Figure 6 is a radial marginal sectional view through the cover blank as it appears following the operation of Figure 5 and disclosing the final formation of a portion of the blank to complete the wheel cover;

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of a vehicle Wheel assembly showing the completed cover in position on the wheel; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged radial sectional view taken substantially on line VIIIVIII of Figure 7.

As shown on the drawings:

In the manufacture of the type of full disk wheel cover which is constructed to cover substantially the entire outer side of a vehicle Wheel such as an automobile wheel and engage in selfretaining relation with the tire rim, an especial problem has existed in the formation of the marginal portions of the cover and it is to the solution of this problem that the present invention is particularly directed. To this end, a cover blank I0 is first drawn, or stamped from a sheet metal blank to the form. shown in Figures 1 and 2. This comprises a crown portion H and an annular portion 12 surrounding the crown portion and joined therewith in one piece by an inwardly directed annular rib juncture I 3. In the present instance the annular portion is of generally convex concave, or curved cross-section. The margin of the blank is provided with an angular flange formation including a generally cylindrical flange vals, herein shown as six in number with truncated corner portions I7. Thereafter, the flange extremity portion I5 is bent into substantially cylindrical rearwardly extending concentricity with the flange portion M, as shown in Figure 3.

In the completed cover it is desirable to have a marginal portion that will extend radially outwardly beyond and in concealing relation to the her or synthetic rubber, or

inturned marginal flange portion. For this purpo e the gen rally cylindrical flange portion 14, which is adjacent to the annular cover portion 52, is bulged uniformly radially outwardly substantially beyond the cylindrical diameter of the inner flange portion l5 and the flange extremities ll.

According to the present invention bulging of the flange portion id is effected by pressing a resiliently deflectable forming member which is preferably in the form of a rubber-like annulus uniformly radially outwardly into the reentrant corner defined between the annular cover portion l2 and the flange Hi, while holding the flange portion iii to its original diameter. In accomplishing this result, the rubberke annulus is squeezed while confined against substantial move ment in any direction except radially outwardly against the flange portion l4, but with limited pressure relief movement of the annulus radially inwardly so as to avoid blocking and at least overheating from excessive pressure. The pressure on the annulus is applied between opposed surfaces converging generally toward the point of application of useful pressure at the inner side of the flange portion i l of the cover blank adjacent the iuncture thereof with the annular cover portion l2. v The novel apparatus for carrying out the foregoing method is shown in Figures and 5 and comprises relatively reciprocable opposed members l8 and i9, either or both of which may be reciprocably movable relative to the other. In the present in tance the member l8 comprises a die block or anvil which is stationary and may be mounted on a press bed. On the upper margin of the lower stationary member I8 is provided a pressure ridge 2@ having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the flange !5 of the cover blank so as to fit within the cover flange substantially as shown in Figure e. At its inner side, the pressure ridge 2B is formed with a diagonal pressure face 2| merging at its lower end with the upper face of the pressure block I8. v

Mounted on the pressure face 2! is a forming annulus 22 which is preferably formed from rubequivalent material having the characteristic of resilient deflectability, but non-compressibility. That water it substantially resists compression, but will tend to escape by substantial flowing action from the pressure applied thereto. A lower radially inwardly extending attachment flange 23 on the resiliently yieldable annulus is engaged by hold down flange annulus 2A which may be secured removably to the inner upper surface of the pressure block is by means of bolts 25. Actual hold down, or clamping of the attachment flange 23 is effected by a flange portion 21 which where it opposes the body of the resilient annulus 22 is of rounded, configuration, being preferably of substantially bulbous cross-section.

The structure and the relationship of the resiliently yieldable annulus 22 is such that it fits within the reentrant marginal corner portion of the cover blank it and against the inner face of the cover annular portion l2 and in assembly of the cover blank with the resilient annulus preparatory to the forming operation serves as the sole support for the cover blank in the apparatus. For this purpose the outer periphery of the resilient annulus is preferably formed cylindrically concentric with the periphery of the pressure ridge 2%! and extends to a substantial is, like height above the peak of the pressure ridge. The upper surface of the resilient annulus is preferably formed substantially complementary to the inner surface of the annular cover portion 12. Hence, in the assembled condition, the resilient annulus fits fairly closely within the engaged portion of the cover blank.

The upper pressure member is is preferably contoured complementary to the configuration of the cover blank Hi and thus engages the crown portion ll and the annular portion 52 as well as the juncture rib it of the cover blank snugly when placed in engagement with the cover blank. Thereby these portions of the cover blank are held against deformation incident to further forming of the cover blank in the apparatus.

In order to accommodate bulging of the flange portion l4 of the cover blank and to form the bulged portion to preferred contour radius, the pressure member, or block is is formed with a bulge forming groove 23 immediately adjacent to the marginal external corner of the cover blank. By preference, however, the groove 28 is only partial with respect to the completed bulge desired and a companion groove 29 is provided in a rigid forming ring 3B which surrounds the pressure ridge 2t and projects therea-bove sufliciently to provide for the forming groove 29. In order to accommodate the flange portion l5 of the cover blank between the upper part of the pressure ridge 2% and the adjacent portion of the forming ring til, a space 31 is provided therebetween in which the flange l5 extends during the forming operation and within which the flange i5 is held to its original cylindrical diameter while nevertheless permitting the flange to move freely axially.

In operation, relative axial movement of the pressure block members IS and I9 is effected, as for example, by driving the member 19 toward the member 18 to thereby place the resilient f orrning annulus 22 under compression between the pressure ridge 2% and the opposing surface of the annular cover portion :2 as backed up by the complementary surface of the pressure block iii. By reason of the cover contour, and more especially the contour of the annular cover portion {2 which faces on its inner surface generally axially inwardly and radially outwardly and is disposed generally convergent at the radially outer side with respect to the pressure surface 2| of the pressure ridge, the resilient forming annulus 22 is resiliently deflected toward the cover blank flange I4 as the pressure is applied to the forming annulus. As a result, the cover flange I4 is bulged outwardly by the force of the deflected outer marginal portion of the forming annulus. Bulging deflection of the cover blank continues until the blank has been shaped firmly and uniformly into the forming grooves 28 and 23 to assume the desired contour of the bulge substantially as shown in Figure 5.

During the pressing operation, the securing flange 21 provides an inner marginal backing for the forming annulus 22 and resists substantial deflection radially inwardly of the annulus under the pressure so that maximum forming pressure is exerted radially outwardly by the forming annulus to effect the bulging deformation of the cover margin. Since the retaining flange 2'! is of rounded contour the resilient forming annulus is safe from any cutting damage by exertion of pressure against the retaining flange.

For pressure relief a limited inner peripheral portion of the resilient forming annulus 22 is permitted to deflect radially inwardly between the top of the retaining flange 2'5 and the rib l3 of the cover blank affording a predetermined pressure relief gap, Through this arrangement, extreme accuracy in the volume of the resilient forming ring 22! is unnecessary because pressure relief from blocking pressure is afforded in the gap between the rib is and the flange 2?. Furthermore, over-heating due to o-vercompression of the resilient forming annulus is thereby avoided Among the advantages of using a resilient forming annulus for forming the peripheral bulge in the cover resides, of course, the fact that upon releasing the forming pressure upon the annulus it immediately resiliently resumes its original shape and thus automatically withdraws from the bulge so that the now additionally formed cover blank can be lifted away from the annulus. This method of forming the bulge also has the salient advantage of low cost from the standpoint of die manufacture since substantial dimensional tolerance in the form of the resilient annulus is permitted because it conforms to the shape of the rigid metal dies during the pressing operation and thus need not be Very accurately shaped to begin with, but only need be shaped to approximate complementary form of the inside shape or the cover blank portions l2 and it. The original dimensions of the resilient annulus are preferably at least slightly undersize rather than oversize in order to facilitate placement and removal of the cover blank. Wear is a negligible factor with respect to the resilient annulus itself, and wear upon the cooperating metallic die members is also reduced because of the facility of the resilient annulus to conform itself to any imperfections in the forming surfaces of the rigid die members. The simplicity of the one piece resilient annulus as a forming die element is also an important die cost factor.

After the cover blank it has been formed with the peripheral bulge and is removed from the resilient forming annulus, the corner portions ll are turned generally radially and axially outwardly from the dash outline position to the full line position as shown in Figure 6 to provide cover retaining fingers and the cover is ready for application to a vehicle wheel. Any appropriate finish may be afforded for the outer, exposed side of the cover such as a natural polish, or plating, or any appropriate color finish, or any combination of finishes preferred.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, a wheel to which the finished cover ii! may be applied comprises a load-sustaining body portion 35 and a tire rim 35, the latter being of the multi-flanged drop-center type including a base flange 31 to which the loadsustaining body portion 35 is attached, an outer side flange 38, an intermediate flange 3d and a terminal flange structure so. The outside diameter of the cover terminal flange l is slightly less than the inside diameter of the intermediate flange of the tire rim, while the outside diameter of the peripheral bulge provided by the bulged flange i l is substantially greater than the inside diameter of the terminal flange in the tire rim. The outside diameter of a circle described by the turned out terminal corners l! is somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the intermediate flange 39. As a result, when the cover is centered with respect to the outer side of the wheel, the terminal corner portions ll engage against the shoulder providing a juncture between the intermediate flange 39 and the terminal flange 4d and as the cover is pressed axially inwardly, the terminal portions ll ride inwardly along the surface of the intermediate flange 39 and flex the flange I 5 radially inwardly whereby a strong radially outwardly gripping action of the terminals l 7 against the intermediate flange 39 eifects a wedging biting engagement which is effective to retain the cover on the wheel in service. Since the peripheral bulge it overlies the juncture shoulder between the adjacent flanges of the tire rim, it effectively conceals the gap between the flange l5 and the intermediate flange 39 of the tire rim. In addition, the peripheral bulge affords a strong marginal reinforcement for the cover and rendering the radially protruding portion of the margin substantially rigid and enhancing the resilient flexibility of the marginal retaining flange l 5. The bulge also affords a convenient pry-off rib between which the adjacent shoulder on the tire rim the pry-off tool can be conveniently interposed to pry the cover free from the Wheel when required, the resilience of the retaining flange it making such pry-off feasible.

I claim as my invention:

In apparatus for making wheel covers, a circular stationary member facing upwardly and having a peripheral upwardly projecting annular ridge provided with a cylindrical radially outwardly facing face and a radially and axially inwardly sloping inner face merging with an upwardly facing surface of said member at the base of said sloping inner face, a resilient annulus having the characteristics of rubber having a surface complementary to and lying against said inner face, said annulus having a body portion of substantial, thickness projecting upwardly above the peak of said ridge and tapering radially inwardly and then dropping axially downwardly to a radially inwardly extending flange substantially thinner than the height of said body, an annular hold-down flange member secured to said upwardly facing member radially inwardly of said annulus flange and having a radially outwardly extending flange portion upwardly offset relative to said upwardly facing member and clampingly engaging said annulus flange, said flange portion being of bulbous cross-section opposing the radially inner side of said annulus body and with the annulus body rising to a substantial height thereabove, a pressure member reciprocably overlying said upwardly facing member having an annular portion opposing the body of said annulus and with the surface of said annular portion sloping inwardly and merging with an annular downwardly projecting rib opposing said bulbous holddown flange portion so that when said pressure member is thrust downwardly against said annulus said annulus body is squeezed to flow radially outwardly beyond the peak of said ridge while a radially inner portion of the annulus body flows radially inwardly over said bulbous holddown flange portion and under said pressure member rib, said pressure member having a portion thereof extending radially outwardly beyond said annulus and defining a downwardly opening annular forming groove of limited radially outwardly extent, and a holding member adapted to clamp against said cylindrical surface of said ridge, a cylindrical flange on a cover member 'esting upon said annulus, said holding member to said groove in the ing a portion of said into by displacement cident to pressure applied thereagainst by said Number pressure member. 2,330,228 GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 2,458,854 2,467,930 References Cited in the file of th1s patent 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date 5 430 1,921,188 Ireland Aug. 8, 1933 2,304,581 Lyon Dec. 8, 1942 2,313,689 Waters Mar. 9, 1943 Name Date Lyon Sept. 28, 1943 Hull et a1 J an. 11, 1949 Coyle Apr. 19, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden Sept. 1, 1894

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