US3691337A - Forming mill guides - Google Patents

Forming mill guides Download PDF

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Publication number
US3691337A
US3691337A US146138A US3691337DA US3691337A US 3691337 A US3691337 A US 3691337A US 146138 A US146138 A US 146138A US 3691337D A US3691337D A US 3691337DA US 3691337 A US3691337 A US 3691337A
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United States
Prior art keywords
tube
forming
guides
improvement
stands
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Expired - Lifetime
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US146138A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jack Morris
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Olin Corp
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Olin Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21C—MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES OR PROFILES, OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL
    • B21C37/00—Manufacture of metal sheets, bars, wire, tubes or like semi-manufactured products, not otherwise provided for; Manufacture of tubes of special shape
    • B21C37/06—Manufacture of metal sheets, bars, wire, tubes or like semi-manufactured products, not otherwise provided for; Manufacture of tubes of special shape of tubes or metal hoses; Combined procedures for making tubes, e.g. for making multi-wall tubes
    • B21C37/08—Making tubes with welded or soldered seams

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Forming mill guides for use in an apparatus for forming a strip material into a tube wherein the strip thickness to tube diameter ratio is less than 3 percent.
  • the guides are located intermediate each of the forming stands in the forming mill portion of the apparatus and prevent the edges of the strip or tube from popping out or buckling.
  • the guides generally comprise a member having a concave face which is contoured to contact and support the strip or tube between each of the respective forming stands.
  • the apparatus also includes means for aligning the guides with the strip or tube and is particularly applicable to the formation of non-ferrous alloy tubing, such as copper or copper base alloys.
  • the guides are preferably formed of a plastic material, such, as nylon.
  • This invention relates to an apparatus forforming strip into tubing. It is particularly useful with apparatus employing high frequency welding techniques.
  • a forming mill used to shape the strip generally includes a plurality of roll stands or dies. As the strip progressively travels through the mill from one roll stand to the next, the elongation in the edges progressively accumulates.
  • the strip thickness to diameter ratio is less than 3 percent and particularly when it is less than 2 percent; especially for large diameters on the order of 3 inches or more, the strip has no column strength to maintain its shape against spring back. Consequently on progressing from stand to stand, the strip tends to pop out or buckling of the edges occurs.
  • the guides have a face which is contoured to contain and support the strip between respective forming stands.
  • the guides are adjustable and support the edges in a continuous transition from both up stream and down stream forming stands.
  • the guides are normally formed of a material such as nylon although numerous other materials may be employed as will be discussed hereinafter.
  • FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram for a typical apparatus for forming strip material into tubing.
  • FIG. 2 shows typical cross sections of the strip and partially formed tube at each of the forming stands in the forming mill superimposed upon one another.
  • FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred joining apparatus for use in accordance with this invention.
  • FIG. 4 shows a top view of a portion of a forming mill typical of the prior art.
  • FIG. 5 shows a top view of a portion of a forming mill having guide means in accordance with this invention.
  • FIG. 6 shows a perspective view illustrating the engagement between the guide means in accordance with this invention and the preformed tube.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the guide cross section and engagement during the early stages of tube forming.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the guide cross section and engagement during the later stages of forming.
  • FIG. 9 shows a cross section of the guide means adjustment mechanism along the line A--A in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 1 there is illustrated in the form of a flow diagram an apparatus for forming a strip of material into a tube. After the strip has been fonned into a tube, the strip edges are joined by any conventional technique as, for example, high frequency welding. A flow diagram has been selected to describe the apparatus in which the invention is incorporated. The elements depicted therein are all conventional and well known in the art.
  • the apparatus preferably comprises a supply of strip material, a forming mill section for forming the strip material into an open tube comprising forming stands 1 through 7, a joining section for joining the edges of the open tube together and a tube shaping or sizing section comprising shaping or sizing stands 8, 9 and 10.
  • a forming mill section for forming the strip material into an open tube comprising forming stands 1 through 7, a joining section for joining the edges of the open tube together and a tube shaping or sizing section comprising shaping or sizing stands 8, 9 and 10.
  • the forming mill section and tube shaping section comprise forming stands which are generally conventional roll type forming stands, although dies or any other conventional forming means could be employed.
  • forming stands which are generally conventional roll type forming stands, although dies or any other conventional forming means could be employed.
  • the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the use of roll forming stands although this is not meant to be limitive of the invention. Further, the number of forming stands in the forming section and shaping or sizing section is not critical and may be varied as desired.
  • Initial roll forming stands 1 through 4 break down the strip into a fairly open tube T as shown in FIG. 2 at 1 through 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the strip does not obtain a substantially tubular shape until it has proceeded through roll stand 4.
  • the break down rolls may be of edge break or center break or true radius design as desired.
  • the forming stands 5, 6 and 7 are generally referred to as fmning roll stands since the roll which engages the open portion of the tube contains a fin for shaping and squaring up the edges of the open tube T.
  • Typical cross sections of the open tube T at forming stands 5, 6 and 7 are shown in FIG2at5,6and 7.
  • the tube cross section 7 shown in FIG. 2 which is formed at the last forming stand is that of a flat oval which is preferred in accordance with this invention when joining is by means of high frequency welding techniques.
  • the tube leaving the last forming-stand may have any desired cross section as are known in the art.
  • the strip of material comprises a metal such as steel, aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper or copper base alloys
  • the preferred method of joining is by high frequency welding techniques as are known in the art from US. Pat. No. 3,037,l05, granted May 29, 1962.
  • This invention is preferably applicable to metals, particularly those just described and most preferably to copper and copper base alloys though it may be applied to any desired strip material which is to be formed into tubing.
  • FIG. 3 shows a typical prior art apparatus which would comprise the joining section of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
  • the apparatus 10 is adapted to weld together the opposed edges 11 and 12 which form the longitudinal gap 13 in the open metal tubing T.
  • the open tube T is formed in the forming mill section of the apparatus of FIG. 1 and is situated in line immediately preceding the apparatus 10.
  • the roll stands of the forming mill are generally power driven and, therefore, provide means for rapidly and longitudinally advancing the tubing T.
  • Weld rolls 14 comprise a pair of pressure rollers of known form which engage opposite sides of the tube T and cause the longitudinally extending gap 13 therein to become closed substantially at a weld point 15 forming a V-shaped gap 16. As the open tubing T advances to the weld point 15, the edges 11 and 12 at the gap 16 become welded together along the weld seam 17.
  • the coil 18 is electrically connected to a source of high frequency current, not shown. Alternatively, contacts as are know in the art may be used in place of the coil 10.
  • the high frequency current is normally at least 10 kilocycles per second or higher.
  • the coil 18 is also connected to a source of cooling medium (not shown) which flows through the coil tubing to keep it from overheating. The current induced in the tube edges 11 and 12 by the coil supplies the heat energy for welding.
  • the apparatus 10 may also include the following elements as shown in FIG. 2.
  • An impeder 19 may be included to improve the efficiency of the induction coil 18 by increasing the impedance of the high frequency current paths around the back of the open tube T. This reduces the flow of current around the back of the tube T and increases the flow of current along the tube edges 11 and 12 running from a point on the tube edge 11 adjacent the coil 18 to the weld point 15 and back the opposing tube edge 12 to a point adjacent the coil 18. This results in more efficient heating of the edges 11 and 12 of the open tube T, the edges being heated up to the welding temperature upon reaching the weld point 15.
  • the impeder 19 may be of any suitably known construction and comprises a shroud 20 connected to a hollow supporting arm 21 as shown extending down through the gap 13.
  • the actual shape of the shroud 20 shown in FIG. 1 is merely schematic and it may have any suitable shape.
  • a source of cooling medium such as water is connected to the hollow supporting arm 21 for flowing water into the shroud 20 and about a core of magnetic material 22 which is held therein.
  • the magnetic material in the core should be of an insulating nature to provide a core substantially free of eddy current losses.
  • the core is preferably a sintered magnetic oxide insulating material, preferably of types now well known which have a low loss factor and high volume resistivity.
  • a suitable material is marketed under the name Ferramic by General Ceramic and Steatite Corporation, the permeability thereof being substantially greater than unity.
  • the cooling medium which passes through the hollow supporting arm 21 flows within the shroud 20 and about the Ferramic core 22 to cool the core and is generally discharged within the welded tube through holes 23.
  • a seam guide means 25 is generally included at a point in advance of the induction coil 18 to accurately space apart the edges of the tube T and, thereby, obtain the desired angle.
  • the seam guide means may be formed of any suitable insulating material protruding down into the gap so that the roll stand preceding that position (not shown) will cause the tube gap edges 11 and 12 to be pressed against the opposite sides of the seam guide 25 whereby the edges are maintained with a uniform separation.
  • the tube T proceeds to the tube shaping or sizing section comprising stands 8, 9 and 10.
  • the tube can be formed into a tube having a circular cross section or any other cross section as may be desired. Thereafter, the tubing is cut to length, coiled and/or further processed by techniques well known in the art.
  • FIG. 4 shows a top view of a portion of the forming mill section of FIG. 1.
  • the forming mill portion shown encompasses forrning stands 5 and 6.
  • each forming stand comprises a top roll 30 and a bottom roll (not shown) disposed directly below the top roll.
  • Each roll has a shaft 31 extending out from the roll supports 32 for connection to a power source for rotating the rolls 30 and thereby advancing the tube T.
  • the upper roll 30 in the forming stands 5 and 6 has a fin portion 33 which is slightly raised as shown and which serves to shape and square up the edges 11 and 12 of the tubing T.
  • the bottom roll (not shown) has a shape similar to the upper roll 30 without raised fin portion 33.
  • the roll designs and forming stand configuration are strictly conventional and-do not form a part of the instant invention.
  • a pair of side enclosure rolls 40 as shown in FIG. 4 is employed to maintain the tube shape between roll stands.
  • the side enclosure rolls 40 adequately perform their function.
  • pop out and/or buckling of the strip edges 11 and 12 tends to occur as shown in FIG. 4 at 41.
  • the pop out and/or buckling is the result of the progressive accumulation of elongation in the edges 11 and 12 of the open tube T as it travels from one roll stand to the next.
  • guides 50 have been devised which extend over a substantial portion of the distance intermediate each of the forming stands 1 through 7 respectively as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the guides as shown in FIG. 6 have a face 51 which contacts a side surface of the tube T.
  • the face 51 is contoured to contact and support the tube T between each of the respective forming stands 1 through 7.
  • the guides are adjustable and support the edges 11 and 12 in a continuous transition from both the upstream and downstream forming stands 1 through 7 as shown in FIG. 6.
  • the contour of the face 51 which contacts the open tube T is substantially matched with the contour of the outer surface 52 of the tube T between the forming stands 1 through 7.
  • the guides 50 have a cross section similar to that shown in FIG. 7 which is the cross section at a point close to forming stand 1. As shown, the guides 50 contact a portion of the surface 52. of the tube T from a point near the strip edges 11 and 12 and are preferably disposed toward the bottom of the tube.
  • the guides 50 again contact the tube T from a point near the strip edges 11 and 12 and are preferably disposed toward the top of the tube T.
  • the guides 50 then generally comprise a member for supporting the tube T between forming stands 1 through 7.
  • One face 51 of the member is generally concave and conforms to the transitional shape of the outer surface of the open tube T as it extends between forming stands.
  • the guides 50 contact the tube T from a point adjacent the strip edges 11 and 12 and over a sufficient area to keep the strip from popping out or buckling.
  • each guide 50 contacts at least percent of the circumferential surface 52 of the tube T for the length of the guide.
  • the guide 50 may be made of any desired material; plastic, metal, ceramic, etc., which will perform the desired function.
  • plastics are employed, such as nylon or Teflon.
  • plastics such as nylon, they may have sufiicient strength to be used without additional support except for mounting in the apparatus 60 of FIG. 5 or additional support such as angle irons 53, as shown in FIG. 8, may be employed to provide added stiffness and ease in attachment to the apparatus 60.
  • the guides 50 are preferably held in place by affixing them by conventional means to a plate 61 which is pivotable about a spindle 62.
  • the pivoting action is obtained by adjusting the screws 63 in opposite directions.
  • the guides 50 may be locked in position by tightening the nut 64 about the spindle 62.
  • the pivoting assembly is preferably mounted on the conventional movable bed 65 employed when using side enclosure rolls 40.
  • crank 66 which is connected to a conventional screwdrive mechanism (not shown) for synchronously moving the pivoting assemblies on either side of the tube T into and out of contact with the tube.
  • the plate 61 to which the guide 50 is affixed contains two elongated slots 67 through which bolts 68 extend into the guide 50. These bolts 68 are used to affix the guide 50 to the plate 61.
  • FIG. 9 also shows the movable bed which rides within channel 69 which is affixed to the forming mill bed 70. The screwdrive 71 is also shown.
  • This alignment means generally comprises means 65 for moving the guides in and out of contact with the open tube; means P for pivoting the guide about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubing; means 67 for moving the guide away from or closer to the longitudinal axis of the tubing; and means 67 for tilting the guide with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubing.
  • the invention is preferably applicable to non-ferrous alloys and most preferably to copper or copper base alloys.
  • forming means for forming said strip material into an open tube said open tube having a longitudinally extending gap defined by the opposed edges of said open tube, said forming means comprising a plurality of forming stands;
  • guide means are provided for preventing the opposed edges of said open tube from popping out or buckling, said guide means contacting a side surface of said open tube over a substantial portion of the distance between each of said forming stands.
  • said guide means comprises two members in opposing relationship with each member having a concave face, which contacts said open tube.
  • said aligning means comprises means for moving said guides in and out of contact with said tube surface; means for pivoting said guides about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubing; means for moving said guides away from or closer to the longitudinal axis of said tubing; and means for tilting said guides with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubing.
  • said forming stands comprise roll forming stands.
  • said joining means comprises means for welding said edges together by high frequency induction welding.
  • said strip material comprises a non-ferrous alloy.
  • said guides are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of metals, plastics or ceram- 11. In an apparatus as in claim 10, the improvement wherein said guides are formed of nylon.
  • each of said guides contacts at least 20 percent of the circumferential surface of said open tube over a length of a guide.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Bending Of Plates, Rods, And Pipes (AREA)
US146138A 1971-05-24 1971-05-24 Forming mill guides Expired - Lifetime US3691337A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14613871A 1971-05-24 1971-05-24

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US3691337A true US3691337A (en) 1972-09-12

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US (1) US3691337A (fr)
AT (1) AT325392B (fr)
AU (1) AU472165B2 (fr)
BE (1) BE783883A (fr)
BR (1) BR7203251D0 (fr)
CA (1) CA952766A (fr)
CH (1) CH552419A (fr)
ES (1) ES402396A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2138998B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1357682A (fr)
IT (1) IT952739B (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4971239A (en) * 1988-12-21 1990-11-20 Ameron, Inc. Method and apparatus for making welded tapered tubes
US5868299A (en) * 1997-05-05 1999-02-09 Abbey Etna Machine Company Method and apparatus for maintaining seam alignment in seam welded tubes
CN102500640A (zh) * 2011-10-19 2012-06-20 上海交通大学 直缝焊管排辊成形机组的工艺优化方法
US20150165555A1 (en) * 2013-12-13 2015-06-18 Global Automotive Systems, Llc Tube seam weld station and weld shoes

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2244015B (en) * 1990-03-14 1993-10-27 Hadley Sections Limited Tube and method of forming same
CN104307922A (zh) * 2014-11-14 2015-01-28 武汉钢铁(集团)公司 大高宽比高强度矩管冷弯成型方法

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4971239A (en) * 1988-12-21 1990-11-20 Ameron, Inc. Method and apparatus for making welded tapered tubes
US5868299A (en) * 1997-05-05 1999-02-09 Abbey Etna Machine Company Method and apparatus for maintaining seam alignment in seam welded tubes
CN102500640A (zh) * 2011-10-19 2012-06-20 上海交通大学 直缝焊管排辊成形机组的工艺优化方法
CN102500640B (zh) * 2011-10-19 2013-12-25 上海交通大学 直缝焊管排辊成形机组的工艺优化方法
US20150165555A1 (en) * 2013-12-13 2015-06-18 Global Automotive Systems, Llc Tube seam weld station and weld shoes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR7203251D0 (pt) 1973-06-26
ES402396A1 (es) 1975-04-01
GB1357682A (en) 1974-06-26
BE783883A (fr) 1972-11-24
FR2138998B1 (fr) 1977-04-01
CH552419A (de) 1974-08-15
AT325392B (de) 1975-10-27
FR2138998A1 (fr) 1973-01-05
CA952766A (en) 1974-08-13
IT952739B (it) 1973-07-30
AU472165B2 (en) 1973-10-04
AU4062572A (en) 1973-10-04

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