Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY MANUFACTURING
- PUZZLE-LOCK COMPRESSION RINGS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a machine for automatically
manufacturing compression rings with a mechanical connection,
preferably of the puzzle-lock type.
BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shrinkable compression rings are known in the art which, for
the most part, have been made by cutting off rings from tubular
stock of various materials. These rings were compressed or shrunk
by various means, such as mechanical means, magnetic means,
hydraulic means, etc.
The use of such compression rings has recently gained
importance by the availability of so-called puzzle-lock clamping or
compression rings made from band material, i.e., compression rings
with a mechanical connection of the free ends thereof resembling a
puzzle-lock as disclosed in my prior U.S. Patents 5,001,816 and
5,185,908 which permitted the use of flat band material for the
manufacture of such compression rings. However, to satisfy markets
such as the automotive industry, it is necessary to provide
machines capable of automatically mass-producing these so-called
puzzle-lock compression rings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to
provide a machine which completely automatically manufactures from
flat band material compression rings that have a mechanical
connection. To be successful, such machines must be able to assure
reliable high-speed mass-production to provide such compression
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rings in large quantities at reasonable price. Additionally, such
machines must be able to be capable of being readily refitted to
manufacture compression rings of different diametric sizes.
In a preferred embodiment according to this invention, a feed
station continuously feeds the flat band from a reel to a stamping
station where one end portion of a blank with a mechanical
connection, preferably of the puzzle-lock type, is stamped out so
that each blank requires two successive cuts which then form cuts
of complementary puzzle-lock configuration at opposite ends of the
blank. The blank is thereupon fed to the deformation station where
the flat blank is moved transversely to its feed direction into the
bending machine, properly speaking. The bending machine has three
successive positions in the transverse or axial direction of its
core member about which the flat blank is deformed, and includes a
number of slide members which are mechanically driven from cams.
In a first position, the flat blank is predeformed into a shape
approximating the shape of the finished compression ring with the
free end portions of the blank predeformed accurately into a shape
necessary to permit closing of the mechanical connection at the
free end potions of the blank in the second position. The closed
compression ring, now exhibiting its predetermined diametric
dimension, is then subjected in a third position to a swaging
operation to improve the locking action and holding ability of the
mechanical connection against inadvertent reopening during
transport and/or during subsequent use. Upon completion of the
various operating steps, the completed compression ring is then
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ejected.
At the stamping station the stamping die preferably produces
a cut resembling a puzzle lock when severing adjacent band
portions.
However, in a preferred embodiment, the stamping die is so
constructed that the mutually facing male and female ends resulting
from a stamping operation are again partly reconnected after
initial complete separation in order to permit continuation of the
feed of two or more successive blanks, each of which requires two
cuts spaced in the longitudinal direction as a function of the
compression ring size. Furthermore, the speed of the continuous
feed from the reel to the stamping station and the speed of the
intermittent feed from the stamping station to the bending or
deforming station are so correlated, preferably with the use of a
slack between the reel and the stamping station that the continuous
and intermittent feed are properly coordinated to feed the same
length of band material within a given cycle of operation.
Additionally, the machine preferably includes a straightening
device of conventional construction including, for example,
pressure rollers arranged staggered and in two rows to remove any
curls, kinks or bends from the band resulting from the reeling
operation before the band reaches the stamping station. An oiling
device of any conventional construction just ahead of the stamping
die assures sufficient lubrication of both sides of the band as
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required by the stamping die before the band reaches the
stamping station.
The method according to a preferred embodiment of this
invention includes the steps of feeding from a reel a flat band
material to a stamping station where the mechanical connection,
preferably of puzzle-lock configuration, is stamped-out, partly
reconnecting the previously disconnected mutually facing
portions of a mechanical connection, feeding the thus partially
reconnected flat blank to the bending or deformation station,
again completely separating at the bending station the leading
blank from its next-following blank, moving the thus-separated
blank into the bending or deforming station in a direction
transverse to the feed direction and deforming and completing
the compression ring with its mechanical connection in several
stages, one disposed behind the other in the transverse
direction.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is provided a method for automatically manufacturing a
compression ring from a flat blank of band material, wherein, a
core member is provided at a deforming station, the core member
having several axially spaced external surfaces corresponding in
position and number to successive positions in the machine and
serving as internal abutment surfaces for the blank, and the
blank is successively fed from one position in the machine to
the next and is deformed in a number of operating cycles about
corresponding ones of said external surfaces of the core member
by displacing slide members from a retracted position into an
extended position during each cycle of operation and thereupon
returning them into their retracted position, thereby forming a
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closed ring, wherein, in a first position in the machine, the
flat blank is predeformed into a ring shape, thereby producing a
predeformed blank, in a second position, the predeformed blank
is deformed into its final shape, and mechanical connecting
means provided in the free end areas of the blank are closed by
one of said slide members, and in a third position,
predetermined areas of the mechanical connecting means are
subjected to a swaging action.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention
there is provided a machine for automatically manufacturing
compression rings from flat blanks, comprising at a deformation
station, a core member having several external surfaces
corresponding to several successive positions in an axial
direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction
of a blank, a plurality of slide members for deforming the
blank, actuating means for actuating said slide members in
predetermined sequence during an operation cycle, and feed means
for successively feeding a blank in said axial direction from
one position on said core member to the next thereby
successively deforming the blank into its final shape, wherein
each slide member has several band-engaging end surfaces at its
free ends corresponding to the positions on said core member,
including, first end surfaces corresponding to a first position
on said core member for predeforming the blank, thereby
producing a predeformed blank, second end surfaces corresponding
to a second position on said core member for deforming the
predeformed blank into a substantially final ring form after
complementary mechanical connecting means provided at the free
ends of the blank are closed, and third end surfaces
corresponding to a third position on said core member for
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subjecting predetermined areas of said connecting means to a
swaging action.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
description when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, one
embodiment in accordance with the present invention, and
wherein:
Figures la and lb are schematic views of one embodiment of
the machine in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2A is a somewhat schematic front elevational view of
the various parts of the bending or deformation station with all
slide members in the retracted position;
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Figure 2B is a front elevational view, similar to Figure 2A,
with the lower slide members in their upwardly extended position:
Figure 2C is an elevational view, similar to Figure 2B, with
the lateral slide members in their extended position;
Figure 2D is an elevational view, similar to Figure 2C, with
the upper slide member in the downwardly extended position;
Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 2A:
Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 2B;
Figure 3C is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 2C;
Figure 3D is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of
Figure 2D:
Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 of
Figure 2A:
Figure 5 is a plan view on a preferred embodiment of a
mechanical connection having a configuration resembling a puzzle-
lock:
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 6-6 of
Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a somewhat schematic axial elevational view
showing the configuration of the section of the core member and of
the slide members and their deforming surfaces in position 1 of the
deformation machine;
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Figure 8 is a somewhat schematic axial elevational view of the
core member and the slide members and their deforming surfaces in
position 2 of the bending or deformation machine;
Figure 9 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing
the finger member in the section of the core member of position 2:
Figure 10 is a somewhat schematic partial view showing the
surface of the core member and of the insert member in the upper
vertical slide member in position 2 of the core member and upper
slide member;
Figure 11 is a somewhat schematic axial elevational view of
the sections of the core member and of the slide members and their
deforming surfaces in position 3 of the machine;
Figure 12 is a somewhat schematic view of the insert members
for the core section and for the upper vertical slide member with
the deforming projections carrying out the swaging action;
Figure 13 is a somewhat schematic view of the device for
holding the band in the same position relative to the core member
during deformation;
Figure 14 is a schematic view of the stamping operation of the
band material and of the partial reconnection of the severed parts:
Figure 15 is a schematic view explanatory of the various
stages of deformation in the deformation machine of the invention;
and
Figure 16 is a partial view, on an enlarged scale, showing the
shape of the swaging teeth on the insert member for the section of
the upper slide member in position 3.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals
are used throughout the various views to designate like parts and
more particularly to Figures la and lb, reference numeral 10
generally designates the feed station for the continuous feed of
the band which includes a reel 11 with band material coiled
thereon. The reel 11 is rotated by a drive mechanism 12 including
drive rollers 13. A straightener unit 14 includes upper pressure
rollers 15 and lower pressure rollers 15~, preferably arranged
staggered to one another, which are intended to remove any curls,
kinks or bends in the band that may have occurred during coiling of
the band on the reel 11. Following the straightener unit 14 is a
feed unit 16 providing a continuous feed of the band 111 and
including upper feed rollers 17 and lower feed rollers 17~ of
conventional construction. A control unit 18 of conventional
construction electronically controls the operation of the various
parts of the machine. The speed of the roller members 13 is
thereby controlled by a lever arm 19 having a follower member 19~
riding on the band 111 and connected with a potentiometer so as to
control the speed of the roller members 13 by way of line 18a. A
slack control unit generally designated by reference numeral 20,
schematically shown in the drawing, controls the maximum and
minimum slack 11i~~ and 111~ in the band, necessitated by the use
of a continuous feed in the feed station 10 as contrasted to the
intermittent feed of the band required for the stamping operation
in the stamping station 40 to enable stamping of the puzzle lock
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during standstill of the band. The slack control unit 20 may be of
any conventional construction and may include, for example, two
upright members 22a and 22b interconnected at the top and fixedly
secured at the bottom at 23. A limit switch 24 is thereby
connected to the upper part of the upright member 22b whose switch
mechanism is actuated by a downwardly extending probe
member 25 adapted to engage with the slack when the slack 111~
reaches its predetermined minimum slack to actuate the switch in
switch mechanism 24 and feed the information to the control unit 18
by way of line 24a to speed up the continuous feed. The maximum
predetermined slack also is sensed by a limit switch, for example,
by a metallic plate member 26 insulated with respect to ground and
mounted in predetermined position, preferably adjustably on upright
members 22a and 22b, whereby wires 27a and 27b are mounted over the
upright members 22a and 22b. The band 111 is normally electrically
grounded by any conventional means so that with a slack 111~~
exceeding the maximum intended slack, it will apply ground to the
plate member 26, previously insulated with respect to ground,
whereby grounding of the plate member 26 is applied to the control
unit by way of connector 28 and line 28a causing the continuous
feed to slow down. The information fed to the control unit 18 by
way of lines 24a and 28a is thus used to control the speed of the
feed station 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 16 by slowly varying the speed
thereof to keep the slack between predetermined limits. Of course,
any other known arrangement may also be used to perform the limit
functions of 25, 24, 24a and of 26, 28, 28a. An intermittent feed
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unit generally designated by reference numeral 30 provides
intermittent feed of the band 111 to the stamping unit generally
designated by reference numeral 40 by way of an oiling device
generally designated by reference numeral 35 which lubricates the
upper and lower surface of the band from a reservoir 36 by way of
line 37 and branch lines 38 and 39 as required by the stamping die.
The oiling device 35 is thereby located as close to the stamping
unit 40 as possible. The stamping unit 40 includes a ram member 41
and a fixed base member 42 which fixedly supports upright, column-
like guide members 43 about which the ram member 41 is reciprocably
supported by means of the short support members 44 integral with
the ram member 4i. The stamping die (not shown) is contained
within a two-partite housing 45 that contains the stamping die,
properly speaking (not shown), to obtain a mechanical connection,
preferably of the puzzle-lock type. The stamping die consists of
four parts, two lower matrix-like members and two upper punching
members which are actuated by the ram member 41 in any conventional
manner. The trailing lower matrix-like member, as viewed in the
feed direction of the band, is thereby not supported directly on
the fixed base member 42 but rather spring-supported by strong
springs while the leading lower matrix-like member is supported
directly on the fixed base member 42 and the leading upper punching
die member is also spring-supported for reasons that will be
explained hereinafter in connection with the stamping operation
which requires a partial reconnection of successive blanks for the
further feed of the stamped-out band material from the stamping
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station to the deformation station, properly speaking, and
generally designated by reference numeral 50.
The bending or deformation station 50, properly speaking, has
three axial positions in a direction transverse to the feed
direction of the band from the stamping station 40 to the
deformation station 50. The blank with a mechanical connection,
preferably of male and female puzzle-lock configurations at the
leading and trailing end portions, respectively, is deformed about
the core member 51 by means of lower vertically reciprocable slide
members 52 and 53, lateral slide members 60 and 61 adapted to
reciprocate in a lateral slightly downwardly inclined direction,
and by an upper vertically reciprocable slide member 70. Each
slide member 52, 53, 60, 61 and 70 is thereby composed of as many
axially arranged sections rigidly interconnected with one another
in a given slide member, as required by the number of axial
positions in the deformation machine and the deforming surfaces
thereof. The lower slide member 52 is guided within guide members
54 while the lower slide member 53 is guided within guide members
55, whereby guide members are provided on both sides of each slide
member 52 and 53, but for convenience sake, only one is shown in
some of the figures. The slide members 52 and 53 are thereby
reciprocated by connecting rods 56 and 57 (Figure lb) connected to
cam followers which follow appropriate cam surfaces of cam members,
all of which are mechanically driven synchronously in the machine.
Similarly, the slide members 60 and 61 are actuated by pivotal
actuating members 64 and 65 whose lower ends are connected to the
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slide members 60 and 61 by connecting rods 64a and 65a and whose
upper ends are provided with cam followers which follow the cam
surfaces of mechanically driven cams 66 and 67. Each actuating
member 64 and 65 is thereby pivotal about the pivot point 64b
and 65b. The upper slide member 70 is actuated in its
reciprocating movement by an actuating member 72 which is
operatively connected by means of a cam follower to a
mechanically driven cam (not shown).
The mechanical connection of the compression rings may be
of any known type, e.g., are of the puzzle-lock configuration,
as described in my U.S. Patents 5,001,816 and 5,185,908. The
male portion generally designated by reference numeral 400
(Figures 3B, 3C and 3D) of such a mechanical
puzzle-lock-type connection includes a tongue portion 401
(Figure 5) terminating in an enlarged head portion 402
and is provided with lateral lug portions 403 and 404. The
female portion of such a mechanical puzzle-lock-type
connection, generally designated by reference numeral 420
(Figures 3B, 3C and 3D) is of complementary shape to
the male portion 400. Whereas substantially right angles
are preferred in the various corners to provide transversely
extending abutment surfaces 431, 432, 433, 434, 435
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and 436, the lateral abutment surfaces 437 and 438 in the area of
the enlarged head portion 402 pass over into the transversely
extending abutment end surface 439 by way of rounded-off abutment
surfaces 440 and 441 which greatly improves the holding ability of
the mechanical connection as more fully explained in the
aforementioned copending application. Additionally, the areas 410,
411 and 412 indicated in dash lines are subjected to a swaging
action displacing material in the area of the joints of the
transversely extending mutually engaging abutment surfaces 432, 434
and 439 to improve the holding action of the mechanical connection
of the compression ring during transportation and/or use thereof to
fasten, for example, hoses, axle boots or the like on nipples, axle
stubs, etc.
The remaining details of the machine will be described in
connection with the operation of the machine. One cycle of such
operation thereby involves the intermittent feeding of band
material to the stamping station 40 and out of the stamping station
to the deformation station, whereby the stamping-out of the
mechanical connection with a preferable puzzle-lock configuration
takes place while the intermittent feed is at standstill and
includes the severing and partial reconnection of adjoining male
and female parts of the mechanical puzzle-lock-type connection, and
the cyclical movement of the slide members 50, 52, 53, 60, 62 and
70 as will be explained hereinafter in further detail. It should
be further noted, however, that the manufacture of the compression
ring in the bending or deformation machine requires as many
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sequential cycles of operation as there are stages, i.e., positions
in the axial direction of the core member 50. While the slide
members have been designated in the schematic showing of Figure ib
by reference numerals 52, 53, 60, 61 and 70, each such slide member
consists of a number of axially arranged, rigidly interconnected
sections corresponding to the number of positions along the axial
direction of the core member 51 with a corresponding number of
different deforming surfaces. To facilitate an understanding of
the operation of the machine, parts of the core member and slide
members corresponding to the first, second and third positions have
been designated in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 by corresponding
reference numerals of the 100, 200 and 300 series.
O P E R A T I O N
The operation of the machine according to this invention is as
follows.
Band material 111 is continuously fed from the feed station 10
by decoding the same from the reel 11, actuated by the drive
mechanism 12 and the roller members 13 at a continuous speed
controlled by the control unit 18 whereby the continuous speed in
turn is determined by the position of the lever arm 19 riding with
its follower member 19~ on the band material 111 and connected to
a potentiometer. As the electronic circuits of the control unit 18
are of conventional type, known to those skilled in the art and
forming no part of this invention, a detailed description is
dispensed with herein. The band material 111 continuously decoiled
from the reel 11 is fed to the straightener unit 14 in which any
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kinks, curls or bends are removed to assure that the band material
fed to the continuous feed unit 16 is completely flat. Feed
rollers 17 and 17~ of the feed unit 16 provide a continuous feed of
the band material 111. The slack control unit 20 which senses the
maximum slack 111~~ by means of plate member 26 and the minimum
slack 111~ by means of follower member 25, feeds back information
to the control unit 18 by way of lines 24a and 28a when the minimum
or maximum slack of the band material exceeds predetermined limits.
This slack control is necessary to correlate the speed of the
continuous feed unit 16 to the speed of the intermittent feed unit
30 in order that the length of band material fed per cycle is the
same. This means that the speed of the feed rollers 31 and 32
controlled from the control unit 18 by way of line 33 must be
greater than the speed of the continuously operating feed rollers
17 and 17~ to compensate for the standstill during the stamping
operation. An oiling device generally designated by reference
numeral 35, which should be located as close to the stamping unit
4o as possible, includes a reservoir tank 36 for feeding
lubricating oil by way of line 37 and branch lines 38 and 39 to the
top and bottom of the intermittently fed band material, in an
amount as required by the stamping die.
The stamping unit 40 includes a reciprocating ram member 41,
reciprocating on upright post-like guide members 43 by means of its
shorter members 44, as is conventional in connection with such
stamping units. The stamping unit 40 further includes a fixed base
member 42 on which are supported the upright guide members 43. A
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two-partite housing 45 fixedly supported on base member 42 contains
the stamping die, properly speaking (not shown) , to realize the
cuts for the mechanical connection, preferably of the puzzle-lock
type. Each cut of a stamping operation of such a mechanical
connection thereby provides a female puzzle-lock configuration in
the trailing piece of band material and a male puzzle-lock
configuration in the leading piece of band material. In order to
be able to move blanks cut in the stamping station from the
stamping station 40 to the bending or deformation station 5o by
means of the intermittently operable feed unit 30, it is necessary
to reconnect again two successive pieces of band material severed
by the stamping operation during standstill in a given cycle of
operation. For that reason, the stamping die consists of two lower
matrix-like parts (not shown) and two upper punching die members
(not shown) cooperating with a respective lower matrix member. The
lower trailing matrix-like member, as viewed in the feed direction,
is thereby spring-supported by a strong spring or springs while the
leading upper punching die member of the leading pair is also
spring-supported. The upper punching die member of the trailing
pair is thereby operatively connected directly with the ram member
41 while the lower matrix-like member of the leading pair is
supported directly on the base member 42. In this way, a partial
reconnection of the severed puzzle-lock configurations obtained by
a cut during standstill in one stamping cycle will again be
partially reconnected as illustrated schematically in Figure 14.
The partial pressing together of the puzzle lock is thereby
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illustrated in step 2. of Figure 14 which is brought about by the
strong spring action supporting the lower matrix member of the
trailing pair. Figure 14 further illustrates at step 4. the
reseparation at the deformation station of the leading blank from
the trailing blank which had been partially reconnected at step 2.
For that purpose, a spring-loaded plunger or pin member initially
presses down in the deformation station on the next-following
trailing blank during standstill of the intermittent feed, and
complete reseparation is then realized by a plunger or pin member
acting on the puzzle-lock male configuration of the next-following
blank which is then held down separated by the spring-loaded
plunger or pin member until the thus-separated leading blank now
designated by reference numeral 111a has been moved transversely to
the feed direction by finger-like members 80a, 80b, 80c as shown in
Figures 2A and 3A. It should be noted that Figures la, ib, 2A, 2B,
2C and 2D are side elevational views, taken in the axial direction
of core member 51, while Figures 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 4A are
schematic plan views, whereby the position of the various parts
always correspond in Figures 2A, 3A and 4A, in Figures 2B and 3B,
in Figures 2C and 3C and in Figures 2D and 3D. The blank is
thereby designated by reference numerals llla, llib and iilc in the
first, second and third positions of the machine, while the ejected
blank is designated by reference numeral 111d. The feed path at
the point of complete reseparation in the deforming machine
includes a slight ramp so that the next-following blank is raised
to the level of the preceding blank during the next feed cycle
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without being obstructed by hitting an abutment. Steps 1, 2, 3 and
4 of Figure 14 are schematic side elevational views in Figure 14
while step 5 is a schematic plan view.
The transverse displacement of the blank illustrated at
step 5 in Figure 14 is realized by three reciprocable finger
members 80a, Bob and 80c which displace the separated blank into
the first position on the core member 51. In this first position,
the blank to form ultimately the compression ring is predeformed so
that its end portions conform accurately to the circular
configuration needed to permit closing of the puzzle-lock-type
mechanical connection. As can be seen in particular in Figures 2a
and 7, the first section i5i of the core member 51 is somewhat
oval-shaped with an apple-like configuration. After complete
separation of the previously partially reconnected blank and
transverse displacement of the separated blank 111a by finger
members 80a, 80b and 80c, the lower slide members 52 and 53 are
moved upwardly substantially. simultaneously so that the sections
152 and 153 with their band-engaging deforming surfaces 158 and 159
deform the blank through a path from zero through 1, 2, 3, 4 to the
position 5 of Figure 15. The slide members 60 and 61 with their
sections 160 and 161 then engage the substantially rectilinearly
upwardly extending band portions with their band-engaging deforming
surfaces 168 and 169 to deform the band through positions 1~, 2~,
3~, 4~ and 5~ into position 6~ where the section 170 of the upper
slide member 70, upon downward movement, then engages the band with
its band-engaging deforming surface 173 to deform the end portions
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containing the mechanical connection of puzzle lock configurations
into position 6~~. Upon retraction of all slide members, the thus-
predeformed blank will snap back into position 6~~~ as a result of
the elasticity of the material and assisted by the L-shaped finger
members 190a and 190b (Figure 7) spring-supported by springs 192a
and 192b in recesses 191a and 191b in the core section 151. The
shorter legs 194a and 194b of the finger-like members 190a and 190b
thereby determine the maximum outward projection of these finger-
like members. If so desired, the maximum projection of these
finger-like members 190a and 190b may also be adjusted as will be
described in connection with Figure 9.
Figure 2A thereby illustrates the position of the slide
members in their retracted position during the beginning of a
cycle. Upon completion of a cycle and deformation of the blank in
its first position in which its ends 6~~~ assume the spring-back
position shown in Figure 15, the thus-predeformed blank is then
displaced from its first position on the core member 51 by means of
reciprocating finger-like members 81a, 81b, 81c and 81d into the
second axial position on the core member 51. In that position the
blank 111b is deformed into its circular configuration and the
mechanical connection of puzzle-lock configuration is closed.
Figure 8 thereby illustrates the position of the sections 252, 253,
260, 261 and 270 of the slide members 52, 53, 60, 61 and 70 in
their extended position. To obtain the overlap necessary to permit
closing of the mechanical puzzle-lock-type configuration by means
of the section 270 of the upper slide member 70, the inward
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movement of the slide member 60 into its extended position slightly
precedes the movement of the slide member 61. The finger member
290 initially projects out of its recess 291 in order that the
female puzzle-lock end portion comes to lie above the male puzzle-
lock end portion, whereby the finger member 290 is pushed inwardly
against the force of the spring 292 as the section 261 of the slide
member 62 reaches its inward extended position. The upper slide
member section 270 with its deformation insert 274 thereby closes
the puzzle lock during its downward movement to complete the
deformation and closing of the compression ring. As the slide
members 52, 53, 60, 61 and 70 again are retracted during completion
of the second cycle of operation, the thus-deformed and closed
compression ring is moved from its second position into the third
position of the compression ring iilc by finger members 82a, 82b,
82c and 82d. This displacement of the deformed and closed
compression ring from position 2 to position 3 at the same time
ejects the compression ring 111d previously held in position 3
after being subjected to the swaging action in position 3, to be
described more fully hereinafter.
In position 3 (Figure 11), the closed ring lilc is subjected
to a swaging action by means of the small tooth-like projections
376 on insert member 374 of the section 370 of the upper slide
member 70 and by means of small tooth-like projections 378 on
insert member 377 inserted into the core section 351. These teeth
are thereby so located that a swaging action occurs in the area of
the transversely extending abutment edges 411, 412 and 439 of the
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mechanical puzzle-lock-type connection (Figure 5) within the
areas indicated by the dash lines 411, 412 and 410. This
swaging action, as described in my co-pending application
significantly improves the holding ability of the compression
ring.
Figure 13 illustrates a device generally designated by
reference numeral 500 for holding the blank in its predetermined
position on the core member 51 so that the swaging action always
takes place in the proper positions of a mechanical
puzzle-lock-type connection. The device 500 is thereby arranged
in the space between lower slide members 52 and 53 and their
guide parts, Figure 13 being a cross-sectional view taken in the
axial direction. Two pressure members 501 and 502 extending
upwardly against the bottom surface of the blank ultimately
forming the compression ring are spring-loaded by means of
springs 503 and 504 which are accommodated within recesses of
housing block 507 and surrounding plunger members 505 and 506.
Guide members 508 and 509 thereby guide the pressure members 501
and 502 and parts associated therewith in the upward and
downward movement. An abutment member 510 is in engagement with
the lower ends of the plunger members 505 and 506 to further
increase the pressure exerted by the pressure members 501
and 502 on the bottom of the blank forming the compression
ring over and above the force normally exerted by springs 503
and 504. The abutment member 510 is thereby connected by
connecting member 511 to any device causing upward and downward
movement of the abutment member 510. In a preferred embodiment,
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the connecting member 511 is connected with a piston rod of a
pneumatic piston unit (not shown) which is so actuated that the
connecting member 511 is moved upwardly into the position shown in
Figure 13 during the deformation operations in a given cycle to
very firmly hold the blank forming the compression ring in its
predetermined position, during such deformation operations. During
the part of each cycle in which the clamping rings are displaced by
finger members 81a through 81d and 82a through 82b, the abutment
member 510 is moved downwardly so as to reduce the pressure exerted
by the pressure members 501 and 502 and thereby allow axial
displacement of the compression rings though without
circumferential movement. However, the springs 503 and 504 are so
dimensioned that they hold the compression ring in proper position
on the core member 51 yet permit axial movement of the compression
rings as required for each operation.
In one typical non-limitative embodiment of a machine of this
invention, used for making compression rings with an inner
diametric dimension of 79.6 mm. and a band thickness of 1.4 mm.,
the deformation surfaces of the slide members engaging with the
compression ring blank are as follows. Core section 151 has a
length of 92 mm. and a height of 70 mm. The surfaces 158 and 159
of sections 152 and 153 of the lower slide members 52 and 53 have
a radius of curvature of 36.4 mm. The surfaces 168 and 169 of
sections 160 and i61 of slide members 60 and 61 have a radius of
curvature of 36.4 mm. The radius of curvature of the curved
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portion of surface 173 are each 36.4 mm. while the corresponding
surfaces on core section 151 have a radius of curvature of 35 mm.
The diametric dimension of core section 251 of core member 51
is 79.4 mm., the curvature 268 and 269 of sections 260 and 261 of
slide members 60 and 61 have a radius of curvature of 41.1 mm. and
the insert member 274 in section 270 of the upper slide member 70
has a surface 273 with a radius of curvature also of 41.1 mm.
The section 351 of core member 51 (Figure 11) has a diametric
dimension again of 79.4 mm. while the surfaces 358 and 359 of
sections 352 and 353 of slide members 52 and 53 have again a radius
of curvature of 41.1 mm. The surfaces 368 and 369 of sections 360
and 361 of slide members 60 and 61 also have a radius of curvature
of 41.1 mm. while the small tooth-like projections 376 on insert
member 374 in section 370 of slide member 70, more fully shown in
Figure 16, have a height of 0.35 mm. and subtending an angle of
60°
as also shown in Figure 16. These tooth-like members 376 are
thereby spaced a total of 10.6° in the cicumferential direction.
The small tooth-like projections 378 on insert member 377 are of
similar configuration as the tooth-like projections 376, i.e., have
a height of 0.35 mm. and subtending an angle of 60° spaced 10.6°
in the circumferential direction.
The predeforming of the compression ring in position 1 to
facilitate closing of the mechanical connection requires a
different handling with compression rings of small diameter because
in that case the tapering effects due to the small radius of
curvature in the male and female parts of a puzzle-lock-type
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connection assume greater significance which make it difficult to
close the connection due to the smaller openings along the inner
circumferential surface of the band portion. In that case, it may
be desirable to predeform the end sections containing a mechanical
connection of the puzzle-lock configurations in position 1 so as to
be flat, close the flat puzzle-lock configurations in position 2
and then deform the closed compression ring into the desired
circular configuration. This may be done, for example, in another
stage so that complete manufacture would require four cycles of
operation with four positions. However, good results have also
been obtained in that case by softening the material in the areas
of the male and female puzzle-lock configurations in the end
portions of the compression ring blank by subjecting the same to a
heat treatment of about 400° C. By thus softening the material,
closing of the mechanical connection of a puzzle-lock configuration
is facilitated by the softer material which, however, is again
work-hardened by the actual closing of the mechanical connection so
that only the three stages of operations in the three positions
described hereinabove are sufficient.
The machine of this invention is very efficient because by
merely interchanging the sections of the various slide members, it
is possible to manufacture with the same equipment compression
rings of different diametric dimensions. Furthermore, the speed at
which the machine can be operated is high, permitting the ready
production of fifty-five compression rings per minute.
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All slide members are mechanically actuated by mechanically
driven cams while the slide members may be mounted by means of
roller bearings to assure frictionless slide movement in their
reciprocating movements during a cycle of operation. The different
sections of the slide members 52, 53, 60, 61 and of the core member
50 are also provided with such surfaces as to permit axial
extension of the finger members 81a-81d and 82a-82d, for example,
as shown by part-circular recesses and circular openings in the
core section 150 of Figure 7 and the appropriately shaped end
surfaces in slide member 52, 53 and 60, 61. If the swaging action
is not needed or not desired, the machine as described above may
also use only two axial positions instead of three. The slide
members may also be actuated by other means other than mechanical
cam operation. However, the coordination of the various movements
of the slide members and their timing is best achieved by
appropriate design of the cam members and synchronous operation
thereof, for example, driven from a single electric motor by way of
sprocket-and-chain drives.
While I have shown and described only one embodiment in
accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the
same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes
and modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and I
therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and
described herein but intend to cover all such changes and
modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended
claims.
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47. A machine according to claim 18, wherein each slide
member is composed of a number of axially arranged sections each
provided with its end surface means and fixedly connected with each
other to move in unison during each cycle of operation, and wherein
said core-like means is composed of a number of axially arranged
sections, each provided with its own external surface means and
fixedly connected with each other.
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