Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
What is claimed:
1. An apparatus for extruding a metal pipe having a substantially uniform
inner
diameter, said pipe having a forward end section, a rearward end section and a
middle section
having an outer diameter which is substantially smaller than the outer
diameter of each of said
forward and rearward sections, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a machine frame;
(b) a container supported on the machine frame, said container having a
central
longitudinal axis and a longitudinal cylindrical first bore coaxial with said
central longitudinal axis for receiving a cylindrical metal billet having a
longitudinal cylindrical bore, said container having a front opening to said
first
bore and a rear opening to said first bore;
(c) a cylindrical inner die having a cylindrical second bore coaxial with said
first
bore, said inner die having an outer diameter equal to the diameter of said
first
bore, said second bore having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter
of said first bore, said inner die being divided longitudinally into two
substantially equal half portions, said inner die being movable through said
front opening along said central longitudinal axis between an inner position
within said first bore adjacent said front opening to an outer position
outside
of said first bore;
(d) an outer die assembly located forward of said container and having a
longitudinal cylindrical third bore which is coaxial with said first and
second
bores and which has a larger diameter than said second bore, one of said outer
die assembly arid said container being movable along said central longitudinal
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axis between an active position wherein said container and said outer die
assembly abut at said front opening and an inactive position wherein said
outer
die assembly and said container are spaced sufficiently to enable said inner
die
to be moved to said outer position for removal from said apparatus;
(e) a press located rearward of said container and movable along said central
longitudinal axis toward and away from said container, said press having a
circular forward pressing surface facing the rear opening of said container
and
a mandrel extending forwardly from said pressing surface toward said rear
opening, said pressing surface and said mandrel being coaxial with said first
bore, said pressing surface having substantially the same outer diameter as
the
inner diameter of said first bore with sufficient clearance to enable said
pressing surface to move longitudinally within said first bore, said mandrel
having a cylindrical rearward portion which has a smaller outer diameter than
the inner diameter of said second bore, a cylindrical middle portion which has
a smaller outer diameter than the outer diameter of said rearward portion, and
a frusto-conical forward portion which extends forwardly from said middle
portion from an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of said middle
portion to an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of said
rearward portion; and
(f) an actuator for moving one of said outer die assembly and said container
along said longitudinal axis relative to the other of said outer die assembly
and
said container.
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2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal length of each
section of said mandrel, relative to the longitudinal length of said inner die
and a specific
billet length being such that said middle portion is within said second bore
when said billet
is pushed forwardly into engagement with said inner die by said press and said
press is
pushed forwardly along said central longitudinal axis a first distance to a
point that said
rearward portion is at the rearward end of said second bore for forcing metal
from said billet
through said second bore around said middle portion for extruding a
preliminary forward end
section of said pipe having an outside diameter which is equal to the diameter
of said second
bore and an inside diameter which is equal to the diameter of said middle
portion, the
forward movement of said press along said central longitudinal axis for a
second distance,
while said rearward portion is within said second bore, causing metal from
said billet to be
forced through said second bore around the rearward portion of said mandrel to
extrude the
middle section of said pipe having an outer diameter which is equal to the
inner diameter of
said second bore and an inner diameter which is equal to the outer diameter of
said rearward
portion, the forward movement of said press for said second distance also
causing the
preliminary forward end section of said pipe to pass over the forward portion
of said mandrel
so that said preliminary forward end section is expanded transversely of said
central
longitudinal axis to form the forward end section of said pipe having an inner
diameter which
is equal to the outer diameter of the rearward portion of said mandrel and a
thickness which
is greater than the thickness of the middle section of said pipe, the forward
movement of said
press along said central longitudinal axis for a third distance, after removal
of said inner die
from said apparatus and while said outer die assembly in said active position,
causing metal
from said billet to be forced through said third bore around the rearward
portion of said
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mandrel to extrude the rearward section of said pipe having an inner diameter
which is equal
to the outer diameter of said rearward portion and an outer diameter which is
equal to the
inner diameter of said third bore.
3 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said outer die assembly
comprises:
(a) a die holder having a fourth bore, said die holder having a rearward end
and
a forward end;
(b) an outer die located in said fourth bore at the rearward end of said outer
die
holder and containing said third bore; and
(c) a stop member located in said fourth bore at the forward end of said die
holder, said stop member having a cylindrical fifth bore having a diameter
which is larger than the diameter of said fourth bore.
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said mandrel has a rearward end
and said press comprises:
(a) a housing having a chamber for containing said mandrel and a forward end
having a opening to said chamber;
(b) a pressing ring located at the forward end of said housing at said forward
opening, said pressing ring including said forward pressing surface and a
cylindrical bore having an inner diameter which is substantially equal to the
outer diameter of the rearward portion of said mandrel; and
(c) a driver operatively connected to the rearward end of said mandrel for
moving
said mandrel along said central longitudinal axis between a rearward
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withdrawn position in which said rearward portion is within said chamber and
a forward extended position in which the rearward portion of said mandrel in
within the bore of said pressing ring and the remainder of said mandrel is
forward of said pressing ring.
5. An apparatus as, recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further
comprises
an actuator for moving said one of said outer die assembly and said container
along said
central longitudinal axis relative to the other of said outer die assembly and
said container.
6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said actuator is a fluid
actuator
comprising:
(a) a cylinder fixed to said machine frame; and
(b) a piston slidable within said cylinder and having a rearward end extending
rearwardly of said cylinder and operatively connected to said container.
7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein there is a first one of said
fluid
actuator on one side of said central longitudinal axis and a second one of
said fluid actuator
at an opposite side of said central longitudinal axis and said container is
fixed to
the pistons of said first and second fluid actuators.
8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said outer die assembly
comprises:
(a) a carrier having a central bore coaxial with said central longitudinal
axis, said
central bore having a forward opening and a rearward opening;
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(b) a die holder within said central bore at the forward opening of said
central
bore, said die holder having a cylindrical fourth bore, a rearward end and a
forward end; and
(c) an outer die located in said fourth bore at the rearward end of said outer
die
assembly and containing said third bore; and a stop member located in said
fourth bore at the forward end of said holder, said stop member having a
cylindrical fifth bore having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of
said fourth bore.
9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said outer die assembly further
comprises a retaining ring in said central bore and surrounding said die
holder.
10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said outer die assembly
further
comprises a retaining plate within said central bore and forward of said die
holder, said
retaining plate having a cylindrical bore which is coaxial with said central
longitudinal axis
and having a diameter which is larger than the diameter of said fifth bore and
smaller than
the diameter of said fourth bore.
11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said outer die assembly
further
comprises a guide tube fixed to said retaining plate and extending forwardly
through the
forward opening of said central bore, said guide tube having an inner diameter
is at least as
large as the inner diameter of the bore of said retaining plate.
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12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said machine frame has a
chamber
which has a rear opening and a front opening, said outer die assembly being
located within
said chamber for longitudinal movement along said central longitudinal axis,
said apparatus
further comprising a releasable stop mechanism for releasably maintaining said
outer die
assembly within said chamber in functional contact with said inner die.
13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said machine frame has a
transverse bore extending transversely of said central longitudinal axis and
intersecting said
chamber, said releasable stop mechanism comprising a gate slidably mounted
within said
transverse bore between an active position in which at least a portion of said
gate is within
said chamber and an inactive position in which said gate is outside of said
chamber.
14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said releasable stop
mechanism
further comprises an actuator for selectively moving said gate to said active
and inactive
positions.
15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said actuator is a fluid
actuator.
16. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further
comprises
a guide table forward of said outer die assembly for supporting and guiding
said pipe as said
pipe is extruded.
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17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said guide table has upwardly
extending rollers for supporting said extruded pipe.
18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said apparatus further
comprises
a guide tube extending from said outer die assembly to said guide table for
guiding said
extruded pipe from said outer die assembly to said guide table.
19. A mandrel for use in a metal extruding machine for extruding a metal pipe
having a uniform inner diameter of a first dimension, a forward end section, a
rearward end
section, and a middle section between said forward and rearward end sections,
said middle
section having an outer diameter of a second dimension and each of said
rearward and
forward end sections having an outer diameter of which is greater than said
second
dimension, said mandrel comprising:
(a) a cylindrical rearward portion having an outer diameter equal to said
first
dimension;
(b) a cylindrical middle portion having an outer diameter substantially less
than
the outer diameter of said rearward portion; and
(c) a forward portion which has a frusto-conical outer surface extending
forwardly
from said middle portion from an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter
of said middle portion to an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of
said
rearward portion.
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20. A method of extruding a cylindrical metal pipe having a constant inner
diameter, said pipe having a forward end section, a rearward end section and a
middle section
having an outer diameter which is substantially smaller than the outer
diameter of each of said
forward and rearward sections, said method comprising:
(a) positioning a cylindrical metal billet having a cylindrical longitudinal
bore
within a cylindrical first bore of a container by inserting said billet
through a
rear opening to said first bore, said first bore having a central longitudinal
axis, said container having a front opening to said first bore and containing
an
inner die within said first bore adjacent said front opening and an outer die
outside of said container adjacent said front opening, said inner die having a
cylindrical second bore which has a smaller diameter than the diameter of said
first bore, said .outer die having a third bore which has a diameter which is
less than the diameter of said first bore and greater than the diameter of
said
second bore, each of said inner and outer dies selectively being movable along
said central longitudinal axis, said inner die comprising two separable half
portions;
(b) positioning a press along said central longitudinal axis, said press
having a
circular forward pressing surface facing said container and a mandrel
extending forwardly from said pressing surface toward said container, said
pressing surface and said mandrel being coaxial with said first bore, said
pressing surface having substantially the same outer diameter as the inner
diameter of said first bore with sufficient clearance to enable said pressing
surface to move longitudinally within said first bore, said mandrel having a
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cylindrical rearward portion which has a smaller diameter than said second
bore, a cylindrical middle portion which has a smaller diameter than said
rearward portion, and a frusto conical forward portion which extends
forwardly from the diameter of said middle portion from a diameter equal to
said middle portion to a diameter equal to the diameter of said rearward
portion;
(c) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis so that
said
mandrel extends through the bore of said billet and said middle portion lies
within said second bore to form a first ring-shaped opening and the juncture
of said middle portion and said rearward portion is spaced rearward of said
inner die when said forward pressing surface first engages said billet to push
said billet against said inner die;
(d) moving said press forwardly a first distance along said central
longitudinal axis
to a point that the juncture of said middle portion and said rearward portion
is at the rearward end of said second bore for forcing metal from said billet
through said first ring-shaped opening to extrude a preliminary forward end
section of pipe having an outer diameter which is equal to the inner diameter
of said second bore and an inner diameter which is equal to the outer diameter
of said middle portion;
(e) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis a second
distance with said rearward portion within said second bore to form a second
ring-shaped opening for forcing metal from said billet through said second
ring-shaped opening to extrude the middle section of said pipe having an outer
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diameter which is equal to the inner diameter of said second bore and an inner
diameter which is equal to the diameter of said rearward portion and causing
the preliminary forward end section of pipe to pass over the forward portion
of said mandrel during forward movement of said press for said second
distance so that the preliminary forward end section of said pipe is expanded
transversely of said central longitudinal axis to an inner diameter which is
equal to the inner diameter of the middle section of said pipe and an outer
diameter which is greater than the outer diameter of the middle section of
said
pipe;
(f) moving one of said outer die and said container along said central
longitudinal
axis so that said outer die is spaced from said stationary container a
distance
at least equal to the longitudinal length of said inner die;
(g) removing said inner die from said first bore through said front opening so
that
said inner die is forward of said container;
(h) removing the half portions of said inner die from said pipe and mandrel;
(i) moving one of said outer die and said container rearwardly along said
central
longitudinal axis so that said outer die is in engagement with said container
and said rearward is within said third circular bore to form a third ring-
shaped
opening;
(j) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis for a
third
distance for forcing metal from said billet through said third ring-shaped
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opening to extrude the rearward section of said pipe having an inner diameter
which is equal to the outer diameter of said rearward portion and an outer
diameter which is equal to the inner diameter of said third bore; and
(k) removing said extruded pipe from said mandrel.
21. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 20, wherein said
extruded pipe is removed from said mandrel by moving said mandrel rearwardly
along said
central longitudinal axis until said mandrel is rearward of said extruded
pipe.
22. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 20, wherein said
container is moved rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis relative to
said outer die
and said mandrel at step (f) of claim 20 for forcing said inner die out of
said first bore.
23. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 20, wherein an
unextruded portion of said billet remains within said first bore after the
forward movement
of said mandrel for said third distance and said method comprises the
following additional
steps:
(a) moving said mandrel rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis until
said
mandrel is rearward of said extruded pipe;
(b) moving one of said outer die and said container forwardly along said
central
longitudinal axis, so that said outer die is spaced from said container; and
(c) removing the unextruded portion of said billet from the rearward end
section
of said extruded pipe.
-23-
24. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 23, wherein said
container is moved rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis relative to
said outer die
and said mandrel at step (b) of claim 23 for forcing the unextruded portion of
said billet from
said first bore.
25. A method of extruding a cylindrical metal pipe having a uniform inner
diameter of a first dimension, a forward end section, a rearward end section,
and a middle
section between said forward and rearward end sections, said middle section
having an outer
diameter of a second dimension and each of said rearward and forward end
sections having
an outer diameter which is greater than said second dimension, said method
comprising the
following steps:
(a) pressing a cylindrical metal billet within a cylindrical bore of a
container
through a first ring shaped opening having an inner diameter which is less
than
said first dimension and an outer diameter which is equal to said second
dimension to extrude a preliminary forward end section of said pipe having an
inner diameter which is less than said first dimension;
(b) pressing said metal billet within said bore through a second ring shaped
opening having an inner diameter which is equal to said first dimension and
an outer diameter which is equal to said second dimension to extrude the
middle section of said pipe;
(c) moving said preliminary forward end section of pipe over a mandrel which
has
a frusto-conical outer surface shaped for expanding the preliminary forward
end section of said pipe to form the forward end section of said pipe having
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an inner diameter equal to said first dimension and an outer diameter which
is greater than said second dimension; and
(d) pressing said metal billet within said bore through a third ring shaped
opening
having an inner diameter which is equal to said first dimension and an outer
diameter which is greater than said third dimension to extrude the rearward
end section of said pipe.
26. An apparatus for extruding a metal pipe having a forward end section, a
rearward end section and a middle section having an outer diameter which is
substantially
smaller than the outer diameter of each of said forward and rearward sections,
said forward
end section having an inner diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter
of each of said
rearward end section and said middle section, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a machine frame;
(b) a container supported on the machine frame, said container having a
central
longitudinal axis and a longitudinal cylindrical first bore coaxial with said
central longitudinal axis for receiving a cylindrical metal billet having a
longitudinal cylindrical bore, said container having a front opening to said
first
bore and a rear opening to said first bore;
(c) a cylindrical inner die having a cylindrical second bore coaxial with said
first
bore, said inner die having an outer diameter equal to the diameter of said
first
bore, said second bore having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter
of said first bore, said inner die being divided longitudinally into two
substantially equal half portions, said inner die being movable through said
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front opening along said central longitudinal axis between an inner position
within said first bore adjacent said front opening to an outer position
outside
of said first bore;
(d) an outer die assembly located forward of said container and having a
longitudinal cylindrical third bore which is coaxial with said first and
second
bores and which has a larger diameter than said second bore, one of said outer
die assembly and said container being movable along said central longitudinal
axis between are active position wherein said container and said outer die
assembly abut at said front opening and an inactive position wherein said
outer
die assembly and said container are spaced sufficiently to enable said inner
die
to be moved to acid outer position for removal from said apparatus;
(e) a press located rearward of said container and movable along said central
longitudinal axis toward and away from said container, said press having a
circular forward pressing surface facing the rear opening of said container
and
a mandrel extending forwardly from said pressing surface toward said rear
opening, said pressing surface and said mandrel being coaxial with said first
bore, said pressing surface having substantially the same outer diameter as
the
inner diameter of said first bore with sufficient clearance to enable said
pressing surface to move longitudinally within said first bore, said mandrel
having a cylindrical rearward portion which has a smaller outer diameter than
the inner diameter of said second bore, a cylindrical middle portion which has
a smaller outer diameter than the outer diameter of said rearward portion, and
a frusto-conical forward portion which extends forwardly from said middle
-26-
portion from an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of said middle
portion to an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of said middle
portion and smaller than the outer diameter of said rearward portion; and
(f) an actuator for moving one of said outer die assembly and said container
along said longitudinal axis relative to the other of said outer die assembly
and
said container.
27. A mandrel for use in a metal extruding machine for extruding a metal pipe
having a uniform inner diameter of a first dimension, a forward end section, a
rearward end
section, and a middle section between said forward and rearward end sections,
said middle
section having an inner diameter of a first dimension and an outer diameter of
a second
dimension, each of said rearward and forward end sections having an outer
diameter which
is greater than said second dimension, said forward section having an inner
diameter which
is less than said first dimension, said mandrel comprising:
(a) a cylindrical rearward portion having an outer diameter equal to said
first
dimension;
(b) a cylindrical middle portion having an outer diameter substantially less
than
the outer diameter of said rearward portion; and
(c) a forward portion which has a frusto-conical outer surface extending
forwardly
from said middle portion from an outer diameter equal to the outer diameter
of said middle portion to an outer diameter which is less than said first
dimension and greater than the outer diameter of said middle portion.
-27-
28. A method of extruding a cylindrical metal pipe having a forward end
section,
a rearward end section and a middle section having an outer diameter which is
substantially
smaller than the outer diameter of each of said forward and rearward sections,
said forward
end section having an inner diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter
of each of said
rearward end section and said middle section, said method comprising:
(a) positioning a cylindrical metal billet having a cylindrical longitudinal
bore
within a cylindrical first bore of a container by inserting said billet
through a
rear opening to said first bore, said first bore having a central longitudinal
axis, said container having a front opening to said first bore and containing
an
inner die within said first bore adjacent said front opening and an outer die
outside of said container adjacent said front opening, said inner die having a
cylindrical second bore which has a smaller diameter than the diameter of said
first bore, said outer die having a third bore which has a diameter which is
less than the diameter of said first bore and greater than the diameter of
said
second bore, each of said inner and outer dies selectively being movable along
said central longitudinal axis, said inner die comprising two separable half
portions;
(b) positioning a press along said central longitudinal axis, said press
having a
circular forward pressing surface facing said container and a mandrel
extending forwardly from said pressing surface toward said container, said
pressing surface and said mandrel being coaxial with said first bore, said
pressing surface having substantially the same outer diameter as the inner
diameter of said first bore with sufficient clearance to enable said pressing
-28-
surface to move longitudinally within said first bore, said mandrel having a
cylindrical rearward portion which has a smaller outer diameter than the inner
diameter of said second bore, a cylindrical middle portion which has a smaller
diameter than said rearward portion, and a frusto conical forward portion
which extends forwardly from said middle portion from an outer diameter
equal to the outer diameter of said middle portion to a diameter which is
larger
than the outer diameter of said middle portion and smaller than the diameter
of said rearward portion;
(c) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis so that
said
mandrel extends through the bore of said billet and said middle portion lies
within said second bare to form a first ring-shaped opening and the juncture
of said middle portion and said rearward portion is spaced rearward of said
inner die when said forward pressing surface first engages said billet to push
said billet against said inner die;
(d) moving said press forwardly a first distance along said central
longitudinal axis
to a point that the juncture of said middle portion and said rearward portion
is at the rearward end of said second bore for forcing metal from said billet
through said first ring-shaped opening to extrude a preliminary forward end
section of pipe having an outer diameter which is equal to the inner diameter
of said second bore and an inner diameter which is equal to the outer diameter
of said middle portion;
(e) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis a second
distance with said rearward portion within said second bore to form a second
-29-
ring-shaped opening for forcing metal from said billet through said second
ring-shaped opening to extrude the middle section of said pipe having an outer
diameter which its equal to the inner diameter of said second bore and an
inner
diameter which is equal to the diameter of said rearward portion and causing
the preliminary forward end section of pipe to pass over the forward portion
of said mandrel during forward movement of said press for said second
distance so that the preliminary forward end section of said pipe is expanded
transversely of said central longitudinal axis to an inner diameter which is
less
than the inner diameter of the middle section of said pipe and an outer
diameter which its greater than the outer diameter of the middle section of
said
pipe;
(f) moving one of said outer die and said container along said central
longitudinal
axis so that said outer die is spaced from said stationary container a
distance
at least equal to the longitudinal length of said inner die;
(g) removing said inner die from said first bore through said front opening so
that
said inner die is forward of said container;
(h) removing the half portions of said inner die from said pipe and mandrel;
(i) moving one of said outer die and said container rearwardly along said
central
longitudinal axis so that said outer die is in engagement with said container
and said rearward is within said third circular bore to form a third ring-
shaped
opening;
(j) moving said press forwardly along said central longitudinal axis for a
third
distance for forcing metal from said billet through said third ring-shaped
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opening to extrude the rearward section of said pipe having an inner diameter
which is equal to the outer diameter of said rearward portion and an outer
diameter which is equal to the inner diameter of said third bore; and
(k) removing said extruded pipe from said mandrel.
29. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 28, wherein said
extruded pipe is removed from said mandrel by moving said mandrel rearwardly
along said
central longitudinal axis until paid mandrel is rearward of said extruded
pipe.
30. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 28, wherein said
container is moved rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis relative to
said outer die
and said mandrel at step (f) of claim 20 for forcing said inner die out of
said first bore.
31. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 28, wherein an
unextruded portion of said billet remains within said first bore after the
forward movement
of said mandrel for said third distance and said method comprises the
following additional
steps:
(a) moving said mandrel rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis until
said
mandrel is rearward of said extruded pipe;
(b) moving one of paid outer die and said container forwardly along said
central
longitudinal axis so that said outer die is spaced from said container; and
(c) removing the unextruded portion of said billet from the rearward end
section
of said extruded pipe.
-31-
32. A method of extruding a metal pipe as recited in claim 31, wherein said
container is moved rearwardly along said central longitudinal axis relative to
said outer die
and said mandrel at step (b) of claim 23 for forcing the unextruded portion of
said billet from
said first bore.
33. A method of extruding a cylindrical metal pipe having a forward end
section,
a rearward end section, and a middle section between said forward and rearward
end sections,
said middle section having an inner diameter of a first dimension and an outer
diameter of
a second dimension, said rearward end section having an inner diameter of said
first
dimension and an outer diameter greater than said second dimension, said
forward end section
having an outer diameter which is greater than said second dimension and an
inner diameter
of a third dimension which is less than said first dimension, said method
comprising the
following steps:
(a) pressing a cylindrical metal billet within a cylindrical bore of a
container
through a first ruig shaped opening having an inner diameter which is less
than
said third dimension and an outer diameter which is equal to said second
dimension to extrude a preliminary forward end section of said pipe having an
inner diameter which is less than said third dimension;
(b) pressing said metal billet within said bore through a second ring shaped
opening having an inner diameter which is equal to said first dimension and
an outer diameter which is equal to said second dimension to extrude the
middle section of said pipe;
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(c) moving said preliminary forward end section of pipe over a mandrel which
has
a frusto-conical outer surface shaped for expanding the preliminary forward
end section of said pipe to form the forward end section of said pipe having
an inner diameter equal to said third dimension and an outer diameter which
is greater than said second dimension; and
(d) pressing said metal billet within said bore through a third ring shaped
opening
having an inner diameter which is greater than said first dimension and an
outer diameter which is greater than said second dimension to extrude the
rearward end section of said pipe.
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