US3034560A - Swinging arm type stretch and wipe forming machine - Google Patents

Description

SWINGING ARM TYPE STRETCH AND WIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 29, 1958 May 15, 1962 P. P. MATTHEWS 4 Sheets-Sheet l 3nnentor attorney y 1962 P. P. MATTHEWS 3,034,560

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Q 0K 3 km United States Patent 3,034,560 SWINGING ARM TYPE STRETCH AND WIPE FORMING MACHBIE Peter P. Matthews, Willoughby, Ohio, assignor to The Cyril Bath Company, Solon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 757,973 4 Claims. (Cl. 153-32) This invention relates to a combined stretch and wipe forming machine, and particularly to a stretch and wipe forming machine, of the type in which a side face die is mounted on a stationary die support and suitable stretch forming and wipe forming devices are mounted on arms which swing about the stationary die support for the purpose of concurrently stretch forming and wipe forming the stock onto the die.

For the purposes of illustration, the invention is shown embodied in a combined stretch and wipe forming machine employing a stationary die support, a pair of stretching arms which swing about the support and carry stretch forming piston and cylinder assemblages, and a third arm which swings about the support and carries a wipe forming piston and cylinder assemblage.

Heretofore, in machines of this general character, one problem has been to provide a simple and efficient drive for the stretching arms.

An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of stretching arms and driving mechanism by which the arms can be swung readily about the die support at accurately controlled speeds, either in unison or individually, and at the same or different, constant or variable, speeds, regardless of the angular position of the arms about the support.

Another object is to provide an arrangement in which the stretching arms can be swung from a position wherein they are 160 apart and each is 10? in front of a plane through their axis, to a position in which each is at 90 to the plane at the rear thereof, whereby the two arms together can swing through a combined wrapping angle of 200 about the die.

Another object is to mount the wipe forming arm and the wipe forming assemblage carried thereby in such manner that the reactance stresses imposed by the assemblage during wipe forming are resisted in a manner which prevents displacement of the assemblage and flexure of the arms due to elastic deformation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a right end elevation of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, but with the stretch arms shown in the position indicated by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a fragmentary, enlarged, top plan view and side elevation, respectively, of the wipe forming assembly; Y

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary left end elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 6 and- 7 are hydraulic circuit diagrams illustrating the controls for the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a base or frame 1 on which is supported a horizontal die support 2 which is arranged for supporting a side face die D in fixed position with its forming face generally upright.

Mounted on the frame 1, for swinging movement about an upright axis, are stretching arms 3 and 4 which are arranged to support stretch forming reversible hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblages. The arms 3 and 4 are mounted on a common upright pivot post 5 which'extends 3,034,560 Patented May 15, 1962 from the bottom of the frame to the support 2 and is rigidly secured at its ends in nonrotative position relative to the frame and support, respectively. Since the arms 3 and 4 are alike in structure, being symmetrically arranged, the arm 3 only will be described in detail.

The arm 3 is provided at its inner end with a rigid yoke portion, including upper and lower yoke arm portions 3a and 3b which are in pivotal engagement with the pivot post 5 and thereby support the arm '3 in horizontal position for swinging about the axis of the post 5. Mounted on the arm 3 is a suitable rack 7 which is movablbe longitudinally of the arm. At the face of the rack facing inwardly toward the pivot, the rack is provided with teeth for engaging a suitable gear. The rack 7 is constrained to fixed position transversely of the arm 3 by a suitable plate 9 which is secured to the yoke arm portion 312 and is positioned outwardly at the face of the rack 7 opposite from the teeth. The rack 7 is constrained to movement longitudinally of the arm 3 by the plate 9 and piston of the assemblage now to be described.

Mounted on the arm 3 is a reversible hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblage 10 having a cylinder 11, a piston 12, and a piston rod 13. The piston rod 13 is fixedly connected to the rack 7 for driving the rack in opposite directions, selectively.

Mounted in fixed non-rotative position on the pivot post 5 is a suitable gear 14 which is disposed between the yoke arm portions 3a and 3b of the arm 3 and which is in driving engagement with the rack 7.

Slidably mounted on the top of the arm 3 is a saddle 15 which may be moved to different positions along the arm and fixedly secured in the selected positions. Mounted on the saddle are a pair of upright spaced arms 16 which are bridged at the top by a suitable tie plate 17, thus defining with the saddle an O-frame which opens endwise of the arm 3. Supported in the O-frame is a suitable reversible, stretch forming, hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblage 18, comprising a cylinder 19, a piston 20, and a piston rod 21. A stretch head 22, which is arranged for gripping of an end of a length of stock for imparting a tension thereto by means of the piston and cylinder assemblage 18, is connected to the piston rod. The assemblage 18 is secured to the frame of the saddle for swinging about an upright axis by means of trunnions 23 and 24 which are mounted in suitable slide blocks 25 and 26, the slide blocks being mounted for guided vertical movement in the O-frame of the saddle 15. A suitable reversible piston and cylinder assemblage 28 is connected to the blocks 25 and 26 for moving the piston and cylinder assemblage 18 to difierent vertically adjusted positions for obtaining the benefits set forth in United States Letters patent of Cyril J. Bath, No. 2,713,376, issued July 19, 1955.

The mounting of the piston and cylinder assemblage 18 is such that the assemblage can swing through an arc of about 25 in each direction about its upright pivotal axis or trunnions 23 and 24 from the longitudinal center line of the arm 3.

The arm 4 carries corresponding equipment and is in all respects the same as the arm 3 and is connected to the post 5 by means of suitable yoke arm portions 4a and 4b.

The assemblages 10, as well as the assemblages 18, preferably are reversible hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblages and can be locked, if desired, in predetermined extended and retracted positions.

The arms 3 and 4 thus have a common pivot about which they can be swung individually or in unison by operation of their racks 7.

Mounted on the frame 1 for rotation about an axis or pivot coaxial with the swinging axis of the arms 3 and 4 is a wipe forming arm 30. In the form illustrated, a

' suitable bracket 31 is secured in fixed position on the frame above the die support and the arm is pivotally secured thereto by means of a pivot 33 coaxial with the pivot post 5. A slide box 34 is mounted on the arm 30 and may be moved to different selected positions longitudinally of the arm and secured in the desired selected positions thereon. The slide box 34 carries therebeneath a block 35 which is arranged to receive a pivot for rockably supporting a wipe forming piston and cylinder assemblage 36. The wipe forming piston and cylinder assemblage 36 includes a cylinder 37 having a piston therein and a piston rod 38, the end of which is connected to a wipe forming shoe 39.

For the supporting assemblage, a downwardly open saddle block 40 is provided, the saddle having a tunnel therethrough extending coaxial with the piston or assemblage. The cylinder 36 is secured to the saddle block 40 in fixed position, The saddle block 40 is secured to the block 35 by means of a suitable vertical pivot 43 which extends upwardly through the block 35 and is secured in place by means of a suitable plate 44. The plate 44 is secured to the top of the pivot 43 for rotation therewith, and bears against the upper surface of the block 35.

For purposesof resisting lateral fiexure of the piston rod 38 by the wipe forming shoe, the saddle block 40 is provided with suitable guideways or holes through which extend guide rods 45, arranged one at each side of the axis of the piston and cylinder assemblage. The rods 45 are attached to the head 39. For purposes set forth in United States Letters Patent of Dolney and Hein, No. 2,810,421, issued October 22, 1957, it is desirable to provide for some rocking movement of the cylinder 36 about an upright axis.

As mentioned, the block 40 is mounted on an upright pivot 43. For rocking the assemblage, a reversible hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblage is fixedly mounted on the block 35 and extends generally parallel to the axis of the assemblage 36. The assemblage 50 includes a cylinder 51, a piston 52 with a piston rod 53, on the outer end of which is a pin 54. The plate 44 has an ear 55. The car 55 and plate 40 have aligned elongated radial slots 57 and 58, respectively, which provide a Scotch yoke connection with the pin 54. Thus upon reciprocation of the piston 51, the piston and cylinder assemblage 36' can be rocked about the axis of the pivot 43. Usually, provision is made for rocking movement of about 20 at each side of the axisof the arm 30. The assemblage 50 can be locked hydraulically, if desired, in any preselected position between the limits of the 40 arc.

Fixedly secured on the arm 30 is a frame 60 which extends laterally of the arm 30 beyond the lateral limits thereof.

At each of its lateral limits, the frame 60 has downwardly depending portions 61 which extend alongside opposite faces of the block 40 in spaced relation thereto. At the lower end, each of the portions 61 carries a suitable roller 62. A suitable peripherally open trackway 63 is provided in the support 2 and is coaxial with the pivot post 5. The rollers 62 engage in the trackway 63 and thus resist, by engagement with the trackway, any forces tending to move the roller vertically. This provides a hold-down for the outer end of the arm 30 and prevents upward deflection of the cylinder 36 by reaction forces created by the engagement of the wipe forming shoe with the side face of the die under the action of the piston 37 and shoe 39.

The spacing of the rollers 62, circumferentially of the track, gives the necessary support to arm 30 to resist torsional flexure imparted to the arm by the drag of the wipe shoe on the part being formed and resultant force imposed when the wipe shoe assemblage is swivelled its maximum 20 to one side or the other of its normal position.

In order to reciprocate the arm 30 by swinging it about its pivot 33, a suitable sprocket 65 is fixedly secured on the arm 30 and is engaged by a suitable chain 66, the ends of which are connected to piston rods 67 of the pistons 68 of a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblages 69 to the rod ends of which pressure is supplied under the control of the operator for reciprocating the pistons as desired.

Mounted on the frame 1 is a suitable pump 71 driven by a motor 72 and connected through conventional valving arrangements to the cylinders of the wipe arm actuating assemblies 69. An additional pump 73, driven by a motor 74, is connected through a conventional valving arrangement to the tension piston and cylinder assemblages 18. Still another pump 75 and motor 76 are mounted on the frame and are connected by conventional valving arrangements to the arm actuating piston and cylinder assemblages 10.

With the arrangement of conventional valving and the circuit illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the arms 3 can be swung individually or in unison in timed relation, at constant and variable speeds, selectively. The control is simplified because, by virtue of the racks and pinions, the increment of movement of each piston 12 in its cylinder 11 results in a corresponding increment of angular movement of the arm 3, and this fixed relation between the increments of movement of the piston and those of the arm remain uniform throughout the swinging operation of the arm 3. Therefore, by maintaining a uniform rate of extension or retraction of the pistons, a uniform angular rate of swing of the arms can be obtained. This has decided advantages when controlling the operations carefully in the stretch forming.

As examples of hydraulic circuits for the machine, reference is made to FIGS. 6 and 7.

For operating the wipe shoe assemblage 36 and wipe shoe swivelling assemblage 50, a pump 78 is provided and is driven by the motor 72.

The gripper jaws of the heads 22 are operated by reversible piston and cylinder assemblages 79, supplied by a pump 80 driven by the motor 74.

For rotating the wipe arm 30, pressure fluid is supplied by the pump 71 through a line 81 to a double-acting directional valve 82, a relief valve 83 being connected to the line 81 between the pump and valve 82 for limiting the pressure. A suitable gauge 84 is connected to the line 81 through a needle fluid control valve 85.

The double-acting directional valve 82 includes a main valve 82a having a plug 82b operated by hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblages 86 to different positions, in one of which it connects the rod end of one assemblage 69 to the pump by a line 87, and the rod end of the other assemblage 69 to a sump by a line 88. The head ends of both assemblages 69 are continuously connected to the sump.

In a second position of the plug 82b, it reverses all of these connections.

In a third position, it blocks the lines 87 and 88, thus hydraulically locking the assemblages 69 and holding. the arm 30 in fixed position.

For remote control, the assemblage 86 may be operated by hydraulic fluid controlled by a valve 89 operated by solenoids 90.

The lines 37 and 88 have interposed therein, between the main valve 84 and associated assemblage 69, flow control valves 91 and 92 with check valves 93 and 94 in bypassing relation thereto, respectively, operative to permit the flow of fluid to the assemblages 69 and blocks its return through the valves 93 and 94.

For operating the main wipe forming assemblage 36, pressure fluid from the pump 78 is fed through a line 95 to a double action valve 96 to the cylinder of the assemblage 36. The valve 96 is operable to reverse the flow to the cylinder and hydraulically lock the piston, depending upon its setting. The valve 96 is set by hydraulic control piston and cylinder assemblages 97 controlled by a solenoid operated valve 93 operated by remotely controlled solenoids 99. A pressure reducing valve 100 is interposed in the line 95 between the pump 78 and valve 96.

Between the reducing valve 100 and pump 78, a double action solenoid operated relief valve 101 is connected to the line 95.

Connected to the line 95, between the valve 101 and the valve 106, is a sequence valve 102 through which pressure fluid is supplied to a control valve 103 for the wipe shoe swivelling assemblage 50. The valve 103 is operated by control piston and cylinder assemblages 104 which, in turn, are controlled by a remotely controlled solenoid operated double action directional valve 185. The valve 103 is operable to supply pressure to one side of the piston of the assemblage 50 and vent the other side, concurrently, and to reverse the connections.

Pressure fluid is supplied by the pump 75, through a line 108 and its branches 108a and 1081'), to the piston and cylinder assemblages for swinging the stretching arms 3 and 4. Between the pump 75 and the branches 108a and 10812 is a solenoid operated relief valve 109 and a pressure gauge 110, the flow to which is controlled by a needle valve 111.

Lines 108a and 10815 are connected to double acting directional control valves 112 and 113 which supply flui to the assemblages 10, respectively, for advancing and retracting the pistons.

The valves 112 and 113 are operated by control piston and cylinder assemblages 114 and 115, respectively, and the assemblages 114 and 115 are controlled, in turn, by solenoid operated, remotely controlled valves 116 and 117, respectively. Flow control valves 118 and 119 are connected in the branches 108a and 108b, respectively, between the control valves and assemblages 10.

The tension assemblages 18 are supplied by the pump 73 through a line 120, double acting directional valves 121 and 122, respectively, operated by control piston and cylinder assemblages 123, and 124, respectively, which are controlled, in turn, by a remotely controlled, solenoid operated valve 125 and 126, respectively.

A pressure relief valve 127, controlled by an electric motor 128 and a relief valve 129, controlled by a 1'61 motely controlled, solenoid operated valve 130, is connected to the line 120. This arrangement controls the stretch forming assemblages.

The pump 80 is connected to a line 132 to solenoid operated, double acting, directional valves 133 and 134 which are connected to and control the piston and cylinder assemblages 79 for actuating the gripper jaws of 5 the stretch forming heads 22.

A pressure relief valve 135 and pressure gauge 136 are connected to the line 132 between the pump 80 and valves 133 and 134.

If remote control of the assemblage '28 is desired, it

6 may be controlled by a circuit such as used for the assemblages 18.

The specific control means, including the hydraulic circuits, valves, and the like, may be conventional. 5 Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a metal forming machine, a frame, a die support non-rotatably mounted thereon, a die in fixed position on the support, a pair of arms, each of said arms being pivoted at one end for swinging about a common pivotal 10 axis relative to the frame and die support and to each other, power means respective to the arms, each power means being operable for causing its associated arm to swing in opposite directions about said common axis independently of, and concurrently with, the other arm,

selectively, metal forming assemblages on the arms, respectively, for laying a length of stock progressively endwise of the stock on the die face upon swinging of the arms relatively away from each other and relative to the die and die support, a third arm pivotally connected at one of its ends to the frame for swinging relative to the frame, die, and die support about said common pivotal axis of said pair of arms, additional power means to swing said third arm independently of the arms of said pair, and a wipe forming assemblage on the third arm operable to wipe form stock against the side face of the die supported on said support during swinging of the third arm.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the die support has an upwardly facing horizontal die supporting surface, the third arm and its pivotal connection with the frame are in spaced relation above, and in overhanging relation to, the said surface.

3. The structure according to claim 2 including additionally flexure restraining means on the third arm and connected to the frame at a location below the level of the die supporting surface and closely adjacent to said surface.

4. The structure according to claim 2 wherein the arms of said pair are pivotally connected to the frame at a level below the die supporting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,173 Hawkes Nov. 18, 1947 2,515,734 Rathgen July 18, 1950 2,515,752 VVeightman July 18, 1950 2,759,513 Green Aug. 21, 1956 2,810,421 Dolney Oct. 22, 1957 0 2,816,593 Hein et a1. Dec. 17, 1957 2,920,676 Turnblade Jan. 12, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Hufiord Machine Works, pages 12 and 13, 1950 ed.; book entitled Principles of Stretch-Wrap Forming. (Copy in Division 153.)

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