METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING BODY AND END SECTIONS FOR FLUID POWER CYLINDER

• US 3,848,325 A
• Filed: 08/30/1973
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bimba Manufacturing Company, Inc. (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Bimba
• Inventors: Bimba, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lanham, C. W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DiPalma, Victor A.
• Application Number:
  US05/393,006
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 29/421M,516,509,510,511,515,521,525,526,421R,156.5R,157R,447 92/165,169 287/20.3,20.5 285/382.2
• US Class Current: 29/511
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/005 by expanding or crimping
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/1438 Cylinder to end cap assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 10/02 Cylinders designed to receive moving pistons or plungers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4927 Cylinder, cylinder head or engine valve sleeve making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49803 Magnetically shaping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49917 by necking in cup or tube wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49918 At cup or tube end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49927 Hollow body is axially joined cup or tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49954 Fastener deformed after application

Abstract

A non-loosening, high pressure resistant system for connecting an end cap member of a fluid power cylinder to the tubular body section by providing a special flat-bottomed and sloping wall groove in the periphery of each end cap and then rolling or otherwise forcing the end portion of the tubular body section down into the groove to make an assembled connection. The deformed end of the body section is subsequently locked into the groove of the end cap to provide longitudinal strength by rolling a narrow shoulder portion of the end cap down thereover, while still further circumferential and longitudinal strength is provided by having a pressfit band encompass the previously engaged portions of the tubular body section and the end cap.

Claims

1. In a fluid power cylinder having a tubular body section, metallic end caps, an internal piston member and piston rod means extending through at least one of the end caps, the improved method of providing a non-loosening connection between an end cap and the tubular body section, which comprises the steps of:

a. providing an extended width peripheral portion for the end cap sized to fit into an end of the tubular body section, b. forming a continuous peripheral shoulder around said end cap which is of larger diameter than said extended width portion adapted to engage said body section and which will form an abutting stop for the latter when they are assembled, c. further forming a peripheral groove in said cap adjacent said shoulder, with said groove bottom being of lesser diameter than Said extended width portion of the cap and said groove further having a sloping wall portion angled upwardly toward such extended width portion, d. effecting a coupling between the end cap and said tubular body section to a point where the end of the latter abuts said shoulder of said cap and then permanently deforming the end of the tubular body section down into a said groove until such body section conforms to the bottom and sloping wall portion of said groove, e. subsequently rolling and displacing a portion of the shoulder of said cap continuously down over the deformed end portion of the tubular body section in said groove, whereby there is an initial tight peripheral clamping of the end cap to the body section, and f. effecting the pressing of an encircling metal band over the rolled portion of the shoulder and the deformed end portion of the tubular body section which is in said groove, whereby to effect a circumferential locking of cap and body sections together in a high pressure resisting engagement.

2. The improved connection method of claim 1 further characterized in that said peripheral groove has a flat-bottomed portion such that at least an end portion of the tubular body section will be deformed down into such flat-bottomed groove for coverage by end cap metal.

3. The improved method of claim 1 further characterized in that a shaped roller of disc-like form is provided to move into a position with respect to the assembled tubular body section and end cap and effect a rolling deformation of the end of the tubular body section to fit into the bottom portion of said groove and at the same time have a sloping wall portion tightly fitting against the sloping wall portion of said groove.

4. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that a disclike roller is provided to move peripherally with respect to the end cap portion of the fluid power cylinder and effect said displacement and deformation of a peripheral portion of the end cap at a position adjacent the shoulder thereof and effect the rolling of a lip-like circumferential member tightly over and around said flattened end portion of said tubular body section, whereby to effect a tight circumferential seal over the latter.

5. The improved method of claim 1 further characterized in that a peripheral electromagnetic field producing coil which can rapidly discharge a high energy force field is provided in a manner to encompass the assembled tubular body section with said end cap and said encircling metal tie band and a suitable predetermined magnetic field pulse is impacted to said tie band to cause it to be compressed and conformed over the body section and cap assembly for the desired high pressure resistant engagement.

6. The improved method of claim 1 further characterized in that said encircling metal band is of aluminum and such band is subjected to annealing by being heated to a temperature level of the order of about 975* F. to being placed over the rolled portion of the shoulder of the end cap and the end of the tubular body section, and such assembly is subjected to a high energy magnetic field pulse sufficient to effect the compression and deformation of the band over said assembly to provide a desired high pressure resistant engagement.