Apparatus for pointing work pieces

• US 4,350,036 A
• Filed: 02/07/1980
• Issued: 09/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vale Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Vale Industries Limited
• Inventors: Valente, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosby, Gene
• Application Number:
  US06/119,356
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 72/402, 72/399, 72/410, 72/367, 72/189, 72/409, 29/237, 29/517
• US Class Current: 72/402
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 5/00 Pointing; Push-pointing
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 5/003 of hollow material, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/048 using presses for radially crimping tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 41/04 Reducing; Closing

Abstract

A tube shaping machine includes a plurality of dies each having a substantially continuous, unbroken working surface. These dies are mounted with the working surfaces positioned one adjacent to the next so as to form a tube-receiving aperture therethrough, which aperture defines in cross-section regular polygon. The dies are substantially identical in configuration, this configuration being such that reciprocating each of the dies along a predetermined straight line throughout a range of positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position of the tube-receiving aperture maintains a similar regular polygonal cross-sectional shape of said tube-receiving through aperture throughout said range of positions.

Claims

1. A tube shaping machine comprising a plurality of dies each having a substantially continuous, unbroken working surface, a substantially straight support leg for supporting said working surface and for defining lateral side portions thereof and forming a predetermined angle with respect to said working surface, and a substantially straight actuating leg for driving said support leg and formed continuously therewith and at a second predetermined angle with respect thereto, means for mounting said dies and for aligning said working surfaces one adjacent to the next so as to form a tube-receiving aperture therethrough, which aperture defines in cross-section a regular polygon, and means for simultaneously reciprocating each of said plurality of dies along a predetermined straight line throughout a range of positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position of said tube shaping machine while maintaining a similar regular polygonal cross-sectional shape of said tube-receiving through aperture throughout said range of positions.

2. A tube shaping machine according to claim 1 wherein said first predetermined angle is chosen so that the working surface and the lateral side portions defined by said support leg define, respectively, one side of said regular polygon, an extension of a side of said regular polygon next adjacent to said one side thereof, and a line parallel to said next adjacent side, and wherein said second predetermined angle is chosen such that movement of said die along the longitudinal axis of said actuating leg will maintain said similar regular polygonal cross-sectional shape of said aperture.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 8 wherein said regular polygon comprises a hexagon.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, claim 3 or claim 8 wherein said working surface comprises a substantially flat, axially elongate portion comprising a major portion thereof, and a tapered leading end portion for substantially gradually deforming the longitudinal surface of said tube from its original form to the desired form.

3. A tube shaping machine comprising a plurality of dies each having a substantially continuous, unbroken working surface, a substantially straight support leg for supporting said working surface and for defining lateral side portions thereof and forming a predetermined angle with respect to said working surface, and a substantially straight actuating leg for driving said support leg and formed continuously therewith and at a second predetermined angle with repect thereto, means for relatively mounting said dies so that the working surfaces thereof collectively define a tube-receiving aperture having a substantially continuous and unbroken composite working surface both peripherally and longitudinally, and means for simultaneously reciprocating each of said plurality of dies along a predetermined straight line throughout a range of positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position of said tube shaping machine, while maintaining a tube to be shaped therein substantially fully peripherally and longitudinally supported throughout said range of positions.

4. A tube shaping machine according to claim 3 wherein said working surfaces define a tube-receiving aperture which defines a regular polygon in cross-section.

5. A tube shaping machine according to claim 4 wherein said regular polygon comprises a hexagon.

6. A tube shaping machine according to claim 3 wherein said support leg has a pair of parallel, spaced apart, substantially flat lateral side surfaces and wherein said first predetermined angle is chosen so that said working surface and one of the lateral side surfaces of said support leg form, respectively, one side of said regular polygon and an extension of a side of said regular polygon next adjacent said one side of said regular polygon.

7. A tube shaping machine according to claim 6 wherein said second predetermined angle is chosen so that movement of the die along the longitudinal axis of the actuating leg will maintain a similar regular polygonal shape of said cross-section of said aperture.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 7 wherein said second predetermined angle is chosen so that the longitudinal axis of said actuating leg is parallel with a line bisecting said regular polygon from the junction of said one side of said regular polygon with said next adjacent side thereof.

8. A die for use with a tube forming machine, said die including a substantially flat, continuous and unbroken working surface capable of alignment with flat working surfaces of other like dies for collectively defining substantially the sides of a regular polygon, a substantially straight support leg for supporting said working surface, and for defining a pair of parallel, spaced apart lateral side portions of said working surface at a first predetermined angle with respect thereto, and a substantially straight actuating leg for driving said support leg and formed continuously therewith and at a second predetermined angle with respect thereto, said first predetermined angle being such that said working surface and one of the lateral side portions thereof define, respectively, one side of said regular polygon and an extension of a side of said regular polygon next adjacent to said one side of said regular polygon and said second predetermined angle being chosen so that movement of the die along the longitudinal axis of the actuating leg will maintain a similar regular polygon when said plurality of like dies are initially to aligned and thereafter simultaneously moved a like amount along their respective actuating leg longitudinal axes.