Metal fusion bonding – With means to juxtapose and bond plural workpieces – With means to treat workpieces
Patent
1982-01-25
1985-04-02
Godici, Nicholas P.
Metal fusion bonding
With means to juxtapose and bond plural workpieces
With means to treat workpieces
228 175, 228 19, 228 47, B23K 522
Patent
active
045082553
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application relates to the art of wheel rim blanks and, more particularly, to apparatus for manufacturing wheel rim blanks. Although the apparatus of the present application is particularly suitable for manufacturing wheel rim blanks and will be described with specific reference thereto, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects and can be used for manufacturing other ring members.
Apparatus of a known type for manufacturing wheel rim blanks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,324 issued Jan. 27, 1976, to Hess et al. In the Hess apparatus, a flat metal strip is formed into a cylindrical ring and is then moved axially along an elongated horn or mandrel through the necessary work stations, and is then rolled diagonally downwardly for finishing. In an arrangement of this type, it is not possible to remove a ring at any given station in the event of a malfunction and it is necessary to move the ring through all of the work stations or cut the ring in half for separation from the mandrel. Inspection of the rings and each individual work station is also difficult because all of the work stations are aligned along the mandrel. In the arrangement of Hess, the conveyor devices for moving the rings are located between individual work stations below the rings and these conveyor devices must be protected against chips or the like produced during the finishing operations. Accessibility to the tools in the Hess apparatus is also difficult and, in deburring the joint, it is necessary to absorb axial forces of axially movable clamping devices.
It would be desirable to have an apparatus for manufacturing wheel rim blanks in a simplified manner arranged so that access may be had to each work station, and with improved supports and conveying arrangements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Flat metal strips are formed into cylindrical rings having longitudinal axes and opposed ends welded together at a joint. Apparatus for manufacturing the rings comprises a plurality of work stations including a strip feed station, a ring forming station, a joint orientation station, a welding station for welding the joint and finishing stations for finishing the joint. The ring forming, joint orientation and welding stations are arranged in direct succession for processing a ring moving generally along its longitudinal axis through a work path. The strip feed station is positioned for feeding the metal strip to the ring forming station in a direction transverse to the work path. The finishing stations are positioned for receiving rings moving thereto from the welding station in a direction transversely of the work path.
In a preferred arrangement, the work stations in plan view are arranged in a generally Z-shaped configuration which includes end legs extending in opposite directions from opposite ends of a transverse connecting leg. The strip feed station is positioned along one of the end legs and the finishing stations are positioned along the other end leg. The ring forming, joint orientation and welding stations are positioned along the connecting leg. This arrangement provides easy access to each work station and the tools thereat.
In the arrangement of the present application, the rings are not conducted along a mandrel so it is easy to remove a ring from any given work station if so desired and inspection of the operations at each work station is also facilitated.
Transfer means for transferring the rings between at least certain of the stations is operative to move the rings in an arcuate path between adjacent ones of such stations. The rings move laterally upwardly and then laterally downwardly through the arcuate path. In one arrangement, the transfer means includes gripper means for gripping the upper portion of the rings.
Each ring member has a predetermined width parallel to its longitudinal axis and the finishing stations have upwardly opening generally U-shaped ring supports of a width approximately the same as the predetermined width of each ring. At the finishing stations, ea
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Lorenz Horst
Schulte Richard
Godici Nicholas P.
Jordan M.
Th. Kieserling & Albrecht
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