Metal deforming – By relatively receding work-engaging tool-faces – Embodying three or more tools
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-11-20
Larson, Lowell A. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By relatively receding work-engaging tool-faces
Embodying three or more tools
C072S353400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318143
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and in particular to an improved method and apparatus for producing a vehicle wheel.
A conventional vehicle wheel is typically of a two-piece construction and includes an inner wheel disc and an outer “full” wheel rim. The wheel disc can be cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion. The wheel mounting portion of the wheel disc defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the vehicle wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The wheel rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, an outboard tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange. In some instances, a three-piece wheel construction having a mounting cup secured to the wheel disc is used. In both types of constructions, the outer annular portion of the wheel disc is secured to the wheel rim by welding.
A full face vehicle wheel is distinguished from other types of wheels by having a one-piece wheel disc construction. In particular, the full face wheel includes a “full face” wheel disc and a “partial” rim. The full face wheel disc can be cast, forged, or fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys. The full face wheel disc includes an inner annular wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which defines at least a portion of an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the wheel. The wheel mounting portion defines an inboard mounting surface and includes a center pilot or hub hole, and a plurality of lug receiving holes formed therethrough for mounting the wheel to an axle of the vehicle. The partial wheel rim is fabricated from steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, an axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat. In some instances, the outboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim and the outer annular portion of the wheel disc cooperate to form the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the full face wheel. In both types of constructions, the outboard tire bead seat of the wheel rim is positioned adjacent the outer annular portion of the wheel disc and a weld is applied to join the wheel rim and the wheel disc together.
In the above wheel constructions, the wheel rim of the associated vehicle wheel is typically subjected to a final expanding operation to produce a finished wheel rim having a desired final profile prior to securing the wheel rim to the wheel disc by welding. A typical sequence of steps which can be used to produce a full wheel rim for use in a conventional type of vehicle wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,370 to Evans. As shown in this patent, the method includes the steps of: (a) providing a flat sheet of suitable material, such as aluminum or steel; (b) forming the sheet into a cylindrical hoop or band; (c) flaring the lateral edges of the hoop radially outwardly to produce a rim preform having flanges suitable for positioning on a roll forming machine; (d) subjecting the rim preform to a series of roll forming operations to produce a wheel rim having a predetermined shape; and (e) expanding the wheel rim to a produce a finished wheel rim having a predetermined circumference. A sequence of steps which can be used to produce a partial wheel rim for use in a full face type of vehicle wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,578 to Ashley, Jr.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates an improved wheel rim expanding tooling apparatus for producing a vehicle wheel rim. The wheel rim expanding tooling apparatus includes an inboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly and an outboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly which are selectively moveable between a retracted non-working position and an extended working position. The inboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly includes an inboard expander press, an inboard barrel head, and a pair of inboard expander press guide supports. Each of the pair of inboard expander press guide supports includes a base plate, an inboard barrel head support bracket, and a pair of runners. The base plate includes a pair of spaced apart rails, and the inboard barrel head support brackets includes a main body having a pair of spaced apart mounting legs extending therefrom. The main body defines a generally U-shaped cradle having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough which receive a fastener to thereby secure the inboard barrel head thereto. The runners are secured to the mounting legs by appropriate members. The outboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly includes an outboard expander press, an outboard barrel head, and a pair of outboard expander press guide supports. Each of the pair of outboard expander press guide supports includes a base plate, an outboard barrel head support bracket, and a pair of runners. The base plate includes a pair of spaced apart rails, and the outboard barrel head support brackets includes a main body having a pair of spaced apart mounting legs extending therefrom. The main body defines a generally U-shaped cradle having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough which receive a fastener to thereby secure the outboard barrel head thereto. The runners are secured to the mounting legs by appropriate members. The wheel rim expanding tooling apparatus of the present invention is operative to provide a support and guidance system which keeps the inboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly and the outboard wheel rim expanding tooling assembly substantially parallel to one another and with respect to an axis of the wheel rim during movement thereof throughout the expanding operation. As a result, the uniformity of the resulting wheel rim is improved.
Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2720241 (1955-10-01), Calcaterra
patent: 3298218 (1967-01-01), Gollwitzer
patent: 3575035 (1971-04-01), Nokes
patent: 3706120 (1972-12-01), Bulgrin
patent: 4985993 (1991-01-01), Yagi et al.
patent: 5010759 (1991-04-01), Yokomizo et al.
patent: 5257569 (1993-11-01), Santarossa
patent: 5579578 (1996-12-01), Ashley, Jr.
patent: 42 06 500 (1992-11-01), None
patent: 632325 (1949-11-01), None
patent: 00 40349 (2000-07-01), None
Mustread Larry
Penrod John W.
Vincent Danny C.
Hayes Lemmerz International Inc.
Larson Lowell A.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
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