Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Process for making bearing or component thereof
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-09-18
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Process for making bearing or component thereof
C029S898120, C029S898056, C029S557000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289589
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for producing flanged bearings, in which a strip-form backing material is coated with overlay material, blanks are punched out of the coated strip and the blanks are formed into flanged bearings and finished. The invention also relates to a device for producing flanged bearings.
2. Related Prior Art
The production of flanged bearings entails a plurality of machining steps. Once the strip-form backing material has been coated with overlay material, the first step is to punch blanks out of the strips, whereafter grooves are formed in the area where the flange is to be produced. This means that the coating has to be removed in the area of the grooves. In the next manufacturing step, the flange is produced, after which the bearing shell is bent round, this being effected in a wrapping machine. The blank provided with the flange is clamped on a cylinder in the wrapping machine and a counter-cylinder effects the desired shaping.
This method exhibits a number of disadvantages. The punched-out blanks have to be gripped, held and transported by means of appropriate devices. This means that appropriate holding and receiving means have to be provided in the various machining stations, said means being more complicated, the smaller the flanged bearings. Moreover, handling of the blanks or partially formed bearings requires a lot of time, such that all in all it is possible to achieve only poor cycle times.
Another disadvantage is that only flanged bearings with maximum diameters of up to 30 mm may be produced. Wrapping machines are limited in particular by their drive mechanisms, which cannot be reduced in size at will owing to the considerable force required for wrapping flanged bearings. In the case of the production of flanged bearings with diameters<30 mm, there is a risk that the cylinder provided for shaping might possibly break.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a method which is distinguished by simplicity of blank handling and relatively high cycle times. The invention also relates to a device with which flanged bushes of any desired diameter may be produced.
This object is achieved using a method which is characterised in that, when the blank is punched out, at least two extension and holding portions are formed, by means of which the blank remains connected with the strip or the neighbouring blank during shaping and in that the flanged bearing is separated from the extension and holding portions once shaping is complete.
The advantage of this method is that, since the blank is not punched completely out of the strip, but rather remains connected to the strip or the neighbouring blank, the strip or this link may be used as a transporting aid for the blanks. The strip or linked series of several interconnected blanks arranged one after the other may be positioned far more precisely and with markedly less effort in the individual machining stations than is the case with individual blanks. The particular advantage of leaving the blanks connected to the edge of the strip during shaping is that a flat object has to be fixed in the machining stations, which is far simpler to achieve than fixing of a semi-finished product which is already partially shaped.
These measures contribute to the achievement of substantially shorter cycle times.
In order not to impair shaping of the blank into a flanged bearing despite the connection thereof with neighbouring blanks or with the strip, the extension portions are appropriately of flexible construction.
In this connection, a distinction should be made between two embodiments. According to a first embodiment, two extension and holding portions are each punched out laterally in the area of the flanged bearing which is subsequently to become the apex thereof. The extension and holding portions thus extend in the transverse direction, i.e. perpendicularly to the direction of feed of the strip. For the shaping process to be possible, these extension and holding portions are extensible in the transverse direction. On the other hand, high positioning accuracy has to be ensured, to which end the extension and holding portions are unyielding in the longitudinal direction of the strip, such that no relative disolacement of the blanks or the partially or wholly formed blanks in the longitudinal direction may occur during the shaping process.
The extension and holding portions preferably each comprise a web extending in the transverse direction and two loops extensible in the transverse direction. The loops are advantageously arranged symmetrically, such that only extension in the transverse direction may occur, and no displacement in the longitudinal direction of the strip. Extensibility is achieved in that the curvature of the loops may be varied.
To simplify positioning of the strip, locating holes are punched out in the edge area of the strip. Two holes are preferably provided per blank and are formed in the area of the edge in the vicinity of the holding and extension portions.
According to another embodiment, at least one arcuate web is punched out between each of the blanks. These arcuate webs are extensible only in the longitudinal direction of the blanks. The webs are connected with the blanks at the points at which the partial surfaces are located in a finished flanged bush. The webs are preferably located in the area where the flange will later be provided.
Shaping of the blank is preferably carried out in a die, such that the diameter of the flanged bearing is not restricted. The bearing shell is advantageously formed first, the edge of the bearing shell then being bent over to form the flange.
The device for forming blanks into flanged bearings comprises a die and a die barrel, on each side of which there is provided a slide displaceable for the purpose of forming the flange.
The blank is introduced into this device and formed into a bearing shell by closure of the die and die barrel, the blank being held by means of the holding and extension portions. After this forming process, the lateral slides are displaced towards the blank held by die and die barrel, such that the entire edge of the blank projecting with respect to the die and die barrel is bent.
On its side remote from the die and die barrel, the slide preferably comprises an inclined portion, which is engaged by the inclined portion of a tapered driving key moving in the vertical direction.
The die is attached by means of at least one spring to a top plate, on which the tapered driving wedges are advantageously also arranged. Lowering of the top plate and closure of the die also causes actuation of the tapered driving wedges, which are moved in the direction of the die and die barrel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2119900 (1938-06-01), Bate
patent: 2123 804 (1972-11-01), None
Butler Marc W
Federal-Mogul Wiesbaden GmbH & Co. KG
Hughes S. Thomas
Reising Ethington, Barnes, Kisselle, Learman & McCulloch, P.C.
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