Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-21
2001-01-09
Rosenbaum, I Cuda (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S282000, C029S753000, C029S863000, C029S505000, C072S416000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170145
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
This application is not referenced to any Microfiche Appendix.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention is directed to a swaging process and apparatus to produce efficient terminations in wire rope. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method involving a swaging process and apparatus for use in the method to convert a cylindrical swaging sleeve surrounding a wire rope into a sleeve having a non-circular external cross-sectional shape. In a particular application, the method of this invention is useful in attaching swage socket type termination elements to the end portion of a wire rope. Such swage socket terminations are typically either an open swage socket wherein the termination element has spaced apart parallel integral tang portions or the swage socket is a closed swage socket in which the termination element has a body portion with an opening through it.
2. Prior Art.
Wire rope termination fittings generally comprise cylindrical swaging sleeves that are used in a variety of wire rope terminations. Typically, swaging sleeves are externally and internally cylindrical and sized to receive therein a particular size of wire rope. A sleeve typically used to form a wire rope sling eye, particularly of the Flemish-eye splice form of termination, is cylindrical with one end being tapered, such sleeves form the termination by swaging, i.e., cold forming the sleeve to form a strong union with the wire rope. Such swages and methods for forming them are known in the prior art and described in the NATIONAL SWAGE CATALOG of The Crosby Group, Inc.
In the prior swage forming processes, a round sleeve is positioned at the termination point and then placed within open co-acting cylindrical dies. The shape of the cylindrical die represents the size of the finished swage for a given size of wire rope identified as the “after swage dimension”. The prior art process requires that the co-acting dies are closed partially to approximately one-half the distance from the time initial contact is made between the sleeves and the dies. The die is then opened and the sleeve is rotated. This step is repeated upwards of 3 to 4 times until the dies actually close and abut to create the after swage dimension sufficient to sustain the working load limits for a given wire rope size. As the size of the wire rope increases even more repeated turning of the sleeve and multiple pressing is required.
One pass swaging has been taught in the prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,032; British Patent 1,249,352, dated Oct. 13, 1971; and PCT/GB94/02025 filed Sep. 16, 1994. Such a method and apparatus will create unwanted “flash” of swage material between the die “land” surfaces if the dies are closed too much during the first and second swaging passes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a further improved apparatus and method of creating a swage of correct after-swage dimension for a given working load limit, based upon the size of wire rope, in fewer passes than required with conventional round cross-sectional cavity dies. The working load limit is defined as the maximum mass or force that the product is designed to support in general service when a pull is applied to the wire rope, plus a design (safety) factor. This factor is the product's theoretical reserve load capability computed by dividing the catalog ultimate load by the working load limit. This is generally expressed as a ratio, e.g., 5:1.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process for creating a wire rope termination wherein a round or cylindrical sleeve is die formed by a two pass (or multi-pass) method of compression into a non-circular external shape that can be multi-sided, polygonal, such as an outer hexagonal, shape. To practice the invention, the round sleeve is positioned within co-acting dies having abutting lands. At least one of the co-acting dies possesses a reservoir area to allow the sleeve to flow into the reservoir area upon compression. This prevents sleeve material (flash) from flowing into the area between the abutting lands. In the preferred embodiment, the dies are closed a first time to form the sleeve into a quasi-hexagonal shape. The quasi-hexagonal sleeve will approximate the shape of a hexagon except for the side or sides that are exposed to a reservoir area in a die. The co-acting dies are then opened and the sleeve is rotated. The co-acting dies are then again closed, forming the sleeve into a final quasi-hexagonal shape. During the forming process, each time the dies are closed, the lands of the co-acting dies abut. This fact greatly decreases operator attention associated with prior swaging processes. After a double pass utilizing the method described herein, a properly formed swage at the termination point of the wire rope with the after swage dimensions to produce the proper working plus design factor load limits for the size of wire rope is formed.
Specifically, the invention is directed to opposing hexagonal, or polygonal die cavities, wherein at least one, preferably two, of the oppositely facing sides include a reservoir area for swage material to flow at a first full closing of the dies, i.e. the die land surfaces abut. A method includes a second step of rotating the swage less than 180° followed by a second full closing of the dies. The invention being preferably directed to using such method and apparatus in one embodiment, to form a Flemish-eye wire rope sling. A third pass may be required where there is excess clearance in the guide supports of the hydraulic swaging machine.
One aspect of the invention is a method of securing a swage socket termination element to an end portion of a wire rope. Swage socket terminations can occur in various forms but are usually two primary forms. The first is commonly called an open swage socket. This type of device has a body portion with two integrally extending parallel tang portions. The tang portions typically have aligned openings at the outer end so that a bolt or other type of key member may be inserted through the openings by which the open swage socket can be secured to some other piece of equipment. The open swage socket has an integral elongated tubular member, the end portion of a wire rope being receivable in the tubular portion. The open swage socket is secured to the end portion of wire rope by cold flowing or deforming the integral tubular portion around the end portion of the wire rope. This invention is concerned with an improved way of deforming the integral tubular portion of an open swage socket to secure it to the end portion of a wire rope.
Another type of swage socket is called a closed swage socket. It is similar to the open swage socket except that the body portion of the closed swage socket has an opening through it, that is, it does not have integral extending tang portions. A closed swage socket has an integrally elongated tubular portion that receives the end portion of a wire rope. The tubular portion is deformable by cold flow to form around and attached to the wire end portion.
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Cuda Rosenbaum I
Head Johnson & Kachigian
Omgba Essama
The Crosby Group, Inc.
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