Forming method and machine for splining power transmission members

A machine for forming splines in the thin-walled annular sleeve portions of power transmission members, the machine comprising the combination of:

• a pair of elongated dies slidably mounted with respect to each other in a spaced and parallel relationship and movable between an end-to-end relationship and an overlapping relationship, each of said dies including teeth spaced along the length thereof;
• an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel having a pair of ends for respectively supporting the thin-walled sleeve portions of a pair of power transmission members by being received therein, the mandrel having a central axis about which the teeth thereof are generated;
• and
• means removably mounting the mandrel between the dies for rotational movement about the central axis of the mandrel, sliding movement of the dies from their end-to-end relationship to their overlapping relationship engaging the dies with the annular sleeve portions of the members supported on the mandrel ends to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the annular sleeve portions of the members therebetween, the meshing of the die teeth and mandrel teeth deforming the sleeve portions of the members radially with respect to the central axis of the mandrel to form the splines in a rolling manner as the mandrel is rotated about its central axis on the mounting means, and removal of the mandrel from the mounting means permitting the splined members to be removed from the mandrel ends so that another pair of members to be splined may be mounted on the mandrel ends.

A machine for forming splines in a thin-walled annular sleeve portion of a power transmission member, the machine comprising the combination of:

• a pair of elongated dies slidably mounted with respect to each other in a spaced and parallel relationship and movable between an end-to-end relationship and an overlapping relationship, each of said dies including teeth spaced along the length thereof;
• an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel that is expandable and retractable radially to facilitate mounting of an unsplined power transmission member thereon upon being received within the sleeve portion thereof and to facilitate removal of a splined member therefrom, the mandrel having a central axis about which the teeth thereof are generated;
• and
• means mounting the mandrel between the dies for rotational movement about the central axis of the mandrel, sliding movement of the dies from their end-to-end relationship to their overlapping relationship engaging the dies with the annular sleeve portion of the member supported on the mandrel to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the annular sleeve portion of the member therebetween, and the meshing of the die teeth and mandrel teeth deforming the sleeve portion of the member radially with respect to the central axis of the mandrel to form the splines in a rolling manner as the mandrel is rotated about its central axis on the mounting means.

A machine for forming splines in the thin-walled annular sleeve portions of power transmission members, the machine comprising:

• a pair of rectilinearly elongated dies slidably mounted with respect to each other in a spaced and parallel relationship and movable between an end-to-end relationship and an overlapping relationship, each die including teeth spaced along the length thereof and extending transversely with respect to the direction of die movement in an opposed and parallel relationship with respect to the teeth of the other die, the teeth being arranged in groups along the dies which each have a length equal to at least one-half the circumference of the sleeve portion of a power transmission member to be splined, and the teeth within each group being of the same size and the teeth being of progressively increasing size from one group to the next in a direction opposite to the direction of die movement as the dies move to their overlapping relationship from the end-to-end relationship;
• an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel having a pair of ends for respectively supporting the thin-walled sleeve portions of a pair of unsplined power transmission members, the mandrel having a central axis about which the teeth thereof are generated and the teeth of the mandrel being elongated in a direction parallel to the central axis of the mandrel;
• and
• means mounting the mandrel between the dies for rotational movement about the central axis of the mandrel, the mounting means orienting the central mandrel axis parallel to the transverse direction in which the die teeth extend at a location midway between the opposed teeth on the dies, sliding movement of the dies from their end-to-end relationship to their overlapping relationship engaging the dies with the annular sleeve portions of the members supported on the mandrel to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the sleeve portions of the members therebetween, the meshing being with the groups of smaller teeth first and then the groups of larger teeth to progressively deform the sleeve portions of the members radially with respect to the central axis of the mandrel to form splines in a rolling manner as the mandrel is rotated about its central axis on the mounting means, and removal of the mandrel from the mounting means permitting the splined members to be removed from the mandrel ends so that another pair of members to be splined may be mounted on the mandrel ends.

A method for forming splines in a thin-walled annular sleeve portion of a power transmission member having an annular end wall, the method comprising:

• positioning the sleeve portion of a power transmission member on an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel with the end wall of the member engaged with an end of the mandrel;
• rotatably supporting the mandrel and the member carried thereby between a pair of elongated dies that have teeth spaced along their lengths while engaging the end wall of the member in an opposed relationship to the end of the mandrel so as to secure the member in position on the mandrel;
• and
• slidably moving the dies in opposite directions on opposite sides of the mandrel to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the sleeve portion of the member therebetween so as to deform the sleeve portion radially in a rolling manner that forms splines as the mandrel rotates.

A method for forming splines in thin-walled annular sleeve portions of a pair of power transmission members, the method comprising:

• positioning the sleeve portions of a pair of power transmission members on opposite ends of an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel;
• rotatably supporting the mandrel and the members carried thereby between a pair of elongated dies that have teeth spaced along their lengths;
• and
• slidably moving the dies in opposite directions on opposite sides of the mandrel to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the sleeve portions of the members therebetween so as to deform the sleeve portions radially in a rolling manner that forms splines as the mandrel rotates.

A method for forming splines in a thin-walled annular sleeve portion of a power transmission member, the method comprising:

• forming lubrication ports in the sleeve portion prior to forming the splines;
• positioning the sleeve portion of the power transmission member on an externally toothed pinion-type mandrel;
• rotatably supporting the mandrel and the member carried thereby between a pair of elongated dies that have teeth spaced along their lengths;
• and
• slidably moving the dies in opposite directions on opposite sides of the mandrel to mesh the die teeth and the mandrel teeth with the sleeve portion of the member therebetween so as to deform its annular portion radially in a rolling manner that forms splines as the mandrel rotates.

A die for forming splines in a thin-walled annular sleeve portion of a power transmission member, the die comprising:

• an elongated gear rack having leading and trailing ends and teeth spaced along its length so as to be adaptable to mesh with a rotatable toothed mandrel with the sleeve portion of the member therebetween in a manner that rotates the mandrel and splines the member as the meshing proceeds from the leading end toward the trailing end;
• the teeth projecting from a common root line and being arranged in groups which each have a length of at least one-half the circumference of the sleeve portion;
• the teeth within each group having the same tooth form and the same height projecting from the root line, and the heights of the groups of teeth increasing progressively from one group to the next moving from the leading end toward the trailing end so the splines are formed in a progressive manner;
• the leading group of teeth at the leading end of the rack having a height of at least 75% of the height of the trailing group of teeth at the trailing end of the rack so that most of the material movement during deformation is caused by the leading group;
• and the leading end of the gear rack including synchronizing teeth for engaging synchronizing teeth on the mandrel to synchronize the mandrel rotation with the die movement as well as including a relieved portion adjacent the die synchronizing teeth for receiving the sleeve portion of the member being splined.

A power transmission member comprising:

• an end wall of an annular shape extending about a central axis of the member;
• the end wall extending radially with respect to the axis and having a flat shape so as to permit mounting of the member for use;
• an annular sleeve portion extending axially from the end wall;
• said sleeve portion being formed with splines by a rolling process incorporating a toothed mandrel received within the sleeve portion and a pair of elongated racks having teeth along their lengths;
• the splines formed in the sleeve portion being relatively tough due to the minimal amount of work hardening resulting from the rolling process;
• and the end wall maintaining its flatness during the rolling process so the splined member may be mounted for use.