Method of manufacturing an extruded steel component

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an extruded steel component for use in a roller clutch assembly comprises initially providing a steel preform which defines a hollow shank part of the required component and which includes a hollow head portion tapering inwardly to the shank part, the external diameter of the head portion being substantially equal to the external diameter of a hollow head part of the required component, but the bore in the head portion having a diameter less than that required for the head part. Then with the preform positioned in a die cavity of the shape of the required component, an extrusion operation is performed on the head portion of the preform using a punch including inner and outer, relatively movable punch members, the inner punch member defining the shape of the bore required in the head part of the component. During the extrusion operation, the inner punch member is moved relative to the outer punch member and the die cavity so as to enter the head portion and produce the bore required in the head part of the component and a cam surface on the wall of the bore in the head part. The outer punch member defines the shape of the free end of the head part of the required component, and during the extrusion operation, is urged to apply a predetermined load to the head portion of the preform so as to restrict the flow of material extruded from the preform by the inner punch member, the material thereby being constrained to fill the region of the die cavity defining the head part of the component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.