Forming die and process for tubular fittings

A composite die for forming an elbow from a straight tube pushed therethrough comprising a tubular inlet guide section, a swaging section in the form of a truncated cone connected and opening at its large end to one end of the inlet guide section and constructed and arranged so that the tube while pushed therethrough is subjected to circumferential swaging forces varying from a maximum at one location on its circumference to a minimum value at another opposed location on its circumference and to subject it to an offset of die forces producing a force moment, to cause bending of the tube about the location subjected to the minimum swaging forces and thickening of the tube wall, partial forming of the elbow and reduction in tube diameter, and a tubular bending section, forming a passageway of uniform diameter connected and opening at one end to the small end of the cone of the swaging section and constructed and arranged so that the tube while pushed therethrough is subjected to further bending to further form the elbow.