Shrink forming apparatus
AssigneeNI Industries, Inc.
InventorJohn P. Musat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a shrink forming apparatus for rounding vehicular wheels and other annular workpieces. The apparatus includes a power actuated shrinker barrel assembly slidably retained for axial movement about the body of the apparatus. Rounding dies are connected to the shrinker barrel assembly for movement in a radial direction and engagement with the workpiece to perform a shrink forming operation. The apparatus further includes means for substantially eliminating the working clearance between the shrinker barrel assembly and the apparatus body during the shrink forming operation.
Claims28
A shrink forming apparatus including a body, a plurality of rounding dies supported by said body for movement in a substantially radial direction with respect to an associated workpiece, a shrinker barrel assembly slidably retained for axial movement about said body and connected to said rounding dies for radially actuating same, there being a given amount of initial working clearance between said shrinker barrel assembly and said body prior to actuation of said rounding dies, power actuator means for axially moving said shrinker barrel assembly with respect to said body in a direction causing said rounding dies to move inwardly to shrink form said workpiece, and means for reducing said working clearance between said shrinker barrel assembly and said body of said apparatus during said shrink forming operation.
A shrink forming apparatus for rounding workpieces, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rounding dies,
- means for supporting said rounding dies for movement in a substantially radial direction with respect to an associated workpiece,
- actuating means for moving said dies radially inwardly from a retracted position wherein said workpiece may be juxtaposed to said rounding dies, to a rounding position wherein said rounding dies are adapted to engage and perform a rounding operation upon said workpiece, said actuating means having an initial amount of working clearance, and
- means for providing accurate concentricity of said dies by reducing said working clearance in said actuating means during said shrink forming operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.