US 4,835,359 AGranted

Method of manufacturing hemispherical tank heads

AssigneeCommercial Shearing, Inc.

InventorJohn L. Sciortino

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Abstract

A method of manufacturing hemispherical tank heads is disclosed in which a pair of planar lune members having a generally football shape are cut from flat metal stock. The members are each then formed into a three dimensional lune section having a generally orange-peel sectional shape. Each section is placed onto a trim jig and a first edge of the sections are trimmed to leave some excess material beyond a desired trim line. A second edge of each section is then trimmed to a desired trim line. The two trimmed sections are placed on a joining jig with the second edges of the sections juxtaposed and joined to form a hemispherical member. Finally, the hemispherical member is placed onto the trim jig and the excess materials on the first edges is trimmed to form an accurate hemispherical tank head. Preferably, the trim jig is rotated relative to a stationary plasma torch during all trimming operations.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing hemispherical tank heads comprising:

(a) cutting a pair of planar lune members from flat metal stock;
(b) forming each of said planar lune members into three-dimensional curved lune sections each having a shape defined by rotating an arc which extends from pole to pole of a chosen sphere through a chosen distance;
(c) sequentially placing each curved lune section into trim jig means having plural guide members and adjusting the section thereon so that a first edge of the section is an equal distance from each of said guide members and trimming the first edge leaving at least some excess material beyond a desired trim line;
(d) repositioning each curved lune section so that a second edge of the section is an equal distance from each of the guide members and trimming the second edge of each section to a desired trim line;
(e) placing two trimmed curved lune sections on a joining jig means with the second edges of the sections juxtaposed and joining the second edges together to form a hemispherical member;
and
(f) placing the hemispherical member into trim jig means, adjusting the hemispherical member so that said first edges are substantially an equal distance from each of the guide members and trimming the excess material from the first edges.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/156,867Filed 18 Feb 1988
Granted: 30 May 1989
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B23K 37/0417
For holding or positioning work: for spherical work
B23P 15/22
Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass: cartridges or like shells
Y10T 29/49893
Assembling or joining: peripheral joining of opposed mirror image parts to form a hollow body
Y10T 29/49895
Assembling or joining: associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]