Hydrostatically deforming a hollow body
AssigneeHDE Metallwerk GmbH
InventorWilhelm Kaiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hollow workpiece having a tubular end portion is deformed by first fitting the workpiece into a die formed with a cavity adapted to receive the workpiece with the end portion of the workpiece projecting along an axis out of the die and then engaging over the projecting end portion of the workpiece a feed sleeve in a pressure-tight fit. The sleeve and workpiece are supported relative to each other such that the holding portion can slide in the sleeve and that the sleeve exerts substantially no axial force on the workpiece. Then an interior of the workpiece is pressurized through the sleeve and to deform the workpiece outward against an inner surface of the die.
Claims10
A method of pressure deforming a hollow metal workpiece having a tubular end portion, the method comprising the steps of:
- mechanically bending the workpiece into an intermediate nonstraight shape such that the workpiece has thickened regions of substantially greater wall thickness than other less-thick wall regions;
- fitting the workpiece into a die formed with a cavity adapted to receive the workpiece with the end portion of the workpiece projecting along an axis out of the die;
- positioning the workpiece in the die such that the thickened regions are spaced further from a die inner surface than the other less-thick regions;
- engaging over the projecting end portion of the workpiece a feed sleeve in a pressure-tight fit;
- supporting the sleeve and workpiece relative to each other such that the end portion can slide in the sleeve and that the sleeve exerts substantially no axial force on the workpiece;
- and
- pressurizing an interior of the workpiece through the sleeve and thereby deforming the workpiece outward against an inner surface of the die and axially sliding the workpiece end portion in the sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.