An improved fixed dummy block assembly to be used with a heavy duty metal extrusion assembly including a hydraulic press and a billet container having:
- (i) a die end over which an extrusion die is positioned and from which a formed part exits, (ii) an interior wall surface to contain a metal billet from which the formed part is extruded, and (iii) an open inlet end opposite the die end;
- said improved fixed dummy block assembly comprising:
- a stem connected with the hydraulic press, said stem being disposed in axial alignment with a central axis of the billet container and being structured to be pushed towards said open inlet end of the billet container,
- said stem being generally elongate and including a first end disposed in confronting relation with said open inlet end of the billet container,
- an axial socket extending into said stem from said first end thereof and including an outer end at said first end of said stem and an inner end within an interior of said stem,
- an exterior dummy block member, said exterior dummy block member including an expansion segment and a connector segment,
- said connector segment being structured and disposed to be axially and slidingly inserted into said axial socket of said stem,
- said axial socket and said connector segment including lock means structured and disposed to secure said exterior dummy block member in axial alignment at said first end of said stem so as to prevent removal of said connector segment from said axial socket,
- said expansion segment of said exterior dummy block member including a front end, a rear end, and a surrounding wall structure defining an open interior area which extends inwardly from said front end, said open interior area including a bell head containment portion and a bell stem containment portion,
- a compression bell, said compression bell including a bell head, having a primary face, a rear face, and a surrounding wall structure, and a bell connector stem extending from said rear face of said bell head in a direction opposite said primary face of said bell head,
- said compression bell being structured and disposed to be contained within said open interior area of said expansion segment such that said bell stem extends into said bell stem containment portion of said open interior area of said expansion segment and said bell head is retained in said bell head containment portion of said open interior area of said expansion segment,
- said compression bell being structured and disposed to protrude from said front end of said expansion segment and to engage said expansion segment such that upon said primary face of said bell head engaging the metal billet within said billet container said compression bell will be pushed into said open interior area of said expansion segment resulting in an outward flexing of said surrounding wall structure of said expansion segment,
- said bell stem and said bell stem containment portion including bell locking means structured and disposed to maintain said bell stem securely, yet removably within said bell stem containment portion and thereby maintain said compression bell securely within said open interior area of said expansion segment,
- said bell locking means in said bell stem containment portion including at least one entry channel extending axially along an interior of said bell stem containment portion, and at least one lock recess formed in said interior of said bell stem containment portion in adjacent communication with said entry channel,
- said bell locking means on said bell stem further including at least one lock segment protruding from a perimeter of said bell stem, said lock segment being structured and disposed to slidingly move through said entry channel of said bell stem containment portion upon insertion of said bell stem of said compression bell into said bell stem containment portion in said expansion segment, and
- said lock segment being further structured and disposed to slide from said entry channel in said bell stem containment portion into an engaged position within said lock recess of said bell stem containment portion, upon axial rotation of said compression bell within said expansion segment, so as to prevent removal of said compression bell from said expansion segment unless said compression bell is affirmatively rotated out of said engaged position.