Method and an apparatus for making a head on an elongate blank

A method of forming a head on an elongate blank, comprising the steps of:

• moving an elongated blank into a die having a bottom stop such that one end of the blank contacts the bottom stop and an opposite portion of the elongated blank extends from the die at an end thereof opposite said bottom stop,
• engaging said portion of the blank extending from the die by a pre-upsetting bushing positioned in extension of the die,
• slidably moving a punch in said pre-upsetting bushing to engage said blank and apply pressure thereto,
• providing relative movement between said pre-upsetting bushing and said die away from each other while applying said pressure to the blank by said punch to form a space between the pre-upsetting bushing and the die and to deform a portion of the blank into said space, said portion of the blank which is deformed forming a head for said blank, and
• controlling relative movement of both the punch and the pre-upsetting bushing positively with respect to the die so that during a final part of the deforming of said portion of the blank, said pre-upsetting bushing and said die are moved away from each other to form said space, while said punch continues to move relative to said die and apply pressure to said blank in a direction toward the die whereby said deformed portion of the blank is produced in said space between the die and the bushing.