Die and method for applying radial forces to an eccentric workpiece
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorRichard A. Brown, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A die is disclosed for applying radial force to an eccentric workpiece. The die includes a set of faces that are each inclined from an orthogonal relationship with a different radial plane of the workpiece by an offset angle. The die also includes wedges that are positioned on the faces. They each have a jaw surface and a slide surface that are inclined from a parallel relationship with each other by a wedge angle that equals the offset angle of their respective face. The wedges can move over the faces to abut the workpiece along each of a plurality of transverse planes. In each of these planes, their movement can accommodate the workpiece's eccentricity in that plane. In addition, each jaw surface abuts the workpiece in a tangential relationship.
Claims12
A die for applying force along each intersection of n angularly-spaced, radial planes and m axially-spaced, transverse planes of a generally cylindrical workpiece, comprising:
- n substantially equilangularly-spaced faces defined by at least two die members, said faces spaced apart to receive said workpiece between them and each inclined by a respective offset angle from an orthogonal relationship with a different one of said radial planes;
- and
- n.times.m wedges, each having a slide surface configured to slide over one of said faces when positioned substantially at a different one of said intersections and a jaw surface that is inclined from said slide surface by a wedge angle which substantially equals the offset angle of that wedge's respective face;
- wherein said die members are configured to allow one of said faces to move along one of said radial planes.
A method of applying force along each intersection of n angularly-spaced, radial planes and m axially-spaced, transverse planes of a generally cylindrical workpiece, comprising the steps of:
- positioning an abutment member adjacent each of said intersections;
- and, in each of said transverse planes;
- a) defining n paths which are each inclined by a respective offset angle from an orthogonal relationship with a different one of said radial planes;
- b) moving each abutment member along a different one of said paths;
- c) abutting said workpiece with a jaw surface of each abutment member that is inclined from its respective path by a wedge angle which substantially equals the offset angle of that path;
- and
- d) urging each abutment member along its respective radial plane.
A method of fabricating a traveling-wave tube, comprising the steps of:
- joining a plurality of annular spacers and a plurality of magnetic pole pieces in an alternating relationship to form a barrel assembly with an internal bore and with a plurality of annular focusing cells along axially-spaced transverse planes of the barrel assembly;
- positioning a helix in said bore;
- positioning n support rods along n radial planes between said helix and said bore;
- positioning an abutment member adjacent each intersection of said radial planes and said transverse planes;
- defining n paths which are each inclined by a respective offset angle from an orthogonal relationship with a different one of said n radial planes;
- in each transverse plane,
- a) moving each of the abutment members of that transverse plane along a different one of said paths;
- b) abutting the spacer in that transverse plane with a jaw surface of each abutment member that is inclined from its respective path by a wedge angle which substantially equals the offset angle of that path;
- and
- c) urging the abutment members of that transverse plane along their respective radial plane to compress said support rods;
- positioning annular magnets in said focusing cells;
- coupling an input port and an output port to opposite ends of said helix;
- and
- spacing an electron gun and a collector from opposite ends of said helix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.