US 5,857,253 AGranted

System and methods for forming bushing plates

AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.

InventorMark P. DeLong

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Abstract

A system and method for forming a plurality of bushing plates from a metallic plate having a plurality of sections, each corresponding to a bushing plate, and a plurality of predetermined regions in which nozzles are to be formed. The second side of the metallic plate is essentially free of protrusions in the predetermined regions. A periphery of each of the predetermined regions is supported by a support having a cavity shaped to generally correspond to an exterior surface of the nozzle. A first punch having a conical tip is used to displace a portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to form an indentation in the first side of the metallic plate while maintaining the periphery essentially free of any externally applied holding pressure. A second punch having a shape generally corresponding to an interior surface of the nozzle drives the portion of the predetermined region into the cavity while maintaining the periphery essentially free of any externally applied holding pressure to form the nozzle between the second punch and the cavity. An alignment device, nozzle tip finisher and section separator are also included in the system. Another aspect of the present invention is a method for forming a nozzle in a bushing plate.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A system for forming a plurality of bushing plates from a metallic plate, each bushing plate having a plurality of nozzles formed therein, comprising:

(a) a metallic plate having a first side, a second side, and a plurality of sections, each of the plurality of sections corresponding to a bushing plate and having a plurality of predetermined regions, wherein a nozzle is to be formed in each of the plurality of predetermined regions, the second side of the metallic plate being essentially free of protrusions in the predetermined regions, each of the plurality of predetermined regions having a periphery;
(b) a support for supporting the periphery of each of the plurality of predetermined regions of the second side of the metallic plate, the support having a cavity shaped to generally correspond to an exterior surface of the nozzle to be formed;
(c) a first punch having a conical tip for displacing a portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to form an indentation in the first side of the metallic plate in a first step;
(d) a second punch, having a shape generally corresponding to an interior surface of the nozzle to be formed, for driving the portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to preliminarily form the nozzle between the second punch and the cavity in a second step and for punching the metallic plate at the indentation to form the nozzle in the metallic plate between the second punch and the cavity in a third step, wherein the periphery of the predetermined region of the first side of the metallic plate is maintained essentially free of any externally applied holding pressure during at least a portion of a step selected from the group consisting of the first step, the second step and the third step;
(e) an alignment device for sequentially aligning each of the predetermined regions of the metallic plate with the support, the first punch, the second punch and the pressure member for forming each nozzle in the metallic plate;
(f) a finisher for finishing a tip of each of the plurality of nozzles;
and
(g) a separator for separating the sections to form the plurality of bushing plates.

5 more elements

A method for forming a nozzle in a bushing plate, comprising the steps of:

(a) aligning a first punch having a conical tip with a cavity of a support;
(b) positioning a predetermined region of a metallic plate in which a nozzle is to be formed between the conical tip of the first punch and the cavity, the metallic plate having a first side and a second side which is essentially free of protrusions in the predetermined region, the predetermined region having a periphery;
(c) supporting the periphery of the predetermined region of the second side of the metallic plate upon the support;
(d) indenting the predetermined region of the first side of the metallic plate with the conical tip of the first punch to displace a portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to form an indentation in the first side of the metallic plate;
(e) puncturing the metallic plate at the indentation with a second punch to drive the portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to preliminarily form the nozzle between the second punch and the cavity, the second punch having a shape generally corresponding to an interior surface of the nozzle;
and
(f) punching the metallic plate at the indentation with the second punch to form the nozzle in the metallic plate between the second punch and the cavity, wherein the periphery of the predetermined region of the first side of the metallic plate is maintained essentially free of any externally applied holding pressure during at least a portion of a step selected from the group consisting of steps (d), (e) and (f).

4 more elements

A method for forming a plurality of bushing plates from a metallic plate, each bushing plate having a plurality of nozzles formed therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) aligning a first punch having a conical tip with a cavity of a support;
(b) positioning a predetermined region of a plurality of predetermined regions of a metallic plate between the conical tip of the first punch and the cavity wherein a nozzle is to be formed in each of the plurality of predetermined regions, the metallic plate having a first side, a second side which is essentially free of protrusions in each of the plurality of predetermined regions, and a plurality of sections, each section corresponding to a bushing plate and having a plurality of predetermined regions, each of the predetermined regions having a periphery;
(c) supporting the periphery of each of the plurality of predetermined regions of the second side of the metallic plate upon the support, the support having a cavity shaped to generally correspond to an exterior surface of the nozzle to be formed;
(d) indenting the predetermined region of the first side of the metallic plate with the conical tip of the first punch to displace a portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to form an indentation in the first side of the metallic plate;
(e) puncturing the metallic plate at the indentation with a second punch to drive the portion of the predetermined region into the cavity to preliminarily form the nozzle between the second punch and the cavity, the second punch having a shape generally corresponding to an interior surface of the nozzle;
(f) punching the predetermined region with the second punch for driving the portion of the predetermined region into the to form the nozzle between the second punch and the cavity, wherein the periphery of the predetermined region of the first side of the metallic plate is maintained essentially free of any externally applied holding pressure during at least a portion of a step selected from the group consisting of steps (d), (e) and (f);
(g) sequentially aligning each of the predetermined regions of the metallic plate with the support, the first punch and the second punch for forming each nozzle in the metallic plate;
(h) finishing a tip of each of the plurality of nozzles;
and
(i) separating the sections to form the plurality of bushing plates.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/618,710Filed 20 Mar 1996
Granted: 12 Jan 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

C03B 37/0805
Bushings , e.g. construction, bushing reinforcement means; Spinnerettes; Nozzles; Nozzle plates: manufacturing, repairing, or other treatment of…
B21C 37/292
Making branched pieces, e.g. T-pieces: forming collars by drawing or pushing a rigid forming tool through an opening in the tube wall
B21D 31/02
Other methods for working sheet metal, metal tubes, metal profiles: stabbing or piercing, e.g. for making sieves
Y02P 40/57
Glass production, e.g. reusing waste heat during processing or shaping: improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates