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US 6,539,765 B2Granted
Rotary forging and quenching apparatus and method
OwnerGary Gatesinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerGary Gatesinventor
Estimating the term…
A rotary forging and quenching apparatus and method forms and rapidly cools an axial-symmetric object from a spin formable material. The process uses a preheated billet which is clamped between opposed fixture mandrels which have a circumferential die shape and with quench solution channels running through the fixtures. The mandrels are spun and at least one contour roller of a mating circumferential die shape is brought into bearing contact against the billet in order to spin-form the material into the desired die shape. The mandrel and peripheral margin of the spinning billet are flooded with a quench solution coolant while being spin formed. This process streamlines the manufacturing of wheels or other axial-symmetric parts like cylinders, hemispheres, cones, etc. Typically, parts that require heat treatment, like aluminum alloys, will benefit from this process. The process minimizes the distortion encountered in heat treatment and eliminates the need to add extra material to ensure final dimensions. This reduces material, machining and manufacturing costs.
A method of forming a vehicle wheel from a perform shape of spin formable material having a center web and a thickened periphery, wherein said wheel includes a rim having in cross-section a drop center, generally axial integral flanges extending in opposite directions therefrom, a generally radial tire bead retaining flange extending from the outside of each of said axial flanges, and a wheel center joining said rim adjacent the axially outer portion of said rim, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of forming a cylindrical object from a preform shape of spin formable material having a center web and a thickened periphery, wherein said cylindrical object includes a center section and a peripheral margin, said method comprising the steps of:
A rotary spin forging machine for making a product from a heated, cylindrical preform shape of spin forging formable material wherein said preform shape includes a center section and a peripheral margin, said machine comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.