Hot stretch forming die having distortion-minimizing characteristics

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and further comprising
• a shim positioned between the forward-facing surface of the support structure and a first one of the contour plates in the second secured position of the first contour plate.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and
• each contour plate has a back surface which is in contact with the forward-facing surface of the support structure in the first secured position and out of contact with the forward-facing surface of the support structure in the second secured position.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and
• each of the contour plates comprises a metal layer having a front surface, and an electrically insulative layer which is secured to the front surface of the metal layer and forms the front face of the respective contour plate.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and
• the support structure comprises first and second die face subassemblies which include respective first and second front surfaces which are convexly curved as viewed from above and form part of the forward-facing surface;
• a right end of the first front surface and a left end of the second front surface define therebetween a longitudinal gap;
• and
• one of the contour plates overlaps the gap.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and
• the support structure includes a first die face subassembly and a second die face subassembly to the right of the first die face subassembly wherein the first and second die face subassemblies have respective first and second front surfaces which are convexly curved as viewed from above and which form part of the forward-facing surface;
• a first plurality of the contour plates are secured to the first die face subassembly;
• and
• a second plurality of the contour plates are secured to the second die face subassembly.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction left and right ends defining therebetween longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• wherein each of the contour plates has a first secured position secured to the support structure and an alternate second secured position secured to the support structure forward of the first secured position;
• and further comprising
• a plurality of longitudinally spaced pins which are secured to the support structure and extend forward beyond the forward-facing surface;
• wherein the contour plates are configured to thermally expand in the longitudinal direction relative to the support structure and pins while the pins respectively engage longitudinally elongated edges of the contour plates.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face and having respective back faces, and which are removably secured to the forward-facing surface;
• a plurality of holes respectively formed in the contour plates extending from the respective front faces to the respective back faces;
• and
• a plurality of threaded fasteners which include respective portions in the holes and which respectively extend from the contour plates to the forward-facing surface of the support structure to removably secure the contour plates to the forward-facing surface.

A hot stretch wrap forming die comprising:

• a support structure having a front and back defining therebetween an axial direction, left and right ends defining therebetween a longitudinal direction, and a forward-facing surface which is convex as viewed from above;
• a forward-facing die face which is directly forward of the forward-facing surface, which is convex as viewed from above and against which a heated metal bar may be forced so that the metal bar assumes a mating configuration with the die face;
• and
• a series of contour plates having respective front faces which form respective portions of the die face;
• a plurality of longitudinally elongated slots formed in one of (a) the support structure and (b) the contour plates respectively;
• a plurality of pins which extend between the support structure and the contour plates respectively;
• wherein the support structure and contour plates are configured to allow thermal expansion of each contour plate in the longitudinal direction relative to the support structure with the pins in the slots respectively.