Abstract: Apparatus and method for hydroforming a dual wall conduit having a controlled size gap between the walls, a frame having an upper crown and a lower bed defining a hydroforming space therebetween, the bed having a slideway extending from the space to a load-unload-preform position out of the space. A mold assembly on the slideway has a lower platen and an upper platen defining at least two hydroforming cavities, one cavity being an elongated preform and semi-finish cavity, and the other cavity being an elongated finish cavity. Mold shifting means is positioned for shifting the mold assembly on the slideway from the position in the space between the crown and bed, to and from the forward load-unload-preform position. Mold closing and preforming hydraulic cylinders are operably connected to the upper mold platen for closing the upper platen onto the lower platen and creating mechanical preforming on dual wall tubular stock in the preform and semi-finish form cavity.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for hydroforming a dual wall conduit having a controlled size gap between the walls, a frame having an upper crown and a lower bed defining a hydroforming space therebetween, the bed having a slideway extending from the space to a load-unload-preform position out of the space. A mold assembly on the slideway has a lower platen and an upper platen defining at least two hydroforming cavities, one cavity being an elongated preform and semi-finish cavity, and the other cavity being an elongated finish cavity. Mold shifting means is positioned for shifting the mold assembly on the slideway from the position in the space between the crown and bed, to and from the forward load-unload-preform position. Mold closing and preforming hydraulic cylinders are operably connected to the upper mold platen for closing the upper platen onto the lower platen and creating mechanical preforming on dual wall tubular stock in the preform and semi-finish form cavity.

Abstract: A dual wall, air gap exhaust manifold with an integral inlet connecting flange defining an elongated, internal, air injection passageway enclosed by an L-shaped plate welded over an elongated slot in the flange to form the elongated passageway, the L-shaped plate also being welded over a series of short channels which extend between the elongated passageway and the manifold inlet openings. The elongated passageway has an air inlet connector. The spaced dual walls of the manifold runners are joined together at the flange openings, just downstream of the channels.

Abstract: A torsion-bar-free, unitary, twist beam axle having stress transition character capable of handling both vehicle suspension bending loads and torsion loads without a separate torsion bar, comprising a one-piece, integral twist beam elongated in the direction of its axis, and having a pair of legs elongated in the direction of the axis and extending transverse to the axle axis to outer distal ends, the legs each having an elongated portion looped back upon itself into elongated, peripherally closed loops at said outer distal ends to form a pair of closed loops spaced from and generally parallel to each other, the axle having a central portion, and a pair of mounting ends for attachment to vehicle trailing arms, and a pair of stress transition members extending respectively from the mounting ends toward the central portion and located substantially between the closed loops, these members having a pair of spaced walls connected by a bight and with sufficient resistance to flexing movement toward each other to li

Abstract: An acoustically improved, air gap engine exhaust conduit having a dual wall, air gap, metal exhaust conduit of an outer jacket and a thin inner liner, the jacket having at least one exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, the liner having at least one inlet and an outlet, the jacket inlet and the liner inlet being adjacent each other, the liner being secured to the jacket adjacent the jacket inlet and the liner inlet, the liner outlet being optionally in engagement with the jacket, and the liner otherwise being spaced from the jacket over its length to form a continuous air gap from the liner inlet to the liner outlet, a pattern of indentation ribs protruding into or out of the jacket over substantially all of said jacket, each indentation rib protruding toward or away from the liner, and terminating short of the liner to be spaced from and not in engagement with the liner, to maintain the continuous air gap.

Abstract: The specification discloses a vehicle twist beam axle subassembly incorporating a twist beam axle of generally V-shaped cross section formed of two legs which diverge away from the integral bight thereof, the ends of the legs being curled back into elongated generally circular loops weldably bonded to the legs, and the loops having flattened portions to be tuned to a predetermined torsional resistance.

Abstract: An elongated, tubular, steel, vehicle door impact beam, each end of which has a convex curvilinear outer surface to form opposite curvilinear, outwardly facing connector surfaces, a steel plate at each end having at least one portion which is generally flat, and having a pair of opposite faces, a pair of elongated beads upstanding from one of these faces of the steel plate, each bead having a convex curvilinear cross section, the beads being spaced from and parallel to each other, defining elongated, adjacent, mutually facing, curvilinear surfaces engaging the opposite curvilinear, outwardly facing surfaces of the tubular impact beam, and each curvilinear bead surface being welded to one of the curvilinear beam surfaces of one of the beam ends. The beads are formed from the steel plate, each having a radius of curvature smaller than the radius of curvature of the ends of the beam. The mutually facing curvilinear bead surfaces are spaced apart an amount less than the diameter of the beam end.

Abstract: A method of forming a dual tube conduit having a predetermined outer tube dimension, a predetermined inner tube dimension, and a predetermined gap between the tubes. A dual tube workpiece may be initially bent in one or more zones to a desired nonlinear configuration, the inner and outer tubes are hydroform expanded simultaneously to obtain the selected inner tube dimension, and the outer tube is then hydroform expanded to the desired outer tube dimension and to the desired gap therebetween, while the inner tube is held constant.

Abstract: An air gap manifold joint construction of an engine exhaust port flange having a plurality of exhaust port orifices, each with an inner orifice wall, a dual wall manifold having a plurality of runners each including an inner tubular liner and an outer tubular jacket, the inner tubular liner being generally spaced from the outer tubular jacket substantially over the length of the inner tubular liner to form an air gap, the inner tubular liner having an inlet end and the outer tubular jacket having an end adjacent to the inner tubular liner inlet end, said inner tubular liner inlet end having a periphery with an outer diameter substantially the same size as the inner diameter of the outer tubular jacket end and in peripheral engagement therewith, an adapter sleeve having first and second ends, the first end having an outer diameter substantially the same size as the diameter of the inner orifice wall of the exhaust port flange port orifice, and the second end having an outer diameter substantially the same size

Abstract: The specification discloses a vehicle twist beam axle subassembly incorporating a twist beam axle of generally V-shaped cross section formed of two legs which diverge away from the integral bight thereof, the ends of the legs being curled back into elongated generally circular loops weldably bonded to the legs, and the loops having flattened portions to be tuned to a predetermined torsional resistance.

Abstract: An engine exhaust conduit sealed joint having controlled axial expansion between two telescopically interfitted ducts with a slide seal therebetween, and the ducts held by first and second clamp connectors, one of the ducts having an annular shoulder and one of the clamp connectors being hat-shaped to extend axially on both sides of this shoulder with an annular stop surface to engage the annular shoulder. The seal has an arcuate cross section in engagement with the outer periphery of the one duct, and having a pair of opposite, annular, diagonal surfaces, one of which is engaged by the one clamp connector and the other of which is engaged by a flared end of the other duct which in turn is engaged by the other clamp connector.

Abstract: A method of forming a tubular, double wall, air gap, exhaust duct component for an internal combustion engine, the resulting exhaust duct component, and the blank for such, involving providing an inner membrane duct element, with orifices therethrough spaced along its length, providing an outer structural duct element in 360 degree engagement with the inner duct element in the areas where forming and bending operations are to be performed, conducting such forming and bending operations, securing the resulting blank in a hydroforming die cavity, sealing the ends of the inner element to the ends of the outer element, plugging the ends of the inner element, injecting a liquid, preferably water, into the inner duct element and increasing the pressure on the liquid to expand the outer element away from the inner element and ultimately into conformity with the die cavity while the inner element floats in place, in a manner to create an air gap substantially over the full length of the duct component, i.e.

Abstract: A vehicle door impact beam having an elongated tubular body with a central axis, the end portions of the beam being taper cut to form inner and outer termini and opposite taper surfaces for each end, the included angle at the inner termini being greater than 180 degrees and the outer termini being less than 180 degrees, and the first and second taper surfaces each spiraling from the inner terminus to the outer terminus through an angle of about 90 degrees. The inner termini of both ends are on opposite sides of the beam, and the outer termini of both ends are on the same side of the beam.

Abstract: A vehicle door impact beam having an elongated tubular body and contour cut ends, all portions of the contour cut ends having a moment capacity at least equal to the bending moment. Each contour cut end has a sloping central body and a pair of end transitions straddling the body. This body and the transitions are each characterized by special equations.

Abstract: The specification discloses extension nipple formation at acute angles on tubular engine exhaust manifold bodies for lap weld attachment of side runners. An articulated or single axis mandrel is inserted axially into the tubular body, each mandrel portion being in an angular body portion. Precut holes in the body are of oval shape. Laterally extensible forming dies are positioned in guide recesses in respective mandrel portions to be aligned with the precut holes and extensible at acute angles to the body and at an angle to each other. Drawing rods are extensible by transfer actuator cylinders into the dies where the rods are interlocked with the dies by rotary actuators. Power forming actuators then shift the rods and dies outwardly to form cylindrical nipples, the forming actuators temporarily overcoming the transfer actuators, and then returning the dies into the mandrel. The rods are then released from the dies and retracted, and the mandrel with dies withdrawn.