Patents Assigned to Tube Fab of Afton Corporation
  • Patent number: 4757703
    Abstract: A die apparatus operable to form or to clamp a tube with an upset annular flange includes a pair of opposed die members mounted for horizontal movement toward and away from each other at opposite sides of a fixed path along which the tube is axially fed when the die is opened. The die members are spring biassed to their open position and driven to their closed position by a vertically reciprocable die actuator having inclined surfaces slidably engaged with the outer surfaces of the die members to wedge the die members to their closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Tube Fab of Afton Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Redman
  • Patent number: 4741081
    Abstract: A T-fitting is formed from two precut lengths of tubing of the same, relatively small, inner and outer diameter. One length of tubing is formed with a reduced diameter neck section at one end whose outer diameter is approximately equal to its normal undeformed inner diameter. The second length of tubing is placed in a clamp which is advanced to successive work stations where a sidewall is punched and then drilled through to form a radial hole in one side of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the tubing. At a subsequent work station, the neck section of the first length of tubing is driven into a force fit into the drilled hole in second length of tubing. The assembled tubing is then removed from the clamp, brazed into a permanent T-tube assembly. The portion of the neck section which projects into the passage of the second length of tubing is then trimmed off by a drilling or reaming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Tube Fab of Afton Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Redman
  • Patent number: 4730477
    Abstract: Apparatus for feeding, locating and ejecting tubular workpieces to and from a horizontal recess in a vertical die face wherein the workpiece projects beyond the opposite sides of the die includes a horizontally reciprocable feed means mounted for reciprocatory movement between a forward and rearward movement relative to the fixed die. The feed means includes a horizontal pusher plate which upon movement from its rearward end to its forward end limit pushes a horizontally disposed workpiece forwardly across the top of the die and over the front edge of the die. Horizontal locator bars stop the falling workpiece in front of the recess and fingers carried on spaced side plates of the feed means guide the workpiece downwardly along the die face. Upon rearward movement of the feed means from its forward end limit, the fingers pivot against biassing means to ride upwardly over the workpiece which at this time is clamped in the recess by a movable die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1988
    Assignee: Tube Fab of Afton Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Redman
  • Patent number: 4708039
    Abstract: A stock pusher for a bar feed apparatus includes an improved bar gripping collet in which the bar gripping force applied by the collet may be easily adjusted in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Assignee: Tube Fab of Afton Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Redman