Abstract: The invention relates to a jacket-shaped middle part (1) of a catalytic converter housing, in particular for exhaust systems for internal combustion motors in motor vehicles. The jacket-shaped middle part (1) comprises a sheet metal plate, which incorporating an intermediate layer (4) made of an equalising material, is wrapped around a monolith made of ceramic material and encloses said monolith under initial radial tension, wherein the marginal regions (5, 6) of the jacket-shaped middle part (1) mutually overlap and are welded together. The sheet metal thickness in the overlapping marginal regions is reduced to such an extent, and in that the marginal regions are mutually and vertically offset in relation to the outside of the sheet metal plate, that the sheet metal thickness of the jacket-shaped middle part remains the same around the entire circumference, also in the overlapping region (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bending mandrel for a bending device and also to a bending method for pipes, more particularly pipes which have a large diameter-to-wall thickness ratio and are to be bent by a small radius, for example, of the order of magnitude of the pipe diameter. To this end use is made of a bending mandrel (5, 6) to whose rigid head (5) assembly (6) of springy sheet metal lamellae (6a, 6b) is attached to improve the bendability of the bending mandrel (5, 6) while maintaining a satisfactory supporting action, the lamellae (6a), with the exception of the outer lamellae (6b), having window-like cutaway portions (6c).

Abstract: A bending device is described for thin-walled metal tubes (R) made of a straight tube guide (1), a core template (2), which adjoins the tube guide (1) and is pivotable in relation thereto, having a connection strip (3), and a mandrel, having a mandrel tip (4), which is flexible in the region of the core template (2), and a mandrel shaft (5), which adjoins the mandrel tip (4) and is rigidly connected thereto and is axially fixed (1) in the tube guide. In order to support the metal tube (R) to be bent over its entire surface on the inside in the active bending region during the bending procedure, the flexible mandrel tip (4), which comprises a radially incompressible solid cylinder made of elastomer, extends only over the starting section of the bending curve, where the bending procedure occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus to produce straight bead welded tubes from flat sheet metal blanks with two parallel longitudinal edges includes two form tool halves. The two form tool halves have outer cylindrical half shells borne by a tool support, and are disposed laterally inverted in relation to one another. They are moved towards one another and out of an opened receiving position for the sheet metal blanks into a closed position, in which the two longitudinal edges are held together by the two form tool halves. The apparatus also includes a welding device, which moves over the two form tool halves along the two longitudinal edges retained in a welding position. The two form tool halves have cylindrical internal mandrel halves which are fixedly associated with the outer cylindrical half shells and which cooperate with the outer cylindrical half shells to produce form gaps for insertion of the sheet metal blanks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of a double-layer metal sheet, more particularly a lacquered shaped construction member comprising such a double layer metal sheet, for example, for the outer skin of a motor vehicle, having an intermediate layer (6) of epoxy resin glued to the two smooth cover sheets (7, 10). After the introduction between the cover sheets (7, 10) of the intermediate layer (6) and of spots (16), distributed over the surface, of an epoxy resin polymerizing at a lower temperature than the epoxy resin of the intermediate layer (6), the cover sheets (7, 10) are fixed spatially in relation to one another by the polymerization of the epoxy resin of the spots (16). Then the resulting composite is shaped. Finally the shaped constructional member (15) obtained is lacquered and the epoxy resin of the intermediate layer (6) polymerized during stove enamelling.

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of a metal strip having formed-in thinner areas. To this end the strip B is drawn through a drawing nip 1, 2 formed by the end face of a working roll 3 adjusted at an angle and a support roll 4, which can take the form of a working roll. When drawing takes place through the working nip 1, 2, a rolling force and simultaneously a tensile force transversely of the pulling direction are so exerted on the strip B by the two rolls 3, 4 that the displaced material flows practically exclusively transversely of the pulling direction in the areas to be thinned down.