And Additional Work-deflecting Or Work-constraining Element Patents (Class 72/171)
  • Patent number: 10437085
    Abstract: A rolling apparatus, comprising a mounting bracket, a supporting platform and a rolling device; the mounting bracket is disposed above the supporting platform, and the rolling device is disposed on the mounting bracket so as to be located above the supporting platform; wherein the supporting platform is configured to support a display panel thereon; and the rolling device is configured to perform a rolling process on the display panel at a predetermined pressure. A rolling method, comprising supporting a display panel; and rolling the display panel at a predetermined pressure to cause an observable defection resulted from a foreign substance within the display panel. With the rolling apparatus and the rolling method, the display panel containing foreign substance will be detected as a defective product during the Cell Test so as not to enter the modular process, thereby avoiding any waste of module materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Al
  • Patent number: 9956600
    Abstract: A flexible but strong universal die is disclosed, that is flexible enough to be elastically deflected into different curvatures by actuating forces and moments, while being strong enough to support the die forces and moments that it has to apply to parts to form them to the shape corresponding to its shape. A design of the die and actuation locations that makes it easy to deflect it into different constant curvatures, as well as into shapes with gradients of curvature along the length of the die, and the use of these dies for stretch roll forming are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Fairmount Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Viswanathan Madhavan
  • Patent number: 9498781
    Abstract: A plurality of cylinder sections are welded together to form a milling cylinder, wherein, prior to welding, individual cylinder sections are machined in the region of their end edges to be welded, using at least one machining tool. Furthermore, the cylinder section to be machined is provided with inwardly oriented bracing means, wherein a temporary axle is fitted on the bracing means such that the temporary axle is oriented in the mid-axis of the cylinder section, and wherein the at least one machining tool is fastened to the temporary axle by means of a holder and the machining tool is rotated relative to the cylinder section about or with the temporary axle during the machining of the end edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS AG
    Inventors: Andreas Echelmeyer, Norbert Patzelt, Bernd Kripzak, Herbert Pingel
  • Patent number: 8872060
    Abstract: An apparatus forms a sheet into a beam having four exterior walls and a common center leg extending between an opposing two of the walls. The apparatus includes a roll former forming the sheet into the beam cross section, a welding station with top and bottom laser welders, and a weld box fixture having inwardly-biased external mandrels (biased by actuators) and outwardly-biased internal split mandrels (biased by springs) that interact to hold a desired shape of the beam in the weld fixture, and also includes a sweeping unit and cutoff device. By this arrangement, the internal and external mandrels, in combination with a bias of the actuators and springs, control a shape of the beam by flexure and movement of material of the sheet when in the weld box fixture during a welding process of the welder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
  • Patent number: 8716624
    Abstract: A roll former for forming a sheet into a continuous multi-tubular reinforcement beam. The roll former includes a first set of rollers that are configured to bend the sheet to form a common center wall in generally perpendicular orientation relative to first and second lateral portions of the sheet that extend in opposing directions from respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall. The first set of rollers also form radiused edges on the first and second lateral portions. A second set of rollers is configured to form a channel rib longitudinally along each of the first and second lateral portions. A third set of rollers is configured to bend the first and second lateral portions simultaneously and equally to abut the first and second radiused edges with the respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall to define adjacent tubes of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
  • Patent number: 8117879
    Abstract: A building panel formed from sheet material extends in a longitudinal direction along its length and includes a curved center portion in cross section, a pair of side portions extending from the curved center portion, and a pair of connecting portions extending from the side portions. The curved center portion includes a plurality segments extending in the longitudinal direction. The panel is curved in the longitudinal direction without having transverse corrugations. A particular segment may have a depth greater than that of another segment to accommodate the longitudinal curve. A system for longitudinally curving the panel includes first and second curving assemblies, each of which includes multiple rollers arranged to contact the panel as it passes along, a positioning mechanism for changing a relative rotational orientation between the first and second curving assemblies, a drive system for moving the panel longitudinally, and a control system for controlling the positioning mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: M.I.C. Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd E. Anderson, Frederick Morello
  • Patent number: 8061172
    Abstract: A roll bender machine for bending metal sheets which includes a roller driven in rotation and about which the sheet metal is rolled and at least two backing rollers adapted to receive and bear against a sheet while it is being bent around the roller. The backing rollers are mounted to rotate on a support that is adjustable. The bending roller and backing rollers are each associated with at least one set of devices for compensating their deflection. An arm is mounted on the machine for receiving coiled sheet metal and is provided with a housing in which the bending roller is at least partially received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Conception Machines Faveyrial
    Inventor: Michel Gravier
  • Patent number: 7065998
    Abstract: A control element (1) adapted to prevent an external-flange angle iron from being twisted during its bending is applied to a variable-radius bending machine, on which an angle iron (10) is worked by deformation by at least two couples of lower co-axial rollers (7, 8, 7?, 8?) and at least a third upper roller (9), the one flange (11) of the angle iron (10) being clamped by the lower rollers (7, 8, 7?, 8?), and the other flange (12) facing outward. The control element (1) includes a frustoconical head (2) pivoted on a stem (3) designed to be received into a co-axial housing hole that is frontally performed on the support element (13) of a cylindrical control roller (14), having three degrees of freedom, of the bending machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: CML International S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Caporusso
  • Patent number: 7065999
    Abstract: This invention provides a bending roll apparatus capable of preventing barrel-like deformation of a pipe occurring during a roll bending work and of manufacturing a small diameter elongated pipe. In an apparatus for manufacturing a pipe by pushing rolls to a core roll, feeding a metal sheet to their contact portions and performing a bending work, the bending roll apparatus comprises a core roll formed of a metal and a plurality of push rolls having a surface portion thereof formed of an elastic material and disposed around the core roll. The invention further provides, in a bending roll apparatus, a core roll formed of a metal, a plurality of push rolls formed of a metal and disposed around the core roll, and holding the core roll when a metal sheet is bent, and a guide belt formed of an elastic material, interposed between the core roll and each of the push rolls, contacting on a core roll surface on a side opposite to an entry side of the metal sheet and driven in synchronism with the core roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukuchi, Hiroyuki Mitake, Shizuo Kohinata, Kiyoshi Uda, Tsutomu Haeno, Hiroo Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20040237619
    Abstract: A control element (1) adapted to prevent an external-flange angle iron from being twisted during its bending is applied to a variable-radius bending machine, on which an angle iron (10) is worked by deformation by means of at least two couples of lower co-axial rollers (7, 8, 7′, 8′) and at least a third upper roller (9), the one flange (11) of the angle iron (10) being clamped by the lower rollers (7, 8, 7′, 8′), and the other flange (12) facing outward. The control element (1) comprises a frustoconical head (2) pivoted on a stem (3) designed to be received into a co-axial housing hole that is frontally performed on the support element (13) of a cylindrical control roller (14), having three degrees of freedom, of the bending machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Alessandro Caporusso
  • Patent number: 6755066
    Abstract: A bending device for bending plastically deformable strip material. The reverse bending that is required for workpieces with narrow processing tolerances in particular takes place independently of the actual bending. This increases the processing precision of the workpieces and simplifies the numerical control of the device. The reverse bending unit is moveably arranged on the bending unit in the bending device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Wischersysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Lenzen
  • Patent number: 6189354
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and multistation device for folding profiles. The folding stations (1, 11, 15, 16, 17) required are modules mounted interchangeable and adjustable on a common machine body (2), which permits quick and simple adaption to the folding requirements. It is thus possible, with one single machine, to implement a whole series of folding processes. With regard to the machine operation, such stations are selected as needed, fitted and set depending on folding criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Suban AG
    Inventor: Walter E. Späth
  • Patent number: 6092407
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ring bending machine for pipes and metal profile rods comprising two supporting shafts supported in spaced relation to one another in a carrier plate and rotatably driven, and a pressing shaft arranged centrically with respect to the two supporting shafts in a rotatable and adjustable manner, a slender cover housing surrounding the carrier plate, the shafts and their driving means, wherein in front of a first face side of which, on shaft ends protruding from the housing, bending rollers adapted to a profile to be processed and defining a bending plane are arranged. The invention further more relates to a supplementary frame for a ring bending machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Zopf Biegemaschinen Handels GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Wabnitz
  • Patent number: 5829288
    Abstract: A method and device for folding a metal sheet to a well-defined angle, in which the sheet is deformed in the recess of a die through a punch being moved above the recess and pressing on the sheet, towards the die, until it reaches a well-defined end position. The movement of the punch is regulated as a function of the folding force and of the folding angle. The punch is moved in the direction of the die until it is in an end position Ya corresponding to: Ya=Yt-dYw-dYr in which Yt is a calculated position, dYw is determined through extrapolation of the course of the folding angle as a function of the position of the punch, and dYr is the correction of the position of the punch which is necessary to compensate for the spring-back of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: L.V.D. Company N.V.
    Inventor: Wim Serruys
  • Patent number: 5685186
    Abstract: An eyewinder system 10 has stations 100-108 for straightening, bending, measuring and transporting a wire 11 to form an eyewire 109. A controller 120 controls each station. Using information from tension and length measuring stations 104, 105, the controller 120 can accurately operate the second bending station 107. The eyewire 109 is inspected for accurate bends by an inspection system 140 that compares the bends in the eyewire 109 to predetermined radii of curvature. A base curve bending station 801 has a shuttle 810 and a turntable 830. A wire 820 passing through the shuttle 810 is bent and the head of the wire is held in one direction while the turntable allows the body of the wire to move in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation of the turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
    Inventor: Rory L. Christian Flemmer
  • Patent number: 5592844
    Abstract: Sheet-metal blanks are fed in succession one immediately after another to a rounding apparatus in which they are plastically deformed into a curve in a rounding mechanism and are given a desired constant bending radius. The portion of the blank initially running out of the rounding mechanism in the natural rounding position is deflected by guide means under elastic deformation out of the rounding position into a transfer position which is different from the rounding position and is thereby elastically deformed so that the portion of the blank running out of the rounding mechanism is kept under stress. When the end portion of the sheet-metal blank leaves the rounding mechanism, it springs into the transfer position due to said stress, leaving the way clear for another sheet-metal blank, which can already be in the process of being rounded before the fully rounded sheet-metal blank is ejected from the rounding apparatus and conveyed away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Elpatronic AG
    Inventor: Michael Baumgartner
  • Patent number: 5431035
    Abstract: This invention provides a hydraulic pipe bender of large dimension, comprising a frame, roller group, gear group, hydraulic mechanism, clutch, lifting mechanism, guiding mechanism, feeding mechanism, and bending mechanism. A guiding mould of the guiding mechanism is attached on the mould of the left roller, and the pipe to be processed is sheathed on the guiding rod, and is fed rightward through the feeding mechanism to prevent the slipping phenomena during the bending process; besides, by means of the hydraulic mechanism and the gear group, the rollers group can adjust the speeds of the top, left or right roller automatically to manufacture a circular ring pipe of large dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Inventor: Reen Y. Sheen
  • Patent number: 5431036
    Abstract: An apparatus for curving a needle is provided which comprises at least two generally cylindrical members rotatably connected to a frame. At least one anvil shaft is positioned substantially between the cylindrical members and is rotatably connected to the frame. A needle is positionable between the anvil shaft and the cylindrical members such that the needle is curvable about the anvil shaft. A driving assembly rotates the cylindrical members and the anvil shaft such that the needle is curved about the anvil shaft and expelled from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation
    Inventor: Michael W. Bogart
  • Patent number: 5243844
    Abstract: In order to curve a hollow profile strip (53), especially a hollow profile strip (53) from which a spacer frame for an insulating glass pane is to be produced, the hollow profile strip (53) is conducted continuously for an exactly defined length, held laterally and from the bottom, underneath a roller (70) and, subsequently to the roller (70), is deflected out of the conveying direction. An apparatus suitable for this purpose comprises a gripper (52) for the defined feeding of the hollow profile strip (53), a roller (70) in contact with the wall of the hollow profile strip (53), which is then located on the inside of the curvature, and holding down the hollow profile strip (53), and a lever (59) with a stop surface (62) for the hollow profile strip (53) subsequently to the roller (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Inventor: Peter Lisec
  • Patent number: 5218850
    Abstract: A roll bending machine for bending plates or iron sheets comprising an upper roll for dragging the plate, a central gripping roll and lateral bending rolls beneath the upper roll, wherein the flexure of each roll of the bending machine is opposed by a longitudinal beam and by a plurality of rolling members disposed between each roll and the longitudinal support beam. The rolling members are mounted in pairs which are individually adjustable relative to their associated beam in directions toward and away from the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Promau S.R.L.
    Inventor: Orazio M. Davi
  • Patent number: 5161401
    Abstract: In order to bend a hollow profile strip (53), especially a hollow profile strip (53) from which a spacer frame for an insulating glass pane is to be produced, the hollow profile strip (53) is conducted continuously for an exactly defined length, held laterally and from the bottom, underneath a roller (70) and, subsequently to the roller (70), is deflected out of the conveying direction. An apparatus suitable for this purpose comprises a gripper (52) for the defined feeding of the hollow profile strip (53), a roller (70) in contact with the wall of the hollow profile strip (53), which is then located on the inside of the curvature, and holding down the hollow profile strip (53), and a lever (59) with a stop surface (62) for the hollow profile strip (53) subsequently to the roller (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Inventor: Peter Lisec
  • Patent number: 4845971
    Abstract: A strap coiling mechanism comprising a driven roller one having a serrated peripheral surface, a pinch roller for rotatably mounted at one extremity of a pivoted crank lever 8, said pinch roller being biassed towards the driven roller 1 by means of a compression spring 6 engaging the other end of the crank lever 8 and part of the supporting frame for the mechanism. The driven roller 1 and the pinch roller 4 between them define a nip N into which strapping S to be coiled is introduced. In the event that the strapping includes a Seal' or any other section modulus change, a pinch roller 4 will be deflected away from the driven roller 1 against the action of the spring 6 to allow the seal to pass through the nip N. A deforming roller 3 is rotatably mounted immediately behind the Nip and has a serrated peripheral surface which is engaged by the strapping S to form the strapping into a shelf closing coil C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Australian Wool Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Roder, Gregory Napper
  • Patent number: 4811581
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preforming a substantially flat blank of an open clamp adapted to be mechanically interconnected near the free ends thereof into a circular clamp having a configuration at least approximately the configuration of the clamp when installed about an object to be fastened onto a relatively fixed, generally circular part; as the flat blank is being fed through the machine, it is performed into a generally circular shape with the free ends thereof axially spaced from one another; the pair of rollers feeding the blank may also be so shaped in their external contours that the lateral edges of the blank are bent out in the generally radial direction; additionally the blank is automatically stopped after an initial short feed through the machine to permit stamping of a predetermined part of the flat blank; the entire operation which is preferably pneumatically controlled is thereby automatically cyclically operated as soon as a flat blank is inserted into the machine a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Inventor: Hans Oetiker
  • Patent number: 4726210
    Abstract: Plane, rectangular sheets (10) are moved through between a driven bending roll (32) and a plurality of back-up rolls (34) and are bent round the bending roll (32) by these rolls and a plurality of pressure rolls (52, 56) disposed behind the bending roll (32) and back-up rolls (34). The almost completely rounded sheet (10) is bent resiliently away from the bending roll (32) by a deflecting member (62) as a result of which the front edge (10a) of the sheet is prevented from re-entering the gap between the bending roll (32) and the back-up rolls (34) before the rear edge (10b) of the sheet has travelled through this gap. Then the deflecting member (62) is moved back into its position of rest so that the front region of the sheet (10) springs back in the direction of the bending roll (32) and as a result is again gripped by the bending roll (32) and the back-up rolls (34) and moved through between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Assignee: Elpatronic, AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Weil, Josef Locher
  • Patent number: 4633698
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preforming a substantially flat blank of an open clamp adapted to be mechanically interconnected near the free ends thereof into a circular clamp having a configuration at least approximately the configuration of the clamp when installed about an object to be fastened onto a relatively fixed, generally circular part; as the flat blank is being fed through the machine, it is preformed into a generally circular shape with the free ends thereof axially spaced from one another; the pair of rollers feeding the blank may also be so shaped in their external contours that the lateral edges of the blank are bent out in the generally radial direction; additionally the blank is automatically stopped after an initial short feed through the machine to permit stamping of a predetermined part of the flat blank; the entire operation which is preferably pneumatically controlled is thereby automatically cyclically operated as soon as a flat blank is inserted into the machine a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Inventor: Hans Oetiker
  • Patent number: 4549422
    Abstract: A roll (10) of metal lagging is loaded onto a loading rack (14). One end of lagging (8) is drawn upwardly and away from roll (10) by a feed drive roller (38) paired with a pressure roller (36). Before it reaches these rollers (36, 38), lagging (8) is pulled upwardly between a guide roller (28) and a pressure roller (26). The axis of roller (26) is slightly below the axis of roller (28). Lagging (8) is drawn between rollers (26, 28) and around roller (28) to drive roller (38). Drive roller (38) moves lagging (8) past a cutting station into engagement with two drive rollers (86, 88) of a curling mechanism (84). When a predetermined amount of lagging (8) has passed the cutting station, drive motor (104) stops and a movable blade (46) moves downwardly past a stationary blade (48) to cut lagging (8). A pressure foot (54 ) moves downwardly with blade (46) and in cooperation with a guide block (58) forms a bend (6) on lagging (8) just before it is cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Inventor: Donald A. Harrow
  • Patent number: 4530226
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is disclosed for introducing a curvature or sweep into a preferably previously-formed elongated article. The elongated article is substantially constrained, both laterally and transversely, as it moves longitudinally through the sweep-forming apparatus and is permanently deformed in a transverse direction in order to introduce the sweep or curvature therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Tishken Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl F. Granzow, Edward G. Lash, Everett Gleason, Jerome Kubiak
  • Patent number: 4491004
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a metal pipe. At present, accurately measured, thick-walled pipes to be used as rolls must be manufactured in a plurality of working steps. The manufacture of pipes of accurate diameters is complicated e.g. due to inner stresses in pipe blanks which results in deformations in internal or external machining of pipes. An object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Inventor: Osmo O. Ivanoff
  • Patent number: 4476194
    Abstract: A truncated conical segment is made by the steps of longitudinally welding two pieces of metal, then contour rolling the weldment to preferentially reduce one of the pieces of the weldment more than the other. This provides a skewed trapezoid shape which is then 3-roll formed into a ring having a conical shape. The angle of the cone is a function of the preferential reduction in the second contour rolling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Harold C. Sanborn, James B. Griffith
  • Patent number: 4304114
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of rolling tire rim blanks from flat metal strips obtained by unwinding strip material from a coil which is cut into strips of desired lengths which are then rolled into a circular shape by anvil rolls cooperating with bodily moveable bending rolls producing a controlled flat portion on the leading end of the strip prior to rolling and another controlled flat portion on the trailing end of the strip following the rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Assignee: F. J. Littell Machine Company
    Inventor: Chester M. Wiig
  • Patent number: 4294098
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing steel spring leaves. The apparatus incorporates successively arranged entry guide rollers with an inductor in-between, bending rollers, a cooler and exit guide rollers. An additional inductor with cooler is provided between the exit guide rollers to enable surface-hardening of spring leaves. The cooler, additional inductor with cooler and the exit guide rollers are arranged along a circular arc whose radius is that of a specified radius of curvature of the spring leaf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Inventors: Viktor P. Egorov, Viktor A. Ognevsky, Anatoly G. Orlovsky, Grigory A. Ostrovsky, Alexandr M. Ryskind, Anatoly L. Stepin, Oleg F. Trofimov, Isaak N. Shklyarov
  • Patent number: 4266417
    Abstract: A steel flanged wheel rim includes a pair of hollow ears extending radially and outwardly at the side edges of the rim, a semi-circular recess between the ears and a flange extending radially and inwardly from the center of the recess. The steel flanged wheel rim is produced by plastically processing through a series of shaping rolls in different processing stages and then bending the band into a ring shape to thereby continuously produce steel flanged wheel rims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1981
    Assignee: Daido Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Imamura, Toshio Minamoto
  • Patent number: 4249406
    Abstract: A machine and method for forming line pipe is disclosed wherein small diameter roll elements not exceeding five times the thickness of the blank form a tube. The roll elements positioned in a pyramid roll assembly are dynamically adjustable toward and away from each other to provide different size line pipe, or similar tubular articles. The segments of the upper roll elements are mounted on cantilever arms, the leading edge of blank being deflected against the upper curved surface of the arms during the final stages of forming. The deflection is maintained within the elastic recovery limit of the metal. A rigid frame mounts the cantilever arm and other components. The frame includes a plurality of vertical bed plates and corresponding upper frame plates and cross tie members. A pusher mechanism pushes the sheet blank through the pyramid roll assembly. A multi-walled tube may be formed by providing the required additional length to the blank and continuation of the forming beyond 360.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Inventor: Frohman C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4228672
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing shaped metal objects such as collars for ventillating systems. The apparatus includes drive means for advancing a flat metal sheet past a rotary tool whereby notches are formed along one side of the sheet. The tool is provided with a stabilizing fitting and spring means to insure consistent notch forming. The notched sheet may be collected and formed into a rectangular configuration by other equipment or a removably attached sheet crimping and deflecting mechansim may be mounted in the path of movement of the notched sheet. This mechanism includes crimping rolls, and the deflecting means positioned beyond the crimping rolls operate to turn the sheet into a circular configuration whereby the product of the apparatus is automatically formed into a circular collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1980
    Assignee: The Lockformer Company
    Inventors: Leo R. Gale, Robert R. Heilman
  • Patent number: 4201074
    Abstract: In general, the present invention provides processes and apparatus for bending and straightening, or otherwise installing marine pipelines at underwater installations, and includes systems in which marine pipelines are installed at water depths to 250 feet or more, utilizing an underwater chamber which may be operated with its interior wet, dry or combinations thereof. In one form, the system provides for interconnecting wellheads or other stations with manifolds or other stations and comprises running marine pipeline generally vertically downwardly from the water surface into the work chamber, mounted in operative association with an underwater wellhead or station, wherein the pipe is bent in the desired radius and through the desired angle and then straightened to exit from the chamber and wellhead in a substantially horizontal attitude such that it may then be pulled to a manifold or other underwater station with, for example, a wire line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Transworld Drilling Company
    Inventor: John W. Cox
  • Patent number: 4195509
    Abstract: A device for bending ring segment-shaped plate blanks into conically shaped parts includes a pair of roll stands, a top roller, or a centrally positioned pair of top rollers supported between the roll stands, and a pair of side rollers positioned on either side of the top roller and also supported between the roll stands. Means are provided for driving the blanks between the top roller and the side rollers to form the conically shaped parts. At least one abutment member is carried by the device for engaging and guiding the short arc edge of the plate blanks. An elastic and adjustable counter pressure mechanism is connected to the abutment member so that at least a component of the bearing pressure on the abutment member is transmitted to the counter pressure mechanism for controlling the means for driving the plate through the rollers to form the conically shaped parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1980
    Assignee: Hinrichs Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: Rudolf Herburg
  • Patent number: 4151733
    Abstract: A method of producing thrust washers in which a blank material in the form of a flat bar is forced to pass between an upper and a lower forming rolls arranged as a pair. The blank material is pressed onto one of the forming rolls to be bent in the breadthwise direction to become a thrust washer. The upper and the lower rolls cooperate with each other in defining therebetween a groove having a configuration corresponding to the cross section of the article to be obtained, through which the blank is made to pass. This method ensures an economical production of ring-shaped or arcuately shaped articles having accurate dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Iijima
  • Patent number: 4133197
    Abstract: A roll-type machine for forming a cylindrical metal body from an initially flat sheet of metal; such cylindrical body being for use in the manufacture of tanks for air, gas, or water. The machine includes a forming roll which is mounted and controlled in a manner to automatically retract from its normal, fixed working position immediately prior to completion of formation of the cylindrical metal body whereby to prevent otherwise attendant out-of-round deformation of said body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Assignee: Carando Machine Works
    Inventor: Howard Allen
  • Patent number: 4114432
    Abstract: Apparatus for winding a linear, elongated object into a coil including a bending roller assembly for bending the linear, elongated object into loops of the coil, and a leveling device for bringing the curvature of the coil to a predetermined level. The leveling device includes a base movable toward and away from the bending roller assembly so as to adjust the spacing between the bending roller assembly and the base, a plurality of sliders supported by the base and located circumferentially of the coil in spaced relation to one another for movement in sliding motion toward and away from the center of curvature of the coil, a plurality of leveling roller assemblies each supported by one of the sliders for imparting a bending moment to the coil to correct the curvature thereof to a desired value, and an actuator for radially positioning the sliders in accordance with the spacing between the bending roller assembly and the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Miura, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Koue Yusa
  • Patent number: 4059215
    Abstract: A new and improved method and apparatus for forming a circular double-jacketed gasket and the new and improved double-jacketed gasket formed thereby, wherein a substantially linear double-jacketed gasket assembly having a substantially rectangular cross-section is formed from first and second metal strips and a core strip of filler material, and wherein the gasket assembly is edgewise curved in the plane of its greater dimension to a predetermined curvature in the nip between compression rolls, and thereafter, a circular gasket unit is severed from the gasket assembly and the ends of the severed gasket unit are secured by welding to form a circular gasket having a single joint connection in the entire circumference of the gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1977
    Assignee: Lamons Metal Gasket Company
    Inventors: Alfred B. Owen, Bruce M. Gifford
  • Patent number: 4041748
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for fabricating a rectangular waste disposal container from a single steel sheet, includes a cantilever shaped frame supporting a rectangular mandrel rotatable on a horizontal shaft. A vertically oriented hydraulic ram depends from an arm of the frame and has a tandem roller assembly pivotally mounted at its lower end with an axis parallel to the axis of the mandrel. A steel sheet is fed into the nip between the rollers and the mandrel and the latter is rotated while hydraulic pressure is applied to the rollers to press-break the sheet at the mandrel corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Inventor: Eugene O. Wittke