Abstract: An apparatus and method including a swaging die (10) with an internal cone-shaped bore section which will swage a pipe (14) forced into such die and form the cone section (30) on the pipe. Within the swaging die (10) is an insert/ejector plate (32) of a diameter to fit within the bore of the pipe (14) and wherein high pressure fluid directed through the insert/ejector plate (32) to the inside wall of the pipe (14) expands the pipe thus forming a longer, more acceptable, cone section (30) capable of providing more thread length for later threading operation. After the expansion pressure is relieved, the insert/ejector plate (32) is used to force the pipe (14) out of the swaging die (14).

Abstract: A method of forming a ridge in a cylindrical tube member comprises placing the ends of the tube member into spaced-apart dies so that each die is a close fit around the respective end of the tube member, and the tube member has a free portion between the ends. Liquid is supplied to the interior of the tube member and the liquid pressure within the tube is increased so that its free portion bulges radially outwardly. While the radial bulge of the free portion of the tube member is continuously measured on the outside, the liquid pressure is gradually increased depending on the radial bulge measured until a pre-determined radial bulge is measured. Thereafter, while the liquid pressure is maintained in the tube member, the dies are axially moved towards each other until they are spaced a pre-determined axial distance apart. During this displacement the dies deform the bulge until the desired ridge form is reached.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite metal-ceramic helix structure suitable for TWT application. The method includes concentrically joining a metal cylinder disposed within a ceramic cylinder to form a high strength hermetic bond therebetween having good thermal conductivity. Prior to joining the cylinders a predetermined quantity of heat vaporizable liquid is disposed within the metal cylinder and its ends are sealed off. During the brazing process the liquid vaporizes ensuring intimate contact between the concentric cylinders. Thereafter the metal cylinder ends are removed and the resulting concentric structure machined into a helical shape.

Abstract: A box-like frame member is formed by compressing an internally-pressurized tubular blank within a die having a cavity conforming to the final box-like cross section desired for the product, and increasing the pressure to exceed the yield limit of the wall of the blank to expand the blank into conformity with the die cavity. The blank is selected so that the final product and the die cavity have a circumference preferably no more than about 5% larger than the circumference of the blank, to avoid weakening or cracking of the blank through excessive circumferential expansion. The internal pressure forces the blank evenly into the corners of the die on closing and allows the blank to be confined within the die without sections of the die pinching the blank on closing of the die.

Abstract: A method of relieving residual stress in a metal pipe comprises the steps of applying, by using a pressure medium, a low pressure to an interior of the metal pipe placed in dies, and applying, while preventing the buckling, an axial compression load to the pipe so as to effect a uniform plastic deformation of the entire metal pipe while maintaining the desired shape of the pipe, thereby relieving the residual stress in the metal pipe.

Abstract: A method of forming a deformable body to desired shape includes the steps(a) providing a bed of flowable particles within a contained zone,(b) relatively positioning said particles adjacent one side of said body,(c) and pressuring said bed to cause pressure transmission via said particles to said body, thereby to deform the body into desired shape.

Abstract: A built-up camshaft is fabricated by fitting cam disks on a hollow shaft, fitting shaft end caps over the ends of the hollow shaft, placing the resulting structure in a die, compressing the hollow shaft in the axial direction thereof inwardly from the opposite ends thereof thereby to carry out swaging tube expansion thereof to place all parts in a temporarily fixed state, and introducing a fluid under pressure into the hollow shaft thereby to carry out bulging and expansion of diameter at specific parts of the hollow shaft and obtain an integral built-up camshaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for expanding a tube against the walls of a circumscribing bore, or a sleeve within a tube to effect an interference joint therebetween, is described herein. The tube expansion apparatus generally comprises a fluid mandrel connected to a hydraulic expansion unit for applying a radially expansive force to the tube or sleeve, and a control circuit electrically connected to the expansion unit and fluidly connected to the mandrel for sensing fluctuations in the pressure of the fluid discharged from the mandrel during the elastic and plastic deformation of the tube or sleeve during the expansion process, computing a final swaging pressure on the basis of these pressure fluctuations, and deactuating the hydraulic expansion unit when this final swaging pressure is attained within the tube or sleeve. The invention is particularly adapted for minimizing or eliminating the clearance between the heat exchange tubes of a nuclear reactor, and the baffle plate bores through which they extend.

Abstract: An oblate spheroid shaped shell has upper and lower component parts which are held together by means of spring loaded clamps. The upper and lower component parts each contain liquid hardenable ceramic material forming die member halves which have surfaces defining a die cavity for superplastic forming of a metal workpiece therein. The ceramic material has electrical heating elements embedded therein and positioned close to the die cavity in order to heat the metal workpiece in the cavity. Tubes in the upper and lower halves of the shell supply pressurized gas and quenching fluid to the die cavity for superplastic forming and quenching of the metal workpiece.

Abstract: An improved sleeving apparatus and process capable of simultaneously expanding and rolling an interference joint between a reinforcing sleeve and a heat exchanger tube is disclosed herein. The apparatus generally comprises an elongated housing onto which upper and lower rollers are mounted, and upper and lower hydraulic expanders capable of applying a radially expansive force onto a sleeve across the length of the rollers. The rolls in the rollers are driven by a common drive shaft which is coupled to a hydraulic motor. The apparatus includes a torque controller including a torque sensor and a computer for controlling the torque, and hence the rolling pressure, that the rollers place on the inside surface of the sleeve. The torque sensor is mechanically connected to the output of the driving means of the drive shaft, and electrically connected to the microcomputer. The microcomputer is connected to the control valve of the power supply of the hydraulic motor driving the drive shaft.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing ornamented head lug pipes comprising a first stage for lug-forming and ornamenting and a second stage for finishing ornaments, wherein:in the first stage, a bulge-forming rubber body is inserted into a tubular steel blank of required length having an outer diameter identical to the diameter of the finished said blank is placed in a die including therein a lug-forming cavitied section and a stepped section for applying pressure to the middle periphery thereof, and bulge-forming is effected under pressure to form a lug by bulging of the rubber body and form ornaments are formed on both ends of the blank there by reducing the diameter of said middle periphery, andin the second stage, the product from the first stage is fixedly placed in a die compressing a concave section for engagement with said lug, a concave section for engagement with said ornaments equal in diameter to the outer diameter of said blank and a concave section for engagement with the middle periphery of said blank, an

Abstract: An autofrettage process which relates to the autofrettage of thick-walled cylinders through the cyclical application of high pressure to the internal bore of the cylinder. The invention encompasses the autofrettage of cylindrical members in cyclical pressure stages each of a few seconds to a few minutes in duration during each of which the bore of the cylinder being autofrettaged is subjected to a pressure in the range of about zero to the lower of the two pressures; one is the pressure that causes a complete plastic deformation to the outer wall and the other is twice the bore yield pressure. Preferably, the pressurizable hydraulic fluid medium utilized for the autofrettage is ethylene glycol or hydraulic oil, or any similar fluid which will not freeze or solidify at the pressures encountered during the inventive process. The autofrettage pressure may be increased between one or more cyclic applications of pressure.

Abstract: A box-like frame member is formed by deforming the sides of a tubular blank inwardly to provide it with concavely recessed portions in areas corresponding to generally opposing flat surfaces of the product. The deformed blank is expanded, under internally applied fluid pressure, within a sectional die which has its die cavity preferably no more than about 5% larger than the circumference of the blank, to avoid weakening, cracking or yielding of the blank through excessive circumferential expansion.

Abstract: A method of making sheet metal panels from two layers between which ducts are formed by inflation, in which the inflation is effected by the use of a predetermined quantity of Freon in the liquid state, the subsequent evacuation of the Freon from the ducts being effected by evaporation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mold to be used when the powder a titanium alloy is filled in the mold and the powder is hot pressed under static water pressure; the improvement is that the mold is manufactured by subjecting a titanium alloy plate having the same composition as the aforementioned titanium alloy powder to super-plastic shaping.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming leak-proof joints between tubes and a tube sheet by the internal application of hydraulic swaging pressure, the flow of relatively low pressure fluid from a pressure source to an intensifier is permitted or interrupted by a control valve. During a prefill period, a prefill valve causes the low pressure fluid to bypass the low pressure input side of the intensifier and flow directly to the high pressure side and then to a mandrel. Thereafter, the low pressure fluid is caused to enter the low pressure side of the intensifier to increase the pressure in the mandrel during a swaging period. A pressurization sensor, which is connected to the input and output sides of the prefill valve, contains a piston which is movable in response to the difference in the pressures at these two points to produce a termination signal which, after a delay, actuates the control signal at the end of the swaging period.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming a peripheral skirt on a workpiece of metal or other ductile material with reduced pleating of its peripheral edge. The concentric mating male and female dies of the prior art are provided, and in addition at least one drawbar concentric with, outside of, and generally beside the male die guides the outer periphery of the workpiece as the dies are urged together, preventing the outer margin of the workpiece from being folded under and propagating pleats. The drawbars also assist in clamping the outer margin of the workpiece between the dies when the central portion of the workpiece is to be expanded by the application of fluid forming pressure.

Abstract: An autofrettage process which relates to the autofrettage of thick-walled cylinders through the cyclical application of high pressure to the internal bore of the cylinder. The invention encompasses the autofrettage of cylindrical members in cyclical pressure stages each of a few seconds to a few minutes in duration during each of which the bore of the cylinder being autofrettaged is subjected to a pressure in the range of about zero to 100,000 psi and, preferably 40,000 to 100,000 psi. Preferably, the pressurizable hydraulic fluid medium utilized for the autofrettage is ethylene glycol or hydraulic oil, or any similar fluid which will not freeze or solidify at the pressures encountered during the inventive process.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming leak-proof joints between tubes and a tube sheet by the internal application of hydraulic swaging pressure, the flow of pressurized fluid from an adjustable pressure reduction valve is permitted or interrupted by a control valve. An actuator moves the control valve between its flow permitting and interrupting positions in response to a control signal. In the sensor, which is connected to the input and output sides of the control valve, a piston is movable in response to the difference in the input and output pressures to produce the control signal when a predetermined comparative pressure relationship exists.

Abstract: A hydraulic chuck device for use with the inside of a tube. Included is a body defining a chamber and a piston slideably mounted in said chamber. An axially centered stem means is mounted at one of its end on said piston and has a passage along its axis, while sleeve means slideably cover said stem means and are mounted on said body. Collet means are operably connected to said stem means and said sleeve means such that relative movement of one with respect to the other causes activation of said collets. First fluid means are connected to said piston to cause relative movement between said stem and said sleeve, and second fluid means are connected to said stem means for passage of fluid through said passage of said stem means into the inside of said tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for production of couplings for joining together sections of metal tubing, the couplings being of the type comprising sockets having e.g. an annular recess carrying a filler metal, whereby the filler metal comprises a plastic composition which is applied under pressure to a selected internal area of a section of deformable tubing, thereby to form an indentation containing a deposit of plastic composition.

Abstract: This invention is a method for manufacturing a diaphragm bellows on a continuous basis, wherein by giving a pressure to the inside of a metallic pipe having the desired diameter, the pipe is bulged in the outer circumferential direction between opposed molds which hold the pipe and, by compressing the bulged part between molds, is formed into a steep projection of the desired shape. After removing the molds the pipe is pressed from both ends thereof to form the steep projections into flat shapes to obtain the desired diaphragm bellows and the above manufacturing procedure is repeated.

Abstract: A method of prestressing the working surface of pressure chambers or cylinders comprising the steps of first shot peening their working surfaces to form compressive residual stresses, and then applying fluid pressure at a predetermined magnitude to cause tensile stresses in the working surfaces. The magnitude of compressive residual stresses established on their outer working surfaces is made substantially equal to the tensile stress applied to these surfaces during the pressure phase of the process.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in expanding tubes into holes in tubeplates including walls of drums and headers especially in boilers in which an annular body of elastomeric material is compressed axially and expands radially to force the tube into close engagement with the wall of the hole. The elastomeric material is supported at its ends by radially expansible supports each made up of pieces sliding on adjacent pieces, the sliding surfaces being forced together by the applied force, the pieces being located on reduced diameter end portions of the body. The invention enables applied pressures of the order of 70,000 psi (4830 bar) to be used to stress the tubeplate beyond its elastic limit without damage to the body caused by extrusion.

Abstract: A straight tubular ferrous blank of a circular section, starting material of the invention is deformed in its section along its whole length and bent to form a fork with two legs or blades, the thus formed tubular fork is set in a sectional forming die of top and bottom molds; the die has a concave corresponding to a protuberant socket and has also at its end an opening into which a mandrel having a recess corresponding to the same protuberant socket is introduced; the tubular fork set in the sectional die is subjected to the oil hydraulic bulge-forming process together with the mandrel simultaneously forced into the opening to bulge-form the socket, and the desired front fork blank of the single unit type is obtained.

Abstract: A releasable clamp holds a stator with a closed end turn while a resilient plug, covered with a rigid smooth walled sleeve, is inserted through the central opening of the stator to spread the winding at the closed end turn. The sleeve is then withindrawn, the stator is unclamped, and the plug is compressed to further speed the windings at the closed end, after which the plug is removed.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for forming an opening in a composite metal panel on an edge of the panel at a position wherein the opening is to be formed and hammered to delineate a bond interface. The opening is formed between the sheets of the panel and inwardly of the edge thereof starting from the delineated bond interface. The opening is adapted to provide a means for communicating a fluid under pressure for inflating tubular passageways in the panel.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for forming an opening in a composite metal panel. The edge of the panel is hammered to delineate a bond interface. The hammering includes both moving a hammering member to and fro against the edge while simultaneously rocking the member about the edge. This provides improved delineation of the bond interface for further processing.

Abstract: A process for reducing the residual stresses in a seamless metal tube which has undergone a straightening operation comprising subjecting the tube to an internal pressure of between 0.8 Pc and 1.0 Pc for a period of at least 3 minutes, while maintaining the temperature of the tube at or close to ambient temperature, Pc being the critical pressure beyond which the tube will undergo plastic deformation.

Abstract: A tubular ferrous blank, the starting material of the invention, set in a sectional forming die having a concave inner surface corresponding to a desired contour is subjected to the oil hydraulic bulge forming process in a press machine provided with a vertically movable ram and a pair of horizontally opposed movable rams to form two identical, but different oriented protuberant components in one embodiment of the invention, and one relatively big protuberant component and relatively small twin parallel protuberant components in another embodiment, each of the components being axis-asymmetrically formed, and again subjected to a mechanical bulge forming step by the aid of two opposed mandrels affixed to the horizontal rams inserted forcibly into the thus formed tubular blank to form a cut wave joggled design or pattern on the exterior surface of the tubular blank.

Abstract: Improved internal tooling for a swaging apparatus for attaching fittings to tubing. The tooling includes a draw bolt having a head at one end adapted to be connected to actuating means such as a hydraulic cylinder at its opposite end. A straight cylindrical resilient expander sleeve is coaxially disposed on the draw bolt and is bracketed by a pair of split, circular, anti-extrusion rings located in mating seats formed in facing end surfaces of the draw bolt head and a seal bushing. The facing surfaces of the head and bushing are further configured to include a ramp surface extending between the surface of the draw bolt and split ring seats.

Abstract: A hydraulic impact molding device for molding metal and like materials under instantaneously generated high hydraulic pressure is provided. The device includes a fitted, axially slidable cap which overfits the mold. A generally upward hydraulic force is internally generated within the mold for deforming a workpiece and the impact thereof is substantially absorbed by the slidable overfitting cap thereon which is axially slidably displaced thereby.