Abstract: A knife-like die for cutting a thermoformed plastic article from a sheet of thermoformable plastic. The die includes a die build up plate that is mounted to a first platen and a striker plate that is mounted to a second platen. The die further includes a die board having a knife element mounted thereto. A heating element heats the knife to a temperature that allows for easy cutting of the thermoformable plastic. The die board also includes a die travel stop which prevents the die from being forced into the striker plate thus damaging the knife element and a die location pilot that engages a feature on the sheet of thermoformable plastic to align the article with the die.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of handling flexible tubes, for example in the production of a liner for a cargo container to provide a tubular attachment on the liner. A tube 16 in the form of a web of flexible material is drawn over a support 39 mounted on a carrier 29,30, the support having a greater area than that of the opened-out tube and being tilted to the radial plane (FIG. 2) during the drawing action. The support is then moved to the radial plane (FIG. 4) so as to stretch the tube 16 in the region of the support whereafter the tube is cut from the web, in the vicinity of the support. The support 39 is moved to a further processing station (FIG. 8), carrying the cut off tube 16, whereat the tube is released from the support 39 by tilting the support once more and withdrawing the support from the tube. The support is then returned to its initial position ready for another cycle of operation.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for advancing and cutting tube blanks into desired lengths and ejecting the unusable piece of tubing remaining after all of the usable cuts have been made. The machine for cutting the tubes of the present invention is preferably a standard supported shear type cutting machine and the ejection of the tube is accomplished via a pusher that is mounted for reciprocation on a carriage such that when the last piece of usable tubing has been cut from the tube blank the pusher may be activated to eject the tubing from the cutting machine.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming the bolt openings and/or the center-pilot opening in a vehicle wheel that includes a circumferential array of locating jaws for engaging and locating the rim portion of the wheel. An upper die is reciprocable for forming at least one mounting opening on a first axis in the disc portion of a wheel engaged by the locating jaws. The locating jaws are movable between a first or outer position, and a second or inner position radially inward of the outer position and in which the locating jaws engage the rim portion of the wheel positioned within the locating jaws. A ring mechanism surrounds the first axis and is disposed for radial abutment by the mechanism for moving the locator jaws at the second or inner position of the locator jaws so as to define the second or inner position of the locating jaws concentrically with each other on a second axis, which may be either concentric with or eccentric to the first axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming at least one mounting opening in a vehicle wheel that includes a circumferential array of locating jaws movable between an outer position and an inner position radially inward of the outer position in which the locating jaws engage the rim portion of the wheel positioned within the locating jaws. An upper die is reciprocable for forming at least one mounting opening on a first axis in the disc portion of a wheel engaged by the locating jaws. Position sensors are operatively coupled to the locating jaws for providing electrical sensor signals as a function of position of the locator jaws relative to the axis of the mounting openings formed in the wheel. The sensors are coupled to electronics for indicating position of the locator jaws relative to such axis.

Abstract: A method of cutting a piece of pipe from a length of pipe in a cutting plane by gripping the length of pipe directly adjacent the cutting plane and displacing the piece of pipe with respect to the length of pipe in the cutting plane, comprises applying a radially outwardly directed and a radially inwardly directed pressure against the length of pipe and the piece of pipe in the cutting plane and at both sides thereof, simultaneously applying an axial pressure, the pressures generating a stress amounting to at least 70% of the yield point of the material of the pipe, and maintaining the pressures during the entire cutting operation. A device for carrying out this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a device for perforating a metallic piece of elongated shape and with straight generatrix, with a view to obtaining, in several successive passes, a pattern which extends over a considerable part of the length of said generatrix and which is constituted by a large number of adjacent perforations in the lateral wall of this piece, said process consisting in repeating at least one elementary pattern which comprises a part of said perforations and which extends over the whole height of the pattern to be made. According to the invention, this elementary pattern is made in one pass, two adjacent elementary patterns being made during different passes. The invention is more particularly applicable to the precision-production of technical and decorative perforations.