US2783815A - Forming machine - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1957 J. E. TEGARDEN FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1952 FIG! IN V EN TOR.

JOHN E.TEGARDEN,DEGEASED VIRGINIAP TEGARDEN,

ADMINISTRATRIX, I

FORMING MACHINE John E. Tegarden, deceased, late of Chicago, 111., by Virginia P. Tegarden, administratrix, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Lindberg Engineering Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 11, 1952, Serial No. 325,258

' Claims. Cl. 153-51 This invention relates to forming die constructions and particularly to spring forming and like dies.

An object of the invention is to provide a spring forming die or the like which is adjustable to form the work in varying shapes as desired, avoiding the necessity of furnishing different die parts for each different forming operation.

Another object is to provide a punch in a die of the class described which is adjustable to present a variety of forming surfaces, for contouring the work in a corresponding number of Ways.

A particular object is to furnish a laminar punch which includes a plurality of contacting laminae arranged for adjustment of their surfaces relative to each other, to change the contour of the work contacting or forming surface of the punch.

An additional object is to provide a spring forming die or the like which does not stick to the work being formed and to provide lubrication means to accomplish that object.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a die punch means for delivering a lubricant to the work forming surface of the punch.

A particular object is to provide in the laminae of a laminar punch means for lubricating the work forming surface.

A further object is to provide a matrix in a die of the class described which will conform to the various forming surfaces presented by the punch.

A still further object is to provide a flexible, resilient matrix suitable for use in conjunction with a variety of punch surfaces.

An additional object is to furnish such a matrix which is also porous, to enable rapid quenching of the work.

Another object is to provide a spring forming die which includes a combination of a punch adjustable to provide a number of different forming surfaces and a matrix which will conform to the punch forming surfaces.

Still another object is to provide a die of the class described in combination with a quench bath and wherein the die and the work enter the bath following forming of the work.

Additional objects include the provision of a spring forming die which is economically constructed and which is easily assembled, adjusted, and operated.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent on consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the like parts are identified by like reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a die embodying the features of the invention, with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 after the forming operation and during quenching.

Figure 3 is a broken side view partly in section of nite States Patent 0 the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and showing also a frame and an actuating cylinder.

Figure 4 is a broken perspective view of a lamina, part of the die punch in the embodiment shown.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a die including an upper punch 10 and a lower matrix 11, each supported by and slidably movable in a frame 12. Between the punch and the matrix is a representation of the work 13, a piece part. The punch 10 is composed of a plurality of laminae 14 contacting each other at their wide surfaces 15, some of which surfaces are also provided with longitudinal grooves 16, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The laminae 14 are inserted between end plates 17 and 18 and adjusted relative to each other to provide any desired shaped work forming surface 19 or bottom contour on the punch. The work forming surface is composed of adjacent transverse narrow surfaces 29 which are the ends of the laminae 14. The laminae 14 are clamped together in fixed positions by means of a set screw 21 or the like, which engages one end plate 17. The laminae 14 are also enclosed within side plates 22 and 23 at their upper ends 24, which plates and upper ends with the end plates 17 and 18 and a header bar 25, to which the side and end plates are secured, form a header 26 which extends upwardly in the embodiment shown to provide an oil reservoir 27 above the ends 24 of the laminae opposite to the work forming surface 19. Through one side plate 23 is inserted a tube 28 or the like which is connected with a source of oil, not shown, in a manner ot provide a constant oil level in the reservoir 27.

The header bar 25 slidably engages the frame 12 for vertical movement and is connected to a piston 29 which is in turn actuated by suitable means such as a gas or hydraulic cylinder 30. The cylinder is secured to the frame 12 and when operated, it vertically moves the piston 29 and thus the punch 10, causing the work forming. surface 19 of the punch to contact and form the work 13 or to withdraw the punch from the formed work.

The matrix 11 includes a block 31 on which are mounted standards 32 which support two sprocket wheels 33 spaced from and above the block. The sprocket wheels are located at opposite ends of the block and they and their standards serve as primary supports for a chain 34 or similar flexible Work bed, which engages the sprocket wheels 33. The ends of the chain are secured to tension springs 35 which are in turn secured at their remaining ends to the block 31. Disposed between the sprocket wheels 33 are a pair of resilient auxiliary supports for the chain 34 which include rollers 36 supported in roller standards 37, which are in turn resiliently supported on compression springs 38. The lower ends of the roller standards 37 and the compression springs 38 are enclosed in socket members 39 which are movably secured to the top of the block 31, for longitudinal movement thereon.

filled with oil, which encloses the lower ends of the frame 12 and supports them onthe base of the tank. The tank is dimensioned to enclose the matrix 11 and the lower, operative end of the punch 10.

In operation, a number of laminae 14 are inserted between the end plates 17 and 18 and the side plates 22 and 23, and their resulting bottom contour, which is the work forming surface 19, is adjusted to correspond to the shape of the desired product, advantageously with the aid of a wooden pattern. The set screw 21 and the remaining members of the punch are then tightened, and the reservoir 27 is filled with oil. The rollers 36 of the auxiliary supports for the chain 34 are then located between the sprocket wheels 33 of the primary supports to correspond to the size of the piece part 13, or work, to

be formed. A hot piece part is next placed on the upper surface of the chain 34, and the cylinder 30 is actuated to move the punch downwardly. The punch contacts the piece part 13, forming it on the chain 34, into an arcuate spring in the embodiment shown. The chain yields in response to the pressure from above while at the same time and owing to the force of the tension springs 35 and the compression springs 38, the chain exerts upward forces on the piece part so that it is formed evenly with the proper curvature. The whole assembly moves downwardly from the time the punch contacts the piece part, and immediately after the forming operation, it descends into the oil-filled tank 40 where the formed piece part is quenched. During the operation of the die, oil flows from the reservoir 27 through the grooves .16 in the laminae 14 onto the work forming surface 19 of the punch 10, so that when the punch contacts the piece part 13, fusion of the two is precluded. After quenching, the cylinder 36 is actuated to Withdraw the punch 16, and the matrix 11 and piece part 13 are raised from the bath by any suitable means, such as by pulleys 41, shown in part. After removing the formed piece part, the die is ready for further operation in the same manner.

There is thus provided by the invention aversatile die, suited for a variety of forming operations while eliminating the need for a number of differently constructed punch and matrix members. The laminae may be adjusted in position to correspond to the desired shape in a spring or the like, and the matrix readily adapts itself to the contour presented by the laminae. A further advantage obtained by the use of laminae is that the individual members are easily grooved to provide uniformly arranged oil conduits for effective dispersal of oil on the Work forming surface of the punch. The die is easily and rapidly operated and especially advantageous for continuous type operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A spring forming die or the like which comprises a punch including a plurality of contacting laminae arranged for movement of their surfaces relative to each other to alter the contour of the work forming surface of said punch, said laminae being provided with longitudinal grooves in some of their contacting surfaces providing liquid passageways between said work forming surface and the surface of said punch opposite thereto, means forming a header with said opposite surface, and a matrix opposed to said Work forming surface and having a Work bed adapted to conform thereto.

2. A spring forming die or the like which comprises a punch including a plurality of contacting laminae arranged for movement of their surfaces relative to each other to alter the contour of the work forming surface of said punch, said laminae being provided with longitudinal grooves in some of their contacting surfaces providing liquid passageways between said work forming surface and the surface of said punch opposite thereto, means forming a header with said opposite surface, and a matrix opposed to said work forming surface and including a block mountable movably over a quench bath, a flexible work bed supported by said block in spaced relation thereto,

and resilient means connecting respective ends of said work bed to said block.

3. A spring forming die or the like which comprises a punch including a plurality of contacting laminae arranged for movement of their surfaces relative to each other to alter the contour of the work forming surface of said punch in combination with an opposed matrix including a block, a flexible work bed supported at opposite ends thereof in spaced relation to said block by primary supports secured to said block, spaced resilient auxiliary supports movably secured to said block and supporting said work bed at points intermediate the points of support'by said primary supports, and resilient means connecting respective said ends of said work bed to said block.

4. A spring forming die or the like which comprises a punch including a row of laminae in which adjacent laminae contact each other at their respective wide surfaces and are provided with longitudinal grooves in some of their said wide surfaces, means detachably clamping said laminae together in fixed positions to provide a work forming surface corresponding to one group of their adjacent transverse narrow surfaces, means forming a header with the remaining said group of transverse surfaces, said grooves providing liquid passageways from said header to said Work forming surface, and a matrix opposed to said work forming surface and including a block, a flexible work bed supported at opposite ends thereof in spaced relation to said block by primary supports secured to said block, spaced resilient auxiliary supports movably secured to said block and supporting said Work bed at points intermediate the points of support by said primary supports, and resilient means connecting respective said ends of said Work bed to said block.

5. Forming apparatus which comprises the combination of a quench bath, a frame, a matrix movably mounted on said frame over said bath, a punch movably mounted on said frame over said matrix, said matrix including a block movably mounted over said bath and a flexible work bed resiliently connected to said block and supported thereby in spaced relation thereto, said punch including a plurality of contacting laminae arranged for movement of their surfaces relative to each other to alter the contour of the work forming surface of the punch, said laminae being provided with longitudinal grooves in some of their contacting surfaces providing liquid passageways between said work forming surface and the surface of said punch opposite thereto, and means forming a header with said opposite surface, said punch being movable onto the work on said work bed to form the work, and said punch and said matrix being movable with the formed work into said bath to quench the work.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 166,918 De Forest Aug. 24, 1875 258,382 Creagan et al May 23, 1882 484,264 Trist Oct. 11, 1892 1,275,377 Buckley et al Aug. 13, 1918 1,776,983 Peterson Sept. 16, 1930 2,299,350 Rowlands et al. Oct. 20, 1942 2,324,982 Kuhn July 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 527,795 France Apr. 2, 192i 174,765 Great Britain Feb. 6, 1922

Images