Apparatus and method for pointing tubes

Feb. 27, 1968 j. w. schuetz 3,370,451

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POINTING TUBES Filed June 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US3370451A_D0001.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

Feb. 27, 1968

J. W. SCHUETZ

3,370,451

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POINTING TUBES

Filed June 28, 1965

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US3370451A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US3370451A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US3370451A_D0004.tif" />

JAMES W. SCHUETZ

<img file="US3370451A_D0005.tif" />

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1968

J. W. SCHUETZ

3,370,451

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POINTING TUBES

Filed June 28, 1965

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US3370451A_D0006.tif" />

Feb. 27, 1968

J. W. SCHUETZ

3,370,451

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR POINTING TUBES

Filed June 28, 1965

Sheets-Sheet 4 oo

<img file="US3370451A_D0007.tif" />

ATTORNEYS, ^V/Ύζ 3,370,451

United States Patent umce Patented Feb. 27, 1968

3,370,451 apparatus and method for POTNTING TUBES

Claims. (Cl. 72—402) abstract of the disclosure stroke of the jaws.

Briefly a preferred form of apparatus comprises a fluid operated chuck or similar mechanism that&gt; ^aPted t ur»e a series of V-shaped gripper jaws or dies radial y inwardly into engagement with the length ° pomted. The jaws each have a senes of longitudmany spaced points that first engage the tube and thus hold the tube against slippage with respect to the dies. J move inwardly, they fold the « a» having a maximum dimension sufficiently smaller wan the original outer diameter of the tube to permit the end retracted so that the tube can be removed from the apnsratns ready for drawing through a die.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of Λο drawings a preferred form of apparatus comprises a cylinder161 sup norted on an appropriate base made up of a honzonta pile 11 and vertical plates 12 disposed at either end of the cylinder 10 and having arcuate saddle portion*Receive the cylinder. The vertical members 12 P^ramy are weldedto the base member 11 and the^lmder 10 mav be welded to the vertical members 12. The internal r bore of the cylinder 10 has a rear portion 14 of greatest ²⁵ diameter anffitermediate portion 15 of reduced diameter and a forward end portion 16 of compared to the intermediate portion 15. At the froffl end of the cylinder there is a front cylinder head 1 .

in nlace by a key 19 and an annular ring 20 and is prevented from inward movement by a shoulder 21 in the cylinder bore. There is also a rear cylinder head 22 that is held in place against a shoulder 23 m the cylmde bore by a key 24 and a ring 25. The rear cylinder head is sealed to the cylinder as by a conventional O-nng 26.

In order to form the required points on tubes, a plurality of angularly spaced gripper jaws oO are disposed within the cylinder. Six jaws are shown m but fewer or more jaws can be employed it desire . lube T is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to illustrate the initial engagement between the jaws and the tubes In to provide the desired flutes and reduce the diameter thereof a hydraulically operated chuck 31 is disposed • wfihin the cylinder 10. Chuck 31 is provided with radial ’ ir.tc 'll in which the jaws 30 are slidably mounted and “X to ™“e tte inwardly and outwardly upon X mo.emout of thl chuck, the slots 32 ar. T-.lt.ped as shown with enlarged head openings 33 that are defined by doping outer camming surfaces 34 and inner cammin surfaces 35 that are parallel to the surfaces 34. The jaw. |θ are prodded with T heads 36, preferably composer a material such as bronze in order to redn-fnctmn the strips being secured to the jaws by cap screws 37 Th&lt; forward ends of the jaws are provided with wearjlate 38 that bear against the inner surface of the forwan cylinder head 18 while the rear ends of the jaws bea against a washer 40 that is supported by a.plug 41 tha projects inwardly from the rear cylinder headI 22 .Th no jaws are prevented from longitudinal movement by th ⁶⁰ front cylinder head 18 and the washer 40 and thus recij rocatin» movement of the chuck 31 within the cylmdt 10 will cause the dies to move radially inwardly and ou wardly. The jaws and the chuck are shown in full 1 in FIGURE 1 in their fully retracted position; the broke fines in the lower part of FIGURE 1 indicate the mne most nosition of the jaws and the corresponding for

TS » rSX the chuck 31 wl.hiu .he _?1M _ in the chuck is provided with a rear piston portion ™ ’XX x ·ι» « “^d.*^ls° x,:¹⁰, the plug 41, the piston portion 45 being sealed to t £ xs _?. p« » =£S2§ £S=s§s

--- = =5 drawing operation, and t P distortion centered with respect to the ube to p θ “X XSXSX—XXS . S=”££g£S:=S 35-=5=:,=^===: 3-g.ESSS3=£=

FIGURE 2 is a transverse section taken along line ^CURES^nd 4 are side elevation and end views, of X ·»* “ »&gt; ^te “ ‘XSrES s’SX sMe ml .«a do««io»f. ««' “ HgSmP » » S»C«OP »0» “ ^by°'SotS W is · »* S’*»· “ ^sh0”“^E in their innermost position. pTfTTjRE 10, but shows a FIGURE 11 IS similar to Huuke w u smaller tube, the tube being of the size shown m FIGURES 3 and 4.

3,370,451 λ?- «ι p&gt;«₈ « respectively. The chuck i, _nisn ^the O-rmgs 46 and 47, Piston portion 49 that fits wtoinffi?^f°^rWard15 of the cvlinrW th_a^{1 tb} mtermediate bore packing such as the O-Sglo ^{by a 3} admission of fluid under ' It ^tbls arrangement, of the piston 2ΐϊί urge£h chnX° · L? ⁵² “ ^backtion toward the front cylinder head 18 inwardly to deform a tLhFr Y ¹⁸,^{and ca}m the jaws since the are?pfct?4?°^Sed ?^the jaws. Also, 7n Piston 49, admission of fluid toftLpS 53%? °^fjaws from « ^tbe

Suitable fluid conduits 55: and 56 leadin«?,^engaged· 52 and 53, respectively are provided ? °^{e Spaces}connected to a sourer nf ^{These con}duits are appropriate controls which can t H^nder Pressure through Preferably, the“roί are aT ^ke/^{ny C(}“fent form, only has to push a button κ^{rranged so} Ifiat the operator will be admitted to the sna^ ^e^^up°^{n flLlid} under pressure sp.ce SS “ °^l»'« &lt;.»» chuck in the forward direction I J ^d’- ^{hus moving the}wardly to point the tube PreferS “t? £ ,^iawsthat fluid under nrewnre ; ,.^abI&gt;’ ^tbe control is such 95 the back pressure buflds uVtoL ®^{PaCe 52 Until} wnereupon the mnnpnf· ^a Predetermined degree under p’SsA “T „i’2 Ϊ «“« and permit fluid to bn J· ⁵³ through the conduit 56 the sL^ t£ operaL ±‘^{ged fr}°^{m the Space} 52 to 30 back pressure is built un in th^ ^a P^redetermined space 53, whereon tto ρΛ?? ?^{ng t0 tbe}apparatus is then in condhto f X °® ^{and the}Controls capable of performinf ^ration.

SXXXS™ “ thus to ltoinh?t£ar?^ao?Xf^eth°/^{the chuck} and apXimltety Ito external?⁸ ? ^aX^le°having Pointed, an adjustabte X„ ? °^{f the tub}e to b! of the chuck 31. Tto X ^P?^ded °* ^tb° rear end pressed into an opening in λΤ®® ^{a b}?^{r 60} ^at is 45 of the chuck and ex^nd, ,f^be.P'^ston Portion formed in an. adjustment^haft &amp;T? ^y T ^{a bore 61}64 in a hollow boss 65 secured m tk * ^{1S thre}?^ded as at 22. The inner end of the adiustm ι%^ΓΧ^{3Γ cylinder} head 66 that engages the rear ^« 67 ? ® ^{haS a flange}of the chuck and the outer end of A ^{f piston} Portion 45 is provided with a hand wheel as*® ^adjustment shaft 62 the shaft in the boss can be rpJi ^so that the position of sealed against leakage where it passed?’ ?^{he Shaft is}der head 22 by an O ring 69 Wifh th® ^hr°^{Ugh tbe cylin}ward movement of the chuckis^re ^a5^rangement. rearof the chuck with the end flX Sb ?^Dgagement Sange can be adjusted by the told wheS 68°? °· * if maximum retraction of tb» · .Peel 68. The position I. The guide b?60 pXntelXt¹· ®^h°^{Wn in FIGU}*E he chuck and the cylinder 10. ^tlV® ^r0tail0n between onn strong pointed portfons^deSflh®^d ®° ^{SS tO accura}tely -IRES 3 aid 4 X tto etos nfVb® ^Sh?^Wn “ ^FiGizes without requiring anv ch ^tubes.^{of a} wide range of nd without requiring⁸anv F “ ^{tbe grip}P^er jaws ther than the a’djustaentlf to?®”! °^{f the a}PP^aratus &gt;ws by the hand Xel 68 A. ^P°^{sition of the}nd 4, a tube T is Xided ίk °^·^{ΙΠ FIGUf}ES 3 aving a maximumLerlll tra^3 ^P0uded Portion 70 iat the point can be in,ert»^ ansverse dimension such rawing die. Depending nnn readily into a conventional be and the outer dilmltelof ? ^·^{Π tbickness of} the um transverse dimeE 5 °^{ngIna! iube}’ the maxi”»· ,&gt;' tom Λ™” ‘X’^o,sr'‘_fT V « ₀( _{the Tte} ,_e4lcM «„ &lt;* «ρ«.

72, which define the flutes or rel ^{no£ed that the ribs}radially and are substStolv ®u ^{eXtend subs}tantially and that the wall of the tub? ®r^Qtb^{1Iy anguIarly} spaced, rib is bent thwh ^{outer edge of} each tions of the tube wall &lt;niWa®F ,^^{nge tbat ad}i^acent porshown at 73. The inward foldin'! r tb°^pta? ^{eacb otber as}substantially elongate the tube to !b *® ? -^{Wal1 does not}therefore the cE tto ^axiaI Actions, and substantially the same as th ^&amp;Γ®^{&amp; tbrougbout t!le} point is ^_n£·^ gripper jaws 30. ^{P ped} projections 77 on the duc^ae^Wpo?_nTSh SstaElGU^^ ^to P~l-t·Si “» prises a body portion 78 tend ^memb®f Preferably comthat are adapted to “fide to? ^{para ieI},^side walls 79 chuck. The outer surfaces J J k ?’ ^{sIots 32} °f the as shown to supportlhe T heads? t? ^slantedof the jaws extend parallel to the!·? ^{ΙΠΠδΓ portions}chuck, the cylinder 10 and th ^tbeR^{c mon} axis of the inner portions of ffie jaws are ? Έ ^be P°^d· The shown at 80 with the V’s 3' ..^{formed Into} V-shape as ward the co^on axis ato ? ™^d’^{y to}' conunon axis. The included anXoFtto V ^theequal to the angular smcina hit “ “t^{Vs ls} Preferably in the chuck and betteen the ±^e30^thw^e_h^radi^{al slots 32}position within the chuck ThUs into X ? ^{are in}the angular spacing between th “ ^{tbe exam}P^le given, degrees and the included anX^r ,^jaw ™^embers is 60 of each of the jaw membersSm ^th® Shaped portion With this arrangement each deS h° ^{60 degrees}’ lies parallel to a side 81 of ™ %· ^{f a}.^V'^sbaped portion jaw members, when movt? ?? ^member· Ώ* the wall of the tube into fto l^{y ihe cbuck}&gt; fold being made up of twcXL? ®? ^{each rib 72}substantiafly into contact with e? to ^{WaI1 foIded}

In order to provide _clSn f °? ^{as shown at 73}· gauge and relatively small ? t ^f°^{r fte WaUs of} ^Sht points 80 of thefaws ”r?reSd^eH.^tUbeS’ ^the V-shaped foe V’s as shown at? τ ??^{Cent tbe} apexes of Possible to use the sameJaS ?? ^make * diameter as are used for tubeS^f &lt;rf St^tubes.^of small for which the app_arat_us £ deseed f!™™ ^caP^acitythis arrangement a single ^{For exa}mple, with tubes with a range of outside dto? ®£ ^{fonn points on}0.625 inch, wittout XL?^etef^sfrom1·⁷^ inch to retracted position of the jaws bS? ^exceP^{{ of tile}

As noted above, the tX re I ^{hand wheeI 68}· gaged by the projections 77 of ? ^Ρ°? ^{are first en}’ tudmally spaced alone the * * ^JaW/' ^{Tnese are !}°ngifermed simply by cutting awa??· ^{the V}’^{S and} are of the jaws as shown to provide flat?⁸ *^{e lnner edges}V-shaped points formed bv to» ? ^surf.^{aces 83}&gt; leaving surface 82. The protections Ϊ??°^{Π of the} P^e gated in the direction naralleto^? ^y ·^{ΆΚ slightI}y ^elonPresent sharp edges 84?!? to’® °^{f the tube and}jaws. As shown in the drawto? ^dlsposed within the axially short as compared to? £® ^pr°^jecti°ns 77 are

The manner in wtoh £ ? ^erme£te surfaces 83. on a tube is illustrated im KGURES M?? shown m FIGURES 8 and OthuJ’ ^{9 and 10}- As member engage the outer surface ^fttoT? ? ^jaW cient firmness that the tube

3,3' 5 the chuck. The tube is inserted into the chuck until the end of the tube engages the washer 4®. Then, as previously described, the chuck is actuated to move the jaw members radially inwardly.

Inasmuch as the first engagement between the jaw members and the tube is with the points 77, the sharp edges 84 of the points first indent the tube and thus prevent slippage of the tube with respect to the jaw members. Continued inward movement of the jaw members then simply folds adjacent portions of the tube wall toward each other until, as shown in FIGURE 10, these wall portions are substantially in engagement with each other. When this position is reached, no further inward movement of the jaw members can take place by merely bending the metal; the metal would have to be compressed to permit the surfaces 81 of adjacent jaw members to come closer together and to permit the jaw members to move nearer to the center line of the chuck. The pressure in the cylinder in back of the piston portion 45 of the chuck therefore increases and, as previously described, the chuck is returned to its initial position with the rear surface 67 of the chuck in engagement with the flange 66 of the adjusting shaft. This occurs when the parts have reached the position shown in FIGURE 10.

It will be noted that the sharp points 77 of the jaws somewhat penetrate the bottoms of the flutes thereby producing the indentations indicated at 76 in FIGURE 3. Also, the outwardly flared portions 75 of the jaws produce the merging areas 74 between the point and the body of the tube. The bottoms of the fluted portions between the indentations 76 are rather flat as shown at 86, having been formed by the flat intermediate areas 83 of the jaws. The point is accurately centered with respect to the tube and accurately formed because the initial adjustment of the retracted position of the jaws insures that the tube will be properly centered with respect to the jaws when the operation is commenced and because the sharp points on the jaws substantially eliminate the possibility of slippage between the metal of the tube wall and the jaws. The chuck moves the jaws inwardly uniformly and thus provides the required accurate point in a single operation. After the jaws have been automatically retracted by the chuck, the operator only has to remove the pointed tube from the chuck and insert it through the drawing die in the usual manner.

FIGURE 11 illustrates the conclusion of a pointing operation as applied to a tube of smaller diameter and thinner wall. In carrying out this operation, the hand wheel is operated to screw the adjusting shaft inwardly and thus limit retracting movement of the jaws to the smaller outer diameter of the tube. The folding operation occurs as before. However, it will be noted that the ribs 87 of this smaller lighter gauge tube are disposed within the relieved portions 82 of the jaws. If the jaws were not relieved, it would not be possible to point tubes 5g of such small diameter using the same machine and the same jaws that are capable of pointing tubes of larger diameter and heavier wall. As noted above, a present type of machine is capable of pointing tubes having a wide range of outside diameters and of wall thicknesses. _g0With tubes of thinner wall thickness, the points 77 frequently penetrate through the tube wall at the face of the indentations 76. This insures accurate holding of the tubes and centering of the tubes with respect to the chuck and the jaws and any weakening of the point that this action _ggcreates is inconsequential.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the invention provides a method and apparatus whereby tubes of a wide range of sizes and wall thicknesses can be rapidly and accurately pointed by a single operation in a simple, 70 sturdy and relatively inexpensive machine. The points are accurately centered with respect to the tube, the reduction in dimension is adequate for ordinary drawing operations and the strength of the points and the connection between the points and the tube is adequately maintained 73

O,451 so that the tension exerted on the points during the drawing operation can be sustained without breakage.

The essential characteristics of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.