Pullman Industries, Inc.

Gerald Hackstock

Frank G McNulty

Jeffrey Leonard Bladow

A vehicle structural beam, such as a door intrusion beam, which possesses an elongate tubular beam part which at opposite ends is provided with mounting flanges for securement to a vehicle frame. The elongate tubular beam part and the flanges provided at opposite ends are defined by an integral, one-piece, monolithic steel structure which has been initially roll-formed from an elongate flat metal sheet to define the closed tubular structure of the tubular beam part, and which has been subjected to heating and quenching so that the elongate tubular beam part is of relatively high strength steel throughout its entire length, whereas the integrally and monolithically joined end flanges remain as lower strength steel which has been significantly unaffected by the heat treatment and quenching so as to permit appropriate shaping thereof and ease of welding to the vehicle frame.

Vehicle structural beam and method of manufacture

Method of manufacturing a vehicle structural beam

A stretch roll forming apparatus has multiple roll forming stations arranged serially so that a sheet metal workpiece can be advanced through the stations in sequence. Each station includes a pair of roller dies supported by an inboard support station and by an outboard support station, in spaced apart relationship, so that the roller dies are each rotatable about a horizontal axis. The roller dies are configured to shape a sheet metal workpiece which is advanced between them. At least one of the roll forming work stations is a stretch roll forming work station. In this station, the roller dies each have a frusto-concial shape. The roller dies are positioned such that the taper of one extends from the inboard support to the outboard support while the taper of the other extends from the outboard support to the inboard support. When a sheet metal workpiece is advanced between the roller dies of the stretch roll forming station, one longitudinal edge of the workpiece is stretched relative to the other longitudinal edge. This gives the workpiece a longitudinal curvature.

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Clay Township, MI, United States of America

Gerald Hackstock