Grove Valve and Regulator Company

Harold T Ray

Walter L Connolly

A pipe flange with a heavy welding neck which is hot formed from a circular section of steel plate having a small co-axial hole in the center. The steel around the hole is shear-formed downward and outward by a tapered die plug which is forced through the small hole, forming an integral neck on the flange. A supporting ring die is radiused at its inner corner to form a suitable fillet radius at the junction of the neck with the flange proper. A suitable preforming or post-forming operation may be required to compensate for any deflection in the workpiece out of planar configuration.

Method of manufacturing a weld neck flange

An integral valve end closure and hub formed from a circular section of steel plate having a small coaxial hole in the center. The steel around the hole is swaged outward with a tapered die for initial forming of a hub and then, in a second swaging operation, the outer portion is swaged to substantially cylindrical configuration. The result is an end closure starting with a cylindrical hub at the pipeline connection, and then flaring outward almost to the inner diameter of the main body member to which the closure is attached, by bolting or welding.

Growing community of inventors

Walnut Creek, CA, United States of America

Harold T Ray