Other

Alpha Industries

The Idod Trust

John J Borzym

Alexander Borzym

Theodore H Krengel

Charles A Willetts

Curtis R Brown

Edward Wiesenthal, Iii

Theordore H Krengel

Charles A Willettes

A turret assembly for receiving and holding lengths of re-cut tubing cut or sheared from a longer-length workpiece by a re-cut device. The turret assembly includes a motor, a plate and a plurality of accumulator members. The accumulator members are supported by the plate in essentially parallel, spaced-apart relationship to receive a predetermined quantity of lengths of re-cut tubing from the re-cut device. The plate is rotated by the motor. A stripping device having a stripping collar and a linear actuator can strip tubing from the accumulator members. A stacking element can collect stripped tubing from the accumulator members and stack tubing in a container.

Turret type product receiver/unloader for slugless shear

A reversible linear hydraulic drive system for a bidirectional supported shear having an adjustable stroke length. A method for improving the quality of the tube ends after shearing using a reversible partial orbital path is also disclosed.

Supported shear with reversible drive and method of operating same

A bladeless shear for bar stock and tubing comprising axially adjacent stationary and moving dies which receive the stock and produce a shearing action by relative lateral displacement. A linear actuator or an electric motor produces the mechanical movement to rotate the drive wheel in alternatingly opposite directions. A mandrel for insertion into the tube is disclosed as well as an hydraulic tube clamp and an adjustable in-feed table.

Supported shear with reversible linear drive and in-feed table therefor

An automatic tube shearing system of the type requiring no shearing blades comprising an automatic two-stage tube feed mechanism and a bladeless shear. The feed mechanism comprises a tube loader, a pinch roller type initial drive, a selectively engageable main roller drive and an intermittent drive including a gripper which operates in a precision fashion to feed tube through the shear apparatus. The shear apparatus is of the type requiring tooling, both externally and internally of the tubing to prevent deformation during the bladeless shear operation. The internal tooling comprises a mandrel having a position stabilization rod extending along the tube end feed path and equipped with a pair of spaced apart latches which operate in a complemental fashion to permit tube lengths to be fed onto the mandrel rod and later fed through the shear without ever unlocking the stabilization rod and losing the proper positioning of the mandrel. A unique tube clamp and several methods of using the apparatus to provide substantially continuous tube feed are disclosed.

Automatic feed system for supported shear device and methods of

The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes applying a metal coating to the upper face of a metal strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded, preferably in a non-oxidizing atmosphere with the seam preferably located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, at least a lower portion of said tube is reheated with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube, thereby causing the metal coating to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and coated, wherein the metal coating increases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The inside coated seamed tube may also be immersed in a galvanizing or metal coating bath to coat the outside of the tube. In a preferred embodiment, the inside and outside coatings comprise substantially the same metal and a single galvanizing bath apparatus is used to coat the inside and outside surfaces of the seamed tube. In another embodiment, the coating on the inner surface of the seamed tube has a melting temperature substantially below the melting temperature of the metal strip, but higher than the melting temperature of the outside metal coating. In another embodiment, a lance is provided having a free end which extends through the adjacent lateral edges of a tube-shaped strip and a nozzle which applies metal coating material over the seam. A control loop is also disclosed for improved reflow of the metal coating over the seam.

Method of forming seamed metal tube

The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes applying a metal coating to the upper face of a metal strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded, preferably in a non-oxidizing atmosphere with the seam preferably located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, at least a lower portion of said tube is reheated with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube, thereby causing the metal coating to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and coated, wherein the metal coating increases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The inside coated seamed tube may also be immersed in a galvanizing or metal coating bath to coat the outside of the tube. In a preferred embodiment, the inside and outside coatings comprise substantially the same metal and a single galvanizing bath apparatus is used to coat the inside and outside surfaces of the seamed tube. In another embodiment, the coating on the inner surface of the seamed tube has a melting temperature substantially below the melting temperature of the metal strip, but higher than the melting temperature of the outside metal coating.

An improved continuous tube forming and coating process and apparatus, wherein the tube is preferably formed and welded with the seam located at the bottom of the tube. One surface of the strip is coated with a paint or other protective coating and the open seam tube is formed with the painted surface on the inside of the tube. An improved coating applicator and impeder is disclosed which coats the inner surface of the seam following welding preferably in an inert atmosphere. The improved impeder includes an outer annular chamber adjacent the casing which includes one or more ferrite rods and circulating coolant and an inner axial paint applicator tube having a free end which extends through the impeder casing having a nozzle which applies a protective coating over the seam, preferably located in the lower portion of the tube. In one preferred embodiment of the impeder, an inert gas passage surrounds the paint applicator tube. An improved galvanizing apparatus is also disclosed having a sealed galvanizing tank which receives the seamed tube below the level of the molten zinc and which is enclosed within a sealed housing and wherein the inert gas pressure in the galvanizing tank is greater than the inert gas pressure in the housing. The galvanizing apparatus includes improved inert gas seals which may be also used to shape the molten zinc on the tube leaving the housing.

Continuous tube forming and coating

The method of forming a coated seamed metal tube of this invention is particularly, but not exclusively adapted to existing continuous tube forming mills, wherein the tube is formed from a metal strip and welded with the seam located in an upper portion of the tube. In the process of this invention, at least one surface of the strip is coated with a metal coating prior to forming and welding. The tube is then turned to relocate the welded seam in a lower portion of the tube and the lower portion of the tube is then reheated to melt the metal coating and the metal coating then flows downwardly over and coating the welded seam. In the most preferred continuous or in line process of this invention, the tube is continuously spirally twisted following welding to locate the seam in a lower portion of the tube adjacent a heater and the tube is then heated by the heater to the melting temperature of the metal coating, causing the coating to coat the seam.

An apparatus for moving a workstation to perform work on a moving workpiece including moving the workstation through a first length of a circular path generally parallel to the path of the workpiece, clamping the workpiece to the moving workstation, and performing work on the workpiece. A portion of the workstation moves into a fixed actuation structure which actuates a clamp on the workstation to clamp the workpiece.

Conveyor for workstations

An inventive tube cutting apparatus includes spaced plates which allow modular mounting of the main components of the tube cutting apparatus. The various components can be replaced and matched with other components by either changing the position that the components are mounted on the plates, or replacing the plates. An accelerator utilizes an eccentric connection to a rotary motor to provide a relatively simple drive for the die set. In an alternative accelerator, a steel belt is reversibly rotated and is fixed to drive the die set. In a powerhead assembly for actuating the die set, a pair of spaced shafts are connected through two offset links to synchronize the shafts, and maintain parallelism of the ram as it is forced downwardly into the die set.

Modular tube cutting apparatus

The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes galvanizing the strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded in an inert atmosphere with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, the metal coating is caused to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam by several means. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and galvanized, wherein the zinc coating increases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The tube may also be reheated following welding, preferably in an enclosure containing an inert atmosphere which includes the weld apparatus. In another embodiment, an inert gas is directed over the inner and outer surfaces of the tube, adjacent the seam, driving the molten metal downwardly over the seam to coat the seam. In another embodiment, the lateral edges of the strip are formed with indentions or grooves directed toward the lateral edges which direct the molten metal downwardly over the seam.

An improved clamp structure is disclosed in which a replacable liner element is mounted on a mount body. The liner element is accurately longitudinally positioned relative to the mount body such that the liner can be positioned in any one of a plurality of desired locations. This is particularly valuable if the clamp is utilized in combination with a cutting machine, wherein the cutting is performed adjacent an end face of the liner and it is desired to maintain a proper clearance between the end face of the liner and the cutting element. Several embodiments are disclosed, with a first embodiment including serrated teeth which allow the liner to be incrementally advanced on the mount body. In subsequent embodiments, a threaded member is turned relative to the mount body to change the position of the liner. Finally, a set-up rig is disclosed where the liner is positioned at a location remote from a cutting machine such that a skilled technician can ensure that the liner is properly positioned. The properly positioned liner is then moved to a work location where it is fitted onto the actual cutting machine for use.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

John J Borzym