The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Gerald J. Bruck, Murrysville, PA (US);
Eugene E. Smeltzer, Export, PA (US);
Francis A. Kramer, Allison Park, PA (US);
Assignee:
Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation, Orlando, FL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B21D 9/15 ; B21D 1/700 ; B21D 3/908 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B21D 9/15 ; B21D 1/700 ; B21D 3/908 ;
Abstract
A method of making a tube having an expanded region which includes the steps of providing an elongated metal tube, preparing the tube to be expanded, and, exerting a generally uniform outwardly radial force to create the expanded region. During the preparation step, a region of the tube is annealed by applying heat. The outward radial force may be created by pressurizing the tube, by freezing water within the tube or by axially rotating the tube.