US3572072A — Electrohydraulic-forming system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 137 words

Electrohydraulic-forming apparatus comprising: a pair of mating die portions for accommodating a tubular workpiece; a lower seal assembly; an upper seal assembly, said upper seal assembly including; a. a die head; b. an electrode insert slip mounted through said die head and including a flange portion spring biased away from said die head and movable towards said die head; c. a seal ring adjacent to the circumference portion of said insert and said flange portion said seal ring being movably fastened to said insert; d. a seal cap fastened to the bottom portion of said electrode insert; e. a compressible seal supported by said seal cap and positioned between said seal cap and said seal ring; and f. said seal ring and said seal cap compressing said preform seal when said die head is engaging said die.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 137 words

Electrohydraulic-forming apparatus comprising: a pair of mating die portions for accommodating a tubular workpiece; a lower seal assembly; an upper seal assembly, said upper seal assembly including; a. a die head; b. an electrode insert slip mounted through said die head and including a flange portion spring biased away from said die head and movable towards said die head; c. a seal ring adjacent to the circumference portion of said insert and said flange portion said seal ring being movably fastened to said insert; d. a seal cap fastened to the bottom portion of said electrode insert; e. a compressible seal supported by said seal cap and positioned between said seal cap and said seal ring; and f. said seal ring and said seal cap compressing said preform seal when said die head is engaging said die.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

Electrohydraulic-forming apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said upper seal assembly includes a first electrode insulatingly mounted therethrough and said lower seal assembly includes a second electrode mounted therethrough.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

Electrohydraulic-forming apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein said first electrode is hollow and includes a wire extending therethrough which electrically connects said first and second electrodes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

Electrohydraulic-forming apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said upper seal assembly includes two electrodes mounted therethrough, one of said electrodes being hollow and including an aperture for directing a gaseous stream towards the other electrode.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 140 words

An electrohydraulic-forming apparatus comprising: a die member including first and second mating die sections defining a die chamber for accommodating a tubular workpiece, said sections having opposed outer tapered surfaces defining angles which converge on opposed sides of said die member; first and second die-clamping members disposed on opposite sides of said die member, said clamping members having opposed divergent inner faces disposed in fixed relation to each other and adapted to wedgedly engage the converging outer tapered surfaces of said sections to maintain said sections in a closed position; actuator means to move said clamping members into and out of engagement with said die sections; and connector means between said actuator means and said clamping members for permitting limited pivotal motion of said clamping members relative to said actuator means in the plane of movement of said clamping members.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 140 words

An electrohydraulic-forming apparatus comprising: a die member including first and second mating die sections defining a die chamber for accommodating a tubular workpiece, said sections having opposed outer tapered surfaces defining angles which converge on opposed sides of said die member; first and second die-clamping members disposed on opposite sides of said die member, said clamping members having opposed divergent inner faces disposed in fixed relation to each other and adapted to wedgedly engage the converging outer tapered surfaces of said sections to maintain said sections in a closed position; actuator means to move said clamping members into and out of engagement with said die sections; and connector means between said actuator means and said clamping members for permitting limited pivotal motion of said clamping members relative to said actuator means in the plane of movement of said clamping members.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said actuator means includes a hydraulic cylinder.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 6 including means for fixedly mounting said hydraulic cylinder for limited pivotal motion in the plane of movement of said clamping members.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

The apparatus of claim 5 including: frame means having vertical track members; means mounting said clamping members and said actuator means on opposite sides of said die member for vertical movement on said vertical track member; and means to move said clamping members and said actuator means vertically on said vertical track members from the region of said die member when said die member is in the open position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 8 including; secondary frame means disposed for vertical movement on said vertical track members, said secondary frame means providing a support for said clamping members and said actuator means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said actuator means includes a hydraulic cylinder which is trunnion mounted with respect to said secondary frame means. 11 . The apparatus of claim 9 including means for removably securing a plurality of clamping members in said secondary frame means on opposite sides of said die member to accommodate die members of various size.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 5 including first and second end cover means for sealing a tubular workpiece in said die chamber and for providing a fluidtight seal with said mating pair of die sections.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein one of said end covers includes a first electrode, and said second end cover includes a second electrode, said first and second electrodes extending into said chamber within said workpiece.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 13 including a wire disposed between said first electrode and said second electrode within said workpiece.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 12 including first and second electrode means extending into said die chamber through one of said end covers, said first and second electrode means being insulated from each other.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first electrode extends axially into said die chamber and wherein said second electrode is disposed about the base of said first electrode, and further including a wire connecting said first electrode with said second electrode at at least two opposed points.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus of claim 12 including means for providing a fluidtight seal between said end cover means and the workpiece, said means including an annular preformed O-ring in said end cover means adapted to contact the inner periphery of said tubular workpiece and means to compress said O-ring to force the exterior surface of said O-ring into pressure contact with the workpiece.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 170 words

An electrohydraulic-forming apparatus including: frame means including horizontal and vertical track members; a die member including two mating die sections defining a die chamber for accommodating a tubular workpiece, and said sections being movable between an open position and a closed position on said horizontal track members, said die sections having outer tapered surfaces defining angles converging on opposite sides of said die member; first and second die-clamping members disposed on opposite sides of said die member, said clamping members having opposed divergent inner faces adapted to wedgedly engage the converging outer tapered surfaces of said die sEctions to maintain said mating die sections in closed position; actuator means to move said clamping members into and out of engagement with the surfaces of said mating die sections; and secondary frame means mounting suitable for removably mounting a plurality of said clamping members on each side of said die member for vertical movement on said vertical track from the region of said die member upon separation of said mating die sections.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 170 words

An electrohydraulic-forming apparatus including: frame means including horizontal and vertical track members; a die member including two mating die sections defining a die chamber for accommodating a tubular workpiece, and said sections being movable between an open position and a closed position on said horizontal track members, said die sections having outer tapered surfaces defining angles converging on opposite sides of said die member; first and second die-clamping members disposed on opposite sides of said die member, said clamping members having opposed divergent inner faces adapted to wedgedly engage the converging outer tapered surfaces of said die sEctions to maintain said mating die sections in closed position; actuator means to move said clamping members into and out of engagement with the surfaces of said mating die sections; and secondary frame means mounting suitable for removably mounting a plurality of said clamping members on each side of said die member for vertical movement on said vertical track from the region of said die member upon separation of said mating die sections.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said clamping members are trunnion mounted on said actuator means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said actuator means includes a hydraulic cylinder and is trunnion mounted with respect to said secondary frame means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 109 words

The apparatus of claim 18 including: a cover assembly movable in position to cover and seal at least one end of said die chamber comprising a first seal cap means having a portion adopted to enter a tubular workpiece within said chamber; an annular compressible sealing means disposed around said first seal cap and disposed proximate the inner periphery of one end of said workpiece when said seal cap has entered said workpiece; and die head means movable with respect to said seal cap to compress said sealing means against said first seal cap to force said sealing means into pressure contact with the inner periphery of said workpiece.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 21 including spring-biasing means to bias said die head means away from said seal cap means to avoid compressive force on said sealing means when said seal cap means is not within said workpiece in said die chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-03-22	1974-09-21	1975-03-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-03-22	1978-09-21	1979-03-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-03-22	1982-09-21	1983-03-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrohydraulic-forming system

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