Patent US3680349A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3680349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for making a conduit fitting
Assignee: United Mcgill Corp
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Filing: 1970-06-18
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Granted: 1972-08-01
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Expires: 1990-06-18
Abstract
Abstract A thin walled sheet metal conduit tap fitting and a machine and method for forming the same. A tubular barrel workpiece with a wall opening is supported on a saddle-like guide member tool having a bore base passage registering with but larger than the workpiece opening. A die member is pulled downwardly through the workpiece opening into the base to force and stretch the metal surrounding the opening outwardly as permitted by the larger diameter base to form a tap flange on the barrel. The die member and the tool member base passage are dimensionally related so that the metal is initially guidingly stretched by cooperation with the guide member walls and then is freely stretched in space to form a large faired flange to which a branch conduit is readily connected. A plurality of guide members and die members enable the manufacturing of various fittings from a few standardized barrels and cylindrical taps.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard W Horton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:08
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21C; B21C37/00; B21C37/06; B21C37/15; B21C37/28; B21C37/29; B21C37/292; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49403
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
Apparatus for forming a thin walled metal conduit tap fitting comprising: base support means, table means mounted on said support means; workpiece support and guide means including a pedestal base having wall means defining a vertical passage therethrough, said base being disposed on said table means and the support and guide means being adapted to support a conduit fitting barrel provided with a wall opening and with said opening being aligned with said vertical passage; a vertically shiftable force exerting pulling means having an end extending upwardly through said table means and said pedestal base and adapted to extend through the conduit barrel opening into the conduit; and separable die means for mounting on said end of said pulling means; said pulling means including actuator means for pulling said die means downwardly through said conduit opening to form the conduit barrel material adjacent the barrel wall opening into a tap flange; said support and guide means with its pedestal base and said die means dimensionally related to provide an intermediate free space zone therebetween substantially wider than the thickness of the conduit barrel material so that the completely formed tap flange is made by stretching the metal adjacent the barrel wall opening substantially freely in space without confining opposite surfaces of the metal between said vertical passage wall means and said die means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
Apparatus for forming a thin walled metal conduit tap fitting comprising: base support means, table means mounted on said support means; workpiece support and guide means including a pedestal base having wall means defining a vertical passage therethrough, said base being disposed on said table means and the support and guide means being adapted to support a conduit fitting barrel provided with a wall opening and with said opening being aligned with said vertical passage; a vertically shiftable force exerting pulling means having an end extending upwardly through said table means and said pedestal base and adapted to extend through the conduit barrel opening into the conduit; and separable die means for mounting on said end of said pulling means; said pulling means including actuator means for pulling said die means downwardly through said conduit opening to form the conduit barrel material adjacent the barrel wall opening into a tap flange; said support and guide means with its pedestal base and said die means dimensionally related to provide an intermediate free space zone therebetween substantially wider than the thickness of the conduit barrel material so that the completely formed tap flange is made by stretching the metal adjacent the barrel wall opening substantially freely in space without confining opposite surfaces of the metal between said vertical passage wall means and said die means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as defineD in claim 1, wherein said support and guide means comprises: a part-cylindrical seat connected to said pedestal base; said base passage is cylindrical and opens through said seat; the intersection of said pedestal base and said seat has a large faired surface providing a curved transition into the surface of said seat; and said die means is circular in plan form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the lower working edge of said die means is chamfered.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said axis of said seat cylindrical surface extends parallel to the upper surface of said table means and said die means has a cylindrical plug form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the axis of said seat cylindrical surface extends at an approximately 45* angle to the plane of the top surface of said table means and at least the lower working surface of said die means is inclined at an approximately 45* angle to the vertical axis of said die means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said table means and said force exerting pulling means, are universal means enabling use of any one of a plurality of support and guide means of various sizes for making fittings with different conduit barrel and tap dimensions together with use of any of a plurality of die means matched to an associated selected one of said support and guide means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said table means comprises means engaging, positioning and maintaining any selected support and guide means of said plurality of guide means on said table means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said pedestal base is circular sheet metal and said engaging, positioning and maintaining means includes a plurality of upstanding concentric guide lands on the top of said table means to receive the lower end of said pedestal base of a selected support and guide means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said engaging, positioning and maintaining means includes guide tracks in said table means and releasable clamping means adjustably disposed in said guide tracks adapted to engage and clamp the pedestal base of said support and guide means to said table means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-01 | 1976-01-31 | 1976-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-01 | 1980-01-31 | 1980-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-01 | 1984-01-31 | 1984-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |