US3688533A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tube expansion apparatus
Assignee: Tridan Tool and Machine Inc
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Filing: 1970-10-19
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Granted: 1972-09-05
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Expires: 1990-10-19
Abstract
Abstract A tube expansion apparatus which includes a vertically supported frame, a main ram and a main cylinder which is affixed to the frame and has a piston which is affixed to a main ram guide carriage and reciprocally drives the latter and hence the main ram. The main cylinder is disposed such that its piston, upon being extended, moves vertically downwardly. This piston rather than being affixed to the main ram is affixed to main ram guide carriage to forcibly urge it and the main ram downwardly, the arrangement being such that the height of the tube expansion apparatus can be substantially reduced in comparison to that of a conventional vertical tube expander.
Inventors
- 👤 Ward A Ames
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:02
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21D; B21D39/00; B21D39/06; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49938; Y10T29/4994; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53113; Y10T29/53122
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
Tube expansion apparatus for forming articles such as cooling coils and the like for air conditioners and other heat exchange apparatus of expansion rods for radially expanding the tubular members thereof, a work sizing head including a final plate supporting a plurality of final expanders for finally sizing said articles, and a stripper support member supporting a plurality of strippers to hold said coil while retracting said expansion rods, and a main cylinder having a piston for raising and lowering said main ram, said final plate and said stripper support member to extend said expansion rods into said tubular members to radially expand them and to engage said final expanders with said articles to size said articles and to engage said strippers for retracting said expansion rods, the improvement comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart frame members, a main ram guide carriage of a length substantially corresponding to that of said main cylinder slidably disposed between and guided by said frame members as it is raised and lowered, said main ram being fixedly secured to the upper end of said main ram guide carriage, said main cylinder being vertically supported between said frame members rearwardly of said main ram with its piston extending downwardly and affixed to the lower end of said main ram guide carriage, said piston upon being extended from said main cylinder lowering said main ram guide carriage and hence said main ram affixed to it, said final plate and said stripper support member being slidably supported upon said frame members beneath said main ram and raised and lowered by said main ram as it is raised and lowered.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
272 words
Tube expansion apparatus for forming articles such as cooling coils and the like for air conditioners and other heat exchange apparatus of expansion rods for radially expanding the tubular members thereof, a work sizing head including a final plate supporting a plurality of final expanders for finally sizing said articles, and a stripper support member supporting a plurality of strippers to hold said coil while retracting said expansion rods, and a main cylinder having a piston for raising and lowering said main ram, said final plate and said stripper support member to extend said expansion rods into said tubular members to radially expand them and to engage said final expanders with said articles to size said articles and to engage said strippers for retracting said expansion rods, the improvement comprising a pair of parallel, spaced-apart frame members, a main ram guide carriage of a length substantially corresponding to that of said main cylinder slidably disposed between and guided by said frame members as it is raised and lowered, said main ram being fixedly secured to the upper end of said main ram guide carriage, said main cylinder being vertically supported between said frame members rearwardly of said main ram with its piston extending downwardly and affixed to the lower end of said main ram guide carriage, said piston upon being extended from said main cylinder lowering said main ram guide carriage and hence said main ram affixed to it, said final plate and said stripper support member being slidably supported upon said frame members beneath said main ram and raised and lowered by said main ram as it is raised and lowered.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 1, further including a push-type hydraulic cycle with a regenerative control for said main cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of frame members have inner guide tracks, said main ram guide carriage being slidably engaged with said inner guide tracks so as to be guided and aligned thereby.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 3, wherein said main ram guide carriage has roller guide means at the upper and lower ends thereof which engage the opposite sides of said inner guide tracks to guide and align said main ram guide carriage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 3, wherein said main ram guide carriage further has brass slide pads at the upper and lower ends thereof which engage the inward edges of said inner guide tracks to guide and align said main ram carriage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 3, wherein said pair of frame members further have outer guide tracks, said final plate and said stripper support member being slidably engaged with said outer guide tracks so as to be guided and aligned thereby.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 6, wherein said final plate and said stripper support member have roller guide means thereon which engage the opposite sides of said outer guide tracks and brass slides thereon to engage the outward edges of said outer guide tracks to guide and align said final plate and said stripper support member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 1, further including a pair of air cylinders having pistons, a pair of coil height adjustment screws coupled to said final plate and vertically disposed so that the lower ends thereof are engageable with respective ones of said pistons, said pistons normally being extended and engaged by the ends of said coil height adjustment screws to support said final plate and said stripper support member to prevent the final plate from engaging said articles and prematurely sizing them and to prevent said stripPer support member from engaging and crushing said coil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 8, further including control means for operating said air cylinders to retract their pistons when said final plate is forcibly urged downwardly by said main ram to a predetermined position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 9, wherein said control means comprises mechanical air valve means physically operated by said final plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 1, further including a stop block which is releasably locked to said pair of frame members beneath said work sizing head, said work sizing head having a final plate lock on each of the opposite sides thereof which lockingly engage with said stop block when said work sizing head is seatingly engaged atop said stop block, said final plate locks preventing said work sizing head from being raised before said expansion rods are withdrawn from said tubular members, and lock release means for releasing said final plate locks when said expansion rods have been withdrawn.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 11, wherein said lock release means are coupled to and operated by said main ram to physically engage and to release said final plate locks when said main ram is vertically raised to a position where said expander rods are withdrawn from said tubular members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The tube expansion apparatus of claim 11, further including a pair of guide rods affixed to said main ram and to said work sizing head, said work sizing head normally being hangingly supported by said main ram by means of said guide rods said lock release means being fixedly secured to said guide, rods and operated thereby to release said final plate locks when said guide rods are physically raised by said main ram.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3173284A
Cited
US3373596A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-05 | 1976-03-06 | 1976-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-05 | 1980-03-06 | 1980-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-05 | 1984-03-06 | 1984-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |