US3695087A — Method and apparatus for pointing tubes

Claim 1

Independent Claim 326 words

A tube pointer having, in combination: a case; a die mounted in said case and comprising at least three die shoes arranged in alternately overlapped relation around, and defining, an open-ended recess for receiving one end portion of a tube to be pointed; each of said die shoes having a flat inner working face forming one side of said recess, a side surface in sliding relation with an extension of the working face of a first adjacent die shoe, and an extension of its working face in sliding relation with the side surface of a second adjacent die shoe whereby said shoes are movable simultaneously inwardly from an open position toward a closed position and then back outwardly toward said open position to contract and expand said recess; a bevel on each of said shoes inclined outwardly from the working face thereof toward said open end; an elongated first lip extending along the side of each working face adjacent the side surface thereof that slides along the working face of an adjacent block, each of said lips having a curved inner surface generally tangent to both of the adjacent working faces and curved about the axis of a tube centered in said recess; and a second lip constituting an extension of said first lip on each of said shoes along one side of the bevel thereon, each of said second lips having an inner surface of generally conical curvature flaring toward said open end and generally tangent to both of the adjacent bevels, whereby said die shoes are movable progressively inwardly from said open position to contract said recess about a tube, bend the tube first to a flattened, generally polygonal cross section with curved sections between the flattened wall portions, progressively contract the tube polygonally to cause the flattened wall portions to buckle inwardly, and finally bring the curved sections together to a substantially cylindrical point while shaping the tube conically between said second lips.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 326 words

A tube pointer having, in combination: a case; a die mounted in said case and comprising at least three die shoes arranged in alternately overlapped relation around, and defining, an open-ended recess for receiving one end portion of a tube to be pointed; each of said die shoes having a flat inner working face forming one side of said recess, a side surface in sliding relation with an extension of the working face of a first adjacent die shoe, and an extension of its working face in sliding relation with the side surface of a second adjacent die shoe whereby said shoes are movable simultaneously inwardly from an open position toward a closed position and then back outwardly toward said open position to contract and expand said recess; a bevel on each of said shoes inclined outwardly from the working face thereof toward said open end; an elongated first lip extending along the side of each working face adjacent the side surface thereof that slides along the working face of an adjacent block, each of said lips having a curved inner surface generally tangent to both of the adjacent working faces and curved about the axis of a tube centered in said recess; and a second lip constituting an extension of said first lip on each of said shoes along one side of the bevel thereon, each of said second lips having an inner surface of generally conical curvature flaring toward said open end and generally tangent to both of the adjacent bevels, whereby said die shoes are movable progressively inwardly from said open position to contract said recess about a tube, bend the tube first to a flattened, generally polygonal cross section with curved sections between the flattened wall portions, progressively contract the tube polygonally to cause the flattened wall portions to buckle inwardly, and finally bring the curved sections together to a substantially cylindrical point while shaping the tube conically between said second lips.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 36 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 1 further including means for moving all of said die shoes simultaneously inwardly at the same rate and maintaining the point on a preselected axis as it is formed.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 2 in which said moving means includes actuating means for shifting at least one of said shoes inwardly at a selected rate, and camming means reSponsive to movement of said actuating means and said one shoe to move the remaining shoes simultaneously inwardly at said rate.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 3 in which said camming means include said extensions of said working faces in sliding and camming engagement with said side surfaces.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 1 in which said die has three die shoes arranged around said recess with said working faces forming an equilateral triangle.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 1 in which said die has four die shoes arranged around said recess with said working faces forming a square.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 1 in which said die has more than four die shoes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

A tube pointer as defined in claim 1 in which said curved inner surfaces are longitudinal sections of a cylinder and move together to form a cylinder in said closed position.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 235 words

Apparatus for forming a reduced diameter portion on a tube, said apparatus having, in combination: at least three die shoes arranged around and defining an open-ended recess of generally polygonal cross section for receiving the portion of the tube to be reduced in diameter; each of said shoes having a substantially flat inner working face forming one side of said recess, and said shoes being fitted together for in and out movement in gap-free relation to contract and expand said recess in generally polygonal cross-sectional shape; means on said shoes for changing the shape of said recess from generally polygonal to generally cylindrical shape as the shoes are moved inwardly to a selected closed position, whereby the tube first is flattened to said generally polygonal shape and then is formed to said generally cylindrical shape; and means on said shoes for controlling the transition zone of the tube between said reduced diameter portion and the remainder of the tube, and including an extension of each working face projecting outwardly at one end of said recess and inclined away from the tube to sink progressively into the transition zone at a selected angle as the recess is contracted in said polygonal cross-sectional shape, and means on said extensions for closing around said transition zone in a tapered form of generally circular cross section as the shape of said recess is changed from polygonal to cylindrical shape.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 235 words

Apparatus for forming a reduced diameter portion on a tube, said apparatus having, in combination: at least three die shoes arranged around and defining an open-ended recess of generally polygonal cross section for receiving the portion of the tube to be reduced in diameter; each of said shoes having a substantially flat inner working face forming one side of said recess, and said shoes being fitted together for in and out movement in gap-free relation to contract and expand said recess in generally polygonal cross-sectional shape; means on said shoes for changing the shape of said recess from generally polygonal to generally cylindrical shape as the shoes are moved inwardly to a selected closed position, whereby the tube first is flattened to said generally polygonal shape and then is formed to said generally cylindrical shape; and means on said shoes for controlling the transition zone of the tube between said reduced diameter portion and the remainder of the tube, and including an extension of each working face projecting outwardly at one end of said recess and inclined away from the tube to sink progressively into the transition zone at a selected angle as the recess is contracted in said polygonal cross-sectional shape, and means on said extensions for closing around said transition zone in a tapered form of generally circular cross section as the shape of said recess is changed from polygonal to cylindrical shape.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 76 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which said shape-changing means comprise a curved inner surface on each of said shoes curving concavely between the working face of the shoe on which it is formed and the working face of the adjacent shoe, whereby said generally polygonal cross section has flat sides joined by curved sections, said curved sections being moved together to said generally cylindrical shape as said shoes are moved to said closed position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 93 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which each of said extensions is a bevel that is inclined outwardly from one end of the working face thereon toward the open end of said recess, and said means for closing around the transition zone comprises a second concavely curved inner surface on each of said shoes between one side of the bevel thereof and the bevel of the adjacent shoe, said second curved surface being an extension of the first curved surface and generally in the shape of a longitudinal section of a cone.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 245 words

Apparatus for forming a reduced-size portion on a tube, said apparatus having, in combination: at least three die shoes arranged in alternately overlapped relation around, and defining, a recess for receiving the portion of the tube to be reduced in size; each of said shoes having an inner working face forming one side of said recess, a side surface in sliding relation with an extension of the working face of a first adjacent die shoe, and an extension of its working face in sliding relation with the side surface of a second adjacent die shoe whereby said shoes are movable inwardly from an open position toward a closed position and then back outwardly to contract And expand said recess in polygonal form; and means for moving said die shoes simultaneously inwardly at the same rate while a portion of a tube is disposed in said recess, thereby flattening the tube to the shape of said recess and then progressively reducing the size of the tube while maintaining the tube and the reduced-size portion coaxial, said moving means comprising an actuating member engaging at least one of said die shoes and operable to shift said one shoe inwardly at a selected rate, and camming means responsive to movement of said actuating member and said one shoe for shifting all of said shoes inwardly at the same rate as said one shoe thereby to maintain said reduced size portion constantly positioned on a substantially stationary longitudinal axis.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 245 words

Apparatus for forming a reduced-size portion on a tube, said apparatus having, in combination: at least three die shoes arranged in alternately overlapped relation around, and defining, a recess for receiving the portion of the tube to be reduced in size; each of said shoes having an inner working face forming one side of said recess, a side surface in sliding relation with an extension of the working face of a first adjacent die shoe, and an extension of its working face in sliding relation with the side surface of a second adjacent die shoe whereby said shoes are movable inwardly from an open position toward a closed position and then back outwardly to contract And expand said recess in polygonal form; and means for moving said die shoes simultaneously inwardly at the same rate while a portion of a tube is disposed in said recess, thereby flattening the tube to the shape of said recess and then progressively reducing the size of the tube while maintaining the tube and the reduced-size portion coaxial, said moving means comprising an actuating member engaging at least one of said die shoes and operable to shift said one shoe inwardly at a selected rate, and camming means responsive to movement of said actuating member and said one shoe for shifting all of said shoes inwardly at the same rate as said one shoe thereby to maintain said reduced size portion constantly positioned on a substantially stationary longitudinal axis.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which each of said shoes has a concavely curved, inwardly facing surface extending along the side of its working face which slides along the working face of an adjacent shoe, thereby to form curved sections in the tube between said working faces and squeeze said curved sections toward each other as the shoes are moved inwardly, and further including a bevel on each shoe inclined outwardly from one end of the working face thereon toward one end of said recess, and a second concavely curved inner surface on each of said shoes between one side of the bevel thereof and the bevel of the adjacent shoe, said second curved surface being an extension of the first curved surface and generally in the shape of a longitudinal section of a cone.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 158 words

The method of forming a reduced size diameter on one end portion of a tube, said method including the steps of: flattening said one end portion from at least three sides thereof to form the tube into a generally polygonal cross section while shaping the tube between the sides of said polygonal cross section into curved sections; sinking the tube inwardly in controlled tapered fashion from at least three sides in the zone between said one end portion and the remainder of the tube; squeezing said one end portion to shorten said sides and cause them to buckle inwardly between said curved sections while moving said curved sections toward each other; squeezing said zone toward a tapered form of generally circular cross section; and continuing such squeezing and buckling at least until said curved sections are brought substantially together into a reduced diameter portion and said zone is brought into a tapered form of substantially circular cross section.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 158 words

The method of forming a reduced size diameter on one end portion of a tube, said method including the steps of: flattening said one end portion from at least three sides thereof to form the tube into a generally polygonal cross section while shaping the tube between the sides of said polygonal cross section into curved sections; sinking the tube inwardly in controlled tapered fashion from at least three sides in the zone between said one end portion and the remainder of the tube; squeezing said one end portion to shorten said sides and cause them to buckle inwardly between said curved sections while moving said curved sections toward each other; squeezing said zone toward a tapered form of generally circular cross section; and continuing such squeezing and buckling at least until said curved sections are brought substantially together into a reduced diameter portion and said zone is brought into a tapered form of substantially circular cross section.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 113 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 including a case having inside guiding surfaces constituting part of said camming means, said actuating member forming one movable side of said case and having a V-shaped notch on its inner side forming two of said guiding surfaces, each of said die shoes having an outer side movable along one of said guiding surfaces, and two of said outer surfaces being slidably engaged by said guiding surfaces of said actuating member during inward movement thereof, the overlapped surfaces of said shoes cooperating with said outer sides and said guiding surfaces to cam all of said shoes inwardly at the same rate as said actuating member moves inwardly.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 further including means for shifting all of said shoes simultaneously outwardly from said closed position as said actuating member moves outwardly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-10-03	1976-04-03	1976-10-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-10-03	1980-04-03	1980-10-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-10-03	1984-04-03	1984-10-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for pointing tubes

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