Indirect extrusion die assembly and method of extruding

Claim 1

An indirect extrusion die assembly comprising: a. a die member through which a billet of material is adapted to be extruded and moved along a predetermined path by being forced through an opening extending from one side of the die member to the other; b. a column of separate support members disposed in side-by-side engagement with each other and aligned with said die member on the other side thereof and forming a support for said die member axially of said predetermined path as material is extruded therethrough, said column having an axial length at least substantially equal to the length of said billet as measured axially of said predetermined path; c. containing means for holding said support members in a column; and d. each of said support members having an opening therethrough from one side thereof to the other and aligned with the opening in said die member, the openings in the support members being larger than the aligned opening in the die member With the walls thereof spaced from the material extruded through the opening in the die member to provide for unobstructed and unsupported passage of the material, the support member disposed nearest said die member being supported by said die member and the support member disposed at the other end of the column being exposed for axial support independently of the containing means.

Claim 20

The method of simultaneously extruding a plurality of substantially identical structures comprising the steps of: a. positioning a die member having a plurality of openings extending therethrough from one side thereof to the other in a first position and through which a billet of material is adapted to be extended and moved along a predetermined path; b. positioning a column of separate support members disposed in side-by-side engagement with each other and aligned with said die member on the other side thereof and forming a support for said die member axially of said predetermined path as material is extruded therethrough, said column having an axial length at least substantially equal to the length of said billet as measured axially of said predetermined path, each of said support members having separate openings therethrough from one side thereof to the other and aligned with the openings in said die member, the openings in the support members being larger than the aligned openings in the die member with the walls thereof spaced from the material extruded through the opening in the die member to provide for unobstructed and unsupported passage of the material, the support member disposed nearest said die member being supported by said die member and the support member disposed at the other end of the column being exposed for independent axial support; c. positioning a billet of said material on one side of said die assembly and in alignment with said openings, said billet having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to but larger than the pattern defined by the plurality of openings in the die member; d. containing said billet against outward movement transversely of the axis of alignment of said billet and die openings by engaging the outer surface of said billet with a supporting surface; and e. pressing said billet against said die assembly to force said billet material through each of said openings simultaneously while maintaining the outer surface of said billet stationary relative to said supporting surface until said material is forced through said openings and thereafter passing the material through the aligned openings in the support members and in spaced unsupported relation with the walls of the openings in the support members.

Claim 21

The method of simultaneously extruding a plurality of substantially identical structures comprising the steps of: a. positioning a die member having a plurality of openings extending therethrough from one side thereof to the other in a first position and through which a billet of material is adapted to be extended and moved along a predetermined path; b. positioning a column of separate support members disposed in side-by-side engagement with each other and aligned with said die member on the other side thereof and forming a support for said die member axially of said predetermined path as material is extruded therethrough, said column having an axial length at least substantially equal to the length of said billet as measured axially of said predetermined path, each of said support members having separate openings therethrough from one side thereof to the other and aligned with the openings in said die member, the openings in the support members being larger than the aligned openings in the die member with the walls thereof spaced from the material extruded through the opening in the die member to provide for unobstructed and unsupported passage of the material, the support member disposed nearest said die member being supported by said die member and the support member disposed at the other end of the column being exposed for independent axial support; c. positioning a billet of said material on one side of said die assembly and in alignment with said openings, said billet having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to but larger than the pattern defined by the plurality of openings in the die member; d. containing said billet against outward movement transversely of the axis of alignment of said billet and die openings by engaging the outer surface of said billet with a supporting surface; and e. pressing said billet against said die assembly to force said billet material through each of said openings simultaneously while maintaining the outer surface of said billet stationary relative to said supporting surface until said material is forced through said openings and thereafter passing the material through the aligned openings in the support members and in spaced unsupported relation with the walls of the openings in the support members.