Tube and shaft finning machines

Claim 2

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing, comprising a frame including a headstock, a mandrel for supporting a first tube in a position relative to the frame, said mandrel extending through the headstock, means for withdrawing the mandrel at least partially through the headstock, a tailstock supported by the frame at a position remote from the headstock, an intermediate support supported by the frame at a position between the headstock and the tailstock, a tube support head associated with the tailstock, said tube support head and said intermediate support being adapted to support a second tube coaxially aligned with the first tube, means on the tailstock for advancing the tube support head towards the headstock to bring the second tube into coaxial alignment with the first tube, means for rotating the first and second tubes, a carriage mounting a strip guide and being movable along the frame longitudinally of the first tube and an end portion of the second tube, the combined effect of rotation of the tubes and said longitudinal movement of the carriage resulting in strip fed through the strip guide being wound into a helical fin on the first tube and an end portion of the second tube, welding means for securing the fin to the first tube and the second tube, and severing means for severing the fin adjacent that end of the first tube remote from the head stock.

Claim 3

A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said welding means and said severing means are on said carriage.

Claim 4

A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carriage supports a slide movable in a direction normal to the axes of the tubes, and said severing means and welding means are mounted on the slide.

Claim 5

A machine for winding metal strip into a continuous fin on tubing comprising: a. a bed having slideways extending therealong for guiding a carriage for movement longitudinally of the bed; b. a headstock at one end of said bed; c. a mandrel extending through said headstock; d. mandrel support means movable away from said headstock thereby to retract the mandrel through the headstock; e. a tailstock; f. a tube support head; g. means on said tailstock for advancing said support head towards the headstock; h. an intermediate support mounted on said bed, said intermediate support being so positioned relative to the headstock and tailstock that a first tube may be located between tne headstock and intermediate support but terminate short of the latter and that a second tube may be located between the intermediate support and support head when the latter is in its retracted position; the stroke of the means on said tailstock being such that said second tube so located is brought into abutment with the first tube on actuation of said means; i. a strip guide on said carriage, j. a cross slide on said carriage, said slide being movable between an operative position close to said mandrel and an inoperative position spaced from said mandrel; k. a guillotine on said cross slide, said guillotine having blades positioned to embrace a fin on the tube when said slide is in its operative position; l welding means and a slide therefor, said welding means slide being mounted to said cross slide such that said welding means is movable along a line inclined at an angle to the horizontal, said line being so positioned that when said cross-slide is in its operative position the axis of the mandrel and said line intersect; m control means operable; i. to advance the cross slide to its operative position as the strip guide nears the meeting point of the two tubes; ii. to move said welding means along said line into position for effecting a weld between the strip and said tubes as said strip guide winds strip off one tube and on to the other, iii. to operate said guillotine to sever the strip at said meeting point, iv. to retract the mandrel to Permit removal of the first tube, v. to return the carriage and with it the second tube, vi. to actuate the means on the tailstock so as to advance a third tube into contact with the second tube.

Claim 6

A machine for winding metal strip into a continuous fin on tubing comprising: a. a bed having slideways extending therealong for guiding a carriage for movement longitudinally of the bed; b. a headstock at one end of said bed; c. a mandrel extending through said headstock; d. mandrel support means movable away from said headstock thereby to retract the mandrel through the headstock; e. a tailstock; f. a tube support head; g. means on said tailstock for advancing said support head towards the headstock; h. an intermediate support mounted on said bed, said intermediate support being so positioned relative to the headstock and tailstock that a first tube may be located between tne headstock and intermediate support but terminate short of the latter and that a second tube may be located between the intermediate support and support head when the latter is in its retracted position; the stroke of the means on said tailstock being such that said second tube so located is brought into abutment with the first tube on actuation of said means; i. a strip guide on said carriage, j. a cross slide on said carriage, said slide being movable between an operative position close to said mandrel and an inoperative position spaced from said mandrel; k. a guillotine on said cross slide, said guillotine having blades positioned to embrace a fin on the tube when said slide is in its operative position; l welding means and a slide therefor, said welding means slide being mounted to said cross slide such that said welding means is movable along a line inclined at an angle to the horizontal, said line being so positioned that when said cross-slide is in its operative position the axis of the mandrel and said line intersect; m control means operable; i. to advance the cross slide to its operative position as the strip guide nears the meeting point of the two tubes; ii. to move said welding means along said line into position for effecting a weld between the strip and said tubes as said strip guide winds strip off one tube and on to the other, iii. to operate said guillotine to sever the strip at said meeting point, iv. to retract the mandrel to Permit removal of the first tube, v. to return the carriage and with it the second tube, vi. to actuate the means on the tailstock so as to advance a third tube into contact with the second tube.

Claim 7

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing comprising a frame, means for supporting a tube in position relative to the frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage mounting a strip guide and being movable longitudinally of the tube, the combined effect of such movement and of the rotation of the tube resulting in strip being drawn through the strip guide to form a fin on the tube, a slide movable towards and away from the axis of the tube, a guillotine supported on said slide, said guillotine having cutting blades opening towards said tube, a welding means supported on said slide and movable relative to said slide along a predetermined path between an inoperative position and an operative position, and means operable on said carriage being moved longitudinally of the tube to a predetermined position relative to the end of the tube to advance said slide towards said tube into a position wherein the path of movement of said welding means intersects the line of contact between the strip and the tube, to move said welding means along said path to effect a weld, and to operate the guillotine to sever the strip.

Claim 8

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing comprising a frame, means for supporting a tube in position relative to the frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage mounting a strip guide and being movable longitudinally of the tube, the combined effect of such movement and of the rotation of the tube resulting in strip being drawn through the strip guide to form a fin on the tube, a slide movable towards and away from the axis of the tube, a guillotine supported on said slide, said guillotine having cutting blades opening towards said tube, a welding means supported on said slide and movable relative to said slide along a predetermined path between an inoperative position and an operative position, and means operable on said carriage being moved longitudinally of the tube to a predetermined position relative to the end of the tube to advance said slide towards said tube into a position wherein the path of movement of said welding means intersects the line of contact between the strip and the tube, to move said welding means along said path to effect a weld, and to operate the guillotine to sever the strip.

Claim 9

A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said tube to be finned is in cross-section non-circular but devoid of sharp corners, and wherein said strip guide includes means for controlling the strip in respective bending and ironing zones, said last named means being resiliently urged into contact with the tube and being movable against such resilient force so as to follow movement of the surface of the non-circular tube.

Claim 10

A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said tube to be finned is non-circular, and said guide comprises a guide block having a surface shaped to abut the tube and to closely embrace the zone of smallest radii thereof, a guide slot extending obliquely across said surface, and support means for the guide block permitting rotation of the guide block and movement of the guide block in two directions normal to the tube axis.

Claim 11

A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said welding means for securing the fin to the tube is operative to weld the strip to the tube solely in the regions at the tube ends and the strip guide is effective to apply sufficient tension to the strip to indent the strip into the wall of the tube to thereby ensure its location in the region inbetween the tube ends.

Claim 12

A machine as claimed in claim 5, including a finger movable with the welding means and adapted to make contact with the tube and fin and to ensure proper positioning of the welding means during welding.

Claim 13

A machine as claimed in claim 5, including means for supporting a second tube in axially aligned abutting relationship with the first-mentioned tube, said welding means being maintained in the welding position while the carriage moves along an end portion of the second tube, operation of said guillotine being arranged to take place after welding of the strip to the second tube has been carried out.

Claim 14

In a machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing, comprising a frame, means for supporting a first tube in position relative to said frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube from an initial position relative to the frame, a strip guide on the carriage and means for securing to the tube a fin wound thereon by the combined effect of rotation of the tube and longitudinal movement of the carriage, the improvement consisting in the provision of means for supporting a second tube in axially aligned relationship with the first-mentioned tube, said carriage being adapted at the end of longitudinal movement relative to the first tube to move longitudinally along part of the length of the second tube so that fin is wound onto an end portion of the second tube, said securing means being adapted to secure thE fin to both tubes, and means for severing the fin adjacent the meeting point of the two tubes to separate the two tubes.

Claim 15

In a machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing, comprising a frame, means for supporting a first tube in position relative to said frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube from an initial position relative to the frame, a strip guide on the carriage and means for securing to the tube a fin wound thereon by the combined effect of rotation of the tube and longitudinal movement of the carriage, the improvement consisting in the provision of means for supporting a second tube in axially aligned relationship with the first-mentioned tube, said carriage being adapted at the end of longitudinal movement relative to the first tube to move longitudinally along part of the length of the second tube so that fin is wound onto an end portion of the second tube, said securing means being adapted to secure thE fin to both tubes, and means for severing the fin adjacent the meeting point of the two tubes to separate the two tubes.

Claim 16

A machine as claimed in claim 11, including means for returning the carriage to its initial position at a high speed, thereby to bring the second tube into the position previously occupied by the first tube.

Claim 17

A machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the securing means and the severing means are supported on the carriage.

Claim 18

A machine as claimed in claim 11, including a mandrel for supporting the first tube, the mandrel being of sufficient length to project from the end of the first tube into an end portion of the second tube.

Claim 19

A machine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mandrel is retractable to release the first tube after said fin has been severed.

Claim 20

A machine as claimed in claim 11, including supports for a freshly positioned second tube, and a support head movable to lift the second tube from the supports and position it in said axially aligned relationship abutting said first tube.

Claim 21

A machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein said securing means is operative to secure the fin to the two tubes solely at the meeting end portions thereof.

Claim 22

A machine as claimed in claim 17, including means for driving said carriage at a slow speed during operation of said securing means.

Claim 23

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto oval tubing, comprising a frame, means for supporting an oval tube relative to the frame and for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube, and a strip guide supported by the carriage, said strip guide comprising a guide block having a surface shaped to correspond with the surface of the tube at least in the zone thereof of smallest radii, a guide slot extending obliquely across the surface, and support means permitting the guide block to move in two directions normal to the tube axis so as to maintain said surface in contact with the tube as the latter rotates and permitting the guide block to rotate about an axis normal to the tube axis to ensure that the pitch of the fin is controlled according to the radius of that zone of the tube being wound at any instant.

Claim 24

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto oval tubing, comprising a frame, means for supporting an oval tube relative to the frame and for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube, and a strip guide supported by the carriage, said strip guide comprising a guide block having a surface shaped to correspond with the surface of the tube at least in the zone thereof of smallest radii, a guide slot extending obliquely across the surface, and support means permitting the guide block to move in two directions normal to the tube axis so as to maintain said surface in contact with the tube as the latter rotates and permitting the guide block to rotate about an axis normal to the tube axis to ensure that the pitch of the fin is controlled according to the radius of that zone of the tube being wound at any instant.

Claim 25

A machine as claimed in claim 19, wherein the carriage supports a welding means associated with a finger arranged to follow the line where the fin meets the tube and to control the position of the welding means.

Claim 26

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing, comprising a frame, a mandrel for supporting a tube in position relative to said frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube, a strip guide on the carriage, metal strip being arranged to pass through said strip guide and be wound into a helical fin on the tube as the carriage moves longitudinally of the tube, said strip guide being adapted to tension the strip as it passes through the guide sufficiently to cause the strip to be indented into the tube wall and thereby to be located, and welding means on the carriage operable to weld the fin to the tube in the regions of the tube ends.

Claim 27

A machine for winding a continuous fin onto tubing, comprising a frame, a mandrel for supporting a tube in position relative to said frame, means for rotating the tube, a carriage movable longitudinally of the tube, a strip guide on the carriage, metal strip being arranged to pass through said strip guide and be wound into a helical fin on the tube as the carriage moves longitudinally of the tube, said strip guide being adapted to tension the strip as it passes through the guide sufficiently to cause the strip to be indented into the tube wall and thereby to be located, and welding means on the carriage operable to weld the fin to the tube in the regions of the tube ends.