Apparatus for electrohydraulically forming tubular elements

Claim 2

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, means surrounding said chamber means for clamping a peripheral edge of each tubular element against cooperating clamping surface means of each mold means, Means for increasing the pressure of the fluid medium in the chamber means prior to the operation of said generating means, and means for increasing the clamping force between said clamping means and said clamping surface means depending upon the increase of pressure of the fluid medium in the chamber means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of each mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, means surrounding said chamber means for clamping a peripheral edge of each tubular element against cooperating clamping surface means of each mold means, said surrounding means is a member mounted for sliding movement externally of said chamber means, and means for moving said member toward said clamping surface means for clamping the peripheral edge of each tubular element.

Claim 4

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of each mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, means surrounding said chamber means for clamping a peripheral edge of each tubular element against cooperating clamping surface means of each mold means, said surrounding means is a member mounted for sliding movement externally of said chamber means, and means for moving said member toward said clamping surface means for clamping the peripheral edge of each tubular element.

Claim 5

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means interiorly of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, means surrounding said chamber means for clamping a peripheral edge of each tubular element against cooperating clamping surface means of each mold means, said surrounding means is an annular piston mounted for sliding movement externally of said chamber means, a housing surrounding said piston and defining a chamber therewith, and means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber for moving said piston toward said clamping surface means for clamping the peripheral edge of each tubular element.

Claim 6

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means interiorly of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, means surrounding said chamber means for clamping a peripheral edge of each tubular element against cooperating clamping surface means of each mold means, said surrounding means is an annular piston mounted for sliding movement externally of said chamber means, a housing surrounding said piston and defining a chamber therewith, and means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber for moving said piston toward said clamping surface means for clamping the peripheral edge of each tubular element.

Claim 7

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, said tubular elements are closed at one end thereof and are open at another end, rigid immovable means for clamping the closed end of each tubular element between said chamber means and said mold means, and means for clamping the open end of each tubular element between said chamber means and said mold means whereby the reformed tubular elements are of generally uniform heights due to localized reforming of the tubular elements between the clamped ends thereof.

Claim 8

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold means and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, said tubular elements are closed at one end thereof and are open at another end, rigid immovable means for clamping the closed end of each tubular element between said chamber means and said mold means, and means for clamping the open end of each tubular element between said chamber means and said mold means whereby the reformed tubular elements are of generally uniform heights due to localized reforming of the tubular elements between the clamped ends thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold meanS and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, said mold means include a plurality of split molds, each split mold is defined at least in part by a pair of mold bodies which are movable away from each other by said opening means and toward each other by closing means, said opening and closing means include linkage means coupled to each of said mold bodies, one of said linkage means is operative by said closing means to draw one of the pair of mold bodies toward and into contact with the other of the mold bodies, and the other of said linkage means is operative by said closing means to push the other of the mold bodies toward and into contact with said one mold body.

Claim 10

Apparatus for reforming tubular elements comprising means for conveying tubular elements between loading and discharging stations, mold means carried by said conveying means for receiving the tubular elements in cavities of said mold means, flexible chamber means internally of each mold meanS and in telescopic relationship to the tubular element therein, means for periodically conducting a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for generating an electrical discharge in said chamber means whereby each tubular element is reformed by the fluid medium to the configuration of the cavities, means for opening each mold means for the removal of each reformed tubular element therefrom, said mold means include a plurality of split molds, each split mold is defined at least in part by a pair of mold bodies which are movable away from each other by said opening means and toward each other by closing means, said opening and closing means include linkage means coupled to each of said mold bodies, one of said linkage means is operative by said closing means to draw one of the pair of mold bodies toward and into contact with the other of the mold bodies, and the other of said linkage means is operative by said closing means to push the other of the mold bodies toward and into contact with said one mold body.

Claim 11

The reforming apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said one and another linkage means include a plurality of pivotal links, and said links are disposed in generally parallel relationship in the closed position of said mold bodies.

Claim 12

The reforming apparatus as defined in claim 6 including means mounting said mold bodies for guidable sliding movement relative to each other between the open and closed positions thereof.