US3918283A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tubular articles and method of making same
Assignee: INTERSTATE PRODUCTS Inc
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Filing: 1974-04-26
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-04-26
Abstract
Abstract A perforate, thin-walled, tube structure of surprisingly high strength, having a tightly-clenched lock seam and generally helical wall corrugations, manufactured by a generally continuous rolling process in which the stock is first put through a piercing and corrugating stage and is then fed through a number of complementary-shaped pairs of rollers which progressively change the shape of the stock from basically flat to generally circular in cross-section and with a progressively-formed lock seam joining the edges of the stock in a tightly clenched manner, by use of an arbor extending inside the tubular stock and having a roller which bears against the inside of the lock seam to provide for tight clenching of the latter by an external roller and, at the same time, helping pull the stock through the various roller stages, through all of which the initially-formed wall corrugations are maintained intact in an unflattened condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Kosch
- 👤 Paul James Kosch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:43
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21C; B21C37/00; B21C37/06; B21C37/10; B21C37/101; B21C37/104
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, lock-seam tubing, comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming generally longitudinally-extending groove-like depressions therein; then moving said stock as so formed lengthwise through successive pairs of mating rollers, having cooperative shapes which progressively change the cross-sectional shape of said stock from generally flat to generally circular; forming oppositely-disposed flange portions along the edges of said stock, and inter-engaging the same to form a loose lock seam closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and forming a tube thereof; clenching said loose lock seam tight by passing said tube through at least one pair of rollers while extending an arbor means inside the tube and between such pair of rollers, by using an arbor means having an anvil element disposed in contact with the interior part of said lock seam and using a clenching portion on at least one of such rollers to tightly flatten the lock seam between itself and said anvil element; rotatably driving at least certain of said pairs of rollers to exert a pulling force on said stock; and maintaining said groove-like depressions in generally unflattened condition throughout said mating roller steps following formation thereof, so that such depressions are still present in the completed lock seam tube.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, lock-seam tubing, comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming generally longitudinally-extending groove-like depressions therein; then moving said stock as so formed lengthwise through successive pairs of mating rollers, having cooperative shapes which progressively change the cross-sectional shape of said stock from generally flat to generally circular; forming oppositely-disposed flange portions along the edges of said stock, and inter-engaging the same to form a loose lock seam closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and forming a tube thereof; clenching said loose lock seam tight by passing said tube through at least one pair of rollers while extending an arbor means inside the tube and between such pair of rollers, by using an arbor means having an anvil element disposed in contact with the interior part of said lock seam and using a clenching portion on at least one of such rollers to tightly flatten the lock seam between itself and said anvil element; rotatably driving at least certain of said pairs of rollers to exert a pulling force on said stock; and maintaining said groove-like depressions in generally unflattened condition throughout said mating roller steps following formation thereof, so that such depressions are still present in the completed lock seam tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said shaping step comprises embossing said stock to form corrugation-like depressions and ridges therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said shaping step is carried out to form said groovE-like depressions at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said stock, such that when the stock is rolled into a tube said depressions extend generally helically thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 3, including the step of forming a plurality of apertures in said stock prior to said clenching step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said apertures are formed to lie in lines extending along said groove-like depressions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said shaping step comprises embossing said stock to form corrugation-like depressions and ridges therein, said apertures lying within said depressions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said pairs of mating rollers are driven and used to grip said formed stock between such rollers and exert a pulling force on the stock, to help move the latter through the said roll-forming operation, while maintaining the nature and force of such grip such that the same does not substantially flatten said depressions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said flange portions are formed while said stock is still generally flat or semicircular in cross-sectional shape and prior to the time the same closely approaches circularity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said depressions are formed prior to any of said roll-forming of said stock into tube form.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said depressions are formed prior to formation of said flange portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10, including the step of forming a plurality of apertures in said stock at substantially the same time as when said depressions are formed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of using a rollable member as said anvil element of said arbor means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of using a sizing member as a part of said arbor means, with the outside diameter of such member being substantially the same as the desired inner diameter of the completed lock seam tube.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1, including the steps of using a pair of different arbor elements as said arbor means, by passing the tube over a diameter-sizing element prior to clenching, and clenching by using an inner arbor having a rollable member bearing against the inside of said seam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 14, including the step of providing tooth-like serration elements on said clenching roller, on the opposite side of said lock seam from said rollable member of said inner arbor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15, including the step of providing tooth-like serration elements on said rollable member of said inner arbor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1, including the step of using a pair of lateral squeezing elements to interengage said flange portions after said stock has been brought to a substantially full-circle, tubular cross-sectional shape, by pressing the sides of the tubular stock inwardly to in effect reduce the diameter thereof and bring the flange portions over and beyond one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17, including the step of applying a radially inwardly-directed diameter-maintaining force to said substantially full-circle tubular stock at least slightly prior to said interengaging step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said diameter-maintaining force is applied by using undriven, ''''floating-axis'''' roller elements at least one of which is resiliently biased toward the other and movable toward and away from the latter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 19, including the step of using a diameter-enlarging arbor element inside said tubular stock at a point downstream from that where interengagement of said flange portions takes place.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, longitudinally fluted tubing, comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming generally longitudinally-extending fluted deformations therein; rolling said stock through a plurality of successive pairs of mating rollers to thereby incrementally and progressively change the overall cross-sectional shaPe of said stock from generally flat to generaly circular; closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and securing the longitudinal edges thereof together to form a tube; rotatably driving selected ones of said rollers during said rolling process including at least certain thereof located where said stock has become generally circular to exert a pulling force on said stock, while leaving other selected rollers undriven including certain thereof located near the beginning of said rolling process where said stock is still generally flat to act as a drag on said stock; and maintaining said fluted deformations in generally unflattened condition throughout the steps following formation thereof, such that the same are still present in the completed tube.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, longitudinally fluted tubing, comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming generally longitudinally-extending fluted deformations therein; rolling said stock through a plurality of successive pairs of mating rollers to thereby incrementally and progressively change the overall cross-sectional shaPe of said stock from generally flat to generaly circular; closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and securing the longitudinal edges thereof together to form a tube; rotatably driving selected ones of said rollers during said rolling process including at least certain thereof located where said stock has become generally circular to exert a pulling force on said stock, while leaving other selected rollers undriven including certain thereof located near the beginning of said rolling process where said stock is still generally flat to act as a drag on said stock; and maintaining said fluted deformations in generally unflattened condition throughout the steps following formation thereof, such that the same are still present in the completed tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 21, wherein said undriven rollers comprise a minor proportion of said plurality thereof in said rolling process.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, seamed tubing comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming depression formations therein between the edges thereof, while providing generally flat axially-extending portions along the edge margins of said stock; then moving said stock as so formed lengthwise through successive pairs of mating rollers having cooperative shapes which progressively change the cross-sectional shape of said stock from generally flat to generally circular; using closely-spaced complementary mating side edge portions on at least certain of said mating rollers to grip said generally flat portions along the edge margins of said stock to help pull the stock through said successive pairs of rollers while its cross-sectional shape is so changed; forming oppositely-disposed flange portions along the edges of said stock, and interengaging the same to form a seam closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and forming a tube thereof; rotatably driving at least certain of said pairs of rollers to exert a pulling force on said stock; and maintaining said depression formations generally unflattened and intact throughout said mating roller steps following formation thereof, so that such depressions are still present in the completed lock seam tube.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of manufacturing thin-walled, seamed tubing comprising the steps: shaping a generally flat sheet of stock by forming depression formations therein between the edges thereof, while providing generally flat axially-extending portions along the edge margins of said stock; then moving said stock as so formed lengthwise through successive pairs of mating rollers having cooperative shapes which progressively change the cross-sectional shape of said stock from generally flat to generally circular; using closely-spaced complementary mating side edge portions on at least certain of said mating rollers to grip said generally flat portions along the edge margins of said stock to help pull the stock through said successive pairs of rollers while its cross-sectional shape is so changed; forming oppositely-disposed flange portions along the edges of said stock, and interengaging the same to form a seam closing the circumference of said generally circular cross section and forming a tube thereof; rotatably driving at least certain of said pairs of rollers to exert a pulling force on said stock; and maintaining said depression formations generally unflattened and intact throughout said mating roller steps following formation thereof, so that such depressions are still present in the completed lock seam tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |