Patented Aug. 19, 11947 2t425@986 U'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ?.@,425,986 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR. FORXMG THE RIMS OF CYLDWRICAL SMFTX S Daniel I ohm, Salem, Ohio, asdgnor to muluns Manufacturing Corporation, Salein, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application August 11, 1941, Serial No. 408,366 6 Claims. (Cl. 113--120) 2 This invention relates to a method and appara.@ tus for forming the rims of drawn cylindrical shells and has @articularly to do with the formini of the "necked-in" top or rim portion of washing machine tubs, buckets or the like; it relates tO 5 improvements over the method and appaxatus disclosed in Patent No. 2,131,027, of September 27, 1938. An object of the present invention is tD provide a simplified methgd for forming these drawn tubs 10 in a way wwch Prevents waste and results in a smooth finished Product. Other objects of the invention have to do with the Provision of a suitable machine for accomplishing the various steps rapidly and efficiently. 15 Recent de@.lign has necessitated the formation of an annular seat at the necked-in portion of the washing machine tub for receiving the rim of a cover. The present invention contemplates a method for forming such seat and the steps for 20 forming the necked-in portion. Other objects and features of the in-vention,' having to do with details of construction and operation, will be found in the following description and claims. In the drawings: 25 Mg. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus for forming the first step for the necking-in operation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. 30 Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the rolling mechanism for forming the final operations on the necked-in portion. Mgs. 4 and 5 illustrate more detailed views of a portion of Fig. 3. 35 Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 represent the steps performed on the machine shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the steps performed on Fig. 3. Mg. 13 illustrates the final curling-in step. 40 The method will be described first and the ap-- Paratus for performing the same will be described hereafter. Referring to Fig.'6, a rim portion 19 of a drawn tub 20 is shown. Inside the tub is a shaped roller 2 1. A roller 22 has its axis parallel 45 with the roller 21 but is arranged to move toward, the roller 2 1. When the tub is drawn, a flange 23 is formed thereon and trimrned in the usu'al manner. The tub is then Plaoed on a machine having rollers 21 and 22. Roller 22 has a-n annu- 50 lar grooved portion 24 which receives the flange 2 3. As the roller 2 2 moves toward roller 2 1, the rim portion 19 is shaped around the roller 2 f. The first step is shown in Mg, 7. As the movement of roller 22 continues, roller 22 starts to 55 overlap roller 21 to confine the tub rim between the roll&rs. Continued movement causes the flange 23 to be drawn out of the groove 24 and to be flattened against roller 2 1, see Fig. 9, to form , an inwardly extending flange. It should be noted 60 that the rolls 21 and 22 are axiauy spaced but arranged for radial overlap movement. It is the confining action of these rous plus the overlap movement that makes possible the unwrapping action from one roll to another. During these ste in the formation, the tub is . PS upside-down, as shown in Mg. 1. The tub is then turned rightside-up and inserted in the second machine having. a roller 25 and a roUer'26 which co6perate with each other. The roller 25 has two radially extending portions 27 and 28 and a curved formation 29 in between these portions. The roller 26 is formed complementauy so that as the rollers approach each other with the tub in position as shown, the flrst point of contact is Gn the inner surface of portion 27 where a rolling cor4tact is set up and the metal is confined. The second point of contact is between flange 23 of the tub and portion 28 of roll 25. As the rolls continue to move toward each other, the flange 23 becomes conflned between the two rolls, leaving the intermediate portion free. Completion of the movement causes the form6tion of the annular seat in the tub in the portion of the rim between the two confined portions. After the formation, as shown in Flg. 12, roll 26 is moved down and another roher 30 is moved into position to shape the flange 23 so that it is turned downwardly and towards the outside of the tub. During this movement, the curved rirn portion 19 is sufficiently rigid, due to its own formation, that no other reenforcement is needed. Now taking up the mechanism shown in Mgs. 1 and 2, a support for the tub 20 consists of a base 35 with space,d supporting pl@4tes 36. Oii these supporting plates is a circular table 37. Roll6r 21 is supporteddn a vertical yoke 38 and a shaft 39 passing between spaced members of said yoke. The roller 21 is floatingly mounted on said shaft 39 and a heavy spring 40 urges the rouer down to, the position shown. A seco-,Id roller support 41 is also supported on shaft 39 in spaced relation to roller 2 1, The roller 22 is supported on a shaft 42 which in turn is supported on a vertical yoke 43. The yoke 43 is slidable iDn the base 44 of the machine and suitable means, such as an air or hydraulic cylinder is provided to move the yoke in order that roller 22 will have the rnovement previously described. Suitable screw and gear connections 45 are provided to drive shafts 39 and 42 in opposite directions. Note gear 45a which slides on gear 45b during movement of yoke 43. As viewed in Fig. 2, slidable on yoke 43 is a horizontal flat auxiliary yoke member 46 having parallel arins 47. At each 6hd of these arms is mounted a vertical roller 48. V@hen the tub is in the macbine of Mg. 1, a rim 49 is placed over the bottom of the tub to give support to the sides thereof. The rollers 48 contact this rim and are urged against it by action of springs 50. The

3 tension of the8e springs increases as yoke 43 moves toward the tub. Idle rolas $I are provided on the other side of the tub to hold it in place. Rollers 25 e@nd 26 are supported in the mechanism shown in Flg. 3. In this mechanism, the tub is supported on a table 00 having a collapsible chuck 6 I for holding It in place. Roller 25 i6 mounted on a slide 62 which can move the roller forcibly downward. Poller 26 is supported on a frame 63 which In @tum is supported on a depending am 64. Ftame 63 has two parallel members 65 and 66 in which the ends of a pin 67 are mounted, Mgs. 4 and 5. A slide 60 also passes between these memb&rs 65 and 66 and Js provided with a cam slot 69 in wwch pin 67 with a roher 70 operates. Slide 68 is c6nnected by a rod 71 to a piston-cylinder motor 72 which, wherl actuated, wiU forcibly move the slide. Frame member 63 is so mounted on arm 64 that when slide member 68 is moved in the direction of the arrow, shown in Mg. 4, the slide member will move downwardly by the camming action of the slide. Also, mounted on frame 63 is a roller 30 and a slide member 76 wbich has a yoke formation for mounting the roller 30. The dgwnward motion caused by movement of slide 68, also causes a downward movement of roller 30 and a roller 77 acting on a cam surface 78 causes I movement of roller 30 toward the rim of the tub as shown in -Mg. 13. A-s the tube is revolv' Mg on @table 60, the entire rim is tumed in, as showri in Fig. 13. This i-s the final operation. I