US3182478A - Hydraulic metal extruding machine - Google Patents

Description

y 1965 AKIRA ASARl 3,182,478

x HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet l a) Q Q 33 93 g a 8 L. 3 5i i la Inventor {3 L g flK/RA JARI 1' 9 n; Attorney,

1965 AKlRA ASARI 3,182,478

HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 w l g I II it 2 LI.

&

a flKlR/ AM Inventor Attorney May 11, 1965 AKlRA ASARl 3,182,478

HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 19 5 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 A/( ASARI lnvenlor A Home y y 11, 1965 AKIRA ASARl 3,182,478

HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING' MACHINE Filed July 8, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGS Inventor By WM! Attorney May 11, 1965 Filed July 8, 1963 AKlRA ASARI HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mama lnvenlor B HM M A Home y y 1965 AKlRA ASARI 3,182,478

HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1963 1 s Sheets-Sheet e AKrRA ASARI I nvenlor Attorney 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 A um Asm /IIIIIIIIQ IIIIIIIII fli l t! AKIRA ASARI HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE May 11, 1965 Filed July 8, 1963 Inventor y V M AHOrney May 11, 1965 AKIRA ASARI HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed July 8, 1963 FIGJE A M A A SA R! Inventor y Me! A $9 44 Attorney United States Patent 3,182,478 HYDRAULIC METAL EXTRUDING MACHINE Akira Asari, Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan, assignor to Kobe Steel Works, Ltd., Kobe, Japan Filed July 8, 1963, Ser. No. 293,361 Claims priority, application Japan, July 9, 1962, 37/ 28,846; Nov. 22, 1962 (utility model) 37/ 70,114 1 Claim. (Cl. 72-255) This invention relates to improvements in an equipment for hydraulically extruding ordinary or special grades of steel or other metals, and, more particularly, to improvements in the arrangement of various parts and components required to extrude such metals by the utilization of hydraulic pressure.

The term extrusion of metals or its equivalent as used throughout this specification and the claim appended thereto refers to a process wherein a cylindrical container is charged with a metal billet to be extruded and a pressure is applied from behind by means of a hydraulically actuated ram, piston or stem in such a manner that said metal billet is forced through a die installed at the front end of said container to produce tubes or rods. In extruding a metal by hydraulic pressure, a certain ingenious measure is required to control a series of operations such as charging of the container with a billet, setting of the die which has been duly prepared and, if required, sufficiently heated, extruding of said billet by means of hydraulic pressure, ejection of extruded material, cleaning of the inside walls of said container, shearing, and removal of extrusion remains. is determinant of a press cycle, the length of time in which a billet is extruded into a single product. In order to increase the extruding etficiency, it is necessary to make the pres cycle as short as possible, thereby increasing the number of products to be extruded each minute; otherwise, the extruder cannot be operated economically. By way of example, if the extrusion of an expensive special steel, e.g. stainless steel, breaks even, it may not necessarily be profitable enough to extrude less expensive ordinary steels. This is obviously because the press cycle is so protracted that it is sometimes impossible to extrude a sufiicient number of products each minute. When the aforesaid series of operations necessary for extrusion is carried out in series rather than in parallel, the press cycle is equivalent to the sum of the periods of time required for the respective operations. It is easy to see, therefore, that the press cycle may be substantially reduced by employing a parallel system in which said operations are effected in two or more different positions or blocks as compared with the case in which the press cycle proceeds in series. Since it has been conventional to effect charging of billets, extrusion, die setting, removal of extrusion remains, cleaning of the inside walls of the container, and other operations on the press center line, i.e. the center line or axis of extrusion, such operations have had to be carried out in series, the cumulative result being that the press cycle is considerably protracted.

Although a number of suggestions have hitherto been made about the methods of extruding metals, a great majority of the suggestions are concerned with some improvement or other in the pressing mechanism per se or in basic extruding principles, and little has been studied and published about the arrangement of various mechanisms of the press from the aforementioned point of view. With an extruding machine having only one billet container, it is unavoidable to effect charging of billets, extrusion, die setting, removal of extrusion remains, and cleaning of the inside Walls of the container, all with respect to said single container. As aforesaid, this entails the arrangement in series of all such operations, thus delaying the entire press The said controlling actionv "ice cycle considerably. In contrast, where two or more containers are employed, such operations can be performed in parallel, so that if said containers are suitably rotated or used in turn on a suitable schedule, the press cycle may not only be substantially reduced, but each operation can be accomplished with more care, using, if desired, a longer period of time.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide metal extruding equipment having two or more billet containers which is capable of performing said necessary operations in parallel rather than in series, thereby reducing the press cycle in a substantial measure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a metal extruding equipment in which a holder for two or more containers is variable in position and said containers successively come into working positions so that, in each working position, a certain operation is carried out with respect to one of the containers at that moment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a metal extruding equipment wherein various devices and mechanisms adapted to perform the operations required for extrusion are distributed in a predetermined relation in the respective container positions, said operations including charging of the containers with billets, setting of the die on the discharge side of each container, loosening or tightening of the dies against the containers, extruding the charged billets through the dies by hydraulic means, cutting of the extruded products, removal of fins remaining within the containers, and cleaning of the inside Walls of the containers after each extrusion, so as to allow each specific operation to be performed in one of the positions in which the containers are to stop or rest, whereupon each mechanism performs its specific operation with respect to the container which has come into that position.

With the above objects in mind, we have developed equipment for hydraulically extruding metals hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Stated differently, this invention is concerned with a press for hydraulically extruding a metal, said press having a container holder which holds a plurality of containers and is variable in position, consisting, further, of a hydraulic means having a stem for extruding the metal, a container-tightening means for tightening or loosening each container, a means for cutting the extruded products, and a die-exchange means as arranged in one of the positions in which said containers come to rest, and, also, of a means for charging another container with a billet, a means for removing the extrusion remains from the firstmentioned container after extrusion with respect thereto, and a means for cleaning the inside walls of the container mentioned just above after said extrusion, said means being arranged in another position. When a metal is extruded hydraulically according to this invention, certain operations, i.e. extrusion of the metal, setting of the die, and shearing of the extruded products are performed in one container-resting position, while, during the same period of time, other operations, i.e. charging of a container with a billet, removal of the extrusion remains, and cleaning of the inside walls of another container, are carried out in another container-resting position. The final result is a drastically reduced press cycle which will cause a substantial increase in number of the extruded products per unit hour, thus making it profitable enough to employ such an equipment for the extrusion of ordinary grades of steel. Furthermore, since cleaning of the inside walls of the container and removal of the extrusion remains may be performed in a position different from the position wherein extrusion is performed, a sufficient time and care can be allocated to the former operations. As regards the charging of the container with a billet, since it can also be performed in a position different from the to extruding position, it is unnecessary, as contrasted to the conventional practice, to provide a certain free space for billet charging between the extruder stem and the container, thus reducing as much the total duration of the press cycle. That said charging of the container with a billet can be effected in a position independent of the extruding position is also desirable from the view point of safety. After each extrusion, the extrusion remains in the container are removed in a container-resting position independent of the position in which said extrusion has been performed. Thus, unlike the conventional practice wherein the remains are pushed out by a stem, it is not necessaryto vary the stroke of the stem between extrusion of the metal and removal of the extrusion remains.

In addition, the inside walls of the container can be cleaned easily and more thoroughly.

This invention will be more fullydescribed by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view, in section, of an equipment for extruding a metal in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the same taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line Ill-III of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view taken onthe line IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line VV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an example of programming for the extrusion of a metal with said metal extruder;

FIG. 7 is a sequential diagram of the above example;

FIG. 8 shows a plan view, in section, of said metal extruder as applied with respect to another example;

FIG. 9 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line IX-'IX of FIG. 8; V v

FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view takenon the line XX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line,

XIXI of FIG. 8; 7

FIG. 12 is an exampleof programming for the extruding equipment of this invention as shown in FIGS. 8-11;

a cylinder frame, in which a main cylinder 2 is formed along the centerline C-C of the press, a main ram 3 being fitted within said main cylinder 2. Behind the main ram 3 is formed a hydraulic pressure chamber 4, and when a pressurized liquid is forced into said chamber 4, the main ram 3 is caused to move to the left. To the end of the main ram 3 is fitted an extruder stem 6 through a coupling 5, and when a hollow product is to be extruded, said stem 6 should also be hollow and a mandrel 7 be fitted into the bore in said stem. Behind the mandrel 7 is connected therewith a plunger 9 which is located in a hy draulic pressure cylinder 8, said plunger being driven by a hydraulic pressure independent of that for said stem 6. On the centerline of said stem 6, i.e. the press centerline CC, and forwardly thereof is disposed a billet container.

i'n a cylindrical opening 12. A container holder 11 is proin 'a certain position, it rigidly secured a gear 15 which In the example shown, two containers 10a and. 10b are disposed in parallel, each movably supported withp engages a rack 16. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2,'

mounted on a die holder frame19 which is centrally supported by a rotatable shaft 2%, on which is mounted a gear 22 which engages with a rack 21. The rack 21 is supported by a head frame 23. a

The center-to-center distance between said two containers 18a and 10b coincides with the distance between the press centerline CC and the preparatory-work centerline C -C parallel thereto, while the revolving shaft 13 ofthe container holder 11 is located just midway'between said centers CCand C C The frame 19 for mounting die holders is so disposed that either one of the die holders 18a or 181) may be aligned with the: press centerline CC.

As shown in FIG. 3, both ends of said racks 16 and 21 form plungers 24 and 25, respectively, said plungers being fitted into their respective hydraulic pressure cylinders 26 and 27. By driving said plungers 27 and-26, the'racks 16 and 21 are caused to move, turning the gears 15 and 22, respectively and, accordingly, setting the container holder ll and the die holder frame 19, respectively, in rotation. To tighten the containers 10a and lfib'by moving them in a forward direction, a container-tightening cylinder 28 'is fitted over the forward portion of said main ram 3. As shown in FIG. 5, ribs 29, provided along the outer periphery of said main ram 3, are fitted into the corresponding grooves provided in the inside wall of said tightening cylinder 23 so that the cylinder 28 may freely move back and forth. The end of the tightening cylinder 28 forms a seat 31" which fits the end surfaces of the containers 10a and 10b. A plunger rod 32 is provided to move the tightening cylinder 23, the plungers 33 and 34 therefor being supported by said cylinder frame 1 and fitted into hydraulic pressure cylinders 35 and 36, respectively. Thus, when a hydraulic pressure is introduced into the forward or backward space in the hydraulic pressure cylinders 35 or 36 as the case may be, the plunger rod 32 is caused to move, forcing the tightening cylinder 28 in a forward or backward direction. It is to be noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower shanks of said tightening .cylinder'28 are mounted on guides 38 of beds 37, respectively, to provide for the movement of said cylinder 28. To receive the pressing force, a head frame 23 is provided forwardly of said container holder 11, and a step 39 is attached to said frame 23 (see FIG. 1). The step 39 is aligned with the press centerline {3-0, and said die holder frame 19 is disposed between said step and said containers 10a and 1011. In order to make certain that said container holder 11 stops in a proper position, locking arms 40 areprovided I on both sides and substantially below the container holder 11 (see FIG. 4). The locking arms 40 are supported by shafts 42 in such a manner that they may freely swing with respect to frame 41, said swing motion being provided by connecting the plunger rods 44 of hydraulic pressure cylinders 43 with said locking arms 40. Stoppers 45, attached to the containerholder 11,,serve to secure the holder 11 in position as they are brought in contact with the arms. To rotate the container holder, the locking arms 49 may be swung upward so that they are free from the stoppers 45. V

K Along said preparatory-work centerline is disposed a V1 ports a movable platen 47 at its-end. To the movable platen 47 is rigidly secured a spindle rod 49 having a push er means 48 at its forward end,with a revolving cylinder 50 having brushes St) on its exterior surface being fitted over said spindle rod. The said revolving cylinder 50 is driven by a motor 51 mounted on said movable platen through a suitable speed-reducer means, so that the cylinder may revolve only when required. The said pusher means 48 is so disposed that when it remains in a retreated position, it is not too far away from the containers 10a and 1%. It is to be noted that the piston rods 57 of rellet charging mechanism which also serves'to force out the extrusion remains clean the inside walls of the contreating hydraulic pressure cylinders 56 also are connected to said movable platen 47.

On said preparatory-work centerline C -C are disposed a billet loader 52 forwardly of the container position and, also, a hydraulic pressure cylinder 53 further forwardly of said billet loader 52, with a piston 55 having a pusher means 54 at its end being fitted into said hydraulic pressure cylinder 53. The distance from the pusher means 54 in its retreated position to the container a or 1011, as the case may be, should be somewhat greater than the length of a billet.

Provided between said container Ida or 1% and said die holder 18a is a revolving shear 62, which may be freely moved by a hydraulic pressure cylinder (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

A description of a process wherein the extrusion of a metal can be advantageously performed with this press follows. An assumption will be made that all operations preparatory to extrusion have been completed. Then, as the main ram 3 is first caused to move forward as shown in FIG. 7a to project into the container 10a on the press centerline CC, with the resulting force acting on the billet Ba in said container 10a. The extruding cycle thus begins (see FIG. 6I) so that said billet is forced out of the end of the container 18a through the die Da. The die Da is installed in a die holder 18a which is disposed on the press centerline. In the case of a hollow billet, the mandrel 7 is fitted into the opening of the billet to be extruded. When a major portion of the billet Ba has been extruded, the following operations are performed in parallel.

The first of said operations, as shown in FIG. 7b, consists of the retreat of the stem 6 and of the mandrel 7, both actuated by hydraulic pressure (see, also, FIG. 641). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the piston rod 58 connected to the main ram 3 is inserted into the hydraulic pressure cylinder 59 of the cylinder frame 1 and a hydraulic pressure is introduced into aid cylinder, the main ram 3 is caused to retreat together with said rod 58.

The second operation comprises dislocating the container 10:: which has been used for extrusion of said billet (we FIG. 6III), this being effected by introducing a hydraulic pressure into hydraulic pressure cylinders 36 and 60 so that both the container tightening cylinder 28 and the container 10 are respectively caused to retreat with respect to the container holder 11. As the container 10a retreats as shown in FIG. 7b the extrusion remains R remaining within said container is also caused to retreat as it remains adhered to the inside walls of said container, with the result that the die Dr: is separated from the die holder 18a, leaving a gap, as shown in FIG. 7b between the die holder 18 and the forward end of the container 10a. The revolving shear 62 is then inserted into said gap to cut the extruded product E away from the extrusion remains R at a point just behind the die (see FIG. 6-IV). The shorn extruded product E is then carried further forward on a conveyer, leaving the extrusion remains and the die in the container 10a.

On the other hand, the retreated stem 6 and mandrel 7 are cooled before the subsequent extrusion begins (see FIG. 6-V).

As the said shear 62 retreats after cutting, the locking arm 49 is detached (see FIG. 6-VI). Then, a hydraulic pressure is introduced into the hydraulic Pressure cylinder 26 (FIG. 3) to drive the gear 15, whereby the container holder 11 is rotated (FIG. 6VIII) to cause the container 10a to exchange positions with the container 10b or vice versa. At the same time, a hydraulic pressure is also introduced into the hydraulic pressure cylinder 27 (see FIG. 3) to drive the gear 22, whereby the die holder frame 19 is rotated to cause the die holders 13a and 18b to exchange their positions (see FIG. 6-VIII). At this moment, the inside walls of the container 10b, which has been on the preparatory-work centerline C --C have been cleaned and, as shown in FIG. 7b, charged with a new billet Bb, while a fresh die Db has already been set in the die holder 1812. Thus, when the container 10b and the die holder 18!) are caused by said rotation to come into alignment with the press centerline C-C, a hydraulic pressure is introduced into the hydraulic pressure cylinder 35 to cause the container tightening cylinder 28 to move forward (FIG. 6-IX), whereby the said container 10b is also caused to move forward until it is brought in contact with the die holder 18b, whereupon the container holder 11 is locked by means of said locking arm 40 (FIG. 6-X) in a predetermined container position. It is to be noted that the container-tightening cylinder 28 moves straight forward along the ribs 29 on the main ram 3 until the seat 31 at the forward end thereof closely faces the container 191'), holding the container into alignment with the press centerline C-C. Now, another cycle of extrusion is performed in the same manner as above (see FIG.

Now, preparatory operations such as cleaning of the container 10a which has been used in the preceding extrusion, billet charging, and die setting are carried out. Thus, as shown in FIG. 70, when the container 10a which has been used in the preceding extrusion comes into alignment with the preparatory-work centerline C C a hydraulic pressure is introduced into the hydraulic pressure chamber to force the spindle 49 to move forward. As shown in FIG. 7a, the spindle projects into the said container. Meanwhile, the pusher means 48 fitted at the forward end of the spindle removes the remains R from the container by pushing it forward (see FIG. 6-XI). At the same time, the revolving cylinder 50 turns, with its brushes 5W cleaning the inside surfaces of the container 16a (FIG. 6-XII). On the other hand, a fresh billet Bb is supplied by the billet loader 52 on the preparatory-work centerline C -C FIG. 6-XIV). Meanwhile, the said spindle 49 is caused to retreat together with the movable platen 47 upon introduction of a hydraulic pressure into the hydraulic pressure cylinder 561(see FIG, 6-XIII), while a hydraulic pressure is also introduced into the hydraulic pressure cylinder 53 to cause the piston 55 to move forward, thereby pushing the billet Bb on said billet receiver 52, into the container ltlb by means of the pusher means 54 (see FIGS. 6-XV and FIG. 7b). Then, as the pusher means 54 moves backwards, the billet loader 52 shunts away -(see FIG. 6XVI'I).

When the die holder 18a which has been used in the preceding extrusion comes oif the press centerline CC, a fresh die Db is set in said holder to prepare for the next extrusion (see FIG. 7b).

A new press cycle then begins. When a steel is extruded in the described manner, about three billets can be extruded each minute(FIG. 6).

While, in the foregoing example, a mechanism has been shown and described in which two containers and dies are respectively exchanged by a swing action, it is, of course, possible to employ a mechanism in which three elements are exchanged by a lateral movement.

' Referring to FIGS. 8 to 13, which show the latter example of this invention, such containers are set in cylindrical openings 7-1 which are extending axially and disposed in parallel on both sides of a container holder in such a manner that said containers may move freely in an axial direction. FIGS. 8 and 10 show a state in which the containers 72a and 72b are within the container holder 70, and an imaginary line that may be drawn from the center of one container to that of the other container intersects the press centerline. In this example, the container holder-'70 is supported by a frame 7 3 in such a manner that said holder may move in a lateral direction normal to the press centerline. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the frame 73 is provided with lateral guides 74 disposed in parallel in upper and lower positions on the frame, and the lobs or projections 75 formed in upper and lower positions, respectively, on said container holder fit into said guides, thereby allowing and guiding the lateral movement of said container holder 70.

To provide for the lateral movement of said container holder 70, two hydraulic pressure cylinders 76a and 76b are laterally disposed inside the holder in upper and lower positions as shown in FIG. 10, said cylinders discharging in opposite directions. Into said cylinders are inserted, through their respective openings, hollow plungers 77a and -77b, the outer end of each plunger being rigidly secured to the side wall 7 8 of the frame 73. The Openings in said plungers 77a and 77b form passageways '79a'and 7% respectively so that when a hydraulic pressure is introduced from an outside source (not shown) into hydraulic pres sure cylinders 76a and 7% through said passageways, the hydraulic pressure causes the movement of the container 70. The stroke of saidcontainer holder '70 is so controlled that when it moves to the extremeright, the container 72 on the left-hand side comes into alignment with the press centerline, and conversely when the holder moves to the extreme left, the container 72b on the right-handside corresponds with the press centerline C-C. The said stroke may be controlledby turning stopper screws 80a and 80b which are located on the lateral sides 78 of the frame 73. Thus, steps 81a and 81b of the container holder 70 confront said stopper screws 80a and 80b, respectively. To support and guide the container holder 70', it is so arranged that supporting arms 82 extend beyond the container holder 79 in upper positions on both sides and are placed on the supporting surfaces 83 formed on the frame I 73. Thus, as the container holder '7 moves, said supporting arms 82 thereof slide on said supporting surfaces 83,

' respectively.

In this particular example, the die holder frame is also of the lateral-moving type, interposed between a head frame '84- and containers. As shown in FIG. 11, the die holder frame 85 is a laterally elongated rectangular frame, on either side of which is attached thereto one of die holders 86a and 86b. Dies are installed in said holders. The said die holder frame is supported, in upper and lower positions, by guides 87 and 187', respectively, of said head frame 84 in such a manner that the frame can move freely in transverse directions. To provide for this movement, racks 88 and 88' areformed on die holder frame 85' in upper and lower positions, said racks engaging pinions 89 and 89', respectively. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11,

separate pinions 90 formed on the pinion shafts for said pinions 8 9 and 89' engage the racks of rack rods 91'and 91', respectively, and piston 92 formed on both ends of said rack rods are sleeved into hydraulic pressure cylinders 93a and 935, respectively. When a hydraulic pressure is introduced into either one of said hydraulic pressure cylinders 93a and 9312, the rack rod 91 is caused to move in a transverse direction to drive the pinions 90 and 89, which to the center-to-center, distance between said containers 72a and 7215, while the first and the second preparatory- Work centerline C --C and C -0 are disposed in parallel on both sides of said press centerline C-C, each at the same distance as mentioned above from the last-mentioned center line.

In this particular example of the invention, since both the container holders 70 and the die holder frames 85 are movable in transverse directions, a total of two preparatory-work centerlines C -C and C -C may be located on both sides of the press centerline CC by allowing said holders and frames to move in opposite directions,

thus providing an additional preparatory-work center as compared to theonly one center available to a similar equipment of the swing types shown.

In the equipment shown and described immediately' back by the plunger rod 1l2 iQFIGJ 12-11).

above, a pusher stem 94 is disposed on the press centerline -'CC. However, as regards shafts $5 and revolving-cylinders 96a. and QSb. having brushes 96a and 96b, both of which serve to remove the extrusion remains and clean the internal walls of the containers, two sets each of them are employed. Stated differently, by providing a setof said shafts 95 andsaid cylinders96a and 961; on the preparatory-work,centerline C C and another set on the centerline C C said two operations, i.e. removal of the remains and cleaning of the inside .walls of the containers, may be performed in two different positions. The

same principle applies to pusher, metals 97a and 97b for charging the container withbillets, and, also, to driving hydraulic pressure cylinders 8a and 98b.

Futhermore, just as in the preceding example, a pusher stem 94 is directly connected to a mainram 1M disposed in a main cylinder 99', said ram 106 being connected to a plunger rod 102 of a back-driving hydraulic pressure cylinder 10ft see FIG. 9). A container tightening cylinder 194 having a seat to receive the containers 72a and 7-21) at its end is connected to a plunger rod 196 in such a manner that the cylinder 104 may move forward and backward along guide means 105, plunger 1&7 of said rod being inserted into hydraulic pressure cylinders 18% and 109 so that it may drive the container tightening cylinders under hydraulic pressure. A movable platen 116 supporting revolving cylinders 96a and 961) having brushes is also directly connected, in the same manner as shown in the preceding example, to plunger 112 of a hydraulic pressure cylinder 1-11 .to be driven by hydraulic pressure, it being so arranged, also that the retreat of said platen is effected by a plunger rod 114 of a back-drive cylinder 113. To provide for the axial movement of the containers 72a and 7212, the container. holder '70 is provided with hydraulic pressure cylinders 115a and 115.5, piston rods116a and 11612 thereof being connected to eachof thecontainers. A shear 117, which is provided for cutting extruded products, is so disposed that, when required, it may move into the space between the container 72a and the die holder 35a on the press centerline C -C (see FIGS. 9 and 11)- -In addition, billet loaders 118a and 11857 are disposed between-the pusher metals'97a and 97b and the containers 72a and 72b on two preparatory-work centerlines C -C and C -C respectively.

The ,extruder shown in FIGS. '8 to 11 is operated in accordance with the diagram given in FIG; 13. 'FIG. 13a

shows that on the press centerline C--C, the billet Ba in the container 72 is being extruded by the stem 94 through the die Da (see FIG. 124). In the meantime, the internal walls of the container 72b, whiclrare on one of the preparatory-work centerlines, C -C are being cleaned by the revolving cylinder 96a (see FIG. 12-XII). Meanwhile, a fresh die Dr: is being installed in the die holder 86bv on the other preparatory-work centerline C C After an extrusion is completed on the press centerline CC, the main ram and the pusher stem 94 are forced In synchronism therewith, said container tightening cylinder 104 is caused to retreat by said plunger 107 (see FIG. 12-111) and the container 72:: on said press centerline is likewise forced back by said piston rod 11511, with the result that, as shown in FIG. 13b, a free space is created between the container 72a and the die holder 86a. At this moment, as the remains R' in they container movesalong with the die Da and the container, the shear 117 is inserted into'said free space to cut off the extruded product at the joint between the same and the remains R (FIG, 12-43 While the foregoing operations are being performed on the press centerline C-C, the following preparatory operations are conducted on one of the preparatory-work centerlines, (l -0 Thus, when the internal walls of the container 72bhave been cleaned FIG. 13a and FIG. l2XII),

the revolving cylinder 96a iscaused by the plunger 112 to move backward along with the movable platen 110 (FIG. 12-XIII) and, at the same time, the billet loader 113a starts operating (FIG. l2-XIV) to supply the billet receiver 118a with a fresh billet Bb. Then, through the hydraulic pressure cylinder 98a, the pusher metal 97a moves forward until, as shown in FIG. 13!), said billet is charged into the container 72b (see FIG. 12-XV). When this is completed, the billet loader 118a starts retreating (FIG. IZ-XVI'I) and so does the pusher metal 97a (FIG. l2-XVI).

After the shearing of the extruded product (E) is completed (FIG. 13b), the shear starts retreating, while at the same time, the container holder 70 is caused to move transversely inside the frame 73 (FIG. 12-VII) by the hydraulic pressure cylinder 76b (see FIG. On the other hand, as the piston 92 moves within the hydraulic pressure cylinder 93a, the rack 91 and the pinion 90 are actuated to drive the pinion 89 so that the die holder frame 85 moves along with .the rack 88 in the opposite direction as that of the container holder 70 (FIG. 12- VIII). The positions of said container and said die holder are thus switched from b to c of FIG. 13. When the movement of the container holder '70 has been completed, the container 72b, which has been on the first preparatorywork centerline C C are on the press centerline C-C. Now, the container tightening cylinder 104 is first caused to move forward (FIG, 12-IX), thereby allowing said container to come in close contact with the die holder 85b carrying a fresh die Db (FIG. 13d). At the same time, the revolving cylinder 96b is caused to move into the used container 72a, which has been brought into alignment with the second preparatorywork centerline C C to force out the remain R (FIG. 12,X'I), followed by the cleaning of the interior walls of the container with the brushes (FIG. 13d). Thereafter, as it was accomplished on the first preparatorywork centerline C C another fresh billet is supplied by means of the billet loader 118d, while a fresh die Db is installed in the die holder 86a which has now come into alignment with the first preparatory-work centerline C -C to prepare for the next extrusion.

The nature and outstanding features of this invention will now be apparent from the detailed description made hereinbefore by way of examples. The effect of this invention will now be described hereinafter.

According to this invention, since the extrusion of a metal may be performed in an independent position separate from other preparatory operations, it is now possible to conduct both of said extrusion and preparatory operations simultaneously, thereby reducing the press cycle by a substantial degree. It will at once be apparent, therefore, that a greatly increased number of billets can now be extruded per unit hour and that it has now been made possible by this invention to extrude less expensive metals such as ordinary steel profitably. The preparatory operations, i.e. cleaning of the interior walls of the containers, removal of the extrusion remains and setting of the dies, are carried out in a position or positions outside the press centerline, with the result that each of such operations can be accomplished more thoroughly, using a longer period of time. As regards charging the container with a billet, since it may also be independently conducted outside the press centerline, it is possible to avoid the trouble and danger which would probably be encountered when billet charging were carried out in a confined space on the press centerline. In addition, it is not necessary to provide a free space for billet charging between the container and the pusher stem, the stroke of the main ram can be as much shortened. Since the extrusion remains in the container is also removed after the container is moved out of the press centerline by forcing the fin out of the container with a specialized pusher metal, it is not necessary to use the stem of the main ram for this purpose, which feature being, also, an important time-saving factor. It is sulficient, therefore, that the stroke of the main ram be merely designed to cope with the extrusion phase of the process. Setting of dies can also be eifected easily without danger, for two die holders are supported by the die holder frame and switched from one to the other for each pressing cycle.

What I claim is:

An apparatus for extruding metals comprising a press having a press centerline and at least one preparatorywork centerline, at least two billet containers each supported by a container holder the position of which is variable in such a manner that said containers may be successively brought into alignment with each of said various centerlines, at least two die holders disposed immediately forwardly of said containers and supported by a die holder frame the position of which is variable in such a manner that said die holders may be successively brought into alignment with said press centerline, a shearing means disposed forwardly of the container on said press centerline for cutting extruded products, a pusher stem adapted to move forwards and backwards under hydralic pressure and disposed backwardly of said container, a container tightening cylinder disposed adjacent to said container for tightening the latter, a preparatory-work mechanism capable of moving forward and backward and equipped with a spindle rod having a pusher means at its end for pushing out the extrusion remains from the containers, said rod being connected to a hydraulic pressure means, and a revolving cylinder having brushes on its exterior surface for cleaning the containers, which cylinder is sleeved over said spindle rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,317,238 9/19 Summey 207-1.1 2,337,804 12/43 Dempsey 2071.1 2,550,925 5/51 Weimar 3094 2,715,459 8/55 Krause 20717 2,858,017 10/58 Kent et al. 207--1.l 2,896,782 7/59 Billen 2071.1 2,923,407 2/60 Billen 20715 3,019,894 2/62 Delcroix et al 207-1.1 3,083,827 4/63 Rosenthal 20715 3,120,304 2/ 64 Pahnke et a1 207--1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,163,770 4/58 France.

804,220 11/58 Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Examiner.

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