I/O endforming tool for forming tubes and method of manufacture thereof

Abstract

An I/O endforming tool for forming an end of a tube, the tool having a cone ring expandable and contractable conical I/O jaw assembly, a barrel assembly, a plurality of I/O fingers and mandrel assembly, wherein the I/O jaw assembly has a plurality of conical jaw segments, one segment adjacent two neighbouring segments, each segment having a recess within each of its sides adjacent each neighbouring segment and biasing member retained within each recess to effect a biasing effect between adjacent jaw segments the improvement wherein each recess formed at a portion of the outer circumference of each segment as to define a radial trough when the jaw assembly is in its expanded position; and the biasing member is a solid, non-metallic deformable member retained within a circumferential recess defined by a pair of adjacent the troughs when the jaw assembly is in its contracted position. The process of manufacture provides improved saving in time, handling, efficiency, consistency and quality. The deformable member is preferably formed of and provides for greater force, higher grease and fluid resistance and tolerance and rust resistance over metal coil springs presently in commercial use.

1 . An I/O endforming tool for forming an end of a tube, said tool comprising a cone ring expandable and contractable conical I/O jaw means, a barrel assembly, a plurality of I/O fingers and mandrel means, wherein said I/O jaw means comprises a plurality of conical jaw segments, one segment adjacent two neighbouring segments, each segment having a recess within each of its sides adjacent each neighbouring segment and biasing means retained within each recess to effect a biasing effect between adjacent jaw segments the improvement wherein each recess formed at a portion of the outer circumference of each segment as to define a radial trough when said jaw means is in its expanded position; and said biasing means comprises a solid, non-metallic deformable member retained within a circumferential recess defined by a pair of adjacent said troughs when said jaw means is in it contracted position. 
   
   
       2 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said trough is a semi-cylinder and said deformable member is adapted to be received by two adjacent said semi-cylindrical troughs. 
   
   
       3 . A tool as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said deformable member has a body in the shape of a right-vertical obligate cylinder having a pair of opposite vertical sides of greater length than the length of the pair of vertical adjacent sides. 
   
   
       4 . A tool as claimed in  claim 3  wherein at least one of said vertical sides of greater length defines a vertical recess. 
   
   
       5 . A tool as claimed in  claim 4  wherein each of said vertical sides of greater length defines a recess, constituting said body having a waist. 
   
   
       6 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said troughs of each jaw segments defines an inner radial recess within said trough and said deformable member has a protrusion receivable within said inner radial recess. 
   
   
       7 . A tool as claimed in  claim 2  wherein at least one of said troughs of each jaw segments defines an inner radial recess within said trough and said deformable member has a protrusion receivable within said inner radial recess. 
   
   
       8 . A tool as claimed in  claim 3  wherein at least one of said troughs of each jaw segments defines an inner radial recess within said trough and said deformable member has a protrusion receivable within said inner radial recess. 
   
   
       9 . A tool as claimed in  claim 4  wherein at least one of said troughs of each jaw segments defines an inner radial recess within said trough and said deformable member has a protrusion receivable within said inner radial recess. 
   
   
       10 . A tool as claimed in  claim 5  wherein at least one of said troughs of each jaw segments defines an inner radial recess within said trough and said deformable member has a protrusion receivable within said inner radial recess. 
   
   
       11 . A tool as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said member is formed of a polyurethane. 
   
   
       12 . A method of manufacturing an expandable and contractable I/O jaw means comprising a plurality of conical jaw segments, wherein each segment is adjacent two neighbouring segments at their radially adjacent sides for use in an I/O endforming tool assembly, said method comprising providing an integrally-formed, open-ended, hollow conical member having a body and a radially upstanding circumferential flange adjacent the end of greater outside diameter of said body the improvement comprising
 (a) drilling a plurality of radial cylindrical recesses within and symmetrically aligned around said flange;   (b) slicing said member through said body and said flange through said recesses to provide said plurality of jaw segments, wherein each segment has a portion defining a radial trough at the outer circumference of said segment at each of said radially adjacent sides; which troughs define a plurality of deformable member-receiving cylindrical recesses within and when said I/O jaw assembly is in the contracted position;   (c) inserting said deformable members between and within adjacent troughs prior to said I/O jaws being contracted.   
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising the step of drilling at least one notch-receiving recess within each of said radial, cylindrical recesses prior to step (b). 
   
   
       14 . An I/O jaw assembly when made by a method as claimed in  claim 12 . 
   
   
       15 . An I/O jaw assembly when made by a method as claimed in  claim 13 . 
   
   
       16 . An /O jaw segment when made by and for use in an I/O jaw assembly as claimed in  claim 12 . 
   
   
       17 . An I/O jaw segment when made by and for use in an I/O jaw assembly as claimed in  claim 13 . 
   
   
       18 . An I/O endforming tool as claimed in  claim 1  comprising a circular band having a pluralilty of said deformable members, integrally formed with said band and equally spaced around and radially from the inner circumferential surface of said band, wherein the band is of a suitable inner diameter as to allow the members to be fitted around the jaw assembly when said jaw assembly is in its expanded assembled mode; and is of a suitable thickness as to not interfere with the contraction and expansion of said jaw assembly in operation.