Patent ID: 6151939
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: B21D,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for shaping the wall of an open-ended workpiece having an open end communicating with an internal cavity in said workpiece, said apparatus comprising:a mold having an inwardly facing surface having said desired contour; said mold including a moveable mold component and a fixed mold component, said movable mold component being movable between an open position spaced from said fixed mold component to open the mold sufficiently to permit insertion of a workpiece container in the mold and an operating position contacting said fixed mold component to permit operation of the apparatus to effect reforming of the wall of the workpiece container;support means for supporting said workpiece container within the confines of said inwardly facing surface;an elongated tubular wand having an axis and an internal passageway for receiving high velocity workfluid;nozzle means mounted in said wand having an inner end communicating with said internal passageway and an outer discharge end for discharging a high velocity jet of workfluid outwardly for impingement against said inner surface of said wall of said workpiece container;workfluid supply means for supplying workfluid to said internal passageway at sufficient pressure to result in sufficient jet velocity to cause outward deflection of said wall and permanent distortion of said workpiece container wall into conformity with said inner mold surface as a consequence of the impingement of said high velocity jet on the inner surface of said wall; anda workfluid removal means communicating with the interior of said workpiece container for removing spent workfluid from the workpiece container in during operation of said nozzle means.