Dual forging system and method

An apparatus includes an anvil having a first end and second end, and a press head reciprocally mounted relative to the anvil. The apparatus further includes an induction heater having a workpiece discharge end mounted adjacent the first end of the anvil, and a plurality of first station dies secured to the anvil. The first station dies each form at least a portion of a first contour. A plurality of second station dies are also secured to the anvil, the second station dies each defining at least a portion of a second contour.

FIELD

The present disclosure concerns apparatuses and processes related to forging and forging presses.

BACKGROUND

Forging presses can form parts with a progressive set of forging tooling, such as dies and punches. Workpieces that start as metal slugs pass from forming station to forming station in order, sequentially changing shape. The forged component that emerges from the final station can be processed further, for example by machining or grinding. The number of parts formed at each station is directly dependent on the frequency with which the forging press can complete a cycle of forging a workpiece (e.g., receiving a workpiece in a die, forming the workpiece, and extracting the workpiece from the die).

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present teachings, an apparatus includes an anvil having a first end and second end, and a press head reciprocally mounted relative to the anvil. The apparatus further includes a plurality of induction heaters each having a workpiece discharge end mounted adjacent the first end of the anvil. A plurality of first station dies are secured to the anvil, the first station dies each forming at least a portion of a first contour. A plurality of second station dies are secured to the anvil, the second station dies each defining at least a portion of a second contour. The apparatus further includes a discharger disposed adjacent the second end of the anvil and having a plurality of workpiece removal arms each operable to selectively engage a workpiece at the second station dies.

In another aspect, an apparatus includes an anvil having a first end and second end, and a press head reciprocally mounted relative to the anvil. The apparatus further includes an induction heater having a workpiece discharge end mounted adjacent the first end of the anvil, and a plurality of first station dies secured to the anvil. The first station dies each form at least a portion of a first contour. A plurality of second station dies are also secured to the anvil, the second station dies each defining at least a portion of a second contour.

In yet another aspect, a method includes inductively heating a plurality of forgeable workpieces, and depositing one of each of the plurality of forgeable workpieces in each of a plurality of first forming stations having a first common die shape. The method further includes, upon depositing the plurality of forgeable workpieces in each of the first stations, applying pressure simultaneously to the plurality workpieces until the plurality of workpieces have a first shape. The method also includes transferring one of each of the plurality of workpieces having a first shape to each of a plurality of second forming stations having a second common die shape. The method further includes, upon depositing one of each of the plurality of forgeable workpieces in each of the second stations, applying pressure simultaneously to the plurality of workpieces until the plurality of workpieces have a second shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIG. 1, a portion of a forging press100according to the present disclosure is shown including an anvil102and a press head104that can move reciprocally relative to the anvil102, which can be secured to a press housing106. Induction heater feeder assemblies108,110can receive workpieces in the form of metal slugs, and supply the workpieces to an induction heaters assembly111, which can include induction heaters112,114. The induction heater assembly111can be secured to a housing116.

Upon heating by the induction heaters112,114, the workpieces can be provided to a die feeder118. As described further herein, the feeder118can move the workpieces to the two first station dies122,124. The feeder118can also divert workpieces that do not achieve sufficient temperatures or rise to undesirably high temperatures to sorters126.

Once the first station dies122,124are supplied with workpieces, the press head104can descend upon the anvil102. As shown inFIG. 2, forming pins130,132can be positioned above the first station dies122,124. When the press head104descends, the forming pins130,132can apply pressure to the heated workpiece, can deform the workpieces, and can force the workpieces to take on the shape of the mold formed by first station dies122,124.

With reference toFIGS. 4 and 5, the induction heater feeder108can have a tray400that receives workpieces. An actuator402can have an arm404that can move the workpieces in a position where another actuator406can move the workpiece toward another tray408that for example can feed the induction heater112. The second induction heater feeder110can be a mirror image of the feeder108.

With reference toFIGS. 6 and 7, the induction heater assembly111can have two induction heaters112,114. Each induction heater112,114can have an input end600and workpiece discharge end602. At the input end600, the induction heaters112,114can have an inlet aperture604that can allow workpieces to enter induction heater housing606. The heater housings606can contain induction heater coils and a pyrometer to measure the temperature of the workpieces. According to one aspect of the present teachings, the pyrometer can be positioned within the housing606and adjacent discharge end602. The induction heater assembly111is secured to the housing106with brackets608. In the forging press100shown inFIG. 1, each of the two induction heaters112,114can be fed workpieces into its inlet aperture604by one of the feeders108,110. Workpieces can exit the induction heaters112,114serially through outlet apertures610.

With reference toFIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a die feeder118can have an actuator800that can move the arm802between the workpiece discharge end602of the induction heaters112,114and the first station dies122. Ramps804can be positioned to receive heated workpieces from the inductions heaters112,114. The workpieces can fall into receptacles806and can be supported underneath by trays808. The actuator800can move the arm802into position such that the receptacles806can be over the first station dies122, at which point the workpieces have traveled past edges810, and are thus no longer supported underneath by trays808and drop into the first station dies122. A portion814of each of the trays808can also be withdrawn by one of the tray actuators812. These tray portions814are positioned underneath the receptacle806when the receptacle806is beneath the workpiece discharge end602in position to receive a workpiece from one of the induction heaters112,114. When a tray actuator812withdraws a tray portion814, the workpiece can drop out of the receptacle806and into the sorter126. According to one aspect of the present teachings, the tray actuator812can withdraw a tray portion814depending on the temperature measured by a pyrometer. Such a pyrometer can be housed within housing606adjacent to the discharge end602of the induction heaters112,114. For example, the tray actuator812can withdraw the tray portion814when the workpiece supported by the tray808has not reached sufficient temperature or rises to undesirably high temperatures. Such workpieces can be discharged to a sorter126as described further herein.

With reference toFIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the sorter126has a first end1100and a second end1102. When mounted to the press100, the first end1100of the sorter126can be elevated relative to the second end1102. This permits workpieces that enter a chute1104at the first end1100to fall to the second end1102.

The chute1104has two openings1106,1108. One opening1106can be disposed at the second end1102of the sorter126. The other opening1108can be disposed closer to the discharge end602of the induction heaters112,114under which the sorter126can be mounted. The opening1108that can be configured to be closer to the discharge end602can be selectively closed by a door1110through an actuator1112. The actuator1112can for example selectively open the door1110when an overheated workpiece enters the chute1104, which in turn can allow the workpiece to travel through the opening1108. When an underheated part enters the chute1104, the actuator1112can close the door1110, forcing the underheated part to continue past the door1110to the opening1108.

With reference toFIGS. 14, 15 and 16, a dual discharger136can have arms1400. Each of the arms1400can include two parallel rods1402spaced apart a constant distance from one another at each point from an input end1404to an output end1406. A pivoting actuator1408can pivot an arm actuator1410about an axle1412. A frame1414can hold the rods1402. Both the frame1414and the rods1402can pivot along with the arm actuator1410. The arm actuator1410can move the arms reciprocally in a direction parallel to the linear rods1402.

With reference toFIG. 17, a workpiece1700formed in the second station dies124are engine valves having a wide head1702which joins a shaft1704. The rods1402can suspend the workpiece1700by the head1702. This arrangement can permit the workpiece1700to slide along rods1402when they are tilted from a horizontal position.

According to one aspect of the present teachings, when mounted to the forging press100, the arm actuator136can move the arms1400toward the second forming stations124where the input end1404of the arms1400move underneath the valve head1702shown inFIG. 17. The pivoting actuator1408can lift the workpiece upwardly, and can also tilt the rods1402so that the input end1404can be above the output end1406. The workpieces1700can slide along the rods1402toward the output end1406, at which point the workpieces1700can slide off the rods1402, for example into a bin for further processing. The arm actuator1410can then retract the arms1400in advance of another cycle of forming workpieces into valves in the second forming stations124.

With reference toFIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21, the press head104can include guide sleeve1800. The guide sleeve1800can fit over guide pin1802as the press head104lowers onto the anvil102, ensuring alignment of the press head104with the anvil102. According to one aspect of the present teachings, the first station dies122can lie along line A. According to another aspect of the present teachings, the second station dies124can lie along line B. The progression of workpieces through the first station dies122and second station dies124can follow a line parallel to line P. A line passing through each first station die122and its corresponding second station die124can be parallel to line P. Line P can be perpendicular to both lines A and B.

According to yet other aspects of the present teachings, three or more sets of first station dies, for example the first station dies122illustrated herein, may be used to simultaneously form a plurality of workpieces having a particular form. In another aspect of the present teachings, the plurality of first station dies has a common mold shape, such that the dies form a workpiece having a common shape. In yet another aspect of the present teachings, three or more sets of second station dies, such as the second station dies124illustrated herein, may be used to simultaneously form a plurality of workpieces received from the plurality of first station dies.

The first station dies122can be positioned beneath the pin130. During operation of the press100, the pin130can descend on a workpieces deposited in first station dies122. The workpiece is extruded to a particular shape complementary to the first station die122. Once the workpiece is extruded in the first station dies122and the press head104lifts off of the anvil102, the extraction arm1804can be pushed upwardly toward the workpieces and can cause rods2000to dislodge the workpieces from the first station dies122. The workpieces can be transferred from the first station dies122to the second station dies124, for example with a robotic mechanism that grabs the workpieces and moves them to the second station dies124.

The second station dies124can be positioned beneath restriking pin132. Restriking pin132can descend on the workpieces that have been formed in the first station dies122and moved into the second station dies124. The workpiece is formed to its final forged shape, which is complementary to the shape of the second station die124. Once the workpiece is forged and the press head104lifts off of the anvil102, the extraction arm1806can be pushed upwardly toward the workpieces and causes rods2100to dislodge the workpieces from the second station dies124.

FIG. 22illustrates a diagram of a method2200of forging workpieces according to one aspect of the present teachings. In block2202, workpieces can be fed into at least one induction heater. In one aspect of the present teachings, two induction heaters are used. In block2204, the workpieces can be heated by the induction heaters. In block2206, the temperature of the workpieces can be measured. Depending on whether measured temperature is within an acceptable temperature range or not, the workpiece can either be discharged as done in block2208, for example by discharging the workpiece into a chute for collection and further processing, or can be provided to the die feeder118in block2210. According to one aspect of the present teachings, a die feeder118such as that described herein having two workpiece receptacles806can be used to supply workpieces simultaneously to a plurality of first station dies122having a common die shape, for example as done in block2212. In block2214, the workpieces in the first station dies can be formed simultaneously, such as occurs when the forging press100forms workpieces in the first station dies122. In block2216, the workpieces formed in block2212can be provided to a plurality of second station dies having a common die shape. In block2216, the workpieces formed in the second station dies can be removed from the second station dies. Such removal can be performed, for example, by discharger136.

For the purposes of this disclosure and unless otherwise specified, “a” or “an” means “one or more.” To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). Also, to the extent that the terms “in” or “into” are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to additionally mean “on” or “onto.” As used herein, “about” will be understood by persons skilled in the art and will vary to some extent depending upon the context in which it is used. If there are uses of the term which are not clear to persons skilled in the art, given the context in which it is used, “about” will mean up to plus or minus 10% of the particular term. From about A to B is intended to mean from about A to about B, where A and B are the specified values.

While the present disclosure illustrates various aspects of the present teachings, and while these aspects have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the claimed invention to such detail. In light of the disclosure, additional advantages and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's claimed invention. Moreover, the foregoing aspects of the present teachings are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application.