APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VANES FOR A VANE WHEEL OF A FLOW MACHINE

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a two-part mould (3, 3a), in which the vane (2) is shaped to a desired profile shape. The base section of the vane blank is left outside the mould. A twisting tool (4) grips this base section (2a). In accordance with the invention, the twisting tool (4) has elements, preferably a spacer plate (6), which has such a mating surface or mating surfaces which can be fitted against the side surface of the end side of the base section (2a) of the vane (2). Then, in accordance with the invention, the base section (2a) of the vane (2) is, during the twist, held precisely in position in the cleft (5). A spacer plate (6) in accordance with the invention prevents the gravity axis of the base section (2a) from moving during the twist. The spacer plate (6) of the twisting tool (4) can be changed according to the size of the vane.

Description: Apparatus for maπuf cturing vanes for a vane wheel of a flew iinciiine An apparatus for maπufacturing vanes for a vane wheel of a flow machine, cσirprising a press with mould halves for giving the blank for a vane a desired profile, which apparatus comprises pitch- angle shaping equipment comprising a twisting tool, at whose mσuld- side end there is a cleft, into vzhich the base section of the vane can be inserted, vftiereat the i sting tool is arranged to turn in such a way that the base section of the vane may be twisted to a desired angle with respect to the blade section of the vane. pram, the Finnish Patent Publication 46919 we know an apparatus for ιt-__ufaσturing vanes for vane wheels of an axial flow machine, which apparatus comprises a two-part mould for shaping the blade area of the vane. The mould comprises two mould halves, of which the top one can be moved hydraulically by means of a press device. press ram presses the top half of the mould against the bottom half. The blade section of the vane is shaped in the gap between the two mould halves. When pressing the blade section into shape between the pressing tools the base section of the vane is left outside the pressing tools. The apparatus comprises a fork-shaped twisting tool, which may be -_ntroduced around the base section of the vane, and with which the base section of the vane may be turned to a desired angle with respect to the blade section. A drawback of the known apparatus is that the base section of the vane is not held in place in the cleft of the fork-shaped twisting tool during the twist but tends to slip to either side of the cleft. Acx»rding to this invention, the problem is solved by preventing the movement of the base section of the vane in the cleft during the twist. The cleft of the fork-shaped twisting tool is formed with elements whose shapes correspond to the shape of the end side of the base section of the vane blank at least partially. Therefore, during the twist, the base section of the vane will be precisely held in position in the cleft of the fork-shaped tool. The principal characteristic feature of the invention is that such equipment is arranged into the cleft of the twist__ng tool which at least partially correspond to the shape of the end side of the base section of the vane blank in order to hold the base section of the vane blank in position in the cleft during the twist of the base section. The invention will now be described with reference to the attached figures. Fig. 1 illustrates a part of the vane wheel of an axial blower seen from the direction of the air inlet. Fig. 2 is a side view of a vane shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a vane shown in Fig. 1 seen frαα the hub direction. Fig. 4 is a partially sectioned side view of an apparatus in accord¬ ance with the invention. Fig. 5 is a tcp view of an apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 shows a mould for shaping the base section of the vane, seen tram, the end of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 illustrates the design of a twisting tool for twisting the base section of a vane axonαmetrically and as an explosion view. In Fig. 1, reference number 1 refers to the hub piece of a vane -vrtieel, to which vanes 2, of which only two are illustrated, are fastened by welding or riveting. In Fig. 1, figure abcdefg, par- tially shown with phantom lines, illustrates the shape of the vane blank before it is shaped with an apparatus in accordance with the invention. Fig. abc'd'e'f'g, illustrated with continuous lines, illustrates the shaped vane. Section c'd'e'f'h' illustrates the blade section of the vane, to vMch the mculd gives a hy-taadynami- cally favourable shape, for instance a cylindrical shape. Part abhg illustrates the fastening surface of the vane, which in this case is a flat surface, and which will be fastened to the hub piece 1. Parts bc'h and gf'h of the vane illustrate parts of the plate left between the blade section of the vane and the fastening surface, which parts are approximately triangular and, when the moulds are twisted with respect to each other, are, with respect to the plane of the fastening surface, turned an angle that equals to the desired vane angle. Fig. 2 shows the projection of the vane seen from the hub; the angle «< marked in the projection means the angle between the chord drawn on the profile of the base section of the vane and tϊie ' fastening plane. In an apparatus illustrated in Figs 4,5 and 6 there is a two-part vane-shaping mould 3,3a, -iich shapes the blade area c'd'e'f'h of the vane (Fig. 1) . Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the mould 3,3a and the vane 2. Fig. 6 shows mould 3,3a seen from the end of the apparatus; in this figure one can see the gap 17 between the mould halves 3 and 3a, in which gap said blade section of the vane is shaped. In the embodiment ϋlustrated in Fig. 4 the bottom mould 3a is fastened to a lower base 13, and the top mould 3 is fastened to a vertically-inσving table 14. This table 14 is moved for instance by means of a hydraulic press 15, whose piston is referred to by 16. The apparatus also comprises a twisting tool 4 in accordance with the invention, which tool has, at its workpiece-end, a cleft 5. The twisting tool 4 lias, at its work-piece end, the cleft 5, into which the base section 2a of the vane 2 can be inserted for holding it in position when twisting the base section 2a of the vane 2 for giving the vane 2 the desired vane angle <•>< . Thus the twisting tool 4 is a fork-shaped tool, and the base section of the vane can be inserted into the cleft between its fork parts for twisting. The elements located within the cleft 5 have a mating surface mating the end side 2b of the base section 2a of the vane blank, in accord¬ ance with the invention. This mating surface prevents the base section 2a of the vane blank 2 front moving in the deft during twisting. The elements in question have a holding and guiding influence so that the gravity axis of the base section 2a of the vane is held exactly in position during the twist. The elements in accordance with the invention may be so made up that the shape of the mating surfaces corresponds to the shape of the end sides 2b of the base section 2a of the vane 2 at least partially. This mating surface can be positioned on that side of the base of the vane only which tends to be more worked up during twisting. Then said mating surface prevents the base section from sliding to the side in question. Said holding and centering elements preferably comprise a spacer plate 6, which has a mating .surface 6a or mating surfaces corresponding to the shape of the end sides or end side 2b of the base section 2a of the vane 2. The twisting tool 4 cα__- prises twisting jaws 9a and 9b, a frame 8 of the twisting jaws, and a shaft 7, which can be by means of actuating equipment made move in the direction of the axis - j _ and turned around it. The spacer plate 6 in accordance with the invention can be positioned between the detachable jaws 9a and 9b of the twisting tool 4. The spacer plate 6 has borings for the mounting screw 10. The jaws 9a and 9b also have borings for the mounting screw 10. The twisting tool 4 has the frame section 8 for the jaws 9a and 9b which frame section 8 can be fastened to the shaft 7. It comprises a cylindrical section 8a located on the center boring and an adjacent protruding section 8b. The prαtoiding section 8b can have borings for fasteners or suitably for screws 10, or it may have fastening threads for screws 10. A spacer plate 6 in accordance with the invention may be positioned between the jaws 9a and 9b. The thickness of the spacer plate 6 is slightly larger than the plate-thickness of the base section of the vane 2 being shaped. The spacer plate will always be selected according to the size of the vane. Thus there will be a cleft 5 or gap between the jaws 9a and 9b corresponding to the desired vane size. The shape of the end side 6a of the spacer plate 6 at least par¬ tially matches the shape of the end sides 2b of the base section 2a of the vane 2 being shaped. The spacer plates 6 can be changed according to the shapes of the base sections 2a of the vanes 2 and according to the vane sheet thicknesses. The spacer plate 6 can be so shaped that the shape of its end side 6a only partially matches the shape of the end sides of the base section 2a of the vane 2. Said spacer plate 6 keeps the base section 2a exactly in position in the cleft 5 between the jaws 9a and 9b during the twist. The drawback of the Prior Art, that the base section 2a slided laterally in the cleft 5, is now el__minated by the solution in accordance with the invention. The gravity axis of the base section 2a and the base section 2a itself is thus held in position in the cleft 5 during the twist, and there is no lateral sliding of the base section 2a in the cleft during the twist. The jaws 9a and 9b and the spacer plate 6 are so shaped that their end surfaces border on the vertical wall section 8σ of the frame part 8a. The twisting jaw 9a, the spacer plate 6 and the twisting jaw 9b are suitably with bolts 10 pressed against the mating surface 8d of the protruding part 8b of the frame part 8. Moreover, the frame part 8 can be fastened to the shaft section 7 of the twisting tool 4. At its ends, the shaft section 7 has longitudinal splines 7c. The frame part 8 has a central opening, which also has grooves 8e mating the splines 7σ. Therefore the frame part 8 can be turned to different angles on the shaft 7. The shaft 7 also has a groove 7b, to which the fastening equipment, preferably circular fastening plates 11, can be fitted. Screws 12 can be suitably inserted through borings in the fastening plates 11, which screws can be screwed into the threaded borings of the frame part 8. Thus the frame part 8 can also axially be fastened to the shaft 7. The jaws 9a and 9b are so shaped that the cleft between the jaws will be slightly slcping with respect to the horizontal. Thus the center of gravity of the vane 2 is brought closer to the center axis of the base of the vane. This will further ι_in__mize loadings due to centrifugal force on the base section of the vane when the vane is rotating. The twisting jaws 9a,9b of the twisting tool 4, the frame 8 of the twisting jaws and the shaft 7 can be axially moved by means of a thrust press 20, whose ram is specified by reference number 21. Said axial movement is guided by bearings 18 and 19. In Fig. 5, the position of the twisting tool 4 corresponding to the aσtual working position is shown with phantom lines. The twisting tool 4 with twisting jaws 9a and 9b can be further turned around the axis - j _ with a lever 22 fastened to the twisting tool 4 and with a press 23 moving said lever 22. Number 24 refers to the piston of the press 23. The blade section cdef of the vane blank cut from sheet is placed en top of the mould half 3a, and the blank is pressed to the shape of the gap 17 with the tcp mould 3. The twisting jaws 9a and 9b are pushed with the press 20 around the base section 2a of the vane blank 2, around the fastening surface abgh as illustrated in Fig. 1. The twisting jaws 9 are turned or twisted with the lever 22 and the press 23 around their longitudinal axis x_ up to the desired vane angle σ< . The movement of the piston 24 can be ad¬ justed, thus providing the shaped vane surface with different vane angles appropriate for each purpose. The twisting tool 4 can be fitted with elements with which its turning direction can be made opposite thus making it possible to manufacture vanes for both ri t-handed and left-handed vane wheels. With the same apparatus, using different culds, it is possible to πianufacture vanes of varying shapes and sizes from sheet giving the vanes vane angles o corresponding each vane wheel type. The gap 17 of the press mould 3,3a shwn in Fig. 6 can also have the shape of same other hydi-odynamically favourable surface. The shape of the twisting jaws 9 can also vary; it can for instance be similarly a two-part mould, which, of course, must however be rotatable with respect to the mould 3,3a. The elements moving the moulds and the twisting jaws may have some other known design than the one mentioned in the example. The apparatus can of course be automated with means known as such. Fig. 7 illustrates another embodiment of an arrangement of devices in accordance with the invention. Shown are the twisting jaws 9a and 9b located on top of the protruding part 8b of the frame 8 in accordance with the invention, and the spacer plate 6, which has, for clarity, been slightly separated from between the twisting jaws 9a and 9b. The spacer plate 6 has mating surfaces 6a for holding the base section 2a of the vane 2 in position in the cleft 5 during the twist. The end surfaces 2b of the base section 2a of the vane 2 will be positioned against the mating surfaces 6a of the spacer plate 6. The base section of the vane 2 will then be held in position in the cleft 5. The shaft 7 is shown in Fig. 7 with pil_--_r_tαm lines.

Claims: Claims 1. An apparatus for manufacturing vanes for a vane wheel of a flow machine, comprising a press with mould halves (3,3a) for giving the blank for a vane a desired profile, which apparatus comprises pitch-angle shaping equipment cαrprising a twisting tool (4) , at whose mouldside end there is a cleft (5) , into which the base section (2a) of the vane (2) can be inserted, vΛiereat the twisting tool (4) is arranged to turn in such a way that the base section (2a) of the vane may be twisted to a desired angle with respect to the blade section of the vane (2) , characterized in that such equipment is arranged into the cleft (5) of the twisting tool (4) vfaich at least partially correspond to the shape of the end side (2b) of the base section (2a) of the vane blank (2) in order to hold the base section (2a) of the vane blank (2) in position in the cleft (5) during the twist of the base section (2a) . 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the elements for holding the base section (2a) in position during the twist comprise a spacer plate (6), vfaich has a mating surface (6a) or mating surfaces (6a) , which are arranged to came against the edge surface of the end side (2b) of the base section (2a) of the vane (2) . 3. An apparatus in accordar.ee with claim 2, characterized in that the spacer plate (6) is arranged to be detachably fastened to the twisting tool (4) . 4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the spacer plate (6) is arranged to be fastened to the frame part (8) arranged to the end of the twisting shaft (7) of the twisting tool (4), between the tw_Lsting jaws (9a,9b) fitted into the frame part (8) . 5. An apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 4, character¬ ized in that the frame part (8) is arranged to be detachably fastened to the twisting shaft (7) of the twisting tool (4) at different angle positions. 6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that several axial fastening splines (7c) are arranged at the end of the twisting shaft (7) of the twisting tool (4) , with which the frame part (8) is arranged to be fastened to the twisting shaft (7) at different angle positions. 7. An apparatus in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, character¬ ized in that the twisting shaft (7) of the twisting tool (4) has a groove (7b) for fastening the frame part (8) to the twisting shaft (7) by means of fastening devices brought into the groove (7) . 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that a fastening ring (11) is fitted into the groove (7b) and that the fastening ring (11) is also fastened with screws (12) to the frame part (8) .

Inventors: HEINONEN MARTTI, HEINONEN, MARTTI
Applicants: HEINONEN MARTTI, HEINONEN, MARTTI
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B21D53
IPC codes: B21D53