Patent ID: 7249479

Claim:
Apparatus ( 1 ) for forming thin-walled material from an essentially flat piece of material ( 2 ) into a sleeve-like body ( 20 ), with two forming dies ( 3 , 4 ), at least one of which is configured to be able to move into position against the other one, wherein at least one of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) is pivoted around a fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) and wherein each of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) has an end facing the fulcrum ( 5 ) and an end facing away from the fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ), with fingers ( 6 , 7 ) which engage between each other and which are provided at the end of each of the two forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) facing the fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) and with centering elements ( 8 , 9 ) which are located at the end of each of the two forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) facing away from the fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ), wherein the clearance between the centering elements ( 8 , 9 ), when the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) are open, is so large that the clearance accommodates the flat piece of material ( 2 ) to be formed between the centering elements ( 8 , 9 ) and wherein during the forming process, when the at least one of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) is pivoted around the fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ), front faces ( 21 , 22 ) of the relevant ends of the piece of material ( 2 ) facing away from the fulcrum ( 5 ) of the forming dies ( 3 , 4 ) rest against the centering elements ( 8 , 9 ), which thereby specify and fix the position of the seam of the body that forms.