Roller with compound angle flange

Abstract

An inner roller used for roll forming pipe elements has a flange extending radially from a body. The flange has a surface divided into annular surface portions. The surface portions have orientation angles measured relatively to the axis of rotation of the inner roller. The orientation angles of surface portions farther from the body have greater orientation angles than the surface portions nearer to the body to mitigate adverse frictional effects between the pipe element and the flange during roll forming.

Claims

1. A roller for roll forming pipe elements, said roller comprising: a body rotatable about an axis; a flange extending circumferentially about said body and projecting radially outwardly therefrom relative to said axis, said flange comprising a surface having at least a first surface portion oriented angularly with respect to said axis at a first orientation angle, and a second surface portion oriented angularly with respect to said axis at a second orientation angle; wherein said body comprises an outer surface having at least one raised feature extending radially outwardly therefrom, a border between said first surface portion and said second surface portion positioned radially beyond said at least one raised feature.

2. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said body is substantially cylindrical in shape, said axis being co-axial with a longitudinal axis thereof.

3. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said flange has a circular perimeter.

4. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said first and second surface portions are contiguous with one another.

5. The roller according to claim 4, wherein each of said first and second surface portions has an annular shape.

6. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said first surface portion has an annular shape.

7. The roller according to claim 1, where said second surface portion has an annular shape.

8. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said first surface portion is positioned closer to said body than said second surface portion.

9. The roller according to claim 8, wherein said first orientation angle is from about 91 to about 93.

10. The roller according to claim 8, wherein said first orientation angle is about 92.

11. The roller according to claim 8, wherein said second orientation angle is from about 93 to about 96.

12. The roller according to claim 8, wherein said second orientation angle is about 95.

13. The roller according to claim 8, wherein said flange comprises a third surface portion positioned closer to said body than said first surface portion, said third surface portion having an orientation angle of about 90 relatively to said axis, a border between said third surface portion and said first surface portion positioned radially beyond said at least one raised feature.

14. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said body comprises an outer surface having a plurality of said raised features extending outwardly therefrom.

15. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said at least one raised feature comprises a cylindrical surface.

16. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said at least one raised feature comprises a conical surface.

17. The roller according to claim 1, comprising two of said raised features extending circumferentially about said body and positioned in spaced apart relation to one another along said axis.

18. The roller according to claim 1, wherein said at least one raised feature comprises a knurled surface facing radially outwardly relative to said axis.

19. An apparatus for roll forming pipe elements using a roller according to claim 1.

20. A roller for roll forming pipe elements, said roller comprising: a substantially cylindrical body rotatable about an axis coaxial with a longitudinal axis thereof; a substantially circular flange extending circumferentially about said body and projecting radially outwardly therefrom relative to said axis, said flange comprising a surface having at least a first surface portion oriented angularly with respect to said axis at a first orientation angle, and a second surface portion oriented angularly with respect to said axis at a second orientation angle, said first surface portion being closer to said body than said second surface portion, said first orientation angle being less than said second orientation angle, said first and second surface portions being contiguous with one another; wherein said substantially cylindrical body comprises an outer surface having at least one raised feature extending radially outwardly therefrom, a border between said first surface portion and said second surface portion positioned radially beyond said at least one raised feature.

21. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said first orientation angle is from about 91 to about 93.

22. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said second orientation angle is from about 93 to about 96.

23. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said first orientation angle is about 92.

24. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said second orientation angle is about 95.

25. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said flange comprises a third surface portion positioned closer to said body than said first surface portion, said third surface portion having an orientation angle of about 90 relatively to said axis, said third surface portion being contiguous with said first surface portion; wherein a border between said third surface portion and said first surface portion positioned radially beyond said at least one raised feature.

26. The roller according to claim 25, wherein each of said first, second and third surface portions has an annular shape.

27. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said first surface portion has an annular shape.

28. The roller according to claim 20, where said second surface portion has an annular shape.

29. The roller according to claim 20, wherein said body comprises an outer surface having plurality of raised features extending outwardly therefrom.

30. The roller according to claim 20, comprising at least two of said raised features extending circumferentially about said body and positioned in spaced apart relation to one another along said axis.

31. The roller according to claim 30, wherein said at least two of said raised features comprise knurled surfaces facing radially outwardly relative to said axis.

32. An apparatus for roll forming pipe elements using a roller according to claim 20.

33. A roller for roll forming pipe elements, said roller comprising: a body rotatable about an axis; a flange extending circumferentially about said body and projecting radially outwardly therefrom relative to said axis, said flange comprising a curved surface having a center of curvature such that said curved surface retreats away from an end of one of said pipe elements engaging said flange.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial sectional side view of a roller for roll forming pipe elements according to the prior art;

(2) FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial top views of a roller for roll forming pipe elements according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an example apparatus for roll forming pipe elements using rollers according to the present invention;

(4) FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial sectional side view of example rollers for roll forming pipe elements according to the invention;

(5) FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are partial longitudinal sectional views of example rollers according to the invention; and

(6) FIGS. 7A and 9A are partial cross sectional views of example rollers according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 4 shows an apparatus 24 for roll forming pipe elements, apparatus 24 comprising a housing 26 on which an inner roller 28 according to the invention, and an outer roller 30, are rotatably mounted. Inner roller 28 rotates about rotation axis 32, in this example driven by electrical motor 34. Outer roller 30 is an idler and is mounted on a yoke 36 for rotation about an axis 38, preferably oriented substantially parallel (in both the horizontal and vertical planes) to axis 32 of the inner roller 28. Yoke 36 is movable toward and away from inner roller 28 as illustrated by arrow 40, in this example by a hydraulic actuator 42.

(8) In operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner surface 14a of pipe element 14 is engaged with the inner roller 28, the end of the pipe element preferably engaging the inner roller's flange 44. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, hydraulic actuator 42 moves the outer roller 30 into engagement with the outer surface 14b of pipe element 14. Motor 34 rotates the inner roller 28 about axis 32 while the actuator 42 forces the outer roller 30 against the outer surface 14b of the pipe element 14, thereby roll forming a circumferential groove 45 in the pipe element, the outer roller 30 rotating about its axis 38 as an idler and the pipe element 14 rotating about its longitudinal axis 12.

(9) FIGS. 7 and 8 show partial sectional views of an example embodiment of an inner roller 28 according to the invention. Inner roller 28 comprises a body 46 rotatable about axis 32, body 46 being substantially cylindrical in cross section with the axis 32 being substantially coaxial with the body longitudinal axis. As shown in FIG. 7, body 46 has an outer surface 48 with two raised features 50 and 52 extending outwardly therefrom. The raised features 50 and 52 are positioned in spaced relation to one another along axis 32. Raised features 50 and 52 may have knurled surfaces 54 facing radially outwardly relative to the axis 32. The knurled surfaces 54 provide purchase and mitigate slipping between the inner surface 14a of the pipe element 14 and the inner, driven roller 28. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 the raised features 50 and 52 describe a cylindrical surface. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the raised features 50a and 52a are conical and lie in a common conical surface.

(10) Flange 44 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 has a perimeter 56 and extends circumferentially about body 46. Perimeter 56 may be circular by way of example. The flange 44 projects radially outwardly from body 46 relative to axis 32. Flange 44 comprises a surface 58 having a first surface portion 60 and a second surface portion 62. In this example the first and second surface portions 60 and 62 are contiguous with one another, with the first surface portion 60 being positioned closer to the body 46 than the second surface portion 62. As shown in FIG. 7A, the first and second surface portions 60 and 62 have an annular shape. With reference again to FIGS. 7 and 8, first surface portion 60 is angularly oriented relatively to axis 32, having an orientation angle 64 which may range from about 91 to about 93. An orientation angle 64 of about 92 is expected to be advantageous. Second surface portion 62 is also angularly oriented with respect to axis 32 and has an orientation angle 66 greater than angle 64. Orientation angles 66 may range from about 93 to about 96 with an orientation angle of about 95 expected to be advantageous. When the first and second surface portions take an annular form, they may have widths of about 0.18 to about 0.5 inches with 0.375 being thought advantageous. It is found worthwhile to establish the width of the surface portions in relation to the thickness of pipe element to be processed.

(11) FIG. 9 shows another example embodiment of an inner roller 68 according to the invention. Inner roller 68 comprises a body 70 rotatable about an axis 72, body 70 being substantially cylindrical in shape with the axis 72 being substantially coaxial with the cylinder longitudinal axis. Body 70 has an outer surface 74 with two raised features 76 and 78 extending outwardly therefrom. The raised features 76 and 78 are positioned in spaced relation to one another along axis 72. Raised features 76 and 78 may have knurled surfaces 80 facing radially outwardly relative to the axis 72. The knurled surfaces 80 provide purchase and mitigate slipping between the inner surface of the pipe element 14 and the inner, driven roller 68.

(12) A flange 82 shown in FIG. 9 has a perimeter 84 and extends circumferentially about body 70. Perimeter 84 may be circular by way of example. The flange 82 projects radially outwardly from body 70 relative to axis 72. Flange 82 comprises a surface 86 comprising a first surface portion 88, a second surface portion 90 and a third surface portion 92. The first surface portion 88 is positioned closer to the body 70 than the second surface portion 90. The third surface portion 92 is positioned closer to body 70 than the first surface portion 88. In this example the first and second surface portions 88 and 90 are contiguous with one another, and the first and third surface portions 88 and 92 are contiguous with one another. As shown in FIG. 9A, the first, second and third surface portions 88, 90 and 92 have an annular shape. With reference again to FIG. 9, first surface portion 88 is angularly oriented relatively to axis 72, having an orientation angle 94 which may range from about 91 to about 93. An orientation angle of about 92 is expected to be advantageous. Second surface portion 90 is also angularly oriented with respect to axis 72 and has an orientation angle 96 greater than angle 94. Orientation angles 96 may range from about 93 to about 96 with an orientation angle of about 95 expected to be advantageous. Third surface portion 92 has an orientation angle 98 of about 90 and may extend radially from the outer surface 74 of body 70 to form an annulus.

(13) FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of an inner roller 100 wherein the flange 102 has a curved surface 104. Curved surface 104 has a radius of curvature 106 positioned so that the surface 104 retreats away from the end of a pipe element engaged with the inner roller 100 as the surface moves away from the axis of rotation 108 of the body 110 comprising inner roller 100.

(14) It has been found that inner rollers according to the invention permit the use of a broader range of left skewed orientation angles between the longitudinal axis of the pipe element and the rotational axis of the inner roller for clockwise rotation of the inner roller. The orientation angles of the flange surface portions reduce the area of contact between the pipe end and the flange and permit more aggressive tracking to keep the pipe element engaged with the rollers while also mitigating the adverse frictional effects between the pipe end and the flange of the inner roller otherwise associated with overly left skewed orientation angles in a horizontal plane.