IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO METHODS OF AND/OR APPARATUS FOR FLANGING TUBE ENDS

摘要

A machine has pivotal inner (22) and outer (30) forming tools which flange one end of a thin metal tube (21) specifically to form a rotatable drum for laundry machines. The tools are actuated by hydraulic rams and the rams are actuated at different rates of movement under the control of a computer so that as forming is effected by moving both sets of tools from dispositions on a cylinder to dispositions on a disc the inner forming tools (22) have their pivot points (24) changed relative to pivot points (31) of the outer forming tools (30) resulting in relative sliding between inner and outer forming tools. The flange formed has two sets of ribs one set extending outwardly away from the tube (21) and the other set extending inwardly within the tube (21) and parts of the flange between adjacent ribs lying in a plane substantially at right angles to the wall of the tube (21).