FORMING METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SPLINING POWER TRANSMISSION MEMBERS

摘要

A method and machine for splining a power transmission member by rolling are disclosed as well as the resultant splined member. An externally toothed pinion-type mandrel of the machine is rotatably mounted between a pair of elongated dies. An unsplined member is supported by the mandrel so that sliding movement of the elongated dies from an end-to-end relationship to an overlapping relationship meshes teeth on the dies and the teeth on the mandrel with a thin-walled annular sleeve portion of the member therebetween. The meshing of the die and mandrel teeth deforms the sleeve portion of the member radially to form the splines and also rotates the mandrel to complete the spline forming operation about the total circumference of the member. The mandrel may be removably mounted in a manner that permits a pair of the members to be simultaneously splined by a single stroke of the elongated dies. The mandrel and one of the dies include synchronizing teeth that are directly meshed with each other to synchronize the commencement of mandrel rotation with the commencement of die movement. The die teeth are sized to form the splines radially in a unique progressive manner and have tooth forms that prevent slippage between the dies and the sleeve portion being splined. Also, the teeth may form the lengths of the splines progressively to lessen the maximum tooth load and thereby increase the die life. The splined member has relatively tough splines and an end mounting wall that is maintained flat during the spline rolling.