Claims
- 1. A mandrel for spin forming partial vehicle wheel rims, the mandrel comprising:a first portion having a first shape, said first shape including a cylindrical portion adapted to form a cylindrical end portion of a first partial wheel rim, said first portion adapted for spin forming a first portion of a metal hoop into a first partial wheel rim having a shape corresponding to said first shape of said first mandrel portion, said first partial wheel rim including a cylindrical end portion which is adapted for attachment to a first full face wheel disc, said full face wheel disc including an outboard tire bead retaining flange; and a second portion having a second shape, said second shape including a cylindrical portion adapted to form a cylindrical end portion of a second partial wheel rim, said second portion adapted for spin forming a second portion of said metal hoop into a second partial wheel rim having a shape corresponding to said second shape of said second mandrel portion, said second partial wheel rim including a cylindrical end portion which is adapted for attachment to a second full face wheel disc, said full face wheel disc including an outboard tire bead retaining flange, whereby two two-piece wheels can be formed from the two partial wheel rims formed upon the mandrel.
- 2. A mandrel according to claim 1 wherein said second mandrel portion is symmetrical to said first mandrel portion, whereby said second vehicle wheel rim formed on said second mandrel portion has the same shape as said first vehicle wheel rim formed upon said first mandrel portion.
- 3. A mandrel according to claim 1 wherein said second mandrel portion is asymmetrical to said first mandrel portion, whereby said second vehicle wheel rim formed on said second mandrel portion has a different shape from said first vehicle wheel rim formed upon said first mandrel portion.
- 4. A mandrel according to claim 3 wherein said first and second portions of said mandrel are shaped to form a double wheel rim having a central deep well portion and an outboard tire retaining flange formed on each end thereof.
- 5. A mandrel according to claim 4 wherein said deep well portion is axially offset such that said first wheel rim formed thereon has a first width and said second wheel rim formed thereon has a second width, said first width being different from said second width.
- 6. A mandrel according to claim 3 wherein said first portion has a first end adapted to form an outboard end of a first partial wheel rim and a second end adapted to form at least a portion of a deepwell of said first partial wheel rim, said deepwell portion of said first partial wheel rim having a first diameter and further wherein said second portion has a first end adapted to form at least a portion of a deepwell of a second partial wheel rim and a second end adapted to form an outboard end of said second partial wheel rim, said deepwell portion of said second partial wheel rim having a second diameter which is different from said first diameter.
- 7. A mandrel according to claim 6 wherein said second end of said first mandrel portion is adjacent to said first end of said second mandrel portion.
- 8. A mandrel according to claim 6 wherein said second end of said first mandrel portion is adjacent to said second end of said second mandrel portion.
- 9. An apparatus for forming partial vehicle wheel rims comprising:a spin forming machine; a mandrel mounted upon said spin forming machine, said mandrel including a first portion having a first shape, said first shape including a cylindrical portion adapted to form a cylindrical end portion of a first partial wheel rim, and a second portion having a second shape, said second shape also including a cylindrical portion adapted to form a cylindrical end portion of a second partial wheel rim; at least one forming roller adapted to spin form a hoop of metal over said mandrel to form a double wheel rim, said double wheel rim including a first portion shaped to conform to said first shape of said first portion of said mandrel, said first portion including a first cylindrical end portion, said double wheel rim also including a second portion shaped to conform to said second shape of said second portion of said mandrel, said second portion including a second cylindrical end portion; and a cutting roller adapted to split said double wheel rim into first and second partial wheel rims, said first partial wheel rim corresponding to said first portion of said double wheel rim and including said first cylindrical end portion, said first cylindrical end portion being adapted for attachment to a first full face wheel disc, said first full face wheel disc including an outboard tire bead retaining flange, said second partial wheel rim corresponding to said second portion of said double wheel rim and including said second cylindrical end portion, said second cylindrical end portion being adapted for attachment to a second full face wheel disc, said full face wheel disc including an outboard tire bead retaining flange, whereby two two-piece wheels can be formed from the two partial wheel rims formed upon the sin forming machine.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second portion of said mandrel is symmetrical to said first portion of said mandrel, whereby said second vehicle wheel rim formed on said second mandrel portion has the same shape as said first vehicle wheel rim formed upon said first mandrel portion.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second portion of said mandrel is asymmetrical to said first portion of said mandrel, whereby said second vehicle wheel rim formed on said second mandrel portion has a different shape from said first vehicle wheel rim formed upon said first mandrel portion.
- 12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said first and second portions of said mandrel are shaped to form a double wheel rim having a central deep well portion and an outboard tire retaining flange formed on each end thereof, and further wherein said cutting roller is adapted to split said double wheel rim in said deep well portion to form a first partial wheel rim and a second partial wheel rim.
- 13. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said cutting roller is adapted to split said double wheel rim along a cutting plane which is perpendicular to the axis of said double wheel rim and offset from the center thereof to form a first partial wheel rim having a first width and a second wheel rim having a second width, said first width being different from said second width.
- 14. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said first portion of said mandrel has a first end adapted to form an inboard end of a first partial wheel rim and a second end adapted to form at least a portion of a deepwell of said first partial wheel rim, said deepwell portion of said first partial wheel rim having a first diameter and further wherein said second portion of said mandrel has a first end adapted to form at least a portion of a deepwell of a second partial wheel rim and a second end adapted to form an inboard end of said second partial wheel rim, said deepwell portion of said second partial wheel rim having a second diameter which is different from said first diameter.
- 15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said second end of said first portion of said mandrel is adjacent to said first end of said second portion of said mandrel and said cutting roller is adapted to spit a double rim formed upon said mandrel along a cutting plane which is perpendicular to the axis of said mandrel and passes through said double wheel rim to form said first and second partial wheel rims, said cutting plane passing between said first deepwell portion of said first partial wheel rim and said second deepwell portion of said second partial wheel rim.
- 16. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said second end of said first portion of said mandrel is adjacent to said second end of said second portion of said mandrel and said cutting roller is adapted to spit a double rim formed upon said mandrel along a cutting plane which is perpendicular to the axis of said mandrel and passes through said double wheel rim to form said first and second partial wheel rims, said cutting plane passing between said first deepwell portion of said first partial wheel rim and said outboard end of said second partial wheel rim.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/029,330, which was filed on Oct. 29, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
4-55031 |
Feb 1992 |
JP |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/029330 |
Oct 1996 |
US |