Wheel rim production method

Abstract

Generally, a wheel rim production method in accordance with the invention includes the steps of obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy, preferably aluminum alloy, that has a cross-section of a wheel rim; heat treating the length of heat treatable metal alloy; winding or otherwise shaping the heat-treated length of metal alloy into a ring, leaving free ends in the ring forming a ring gap between the free ends; preparing the free ends of the ring for providing mating surfaces for welding; welding the mating surfaces of the ring, preferably using electron beam welding, to form a completed wheel rim; and finishing the completed wheel rim to achieve desired wheel rim parameters. In accordance additional aspects of the invention, additional steps can be carried out prior to obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LETTERS PATENT of the United States is as follows:  
     
         1 . A wheel rim production method, comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim,    heat treating the length of heat treatable metal alloy, forming the heat-treated length of metal alloy into a ring, leaving free ends in the ring forming a ring gap between the free ends,    preparing the free ends of the ring for providing mating surfaces for welding,    welding the mating surfaces of the ring to form a completed wheel rim, and    finishing the completed wheel rim to achieve desired wheel rim parameters.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of: 
 prior to obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim, heating a quantity of metal alloy, and, from the quantity of heated metal alloy, extruding a length of heat treatable metal alloy into an extruded length of heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of: 
 prior to obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim, obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy,    shaping the length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy into a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of: 
 prior to obtaining a length of extruded heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim, extruding heat treatable metal alloy into an extruded coil of heat treatable metal alloy that has a cross-section of a wheel rim,    cutting off a portion of the extruded coil, and    straightening the cut off portion.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of trimming the ring prior to welding.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the heat treatable metal alloy is an aluminum alloy.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the length of metal alloy is heat treated in a temperature-controlled oven.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said heat treating the length of heat treatable metal alloy includes a first temperature-controlled heat treating stage followed by a second temperature-controlled heat treating stage.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second temperature-controlled heat treating stage includes artificial aging.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said shaping includes moving a quantity of heat-treated length metal alloy through a die assembly.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said shaping includes pinch rolling the heat-treated length of metal alloy.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said shaping includes pinch rolling between complimentary contoured rollers.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said shaping is carried out by cold forming.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein forming of the shaped length of metal alloy into a ring allows for extra length necessary for final trimming.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said trimming of the ring prior to welding is carried out by first placing the ring into a fixture.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein preparing the free ends to provide mating surfaces includes preparing the free ends so that the mating surfaces include openings no deeper than 0.005 inch in each mating surface.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein welding the mating surfaces of the ring to form a completed wheel rim is carried out under vacuum conditions.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the vacuum conditions are maintained in a vacuum chamber.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the vacuum chamber is maintained at a vacuum pressure of 10 −4  Torr or less.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein welding is carried out by means of electron beam welding.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein welding is carried out by means of tungsten inert gas welding in a vacuum chamber.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein preparing the free ends of the ring for providing mating surfaces for welding includes providing bevelled surfaces on the free ends.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein welding is carried out by means of dip brazing welding.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the width of the ring gap depends upon the method of welding that is employed.  
     
     
         25 . The wheel rim made by the method of  claim 1.