Multi-function mould for processing a steel strip and method for producing a washing machine drum

Abstract

A mould for processing a metal panel by means of a hydraulic press includes a forming punch and a forming die, provided on their operating surfaces with corresponding hole patterns, a set of tubular deep-drawing punches disposed in the forming punch and movable relative thereto to protrude through its holes, a set of tubular deep-drawing dies disposed in the forming die in correspondence with its holes, and a set of blanking punches sized to be smoothly guided along the axial holes of the deep-drawing tools. The relative method of operation involves sequentially closing the mould, lowering the deep-drawing punches, lowering the blanking punches, raising the deep-drawing punches, raising the blanking punches and opening the mould.

1 . A mould for a hydraulic press comprising:
 a movable upper part provided with means for coupling to a ram of said hydraulic press;   a fixed lower part provided with means for coupling to a base of said hydraulic press;   a first element of a moulding tool fixed to said movable upper part and provided in its operating surface with a hole pattern;   a second element of a moulding tool fixed to said stationary lower part and provided in its operating surface with a hole pattern corresponding to said hole pattern of said first element;   a first set of tools arranged at least partially in the first element of the moulding tool and movable with respect thereto to protrude through its holes;   a second set of tools disposed in said second element of the moulding tool in correspondence with its holes; and   mechanisms for operating said first set of tools between a working position, wherein said tools protrude inferiorly from the first element, and a rest position, wherein said tools do not protrude inferiorly from the first element;   the first set of tools consisting of blanking comprising deep-drawing punches having a tubular structure and provided with a bottom end shaped to obtain a specific deep-drawing profile;   the second set of tools comprising deep-drawing dies having a tubular structure with a top entrance hole and provided with a flat top or a top shaped to be complementary to said bottom end of the deep-drawing punches; the mould further comprising   a third set of tools disposed at least partially in the first element of the moulding tool and movable with respect thereto to protrude through its holes, said third set of tools comprising blanking punches dimensioned to be smoothly guided along the axial holes of the tools of the first and second sets of tools,   mechanisms for operating the third set of tools between a working position, wherein the tools protrude inferiorly from the first element of the moulding tool and the deep-drawing punches, and a rest position, wherein the tools do not protrude inferiorly from the first element of the moulding tool and the deep-drawing punches, said first element of the moulding tool being a forming punch and said second element of the moulding tool being a forming die.   
     
     
         2 . The mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom end of the deep-drawing punches has a shape chosen from hemisphere, truncated cone and circular paraboloid. 
     
     
         3 . The mould according to  claim 1 , wherein the blanking punches have an upper portion having a larger diameter, which corresponds substantially to the inner diameter of the deep-drawing punches, and a lower portion having a smaller diameter, which corresponds substantially to the diameter of the entrance hole of the deep-drawing dies.
 The mould according to  claim 2 , wherein the blanking punches have an upper portion having a larger diameter, which corresponds substantially to the inner diameter of the deep-drawing punches, and a lower portion having a smaller diameter, which corresponds substantially to the diameter of the entrance hole of the deep-drawing dies.