Stainless steel elbow ball passing and shaping device and process

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of stainless steel pipe fitting processing technology. It provides a ball-forming device and process for stainless steel elbows. The ball-forming device includes a frame; a worktable mounted on the frame, with a lower mold rotatably connected to the worktable; a pressing mechanism positioned above the worktable, with its pressing end rotatably connected to an upper mold, forming a clamping space between the upper and lower molds for holding the elbow; a pushing mechanism mounted on the frame, adjacent to the worktable, with its pushing end facing the lower mold and equipped with a universal mandrel; and a ball movable on the frame, located between the lower mold and the pushing mechanism. This technical solution achieves bidirectional ball-forming by changing the direction of the elbow end through mold rotation. It comprehensively corrects problems such as inner wall ellipticity deviation, local wrinkles, and uneven welds generated during bending, avoiding local stress concentration in unidirectional ball-forming, and significantly improving inner diameter roundness and surface quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of stainless steel pipe fitting processing technology, specifically, to a stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment and process. Background Technology

[0002] In the processing of stainless steel elbows, ball forming is a key process for correcting defects in the inner diameter of the bent pipe fitting. It optimizes the roundness and surface quality of the inner diameter through the squeezing action of steel balls on the inner wall of the elbow. However, existing ball forming equipment and processes for stainless steel elbows have significant shortcomings:

[0003] Traditional equipment often uses a unidirectional ball-passing method, which can only compress specific areas of the elbow. It is difficult to fully correct the deviation of the inner wall ellipticity, local wrinkles, or unevenness of the weld area caused by the plastic deformation of the material during the bending process. Especially for small radius bends or thin-walled stainless steel elbows, the shaping effect is difficult to meet the high precision requirements.

[0004] The aforementioned problems make it difficult for existing technologies to effectively address key indicators such as inner diameter roundness and surface finish when performing high-precision ball shaping of stainless steel elbows, thus limiting their application in fields with stringent precision requirements for pipe fittings, such as aerospace and medical devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, embodiments of the present invention provide a stainless steel elbow ball-passing shaping device and process, which solves the technical problem that the shaping effect is not up to standard when performing high-precision elbow ball-passing in the prior art.

[0006] According to one aspect, at least one embodiment of the present invention provides a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device, comprising:

[0007] frame;

[0008] A workbench is mounted on the machine frame, and a lower mold is rotatably connected to the workbench.

[0009] A pressing mechanism is provided, which is raised and lowered above the worktable. The pressing end of the pressing mechanism is rotatably connected to an upper mold. A clamping space for clamping the elbow is formed between the upper mold and the lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are arranged to rotate synchronously to drive the elbow to rotate circumferentially.

[0010] A pushing mechanism is mounted on the frame and adjacent to the worktable. The pushing end of the pushing mechanism faces the lower mold and is equipped with a universal mandrel.

[0011] A sphere is movably mounted on the frame and located between the lower mold and the pushing mechanism. The sphere is arranged to enter the bend from the end of the bend under the pushing action of the universal mandrel to shape the bend.

[0012] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device further includes:

[0013] An upper mold mounting bracket is rotatably mounted on the lower pressing end of the lower pressing mechanism. The upper mold mounting bracket is provided with an upper mold mounting groove, and the upper mold is detachably connected to the upper mold mounting groove.

[0014] A lower mold mounting bracket is rotatably mounted on the worktable. The lower mold mounting bracket is provided with a lower mold mounting groove, and the lower mold is detachably connected to the lower mold mounting groove.

[0015] For example, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device further includes:

[0016] A turntable is rotatably mounted on the frame. The turntable has several circumferentially spaced placement slots for placing the spheres. The turntable is arranged to rotate and move the spheres so that one of the spheres moves between the bend and the jacking mechanism.

[0017] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball shaping device provided in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the turntable and the lower mold mounting frame have their axes coincident, and the ball can be unloaded from inside the bend and placed on the placement groove of the turntable under the pushing action of the pushing mechanism.

[0018] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball shaping device provided by at least one embodiment of the present invention, the turntable has a plurality of lifting support plates, and a plurality of placement slots are correspondingly arranged on the plurality of support plates. The turntable is also provided with anti-roll chambers that are correspondingly sleeved on the outer periphery of the support plates to limit the ball. The bottom of the frame is also provided with a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism has a lifting end that can be lifted and moved. The lifting end of the lifting mechanism can move upward through the turntable and lift the support plates upward to drive the ball to move upward until the center of the ball is at the same height as the axis of the universal mandrel.

[0019] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device provided in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the lower mold mounting frame has a plurality of guide rods extending upward and penetrating through the upper mold mounting frame, and the frame is provided with a rotation drive for driving the lower mold mounting frame to rotate. The guide rods are arranged so that when the rotation drive drives the lower mold mounting frame to rotate, the upper mold mounting frame is simultaneously driven to rotate.

[0020] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball shaping device provided in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the side of the lower mold has a first extension section for connecting with one end of the elbow, the first extension section extends outward in a horizontal direction and can be horizontally aligned with the ball to guide the ball into the elbow.

[0021] A baffle plate is slidably disposed on the lower mold. The baffle plate is disposed adjacent to the other end of the elbow and is used to move closer to or away from the other end of the elbow. An elastic element is provided between the baffle plate and the lower mold mounting frame. The elastic element is used to elastically pull the baffle plate closer to the other end of the elbow to limit the ball from rolling down from the other end of the elbow.

[0022] The baffle plate has a reverse thrust opening, which is used for the universal mandrel to pass through to push the ball back from the other end of the bend to reverse the shape of the bend.

[0023] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device provided in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the blocking plate has a horizontally extending second extension section on the side away from the lower mold mounting frame, and the second extension section is connected to the reverse thrust port for guiding the universal mandrel through the reverse thrust port.

[0024] For example, in a stainless steel elbow ball shaping device provided by at least one embodiment of the present invention, the first extension section has a guide protrusion that protrudes towards the axial side and extends circumferentially. The guide protrusion is located at the end of the first extension section away from the pushing mechanism. The guide protrusion has a guide slope and a positioning surface. The positioning surface is used to abut and position with any end face of the elbow. The guide slope is used to guide the ball from the first extension section into the elbow.

[0025] According to another aspect, at least one embodiment of the present invention also provides a stainless steel elbow ball-passing shaping process, using the aforementioned stainless steel elbow ball-passing shaping equipment, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0026] S1. Clamping the elbow: Place the elbow on the lower mold, start the pressing mechanism to drive the upper mold to move down, so that the upper mold and the lower mold clamp the elbow.

[0027] S2. Forward Shaping: Activate the jacking mechanism, use the universal mandrel to push the ball from one end of the bend into the bend, and perform forward shaping on the bend;

[0028] S3. Mold rotation: The lower mold rotates, causing the elbow to rotate, so that the other end of the elbow moves between the worktable and the push mechanism.

[0029] S4. Reverse Shaping: Activate the jacking mechanism, use the universal mandrel to push the ball back from the other end of the elbow, and perform reverse shaping on the elbow.

[0030] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0031] In this invention, the frame supports the lower mold via the worktable, and the pressing mechanism drives the upper mold to move up and down to clamp and fix the elbow. The structure of the upper mold and the pressing mechanism being rotatably connected, and the lower mold and the worktable being rotatably connected, allows the two to adjust the orientation of the elbow port synchronously. With the bidirectional pushing of the jacking mechanism, the ball is shaped bidirectionally as it alternately passes through both ends of the elbow.

[0032] Unlike traditional unidirectional ball-passing equipment, this structure changes the direction of the elbow port by rotating the mold, achieving bidirectional ball-passing. It can comprehensively correct problems such as inner wall ellipticity deviation, local wrinkles, and uneven welds that occur during the bending process. Especially for small-radius thin-walled elbows, the alternating extrusion at both ends can evenly distribute the plastic deformation of the material, avoid local stress concentration during unidirectional ball-passing, significantly improve the roundness of the inner diameter and surface quality, and meet the application requirements of high-precision fields. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some exemplary embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without any creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the ball-shaping device in the embodiment;

[0036] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the ball-shaping device from another angle in one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0038] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the reverse shaping state structure of the ball shaping device in the embodiment;

[0039] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view at point B in the middle;

[0040] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of different models of molds for the ball shaping equipment in the embodiments;

[0041] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of point C in the middle.

[0042] In the diagram: 1. Frame, 11. Workbench, 12. Pressing mechanism, 13. Pushing mechanism, 131. Universal mandrel, 2. Upper mold, 3. Lower mold, 4. Elbow, 5. Sphere, 21. Upper mold mounting bracket, 211. Upper mold mounting slot, 31. Lower mold mounting bracket, 311. Lower mold mounting slot, 6. Turntable, 61. Placement slot, 63. Support plate, 62. Anti-roll chamber, 14. Lifting mechanism, 35. Guide rod, 15. Rotation drive component, 32. First extension section, 33. Blocking plate, 34. Elastic component, 331. Reverse push port, 332. Second extension section, 321. Guide protrusion, 3211. Guide slope, 3212. Positioning surface. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it.

[0044] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to the disclosure; these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one," and "several" includes "two" and "more than two."

[0045] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0047] In the description of this embodiment, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0048] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0049] like Figures 1-6 The diagram illustrates a stainless steel elbow ball-forming device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It includes a frame 1, a worktable 11 disposed at one end of the frame 1, and a pressing mechanism 12 located above the worktable 11. The other end of the frame 1 is provided with a pushing mechanism 13 facing the worktable 11. The pushing end of the pushing mechanism 13 is connected to a universal mandrel 131. The pressing end of the pressing mechanism 12 is rotatably connected to an upper mold 2 via a rotating bearing. The bottom surface of the upper mold 2 has an arc-shaped pressing groove adapted to the outer contour of the elbow 4. The middle of the worktable 11 is connected to a lower mold 3 via a rotating shaft and a bearing. The top surface of the lower mold 3 has an arc-shaped support groove corresponding to the arc-shaped pressing groove of the upper mold 2. When closed, the two form a clamping space for holding the elbow 4. A rotating drive device (such as a servo motor) is connected to the bottom of the lower mold 3. The drive device is fixed to the frame 1 and is used to drive the lower mold 3 to rotate around its own axis, thereby driving the clamped elbow 4 to rotate, so that either end of the elbow 4 can face the pushing mechanism 13.

[0050] The sphere 5 is mounted on a movable track on the frame 1, with one end of the track located to the side of the lower mold 3 and the other end aligned with the push mechanism 13. The push mechanism 13 is an electric push rod, and its axis can be adjusted to be coaxial with the port axis of the elbow 4 in the clamping state by rotating the lower mold 3. During operation, the elbow 4 is placed in the arc-shaped support groove of the lower mold 3. The pressing mechanism 12 drives the upper mold 2 to descend, clamping the elbow 4 through the arc-shaped pressing groove and the arc-shaped support groove. The rotating drive device drives the lower mold 3 to rotate, so that one end of the elbow 4 faces the pushing mechanism 13. The pushing mechanism 13 extends, and the universal mandrel 131 pushes the ball 5 along the track into that end of the elbow 4. After the ball 5 is squeezed through the inner wall of the elbow 4, it passes out from the other end. This is the first ball passing shaping, which is also the forward shaping. Then, the rotating drive device rotates the lower mold 3 in the opposite direction, so that the other end of the elbow 4 faces the pushing mechanism 13. The pushing mechanism 13 moves again, and the ball 5 passes through the inside of the elbow 4 in the opposite direction. This is the second ball passing shaping, which is also the reverse shaping, to achieve bidirectional ball passing shaping. The forward shaping and reverse shaping are relative and are not limited to a specific direction.

[0051] The frame 1 supports the lower mold 3 via the worktable 11. The pressing mechanism 12 drives the upper mold 2 to move up and down to clamp and fix the elbow 4. The structure of the upper mold 2 rotatably connected to the pressing mechanism 12 and the lower mold 3 rotatably connected to the worktable 11 allows both to synchronously adjust the orientation of the elbow 4's end. Combined with the bidirectional pushing of the pushing mechanism 13, the ball 5 is alternately pushed from both ends of the elbow 4 for bidirectional shaping. The universal mandrel 131 is connected to the pushing mechanism 13 through several universal joints, which can adapt to the bending angle of the elbow 4, ensuring that the ball 5 is stably pushed along the axis of the elbow 4 and avoiding uneven shaping force caused by angle deviation. The clamping space is formed by the arc-shaped grooves of the upper and lower molds, which can stably fix the elbow 4 and adjust its orientation with the rotation of the molds, allowing the ball 5 to enter from either end and compress and correct the entire inner wall of the elbow 4. Unlike traditional unidirectional ball-passing equipment, this structure changes the direction of the elbow's four ends by rotating the mold, achieving bidirectional ball-passing. This comprehensively corrects problems such as inner wall ellipticity deviation, local wrinkles, and uneven welds that occur during bending. Especially for small-radius, thin-walled elbows, alternating extrusion at both ends evenly distributes material plastic deformation, avoiding localized stress concentrations common in unidirectional ball-passing, significantly improving inner diameter roundness and surface quality, and meeting the application requirements of high-precision fields. The coordinated movement of the rotation drive device and the pushing mechanism 13 enables automated switching of the forming direction, reducing manual intervention and improving processing efficiency and equipment versatility.

[0052] like Figures 7-8As shown, the pressing end of the pressing mechanism 12 is rotatably connected to the upper mold mounting bracket 21 via a thrust bearing. The upper mold mounting bracket 21 is horizontally plate-shaped, with an upper mold mounting groove 211 extending along its length on its bottom surface. Limiting flanges are provided on both sides of the groove. The top of the upper mold 2 is designed with a T-shaped sliding protrusion that matches the limiting flange. These protrusions are fixedly connected to the upper mold mounting bracket 21 via fastening bolts passing through the mounting holes of the upper mold 2. The lower mold mounting bracket 31 is rotatably mounted on the worktable 11 via a deep groove ball bearing. A lower mold mounting groove 311, symmetrical in structure to the upper mold mounting groove 211, is provided on its top surface. The T-shaped protrusion at the bottom of the lower mold 3 is embedded in the lower mold mounting groove 311 and locked with bolts. The rotation axes of both the upper mold mounting bracket 21 and the lower mold mounting bracket 31 are perpendicular to the plane of the worktable 11.

[0053] The detachable structure of the upper mold mounting bracket 21 and the lower mold mounting bracket 31 achieves rapid mold positioning through the cooperation of the limiting flange and the T-shaped protrusion, and the bolt connection ensures the structural rigidity during clamping. Different models of upper mold 2 and lower mold 3 can be replaced according to the specifications of elbow 4 without adjusting the installation reference of the drive mechanism, significantly improving the equipment's adaptability to elbows 4 with different curvature radii and pipe diameters. The rotating connection design allows the mold to maintain coaxial rotation with the pressing mechanism 12 and the worktable 11 after replacement, ensuring that the port axis of elbow 4 is always aligned with the moving path of the ball 5 during the bidirectional forming process. This solves the problem of narrow applicability caused by the fixed mold of traditional equipment, and is especially suitable for the flexible processing needs of multi-variety, small-batch, high-precision elbows 4.

[0054] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a turntable 6 is horizontally positioned between the worktable 11 and the pushing mechanism 13 on the frame 1. The turntable 6 is rotatably connected to the frame 1 via a central shaft. Multiple placement slots 61 are distributed circumferentially on the upper surface of the turntable 6, each slot capable of accommodating spheres 5 of different diameters. A gear ring (not shown in the figure) is provided on the edge of the turntable 6. A drive gear (not shown in the figure) meshes with the gear ring on the frame 1. The drive gear is driven by a servo motor, and the rotation angle of the servo motor is controlled to align any placement slot 61 with the port of the elbow 4.

[0055] The circumferential placement slots of the turntable 6 can pre-store various sizes of spheres 5. A servo motor precisely controls the rotation of the turntable 6, enabling automatic selection of spheres 5 that match the inner diameter of the elbow 4, avoiding the tediousness and errors of manual sphere changing. This structure works in conjunction with the mold rotation. During the processing of multiple batches of elbows 4 of different specifications, the turntable 6 automatically switches the spheres 5, coordinating with the bidirectional forming process of the mold rotation, significantly improving the degree of automation and production cycle time.

[0056] like Figures 2-4As shown, the central axis of the turntable 6 coincides with the rotation axis of the lower mold mounting frame 31, and the two rotate through independent drive mechanisms: the lower mold mounting frame 31 is driven by a first servo motor, and the turntable 6 is driven by a second servo motor. The output shafts of the two motors are coaxially arranged, but their transmission paths are independent. The placement slots 61 on the turntable 6 are distributed in a ring around the central axis of the turntable 6. After the elbow 4 completes its forward shaping, the lower mold mounting frame 31 drives the elbow 4 to rotate, and the turntable 6 rotates synchronously to align the corresponding placement slot with the port of the elbow 4, thereby achieving automatic alignment and retrieval of the sphere 5.

[0057] The independent coaxial design of the turntable 6 and the lower mold mounting bracket 31 achieves angle decoupling through a dual servo motor control system. This utilizes the centering advantage of the coincident axes while allowing both to adjust their rotation angles independently according to process requirements. For example, when the elbow 4 needs to be shaped in different directions multiple times, the turntable 6 can rotate independently to switch the size of the ball 5 without driving the mold to move synchronously, reducing mechanical transmission losses. The design of the ball 5 automatically falling into the corresponding placement slot after reverse shaping forms a closed-loop process of "push-rotate-recovery," avoiding the cumbersome steps of ball 5 falling or manual picking in traditional equipment. This is especially suitable for automated production lines, improving the continuity and reliability of the processing.

[0058] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the top horizontal plane of the turntable 6 is lower than that of the worktable 11. Multiple support plates 63 are evenly arranged around the central axis on the upper surface of the turntable 6. Each support plate 63 is slidably connected to the turntable 6 via a linear guide rail and can be raised and lowered vertically. A placement groove 61 is formed on the upper surface of the support plate 63 to support the ball 5. The depth of the placement groove 61 makes the upper surface of the ball 5 flush with the upper surface of the support plate 63. An upward-opening anti-roll chamber 62 is provided around the turntable 6. The anti-roll chamber 62 corresponds one-to-one with the support plate 63, arranged in a cylindrical or box shape around the turntable 6, with an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the ball 5 to restrict its rolling. The lifting mechanism 14 at the bottom of the frame 1 is located below the turntable 6 and consists of a cylinder and a push plate. The upper surface of the push plate contacts the lower surface of the support plate 63, used to push the support plate 63 upward, so that the center of the ball 5 in the placement groove 61 is in the same plane and coaxial with the axis of the bend 4.

[0059] The cooperation between the support plate 63 and the lifting mechanism 14 enables the automatic lifting and centering of the ball 5. The anti-roll chamber 62 restricts the rolling of the ball 5, ensuring the stability of the ball 5's position when the turntable 6 rotates. When the lifting mechanism 14 pushes the support plate 63 upward, the ball 5 is precisely positioned at the height of the elbow 4's axis, avoiding manual centering deviations. The layout of the turntable 6 being lower than the worktable 11 provides movement space for the lifting mechanism 14, while also keeping the ball 5 in a low-position protection area when not in operation, improving equipment safety. This structure ensures that the ball 5 and the elbow 4's axis are strictly coaxial through mechanical positioning, making it particularly suitable for high-precision shaping of small-radius elbows 4, reducing inner wall scratches caused by ball 5 misalignment, and significantly improving the inner diameter roundness correction effect.

[0060] like Figures 1-4 As shown, several guide rods 35 are vertically fixed to the top of the lower mold mounting bracket 31. The guide rods 35 pass through the guide holes of the upper mold mounting bracket 21, and linear bearings are provided on the inner wall of the guide holes to reduce friction. A rotation drive component 15 is connected to the lower part of the lower mold mounting bracket 31. When the drive component drives the lower mold mounting bracket 31 to rotate, the guide rods 35 synchronously drive the upper mold mounting bracket 21 to rotate around the lower pressing end of the pressing mechanism 12, ensuring that the upper mold 2 and the lower mold 3 rotate in parallel and preventing the clamped elbow 4 from twisting.

[0061] The guide rod 35 and the guide hole cooperate to form a parallel rotation mechanism, which forces the upper and lower molds 3 to rotate synchronously and maintain their relative positions. This ensures that the clamping force is evenly distributed when the elbow 4 rotates to adjust the port orientation, avoiding port deformation caused by mold misalignment. The rotation drive component 15 directly drives the lower mold mounting bracket 31. The design of linking the upper mold mounting bracket 21 with the guide rod 35 simplifies the transmission structure and improves rotation synchronization. This is especially suitable for thin-walled elbows 4, effectively preventing surface damage caused by unstable clamping and ensuring the accuracy of elbow 4 posture adjustment.

[0062] like Figures 3-4 As shown, the lower mold 3 has a first extension section 32 on the side near the ball 5. The inner wall of the extension section is a tapered guide structure to guide the ball 5 towards the port of the elbow 4. A baffle plate 33 is slidably provided at the other end along the axis of the elbow 4.

[0063] The baffle plate 33 is slidably mounted on the guide post extending from the lower mold mounting bracket 31, and an elastic element 34 is provided between the baffle plate 33 and the lower mold mounting bracket 31. The elastic element 34 provides a preload force toward the elbow 4 to prevent the ball 5 from falling out of the elbow 4. The baffle plate 33 has a reverse thrust opening 331 for the universal mandrel 131 to pass through to achieve reverse shaping.

[0064] The first extension section 32 guides the ball 5, reducing the risk of detachment and jamming during the process; the elastically connected baffle plate 33 constrains the position of the ball 5 through pre-tightening force, and at the same time buffers the impact force when the ball 5 passes through, preventing port deformation. The reverse push port 331 is designed to allow the pushing mechanism 13 to push in the opposite direction, realizing reverse shaping of the inner wall of the elbow 4, especially for uneven defects in the weld area, effectively improving surface quality through bidirectional extrusion.

[0065] like Figures 5-6 As shown, the baffle plate 33 has a second extension section 332 on the side wall of the reverse thrust port 331. The inner wall of the second extension section 332 is provided with a wear-resistant liner. The surface of the liner is machined with a guide groove that matches the end of the universal mandrel 131, which is used to guide the jacking mechanism 13 to automatically correct the angle when passing through the reverse thrust port 331.

[0066] The second extension section 332 cooperates with the guide groove to provide angular guidance for the universal mandrel 131, ensuring that the axis is coaxial with the reverse port of the elbow 4 during jacking, reducing jacking resistance and component wear. The wear-resistant liner improves the durability of the reverse jacking port 331, maintains guiding accuracy during high-frequency reverse shaping, ensures that the jacking force is evenly applied to the inner wall of the elbow 4 each time, and further optimizes the shaping effect of the weld area.

[0067] like Figures 3-6 As shown, the inner wall of the first extension section 32 is provided with a guide protrusion 321 in the circumferential direction. The guide protrusion 321 includes a guide inclined surface 3211 that contacts the ball 5 during rolling and a positioning surface 3212 that abuts against the end face of the elbow 4. The positioning surface 3212 is used for radial positioning of the elbow 4 port, and the guide inclined surface 3211 guides the ball 5 into the elbow 4 along the axial direction.

[0068] The positioning surface 3212 of the guide protrusion 321 ensures that the elbow 4 can be based on the positioning surface 3212 when it is loaded, ensuring that the initial position of the elbow 4 in the lower mold 3 is accurate. The guide slope 3211 provides a slope transition for the rolling path of the ball 5, ensuring that the ball 5 can stably enter the elbow 4 from the first extension section 32, uniformly correcting the ellipticity deviation of the bending section and improving the uniformity of the forming.

[0069] like Figures 1-8 As shown, this illustrates a stainless steel elbow ball-forming process in another embodiment of the present invention, using the aforementioned stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment, with the following steps:

[0070] S1. Place the elbow 4 between the upper and lower molds 3. The pressing mechanism 12 drives the upper mold 2 to descend and clamp the elbow 4 through the arc groove. The positioning surface 3212 of the guide protrusion 321 abuts against the end face of the elbow 4 to achieve axial positioning.

[0071] S2. The turntable 6 rotates so that the support plate 63 carrying the adaptable ball 5 is aligned with one end of the elbow 4. The lifting mechanism 14 pushes the support plate 63 up so that the center of the ball 5 is coaxial with the axis of the elbow 4. The lifting mechanism 13 pushes the ball 5 from that end into the interior of the elbow 4 to complete the forward shaping.

[0072] S3, the rotating drive component 15 drives the lower mold mounting bracket 31 to rotate the bending angle of the elbow, and the upper mold 2 rotates synchronously so that the other end of the elbow 4 faces the pushing mechanism 13, and the ball 5 is lowered and retracted with the support plate 63.

[0073] S4, turntable 6 rotates to switch to the support plate 63 of the spare ball 5, lifting mechanism 14 is centered again, and pushing mechanism 13 pushes ball 5 from the other end of elbow 4 to complete reverse shaping and realize full-area extrusion correction of inner wall.

[0074] This process achieves symmetrical extrusion of the inner wall of the elbow 4 through the rotation of the lower mold 3, automatic switching and precise centering of the ball 5, effectively eliminating local stress concentration caused by unidirectional forming and significantly improving the roundness of the inner diameter and the surface finish. The cooperation between the support plate 63 and the lifting mechanism 14 ensures that the ball 5 is automatically centered before each push, reducing manual intervention and positioning errors. Combined with the adaptive guidance of the universal mandrel 131, the plastic deformation correction effect of the small-radius thin-walled elbow 4 is significantly improved. The automated process and the mold positioning mechanism work together to meet the high-precision and high-consistency processing requirements of elbows 4 in aerospace and other fields, greatly improving production efficiency and yield.

[0075] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stainless steel elbow ball-forming device, characterized in that, include: Rack (1); Workbench (11), the workbench (11) is set on the frame (1), and a lower mold (3) is rotatably connected to the workbench (11). The pressing mechanism (12) is raised and lowered above the worktable (11). The pressing end of the pressing mechanism (12) is rotatably connected to the upper mold (2). A clamping space for clamping the elbow (4) is formed between the upper mold (2) and the lower mold (3). The upper mold (2) and the lower mold (3) are arranged to rotate synchronously to drive the elbow (4) to rotate circumferentially. The push mechanism (13) is mounted on the frame (1) and is adjacent to the worktable (11). The push end of the push mechanism (13) faces the lower mold (3) and is provided with a universal mandrel (131). A sphere (5) is movably disposed on the frame (1) and located between the lower mold (3) and the push mechanism (13). The sphere (5) is arranged to be able to enter the elbow (4) from the end of the elbow (4) under the push action of the universal mandrel (131) to shape the elbow (4). Also includes: The upper mold mounting bracket (21) is rotatably mounted on the lower pressing end of the lower pressing mechanism (12). The upper mold mounting bracket (21) is provided with an upper mold mounting groove (211). The upper mold (2) is detachably connected to the upper mold mounting groove (211). The lower mold mounting bracket (31) is rotatably mounted on the workbench (11). The lower mold mounting bracket (31) is provided with a lower mold mounting groove (311). The lower mold (3) is detachably connected to the lower mold mounting groove (311). A turntable (6) is rotatably mounted on the frame (1). The turntable (6) has several circumferentially spaced placement slots (61) for placing the ball (5). The turntable (6) is arranged to rotate and move the ball (5) so that one of the balls (5) moves between the elbow (4) and the jacking mechanism (13). The turntable (6) coincides with the axis of the lower mold mounting frame (31), and the ball (5) can be unloaded from the elbow (4) and placed on the placement slot (61) of the turntable (6) under the pushing action of the pushing mechanism (13). The lower mold mounting frame (31) has a plurality of guide rods (35) extending upward and penetrating the upper mold mounting frame (21). The frame (1) is provided with a rotation drive (15) for driving the lower mold mounting frame (31) to rotate. The guide rods (35) are arranged so that when the rotation drive (15) drives the lower mold mounting frame (31) to rotate, the upper mold mounting frame (21) will rotate simultaneously. The side of the lower mold (3) has a first extension (32) for connecting with one end of the elbow (4), the first extension (32) extending outward in the horizontal direction and being able to correspond horizontally with the ball (5) to guide the ball (5) into the elbow (4). A baffle plate (33) is slidably provided on the lower mold (3). The baffle plate (33) is arranged adjacent to the other end of the elbow (4) and is used to move closer to or away from the other end of the elbow (4). An elastic element (34) is provided between the baffle plate (33) and the lower mold mounting frame (31). The elastic element (34) is used to elastically pull the baffle plate (33) closer to the other end of the elbow (4) to limit the ball (5) from rolling off the other end of the elbow (4). The baffle plate (33) has a reverse push opening (331) for the universal mandrel (131) to pass through and push the ball (5) back from the other end of the bend (4) to reverse the reshape of the bend (4).

2. The stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turntable (6) has several lifting support plates (63), and several placement slots (61) are correspondingly arranged on several support plates (63). The turntable (6) is also provided with anti-roll chambers (62) that are correspondingly sleeved on the outer periphery of the support plates (63) to limit the ball (5). The bottom of the frame (1) is also provided with a lifting mechanism (14). The lifting mechanism (14) has a lifting end that can move up and down. The lifting end of the lifting mechanism (14) can move up through the turntable (6) and lift the support plates (63) upwards to drive the ball (5) to move up to the same height as the center of the ball (5) and the axis of the universal mandrel (131).

3. The stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle plate (33) has a horizontally extending second extension (332) on the side away from the lower mold mounting bracket (31). The second extension (332) communicates with the reverse thrust port (331) and is used to guide the universal mandrel (131) through the reverse thrust port (331).

4. The stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first extension (32) has a guide protrusion (321) that protrudes toward the axis and extends circumferentially. The guide protrusion (321) is located at the end of the first extension (32) away from the push mechanism (13). The guide protrusion (321) has a guide slope (3211) and a positioning surface (3212). The positioning surface (3212) is used to abut and position with any end face of the elbow (4). The guide slope (3211) is used to guide the ball (5) from the first extension (32) into the elbow (4).

5. A process for shaping a ball in a stainless steel elbow, characterized in that, The stainless steel elbow ball-forming equipment according to any one of claims 1-4 is characterized by comprising the following steps: S1. Clamping elbow (4): Place elbow (4) on lower mold (3), start pressing mechanism (12) to drive upper mold (2) to move down, so that upper mold (2) and lower mold (3) clamp elbow (4). S2, Forward Shaping: Start the jacking mechanism (13), use the universal mandrel (131) to push the ball (5) from one end of the elbow (4) into the elbow (4), and perform forward shaping on the elbow (4); S3, Mold rotation: The lower mold (3) rotates, causing the elbow (4) to rotate, so that the other end of the elbow (4) moves between the worktable (11) and the push mechanism (13); S4. Reverse shaping: Start the jacking mechanism (13), use the universal mandrel (131) to push the ball (5) back from the other end of the elbow (4), and perform reverse shaping on the elbow (4).

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