Inventors:
James T. Soder - Collierville TN
International Classification:
B21B 1702
B21B 1700
Abstract:
A tool is provided for working a shaped metal tube, such as a square or rectangular metal tube, having a hollow interior and an outer surface to produce an end reduction in the tube. The tool includes a head having a longitudinally extending interior cavity and a plurality of roller cavities, each communicating with the interior cavity. A plurality of grooved rollers are rotatably mounted within the head, one within each of the roller cavities. Each of the grooved rollers has a periphery extending into the interior cavity and configured to engage a portion of the outer surface of the tube to be reduced, such as a corner portion of a square tube. Depending upon the shape of the tube being reduced, the tool may further include a pair of flat-area rollers. The flat-area rollers may be used to engage the relatively long sides of a rectangular tube. The tool further includes a mandrel disposed within the interior cavity of the head and spaced apart from the periphery of each of the rollers, with the mandrel being effective for preventing the tube from collapsing as a result of the end reduction.