Jan. 5, 1954
`
`Filed Feb. 23, 1951
`
`L. W. ANDREWS
`ADJUSTABLE DIE
`
`2,664,996
`
`4 Sheets-Sheet 1
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`$196.61:
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`Page 1 of 6
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`EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES EX. 1009
`Edwards Lifesciences v. Boston Scientific Scimed
`U.S. Patent No. 6,915,560
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`

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`Jan. 5, 1954
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`L. w. ANDREWS ‘
`ADJUSTABLE DIE
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`2,664,996
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`Filed Feb. 23, 1951
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`-
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`>4 Sheets-Sheet 2
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`M17 ‘
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`Page 2 of 6
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`Jan. 5, 1954
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`L, w. ANDREWS
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`ADJUSTABLEv DIE
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`t)
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`Filed Feb. 25, 1951
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`2,664,996
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`4 Sheets-Sheet 3
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`b7 37
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`Page 3 of 6
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`

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`Jan. 5, 1954
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`|_. w. ANDREWS
`ADJUSTABLE DIE
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`2,664,996
`
`Filed Feb. 25, 1951
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`-
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`4 Sheets-Sheet 4
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`33
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`Page 4 of 6
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`Patented Jan. 5, 1954
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`2,664,996
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`UNITED STATES
`
`PATENT OFFICE
`
`2,664,996
`ADJUSTABLE DIE
`Leonard Wilfred Andrews, London, England, as
`signor to Murex Limited, Rainham, England, a
`company of Great Britain
`Application February 23, 1951, Serial N 0. 212,369
`Glaims‘ priority, application Great Britain
`February 28, 1950
`1'
`3 Claims. (Cl. 205-26)
`
`2
`convex die face of its adjacent die block. The
`outer surface, or third face, of each die block may
`be a plane surface, or two or more plane surf-aces
`inclined to one another, according to the‘ nature
`of the engagement thereon of the corresponding
`backing block which, isinterposed betweenthe d-ie
`block and the retaining wall of the holder. Dif
`ferent sets of die blocksr'may be provided for
`alternative use according to. the form, as- distinct
`from dimensions, of they di'e—ho1'e section required.
`It will be understood that. one set! of. backing
`blocks corresponds to a particular setting of the
`assembly of a set of diev blocks“ and therefore to a
`die-hole of predetermined dimensions‘ produced
`with such assembly. Accordingly the adjustable
`die out?t will normallyicomprisea-number of sets
`of‘ backing blocks corresponding respectively to
`the different dimensions of die-holes required to
`be produced from one set/of‘ die block-s.
`Advantages of the present invention are that
`a single set of die‘ blocks may’ be used, with the
`appropriate sets of backing blocks, throughout
`substantially the full range of the adjustmentlof
`the assembly of die blocks to: dimensions ofdie
`hole; and‘ that the assembly is-rel’atively simplelto
`handle, to adjust and: to clampto rigidity’.
`An embodiment ‘of the invention is illustrated
`in, the accompanying, drawings of which:
`Figure 1 is a plan view of a set of die blocks
`and a corresponding set‘ of backing block's, both
`sets of blocks. being unassem‘bled;
`Figure 2 is a plan viewv showing; a‘ slight‘, modi
`?cation of the backing bl'ocks‘of Figure’ 1‘, the-die
`blocks being the same.
`Figure 3 is a plan view of the” blocks'ofFigu're‘ 1
`assembled andmounted in a holder.
`‘
`Figure 4.is a section on the line 6-4. of Figure
`3 and including a cover plate.
`Figure 5 is a plan view of the. blocks of, Figure
`2 assembled and mounted‘ injthesame holder. as
`that shown in. Figure 3.
`Figures 1 and 2‘sl‘1ovv' identical sets-of six .die
`blocks, all marked D1, adaptedfor assembly to
`produce die-holes of hexagonal’ section. The
`backing blocks in.Figure: 1, all marked B1, are
`adapted to match an assembly of'the-die blocks
`when a relatively small‘ die-hole of regular hex
`agonal section isformed-l "The backing blocks in
`Figure 2, all marked B8, are. adapted‘ to match
`an assembly of the die blocks when .a- relatively
`large die-hole of regular hexagonal section: is
`formed. The essential- difference between the
`blocks B7 and the blocksBB is that the- former
`have. a front face witha: recess which: provides
`- the face with. two, staggered‘. parallel portions. 35,
`36, whilst" the latter'h'ave‘ a; front; face: with ;a
`projection which provides it ' wlthz twoistaggered
`
`1
`This. invention relates to. an improved adjust
`ablev die suitable, for example, for drawing, form:
`ing or extruding bars of square, rectangular, hex
`agonal or other sections
`It. is known that sets of‘ accurately ground and
`shaped blocks faced with hard ‘metal cemented
`tungsten carbide, when assembled‘ and clamped .,
`together, can be used for the purpose of drawing
`bars of polygonal sections. Clamping screws, to
`gether with adjusting screws, are used to position
`the blocks in their proper assembly and, by ad
`justment, to- determine the shapeand size of the
`die-hole thus produced at the centre of thea-ssem
`bly. The nature of the components of the sets
`and the method of assembly and adjustment have
`been such, however, that setting to a predeter
`mined size of hole is complicated and that the‘
`drawing range of any single complete assembly or
`die- is limited. Furthermore, any single die as
`sembly is relatively cumbersome and easily dam
`aged by‘ mis-handling or by bad setting, and,
`owing to the many screws employed, tends to
`lack rigidity.
`'
`An adjustable die according to the invention
`comprises (1) a set of die blocks shaped to nest
`together complementarily with slidable adjust
`ment in assembly to form a die-hole having the
`samenumber of sides as the number of die blocks
`in theset, the said slidable' adjustment enabling
`the assembly to‘ be arranged to give various di
`mensions of the diehole; (2) a holder having an
`apertured base for supporting the dieblocks and
`comprising an inner retaining wall‘; (3) a set of
`backing blocks snugly interposed between the
`said retaining wall‘ and the die blocks, the back
`ing blocks being formed‘ to match a particular
`arrangement of the assembly of die blocks; and
`(4') means operable to compress the backing
`blocks between the said retaining wall‘ and the
`assembled‘die blocks, and‘thus to clamp the latter
`?rmly. in position.
`A cover plate, surmounting the Whole assembly
`of die. blocks and backing blocks and detachably
`secured to the holder, may act as a further clamp
`ing means for holding the assembly together.
`Each die block may be formed of or faced with
`hard metal. cemented. tungsten, carbide or other
`material" suitable for the purpose of the die. The
`other. parts are made,.f.or example, of steel. The
`50.
`‘die block is preferably ground and lapped so that
`the die face, that is the face which constitutes a
`walllsurfaceof. the die-hole, has a convex cylindri
`cal surface, whereby the die-hole is formed with
`a throat. A second'face of each die-hole, which
`is inclined at the required angle to the die face,
`' isaccordingly-provided with-acorrespondingjcon- _
`cave- cylindrical» surface to nestslidably‘ on the‘
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`Page 5 of 6
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`4
`ing blocks in said recess having back faces in
`?ush contact with the respective faces of said
`wall and having front faces formed with parallel
`portions staggered correspondingly to the stag
`gering of the back faces of adjacent die blocks
`and engaging the said back faces.
`2. An adjustable die comprising a set of die
`blocks shaped to nest together complementarily
`with slidable adjustment in assembly to form a
`die-hole having the same number of sides as the
`number of die blocks in the set, the said slidable
`adjustment enabling the assembly to be ar
`ranged to give various dimensions of the die hole,
`each die block having two back faces at an angle
`to one another such that in the assembly of die
`blocks each pair of adjustable die blocks presents
`back faces in staggered parallel relationship, a
`holder formed to provide a recess having an
`apertured base for supporting the die blocks in
`assembly and having a wall to surround the as
`sembly, the said wall having faces forming sub
`stantially the same polygonal shape, on an en
`larged scale, as the section of said die hole and
`at least one set of backing blocks adapted to be
`supported by said base and to be interposed in
`spaced relationship between the assembly of the
`die blocks and said wall, a front face of each
`backing block being formed with parallel por
`tions staggered correspondingly to the said stag
`gered parallel relationship of the back faces
`presented by a pair of adjacent die blocks.
`3. An adjustable die comprising a set of die
`blocks shaped
`nest together complementarily
`with slidable adjustment in assembly to form a
`die-hole having the same number of sides as the
`number of die blocks in the set, the said slidable
`adjustment enabling the assembly to be arranged
`to give various dimensions of the die hole, each
`die block having two back faces at an angle to
`one another such that in the assembly of die
`blocks each pair of adjustable die blocks presents
`back faces in staggered parallel relationship, a
`holder formed to provide a recess having an
`apertured ‘base for supporting the die blocks in
`assembly and having a wall to surround the
`assembly, the said wall having faces forming
`substantially the same polygonal shape, on an
`enlarged scale, as the section of said die, and at
`least one set of backing blocks adapted to be
`supported by said base and to be interposed in
`spaced relationship between the assembly of the
`die blocks and said wall, a front face of each
`backing block being formed with parallel por
`tions staggered correspondingly to the said stag
`gered parallel relationship of the back faces pre
`sented by a pair of adjacent die blocks; and
`means for compressing the backing blocks be
`tween said wall and said assembly of die blocks.
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`2,604,996
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`parallel portions 31, 38. In each case the back
`ing blocks are of substantially rectangular form,
`the back faces 39 being parallel with the front
`faces.
`The die blocks D1 used in the embodiment
`shown in Figures 1-3, have a convex side In for
`producing one wall of the die-hole and a match
`ing concave side I l for slidably ?tting the convex
`side 10 of an adjacent die block, but the back
`faces l2, I3 are respectively at right angles to
`the sides ll, l0. This ensures that in assembly
`the back face 12 of one block will be in parallel
`relationship with the back face l3 of an adjacent
`block.
`Referring now to Figure 3 in which the blocks
`of Figure 1 are shown assembled, the holder of
`the adjustable die comprises a body 20 with a
`central aperture 2| in its base. The body is
`formed integrally with a part 40, which provides
`an inner wall con?ning the space within which
`the die blocks and backing blocks are assembled
`to make a die-hole 3|. It will be appreciated
`that the part it may be formed as a separate
`element ?tted into a recess in the body 26 and
`keyed against rotation as in the previous em—
`bodiment. It will also be appreciated that the
`base of the body 20 may be recessed to accom
`modate an interchangeable supporting plate,
`with a relatively large or relatively small central
`aperture.
`The inner wall 4| of the part 40 is of hexagonal
`form with slots 42 at its corners. The back faces
`29 cf the backing blocks B1 are in ?ush contact
`with the respective faces of the inner wall 41
`whilst the front faces 35, 36 are respectively in
`flush contact with the back face i3 of one die
`block D1 and the back face l2 of an adjacent
`die block Dl.
`Penetrating radially through the body 20 and
`the part 40 thereof is a clamping screw 28 bear
`ing on the back face of one backing block. When
`this is tightened the said backing block is
`pressed towards the die block assembly whereby
`the entire assemblies of die blocks and backing
`blocks are clamped in a state of compression.
`If desired, the clamping screw 28, instead of
`bearing directly on a backing block, may bear on
`a plate ?tted into a recess in the wall 4|.
`Figure 4 shows, ?tted on the body 20 of the
`holder, a cover plate 32 secured by bolts 33. It
`will be noted that the cover plate has a boss
`portion 43 tting in a recess in the body 20 to
`bear on the die assembly.
`The only difference between Figure 5 and Fig
`ure 3 is that Figure 5 shows assembled in the
`holder the die blocks D1 and backing blocks B8
`of Figure 2, such assembly making a larger die
`hole 3|. In this case the back face 12 of a die
`block lies back nearer to the wall 4! than the
`back face l3 of the adjacent die block and there
`fore backing blocks B8 having projecting por
`tions 31 are required.
`I claim:
`1. An adjustable die comprising a set of die
`blocks slidably assembled complementarily to
`form a die-hole of polygonal section, each die
`block providing one side of the polygonal sec
`tion and having two back faces at an angle to
`one another such that in the assembly of die
`blocks each pair of adjacent die blocks presents
`70
`back faces in staggered parallel relationship; a
`holder formed to provide a recess having an
`apertured base for supporting the die blocks and
`having a wall with faces forming substantially
`the same polygonal shape, on an enlarged scale,
`as the section of said die-hole; and a set of back
`
`LEONARD VTILFRED ANDREWS.
`
`Number
`546,202
`567,606
`686,365
`1,258,874
`1,922,770
`2,161,689
`
`References Cited in the ?le of this patent
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`Name
`Date
`Thackray ________ __ Sept. 10, 1895
`McCool et al _____ __ Sept. 15, 1896
`Thackray ________ __ Nov. 12, 1901
`Clayton _________ __ Mar. 12, 1918
`Kornbrath _______ __ Aug. 15, 1933
`Richardson _______ __ Dec. 7, 1937
`FOREIGN PATENTS
`Date
`Country
`Great Britain _____ Sept. 30, 1938
`Great Britain _____ __ July 1, 1946
`
`Number
`493,038
`578,506
`
`60
`
`65
`
`75
`
`Page 6 of 6