Dannie John Macnish

US Patent:

6279230, Aug 28, 2001

Filed:

Jun 14, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/332307

Inventors:

Ted E. Eikhoff - Grosse Pointe MI
David H. Johnson - Berkley MI
Dannie J. MacNish - South Lyon MI

Assignee:

McKechnie Vehicle Components (USA), Inc. - Troy MI

International Classification:

B21K 140

US Classification:

29894381

Abstract:

A wheel cover is formed to include a wrap around the circumference of the wheel cover. The wrap is an aesthetic portion of the wheel cover and not a part of a mechanical lock. It is formed in the wheel cover by spinning the wheel cover about its central axis. When the wheel cover is spinning at an appropriate speed, at least one pair of rollers is moved toward the spinning wheel cover. Lock generating rollers provide a force which is directed radially outwardly while wrap generating rollers provide a force which is directed radially inwardly. This force is of such a magnitude that it forces the outer edge of the wheel cover to follow the contour of the rollers. When the wrap is completely formed, the rollers are removed from engagement with the wheel cover and the wheel cover is stopped from spinning. Once the wheel cover is removed from the fixture of the spinning machine, it proceeds with further manufacturing steps to complete the manufacturing thereof before it is mounted to a wheel.