Claims
- 1. A forming machine adapted to receive an elongated sheet of formable material and operative to form a desired profile thereon, comprising:(a) a rigid framework including side frames rigidly interconnected to one another by transverse members to form a rigid cage having an interior and a width between said side frames, said cage extending about a forming region through which the elongated sheet may be advanced in a longitudinal direction from an upstream entrance to a downstream exit; (b) a sheet drive supported by said framework and operative to advance the elongated sheet therethrough, said sheet drive including a plurality of pairs of co-acting rollers, each of said pairs being longitudinally spaced from an adjacent one of said pairs in a downstream direction from the entrance to the exit; (c) a drive assembly interconnected to at least one roller in each of said pairs or co-acting rollers and operative to rotatably drive said one roller whereby each of said pairs of co-acting rollers is operative to engage a portion of the elongated sheet and advance the elongated sheet in a downstream direction through said framework to discharge the elongated sheet at the exit; (d) a plurality of pairs of carriage rails supported by said framework with said pairs each located in a plane that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, each of said carriage rails extending transversely of said framework and having opposite ends secured to said framework at a location proximately to a respective side frame so as to extend a majority of the width of said framework; (e) first and second carriage mounts slideably disposed on each of said carriage rails; (f) a longitudinally extending first tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a longitudinally extending second tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails whereby said tooling rails may be moved laterally within said cage; and (g) a plurality of forming elements supported by each said tooling rail to define at least two forming stations located in a longitudinally spaced relation to one another along said tooling rail, said forming stations positioned to receive an edge portion of the elongated sheet when in the mounted state whereby said forming stations are operative to bend the elongated sheet into the desired profile as the elongated sheet is advanced through the forming region by said drive assembly.
- 2. A forming machine according to claim 1 including upper ones of said transverse members and lower ones of said transverse members.
- 3. A forming machine according to claim 2 wherein each of said pairs of co-acting rollers includes a driven roller and a free-wheeling roller.
- 4. A forming machine according to claim 3 wherein each said free-wheeling roller is rotatably supported by upper ones of said transverse members and wherein rotation of one of said driven rollers imparts an equal counter-rotation of its associated free-wheeling roller.
- 5. A forming machine according to claim 1 wherein each of said pairs of co-acting rollers includes a driven roller and a free-wheeling roller.
- 6. A forming machine according to claim 1 including a plurality of pairs of opposed primary rail mounts secured to said framework in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another, one primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside one of said side frames and another primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside another one of said side frames.
- 7. A forming machine according to claim 6 including lower pairs of said transverse members disposed in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another, the primary rail mounts of each of said pairs of opposed primary rail mounts extending longitudinally between respective ones of said lower pairs of said transverse members.
- 8. A forming machine according to claim 6 including a first intermediate tooling rail mount secured in an affixed state between the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a second intermediate tooling rail mount secured in an affixed state between the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails.
- 9. A forming machine according to claim 8 wherein each said tooling rail is removably secured to a respective intermediate tooling rail mount.
- 10. A forming machine according to claim 1 wherein said tooling rails are movable laterally and independently of one another in the interior of said cage.
- 11. A forming machine according to claim 1 wherein said carriage rails have markings thereon to correspond to selected positions for said carriage mounts.
- 12. A forming machine according to claim 1 including at least one movable limit stop member disposed on each carriage rail, each said limit stop member adjustably positionable along its respective carriage rail and operative when in a secured state to restrict movement of a respective carriage mounts in at least one lateral direction.
- 13. A forming machine adapted to receive an elongated sheet of formable material and operative to form a desired profile thereon, comprising:(a) a rigid framework including side frames rigidly interconnected to one another by transverse members to form a rigid cage having an interior and a width between said side frames, said cage extending about a forming region through which the elongated sheet may be advanced from an upstream entrance to a downstream exit, said framework including lower pairs of said transverse members disposed in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another in a horizontal plane; (b) a sheet drive supported by said framework and operative to advance the elongated sheet therethrough, said sheet drive including a plurality of pairs of co-acting rollers wherein one of said co-acting rollers is a driven roller and another of said co-acting rollers is a free-wheeling roller, each of said pairs being longitudinally spaced from an adjacent one of said pairs in a downstream direction from the entrance to the exit; (c) a drive assembly interconnected to at least one roller in each of said pairs of co-acting rollers and operative to rotatably drive said one roller whereby each of said pairs of co-acting rollers is operative to engage a portion of the elongated sheet and advance the elongated sheet in a downstream direction through said framework to discharge the elongated sheet at the exit; (d) a plurality of pairs of opposed primary rail mounts secured to said framework in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another, one primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside one of said side frames and another primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside another one of said side frames, said primary rail mounts of each of said pairs of opposed primary rail mounts extending longitudinally between and supported by respective ones of said lower pairs of said transverse members; (e) a plurality of pairs of carriage rails supported by respective ones of said primary rail mounts and extending transversely of said framework; (f) first and second carriage mounts slideably disposed on each of said carriage rails; (g) a first tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a second tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails whereby said tooling rails may be moved laterally and independently of one another in the interior of said cage; and (h) a plurality of forming elements supported by each said tooling rail to define at least two forming stations located in a longitudinally spaced relation to one another along said tooling rail, said forming stations positioned to receive an edge portion of the elongated sheet when in the mounted state whereby said forming stations are operative to bend the elongated sheet into the desired profile as the elongated sheet is advanced through the forming region by said drive assembly.
- 14. A forming machine according to claim 13 wherein each said free-wheeling roller is rotatably supported by upper ones of said transverse members and wherein rotation of one of said driven rollers imparts an equal counter-rotation of its associated free-wheeling roller.
- 15. A forming machine according to claim 13 including a first intermediate tooling rail mount secured in an affixed state between the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a second intermediate tooling rail mount secured in an affixed state between the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails, and wherein each said tooling rail is secured to a respective intermediate tooling rail mount.
- 16. A forming machine according to claim 13 wherein said carriage mounts each include a body portion having a bore extending therethrough and a mounting head, said body portion including slots formed therein that intersect the bore thereby to form a clamping arm operative to extend around a respective carriage rail, said clamping arm having an associated fastener operative to selectively clamp its respective said carriage mount at a selected location along said carriage rail.
- 17. A forming machine adapted to receive an elongated sheet of formable material and operative to form a desired profile thereon, comprising:(a) a rigid framework including generally vertical side frames rigidly interconnected to one another by transverse members to form a rigid cage having an interior and a width between said side frames, said cage extending about a forming region through which the elongated sheet may be advanced in a longitudinal direction from an upstream entrance to a downstream exit; (b) a sheet drive supported by said framework and operative to advance the elongated sheet therethrough, said sheet drive including a plurality of pairs of co-acting rollers, each of said pairs being longitudinally spaced from an adjacent one of said pairs in a downstream direction from the entrance to the exit; (c) a drive assembly interconnected to at least one roller in each of said pairs or co-acting rollers and operative to rotatably drive said one roller whereby each of said pairs of co-acting rollers is operative to engage a portion of the elongated sheet and advance the elongated sheet in a downstream direction through said framework to discharge the elongated sheet at the exit; (d) a plurality of pairs of carriage rails supported by said framework and extending transversely thereof with each pair of carriage rails organized in a generally horizontal plane, each of said carriage rails having opposite ends secured to said framework at a location proximately to a respective side frame so as to extend a majority of the width of said framework; (e) first and second carriage mounts slideably disposed on each of said carriage rails; (f) a longitudinally extending first tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a longitudinally extending second tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails whereby said tooling rails may be moved laterally within said cage; and (g) a plurality of forming elements supported by each said tooling rail to define at least two forming stations located in a longitudinally spaced relation to one another along said tooling rail, said forming stations positioned to receive an edge portion of the elongated sheet when in the mounted state whereby said forming stations are operative to bend the elongated sheet into the desired profile as the elongated sheet is advanced through the forming region by said drive assembly.
- 18. A forming machine according to claim 17 wherein each of said pairs of co-acting rollers includes a driven roller and a free-wheeling roller.
- 19. A forming machine according to claim 17 including a plurality of pairs of opposed primary rail mounts secured to said framework in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another, one primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside one of said side frames and another primary rail mount of each pair extending alongside another one of said side frames.
- 20. A forming machine according to claim 19 including lower pairs of said transverse members disposed in parallel spaced-apart relation to one another, the primary rail mounts of each of said pairs of opposed primary rail mounts extending longitudinally between respective ones of said lower pairs of said transverse members.
- 21. A forming machine adapted to receive an elongated sheet of formable material and operative to form a desired profile thereon, comprising:(a) a rigid framework including side frames rigidly interconnected to one another by transverse members to form a rigid cage having an interior and a width between said side frames, said cage extending about a forming region through which the elongated sheet may be advanced from an upstream entrance to a downstream exit; (b) a sheet drive supported by said framework and operative to advance the elongated sheet therethrough, said sheet drive including a plurality of pairs of co-acting rollers, each of said pairs being longitudinally spaced from an adjacent one of said pairs in a downstream direction from the entrance to the exit; (c) a drive assembly interconnected to at least one roller in each of said pairs or co-acting rollers and operative to rotatably drive said one roller whereby each of said pairs of co-acting rollers is operative to engage a portion of the elongated sheet and advance the elongated sheet in a downstream direction through said framework to discharge the elongated sheet at the exit; (d) a plurality of pairs of carriage rails supported by said framework and extending transversely thereof, each of said carriage rails having opposite ends secured to said framework at a location proximately to a respective side frame so as to extend a majority of the width of said framework; (e) first and second carriage mounts slideably disposed on each of said carriage rails, said carriage mounts each including a body portion having a bore extending therethrough and a mounting head, said body portion including slots formed therein that intersect the bore thereby to form a clamping arm operative to extend around a respective carriage rail, said clamping arm having an associated fastener operative to selectively clamp its respective said carriage mount at a selected location along said carriage rail; (f) a first tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a second tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails whereby said tooling rails may be moved laterally within said cage; and (g) a plurality of forming elements supported by each said tooling rail to define at least two forming stations located in a longitudinally spaced relation to one another along said tooling rail, said forming stations positioned to receive an edge portion of the elongated sheet when in the mounted state whereby said forming stations are operative to bend the elongated sheet into the desired profile as the elongated sheet is advanced through the forming region by said drive assembly.
- 22. A forming machine adapted to receive an elongated sheet of formable material and operative to form a desired profile thereon, comprising:(a) a rigid framework including side frames rigidly interconnected to one another by transverse members to form a rigid cage having an interior and a width between said side frames, said cage extending about a forming region through which the elongated sheet may be advanced from an upstream entrance to a downstream exit; (b) a sheet drive supported by said framework and operative to advance the elongated sheet therethrough, said sheet drive including a plurality of pairs of co-acting rollers, each of said pairs being longitudinally spaced from an adjacent one of said pairs in a downstream direction from the entrance to the exit; (c) a drive assembly interconnected to at least one roller in each of said pairs of co-acting rollers and operative to rotatably drive said one roller whereby each of said pairs of co-acting rollers is operative to engage a portion of the elongated sheet and advance the elongated sheet in a downstream direction through said framework to discharge the elongated sheet at the exit; (d) a plurality of pairs of carriage rails supported by said framework and extending transversely thereof, each of said carriage rails having opposite ends secured to said framework at a location proximately to a respective side frame so as to extend a majority of the width of said framework; (e) first and second carriage mounts slideably disposed on each of said carriage rails, each said carriage mount including means for releasably securing it at a selected location along its respective carriage rail; (f) a first tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the first carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails and a second tooling rail secured in a mounted state to the second carriage mounts on each said pair of carriage rails whereby said tooling rails associated with each pair of carriage rails may be moved laterally within said cage and independently of one another; and (g) a plurality of forming elements supported by each said tooling rail to define at least two forming stations located in a longitudinally spaced relation to one another along said tooling rail, said forming stations positioned to receive an edge portion of the elongated sheet when in the mounted state whereby said forming stations are operative to bend the elongated sheet into the desired profile as the elongated sheet is advanced through the forming region by said drive assembly.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is continuation of application Ser. No. 09/783,247 filed Feb. 13, 2001, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/783247 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
10/328401 |
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US |