Claims
- 1. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a pair of laterally spaced locations on said sheet of material, said first roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls, said first telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; and a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls, said second telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a pair of laterally spaced locations on said sheet of material after said pair of bends are made in said sheet of material by said first roll-forming station, said second roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station, said first telescoping arbor assembly of said second roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; and a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station, said second telescoping arbor assembly of said second roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station to be adjusted; and a third roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component when said third roll-forming station is in a single configuration, said third roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station, said first telescoping arbor assembly of said third roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station, said second telescoping arbor assembly of said third roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station to be adjusted; a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface; and a forming roll support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bends made by said first roll-forming station and said bends made by said second roll-forming station are made at the same laterally spaced pair of locations on said sheet of material.
- 6. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material and comprising a plurality of forming rolls; a second roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material and comprising a plurality of forming rolls; and a third roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component when said third roll-forming station is in a single configuration, said third roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls, said first telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls, said second telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface; and a forming roll support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said second roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein one of said roll-forming stations comprises a pair of laterally spaced support plates and wherein said support structure is coupled to one of said support plates.
- 11. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station comprising a movable forming roll having a forming surface, said movable forming roll being movable between a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and a second position that is different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component; a second roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station comprising a movable forming roll having a forming surface, said movable forming roll of said second roll-forming station being movable between a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll of said second roll-forming station makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component; and a third roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said third roll-forming station comprising a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface and a support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said first roll-forming station comprises a pair of laterally spaced support plates and wherein said support structure that supports said movable forming roll of said first roll-forming station is coupled to one of said support plates.
- 16. A roll-forming apparatus for facilitating the formation of either a Z-shaped component or a C-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said roll-forming apparatus making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a first pair of laterally spaced locations on said sheet of material, said roll-forming apparatus comprising:a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls, said first telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls, said second telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a first support plate that rotatably supports a first end of each of said arbor assemblies; a second support plate laterally spaced from said first support plate that rotatably supports a second end of each of said arbor assemblies; a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface; and a forming roll support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with a leg portion of said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 17. A roll-forming apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 18. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a pair of laterally spaced locations on said sheet of material, said first roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls, said first telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; and a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls, said second telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a pair of laterally spaced locations on said sheet of material after said pair of bends are made in said sheet of material by said first roll-forming station, said second roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station, said first telescoping arbor assembly of said second roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; and a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station, said second telescoping arbor assembly of said second roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls of said second roll-forming station to be adjusted; and a third roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component when said third roll-forming station is in a single configuration, said third roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station, said first telescoping arbor assembly of said third roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station, said second telescoping arbor assembly of said third roll-forming station having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls of said third roll-forming station to be adjusted; a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface; and a forming roll support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 20. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 21. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 22. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said bends made by said first roll-forming station and said bends made by said second roll-forming station are made at the same laterally spaced pair of locations on said sheet of material.
- 23. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material and comprising a plurality of forming rolls; a second roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material and comprising a plurality of forming rolls; and a third roll-forming station adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped or Z-shaped component when said third roll-forming station is in a single configuration, said third roll-forming station comprising: a first pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a first telescoping arbor assembly that supports said first pair of forming rolls, said first telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said first pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a second pair of forming rolls that make contact with said sheet of material; a second telescoping arbor assembly that supports said second pair of forming rolls, said second telescoping arbor assembly having a variable length to allow the lateral distance between said second pair of forming rolls to be adjusted; a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface; and a forming roll support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 25. An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said second roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 26. An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises:a movable forming roll having a forming surface; and a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 27. An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein one of said roll-forming stations comprises a pair of laterally spaced support plates and wherein said support structure is coupled to one of said support plates.
- 28. A roll-forming apparatus, comprising:a first roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component from a sheet of material having a given thickness, said first roll-forming station comprising a movable forming roll having a forming surface, said movable forming roll being movable between a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and a second position that is different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component; a second roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said second roll-forming station comprising a movable forming roll having a forming surface, said movable forming roll of said second roll-forming station being movable between a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll of said second roll-forming station makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component; and a third roll-forming station which is adapted to facilitate the formation of either a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component, said third roll-forming station comprising a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface and a support structure that supports said two-surface forming roll in a single position so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component, said first forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position and so that, if said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component, said second forming surface of said two-surface forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material when said two-surface forming roll is in said single position.
- 29. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said single position of said two-surface forming roll may be adjusted to accommodate sheets of material having different thicknesses.
- 30. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position different than said first position if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 31. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said first roll-forming station additionally comprises a support structure that supports said movable forming roll in a first position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a C-shaped component and in a second position in which said forming surface of said movable forming roll makes contact with said sheet of material if said sheet of material is being made into a Z-shaped component.
- 32. An apparatus as defined in claim 31 wherein said first roll-forming station comprises a pair of laterally spaced support plates and wherein said support structure that supports said movable forming roll of said first roll-forming station is coupled to one of said support plates.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/235,539 filed Jan. 22, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,514, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a roll-forming apparatus for facilitating the formation of either a Z-shaped
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Number |
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09/235539 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/824962 |
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