Patent Application
20190219298
The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for joining and locking two pieces of sheet metal together with a mechanical seam.
Seams are used in the ductwork of HVAC systems to join sheet metal panels together. In a Pittsburgh seam, a portion of a first sheet metal panel is folded over to form a pocket for receiving a flange of a second sheet metal panel. Once the flange is inserted into the pocket, a second portion of the first sheet metal panel is bent over the flange and pocket to lock the flange in the pocket. In this manner a seam is formed between the first and second sheet metal panels that inhibits separation of the first and second sheet metal panels. Often the second portion is bent over the flange and pocket using a common hand tool such as a hammer. For example, a person forming the seam may use the hammer to bend a portion of the seam at a time. This process may be both labor and time intensive, reducing the efficiency of the process of locking the seam.
In an aspect, a system, apparatus, and method described herein for joining a first sheet metal panel to a second sheet metal panel through a mechanical seam, for example, by applying a pneumatic air hammer to a locking apparatus while sliding the locking apparatus along a flange of the first sheet metal panel. The locking apparatus powered by the pneumatic air hammer quickly and securely locks the first sheet metal panel to the second sheet metal panel by bending the flange of the first sheet metal panel over a flange of the second sheet metal panel that is inserted into a pocket of the first sheet metal panel.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, a locking apparatus for securing a first sheet metal panel to a second sheet metal panel is disclosed. The locking apparatus includes an elongate body, a proximal portion extending proximally from the elongate body and configured for removable attachment to a pneumatic air hammer, and a distal portion extending distally from the elongate body. The distal portion includes a forming surface that is configured to engage against a flange of the first sheet metal panel. The forming surface is configured to bend the flange of the first sheet metal panel over a pocket of the first sheet metal panel when the pneumatic air hammer is activated to inhibit removal of a flange of the second sheet metal panel from the pocket. The distal portion further includes a guide surface that is configured to engage against a surface of the first sheet metal panel to guide the forming surface along the flange of the first sheet metal panel.
In some aspects, the forming surface includes an arcuate portion.
In another aspect, the elongate body may define a longitudinal axis. The forming surface may include a planar portion defining a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The arcuate portion may extend from the planar portion.
In yet another aspect, a width of the planar portion may be less than a width of the arcuate portion in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the guide surface.
In another aspect, the arcuate portion may curve proximally away from the planar portion. A radius of curvature of the arcuate portion may be defined from a point on the longitudinal axis proximal of the planar portion.
In some aspects, the guide surface may extend distally beyond the forming surface.
In another aspect, the guide surface is a planar surface.
In yet another aspect, the guide surface may be orthogonal to at least a portion of the forming surface and parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the elongate body.
In another aspect, a fillet may be defined between the guide surface and at least a portion of the forming surface.
In other aspects, the guide surface and the forming surface may be integrally formed.
In an aspect, a method for securing a first sheet metal panel to a second sheet metal panel is disclosed. The method includes inserting a flange of the second sheet metal panel into a pocket of the first sheet metal panel, positioning a locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel such that a forming surface of the locking apparatus engages against a flange of the first sheet metal panel and a guide surface of the locking apparatus engages against a surface of the first sheet metal panel, driving the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel such that the forming surface engages the flange of the first sheet metal panel and bends the flange of the first sheet metal panel over the flange of the second sheet metal panel. The bending of the flange of the first sheet metal panel over the flange of the second sheet metal panel inhibits removal of the flange of the second sheet metal panel from the pocket.
In some aspects, driving the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel includes sliding the locking apparatus along the flange of the first sheet metal panel from a first portion to a second portion of the flange. The sliding may be guided by the engagement of the guide surface against the surface of the first sheet metal panel. The second portion of the flange of the first sheet metal panel may be bent as the locking apparatus slides along the flange from the first portion to the second portion of the flange of the first sheet metal panel.
In another aspect, the forming surface includes at least one arcuate portion. The sliding of the locking apparatus may include engaging the at least one arcuate portion against the second portion of the flange of the first sheet metal panel.
In some aspects, a proximal portion of the locking apparatus is configured for removable attachment to a pneumatic air hammer.
In yet another aspect, the locking apparatus is translatable relative to the pneumatic air hammer between a first position and a second position when removably attached to the pneumatic air hammer. The locking apparatus may extend farther from the pneumatic air hammer when in the first positions than when in the second position. The positioning the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel further including positioning the locking apparatus against the flange of the first sheet metal panel with the locking apparatus in the first position and translating the locking apparatus to at least the second position while positioned against the flange of the first sheet metal panel prior to driving the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel.
In another aspect, driving the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel includes activating the pneumatic air hammer to drive the locking apparatus against the first sheet metal panel.
In some aspects, the guide surface is a planar surface.
In yet another aspect, the guide surface is orthogonal to at least a portion of the forming surface and parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the locking apparatus.
In another aspect, a fillet is defined between the guide surface and at least a portion of the forming surface.
In some aspects, the guide surface and the forming surface are integrally formed.
Any of the above aspects may be combined in any manner without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The details of the present disclosure, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers and designations refer to like elements.
With reference now to
With reference to
Proximal portion 120 includes a proximal end 122 and a flange or lip 124. Proximal portion 120 is configured for removable attachment to pneumatic air hammer 150. For example, proximal portion 120 may be inserted into an opening (not shown) in an attachment collar 152 of pneumatic air hammer 150 and secured to pneumatic air hammer 150, e.g., using friction fit, snap fit, or any other manner of removable attachment. In some aspects, locking apparatus 110 may be removably attached to pneumatic air hammer 150 in a floating manner where, for example, locking apparatus 110 may be translatable relative to air hammer 150, e.g., along axis 114.
In some aspects, pneumatic air hammer 150 may include any medium barrel air hammer. In some aspects, for example, pneumatic air hammer 150 may be any type or size of air hammer or any other apparatus that is configured to drive locking apparatus 110 distally using air pressure or any other form of pressure or method of driving locking apparatus 110 distally, mechanical or otherwise. In some aspects, for example, pneumatic air hammer 150 may be configured to apply pressure at 70 PSI to locking apparatus 110.
With reference now to
Forming portion 132 includes a forming surface 136 that is configured to engage against a flange 612 (
In some aspects, a portion of forming surface 136 may define an arcuate curvature. For example, as illustrated in
In some aspects, planar portion 136A may define a plane that is perpendicular to axis 114.
In some aspects, arcuate portions 136B and 136C may define arcs that curve proximally away from planar portion 136A. For example, each arcuate portion 136B and 136C may define a radius relative to a point on axis 122 that is proximal to planar portion 136A. Arcuate portions 136B and 136C may allow locking apparatus 110 to slide along a piece of sheet metal during forming of a seam.
Guide portion 134 includes a guide surface 138 that extends distally beyond forming surface 136 to a first end 138A. Guide surface 138 is configured to engage against a surface of a sheet metal panel 602 (
In some aspects, a width of each arcuate portion 136B and 136C may be greater than a width of planar portion 136A in a direction A (
In some aspects, locking apparatus 110 may be manufactured, for example, from A2 tool steel and hardened to inhibit ware during use.
In some aspects, locking apparatus 110 may be coated with an electro plate finish that may reduce wear and tear on the forming surface 136, guide surface 138, and any other surfaces of locking apparatus 110 during use. In some aspects, the finish may be black or any other color.
With reference now to
With reference now to
Referring initially to
As illustrated in
With locking apparatus 110 in position, a distal pressure may be applied to pneumatic air hammer 150, e.g., by a user, as illustrated, for example, in
With continued reference to
With reference now to
Once a sufficient length of flange 612 has been bent or formed into locking portion 616, the seam has been created and removal of the sheet metal panel 602 from the sheet metal panel 610 is mechanically inhibited, e.g., by a Pittsburgh style seam or lock. In some aspects, the sufficient length may be the entire length of flange 612. In some aspects, the sufficient length may be any desired length that inhibits removal of flange 608 from pocket 606, e.g., during normal use of the HVAC duct.
Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.
