Patent Application
20200391262
This disclosure relates to a machine and process for forming three dimensional shapes from sheet metal.
Machines for shaping sheet metal using three or four rolls are known. One or two driven rolls move the workpiece until on passing through one or two adjustable bending rolls it has assumed the desired shape. Generally these machines have a pair of drive rolls (often referred to as pinch rolls) and one shaping roll in the back if it is a three-roll machine. Four-roll machines have a shaping roller in the front if the drive rolls and a shaping roll after the drive rolls. The drive rollers feed the sheet metal through the shaping roller, which is generally adjustable in limited manners to provide the desired shapes.
While there have been many advances in machines of this type, what all of these machines lack is the ability to form complex shapes. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved sheet metal forming machine and methods for forming complex shapes.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a forming machine for forming complex shapes is disclosed. The machine can comprise a first drive roller and a second drive roller to feed a material through the machine for shaping. First drive roller and second drive roller can be coplanar on an x-z plane, fixed on the x-axis, and adjustable about the z-axis to increase or decrease the distance between the same to accommodate varying thicknesses in material. A first shaping roller and a second shaping roller that are also coplanar on the x-z plane and fixed on the x-axis are provided with ends tiltable on the z-axis with respect to each other. While the first drive roller and the second drive roller remain parallel with respect to each other, the first shaping roller and the second shaping roller are not constrained in a parallel orientation, but rather can tilt with respect to each other.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
Referring to
More specifically, first drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104 are independently driven in opposite directions of rotation to feed a material 200 through forming machine 100 for shaping. First drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104 are coplanar on the x-z plane and fixed on the x-axis parallel to each other. One or both of the first drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104 can be adjusted about the z-axis to increase or decrease the distance between the same to accommodate varying thicknesses in material 200.
First shaping roller 106 is tiltable with one end higher than the other end and second shaping roller 108 is tiltable with one end higher than the other end. This means that each end of both the first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 is adjustable about the z-axis to raise and lower the respective ends with respect to each other. Unlike first drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104, first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 are not constrained parallel with respect to each other. Both first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 are also coplanar on the x-z plane and fixed on the x-axis.
Forming machine 100 further comprises of a frame 120 for holding first drive roller 102, second drive roller 104, first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 in position. Frame 120 can comprise a right side member 122 and a left side member 124.
Pillow block bearing 126 is attached to an elevation system 129 to raise and lower pillow block bearing 126 about the z-axis. Elevation system 129 can comprise a threaded shaft 130 attached at one end to pillow block bearing 126 and at the other end fed through a slave gear 132. Slave gear 132 is circumscribed by teeth so that it can be rotate by a drive gear attached to a handle 134. Rotation of handle 134 rotates the drive gear which rotates slave gear 132 to cause threaded shaft 130 to be drawn up or down based on the direction of rotation.
Similarly, pillow block bearing 128 is attached to elevation system 129 to raise and lower pillow block bearing 128 about the z-axis. Elevation system 129 can comprise a threaded shaft 133 attached at one end to pillow block bearing 128 and at the other end fed through a slave gear that is connected to a drive gear in the manner described above. A handle 134 is combined to the drive gear to rotate the drive gear in the manner described above to raise and lower pillow block bearing 128.
Similarly, pillow block bearing 138 is attached to elevation system 140 to raise and lower pillow block bearing 138 about the z-axis. Elevation system 140 can comprise a threaded shaft attached at one end to pillow block bearing 138 and at the other end fed through a slave gear that is connected to a drive gear in the manner described above. A handle 150 is combined to the drive gear to rotate the drive gear in the manner described above to raise and lower pillow block bearing 138.
One or both of first drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104 can be moved upward and downward on the z-axis in a manner similar to the above-described first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108. In the illustrated embodiment, second drive roller 104 is combined to an elevation system 152. The right-side end of second drive roller 104 is connected to a pillow block bearing 154. A threaded shaft 156 is attached at one end to pillow block bearing 154 and at the other end fed through a slave gear with circumscribed teeth coupled to a drive gear that is attached to a handle 158. Handle 158 is also combined to a cross rod 160 (shown in
Both first drive roller 102 and second drive roller 104 are driven.
Forming machine 100 can be used to form complex three dimensional shapes. One end of either one or both of first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 can be raised and the other end is lowered. This effectively applies an upward bending force on one edge of the sheet and a downward bending force on the other edge of the sheet and no bending force in the middle of the sheet. First shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108 can also be raised and lowered at unequal rates so the upward and downward bending forces are not equal in opposite directions to move the unformed portion of the sheet off center. This arrangement applies varying bending forces along the width of the sheet as it goes through first shaping roller 106 and second shaping roller 108.
While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.
