Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a bending machlne for bend-
ing longitudinally elongated channel-shaped members to an
arcuate curvature.
PRIOR ART
Channel-shaped sheet metal members have been used in
the fabrication of arcuate-shaped metal buildings for some con-
siderable time. Difriculty has been experlenced in forming the
channel-shaped members to the required arcuate configuration
without substantially reducing the structural strength of the
sheet metal members. In the bendlng operations presently used,
local areas of the sheet metal members are stretched or buckled
with the resulting decrease in structural strength.
The bendlng machlne of the present invention serves to
form corrugations in the bottom and side walls of the channel-
shaped member to efrect a reduction in length thereof and there-
by bend the channel-shaped member to an arcuate configuration.
The machine i8 set up to form the corrugationa ln a manner such
that there ls little or no stretchlng or buckling of the sheet
metal ln the area of the corrugations.
The bendlng machlne may also have a reedlng mechanlsm
which serves to release the sheet metal member from the bendlng
dles after each bendlng stroke to facilltate the movement of
the sheet metal member through the blte of the dles.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Accordlng to one aspect Or the present lnvention, a
bending machine for bendlng longitudlnally elongated channel- .-;
shaped sheet metal members comprises a frame, a die set mounted
in sald frame comprising; a remale die assembly comprising, a
first member h&ving a rlrst die face formed to provlde a bottom
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face and side faces arranged in a female channel conflguration
to provlde exterior support for a channel-shaped sheet metal mem-
ber, a pa~sage formed in sald first member and opening at said
dle face through sald bottom and slde faces; and a second member
mounted for movement relative to sald first member and having
a bending edge movable between an extended pos~tion in which it
pro~ects outwardly from said flrst die ~ace through sald passage
and a withdrawn posltlon in which it does not pro~ect beyond
sald flrst dle face, a male dle element having a second die face
~ormed wlth bottom and side faces arranged opposite said bottom
and slde faces respectively of sald female die, sald male dle
element being mounted for movement towards and away from said
first member of said female die assembly between an open position
to permit movement of a sheet metal member therebetween and a
closed positlon to clamp a channel-shaped sheet member there-
between about the periphery or said pas~age, drlve means for
drlving the male die element relative to the first member of the
female die assembly to clamp a sheet metal member therebetween
about the perlphery Or said passage and therearter to drive the
se¢ond member rrom said withdrawn position to said extended
posltlon to bend the bottom and slde walls Or the sheet metal
to form a transversely extendlng corrugation in the sheet metal
member and thereby shorten the bottom wall Or the sheet metal
member ln relatlon to the outer ends of lts slde walls and
thereby bend the sheet metal member ln the direction Or its
longitudinal extent.
According to a further aspect Or the present lnvention,
there is provided in a bending machine Or the type described
above endles~ conveyor means extending rearwardly and forwardly
from the rirst member of the ~emale die through recesses in the
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dle face of the flrst member, the conveyor means being drawn to
a taut configuratlon in a plane spaced outwardly from the first
dle race ~or e~ectlng the sheet metal members from the ~emale
dle prlor to advancement oP the sheet metal members through the
die, the conveyor means havlng a sufficient length when relaxed ~ -
to permit lt to be lowered into the recess means provided in the
flrst die when the dle set is in a closed posltion.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention will be more clearly understood after
rererence to the follow~ng detalled speclricatlon read ln con-
~unction with the drawlngs whereln,
Fig. 1 is a plctorlal vlew Or a machlne accordlng to
an embodlment ~ the present inventlon;
Flg. 2 ls a plctorlal vlew Or a sheet metal member
after lt ls bent by the machlne Or the present lnventlon;
Flg. 3 is a sectlonal vlew ln the dlrectlon Or the
arrows 3-3 Or Fig. 2 wlth the die members located ln a posltlon
to rorm the requlred corrugatlon;
Flgs. 4 and 5 are sectlonal views slmllar to Flg. 3
taken along line 4-4 and llne 5-5 Or Flg. 2, respectively,
showlng the contour Or the corrugations;
Flg. 6 18 a view Or an upper edge Or a sheet metal
member ln the dlrection Or the arrow 6 Or Flg. 2; and
Flg. 7 18 a sectlonal vlew ln the dlrectlon Or the
arrow 7-7 Or Flg. 2.
Wlth rererence to the drawlngs, the reference numeral
10 rerers generally to a bending machine constructed in accord-
ance wlth an embodlment Or the present lnvention.
The bending machine 10 ls used to bend a longltudln-
ally elongated channel-shaped sheet metal structural member 12
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(Fig. 1 & 2), hereinafter referred to as channel-shaped member
12. The channel-shaped member 12 ls formed from sheet metal and
has a bottom wall 14 and a palr o~ oppositely disposed side
walls 16, each Or whlch has a lip 18 at the upper end thereof.
In use, the bending machlne 10 serves to lmpart a longltudinal
curvature to the channel-shaped member 12 by formlng a plurallty
of corrugations ln the bottom wall 14 and in side walls 16. The
depth Or corrugation in the slde walls 16 decreases ln a dlrec-
tlon towards the ilp 18 with the result that there is a pro-
gressive shortenlng Or the length Or the channel-shaped member
ln a dlrectlon away rrom the l~ps 18.
The bendlng machine 10 has a frame~ generally identi-
rled by the rererence numeral 20, whlch cons~sts Or a base 22, a
pair or oppos~tely disposed slde walls 24, a top wall member 26
and a race plate 28 Whlch extends between s~de walls 24.
A die set 30 is mounted ln the frame lO and conslsts
of a female dle assembly 32 and a male die element 34. The fe-
male dle assembly 32 conslsts Or a rlrst member 36 whlch 1
mounted ln a rlxed posltlon wlth respect to the race plate 28. :
The rlrst member 36 has a rlrst dle race 38 rormed to provlde a
bottom face 40 and a palr Or opposltely dlsposed slde ~ace~ 42.
The slde races 42 each lnclude a shoulder portlon 44 formed with
recesses 46. The rlrst dle face 38 ~erves to support the ex-
terlor surrace Or the channel-shaped member 12 durlng the bend-
lng operatlon. A passage 48 extends longltudlnally through the ..
body Or the rlrst member 36 and opens outwardly thererrom ~ -
centrally Or the length o~ the rlrst dle race 38 at the bottom
face 40 and slde races 42. A second member 50 ls slldably - -
mounted ln the passage 48 for movement relatlve to the rlrst
member 36. The second member 50 has a bendlng edge 52 at the
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upper end thereof which is adapted to pro~ect outwardly from
the first die face through the passage 48 and to be withdrawn
lnwardly of the passage 48 so that it does not pro~ect beyond
the flrst die face.
The male die element 34 has a second dle face 54 formed - -
wlth bottom and slde faces arranged opposlte the bottom and slde
faces respectlvely of the female dle assembly. The second die
face 54 has a corrugatlon recess 56 extending along the bottom
and side faces thereof ln a conflguration corresponding to the
required contour of the corrugations to be formed in the channel-
shaped member. Opposite slde edges Or the male dle 30 are mou~d
ln g~ldes 60. The male die element 34 ls normally urged to its
raised posltlon by coil sprlngs 62 which have one end resting on
a bracket 64 which ls secured with respect to the frame 20 and
thslr opposlte end bearlng agalnst the shoulder 66 at opposite
sldes of the die. A pair of cam follower rollers 68 are mounted
in brackets 70 whlch pro~ect upwardly from the upper edge Or the
mall dle element. Cams 72 are mounted on shart 74 whlch is
3Ournalled ln support brackets 76 whlch depend from the top wall
20 member 26 of the frame. The shart 74 pr~ects outwardly from one
side Or the brackets 76 and has a sprocket 78 mounted thereon by
means of whlch the shaft 74 and cams 72 are rotatably drlven to
drlve the male dle member downwardly ~lth springs 62 serving
to raise the male dle element.
The drlve mechanlsm for drlvlng the second member 50
of the remale dle assembly comprlses a maln drlve shaft 80 whlch
has eccentrlc collars 82 mounted for rotation therewlth. A pair
of arms 84 are mounted one on each eccentric collar 82 and have
thelr upper ends pivotally connected by pivot pins 86 to brackets
30 88 which are secured to the lower end of the second member 50 Or
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the female die. When the main drlve shaft 80 is rotatably driven,
the eccentrlc collars 82 rotate with the shaft relative to the
arms 84 and cause the arms 84 to reclprocate vertlcally to move
the second dle element 50 between its ralsed and lowered posl-
tlon3 wlth respect to the flrst dle member 32. A sprocket 90 ls
located at one end of the maln drive shaft 94 and ls connected
to the sprocket 78 by a drlve chaln 92 so that the rotatlon Or
the shaft 74 and shaft 80 may be synchronlzed.
The maln drlve shart 80 ls drlven by a motor 94 through
reductlon gear 96, drive belt 98 and fly wheel 100.
The feedlng mechanlsm for feeding elongated channel-
shaped sheet metal members through the dle set conslsts Or a pair
Or conveyors, generally ldentifled by the reference numeral 102,
arranged ~ a spaced parallel relatlonshlp one on elther slde Or
the flrst dle member 32. The conveyors 102 each have a support
~ame, generally ldentlfled by the rererence numeral 104, and
conslst of a chaln 106 whlch have a reedlng run 110 extendlng
over gulde pulleys 108 located rorwardly of the dle set and 112
located rearwardly Or the dle set. The return run Or the chaln
106 extends over pulleys 114, 116 and 118. The rrame 104 ln-
cludes support ralls 120 whlch underlle and support the reedlng
run Or the chaln to a polnt ad~acent the dle set. The pulleys
108 and 112 are located at a helght 80 that when the reedlng run
110 o the chaln ls taut, the chaln~ wlll rlse out Or the reces-
ses 46 ln the female dle ln whlch they are located when relaxed,
to e~ect the channel-shaped ~heet metal member rrom the female
dle and to ralse lt above the dle race to racilitate ~rward
movement thereof between the dles. The forward movement 18
achleved by a ratchet mechanlsm drlven rrom the maln drlve sha~t
80. The pulleys 114 are mounted on shart 122 whlch 18
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~ournalled in bearings 124 carried by the slde wall members 24
o~ the frame. A ratchet mechanism 126 is mounted at one end Or
the shaft 122 and has a lever arm 128 pro~ectlng outwardly there-
rrom. The lever arm 128 has an elongated slot 130 extendlng
longltudinally thereor. An eccentrlc collar 132 ls mounted on
and keyed to main drive shaft 80 ~or rotation therewith. An arm
134 ls mounted on the collar 132 and has its outer end ad~ust- -
ably secured to the lever 128 by mounting screw 136 whlch may be
located at any point alone the length of the slot 130 to ad~ust
the length Or stroke of the arm 128 and thereby ad~ust the length
Or stroke of the feeding mechanlsm.
From the foregolng descrlptlon o~ the bendlng machlne
Or the pre~erred embodlment, lt wlll be apparent that the move-
ment of the various dle elements and reeding mechanism is
achleved by the use of a series of simple mechanlcal mechanlsms
whlch may be ad~usted and repalred by mechanics havlng only
mlnlmal knowledge o~ mechanlcal devlces. The mechanlsm does not
employ any complex hydraullc or pneumatlc system rOr achlevlng
the requlred movement and ad~ustment and consequently lt lsault-
able rOr use ln small lndustrlal plants an d ln areas whereskllled maintenance personnel are not readlly avallable.
In operatlon, the feedlng mechanlsm ls ad~usted to
provlde a ~orward stroke upon each rotatlon of the main drlve
shaft equal to the required pltch between each successlve cor-
rugatlon to achleve the requlred arc of curvature ln the channel-
shaped sheet metal members. The smaller the radlus Or curvature,
the closer the corrugatlons formed by the bendlng machlne should
be located. When the requlred pltch has been determlned and the
machlne ad~usted to achleve the req~lred ~eedlng stroke, a
channel-shaped member ls located on the conveyor forward run 102
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and the machine ls actlvated to move the channel-shaped member
between the dles when in an open positlon. When the channel-
shaped sheet metal member is located between the male and female
dles, the flrst step ln the bendlng operation is a clamping
operatlon resultlng from the mevement of the male dle member to-
wards the remale die in response to rotation of the cams 70
carried by the shaft 74. After the sheet metal member is
clamped between the male dle element 30 and the statlonary ~lrst
member 32 of the female dle about the perlphery Or the passage
48, the eccentric collars 82 carrled by the main drlve shaft 80
are timed to ralse the arms 84 and thereby ralse the second dle
element 50 of the remale dle to drive the bendlng edge 52 up-
wardly through the passage 38 against the sheet metal member to
derorm lt lnto the dle cavitles 54 and 56 formed in the die face
of the male die element 34. Further rotation of shart~ 74 and
80 causes the male die element 34 to be raised and the second
member 50 Or the remale die element to be lowered.
During the bendlng operation, the eccentric collar 132
Or the reedlng mechanlsm has been operatlng to rotate the lever
arm 128 Or the ratchet mechanlsm ln lts non-indexlng dlrectlon. -~
However, when the dles begln to open, the lever arm 128 is drawn
ln lts lndexlng dlrectlon and lnltlally thls causes the reedlng
chalns 102 to be pulled to a taut condltlon causlng the feeding
run to rlse out Or the notches 46 ln the remale die, thereby
raislng the sheet metal member out Or engagement wlth the dle
race Or the ~emale mould. Continued operation Or the indexlng
mechanism causes the reeder chains 102 to advance the sheet
metal member through the die to the required locatlon ror the
next corrugation. Therearter, the bendlng cycle Or operatlon
descrlbed above 18 repeated.
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As shown in Fig. 7, the corrugated metal member is
not corrugated at the longitudinal fold lines along the bottom
wall 14. It will be understood that in order to shorten the
bottom wall 14 by forming corrugations, it will be necessary to
permlt metal flow to occur at the edges of the bottom wall 14 so
that there wlll be an lncrease in thlckness in thls area result-
lng from the corrugating operation. For this reason, the dis-
tance between ad~acent corners Or the flrst and second die faces
i8 greater than the distance between the opposltely disposed
bottom and slde ~aces of the flrst dle face and second dle
face when the dies are in the closed positlon.
It wlll be apparent that the bending machlne of the
present lnvention provides a simple and efricient mechanlsm for
rormlng a longitudinal arc of curvature in an elongated channel-
shaped sheet metal member by forming a plurality of transversely
extendlng corrugations in the bottom and side walls of the sheet
metal member.
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