Patent ID: 6311534
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: B21D

Abstract:
An apparatus for bending a metal sheet comprising:a series of forming stations arranged along an advancing path such that each successive station is capable of introducing an incremental bend to said metal;at least one of said forming stations is an adjustable station including a top form roll and a bottom form roll arranged for rotation about first and second parallel axes, respectively, said axes being perpendicular to said advancing path;each said top form roll and said bottom form roll of said at least one adjustable station includes an outer roll section and an inner roll section, said top and bottom outer roll sections together define an outer complementary pair;said top and bottom inner roll sections together define an inner complementary pair and a bending region therebetween;each said inner roll section includes an inner and an outer vertical face with said outer vertical face constructed and arranged to be substantially adjacent to said outer roll section;said inner complementary pair is movable relative to said outer complementary pair in a dimension parallel to said axes, andat least one backing collar, rotatable about said axis and constructed and arranged substantially adjacent to said inner vertical face of said inner roll section to adjust the distance between said backing collar and said inner vertical face.