Patent ID: 6216514
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: B21D

Abstract:
A roll-forming apparatus having a plurality of roll-forming stations adapted to form a first component having a Z-shaped cross section, said first component having a center portion, a pair of legs connected to said center portion, and a pair of flanges connected to said legs, said roll-forming stations being adapted to form a second component having a C-shaped cross section, said second component having a center portion, a pair of legs connected to said center portion of said second component, and a pair of flanges connected to said legs of said second component, said 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, said first roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a first 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; anda 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 from a sheet of material, said second roll-forming station making a pair of bends in said sheet of material at a second 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; anda 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;a two-surface forming roll having a first forming surface and a second forming surface, said two-surface forming roll being positioned so that said first forming surface makes contact with said sheet of material when said sheet of material is being formed into a Z-shaped component and so that said second forming surface makes contact with said sheet of material when said sheet of material is being formed into a C-shaped component; anda forming roll support that supports said two-surface forming roll in a fixed position so that said two-surface forming roll may make contact with a sheet of material being formed into a C-shaped component when said two-surface forming roll is in said fixed position and so that said two-surface forming roll may make contact with a sheet of material being formed into a Z-shaped component when said two-surface forming roll is in said fixed position.