Patent ID: 6397453
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: B21C,B21D,E06B,Y10T

Abstract:
Apparatus for making muntin bars comprising:a) a supply of thin sheet material having a finished surface in the form of a coiled ribbon; b) a drive for uncoiling the ribbon and feeding the ribbon along a travel path; c) a ribbon punching mechanism positioned with respect to the travel path that punches the ribbon at first precisely determined locations along the ribbon to form spaced cut-outs that extend inward from an edge of the ribbon and define a region of intersection with one or more transversely extending muntin bars in a muntin bar grid; d) a roll forming station spaced downstream along the travel path from the ribbon punching mechanism, said roll forming station including a succession of forming rolls having forming roll nips that engage the ribbon to produce a hollow muntin bar tube defining a closed, cross-sectional shape having openings therein at the first precisely determined locations; e) a muntin severing apparatus that severs the muntin bar tube at second precisely determined locations to form completed muntin bars; and f) a conveyor that moves a batch of said completed muntin bars after they are severed from the muntin bar tube and that form a muntin bar grid away from the severing apparatus in a direction transverse to said travel path for subsequent assembly into a muntin bar grid.