Patent ID: 6158101
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B23P,F15D,F24F,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for assembling air turning vane and rail structures including a plurality of parallel, longitudinally spaced apart air turning vanes attached at opposite transverse edge walls thereof to first and second parallel rails, respectively, by cooperative vane and rail interlocking means which lockably engage when a normal force is exerted on each said rail relative to an adjacent one of said transverse edge walls of each said vane, said apparatus comprising;a. a work table having an upper surface adapted to support a first, lower rail of a vane and rail structure to be assembled,b. first, lower vane guide means adapted to hold a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart vanes with said vane interlocking means of a lower transverse edge wall of each said vane adjacent one of said cooperative rail interlocking means,c. a ram plate having a lower surface parallel to said first, lower rail on said work table, said ram plate being translatable in a direction perpendicular to said first, lower rail,d. means for supporting a second, upper rail parallel to said first, lower rail with said rail interlocking means adjacent a corresponding cooperative vane interlocking means of an upper transverse edge wall of each of said vanes, ande. means for extending said ram plate downwardly to compress said vanes between said rails sufficiently for said upper vane and rail interlocking means, and said lower vane and rail interlocking means, respectively, to lockingly engage, thereby forming an assembled vane and rail structure, and for retracting said ram plate to permit removal of said vane and rail structure from said apparatus.