Abstract:
An entry guide for a roll forming machine having fixed stop members for the different widths of sheet metal material which can be accommodated by the roll forming machine. The fixed stop members are offset in the vertical direction. Accordingly, when the roll forming machine is adapted to accommodate a different width of sheet metal material, there is no need to adjust the entry guide.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to roll forming machines and, more particularly, to roll forming machines of the type which can accept sheet metal supply coils of differing widths.  
         [0002]     Roll forming machines for producing indeterminate length (i.e., seamless) metal panels, such as rain gutters, roof panels, siding panels, etc., are generally well known. In such a machine, the panels are formed from a supply coil of sheet metal of uniform width having a pair of parallel side edges. As the sheet metal is driven through the machine along a predetermined path of travel through a series of roll forming stations, its lateral profile is gradually transformed from a flat sheet into a panel having a desired lateral profile.  
         [0003]     At the entry end of the roll forming machine, the leading edge of the supply coil of sheet metal passes through an entry guide which accurately positions the material laterally of its line of travel so that it is properly aligned for the following series of roll forming stations. Typically, the entry guide includes a pair of laterally spaced stop members which flank the material as it enters the machine. It is not uncommon that the same roll forming machine is used to form more than one size of product, in which case the roll forming machine must accommodate differing widths of sheet metal. When this is the case, the roll forming stations have to be changed and/or moved to accommodate the different sizes. Of course, at the entry guide the stop members have to be moved as well. In the past, the stop members have been collars or blocks slidable on a shaft between limit stops. When the stop members have to be moved, set screws on the collars or blocks are loosened, the collars or blocks are moved to the appropriate limit stops, and the set screws are tightened. Invariably, over time the set screws become stripped, are lost, etc., which causes a big problem. It would therefore be desirable to have an entry guide for a roll forming machine which can accommodate differing widths of sheet metal and which does not suffer from the aforementioned disadvantages.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     According to this invention, the entry guide has fixed stop members for the different widths of sheet metal material. The fixed stop members are offset in the vertical direction. In the case where the roll forming machine can accommodate two different widths of sheet metal material, the upper stops can be for wider width sheet metal material than the lower stops. Thus, if the wider width sheet metal material is being formed, it is fed into the roll forming machine at the level of the upper stops and if the narrower width sheet metal material is being formed it is fed into the roll forming machine at the level of the lower stops. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements in different figures are identified by the same reference numeral and wherein:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the entry end of a roll forming machine including an embodiment of the inventive entry guide;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the entry end of the roll forming machine shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view showing details of a first side of the entry guide shown in  FIG. 1 , with the second side of the entry guide being substantially a mirror image thereof;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is am enlarged perspective view showing the lateral adjustment mechanism for the first side of the inventive entry guide, with the second side being substantially a mirror image thereof; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view showing how the second side of the inventive entry guide is held together, with the first side being substantially a mirror image thereof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3  show the entry end of a roll forming machine, designated generally by the reference numeral  10 , which includes an entry guide constructed according to the present invention. The inventive entry guide is capable of accepting two different widths of sheet metal material in order to form two different size panels, and includes a pair of spaced apart stop assemblies  12  and  14 , which are substantially mirror images of each other. Each of the stop assemblies  12 , 14  is associated with a respective curved guide member  16 , 18 . The guide members  16 , 18  function to provide a smooth transition surface for the sheet metal material entering the roll forming machine  10 , as is common in the roll forming art.  
         [0012]     The inventive entry guide includes the parallel shafts  20  and  22 , which are secured to the frame of the machine  10  by being bolted to the vertical plates  24  and  26 , which in turn are welded to the horizontal plates  28  and  30  which are bolted to the frame of the machine  10 . The shaft  22  has slidably mounted thereon a pair of split collars  32  and  34 . The collars  32 , 34  are secured to the vertical plates  36  and  38 , respectively, by the bolts  40 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The plate  36  is part of the stop assembly  12  and the plate  38  is part of the stop assembly  14 .  
         [0013]     The stop assembly  14  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , it being understood that the stop assembly  12  functionally is a mirror image of the stop assembly  14 . In the illustrative embodiment, everything is referenced from the right side of the roll forming machine  10 , as viewed in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the block  42  is secured to the plate  38  by the bolts  44 . The block  42  is substantially rectilinear so that its surface  46  is spaced from and parallel to the plate  38 . The block  42  is a spacer block, sized to account for a difference in profile between the two panel sizes. The corresponding block of the stop assembly  12  accounts for the remainder of the difference between the two sheet metal material widths.  
         [0014]     A first substantially horizontal plate  48  is secured to an upper surface of the block  42  and a second substantially horizontal plate  50  is secured to a lower surface of the block  42 , both by welding or other suitable means. If desired, the plate  50  may have angled portions  52 , 54  at its leading and trailing ends, respectively. Thus, if the wider sheet metal material is used, it is loaded into the machine  10  by guiding it onto the plate  48  with its edge against the vertical plate  38 , and if the narrower width sheet metal material is used, it is loaded into the machine  10  by guiding it onto the plate  50  with its edge against the vertical surface  46  of the block  42 . Accordingly, the vertical surface  46  of the block  42  and the vertical plate  38  function as entry guide stops for respective widths of sheet metal material.  
         [0015]     The guide member  18  is secured to the stop assembly  14  by being welded to the block  56 , which is secured to the vertical plate  38  by the bolts  58 .  
         [0016]     To properly set the stop assemblies  12 , 14 , The collars  32 , 34  are loosened by loosening the bolts  60 . The stop assembly  14  is then moved along the shafts  20 , 22  until it is properly aligned with the roll forming stations on that side of the machine  10 . The bolt  60  on the collar  34  is then tightened to secure the stop assembly  14 . The stop assembly  12  is then moved along the shafts  20 , 22  until it is distanced from the stop assembly  14  with the vertical plates  36 , 38  separated by the width of the wider sheet metal material. This automatically sets the entry guide for the narrower sheet metal material as well. The bolt  60  on the collar  32  is then tightened to secure the stop assembly  12 .  
         [0017]     Accordingly, there has been disclosed a multiple level entry guide for a roll forming machine. While an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, while there has been disclosed an entry guide for accepting two different widths of sheet metal material, the present invention can be adapted to three or more widths. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.