WIDE PANEL,PANEL ASSEMBLY,AND PANEL FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract: Novel panel and panel assembly for use in building-type structures, together with panel forming apparatus which are especially suitable for using portable, point-of-use, continuously operable, roll-forming techniques. One panel disclosed is characterized by upwardly diverging inclined sidewall portions (26, 27), wing portions (28, 29) of substantial lateral extent in relation to an intermediate wall portion that forms the bottom thereof, upper inclined side sections (41, 47), and centered edge fastening structure (31, 32). Another panel is characterized by vertical upper side sections (228, 229) extending above upwardly diverging inclined sidewall portions (226, 227) and offset edge fastening seam structure (23) and 232). These panels provide a greater panel width per sheet stock width, ease of assembly, spacing and tracking surface for continuous edge seaming, and balanced strength with respect to loading. One panel assembly has continuous seam structure (54) with abutting inclined side sections (41, 47) and centered interlocking lateral flange portions (46, 53). The other panel assembly has continuous seam structure (254) with abutting vertical side sections (228, 229) and offset interlocking flange structure. The panel forming apparatus changes straight panels to curved panels and is characterized by separate, alternately operable, sidewall portion and intermediate wall portion indenting drives each having alternate idle and drive modes of operation.

Description: mJ WIDE PANEL, PANEL ASSEMBLY, AND PANEL FORMING APPARATUS This is a continuation-in-part of U. S. pat¬ ent application Serial No. 236,832, filed February 23, 1981. Technical Field This invention relates to a novel and im¬ proved panel and panel assembly for use in building- type structures and to novel panel-forming apparatus. Background Art In prior U. S. Patents Nos. 3,842,647, 3,902,288 and 2,967,430 of the same inventor as the present invention, there are disclosed a shaped panel characterized by parallel sidewall portions that are perpendicular to an intermediate wall portion and a flange that extends directly laterally out from the up¬ per extremities of the sidewall portions so that assem¬ bled panels have sidewall portions that fit flush against one another. Disclosure of Invention A relatively wide panel and an assembly of the panels are disclosed which are suitable for forming the roof, sidewalls and end walls of a self-supporting building-type structure. The panel has an intermediate wall portion, a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging, inclined sidewall portions, and a pair of parallel up¬ per side sections that abut against one another when two of the panels are joined side by side. One form of the panel has the upper side section disposed at an in- cline and has a pair of wing portions of substantial lateral extent in relation to the intermediate wall O ? portion between the upper side section and the inclined sidewall portions, together with male and female edge fastening means extending beyond the upper side section and above the wing portions. Each wing portion, upper side section, and associated edge fastening means has a dimension related to the dimension of the intermediate wall portion to provide a balanced structure that has substantially the same resistance to both compression and tension loading forces when two of the panels are connected side by side. The edge fastening means of a pair of adjacent panels are located above and substan¬ tially centered between the edges of adjacent wing por¬ tions which are connected along a continuous seam structure. Another form of the panel does not have the wing portions and has upper side sections that extend vertically up from the lateral extremities of the in¬ clined sidewall portions. Forming apparatus for chang¬ ing a straight panel to a curved panel is arranged for forming transverse indentations in the intermediate wall portion and each of the sidewall portions. The forming apparatus includes separate, alternately oper¬ able pairs of indenting dies, each with a hydraulic drive using a hydraulic control system with one idling while the other is being driven. Brief Description of Drawings The details of this invention will be de¬ scribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a self- supporting building having an assembly of interconnected panels embodying features of the present invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation view of the building shown in Figure 1? Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a straight panel embodying features of the present invention; Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of an assembly of two of the panels of Figure 3 con- neσted side by side at continuous seam structure; Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse cross- sectional view of the continuous seam structure shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side elevation view of forming apparatus embodying features of the pre ' sent invention with portions broken away to show interior parts; Figure 7 is an end elevation view of the intermediate panel indenting rollers; Figure 8 is an end elevation view of the en- try guide portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 is an end elevation view of the sidewall indenting rollers shown in Figure 6; Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along lines 10-10 of Figure 9; Figure 11 is a top plan view of the wall- indenting rollers; Figure 12 is a sectional view of the curved panel; Figure 13 is a perspective view of a segment of a curved panel; Figure 14 is an end elevation view of an alternate set of wall indenting rollers; ... Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the drive and control for the drive motors; Figure 16 is a transverse cross-sectional view of another form of straight panel embodying fea¬ tures of the present invention; Figure 17 is an enlarged transverse cross- sectional view of the continuous seam structure joining two of the panels shown in Figure 16; Figure 18 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the curved panel made from the straight panel shown in Figure 16; Figure 19 is an end elevation view of another form of wall indenting dies for forming the curved panel shown in Figure 18; Figure 20 is a plan view of the drive system for one of the wall indenting dies with the motor removed; and Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the drive and control for the hydraulic drive motors shown in Figures 19 and 20. Detailed Description Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 a self-supported or free-standing building 11 comprised of an assembly of curved panels 12 forming both a roof and opposed sidewalls of the building, and an assembly of straight panels 18 form¬ ing the end walls of the building. The straight panel 18 preferably is produced by a roll-forming machine from a strip of a flat sheet of stock material of sheet metal or the like and may utilize the method and machine disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3,529,461. The panel 18 shown has a lower intermediate wall portion 25, a pair of opposed, up¬ wardly diverging, inclined sidewall portions 26 and 27, and a pair of upper, laterally extending wing portions 28 and 29, Wing portion 28 has a raised male edge fastening means 31 and wing portion 29 has a raised female edge fastening means 32. The sidewall portions 26 and 27 extend later¬ ally out from the latSral extremities or opposite side - edges of the intermediate wall portion 25 and, more PI specifically, are turned upwardly from the plane of .the intermediate wall portion through a selected acute angle. This angle is greater than 45°, and preferably between about 55° and 60°, so as to be closer to a plane perpendicular to the intermediate wall portion, or more upright than horizontal, to increase the over¬ all width of the panel as compared to panels that have sidewall portions perpendicular to the intermediate wall portion. For reference purposes, in Figure 3 a verti¬ cal median line for the panel is designated V, a hori¬ zontal median line is designated H, and these lines intersect at the geometric center for the panel which is designated C. In describing the specific embodiment the terms "upward" and "downward" refer to the illus¬ trated embodiment in its normal position of use and the terms ' "inward" and "outward" refer to directions toward and away from its geometric center. The intermediate wall portion shown is sub- stantially flat and has a longitudinally extending groove 34 centered on the vertical median line V of the panel. Sidewall portion 26 has a longitudinally ex¬ tending groove 36 and sidewall portion 27 has a longi¬ tudinally extending groove 37, grooves 36 and 37 being located approximately at the horizontal median line H for the panel. Wing portion 28 has a longitudinal groove 38 and wing portion 29 has a longitudinal groove 39, each located at approximately the middle of the associated wing portion. These grooves are optional but in practice were found to provide additional panel strength, greater rigidity and greater durability in the panel. Referring now to Figure 5, the panel 18 shown has an outwardly inclined side section 41 extending lat- out from a lateral extremity or side edge of wing CMPI portion 28 and, more specifically, turned upwardly from the plane of wing portion 28 at a bend 40 through an acute angle between about 55° and 60°, together with a lateral flange portion 46. The side section 41 has a 5 length related to the thickness of the seaming rollers Rl and R2, described hereinafter, that permits a por¬ tion of the roller R2 to fit between the wing portion 28 and the lateral flange portion 46. The raised male edge fastening means 31 has 10 an inturned lateral flange section 42 which extends lat¬ erally in and at a slight downward incline toward the center of the panel, around through a bend 43 of about 125° from the plane of section 41, along a terminal outturned lateral flange section 44 looped back at a 15 bend 45 of about 180°, and over section 42 which is parallel to wing portion 28 to provide the male lateral flange portion 46 of double thickness, that is substan¬ tially parallel to and substantially spaced above the wing portion 28, with a smooth surface along the inside 20 bend 45. This incline in side section 41 locates the male lateral flange portion 46 in a substantially cen¬ tered position in relation to the lateral extrernitu of the associated wing portion 28. The inclined side sec¬ tion 41 has enough height to permit the seaming roller 25 R2 to fit between the lateral flange and the associated wing portion. The panel 18 further has an inwardly inclined side section 47 extending laterally in from a lateral extremity of wing portion 29 toward the center of the 30 panel. Inclined side section 47 is turned upwardly from the plane of wing portion 29 through a bend 48 at an angle between about 120° and 125° so that inclined side sections 41 and 47 of adjacent panels are parallel to one another and section 41 overlaps section 47 of 35 the adjacent panel. Inclined side section 47 therefore also has an incline and length selected in relation to the thickness of the seaming roller Rl to permit that roller to engage and track on section 47. The raised female edge fastening means 32 shown has a lateral flange section 49 which extends laterally out from the upper end of inclined side sec¬ tion 47 through a bend 51 of about 120-125° to be back parallel to wing portion 29, and a terminal flange sec¬ tion 52 is turned through a bend of about 60-80° from the plane of section 49 to provide a female lateral flange portion in the form of an open inverted channel structure with a receiving opening wider than the width of the male edge fastening portion 46 of the adjacent panel which is directly inserted thereinto. A feature of the edge fastening means shown is that it is not necessary to rotate the panel about its axis to insert the male lateral flange portion 46 into the female lateral flange portion 53. The panel 18 above described has certain di- mensional relationships which provide substantially the same structural strength above and below the horizontal median line H for the panel and because of these rela¬ tionships the panel is herein referred to as a "bal¬ anced" or "substantially balanced" panel. In particu- lar, the dimension of the male edge fastening means 31 is substantially the same as that of the female edge fastening means 32, the dimension of the wing portions 28 and 29 is substantially the same, the dimension of the side sections 41 and 47 is substantially the same, and the dimension of each edge fastening means, side section and associated wing portion is substantially the same as one-half of the dimension of the intermedi¬ ate wall portion 25 so as to provide substantially the same strength above and below the horizontal median line H for the panel. . OMPI The dimension of each wing portion is substan¬ tial in relation to the dimension of the intermediate wall portion 25. More specifically, the dimension of each wing portion is greater than one-half the half- width or greater than one-fourth the dimension of the intermediate wall portion 25. These size or dimension relationships are sig¬ nificant when the panel is under load and the portion of the panel above the horizontal median line is under compression and the portion of the panel below the horizontal median line is under tension. Since the material dimensions of the panel above and below the horizontal median line are substantially the same, there is substantially the same resistance to compres- sion and tension loading forces and hence the panel may be said to be a balanced structure. Moreover, the dimension of the male and female edge fastening means is the same and their location with respect to the ver¬ tical median line is substantially the same to provide a symmetrical structure with respect to vertical median line V. The panel 18 shown typically is shaped from a roller strip of sheet metal of about 22 gauge, prefer¬ ably prefinished or galvanized steel. This strip is formed into the shaped panel shown by being passed through a continuously operable roll-forming machine of the general type disclosed in ϋ, S. Patent No. 3,529,461. By way of illustration and not by way of limi- tation, a typical wide panel as above described has the following dimensions: Width of sheet stock 91.44 cm Intermediate wall portion 20-32 cm Wing portion 7-62 cm Depth of corrugations 1.27 to 0.3175 cm Width of panel 60.96 cm Depth of panel including seaming edges 20.32 cm In assembling two of the above described pan- els together, the male lateral flange portion 46 of one panel is inserted into the female lateral flange por¬ tion 53 of the other panel, which can be done without rotating the panel about its axis. A seaming device is preferably used to turn the terminal flange section 52 from the open position shown in Figure 3 to a closed position under a portion of the underside of the lat¬ eral flange section 42 of the adjacent panel to form a continuous seam structure 54. The seam structure 54 of the assembly is seen to be centered approximately at the side edges or lateral extremities of the abutting side wing portions of adjacent panels. The terminal flange section 52 is shown to be folded back through an angle of between about 30° and 120° to a position underlying the male flange section 42 and may extend down at an angle of about 15° to the horizontal or folded back to be substantially horizon¬ tal, depending on how tight a seam structure is required. The outline of two seaming rollers Rl and R2 suitable for this purpose is indicated in dashed lines, as above discussed. The general operation of a seamer that travels along a panel flange and forms a seam is disclosed in ϋ. S. Patent No. 3,875,642, and a specific seamer suitable for forming the seam of these panels is disclosed in my copending application entitled "Seam¬ ing Apparatus with Laterally Separable Rollers." * When two of the panels are connected side by side as shown in Figures 4 and 5 with the male and female fastening flanges connected, there are provided two substantially symmetrical half-section shapes alternately above and below the horizontal median line H for the assembly. The vertical median line that passes through the center of the panel assembly shown in Figure 5-is again designated V. Under load the por- 5 tion of the assembly above the horizontal median line H is under compression and the portion of the assembly below the horizontal median line H is under tension. Referring now to Figures 6-15, there are shown panel forming apparatus and the resulting curved panel 10 12 produced by. the panel forming apparatus, the curved panel 12 having longitudinally spaced transverse inden¬ tations 57 in the intermediate wall portion 25 and longi¬ tudinally spaced, tapered, transverse indentations 58 in each of the inclined sidewall portions 26 and 27. The 15 tapered indentations 58 are wider at the bottom and reach an apex at the top. A preferred taper for inden¬ tations 58 is about one degree on each side of the plane of the panel or a total taper of two degrees, as seen in the sectional view in Figure 12. 20 The panel forming apparatus shown includes a skeletal, rectangular, support frame having laterally spaced upper side members 61 and laterally spaced lower side members 62, together with upright connecting mem¬ bers 63 connected on both sides at the ends and at 25 spaced intervals along the side members to provide an open box-shaped frame configuration. Beginning at the infeed end, there are pro¬ vided two guide assemblies at spaced positions along a preselected straight line course of travel for the 30 panel. A first guide assembly includes an upper roller set comprising an upper guide roller 64 and a lower guide roller 65 mounted on an upper support plate 66, together with a lower roller set comprising an upper guide roller 67 and two lower guide rollers 68 and 69 35 spaced along the apparatus and mounted on a movable lower support member 71. The upper roller 64 has a V-shaped peripheral groove and the lower roller 65 has a complementary V-shaped periphery. These rollers are tilted in at an angle of about 20° to the vertical and they engage the inturned inclined side section and an outer portion of the associated wing portion of one side of the flange on the panel. The upper roller 67 is arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis and has a smooth peripheral surface. Each of the lower rollers 68 and 69 has an asymmetrical groove in its periphery on which the raised lateral flange portion of the panel, turned on its side, will rest. The upper roller 67 engages the inside bend of the fastening flange structure and the inclined section of the panel rides in the asymmetrical groove- The support member 71 is adjustable up and down by a threaded bolt-nut arrangement 72 for a pre- alinement adjustment for the panel. The second guide assembly, located downstream of the first, includes a set of one upper and two lower guide rollers 64a and 65a similar to the upper rollers 64 and 65 above described and in a straight line there¬ with and a set of one upper guide roller 67a and one lower guide roller 68a similar to the rollers 67 and 68 in the first guide roller arrangement above de¬ scribed and in alinement therewith. This guide ar¬ rangement supports and guides the incoming panel and directs it into the pairs of wall-indenting dies here¬ inafter described. These guide assemblies minimize abrasion of the panel and provide for both a vertical and a lateral position adjustment. The sidewall indenting assembly is mounted inside the support frame and includes a first pair of wall-indenting dies 81 and 82 that form tapered inden- tations 58 in sidewall portion 27 of the panel and a second pair of wall-indenting dies 83 and 84 similar to pair 81 and 82 that form tapered indentations 58 in in¬ clined sidewall portion 26 of the panel. The first pair of wall-indenting dies is disposed at an incline so as to support the panel on its side with the intermediate wall portion 25 in a vertically disposed position. Each of the wall-indenting dies 81, 82, 83 and 84 is tapered or in the general shape of a trun¬ cated cone and, more specifically, the outer die of each set is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom with respect to the top and bottom of the sidewall por¬ tion of the panel while the inner die is the reverse, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom with re¬ spect to the top and bottom of the sidewall portion of the panel to provide the tapered indentations 58 in the sidewall portions of the panel as above described. Each die is of a similar construction and, with reference to die 81, this die, as shown in Figure 10, has a pluralith of circumferentially spaced and radially extending die blades 86 mounted in a hub 87 which in turn is carried by a support shaft 88. In turn, die 82 has a support shaft 89, die 83 has a sup¬ port shaft 91, and die 84 has a support shaft 92. The upper ends of the shafts 88 and 89 are journaled in suitable associated bearings in a support plate 93 and gears 95 and 96 are mounted on the upper ends of shafts 88 and 89, respectively, and mesh with one another. Drive motor 101 for the wall-indenting dies 81, 82, 83 and 84 has a gear 102 on its output shaft that in turn meshes with gear 96. When the motor 101 rotates, gears 95 and 96 and associated dies 81 and 82 are driven at the same speed in opposite directions. When the, motor 101 is not rotated, the dies 81 and 82 rotate freely in an idle mode of operation. The opposite end of shaft 88 is journaled in a bearing in a support plate 103 and carries a right- angle bevel gear 104 on its lower end. The lower end of the shaft 89 is journaled in a bearing in a support plate 105 which in turn is carried by an adjustable support in the form of a stationary block 106 having a thread screw 107. This arrangement enables the inner die 82 to be adjustably moved toward or away from outer die 81 to adjust the depth of the corrugations or in¬ dentations in the sidewall portions of the panel. The second pair of wall-indenting dies 83 and 84 is similar in construction to the upper pair above described and is arranged at right angles there¬ to. The outer die 83 is wider at that portion that engages the upper portion of the inclined sidewall portion of the panel and the inner die 84 is narrower at the end adjacent to the wider end of die 83. The support shafts 91 and 92 have adjacent ends journaled in bearings in a support plate 109, to¬ gether with meshing gears 111 and 112 on their adjacent ends. The opposite end of shaft 91 is journaled in bearings in a support plate 113 with a right-angle bevel gear 114 on one end that meshes with bevel gear 104 above described. Shaft 92 has the end opposite gear 112 journaled in a bearing in a support plate 116 which in turn is carried by stationary block 106 and has an adjustment screw 117 to enable die 84 to be moved toward and away from die 83 to adjust the depth of the indentations in the sidewall portions of the panel. In summary, the transmission of power from motor 101 is first through gears 102, 96 and 95 and then through the bevel gear 103 to bevel gear 114 and via shaft 91 to gears 111 and 112 and finally to shaft 92, so that when the motor 101 is actuated all of the wall-indenting dies 81, 82, 83 and 84 are rotated at synchronized speeds. An alternative form of dies and power train for making the indentations in the sidewall portions shown in Figure 14 has dies 81a and 81b with less taper 5 and bevel gears 104a and 114a less than right-angle gears. The wall-indenting die assembly for the in¬ termediate wall portion includes a left side indenting die 121 and a right side indenting die 122 as viewed 10 from the feed end. Each of these dies is similar in construction. Die 121 has a plurality of circumferen- tially spaced, at equal angles, and radially extending die blades 124 mounted on a hub 125 on a support shaft 126 which in turn is journaled in a top bearing 127 and 15 a ^ bottom bearing 128, making die 121 suitable for free rotation about its axis. Right side die 122 has die blades 128 mounted on a hub 129 on a shaft 131 that rotates freely in a top bearing 132 and a bottom bear¬ ing 133. A preferred orientation is to hve the die 20 shafts disposed upright. The die blades 124 of left side die 121 have a generally cylindrical or roller-like profile with rounded corners and the opposite die blades 128 of die 122 have raised portions 135 at the corners that serve 25 to bring the indentation around the corner of the panel and establish a corner radius in each indentation in the panel. The left side die 121 has its top bearing 127 mounted on a slide plate 141 carried by a slotted sta- 30 tionary base plate 143 on a top cross member 144. The side edges of plate 141 are beveled to slide in and be retained by a pair of complementary beveled slot sur¬ faces in base plate 143. The slide plate 141 is moved by the use of an 35 internally threaded block 145 affixed to slide plate 141 and a screw 146 that threads therein. The screw is threaded via a gear box 147 and handle 148. A similar drive is provided for moving the bottom bearing 128 that is operated by moving a handle 149. The lower slotted stationary base plate 143 for slide plate 141 is mounted on a lower cross member 151. With this drive arrangement, upon the movement of handles 148 and 149 the die 121 is moved toward and away from the right side die 122 to change the depth of the indentations in the intermediate wall of the panel and thereby the degree of arch in the panel. It will be observed that each of the top and bottom ends of the shaft 126 for the left side die 121 is adjustably movable independ¬ ently of the other. The hydraulic motor 155 for driving the wall- indenting dies 121 and 122 is shown in Figure 6 as sup¬ ported by the frame. The power transmission train in¬ cludes a sprocket 156 on the output shaft of th ; motor 155, a first pair of intermediate sprockets 157 and 158 on a vertical shaft 159, and a second intermediate sprocket 161 on a second vertical shaft 162 with a chain 163 around sprockets 156 and 157 and a chain 160 around sprockets 158 and 161. Shaft 162 has a gear 164 that meshes with a gear 165 on shaft 126 of die 121. Gear 165 meshes with gear 167 on shaft 131 of die 122 (Figure 7) . With this drive arrangement dies 121 and 122 are driven in opposite directions at synchronized speeds when motor 155 is actuated. The hydraulic drive system for powering hy- draulic motors 101 and 155 is shown in Figure 15. The system includes a conventional hydraulic pump 171, a hydraulic tank 172, and a three-position, open center, detented spool control valve 173 having a control lever 174. An open center core hydraulic line 176 is con- nected from the output of the pump to the tank via the center core of the valve 173 when the lever 174 is set in the center or middle position and, while in this setting, hydraulic fluid is pumped from the pump 171 directly into the tank via line 176. When the lever is moved toward the operator the valving arrangement shown to the right side in valve 173 is positioned in the center of the valve so that there is a P-A connection in the valve 173 and fluid is pumped from the pump 171 via a power core line 175 to the wall-indenting motor 101 and. back into the tank 172 by return line 177. Additionally, there is a B-T connection in the valve that enables fluid to flow through the wall-indenting motor 155 and back into the tank via a return line 178 in an idle mode of operation for motor 155. "P" is an abbreviation for power and "T" an abbreviation for tank. The designations "A" and "B" are output ports of the valve 173. When the control lever-174 is pushed away from the operator to the power mode for motor 155, the valving connections shown on the left side of valve 173 are moved to the center of the valve and a P-B connec¬ tion has the pump 171 pumping via line 175 into the motor 155, and an A-T connection enables fluid to pass through the motor 101 and line 177 in an idle mode of operation for motor 101. An adjustable pressure relief valve 179 is shown connected between the output of the pump 171 and the tank in a bypass line 181 which will pass fluid di¬ rectly to the tank 172 in the event the line pressure exceeds a selected pressure such as 1500 psi, as a safety feature. The direction of rotation of either of the dϊive motors may be reversed by means of an electric solenoid valve associated with the control valve to re- verse fluid flow when in the drive mode for that motor. OM In a preferred mode the solenoid will be reversed by means of an electric limit switch located at the end of a run-out table for the panel triggered by engagement by the panel. In a full sequence of operation with a straight panel 12 supported by the guide assembly, when the lever 174 is pulled forward toward the operator the dies 81, 82, 83 and 84 are powered and dies 121 and 122 are in the idle mode. The former grip the panel and push it between dies 121 and 122. The lever 174 is then pushed to the rear and dies 121 and 122 are powered and grip the panel and dies 81, 82, 83 and 84 are in the idle mode and a succession of equally spaced corrugations or indentations is continuously performed in walls of the panel as it is passed therethrough. This arrangement eliminates the need for a cam clutch, etc. , and uses an independent direct drive system for the dies associated with the intermediate wall portion and the dies associated with the sidewall portions. The hydraulics affords a relatively simple drive and control system. Another form of straight panel 218 shown in Figure 16 has a lower intermediate wall portion 225, a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging, inclined sidewall portions 226 and 227, and a pair of vertical upper side sections 228 and 229 arranged parallel to one another. Side section 228 supports a raised male edge fastening means or inturned male lateral flange portion 231 and side section 229 supports a raised female edge fasten- ing means or outturned female flange portion.232. The inclined sidewall portions 226 and 227 extend laterally out from the lateral extremities of the intermediate wall portion and, more specifically, are turned up from the plane of the intermediate wall portion 225 through an angle of about 45°. The male edge fastening means 231 shown in¬ cludes a lateral section 242 extending in from the up¬ per extremity of vertical upper sidewall portion 228 at a right angle thereto and the end section 244 is looped back through a bend 245 of about 180° to provide the male lateral flange portion 231 which is of double thickness and is substantially parallel to the inter¬ mediate wall portion 225. The raised female edge fastening means 232 includes a lateral section 249 extending laterally out from the upper extremity of side section 229. Lateral section 249 turns through a bend of 90° to section 229. A down urned terminal flange section 252 is turned through a bend of 90° to lateral section 249 to form with section 229 an open inverted channel structure with a receiving opening wider than the lateral extent or width of the male lateral flange portion 231 of the adjacent panel which is directly inserted thereinto in assembling two of the panels together side by side. The panel 218 above described is also a "sub¬ stantially balanced" panel and in particular the dimen¬ sions of flange portions 231 and 232 are substantially the same, the dimensions of side sections 228 and 229 are substantially the same, and the combined dimensions of portions 231 and 228 or portions 229 and 232 are substantially one-half the dimension of the intermedi¬ ate wall portion 225, so as to provide substantially the same strength above and below a horizontal median line for the panel. In assembling together two of the above de- scribed panels 218, the male flange portion 231 of one is inserted into the female flange portion 232 of the adjacent panel. A seaming device is used to turn the terminal flange section 252 to a closed position under a portion of the underside of the flange portion 242 of the adjacent panel to form a continuous seam structure 254, as shown in Figure 17. This seam structure is offset to the inside of the panel assembly and, more specifically, is offset to the inside of abutting ver- tical upper side sections 228 and 229 of adjacent panels. The outline of two seaming rollers R3 and R4 suitable for seaming the panels together is indicated in dashed lines in Figure 17. The general operation of a seamer that travels along the panel f-langes and forms the seam is disclosed in my above mentioned copending application. When the two panels are connected side by side, there are two symmetrical half-section shapes to the left and right of a vertical median line for the assembly. ' A curved panel 222, shown in Figure 18, pro¬ duced by the panel forming apparatus described herein¬ after has longitudinally spaced transverse indentations 257 in downwardly bowed intermediate wall portion 225 and longitudinally spaced, tapered, transverse indenta¬ tions 258 in each of the inclined sidewall portions 226 and 227 similar to those in the curved panel shown in Figure 13. The taper for the indentations is one de- gree on each side of the plane of the panel, or a total taper of two degree, as is seen in Figure 18. By way of illustration and not by way of lim¬ itation, a typical panel as above described has the following dimensions: Width of flat sheet 60.96 cm Intermediate wall portion of straight panel 225 20.32 cm Side section 229 2.54 cm Side section 228 2.38 cm Lateral section 242 2.2225 cm Q._?I Lateral section 249 2.69875 cm Depth of corrugations 258 1.27 to 0.3175 cm Width of straight panel 40.64 cm Depth of straight panel 12.7 cm Width of curved panel 40.64 cm Depth of curved panel 15.24 cm The same guide assemblies, intermediate wall portion indenting dies, and associated support struc¬ ture as above described are used to form the curved panel 222. A modified form of sidewall indenting assem¬ bly is shown in Figures 19 and 20. The sidewall in¬ denting assembly includes a first set or pair of wall- indenting dies 281 and 282 that form the tapered in- dentations 258 above described in the inclined sidewall portion of the panel and a second set or pair of wall- indenting dies 283 and 284 similar to pair 281 and 282. These two pairs of dies are disposed along axes that are at right angles to one another. Each of the dies is tapered about one degree. The outer dies 281 and 283 of each pair are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, while the inner dies 282 and 284 of each pair are wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. Each die has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending die blades 286 of a similar shape and construction. The blades of dies 281 and 282 are mounted on hubs supported on parallel spaced shafts 288 and 289, respectively. The blades of dies 283 and 284 are mounted on hubs sup- ported on parallel spaced shafts 291 and 292, respectively. The upper end portions of the pair of shafts 288 and 289 are journaled in associated bearings car¬ ried in a stationary top support plate 298. Gears 295 and 296 are mounted on shafts 288 and 289, respectively. OMFI and mesh with one another. Gears 295 and 296 are lo¬ cated below top support plate 298. Intermediate por¬ tions of the shafts 288 and 289 are journaled in bear¬ ings carried in a stationary intermediate support plate 293 located below gears 295 and 296. Support plates 293 and 298 are carried by the stationary support frame above described. The hydraulic drive motor Ml for rotating dies 281 and 282 is mounted on the top support plate 298 and has a gear 299 on its output shaft that meshes with gear 296 so that, when motor Ml rotates, the dies 281 and 282 rotate in opposite directions. When motor Ml is not being powered, the dies 281 and 282 rotate freely in an idle mode of operation. The support and drive for dies 283 and 284 and their ' associated shafts are identical to those for dies 281 and 282 above described. The pairs of shafts for dies 283 and 284 are disposed at right angles to the shafts supporting dies 281 and 282. The hydraulic drive motor for rotating dies 281 and 282 is desig¬ nated M2. • It is understood that the above described die arrangement for shaping curved panel 222, which does not have the adjacent pairs of shafts connected together but relies on separate motors for each, may also be used to form the curved panel shown in Figure 13. The hydraulic drive system used for powering and controlling the operation of the motors Ml and M2 above described and motor M3 used for driving the inter¬ mediate wall portion includes a power source, typi¬ cally a gasoline powered engine E driving a pump PI for the motors Ml and M2 and a pump P2. for motor M3. The output of pump PI is connected by hydraulic line 302 to a control valve 303 having a control lever 304. A tank 301 supplies fluid to pumps Pi and P2. Control valve 303 may be further characterized as a three- position, free flow center, spring-biased hydraulic valve. A hydraulic line 306 is connected from output port A of the center core to one side of the motors Ml and M2. A hydraulic line 307 is connected from output port B of the center core via a flow divider 308 to the other side of motors Ml and M2. Ports A and B are connected internally of the center core.by line 309. The input side of the center core has its input port P connected by hydraulic line 302 through a check valve 311 to pump Pi. The input port T of the center core is connected to tank 312 by a hydraulic line 313. The input port T of the center core is con¬ nected internally to ports A and B by a line 314 so that there may be a flow of fluid from the motors Ml and M2 to the tank 312 when the control lever 304 is in the center or neutral position. When the control lever 304 is pushed away from the operator the valving arrangement shown to the right side in valve 303 is positioned in the center so that there is a P-B and an A-T connection in the valve and fluid is pumped from pump PI via line 302 through the divider 308, through motors Ml and M2, and back to the tank by a return line 313. When control lever 304 is pulled toward the operator, the valving arrangement shown on the left side is positioned in the center. Under these condi- tions there is a P-A connection and a B-T connection in the valve and the flow of the fluid through the motors Ml and M2 is reversed. Motors Ml and M2 run at the same speed in both directions due to the equal di¬ vision of the fluid by the flow divider 308. The valve 303 is biased by spring 316 to return to the neutral ySmEm OMPI position with the valving arrangement shown in the cen¬ ter when a manual force is removed from control lever 304 and motors Ml and M2 rotate freely or idle. The output of pump P2 is connected by a hy- draulic line 322 to a control valve 323 having a con¬ trol lever 324. More specifically, the output of pump P2 is connected by line 323 through a check valve 325 to the input port P of the center core of control valve 323. A hydraulic line 326 connects from the output of pump P2 directly to the tank 312 when the lever 324 is in the center position to operate in the same manner as the previously described hydraulic valve 173. Con¬ trol valve 323 may be further characterized as a three- position, free flow center, detented spool, hydraulic valve. " A hydraulic line 328 is coupled between out¬ put port A of the center core and one side of the motor M3. A hydraulic line 329 is connected between output port B of the center core and the other side of motor M3. The ports A and B of the center core are shown to be connected internally of the valve by line 331. Port T of the center core is shown connected internally to output ports A and B by a line 332. A return line 333 connects from port T of the center core to tank 312. Valve 323 has a detent 335 to hold the con¬ trol lever 324 in the position in which it has been set to cause, the motor M3 to rotate until a release force is applied to the control lever 324. When the control lever 324 is pushed away from the operator, the valving arrangement to the right side is positioned in the center so that there is a P-B connection and an A-T connection in the valve and fluid is pumped from pump P2 via line 322, valve 325, and line 329 into motor M3 to rotate the motor in one direction. When the control lever 324 is moved toward the operator the valving arrangement shown on the left side is positioned in the center. With this setting there is a P-A connection and a B-T connection in the valve, and the direction of fluid flow in motor M3 is reversed. The fluid flow lines are connected via the. center core to maintain idle fluid flow when the asso¬ ciated motor is not being driven. In a full sequence of operation, with a straight panel supported by the guide assembly, when control lever 304 is pushed away from the operator the pairs of sidewall dies are powered and push the panel between dies 281, 282, 283 and 284. The control lever 304 is then pulled to the neutral position, control lever 324 is pushed to the drive position, and dies 121 and 122 are powered and grip the panel, while dies 281, 282, 283 and 284 are in the free running mode of operation. Although the present invention has been de- scribed with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. In a panel, the combination comprising: an intermediate wall portion; a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging, inclined sidewall portions extending out from the lat¬ eral extremities of said intermediate wall portion; and an upper portion extending away from the lateral extremity of each of said sidewall portions, one of said upper portions having a raised male edge fastening means and the other of said upper portions having a raised female edge fastening means, each said upper portion and associated edge fastening means being of substantially the same dimension as the dimension of one-half of the dimension of said intermediate- wall portion to provide substan¬ tially the same structural strength above and below a horizontal median line for the panel. 2. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper portion includes a wing portion ex- tending out from each of said sidewall portions in a direction substantially parallel to said intermediate wall portion and outwardly and inwardly inclined side sections extending away from said wing portions. 3. In a panel as set forth in claim 2 wherein each said male and female edge fastening means is disposed a selected distance above the plane of and is substantially centered above the lateral extremity of the associated wing portion. 4. In a panel as set forth in claim 2 wherein the dimension of each of said wing portions is greater than one-fourth the dimension of said intermediate wall portion. 5 5. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the angle through which said sidewall portions are turned from the plane of said intermediate wall portion is between about 55° and 60°. 6. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 in- 10 eluding at least one longitudinally extending groove in each of said wing portions, at least one longitudinally extending, centrally disposed groove in each of said sidewall portions, and a longitudinally extending groove in the center of said intermediate wall portion, 15 said grooves providing added strength. 7. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said panel is longitudinally straight. 8. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said panel has a series of transverse indenta- 20 tions in said intermediate wall portion and a portion of said sidewall portions and is longitudinally curved. 9. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said female edge fastening means is a part of a generally channel-like shape having a receiving opening 25 of a width greater than the width of said male edge fastening means. 10. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said male edge fastening means includes an inturned lower lateral flange section and an outturned upper lateral flange section looped back at a bend and extending laterally out over said lower lateral flange section to provide a male lateral flange portion having a double thickness. 11. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said female edge fastening means includes a lateral flange section extending laterally out from the upper end of said side section and a terminal flange section extending laterally out and at an incline to form a part of a channel-like structure, said terminal flange section being adapted to fold back under a lat- eral flange portion of an underside of a male lateral flange portion of an adjacent similar panel received therein to form a continuous seam structure joining said two adjacent panels. • 12. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper portion includes an upper side sec¬ tion extending vertically up from the lateral extremity of each of said inclined sidewall portions, said upper side sections being parallel to one another and sub¬ stantially perpendicular to said intermediate wall portion.. 13. In a panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the angle through which said sidewall portions are turned from the plane of said intermediate wall portion is about 45°. 14. In a panel assembly, the combination comprising: a plurality of panels connected side by side at adjacent sidewall portions, each said panel having an intermediate wall portion; a pair of opposed, upwardly diverging, inclined sidewall portions extending out at a selected angle from the opposite side edges of said intermediate wall portion; and an upper portion extending away from the lateral extremity of each of said sidewall portions, one of said upper portions having a raised male edge fastening means and the other of said wing portions having a raised female edge fastening means, each of said upper portions and asso¬ ciated edge fastening means being of a dimension se¬ lected in relation to the dimension of said intermedi¬ ate portion to provide a substantially balanced struc¬ ture in relation to compression and tension loading forces, the male edge fastening means of one of said side-by-side panels being disposed in the female edge fastening means of the adjacent panel, a terminal sec¬ tion of the female edge fastening means being folded back to a position underlying said male edge fastening means of the adjacent panel so as to dispose adjacent wing portions side by side, forming a continuous seam structure joining each side-by-side panel. 15. In a panel assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein a first plurality of said connected panels that are longitudinally curved form the roof and opposed side sections of a self-supporting building- type structure and a second plurality of said connected panels that are longitudinally straight form the end walls of said structure. O FI 16. In a panel forming apparatus for produc¬ ing a curved panel from a straight panel having upward¬ ly inclined sidewall portions extending from an inter¬ mediate wall portion, the combination comprising: first and second pairs of wall-indenting dies spaced from one another to receive therebetween each inclined sidewall portion of a straight panel, said pairs of wall-indenting dies being mounted for free rotation about an axis in an idle mode of operation; a first drive means to simultaneously rotate said first and second pairs of wall-indenting dies in a power mode of operation; a third pair of wall-indenting dies lo- cated downstream of and in line with said first and second pairs of wall-indenting dies arranged to receive the intermediate wall portion of the panel between each of said third pairs and engage said intermediate wall portion of the panel after it has passed through said first and second pairs of wall-indenting dies, said third pair of wall-indenting dies being mounted for free rotation about an axis in an idle mode of operation; a second drive means to simultaneously rotate said third pair of wall-indenting dies; and control means for said first and second drive means including an idle setting and a power set¬ ting for each of said first and second drive means with a control circuit that alternates the modes for each drive means whereby when the first drive means is idling the second drive means is driving and when the second drive means is idling the first drive means is driving to form said indentations when said panel is passed continuously through said pairs of indenting dies. 17. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 including guide means to guide the incoming straight panel along a predetermined course of travel and into said first and second pairs of wall-indenting dies, said guide means including first and second guide assemblies arranged along a prese¬ lected straight-line course of travel, each of said guide assemblies having sets of guide rollers between which edge fastening flanges of the panel are carried to support the panel with its intermediate wall portion upright. 18. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the lower set of guide rollers of said first assembly is adjustable up and down to aline the panel with said pairs of dies. 19. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said first, second, and third pairs of wall-indenting dies includes a plu¬ rality of equally circumferentially spaced and radially ■ extending die blades mounted for rotation with a common hub, the adjacent blades of each pair of dies meshing with one another. 20. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said die blades are tapered to form tapered indentations that are wider at the bot¬ tom and narrower at the top of the sidewall portion of the panel, 21. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein one of the die blades of each pair is mounted on a shaft having a bevel gear, the bevel gears meshing with one another to transmit power fro said first pair to said second pair, the end of the shaft opposite the bevel gear having meshing gears for each pair arranged so that each pair rotates at the same speed and in opposite directions. 22. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein one die of each pair is ad¬ justably movable toward and away from the other to change the depth of the indentation in each sidewall portion of the panel. 23. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein one of the dies of said third pair has a generally cylindrical profile with rounded corners and the other die of said third pair has raised corners to establish a corner radius in the sidewall portion of the panel. 24. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein one of said dies of said third pair is adjustably movable toward and away from the other to selected settings to adjust the depth of the indentations in the intermediate wall and thereby the curvature in the panel, each end of said one die being adjustably movable independently of the other. 25. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said dies of said third pair is driven by a common motor at the same speed and in opposite directions. 26. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first and second drive means include a first motor coupled via a first power train to the first and second pairs of dies and a second motor coupled via a second power train to said third pair of dies, said motors being hydraulic motors and said control means including a tank, a pump, and a control valve with power fluid flow lines arranged to pump fluid to one motor or the other to drive the motors and idle fluid flow lines to maintain fluid flow when the motor is not pumping. 27. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first drive means in- eludes first and second motors coupled via separate power trains to said first and second pairs of dies, respectively, and a second motor coupled by an asso¬ ciated power train to said third pair of dies, said motors being hydraulic motors and said control means including a tank, a pump, and a control valve for each of said first, second, and third pairs of dies to pump fluid to alternately power said first and second motors or said third motor. 28. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 27- including a flow divider in a hy¬ draulic line to said first and second motors to drive said motors at the same speed. 29. In a panel forming apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first and second pairs of dies are arranged at right angles to one another and have an external taper of about one degree.

Inventors: KNUDSON GARY ART
Applicants: KNUDSON GARY ART
Application year: 1982
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: B21D5, B21D13, B21D39, E04B1, E04C2, E04D3