Patent Abstract:
The combination of a self-adjusting payoff and a compact, portable metal forming device comprising: 1) a frame having entry and exit ends; 2) guide means adjacent the entry end for guiding a sheet of metal to be formed to a hand operated drive assembly supported within the frame that engages the metal sheet and drives it, through the operation of a series of gear linked separately journaled forming roll pairs mounted in the frame, 3) adjacent the exit end an adjustable cam wheel that engages one edge of the metal sheet and forms that edge just prior to the metal sheet reaching the exit end, and 4) forming the exit end, a guillotine cutter including a shaped exit aperture for cutting the formed metal sheet to any selected length.

Full Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/546,424 filed Apr. 10, 2000 entitled “Metal Forming Apparatus”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,935. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to equipment for the on-site fabrication of metal roofing flashing and the like and more particularly to portable such equipment that is easily transported from site to site. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The fabrication of metallic flashing and the like for use in the installation of roofs is largely a custom operation generally necessitating that fabrication be performed on site. As a rule, such fabrication is done by hand using small metal bending equipment such as portable metal breaks or the like using metal cut from a coil or in sheet form that is carried to the job site. Often the width of a suitable section of, for example flashing must be cut from an oversized coil or sheet marketed to meet the needs of a broad range of customers, but not specifically meeting the needs just described. Such on site fabrication for common shapes in custom lengths is therefore often very time consuming and therefore costly for the installer and ultimately the customer. 
     While there exists a large number of metal forming devices most are very large and cumbersome, often requiring independent power sources and therefore very costly or requiring a dedicated vehicle for their transportation. The use of such large devices is therefore not practical for the average roofer, even one performing a large number of roofing jobs that require the on site fabrication of a number of commonly shaped, but custom length flashing parts. 
     The availability of a compact, inexpensive and readily hand operated metal former capable of forming metal flashing and the like in custom lengths that can be transported in, for example, an ordinary pick-up truck without occupying an undue amount of cargo space would, therefore, be of significant value to the roofing community. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact, low cost and preferably hand operated metal forming device that meets the needs of the roofing community for the on-site, custom fabrication of metal flashing and the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a compact, portable metal forming device comprising: 1) a frame having entry and exit ends; 2) guide means adjacent the entry end for guiding a sheet of metal to be formed to a hand operated drive assembly supported within the frame that engages the metal sheet and drives it, through the operation of a series of gear linked separately journaled forming roll pairs mounted in the frame, 3) adjacent the exit end an adjustable cam wheel that engages one edge of the metal sheet and forms that edge just prior to the metal sheet reaching the exit end, and 4) forming the exit end, a guillotine cutter including a shaped exit aperture for cutting the formed metal sheet to any selected length. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the complete metal forming device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 a  is a side view of the complete metal forming apparatus of the present invention showing an alternative payoff device at the entry end. 
     FIG. 1 b  is a blown apart perspective view showing a preferred pivoting spool payoff of the metal forming apparatus of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 c  is a partially cutaway view of the pivoting spool payoff of the metal forming apparatus of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially phantom side view of the metal forming device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a partially phantom top view of the metal forming device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a partially phantom exit end view of the metal forming device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a partially phantom entry end view of the metal forming device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a partially phantom exit end view of the metal forming device of the present invention showing the guillotine cutter in the protected or operating position at the exit end. 
     FIG. 7 is a partially phantom exit end view of the metal forming device of the present invention showing the guillotine cutter in the cutting position. 
     FIG. 8 is a partially phantom, cutaway view showing the final metal edge, forming wheel in a first position. 
     FIG. 9 is a partially phantom, cutaway view showing the final metal edge, forming wheel in a second forming or bending position. 
     FIG. 10 is a partially phantom view of the metal forming apparatus of the present invention showing the final metal edge forming wheel in the down or metal forming position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, the complete metal forming system  10  of the present invention includes a platform  12 , a payoff  14 , and where necessary for mounting, for example, on the side rail of a pick-up truck, adjustable jacks  16  for that side of platform  12  that is not supported by the side rail, and metal forming apparatus  18  that is the core of the present invention. Platform  12  may be fabricated from any suitable material such as aluminum or steel and for appearance may be of so-called “diamond plate” high brilliance aluminum. The purpose of platform  12  is simply to provide a convenient co-location for payoff  14  and metal forming apparatus  18 . According to a preferred embodiment, platform  12 , as best shown in FIG. 4, has a slanted flange  20  and an orthogonal flange  22  extending downward therefrom. Orthogonal flange  22  serves as the location of jacks  16  that can be secured to platform  12  in any suitable fashion (bolts, screws brackets, etc.) and support that side of platform  12  by bearing against the bed of a pick-up truck (not shown) and the bottom surface  24  of platform  12  when slanted flange  20  is laid over the pick-up truck side rail (not shown). 
     Sheet metal forming apparatus  18  may be permanently or removably attached to platform  12  in any suitable fashion such as with bolts or otherwise. One preferred method of attachment best shown in FIG. 2 utilizes a cut out block  13  removably bolted to platform  12  that engages bottom  15  of frame  28 . 
     Payoff  14  can be of any suitable design that permits support of a coil  26  of metal and allows the controlled extraction of sheet metal therefrom. Thus, it is highly desirable that payoff  14  be equipped with some type of friction or brake mechanism to inhibit uncoiling of the sheet metal in an uncontrolled fashion. A specifically preferred alternative payoff is described below. 
     As will be obvious to the skilled artisan, metal forming apparatus  18  as described hereinafter can be used independently of any platform  12 , if otherwise securely located or without payoff  14 , if discrete sheets of metal to be formed are introduced thereto. 
     As previously stated, the core of the present invention is metal forming apparatus  18 . As shown in the various Figures, metal forming apparatus  18  comprises a frame  28  having an entry end  30 , a discharge or exit end  32 , a top  87 , opposing sides  68  and  70  and a bottom  15 . Extending outward from entry end  30  is a pair of parallel offset guide bars  34  and  36  having grooves  38  and  40  respectively therein. Grooves  38  and  40  begin the forming process by engaging the edges of an inserted piece of sheet metal (not shown) and, as the sheet is pushed or advanced therein, because of their offset, aligning the sheet for engagement with the initial set of forming rolls  42  and  44  described hereinafter. For purposes of convenience hereinafter, the metal sheet will be referred to as having a left and a right side, the left side being that which engages groove  38  and the right side being that which engages groove  40 . Insertion of the metal sheet into grooves  38  and  40  as just described causes the metal sheet to assume a general U-shape between grooves  38  and  40 . The presence of this U-shape ease entry of the metal sheet into metal forming apparatus  18 . In the absence of the formation of this general U-shape caused by insertion of the metal sheet edges as just described, the metal sheet will tend to buckle. Such buckling could alternatively be inhibited by the inclusion of additional forming rolls, but the use of grooves  38  and  40  in offset guide bars  34  and  36  obviates the need for such additional forming rolls thereby permitting minimization of the length of metal forming apparatus  18 . 
     In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3 , a stiffener assembly  60  is shown. Stiffener assembly  60  comprises a brace  62  mounted to brackets  64  that are in turn attached to frame  28 . An adjustment bolt  66  is threaded through brace  62  to permit stiffening or fine adjustment of frame  28  when frame  28  undergoes deflection due to the thickness of the metal being formed in metal forming apparatus  18  or otherwise. If frame  28  is constructed from sufficiently heavy metal, or metal forming apparatus  18  is used to form only very light metal sheet, stiffener assembly  60  may be eliminated entirely. Metal forming apparatus  18  in its depicted configuration is capable of forming, for example, aluminum flashing and the like up to a thickness of about 0.030″ and the presence of stiffening assembly  60  permits loosening or tightening of the forming rolls to accommodate varying thicknesses of metal sheet. 
     Each of forming rolls  42 ,  52  and  56  is mounted on its own independent shaft (shafts  63 ,  65  and  66 ) that are separately journaled in sides  68  and  70  of frame  28 . Shaft  63  is extended beyond side  68  to permit attachment of crank or handle 72  that serves as the driving means for metal forming apparatus  18 . Crank  72  is preferably removably mounted on shaft  63  by provision of engagement portion  74  on handle  72  that slips over shaft  63  and is fixed in place by the insertion of a pin  76  or other similar fastener that penetrates an aperture  78  in shaft  63  and engagement portion  74 . Turning of handle  72  in a clockwise direction thus turns shaft  63  and attached forming roll  42 . 
     Each of drive rolls  44 ,  54  and  58  that are mounted above and parallel to each of corresponding forming rolls  42 ,  52  and  56  also has a shaft  80 ,  82  and  84  journaled in side  70  of frame  28  at one end thereof and in side  86  of internal frame  88  at the other end thereof. Internal frame  28  is formed by the addition of downward extending flange  26  from the top  27  of internal frame  28 . Attached to the ends of shafts  20 ,  22  and  24  are gears  25 ,  29  and  20 . 
     Attached to extremity  22  of shaft  23  is a principal drive gear  24  that is also turned when handle  22  is turned in a clockwise direction by virtue of its connection to shaft  62 . Similarly, shafts  84  and  86  have gears  96  and  98  attached to their extremities that penetrate side  70  of frame  28 . Each of gear sets  94  and  85 ,  89  and  96  and  90  and  98  are in engaging relationship with each other. Between each of the above-described gear sets, is a transfer gear  100  and  102  respectively that serves to transfer rotary motion from gear  85  to gear  89  and from gear  89  to gear  90 . Thus, when handle  72  is rotated in a clockwise direction, rotary motion is transferred from gear  94  to gear  85 , from gear  85  to transfer gear  100 , from transfer gear  100  to gear  89 , from gear  89  to gears  96  and  102 , from gear  102  to gear  90  and from gear  90  to gear  98 . Thus, turning of handle  72  causes all of the various gears, shafts and their attached rolls to advance in unison and a piece of sheet metal introduced into grooves  38  and  40  and brought into engagement with roll pair  42  and  44  is caused to advance through metal forming apparatus  18 . 
     Forming rolls  42 ,  52  and  56  include at their extremities opposing those journaled in side wall  70  and beyond side wall  86  of inner frame  88  enlarged forming portions  104 ,  106  and  108  respectively that include tapered portions  110 ,  112  and  114  that are tapered upward toward these extremities at progressively larger angles so as to progressively form sheet metal inserted between roll pairs  42  and  44 ,  52  and  54  and  56  and  58 . Lower edge  116  of side or flange  86  is similarly tapered to accommodate such metal during deformation or forming. 
     As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, both guide or drive rolls  44 ,  54  and  58  and forming rolls  42 ,  52  and  56  should be coated or surfaced with some appropriate material. In the case of drive rolls  44 ,  54 , and  58 , an adherent material such as polyethylene or polypropylene that provides a gripping surface that “grabs” the sheet metal surface as it advances is highly desirable. It may further be desirable to coat the extremities  118 ,  120  and  122  of drive rolls  44 ,  54  and  56  near or at the points where they meet tapered regions  110 ,  112  and  114  with a “tougher” material such as Deirin, a nylon material commonly used for rollers and the like, that presents a tough but “slick” or slippery surface to the metal sheet passing thereover. Delrin or some such similar tough but slippery material is similarly useful as the surface of forming rolls  42 ,  52  ands  56  as well as previously described guide roll  48 . 
     As will further be apparent to the skilled artisan, while forming apparatus  18  depicted herein is shown as having three progressive forming rolls, a preferred configuration, a system that utilizes as few as two forming rolls or more than three forming rolls may also be considered effective. 
     Downstream of final forming roll  56  and adjacent to side wall  70  of frame  28  is adjustable edge forming assembly  124 . Edge forming assembly  124 , best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises an angularly oriented cam wheel  126  rotatably attached to an indexable slide arm  128  capable of moving up and down (being indexed) within channel bracket  130 . Positioning of indexable slide arm  128  and attached cam or forming wheel  126  is preferably achieved through location of set bolt  132  in predrilled apertures  134  and  136  in slide arm  128 . Addressing cam wheel  126  is guide roll  138 . The right edge of sheet metal engaging cam wheel  126  is forced between cam wheel  126  and guide roll  138  causing the edge to bend downward when slide arm  128  is in the down position as shown in FIG. 9, or to pass unformed when cam wheel  126  is in the up position as depicted in FIG.  8 . The particular location of cam wheel  126  will be dependent upon whether or not the final downward bend of the right sheet metal edge imparted by edge follower assembly  124  is required in the flashing installation for which the metal is being fabricated. Both cam wheel  126  and guide roll  138  are preferably coated with or fabricated from Delrin or some similar “tough” and “slick” coating. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, although it is not critical to the successful practice of the present invention, in order to render the free end, i.e. that end not contacting forming roll  126 , more rigid and therefore easier to manage and feed through guillotine cutter assembly  148 , it is preferred to incorporate a pencil beading assembly  194  just upstream from guillotine cutter assembly  148 . Pencil beading assembly  194  comprises a barbell shaped forming roll  196  that faces a beading roll  198  such that when sheet metal enters between these two rolls, a longitudinal pencil bead of the type well known in the art is formed near the outer edge of the sheet metal thereby making that edge more rigid. Barbell shaped forming roll  196  and beading roll  198  lie facing each other on either side of a slot  193  formed in beading block  195 . Barbell shaped forming roll  196  and beading roll  198  are both freely rotating and mounted on shafts threaded or otherwise secured in beading block  195 . Slot  193  which provides access for the sheet to engage barbell shaped forming roll  196  and beading roll  198  is preferably oriented at an angle of about 60° from horizontal so as to engage the edge of the sheet metal being formed and guide it between the aforementioned two pencil bead forming rolls. 
     The final element of the metal forming apparatus  18  of the present invention comprises guillotine cutter assembly  148 . Guillotine cutter assembly  148  comprises a cutting arm  150  rotatably attached to frame  28  at point  152  and rotatably to connector  154  at a point  156  intermediate the ends of cutting arm  150 . Connector  154  is in turn rotatably connected to cutting blade  158  at point  160 . Cutting blade  158  is slideably located between a pair of guide plates  162  and  164  that form the end wall of the exit end of frame  28 . Each of guide plates  162  and  164  include an exit slot  166  that registers with a similar, but oversized cutting slot  168  in cutting blade  158 . Exit slots  166  are configured to the shape of the formed sheet metal that will exit metal forming apparatus  18 . If cam wheel  126  is in the down position, as depicted in FIG. 9, the right metal edge will be bent downward and will exit through arm  170  of exit slots  166 . The right metal edge will exit through arm  172  of exit slot  166  if cam wheel  126  is in the up position as depicted in FIG.  8  and the right sheet metal edge is not finally formed or bent. Thus, during fabrication of sheet metal, cutting arm  150  is retained in the up position as shown in FIG. 6 until the appropriate length of metal is formed and advanced through slots  166  and  168 . Cutting arm  150  is then pushed downward as shown in FIG.  7  and the appropriate length of formed sheet metal is cut or sheared at the desired location. 
     To retain cutting arm  150  in the “up” position during fabrication and as a safety measure, rotating support arm  174  is provided. During fabrication, rotating support arm  174  is in the position shown in FIG. 6 with portion  178  thereof supporting cutting arm  150 . To cut, cutting arm  150  is lifted slightly, support arm  174  rotated 90° to the position shown in FIG.  7  and cutting arm  150  depressed as shown in FIG. 7 to cut metal that has exited slots  166 . 
     The metal forming apparatus  10  of the instant invention is generally designed to fabricate sheet metal at a width of about 8 inches, but it will be readily understood that both wider and narrower such devices can be similarly manufactured for the fabrication of narrower and wider sheet metal. 
     Payoff  14  has been depicted in FIG. 1 as a roll core having sides. While such a payoff has been found to provide adequate results, in use it has been determined that the use of such a structure for payoff  14  can result in binding of sheet metal to be formed as the metal transitions from the horizontal orientation on payoff  14  to the vertically offset position required for proper entry into grooves  38  and  40  in vertically offset guide bars  34  and  36 . In order to eliminate this transitional stress and the resultant deformation or binding of the sheet metal, the use of a novel self adjusting payoff device  200  as depicted in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  is preferred. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b , the preferred payoff  200  comprises a supporting frame  212  and a pivoting spool  214 . Supporting frame  212  may be of any design so long as it provides controlled payout of strip from a coil  224  mounted on pivoting spool  214 . Supporting frame  212  depicted in FIG. 1 b , comprises a base  216  and a pair of vertically extending parallel arms  218 . Atop each of parallel arms  218  is a bearing  220 . In the case depicted in FIG. 1 b , bearing  220  is a simple polymeric arch sized to receive an axle  219  placed therein and to permit low speed rotation thereof. In order to assure that axle  219  does not inadvertently extricate itself from bearing  220 , some type of locking or securing mechanism  222  is preferably provided. Locking mechanism  222 , in addition to securing axle  219  in place atop parallel arms  218  also serves as a brake, controlling the rotation of axle  219  thereby preventing a coil  224  of, for example metal, mounted on pivoting spool  214  from “springing” or expanding as such configurations of metal strip are prone to do when left unconstrained or secured. 
     In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 b , locking mechanisms  222  each comprise rotating latches  226  and  228 . When depressed, i.e. rotated downward, recesses  230  in latches  226  engage the extremities of axle  219 . Upward rotation of latches  228  then permits engagement of threaded shafts  232  with slots  234  in latches  226  by rotation of threaded shafts  232  about axles  236  through which they are threaded. Turning of threaded shaft heads  238  then permits tightening of locking/braking mechanisms  222  and adjustment of the amount of tension placed on axle  219  and concomittantly coil  224  mounted on pivoting spool  214 . 
     The core of the improved payoff of the present invention is pivoting spool  214 . As shown in the various Figures, but initially, FIG. 1, pivoting spool  214  comprises an axle  219  having extremities  240  and  242 . Inboard of extremities  240  and  242  are threaded portions  244  and  246  located adjacent each of extremities  240  and  242 . Threaded over threaded portions  244  and  246  are adjustment wheels  248  and  250  that move laterally along axle  219  when they are turned and threads  252  and  254  at the interior of adjustment wheels  248  and  250  engage threaded portions  244  and  246 . According to the particular embodiment depicted in the drawings, adjustment wheels  248  and  250  also include attached annular grooves  256  and  258  integral with adjustment wheels  248  and  250 . 
     Inboard of adjustment wheels  248  and  250  are annular collars  260  and  262  having at least three flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  extending radially at angles of about 120° therefrom. Annular collars  260  and  262  slide axially and freely along the surface of axle  219 . The axial motion of annular collars  260  and  262  is controlled by the presence of tabs  266  and  268  that extend axially and outwardly from annular collars  260  and  262  and ends  270  and  272  of tabs  266  and  268  engage annular grooves  256  and  258  that form parts of adjustment wheels  248  and  250 . Tabs  266  and  268  can be welded to annular collars  260  and  262  or formed integrally therewith as machined or cast parts. Thus, as adjustment wheels  248  and  250  are turned and threads  252  and  254  advance or retreat over engaging threads  244  and  246  on axle  219 , annular collars  260  and  262  are caused to move axially along axle  219  through the engagement of ends  270  and  272  with annular grooves  256  and  258 . Annular collars  260  and  262  are also preferably provided with slots  274  and  276  that engage stops  278  and  280  that extend axially from axle  219 . The combination of stops  278  and  280  in slots  274  and  276  respectively limit the axial travel of collars  260  and  262  assuring that they cannot be removed, even accidentally, from axle  219 . 
     As will be obvious to the skilled artisan, more than three flanges may be extended from annular collars  260  and  262  to provide the coil support required. Whatever number of such elements are utilized the structure should be such as to not interfere with the operation of the pivoting spool as described herein. 
     Extending generally radially from and attached rotatably to flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  are arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c . All of arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  are of equal length. According to the embodiment depicted in the drawings, arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b , and  282   c  are attached to flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  by the simple expedient of penetrating pins  284   a ,  284   b  and  284   c  that pass through flanges  264   a ,  64   b  and  264   c  and arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  allowing arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  to freely rotate about penetrating pins  284   a ,  284   b  and  284   c . Although in the embodiment depicted in the Figures, each of arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  is shown as comprising two arms located on either side of flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  a single member may be substituted for the two arm structure so long as appropriate rotational freedom is retained. 
     At the outer extremities  286   a ,  286   b  and  286   c  of arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  are coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  that are similarly rotatably attached to arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  by penetrating pins  290   a ,  290   b  and  290   c . In their fully extended position from axle  219  as shown in FIG. 1 c , or their most closed position (not shown), coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  lie parallel to axle  219 , but as will be explained below, they may, depending upon the location of adjustment of adjustment wheels  248  and  250 , assume positions angularly disposed to axle  219 . Coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  also preferably incorporate stop pairs  292   a ,  292   b  and  292   c . These elements inhibit excessive rotation and consequent collapse of coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  against axle  219 . As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, a number of other similar expedients may be utilized to accomplish the same result. For example, similar stops (not shown) could be incorporated in flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  at the base of arm airs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  to similarly inhibit excessive travel and hence collapse of coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  against axle  219 . Coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  are preferably sized to fit the width of the particular coil  224  applied thereto. 
     It is this capability of payoff apparatus  2000  to assume angularly disposed relationships with respect to axle  219  that provides the flexibility needed to permit applied coil  224  to assume an angular position relative to axle  219 . This flexibility allows strip material removed from coil  224  to enter parallel but vertically offset grooves  38  and  40  without buckling or otherwise deflecting. The flexibility of payoff  200  imparted by the rotatable attachment of arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b  and  282   c  to flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  and coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  permits payoff  200  to self adjust to orient coil  224  at the optimum angle to permit removal of strip from coil  224  with minimum resistance and buckling or bending. 
     In use, the payoff apparatus of the present invention is utilized by locating frame  212  at the entry end of a suitable metal strip forming device. Pivoting spool  214  is inserted into the center of a suitable coil of metal after adjustment wheels  248  and  250  have been threaded inward as far as they can travel against stops  278  and  280 , which presents the narrowest diameter of extension for pivoting spool  214 . Coil  224  is then centered upon coil supports  288   a ,  288   b  and  288   c  and adjustment wheels  248  and  250  then screwed outwardly, preferably in unison until coil supports  288   a ,  288   b , and  288   c  push securely against the inner surface of coil  224 . Pivoting spool  214  with coil  24  mounted thereon is then inserted into frame  212  as shown in FIG. 1 a  and locking/braking mechanisms  222  tightened as described hereinabove to the appropriate tightness to allow controlled removal of strip from coil  224 . Because of the free rotational structure of arm pairs  282   a ,  282   b , and  282   c  with respect to flanges  264   a ,  264   b  and  264   c  and coil supports  288   a ,  288   b , and  288   c  pivoting spool  214  self adjusts to the appropriate angle relative to axle  219  to permit non-binding removal of metal strip from coil  224  into parallel but vertically offset guides  34  and  36 . The self adjusting capability of pivoting spool  214  allows coil  224  to be controllably angularly displaced with respect to axle  219 . In this fashion, metal strip can be drawn from coil  224  with no tendency for the metal to be distorted by lateral forces normally be applied to the metal from coil  224  as it is pulled from a true horizontal position to a somewhat tilted toward the vertical position as is required to properly enter parallel but vertically offset edge guides  34  and  36 . 
     There has thus been described a compact portable and easily hand operated sheet metal forming device suitable for mounting on the side rail of a pick-up truck and that is capable of producing custom lengths of at least two discrete commonly used flashing shapes. 
     As the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Any and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope f the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1