Patent ID: 7695267

Claim:
A rib forming apparatus comprising: a. a support table that is elongated with a roll of plastic material held at a starting end; b. a supply of thermoplastic sheet material fed from the roll and passing over the support table; c. a carriage mounted on the table to slide lengthwise in the direction of the supply that passes over the support table, wherein the carriage has a starting position, and an ending position; d. a carriage actuator for moving the carriage sideways between the starting position and the ending position, wherein the actuator is electrically connected to a controller; e. a heater, wherein the heater is mounted to the support table, and wherein the heater provides local heating of the sheet material; f. a press activated by a vertical actuator, and g. a pair of crimping grips positioned at an opposite flat side of the thermoplastic sheet material, and a crimping grip actuator connected to the pair of crimping grips, wherein the pair of crimping grips mold a heated section of the sheet material when the crimping grip actuator swivels the pair of crimping grips from open position to a closed position, wherein the open position corresponds with the pair of crimping grips being open and not gripping the thermoplastic sheet material, wherein the closed position corresponds with the pair of crimping grips being closed and gripping the thermoplastic sheet material, wherein the controller is configured to close the pair of crimping grips for grabbing the material, wherein the controller is configured to then slide the carriage away from the stalling end to pull out and advance the supply of thermoplastic sheet material, and wherein the controller is configured to then actuate the crimping grip to release the thermoplastic sheer material, and slide back to the starting position.