Patent ID: 8794957

Claim:
A forming tool for flat pre-impregnated composite laminate assemblies comprising: a mandrel segmented into a plurality of contiguously mounted forming blocks, said forming blocks sized to receive a draped composite laminate assembly with all portions of the composite laminate assembly spaced from at least one shaping surface on each block; a saddle tool having at least one spline plate receiving the at least one shaping surface of the forming blocks and having a first curvature; means for maintaining the draped composite laminate assembly in contact with the forming blocks; and, a relaxable tensioning cable urging the forming blocks into mutual contact in a first tensioned condition and relaxable to a released condition while maintaining contact between adjacent blocks allowing the forming blocks to expand to a desired curvature by relaxing the shaping surface onto the first curvature of the spline plate with the mandrel segments extending therefrom thereby maintaining the composite laminate assembly in tension.