Vent baffle and perforation machine

Abstract

An adaptable vent baffle mountable to an underside of a roof deck and to a wall plate of a building structure between a pair of roof rafters having a rafter spacing for permitting ventilation between a soffit and an attic space of the building structure. A main body portion has a longitudinal axis and is positioned generally on a main body plane. A spacer extends from the main body portion and a tail portion is hingedly mounted to the main body portion. The main body portion and tail portion include first and second side edges and a baffle width is defined between the first and second side edges. At least one line of weakness extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis for modifying the baffle width to adapt to the rafter spacing. A perforating machine for forming perforated lines on the vent baffle is also disclosed.

1 . An adaptable vent baffle mountable to an underside of a roof deck and to a wall plate of a building structure between a pair of roof rafters having a rafter spacing for permitting ventilation between a soffit and an attic space of the building structure, the vent baffle comprising: 
 a main body portion having a longitudinal axis and being positioned generally on a main body plane;    a spacer extending generally perpendicularly from the main body relative to the main body plane;    a tail portion hingedly mounted to the main body portion, the main body portion and tail portion including first and second side edges extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, a baffle width defined between the first and second side edges; and    at least one line of weakness extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis for modifying the baffle width to adapt to the rafter spacing.    
   
   
       2 . The vent baffle of  claim 1  wherein the at least one line of weakness is comprised of at least one perforated line extending from a first end to a second end of the vent baffle.  
   
   
       3 . The vent baffle of  claim 2  wherein the at least one perforated line is comprised of first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth perforated lines.  
   
   
       4 . The vent baffle of  claim 3  wherein the perforated lines extend generally parallel to the first and second side edges, the first, second and third perforated lines being positioned first, second and third distances from the first side edge and the fourth, fifth and sixth perforated lines being positioned fourth, fifth and sixth distances from the second side edge.  
   
   
       5 . The vent baffle of  claim 4  wherein the baffle width may be modified by tearing the vent baffle along at least one of the perforated lines such that the baffle width is adaptable to the rafter spacing of various buildings.  
   
   
       6 . The vent baffle of  claim 4  wherein the baffle width is twenty-two and one-half inches (22½″), the first distance is three-quarters of an inch (¾″), the second distance is two and one-quarter inches (2¼″), the third distance is four inches (4″), the fourth distance is one-half inch (½″), the fifth distance is three inches (3″) and the sixth distance is four inches (4″).  
   
   
       7 . The vent baffle of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first edge stiffener extending generally perpendicularly from the main body portion and positioned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis proximate the first side edge; and    a second edge stiffener extending generally perpendicularly from the main body portion and positioned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis proximate the second side edge.    
   
   
       8 . The vent baffle of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 an end stiffener extending generally perpendicularly from the main body portion and positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis proximate a first end of the main body portion.    
   
   
       9 . A perforating machine for forming at least one perforated line on a polymeric sheet part having an indexing projection, the perforating machine comprising: 
 a working table including a generally planar upper surface, an input end, an outlet end and a feed axis;    a feed mechanism including a feed component in releasable contact with the indexing projection to move the sheet part generally parallel to the feed axis between the input end and the outlet end;    a drive mechanism to drive the feed mechanism; and    at least one tool for forming at least one line of weakness on the sheet part as the sheet part moves along the feed axis.    
   
   
       10 . The perforating machine of  claim 9  wherein the drive mechanism comprises a first motor.  
   
   
       11 . The perforating machine of  claim 9  wherein the feed mechanism comprises a belt and the feed component comprises teeth extending from the belt, the teeth contacting the indexing projection to move the sheet part generally parallel to the feed axis.  
   
   
       12 . The perforating machine of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a drive wheel mounted on a drive shaft; and    a follower wheel mounted on a follower shaft, the belt wrapped around the drive wheel and follower wheel and being driven to rotate by the drive wheel, the drive wheel being driven to rotate by the drive mechanism through the drive shaft.    
   
   
       13 . The perforating machine of  claim 9  wherein the at least one tool comprises a perforating wheel, the perforating wheel being in contact with the sheet part as the sheet part moves along the feed axis.  
   
   
       14 . The perforating machine of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a backstop wheel rotatably mounted on an opposite side of the working table relative to the perforating wheel wherein the working table includes a hole therein, the backstop wheel at least partially extending through the hole such that the perforating wheel and the backstop wheel are in engagement through the hole.    
   
   
       15 . The perforating machine of  claim 14  wherein the backstop wheel is mounted to a backstop shaft.  
   
   
       16 . The perforating machine of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a pair of follower towers extending generally perpendicularly from the working table proximate the inlet end, the pair of follower towers rotatably supporting a follower shaft and a follower wheel, the follower shaft and follower wheel spaced from the working table; and    a pair of drive towers extending generally perpendicularly from the working table proximate the outlet end, the pair of drive towers rotatably supporting a drive shaft and a drive wheel, the drive shaft and drive wheel spaced from the working table.    
   
   
       17 . The perforating machine of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 an end shear assembly including a cutting blade mounted to the working table, the cutting blade for cutting the sheet part into separate sheet components.    
   
   
       18 . A perforating machine for forming a plurality of perforation lines in a polymeric vent baffle sheet having at least one spacer extending from a first face and at least one side stiffener extending from a side surface of the at least one spacer, the perforating machine comprising: 
 a working table including a feed axis, an inlet end and an outlet end;    a feed belt including teeth positioned a predetermined height from a working face of the working table, the teeth being in contact with the at least one side stiffener for moving the vent baffle sheet generally parallel to the feed axis from the inlet end to the outlet end; and    at least one perforating wheel in contact with a surface of the vent baffle sheet to form at least one perforation line on the vent baffle sheet as the vent baffle sheet moves from the inlet end to the outlet end.    
   
   
       19 . The perforating machine of  claim 18  wherein the at least one perforating wheel is comprised of a first plurality and a second plurality of perforating wheels.  
   
   
       20 . The perforating machine of  claim 19  further comprising: 
 a first backstop wheel and a second backstop wheel mounted to a backstop shaft on an opposite side of the working table from the perforating wheels;    a first hole and a second hole in the working table proximate the first and second backstop wheels such that the first plurality of perforating wheels are in engagement with the first backstop wheel through the first hole and the second plurality of perforating wheels are in engagement with the second backstop wheel through the second hole.    
   
   
       21 . The perforating machine of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 an end shear assembly including a cutting blade mounted to the working table, the cutting blade for shearing the vent baffle sheet to separate a first vent baffle from a second vent baffle.