Roll-forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections and method of forming curved panels

Abstract

A roll-forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections. The roll forming machine has opposed pinch pass rollers having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel and a pair of cantilever rollers downstream of said pinch pass rollers. The cantilever rollers have axes of rotation that are offset relative to one another in the direction of travel of the profiled panel through the machine and having a roller profile also generally corresponding to the profiled panel. At least one sweep roller is positioned downstream of the cantilever rollers for bending said panel in a longitudinal direction as said panel passes past said sweep roller. The sweep roller also has a roller profile generally corresponding to the profiled panel. The at least one sweep roller can be positioned to the degree of bend of the smooth curve formed in said profiled panel by the machine.

1 . A roll-forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections, said roll forming machine comprising: opposed pinch pass rollers having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; a pair of cantilever rollers downstream of said pinch pass rollers, said cantilever rollers having axes of rotation that are offset relative to one another in the direction of travel said profiled panel through said machine and having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; at least one sweep roller positioned downstream of said cantilever rollers for bending said panel as said panel passes past said sweep roller and having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; and a means to position at least said sweep roller to control a degree of bend of said smooth curve formed in said panel by said machine. 
   
   
       2 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said roll forming machine includes two sweep rollers, each of said sweep rollers having an associated means for positioning said sweep rollers, so said panel may be curved in one direction by one of said sweep rollers or in another direction by the other of said sweep rollers. 
   
   
       3 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said pinch pass rollers, cantilever rollers and sweep rollers rotate about a generally vertical axis. 
   
   
       4 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said rollers in each roller pair is driven by a motor. 
   
   
       5 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said motor is a hydraulic motor. 
   
   
       6 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 4 , including a means to position at least the other of said rollers of each of said roller pairs. 
   
   
       7 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said rollers is supported in an upper and a lower bearing housing. 
   
   
       8 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein means to position said sweep roller includes a means to position each of said upper and lower bearing housing. 
   
   
       9 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said means to position said sweep roller includes a manually operated hand wheel to translate said roller axis in and out in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of said panel through said machine. 
   
   
       10 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said roll forming machine includes a link element connecting said bearing housings of one of said roller in each of said roller pairs to the bearing housings of the other of said roller pairs. 
   
   
       11 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said link element includes a slot sized and shaped to permit one of said sweep rollers to move into position to form a curve in said panel and the other of said sweep rollers to be moved to a position out of contact with said panel being curved. 
   
   
       12 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , further including means to position each of said roller pairs to permit said roller pairs to be positioned to cause three point bending in said panel. 
   
   
       13 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said roll forming machine is formed on a raft, and said raft is sized and shaped to be portable. 
   
   
       14 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said roll forming machine includes a left hand rafted assembly, a right hand rafted assembly and a central housing section, wherein each of said left hand and said right hand rafted assembly includes the elements of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       15 . A roll forming machine for forming smooth curves in profiled panel sections as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said central housing section and said rafted assemblies are contained on the same base. 
   
   
       16 . A method of forming a smooth curve in a profiled panel in a roll forming machine, comprising the steps of: providing opposed pinch pass rollers having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; a pair of cantilever rollers downstream of said pinch pass rollers, said cantilever rollers having axes of rotation that are offset relative to one another in the direction of travel said profiled panel through said machine and having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; and at least one sweep roller positioned downstream of said cantilever rollers for bending said panel as said panel passes past said sweep roller and having a roller profile generally corresponding to said profiled panel; positioning said sweep roller relative to said cantilever rollers to impart a smooth curve into said panel; and passing said profiled panel through said machine to impart a smooth longitudinal curve to said panel. 
   
   
       17 . A method of forming a smooth curve in a profiled panel in a roll forming machine as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said step of providing at least one sweep roller comprises providing two sweep rollers, and said step of positioning said sweep roller includes a step of position one of sweep rollers to form a convex curve and the other of said sweep rollers to form an concave curve. 
   
   
       18 . A method of forming a smooth curve in a profiled panel in a roll forming machine as claimed in  claim 16  further including the step of orienting said panel on a generally upright axis and passing said panel through said machine on said upright axis. 
   
   
       19 . A method of forming a smooth curve in a profiled panel in a roll forming machine as claimed in  claim 16  including the step of positioning said sweep roller relative to said cantilever rollers by hand. 
   
   
       20 . A method of forming a smooth curve in a profiled panel in a roll forming machine as claimed in  claim 17  including the step of linking said sweep rollers together so either of said rollers may be moved out of contact with said panel as said panel is being curved in said machine by the other of said sweep rollers.