Pittsburgh lock seam opening tool and method
AssigneeHurst Sheet Metal, LLC
InventorRonnie Hurst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool system including a tool and a powered driver, and the associated method of operation is provided for opening a Pittsburgh lock seam channel formed in a work piece, such as a ductwork component, or otherwise for separating folded sheet material layers. The tool includes a rotatable spreader wheel and a fixed guide respectively supported on a frame in a common plane. The powered driver can rotate the spreader wheel within the lock seam channel or between sheet material layers, separating the adjacent layers and advancing along a length of the work piece.
Claims19
A tool for opening a Pittsburgh lock seam channel formed in a ductwork component, the tool comprising:
- a frame;
- a spreader wheel supported on a first side of the frame for rotation relative thereto;
- the spreader wheel being coupled to a shaft for imparting rotational motion to the spreader wheel;
- the spreader wheel having a peripheral edge configured to be inserted a depth into a mouth of the lock seam channel;
- and
- a guide fixedly supported on the first side of the frame;
- the guide being spaced apart from the spreader wheel;
- the guide having a retaining edge configured to engage against a base of the lock seam channel to maintain the spreader wheel at the depth in the lock seam channel,
- wherein the guide is a guide wheel, and where the retaining edge is an outer periphery of the guide wheel configured to slide along the base of the lock seam channel.
A tool system for opening a Pittsburgh lock seam channel formed in a ductwork component, the tool system comprising:
- a tool comprising:
- a frame;
- a spreader wheel supported on a first side of the frame for rotation relative thereto;
- the spreader wheel being coupled to a shaft for imparting rotational motion to the spreader wheel;
- the spreader wheel having a peripheral edge configured to be inserted a depth into a mouth of the lock seam channel;
- and
- a guide fixedly supported on the first side of the frame;
- the guide having a retaining edge and being spaced apart from the spreader wheel at a distance to engage the retaining edge with a base of the lock seam channel and maintain the spreader wheel at the depth in the lock seam channel,
- wherein the guide is a guide wheel, and where the retaining edge is an outer periphery of the guide wheel configured to slide along the base of the lock seam channel;
- and
- a powered driver comprising:
- a motor in electronic communication with a power source;
- and
- wherein the motor is coupled to the shaft for driving rotation of the spreader wheel.
A tool for opening a Pittsburgh lock seam channel formed in a ductwork component, the tool comprising:
- a frame;
- a spreader wheel supported on a first side of the frame for rotation relative thereto;
- the spreader wheel being coupled to a shaft for imparting rotational motion to the spreader wheel;
- the spreader wheel having a peripheral edge configured to be inserted a depth into a mouth of the lock seam channel;
- a guide fixedly supported on the first side of the frame;
- the guide being spaced apart from the spreader wheel;
- the guide having a retaining edge configured to engage against a base of the lock seam channel to maintain the spreader wheel at the depth in the lock seam channel;
- and
- a guard with a plate portion and a base portion, the base portion supported on and extending from the first side of the frame, and the plate portion coupled with the base portion and pivotable relative to the frame between a raised position that allows the plate portion to move over geometry of the ductwork component and a lowered position to extend over the spreader wheel opposite the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.