Curved wall and ceiling frame member and method and apparatus for producing the same

Apparatus for producing a curved frame member of the type having a web and a flange for a curved wall or ceiling structure comprising

• a base,
• a work supporting platform mounted on the base and having a guide track for supporting and guiding an elongated frame member to be curved,
• a shaft generally parallel to the track and journaled on said base in spaced relation thereabove and having an operating handle fixed thereto to rotate said shaft,
• a flange indenting die connected with said handle for indenting a flange of a frame member supported on said track,
• a web indenting die aligned with the flange indenting die to produce an indentation in the web portion of the frame member adjacent to the flange indentation and aligned therewith to produce [the desired] a predetermined increment of curvature in the frame member.

The method of producing a curved frame member for a wall or ceiling structure, said method comprising,

• initially supporting a member to be curved on a base member which includes spaced supporting elements,
• mounting a frame member to be curved on the platform,
• producing an indentation in the web of the member, and
• producing an indentation in the flange of the member compatible with the indentation of the web to produce a curvature in the member and
• limiting the indentation of the web and the flange to control the amount of curvature produced.

A device for curving flanged members comprising

• a platform for supporting a flanged member to be curved,
• an elongated main cross shaft mounted on the platform for rotary oscillation,
• an operating handle connected with the cross shaft for producing rotary oscillation of the shaft,
• a flange indenting blade mounted for sliding movement on the platform transversely of the shaft,
• an actuating arm connected with the shaft to produce rotation thereof and also produce sliding movement of the blade into and out of indenting engagement with the flange of a member being curved,
• a web indenting die aligned with the flange indenting blade and having an actuating connection with the die when the handle is forcibly oscillated downwardly,
• an adjustment mechanism connected to the shaft and including a mounting arm assembly fixed to the shaft and positioned to engage the top surface of a flanged member being curved to control the indentation of the member and thus control the radius of curvature of the channel member.