Profiles

An elongate profile having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being joined together at a first joining portion, the first and second portions being non collinear or non coplanar, the joining portion comprising an array of raised or rebated formations, each formation extending across the joining portion in a direction which is non-parallel to the principal axis of the profile and flat lands being provided between successive formations in said array and the pitch (P) between successive formations in said array being from 2 to 20 times the thickness (G) of the flat land.

A profile according to claim 34, wherein the first portion comprises in sectional view castellations.

A profile having a first portion, a second and a third portion extending from respective first and second sides of the first portion at a respective first and second joining portion, a first array of elongate raised formations being located around the first joining portion and a second array of elongate raised formation being located around the second joining portion, each of the formations in the first and second arrays being separated by a flat land having a thickness G and the pitch (P) between successive formations in each of said arrays being from 2 to 20 times the thickness (G) of the flat land.

A pair of tools for forming a pattern on sheet material, the first tool comprising a first forming portion for forming at least part of a first pattern on a sheet material and a second forming portion for forming at least part of a second pattern on the sheet material, the first forming portion comprising a first array of projections and the second forming portion comprising a second array of projections, the second tool comprising a third forming portion for forming at least part of said first pattern on the sheet material and a fourth forming portion for forming at least part of said second pattern on the sheet material, the third forming portion comprising a third array of projections and the fourth forming portion comprising an array of rebates, the second forming portion and the fourth forming portion being co-operable to emboss a pattern corresponding to the respective array of projections and rebates on the sheet material and the first and third forming portions are co-operable to cold work harden the sheet material to form an array of projections.

A method of treating sheet material, the method comprising passing sheet material between cooperating first and second tools, each tool having a first portion for embossing sheet material in a first region and a second portion for shaping the sheet material in a second region, and embossing the sheet material in the first region whilst simultaneously cold work hardening the sheet material in the second region.