Method and equipment for roll forming products of complex shape

A multi-station roll form apparatus for continuously producing a roof ridge vent from generally flat stock, said vent being the type having a hooded portion, a ventilation panel and an internal dam integral with said ventilation panel and a depending flashing portion, said dam being defined by a reverse bent portion of the stock, said apparatus comprising:

• a first group of individual roll forming means positioned in a spaced, tandem relationship for progressively and continuously bending generally flat stock material fed through each of said roll forming means, said first group reverse bending transversely spaced, longitudinally extending portions of the stock to thereby form said integral internal dams positioned in a substantially horizontal plane and further bending said stock so that the ventilation panels are in a near vertical plane;
• a lancing means positioned downstream from said first group of roll forming means for lancing vent openings in said ventilation panel portions of the stock, said vent openings extending in transversely spaced, longitudinally extending rows;
• a second group of individual roll forming means positioned in spaced tandem relationship downstream of said lancing means for progressively bending said lanced stock without contacting said lanced ventilation panel portions of the stock;
• and
• elongated stock support means extending adjacent some of said roll forming means of said second group for supporting longitudinally extending portions of the stock adjacent the lateral edges of said stock and for assisting said second group of roll forming means in progressively bending said lanced stock into the predetermined roof ridge vent cross section.

An apparatus for continuously lacing a generally, vertical flat transverse section of sheet stock continuously pulled through said apparatus, comprising:

• a support member;
• a set of inner and outer lancing rolls supported on said support member for rotation about their vertical axes, said rolls positioned on said member to define a nip through which said stock is fed;
• one of said rolls including a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of lancing teeth and the other of said rolls including circumferentially extending grooves around the periphery thereof said lancing teeth of one of said rolls positioned to extend partially into the circumferential groove of said other of said rolls;
• means for shifting one of said lancing rolls relative to the other whereby the depth of lance may be varied;
• drive means operatively engaging said rolls for rotating said rolls;
• another set of inner and outer lancing rolls offset from said set of lancing rolls in the direction of stock travel, said inner roll of said another set being spaced from but adjacent to said inner roll of said set whereby generally parallel, vertical portions of the stock may be lanced simultaneously;
• second drive means operatively engaging said another set of lancing rolls for rotating said rolls at a peripheral speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the other set of lancing rolls, said drive means and said second drive means each comprising variable torque motors geared to the outer rolls of each lancing roll set, whereby the torque exerted on one of said sets of lancing rolls may be varied to counteract any twisting of the stock introduced as a result of the offset between the lancing roll sets.

A lancing apparatus adapted to lance vent openings in continuously fed stock which has been partially bent into a generally U-shaped cross section, the vent openings being lanced in longitudinally extending rows, transversely spaced in the vertical portions of the U-shaped stock, comprising:

• a support member having a generally horizontal support surface;
• a first set of paired outer and inner lancing rolls;
• a second set of paired outer and inner lancing rolls, each of said inner and outer lancing rolls mounted on said support member for rotation about their vertical axes;
• and
• drive means operatively connected to each set of paired lancing rolls and interconnecting said paired sets for synchronizing and rotating said rolls at substantially the same speed and for preventing deformation of the stock.

An apparatus for continuously lancing a generally planar vertical first leg of an L-shaped section of continuously fed sheet-like strip stock, the stock having a lower generally horizontal second leg, said apparatus comprising:

• a support member;
• a set of inner and outer lancing rolls supported on said support member for rotation about their veritcal axes, said rolls positioned on said member to define a nip through which said stock is fed;
• one of said rolls including a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of lancing teeth and the other of said rolls including circumferentially extending grooves around the periphery thereof, said lancing teeth of one of said rolls positioned to extend partially into the circumferential groove of said other of said rolls;
• drive means operatively engaging said rolls for rotating said rolls at a peripheral velocity substantially equal to the linear velocity of said stock;
• one of said rolls having a generally horizontally extending flange passing beneath said second leg for vertically positioning said stock with respect to said lancing teeth.

An apparatus for continuously lancing the generally planar vertical legs of a generally U-shaped section of continuously fed sheet-like strip stock, the stock having a lower web interconnecting the legs, said apparatus comprising:

• a support member;
• a first set of inner and outer lancing rolls supported on said support member for rotation about their vertical axes, said rolls positioned on said member to define a nip through which one vertical leg of said stock is fed;
• said inner lancing roll being positioned within said stock;
• one of said rolls including a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of lancing teeth and the other of said rolls including circumferentially extending grooves around the periphery thereof, said lancing teeth of one of said rolls positioned to extend partially into the circumferential groove of said other of said rolls;
• a second set of inner and outer lancing rolls indentical to those of said first set and defining a nip through which the other vertical leg of said stock is fed;
• said second set of lancing rolls being offset from said first set in the longitudindal direction of said stock;
• and
• separate drive means operatively engaging each of said sets of rolls for rotating said rolls at a peripheral velocity substantially equal to the linear velocity of said stock, said first and second sets of rolls being interconnected by a gear train and said drive means for the set of said rolls upstream in the direction of movement of said stock being driven at a slightly greater torque than said other set of rolls.

A method fof forming a product having a complex cross-sectional shape from continuously moving initially flat stock material, comprising the steps of:

• bending the stock by progressively varying the angular relationship of longitudinally extending portions of the continuously moving stock;
• reverse bending portions of the stock while simultaneously varying the angular relationship of other portions of the stock until at least one portion of the stock is in a substantially vertical plane;
• lancing areas of the portion of the stock in a vertical plane after portions of the stock have been reverse bent on themselves;
• bending said stock further by progressively varying the angular relationship of portions of the stock;
• supporting said stock adjacent its lateral edges so that the progressive bending into the final predetermined cross section may be accomplished without contact with the lanced portions of said stock;
• and
• rotating, simultaneously with said supporting step, the lanced portions of the stock inwardly.

A method for forming on a continuous basis from a linearly moving continuous length of initially flat stock, a roof ridge vent of the type having a hood defined by angularly related longitudinally extending portions, generally horizontal, inwardly directed ventilation panels, integral internal dams defined by reversed bent portions and downwardly angle, outwardly extending flashing portions comprising the steps of:

• bending said stock at longtiudinally spaced points by progressively and incrementally varying the angular relationship of longitudinally extending portions of said stock until the ventilation panel portions of the stock are in a substantially vertical plane and the reversed bent integral dam portions of said stock are formed and positioned in a substantially horizontal plane;
• lancing said stock after said initial progressive bending so that a plurality of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced vent openings are formed in the substantially vertical panel portions of the stock;
• bending said stock further after said lancing step;
• and
• simultaneously rotating the ventilation panel portions of the stock inwardly to a substantially horizontal position during said further bending.

The method of forming by progressive rolling deformation a ridge vent for a roof having a hood-like top, an inner throat portion, outwardly extending flashings and inwardly extending, generally horizontal ventilation panels equipped with ventilation openings each shielded by an offset cover member, said covers being offset from both faces of said panels, said method including the steps of providing a continuous strip of metal, forming in said strip bend lines defining the outer edges of the hood portion and defining said ventilation panels, starting at the bend line which is to become the inner edge of each of the ventilation panels first crimping said strip into a generally Z-shape and then progressively folding it over upon itself to form a pair of integral, double thickness dams, simultaneously with the folding, erecting the ventilation panels to vertical position and positioning said dams to extend inwardly normal to said ventilation panels whereby the central portion of said strip assumes a generally upwardly opening, U-shaped configuration partially closed at the top by said dams, the side margins of said strip extending generally horizontally from said dams, said side margins of said strip being shifted progressively inwardly as the dams are formed;

• forming by horizontal shearing and offset through said ventilation panels said ventilation openings and cover members;
• providing at least one pair of progressively converging side straps along which the throad sidewalls and flashing portions of said vent are wiped and simultaneously supporting the lower edges of said ventilation panels by deforming rollers, said rollers and wiping straps progressively rocking said ventilation panels into an inwardly extending horizontal position and side margins of said strip into a vertical position;
• progressively bending side margins into their outwardly flared position as flashings.