Method and apparatus for forming cylindrical spacers from metal blanks

Apparatus for forming cylindrical spacers from metal blanks comprising

• a horizontally disposed base plate mountable upon a support;
• longitudinally spaced uprights upon said base plate;
• a die bar spaced from and parallel to said base plate spanning and secured to said supports;
• a bending roll shaft parallel to and spaced from said die bar extending through and rotatively journalled upon said uprights;
• said shaft having an elongated slot adapted to supportably and retainingly receive the edge of a blank;
• rotative drive means connected to said roll shaft;
• said blanks being guidably interposed between said roll shaft and die bar and adapted to wrap around said roll shaft during rotation thereof;
• means to strip the formed spacer from said roll shaft;
• said roll shaft adapted for rotation 360.degree. approximately to complete said spacer;
• said die bar being a rod of circular cross section;
• and said strip means including said roll shaft adapted for longitudinal retraction relative to the formed spacer, said spacer being retained against one of said uprights, said roll shaft and die bar being spaced apart a distance approximately the thickness of said blank;
• there being a series of said uprights upon said base plate, defining a plurality of bending stations along the length of said bending roll shaft;
• whereby a series of blanks may be assembled onto said roll shaft and simultaneously formed into spacers;
• and strip means including said roll shaft adapted for longitudinal retraction relative to said uprights, said spacers bearing against an adjacent upright so that retraction of said roll shaft simultaneously strips all spacers therefrom.