Bending apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus used for forming lips by outwardly bending the end of a metal plate which may be joined with the bent end of another plate so as to form a duct used for an air-conditioning ventilation system. The end to be bent is reinforced with a continuous guide member connected thereto, said guide member being generally L-shaped in cross-section, leaving a given width to form a lip. The bending apparatus is comprised of a roller for engaging and rotating along the guide plate which serves as a supporting member and a guide rail. The apparatus is further comprised of a pressing disc for contacting under pressure the end to be bent. The disc acts in cooperation with the engaging roller at a position opposite thereto. Accordingly, the end is bent as the disc and roller are rotated. The bending apparatus is designed to move along said reinforced guide, bending the end of a metal plate so as to continuously form a lip which is L-shaped in cross-section. The space between the pressing roller and the engaging roller can be adjusted relative to the thickness of a metal plate to be bent by an adjustment means. Said adjustment means positions the whole apparatus in place on a metal sheet. In addition, the pressing disc includes a shaping roller which contacts a portion of the end to be bent, said shaping roller making the bending portion easier to carry out. A power source is placed on the bending apparatus, the power source being counterbalanced in order to eliminate any biasing force on the shaping portions of said engaging roller and said pressing disc during operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.