Forming leveller
AssigneeThe Yoder Company
InventorWilliam J. H. Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A forming leveller establishes one or more datum or reference planes in variable thickness stock to facilitate subsequent roll forming. The reference planes may be established on the same side or opposite sides of the stock with a lateral gap to facilitate transition forming. The leveller includes top and bottom closely spaced roll sets forming multiple passes mounted on bottom and top frames, respectively, with floating rolls being opposed to fixed rolls. Back-up rolls are provided for the floating rolls and pressure devices urge the floating rolls against the stock in turn against the fixed rolls to form the desired reference planes thus enabling complex shapes to be roll formed from the variable thickness stock.
Claims51
A multiple pass forming leveller for shaping variable thickness elongated stock to one or more planes of reference comprising a leveller having upper and lower fixed and floating stock engaging rolls at each pass, each floating roll being opposed to a fixed roll to compensate for variations in stock thickness.
A stock leveller comprising a bottom set of stock engaging rolls and a top set of stock engaging rolls, shafts for the rolls of each set, a bottom fixed frame mounting the shafts of the top set of rolls and a top movable frame mounting the shafts of the bottom set for movement with respect to the top set.
A stock leveller comprising a bottom set of stock engaging rolls and a top set of stock engaging rolls, a bottom fixed frame supporting the top set of rolls and a top movable frame supporting the bottom set for movement with respect to the top set, said top and bottom frames each including top and bottom frame members, the bottom frame member of the top frame being below the top frame member of the bottom frame, and guide means interconnecting the bottom of each frame.
A stock leveller comprising a bottom set of stock engaging rolls and a top set of stock engaging rolls, a bottom fixed frame supporting the top set of rolls and a top movable frame supporting the bottom set for movement with respect to the top set, said top and bottom frames each including top and bottom frame members, the bottom frame memeber of the top frame being below the top frame member of the bottom frame, at least two adjustable jack means interconnecting the top of each frame, and means to drive said jacks synchronously.
A stock leveller comprising a bottom set of stock engaging rolls and a top set of stock engaging rolls, a bottom fixed frame supporting the top set of rolls and a top movable frame supporting the bottom set for movement with respect to the top set, said top and bottom frames each including top and bottom frame members, the bottom frame member of the top frame being below the top frame member of the bottom frame, some rolls in each set being floating, and pressure means operative to urge the floating rolls toward the stock, said pressure means for the floating rolls of the top set being mounted on the top frame member of the top frame, and said pressure means for the floating rolls of the bottom set being mounted on the bottom frame member of the bottom frame.
A method of roll forming stock to a structural shape having variations in thickness with such variations extending on opposite sides of the stock comprising the steps of first form levelling such stock to one or more reference planes by displacing substantially all variations in the thickness to the side opposite the reference plane, and then roll forming such stock to the desired shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.