Installation for the manufacture by a continuous process of compound panels for building construction

A method for manufacturing compound panels for building construction, said panels being of variable crosssection and of any desired shape and comprising a metallic framework and a lightweight core, the metallic framework consisting of a three-dimensional wire grille or grating generally presented in the form of two parallel meshes joined by a series of connector wires welded to them, said connector wires being inclined with respect to the wires of the meshes, the lightweight core consisting of a layer of foam resin or dense box material, paperboard laminate, fiber or plastic material, provided with reinforcing walls and unresistant to a wire segment passing through it, comprising the steps of:

• introducing two sheets of mesh and one sheet of lightweight material, parallel and separated a suitable distance, into one end of a machine by means of an intermittent traction and advancing device located with said machine and means for separating said two sheets of wire mesh in parallel, said two sheets of wire mesh being supplied by wire mesh providing means, adjusting said machine by adjusting means to permit said machine to accommodate various thickness of said two sheets of mesh and said sheet of lightweight material to produce compound panels of various thicknesses after a third stage of operation;
• moving intermittently said two sheets of mesh and said sheet of lightweight material a regulated distance to a first stage of operation by means of the intermittent traction and advancing device;
• driving a series of connector-wire segments in said sheet of lightweight material at the first stage of operation, the ends of said wire segments resting against longitudinal wires of said two meshes which advance intermittently inside the machine, said connector-wire segments being driven by a vertical battery of dischargers of a fastening device, a dispensing device feeding said connector-wire segments to said fastening device, said fastening device and said dispensing device being located at said first stage of operation;
• moving the unit thus constructed, with the connector-wires in place by said intermittent traction and advancing device to a second stage of operation;
• welding said connector-wire segments to said longitudinal wires of said two meshes at said second stage of the operation by means of a column of eletrodes to form panels;
• moving said panels to a third stage of operation by said intermittent traction and advancing design;
• cutting said panels to a desired size by means of a saw device including at least one disk, band or laser beam saw;
• said stages of operation being automatically controlled.

An installation for the manufacture by a continuous process of compound panels, said panels being of variable cross-section and of any desired shape and comprising a metallic framework and a lightweight core, the metallic framework, consisting of a three-dimensional wire grille or grating generally presented in the form of two parallel meshes joined by a series of connector wires welded to them, said connector wires being inclined with respect to the wires of the meshes, the lightweight core consisting of a layer of foam resin or dense box material, paperboard laminate, fiber or plastic material, provided with reinforcing walls and unresistant to a wire segment passing through it, comprising in combination:

• means for providing wire mesh;
• means to separate said wire mesh a suitable distance and to maintain said wire mesh in parallel;
• a machine including an intermittent traction and advancing device wherein said intermittent traction and advancing device introduces two sheets of mesh and one sheet of lightweight material, parallel and separated a suitable distance into one end of said machine;
• said machine including means for adjusting said machine to accommodate various thicknesses of said two sheets of mesh and said one sheet of lightweight material to produce compound panels of various thicknesses at the completion of a third stage of operation;
• said intermittent traction and advancing device intermittently moves said two sheets of mesh and said one sheet of lightweight material a regulated distance to a first stage of operation;
• a dispensing device and a fastening device, including a vertical battery of dischargers and a fastening device, each located at the first stage of operation, said dispensing device feeding a series of connector wire segments to said fastener, said vertical battery of dischargers then drives said connector wire segments into said sheet of lightweight material, the ends of said wire segments resting against longitudinal wires of said two meshes which advance intermittently inside the machine;
• said intermittent traction and advancing device moves the unit thus constituted with said connectorwires in place to a second stage of operation;
• a column of electrodes located at said second stage of operation for welding the connector-wire segments to the longitudinal wires of said two meshes thereby forming panels;
• said intermittent traction and advancing device moves said panels to the third stage of operation;
• a saw device located at the third stage of operation, said saw device including at least one disk, band or laser beam saw for cutting the panels to a desired size;
• and
• means for automatically controlling the first, second and third stages of operation.