Duct-shaping machine and method

A duct-shaping machine comprising a frame, first and second major-axis duct-shaping modules each having an elongated duct pressing major surface, said pressing surfaces being elongated and parallel and having ends and first and second opposite sides, said major surfaces being spaced apart and facing in opposite directions, a major-axis forcing means on said frame and connected to said modules for forcing said modules to move apart so as to cause said major surfaces to move apart with respect to each other substantially linearly in a first direction, a minor-axis compaction assembly comprising spaced first and second compactors having minor-axis compacting surfaces facing said modules and extending along said first and second sides of said modules, minor-axis forcing means for forcing said minor-axis compacting surfaces toward said modules, means supporting said minor-axis compaction assembly on said frame, said modules having loading ends disposed one above the other onto which ducts are to be placed, the other ends of said modules also being one above the other, said second module having a pivotal connection to said frame at a place between its ends and much closer to said other end thereof for the pivoting of said second module about a second-module-axis transverse to the elongation of said second module, said loading end of said first module extending farther from said second module axis than the loading end of said second module whereby when said other end of said second module is moved downwardly said loading end of said second module will move upwardly toward the loading end of said first module and can be used to support the loading end of said first module when it is otherwise unsupported so as to be freely projecting beyond other parts of said machine for receiving a duct thereon.

A duct-shaping machine comprising a frame, first and second major-axis duct-shaping modules each having an elongated duct pressing major surface, said pressing surfaces being elongated and parallel and having ends and first and second opposite sides, said major surfaces being spaced apart and facing in opposite directions, a major-axis forcing means on said frame and connected to said modules for forcing said modules to move apart so as to cause said major surfaces to move apart with respect to each other substantially linearly in a first direction, a minor-axis compaction assembly comprising spaced first and second compactors having minor-axis compacting surfaces facing said modules and extending along said first and second sides of said modules, minor-axis forcing means for forcing said minor-axis compacting surfaces toward said modules, means supporting said minor-axis compaction assembly on said frame, said compacting surfaces each being convex at points all along their lengths as seen in cross-sections taken at a right angle to said pressing surface elongations, said minor-axis forcing means comprising a compactor carrying assembly attached to said frame, and having two compactor-attached support means disposed on and attached to those outer sides of said compactors which are on the opposite sides thereof from said modules, and pressure-applying means connected to said support means respectively and capable of pressing said compactors towards each other, said connections between each of said support means and its adjacent compactor being such as to permit pivoting of said compactors each about a horizontal compactor axis parallel to the elongation of said pressing surfaces, each of said convex compacting surfaces extending a substantial distance in opposite directions on each side of the respective compactor-axis, means for maintaining said compactors in such positions that their compacting surfaces face said modules whereby the pivotal mounting of said compactors on said axes and the convexity thereof tends to permit them to more easily move towards the center of a duct engaged by said modules.

A duct-shaping machine comprising a frame, first and second major-axis duct-shaping modules each having an elongated duct pressing major surface, said pressing surfaces being elongated and parallel and having ends and first and second opposite sides, said major surfaces being spaced apart and facing in opposite directions, a major-axis forcing means on said frame and connected to said modules for forcing said modules to move apart so as to cause said major surfaces to move apart with respect to each other substantially linearly in a first direction, a minor-axis compaction assembly comprising spaced first and second compactors having minor-axis compacting surfaces facing said modules and extending along said first and second sides of said modules, minor-axis forcing means for forcing said minor-axis compacting surfaces toward said modules, means supporting said minor-axis compaction assembly on said frame, at least one of said modules comprising an elongated beam, said beam having an elongated cover,

• said beam and said cover both being elongated in the direction of the respective elongated pressing major surface, said cover as seen in a cross-section taken in a plane normal to said beam being convex on a side thereof facing away from said beam, said cover having a cavity on its underside and opening at one end of said cover for receiving said beam as said cover is placed on said beam by sliding it lengthwise onto said beam, and means for preventing said cover from falling off of said beam transversely of said beam.