Machine and method for fabricating a sheet metal structure having a corrugated core

A machine for fabricating a sheet sandwich structure having a corrugated core from three foils comprising:

• means for feeding said foils in spaced apart opposing relationship to each other, one of said foils forming a central foil which is positioned between the other two of said foils which form outer foils,
• means for tensioning said foils to maintain them in a flat uncrinkled condition as they are being fed,
• a corrugator formed by a pair of opposing corrugator tools and a cluster of drive gears surrounding said corrugator tools, said corrugator tools having a substantially smaller diameter than said drive gears, said corrugator tools being supported in a floating condition between said drive gears and being rotatably driven thereby,
• bearing means for rotatably supporting said drive gears,
• said central foil being fed between said corrugator tools, corrugations thereby being formed therein,
• means for applying adhesive to the inner surfaces of said outer foils,
• a pair of opposing cylindrical drums,
• means for uniformly heating the cylindrical surfaces of said drums,
• said foils being fed between the cylindrical surfaces of said drums with the central foil sandwiched between the outer foils, said foils being pressed together by said drums and uniformly heated thereby to cure the adhesive,
• means for applying uniform pressure over the entire surfaces of the outer foils to effect the joinder thereof with the central corrugated foil to form an integral structure, and
• means for cutting said integral structure into sheets of a predetermined size.