Split-level roll former

A roll former line for forming different shapes comprising:

• a bed;
• at least one first roll stand attached to said bed for vertical adjustable movement;
• top, bottom, and middle spindles journaled to said first roll stand in vertical alignment with each other;
• top, bottom, and middle forming rolls disposed on said top, bottom and middle spindles, respectively. said top and bottom forming rolls working against opposite sides of said middle forming roll, said top and middle forming rolls acting as a first alternative pair of forming rolls and said bottom and middle forming rolls acting as a second alternative pair of forming rolls;
• vertically positioned linear actuators connecting the first roll stand to the bed for moving the first roll stand vertically on the bed;
• at least one second roll stand attached to said bed oppositely aligned from said first roll stand;
• and
• at least two spindles mounted on said second stand in vertical alignment to each other, each spindle of said second stand supporting a forming roll wherein the first roll stand can be raised or lowered by the linear actuators so as to use alternative pairs of forming rolls on the first stand in conjunction with the forming rolls on the second roll stand to form different shapes.

A roll former line for forming different shapes comprising:

• a bed;
• at least one first roll stand attached to said bed for vertical adjustable movement;
• top, bottom, and middle spindles journaled to said first roll stand in vertical alignment with each other;
• top, bottom, and middle forming rolls disposed on said top, bottom and middle spindles, respectively. said top and bottom forming rolls working against opposite sides of said middle forming roll. said top and middle forming rolls acting as a first alternative pair forming rolls and said bottom and middle forming rolls acting as a second alternative pair of forming rolls;
• vertically positioned linear actuators connecting the first roll stand to the bed for moving the first roll stand vertically on the bed;
• at least one second roll stand attached to said bed oppositely aligned from said first roll stand;
• at least two spindles mounted on said second stand in vertical alignment to each other, each spindle of said second stand supporting a forming roll wherein the first roll stand can be raised or lowered by the linear actuators so as to use alternative pairs of forming rolls on the first stand in conjunction with the forming rolls on the second roll stand to form different shapes;
• and
• a rotatable eccentric sleeve rotatably journaling a plurality of said spindles of one of said roll stands for providing an adjustment between a plurality of the forming rolls of said one roll stand along a vertical axis.

A roll former line for forming different shapes comprising:

• at least one first roll stand;
• top, bottom, and middle spindles journaled to said first roll stand in linear alignment with each other;
• top, bottom, and middle forming rolls disposed on said top, bottom and middle spindles, respectively, said top and bottom forming rolls working against opposite sides of said middle forming roll, said top and middle forming rolls acting as a first alternative pair of forming rolls and said bottom and middle forming rolls acting as a second alternative pair of forming rolls;
• at least one second roll stand being oppositely disposed from said first roll stand;
• an actuator for changing the elevation of said first roll stand relative to the elevation of said second roll stand;
• and
• at least two spindles mounted on said second roll stand in linear alignment to each other, each of said spindles of said second roll stand supporting a forming roll,
• wherein said first roll stand can be raised or lowered relative to said second roll stand by said actuator so as to use alternative pairs of forming rolls of said first stand in conjunction with said forming rolls of said second roll stand to form different shapes.

A roll former apparatus, comprising:

• a first roll stand;
• top, bottom, and middle spindles journaled in said first roll stand;
• top, bottom, and middle forming rolls disposed on said top, bottom, and middle spindles, respectively, said top and bottom forming rolls working against opposite sides of said middle forming roll;
• a second roll stand disposed oppositely from said first roll stand;
• first and second spindles journaled in said second roll stand;
• first and second forming rolls disposed on said first and second spindles, respectively;
• and
• an actuator for changing the elevation of said top, bottom and middle forming rolls of said first roll stand relative to the elevation of said first and second forming rolls of said second roll stand so that components having different shapes can be formed.

A roll former apparatus, comprising:

• a first roll stand comprising a plate;
• top, bottom, and middle spindles journaled in said plate in a linear relationship with each other;
• top, bottom, and middle forming rolls disposed on said top, bottom, and middle spindles, respectively, said top and bottom forming rolls working against opposite sides of said middle forming roll;
• a second roll stand disposed oppositely from said first roll stand;
• first and second spindles journaled in said second roll stand in a linear relationship with each other;
• first and second forming rolls disposed on said first and second spindles, respectively;
• and
• an actuator for changing the elevation of said plate in which said top, bottom and middle forming rolls of said first roll stand are journaled relative to the elevation of said first and second forming rolls of said second roll stand so that components having different shapes can be formed, said actuator comprising actuating means in the form of a vertically disposed screw actuator for disposing said forming rolls of said first roll stand at a first elevation relative to said forming rolls of said second roll stand so that a component having a C-shaped cross section is formed between a first two of said forming rolls of said first roll stand and said first and second forming rolls of said second roll stand and for disposing said forming rolls of said first roll stand at a second elevation relative to said forming rolls of said second roll stand so that a component having a Z-shaped cross section is formed between a second two of said forming rolls of said first roll stand and said first and second forming rolls of said second roll stand.