Channel forming and punching machine

A channel forming and punching machine, which simultaneously forms a channel from a flat metal sheet and punches the side walls of the formed channel in one step and in the same machine, comprising:

• a lower member, including:
• a support frame;
• and
• a die member mounted on the support frame having an upper metal sheet receiving surface and side walls, each having perforations at a desired position;
• an upper member, mounted on lowering and lifting means, actuating on the lower member, including:
• a support frame;
• a female member, retained by the support frame, having an upper wall and two depending side walls, each having perforations at a height coinciding with the perforations of the die member, and forming a channel housing receiving the die member when the upper member is lowered in order to form a channel from a metal sheet;
• retaining means, resiliently retained into the channel forming housing of the female member for retaining a metal sheet to be bent;
• and
• punching means coupled at the ends of the female member, for punching the side walls of a formed channel, passing through the perforations of the female member and the die member, said punching means being adapted to be actuated by the lowering of the upper member.