Gutter forming machine

A gutter forming machine for forming a continuous length of gutter from a flat material strip having a pair of opposite side edges, the continuous length of gutter formed being of the type having a front wall, a back wall and a bottom wall extending between the front and back walls, the front, back and bottom walls defining a channel of the gutter, the front wall having an tipper lip extending in a first plane oriented substantially parallel to the bottom wall, the gutter forming machine comprising:

• a plurality of upper rollers for contacting an upper surface of the material strip;
• a plurality of lower rollers for contacting a lower surface of the material strip;
• a lower roller support structure for supporting the plurality of lower rollers along the path;
• an upper roller support structure for supporting the plurality of upper rollers along the path;
• an auxiliary forming assembly adapted for contacting a portion of the lower surface of the material strip for forming a portion of the back wall of the gutter, the auxiliary forming assembly comprising a plurality of auxiliary roller assemblies for contacting and guiding a portion of the material strip for forming an extended portion of the back wall of the gutter that extends away from the bottom wall beyond the first plane of the upper lip of the front wall;
• and
• a stiffener assembly for forming a stiffening bead in the material strip adjacent to the back edge of the material strip.

A gutter forming machine for forming a continuous length of gutter from a flat material strip having a pair of opposite side edges, the continuous length of gutter formed being of the type having a front wall, a back wall and a bottom wall extending between the front and back walls, the front, back and bottom walls defining a channel of the gutter, the front wall having an upper lip extending in a first plane oriented substantially parallel to the bottom wall, the gutter forming machine comprising:

• a plurality of upper rollers for contacting an upper surface of the material strip;
• a plurality of lower rollers for contacting a lower surface of the material strip;
• a lower roller support structure for supporting the plurality of lower rollers along the path;
• an upper roller support structure for supporting the plurality of upper rollers along the path;
• an auxiliary forming assembly adapted for contacting a portion of the lower surface of the material strip for forming a portion of the back wall of the gutter, the auxiliary forming assembly comprising a plurality of auxiliary roller assemblies for contacting and guiding a portion of the material strip for forming an extended portion of the back wall of the gutter that extends away from the bottom wall beyond the first plane of the upper lip of the front wall;
• wherein a path is defined along which the material strip moves through the machine, the auxiliary forming assembly comprises a forming rail for abutting the lower surface of the material strip adjacent to the back side edge, the forming rail extending along at least a portion of the path, the forming rail extending below a material plane towards a beginning of the path, the forming rail extending gradually upward from below the material plane to a position adjacent one of the plurality of auxiliary roller assemblies.