Companion duct system

Apparatus for attaching a leading edge portion of a patterned strip to a flange of a section of duct of general polygonal cross-section for facilitating connection of sections of duct in end-to-end relation, the duct flange having opposed sides, said apparatus comprising:

• a guide adapted to receive the patterned strip and to guide the strip towards a section of duct;
• a fixture for locating a section of duct relative to a leading edge portion of the patterned strip in a position spaced from and out of engagement with the opposed sides of the flange;
• a fastening tool arranged for affixing the duct flange and a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to each other;
• and
• a shear arranged for separating the leading edge portion of the patterned strip from the strip.

A duct assembly for transporting pressurized fluid therethrough comprising:

• first and second duct sections, each of said duct sections having sides extending between opposite ends, each of said sides joining an adjacent side and having a flange extending laterally outward from each end, each of said flanges having opposed side portions, said first and second sections being positioned in end-to-end relation so that said flanges extending outward from one of said ends of first section face said flanges extending outward from one of said ends of said second section thereby defining aligned flange pairs and so that the sides of said first duct section are generally aligned with the sides of said second duct section;
• a plurality of connector pairs, each of said connector pairs being positioned at an end of said first and second duct sections, each of said connector pairs comprising a first connector spanning adjacent flanges of said first duct section and a second connector spanning adjacent flanges of said second duct section, said first and second connectors being located on the adjacent flanges in a position spaced from the opposed side portions thereof, said first and second connectors being positioned on opposite faces of an adjacent flange pair so that said flange is positioned between said first and second connectors;
• and
• fasteners, each of said fasteners extending through one of said connector pairs and one of said flange pairs thereby connecting said flange pairs.

Apparatus for making a patterned strip for use in connecting sections of duct and for attaching a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to a flange of a section of duct, said a patterned strip having opposite lateral sides extending parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the strip, said apparatus comprising:

• a guide for guiding the strip in a longitudinal direction;
• a slotting tool arranged relative to the guide for making a laterally spaced pair of slots in the strip, each of said slots being obliquely aligned with respect to the lateral sides of said strip;
• an indexing device arranged relative to the guide for indexing the strip a predetermined longitudinal distance before making subsequent laterally spaced pairs of slots in the strip;
• a hole making tool arranged relative to the guide for making at least one hole between adjacent slots for facilitating connection of the strip to a flange of a section of duct;
• a fixture for locating the section of duct relative to a leading edge portion of the strip;
• a fastening tool arranged relative to the fixture for affixing the duct flange and a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to each other;
• and
• a shear arranged relative to the fixture for separating the leading edge portion of the patterned,;strip from the strip.

Apparatus for attaching a leading edge portion of a patterned strip to a flange of a section of duct of generally polygonal cross-section for facilitating connection of sections of duct in end-to-end relation, the patterned strip including a plurality of elements therein, each element including at least one hole positioned therein, said apparatus comprising:

• a fixture for locating the section of duct;
• a guide adapted to receive the patterned strip and arranged relative to the fixture to guide the strip toward the fixture;
• a fastening tool arranged relative to the fixture for affixing the duct flange and a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to each other, said fastening tool including a piercing unit and a flaring tool, said piercing unit being arranged for pushing a portion of the duct flange on the fixture through one hole made in the element, said flaring tool being arranged for bending the portion of the duct flange pushed through said one hole against the element to fasten the duct flange and the strip to each other;
• and
• a shear arranged relative to the fixture for separating the leading edge portion of the patterned strip from the strip.

A duct assembly for transporting pressurized fluid therethrough comprising:

• a duct section having sides extending between opposite ends, each of said sides joining an adjacent side and having a flange extending laterally outward from each end;
• connectors, each of said connectors being positioned near one of said ends of said duct section and fixedly connected to adjacent flanges of said duct section thereby to prevent movement between said adjacent flanges of the duct section, each of said connectors having at least two holes extending therethrough, each of said holes being aligned with one of said flanges;
• and
• each of said flanges including a portion which is pushed through the corresponding hole aligned therewith and bent over the connector at an edge margin of said corresponding hole thereby fixedly connecting the connector to the flange.

Apparatus for making a patterned strip for use in connecting sections of duct and for attaching a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to a flange of a section of duct, said patterned strip having opposite lateral sides extending parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the strip, said apparatus comprising:

• a guide for guiding the strip in a longitudinal direction;
• a slotting tool arranged relative to the guide for making a laterally spaced pair of slots in the strip, each of said slots being obliquely aligned with respect to the lateral sides of said strip;
• an indexing device arranged relative to the guide for indexing the strip a predetermined longitudinal distance before making subsequent laterally spaced pairs of slots in the strip;
• a hole making tool arranged relative to the guide for making at least one hole between adjacent slots for facilitating connection of the strip to a flange of a section of duct;
• a fixture for locating the section of duct relative to a leading edge portion of the strip;
• a fastening tool arranged relative to the fixture for affixing the duct flange and a leading edge portion of the patterned strip to each other, said fastening tool including a piercing unit and a flaring tool, said piercing unit being arranged for pushing a portion of the duct flange through at least one of the holes made in the strip at the leading edge portion thereof, said flaring tool being arranged for bending the portion of the duct flange pushed through said at least one hole against the strip to fasten the duct flange and the strip to each other;
• and
• a shear arranged relative to the fixture for separating the leading edge portion of the patterned strip from the strip.