Automated spacer frame fabrication

Apparatus for fabricating spacer frames from an elongated metal strip as the elongated metal strip moves along a path of travel, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a punching station having a die and a punch drive, the punch drive comprising a dual acting air driven actuator having an output coupled to the die, the actuator comprising an actuator body having first and second pressure chambers wherein a first pressure chamber, when controllably pressurized, moves said die into contact with a flat surface of the elongated metal strip to deform the elongated metal strip and form a weakened zone at multiple spacer frame corner locations along a length of said elongated metal strip and further wherein the second chamber, when controllably pressurized, moves the die away from the elongated metal strip subsequent to deformation by said die;
• b) a bending station for bending the elongated metal strip into a channel shape;
• c) a severing station for separating a lead spacer frame defining portion of the elongated metal strip from said elongated metal strip after the lead spacer frame defining portion has moved through the punching and bending stations;
• and
• d) a controller comprising a solenoid valve for periodically pressurizing said first chamber of the actuator to actuate the punch drive to form the weakened zone at the multiple spacer frame corner locations along the length of the elongated metal strip as said metal strip moves through the punching station and wherein a combination of a quick exhaust valve coupled to the actuator body and a flow control valve is coupled to an exhaust port of said quick exhaust valve for providing an air passageway to exhaust air from the second chamber at a controllable rate as said solenoid valve pressurizes the first chamber;
• e) said punching station comprising an adjustable stop that limits movement of the punch drive by an amount that is adjustable based on the composition of the elongated metal strip to control deformation of the elongated metal strip by the die in producing the weakened zone.

Apparatus for fabricating spacer frames from an elongated metal strip moving along a path of travel, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a punching station comprising:
• i) first and second dies for contacting the elongated metal strip to form notches which extend inwardly from edges of the elongated metal strip and for deforming a surface of the elongated metal strip to form first and second weakened zones adjacent to the notches in said elongated metal strip to facilitate bending of the elongated metal strip into a closed sided spacer frame;
• ii) a die actuator assembly comprising first and second die supports that support the first and the second dies for movement toward and away from the elongated metal strip;
• said die actuator assembly comprising a punch drive for simultaneously moving the first and second dies into contact with the elongated metal strip to notch the elongated metal strip and deform said elongated metal strip to form the first and second weakened zones;
• and
• iii) first and second adjustable stops position on opposite sides of the path of travel of the elongated metal strip and having first and second contact regions, respectively, positioned in relation to the die actuator assembly so that the first contact region of the first adjustable stop is contacted by the first die support and the second contact region of the second adjustable stop is contacted by the second die support as the punch drive moves the first and second dies into contact with the elongated metal strip to deform the strip and form the first and second weakened zones;
• wherein, energy transferred to the elongated metal strip by the first and second dies is controlled by adjustment of a position of said first and second contact regions in relation to the die actuator assembly based oil a composition of the elongated metal strip;
• b) a bending station for bending the elongated metal strip into a channel having two side walls wherein one side wall includes a first of said weakened zones and a second side wall includes a second of the weakened zones to facilitate bending of the channel in a region of said first and second zones;
• c) a severing station for separating a lead, spacer frame defining portion of the elongated metal strip from said elongated metal strip after the lead, spacer frame defining portion has moved through the punching and bending stations;
• and
• (d) a controller for actuating the punch drive of the die actuator assembly to form the first and second weakened zones in said elongated metal strip.

Apparatus for fabricating spacer frames from an elongated metal strip moving along a path of travel, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a punching station comprising i) a dual acting air powered actuator including first and second pressure chambers;
• ii) a die assembly coupled to the air powered actuator and comprising, a die mounted for up and down movement wherein pressurization of the first pressure chamber produces a downward stroke of the actuator to move the die downward into contact with a surface of the metal strip steak to form a weakened zone at spacer frame corner locations along a length of said elongated metal strip and further wherein pressurization of the second chamber by pressurized air retracts the die upward away from the metal strip;
• iii) a quick exhaust valve for delivering pressurized air to the second chamber during an actuator return stroke as the actuator retracts the die and exhausting air from said second chamber as pressure in the first chamber moves the die downward into contact with the elongated metal strip and iv) a flow control valve coupled to an exhaust port of the quick exhaust valve for relieving pressure at a controlled rate from the second chamber of said air powered actuator as air is pressurizing said first chamber of said air powered actuator,
• b) a bending station for bending the metal strip into a desired shape;
• c) a severing station for separating a lead spacer frame defining portion of the elongated metal strip from the elongated metal strip after the lead spacer frame defining portion has moved through the punching and bending stations, and
• d) a controller for actuating the dual acting fluid powered actuator at multiple spacer frame corner locations as the elongated metal strip moves along the path of travel.

Apparatus for fabricating multiple spacer frames horn an elongated metal strip as the elongated metal strip moves along a path of travel said apparatus comprising:

• a) a punching station comprising:
• i) an upper die and a lower die for deforming the elongated metal strip through contact with the upper and lower dies to form a weakened zone in the elongated metal strip that facilitates bending of the elongated metal strip;
• ii) an upper die support mounted for movement in a transverse direction to the path of travel of the elongated metal strip for positioning the upper die relative to the path of travel of the elongated metal strip;
• iii) a lower die support coupled to the upper die support for movement in said transverse direction relative to the path of travel of said elongated metal strip;
• iv) an upper guide supporting the upper die support for movement in the transverse direction;
• v) a lower guide supporting the lower die support for movement in the transverse direction;
• vi) a punch drive coupled to the upper die support for driving the upper die into contact with the elongated metal strip;
• vii) an adjustable stop coupled to the lower die support and positioned for contact with the upper die support as said punch drive moves the upper die into contact with the elongated metal strip wherein a position of contact between the adjustable stop and upper die support controls deformation of the elongated metal strip to form the weakened zone;
• viii) a reference post moveable with respect to the path of travel and defining a reference surface;
• and
• ix) an adjustable spacer including a spacer body having first and second end surfaces spaced apart by an adjustable distance and trapped between the reference surface of the reference post and the lower die support for positioning of the upper and lower dies relative to the path of travel of said elongated metal strip;
• b) a roll forming station for bending the strip into a desired shape;
• and
• c) a severing station for separating, a lead, spacer frame defining portion of the elongated metal strip from the elongated metal strip after the lead, spacer frame defining portion has moved through the corner punching and roll forming stations.

Apparatus for fabricating spacer frames from elongated metal strips, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a punching station comprising first and second punch drives spaced apart along a travel path of the elongated metal strips and first and second dies for contacting a surface of the elongated metal strips to form a plurality of spaced apart weakened zones at corner locations along said elongated metal strips, wherein the first punch drive is coupled to the first die for moving the first die into contact with a surface of the elongated strips at a first location and wherein the second punch drive is coupled to the second die for moving the second die into contact with a surface of the elongated metal strips at a second location spaced along the path of travel from the first location;
• b) a channel forming station positioned with respect to the travel path of the elongated metal strips for bending the elongated metal strips to a channel having side walls;
• c) a severing station positioned with respect to the travel path of the elongated metal strips for separating a lead spacer frame defining portion of the elongated metal strips after the lead spacer frame defining portion has moved through the punching and channel forming, stations;
• and
• d) a control station for activating only the first punch drive to cause the first die to contact elongated metal strips having a first composition to form said plurality of spaced apart weakened zones and for activating only the second punch drive to cause the second die to contact elongated metal strips having a second composition to form said plurality of weakened zones, wherein said second composition is different from the first composition.