Panel seaming device

Details Panel seaming device Panel seaming device

2001-03-20

2002-12-31

Watson, Robert C. (Department: 3723)

Metal working

Means to assemble or disassemble

Overedge assembling means

Reexamination Certificate

active

06499203

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a seaming device and more particularly, to a seaming device capable of seaming a panel that contains both curved and straight portions.
BACKGROUND
Most buildings are constructed of a combination of columns (i.e., posts) and beams, which are covered by plywood or some sort of metal or plastic sheeting. In an effort to reduce the overall construction time, however, contractors often construct buildings, and particularly, the exterior walls of buildings, as with prefabricated building panels. Constructing a building with such panels increases efficiency because rather than assembling individual components on site, entire wall panels are manufactured on the construction site so that they can be swiftly combined and installed. These prefabricated panels are typically manufactured from steel sheet metal. Thereafter, two panels are placed adjacent to one another and the sides of the panels engage and form a sealed joint.
These interconnected panels may by straight or arched (i.e., curved) or both. Arched panels are typically used to construct an entire metal building. For example, the roof panels are completely arched and extend to the foundation. The design of these buildings is such that the roof panels continue downward and also form the side walls of the building, thereby creating a semi-circular shaped building when viewed from the end.
Regardless of whether the panel is arched or straight, it has a similar cross sectional profile. For example,
FIG. 1
illustrates a cross section of a known building panel
100
, which includes a central portion
102
and two inclined side wall portions
104
,
106
extending from opposite ends of the central portion
102
. The building panel
100
also includes two wing portions
108
,
110
extending from the inclined side wall portions
104
,
106
, respectively. A hem portion
114
extends from one wing portion
110
, and a complementary hook portion
112
extends from the other wing portion
108
.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, there is shown a building structure
200
comprising two building panels
100
interconnected by the complementary hem
114
and hook portions
112
. Referring to
FIG. 2A
, which is an enlarged view of the interconnected hook and hem portions, the hem portion
114
comprises an inclined hem section
120
and an end section
122
. The hook portion
112
comprises a complementary inclined section
124
, an intermediate section
126
parallel to the wing portions, and an end section
128
. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,173, which is hereby incorporated by reference, the end section
122
of the hem portion
114
snaps into place adjacent the intermediate section
126
of the hook portion
112
. After the hem portion snaps in place, a seaming device bends the end section
128
of the hook portion
112
up and in toward the end section
122
of the hem portion
114
. Bending the end section
128
, therefore, seams the two panels
100
together to form a single building structure
200
.
As mentioned above, the interconnected panels may be straight or curved, an example of which is illustrated in FIG.
3
. Additionally, some panels may include both straight and curved portions. The seaming devices currently used in the art, however, are unable to easily and effectively seam together panels comprised of both straight and curved sections. Such panels passing through a known seaming device and particularly, the portion of the panel that transitions from a straight to a curved portion or vice versa, tends to dislodge from or become jammed in the seaming device. When such events occur, they typically result in damaging the panel, which is an undesirable result.
Furthermore, when the panel becomes dislodged from the seaming device, it is often time consuming and difficult to reinstall the panel within the device. Moreover, most seaming devices are cumbersome to operate. Therefore, the time required to reinstall the panel can be prolonged, thereby further decreasing operational efficiency.
As previously mentioned, a sealed joint is formed by bending the end section
128
of the hook portion
112
up and in toward the end section
122
of the hem portion
114
. This bending action is achieved by passing the hook and hem portions through a seaming device and particularly, between two seaming wheels. However, the building panels
100
are often wide, thereby requiring an operator to guide the seaming device across the entire width of the structure
200
to seam the interconnected joint. After the operator finishes seaming two building panels
100
together, the operator would traditionally, walk around the building structure before seaming another two building panels. This process consumes a substantial amount of time, and in an effort to increase efficiency, the operator desires to begin seaming the next two panels beginning on the side of the structure he just completed. Unfortunately, doing so requires the operator to swap the seaming wheels before seaming the next two panels. Most current techniques for switching seaming wheels are often time consuming and difficult, thereby calling into question whether it is more efficient to have the operator walk around the structure to begin seaming the next two panels rather than begin on the side which he just completed.
The foregoing features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to seam a wide range of shaped panels using a singular seaming device.
It is another object of the invention to seam a panel comprised of both curved and straight panels.
It is another object of the invention to minimize the frequency that a panel becomes dislodged from the seaming device.
It is a further object of the invention to reduce the damage a seaming device imparts upon a panel.
It is a further object of the invention to improve the ease with which a panel can be reinstalled within a seaming device in to the event the panel becomes dislodged.
It is even a further object of the invention to improve the efficiency of switching seaming wheels within the seaming device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a panel seaming device that can seam both curved and straight panels. The panel seaming device accomplishes this task by driving two gear box and wheel assemblies with a single motor and connecting the gear boxes with a universal joint. Specifically, a motor drives a gear box, which is connected to one end of a universal joint. The other end of the universal joint is connected to a second gear box. This mechanical drive configuration and particularly, the universal joint, allows the gear boxes to pivot in at least one axial direction, thereby accommodating for the profile change of the panel. In other words, as the panel passes through the seaming device and its profile changes, especially from a straight portion to a curved portion and vice versa, the gear boxes pivot amongst each other and accommodate for such change.
Therefore, the panel seaming device of the present invention can seam a wide range of shaped panels including those that are both straight and curved.
Accordingly, the panel seaming apparatus, comprising a motor, a first gear box connected to the motor, a first wheel connected to the first gear box, a second wheel connected to the first gear box, the first and second wheels rotating in opposite directions and seaming two panels together as portions of the panels pass therebetween, a second gear box located downstream of and aligned with the first gear box along a particular axis, the second gear box connected to the first gear box via a universal joint, thereby allowing the first and second gear boxes to pivot amongst each other, a third wheel connected to the second gear box, and a fourth wheel connected to the second gearbox, the third and fourth wheels rotating in opposite directions and further seaming the panels together as

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