Metal deforming – By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during... – With feeding of discrete articles or orienting of work...
Utility Patent
2000-04-17
2001-01-02
Butler, Rodney A. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during...
With feeding of discrete articles or orienting of work...
C072S169000, C072S166000
Utility Patent
active
06167737
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a vane forming apparatus and more particularly, to a device for fabricating arcuate air turning vanes of the type utilized in duct systems for minimizing turbulence as air is conducted about right angle bends inducting.
Still more particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for forming rectangular sheet metal blanks to the precise arcuate curvature which is effective to minimize frictional turbulence losses in air ducting.
PRIOR ART
It is well known in the air conditioning—heating art to provide, in duct branches, particularly at sharp corners or bends of a duct assembly, a series of vanes or blades of a curvature to guide air efficiently around corners or bends. Air turning assemblies are typically comprised of a spaced parallel pair of rails or plates spanned by a series of spaced blades, the blades being arcuate in section. A representative air guide device including improved means for holding the blades to the rails is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,195 assigned to the assignee of the instant application.
It has been determined that for optimal efficiency the radius of curvature of the air guiding vanes should be as close as possible to 4.5 inches.
Heretofore, blades having the desired curvature have been factory formed e.g., using metal bending brakes which fabricate elongate lengths which are subsequently cut to size in the field. Metal bending brakes are disadvantageous in that they are heavy and thus not conducive to on-the-job usage and often result in the fabrication of vanes which differ unpredictably and significantly from the ideal radius of curvature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention may be summarized as directed to a vane fabricating apparatus which is safe to use, light enough to be employed in the field, and which results in the formation of blades which consistently achieve the precise desired arcuate configuration which most efficiently functions to guide air with minimal turbulence losses.
More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention is capable of transforming a rectangular blank of galvanized sheet metal e.g., 20 or 22 gauge into a perfectly formed curved air guide vane.
The apparatus comprises a forming drum to which is fixed a resilient flexible metallic blade, a lead edge of the blade being affixed to the surface of the drum in parallel relation of the axis of the drum. A forming roll whose axis is likewise disposed parallel to the drum axis is located in proximate spaced relation to the surface of the drum. A sheet metal increment to be formed is inserted into the nip between the lead edge of the blade and the drum, following which the drum is rotated causing the blade and the galvanized sheet metal to be conformed to the surface of the drum. For reasons which are not entirely clear, it has been discovered that by capturing the metal blank to be formed between the resilient flexible blade and the surface of the forming drum, that the blade is bent in a repeatable, predictable and precise manner as contrasted with the mere use of rollers acting directly upon the metal to be bent and forcing the same against the outer surface of the drum. Preferably, trailing components of the blade are encased within a tray or chamber such that exposure of the sliding blank to the operator is positively prevented.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 3304757 (1967-02-01), Achler et al.
patent: 3937052 (1976-02-01), Hoexter et al.
patent: 4057990 (1977-11-01), Kelsey et al.
patent: 4428215 (1984-01-01), Hume
patent: 4706488 (1987-11-01), Williamson
patent: 5592844 (1997-01-01), Baumgartner
Lyons John
Moses David
Butler Rodney A.
Duro Dyne Corporation
Magidoff Barry G.
Sutton Paul J.
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