AU776337B2 - Adjustable roll form - Google Patents

Description

OLO

r 0.02.

a. oo ooeo oleo l oooo oooeo Io o oooo oloo oooo oooo °oo° This invention relates to apparatus for roll forming flat thin metal sheets into sections of curved sheets for subsequent fabrication into tubular structures such as ducting but the invention is not necessarily limited to that particular application.

A problem with existing roll forming machines is that whenever tubular ducting of different diameter curved walls is required it is necessary to remove each set of form rolls in roll forming of a curved pre-form for ducting such as sheet metal from the machine and replace them with different rolls.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus which will enable variatiori in diameter of form rolls in roll forming of a curved formed sheet metal workpiece material to enable the rolls to be left in a roll form machine while adjusting the rolls to suit the required curvature of the form.

According to the invention there is provided adjustable roll form apparatus which comprises a series of rotatable roll form discs each with a profiled edge adapted to be in deforming pressure contact with a form being rolled therebetween and which further comprises rotary support members for the said discs, the members being in contacting oppositionto the said discs, positioning of the discs relative to the form being varied by adjusting the distance of the support members via settable height adjustment means connected to the members and in accordance with variable form curvature required for different-diameter tubing.

Preferably, there are sets of rotatable discs comprising a plurality of rotatable primary roll form discs, a plurality of rotatable secondary roll form discs, and a plurality of rotary support members for each rotatable roll form disc.

In one form, the rotary support member for the rotatable roll form disc is a roller.

Preferably, there are sets comprising pairs of at least two rotatable roll form discs with corresponding pairs of at least two rotary support members in the form of discs and preferably, there are sets of three primary or upper rotatable roll form discs each supported by two rotary support discs; sets of two form-closing-side secondary rotatable roll form discs and sets of two secondary roll form disc support rollers.

Still more particularly, there are sets of discs comprising a plurality of primary or upper rotatable roll form discs with a plurality of primary roll form disc support rollers, a plurality of rotatable lower or secondary roll form to discs with a plurality of secondary or lower roll form disc support rollers.

In a preferred construction the apparatus of the invention comprises two sets of three upper support rollers for each upper or primary rotatable roll form disc set, and sets of two lower support rollers for each secondary or lower rotatable roll form disc.

:oo•i IS In one form, the apparatus comprises two sets of three different-diameter, primary or upper rotatable roll form discs, eight sets of three primary or upper roll form rotary support discs, two secondary or lower rotatable roll form discs and two sets of two secondary or lower roll form disc rotary support discs.

2 o0 Alternatively, the rotatable discs of each set of the two sets of three primary roll form discs are of the same diameter.

three primary roll form discs are of the same diameter.

2 Adjustable roll form apparatus of the invention comprises a roll stand with vertically adjustable top and bottom substantially axial frames mounted on fixed supports comprising fixed uprights connected by a base and a top with load-bearing frame members, a primary or upper driven rotatable shaft mounted in bearings on the uprights, primary or upper form roll discs mounted in juxtaposition at or adjacent each end of the primary or upper shaft, each roll disc having a profiled edge, a secondary or lower driven rotatable shaft mounted between bearings on the stand uprights, a single secondary or lower roll form disc with a profiled edge mounted at or adjacent each end of the o.o.

to lower shaft, a plurality of support rollers each roller being carried by a support 00roller carrying member, More particularly, each form roll disc support roller carrying member is a support arm dependent from a vertically adjustable overhead frame member being disposed over and at each side of each primary or upper 15 disc whereby arrangement is such that each primary or upper roll form l. arge-diameter disc is surrounded on each side with a support roll disc unit comprising a pair of support roll discs each being mounted on the end of an arcuate-shaped carry arm there being two carry arms and thus four support roll discs per upper roll form disc, the four support roll discs being mutually arranged about a circumferential arc so that each one of the four support roll discs for each roll form disc is radially positioned along the same centreline as each roll form disc.

Preferably, the support arms and with them the support rollers are carried by three pairs of overhead vertically-adjustable frame members 2!r comprising a top pair at the same horizontal level, an intermediate pair at the same horizontal level and a bottom pair at the same horizontal level, a corresponding pair of vertically adjustable frame members at each topside of each disc being at the same lateral and vertical level, each set of three 3 vertically-adjustable members being mutually horizontally and vertically offset whereby a pair or set of axially opposite support discs comprising lower, intermediate and upper support disc sets may be raised and lowered.

In a preferred form of the invention there are twelve (primary upper-roll-disc) arcuate-shaped support roll disc carrying arms each of which has a small-diameter support roller rotatably mounted on the end thereof.

Preferably, for contact with a sheet metal workpiece placed in the gap between each of the two lower rolls, there is mounted on either side of each lower roll disc an upwardly directed lower roll disc support or reaction S disc mounted on support arms, two of these arms being mounted upon a common adjustable height frame member and two being mounted upon a counterpart member at the opposite end of the shaft and being directed in unison towards each lower roll disc to be in pressure contact with the sheet metal workpiece placed and moved therebetween.

The apparatus of the invention includes a vertically- adjustable frame assembly to effect vertical adjustment of the top plurality of roll-supporting discs, the frame assembly comprising separately movable and height-settable frames each with a separate height-adjustment mechanism and members.

Zo Preferably, the vertically- adjustable frame assembly is for effecting vertical adjustment of the top four sets each of three roll-supporting discs said frame assembly being in the form of three separate frames each with a height- adjustment mechanism in the form of threaded adjustment bolt sets, for a respective upper roll-supporting disc. Preferably, there are twelve 2 5 adjustment bolt sets altogether Preferably any or all of the support roller discs may be individually adjusted.

More particularly, during roll forming the centreline of each upper and lower roll form disc is radially off-set from the centreline of the respective shaft upon which a particular disc is mounted and the amount of off-set is proportional to the amount of curvature of ducting required when roll-forming S the workpiece depending upon the variation of ducting diameter.

Several non-limiting examples of embodiments or practical arrangements invention will now be described with reference to and with the assistance of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an adjustable S" o roll mechanism according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembled adjustable roll forming machine showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic end view of the sub-assembly of the adjustable roll mechanism of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial perspective showing chain drives for the embodiment of Figure 2 and mechanism of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view in elevation showing roll forming according the invention.

2o Figure 6 is a simplified version of the drawing in Figure Referring to the drawings and first of all to Figure 1 in which reference numerals are prefixed by 100) there is shown a basic or concept form of mechanism involved as a unit in the adjustable roll form apparatus of the invention and which comprises a series of disc sets made up in groups 2 5 respectively of a set of rotatable driven primary roll form disc set of three discs 126,127, 128 and a rotatable, driven, secondary roll form disc set of one disc134, the primary and secondary roll form sets of discs all have profiled edges; two sets of primary rotary roll form support rollers, each set has three rollers 137, 138, 139 and 140, 141,142 each carried on a respective height-adjustable support arm 143, 144, 145 and 146, 147, 148, there being two support rollers for each primary roll form. The secondary roll form disc 134 has two secondary rotary support rollers 149, 150 each carried on a height adjustable arm 149a, 150a. The secondary roll form set forms the outer or closing side of the form which is being rolled between upper and lower form discs. The sets of primary and secondary form rolls and support rollers for same are duplicated at the other end of the respective separate primary and secondary drive shafts 124, 132 as shown and the primary and secondary roll form discs are clamped by flanges 124a and 132a.

In Figure 2 of the drawings, the adjustable roll form apparatus :eeeol comprises a roll stand with vertically adjustable top and bottom substantially axial frames mounted on fixed supports comprising four angled fixed uprights, 10, 11, 12, 13, connected by two fixed base members 14, 15, two flat top members 16, 17, and two fixed box-section axially-disposed, top-most load-bearing frame members18, 19 underneath each of which is fixed a transverse flat 20, 21, a longitudinal edge of which is attached to a transverse, dependent cross arms 22, 23. An upper driven rotatable shaft 24 is mounted 2t in bearings (one 25 being shown) on the stand uprights and has fixedly mounted thereon adjacent each end an upper rolling disc unit comprising three large-diameter discs 26, 27, 28 mounted in juxtaposition (as shown more clearly in Figure 3) and 29, 30, 31 respectively each with a profiled, and this example radiused edge these discs are prefrably, all of uniform thickness and z are of the same diameter. A lower driven rotatable shaft 32 has ends thereof mounted in bearings (one 33 being shown) on the stand uprights and has fixedly mounted thereon adjacent each end, a single lower roll form disc 34, respectively which has a profiled and in this example radiused edge, there 6 being two such discs of uniform diameter and thickness. Surrounding and in sheet metal workpiece engaging contact with a gap at each upper disc are support roller units preferably comprising two sets of three rollers (four 36, 37, 38, 39 being shown in Figure 2) each roller being carried by an arcuate support roller carrying arm 40, 41 there being four sets each of three upper disc support rollers -two sets of three per upper disc and six arcuate support arms per upper roll disc 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 (support for front disc Figure 2) 46, 47, 48 shown at rear Figure 2) each support arm being dependent from a vertically adjustable overhead frame member three being disposed over and at each side of each upper disc. The basic disc arrangement is such that each upper roll form large-diameter disc is surrounded on each side with a support roller unit comprising a pair of support rollers each being mounted on the end of an arcuate support roller arcuate-shaped carry arm there being two carrying arms and thus four support roll discs per upper roll form disc, the four support roll discs being mutually araanged in a circumferential arc so that each support roll for its respective roll form disc is radially positioned along the same centreline as its respective roll form disc. Support arms and with them the support roll discs are carried by three pairs of overhead vertically-adjustable frame members comprising a top pair at the same horizontal level, an intermediate pair at the same horizontal level and a bottom pair at the same horizontal level, a corresponding pair of vertically adjustable frame members at each topside of each disc being at the same lateral and vertical level, each set of three members being mutually horizontally and vertically offset whereby a pair or set of axially opposite support discs comprising lower, intermediate z and upper support roll disc sets may be raised and lowered in unison. There are twelve (upper-disc) disc-support arms altogether. In contact with a sheet metal workpiece between each of the two lower rolls there is a pair of 7 upwardly directed lower roll disc support or reaction discs, two support sheet metal bending force reaction discs 49, 50, 51, 52 on support arms two 52a being visible in Figure 2) two of these being mounted upon a common adjustable height frame member 53 and two on member 54 and being directed in unison towards each lower roll disc 34, 35 to be in pressure contact with the sheet metal workpiece placed and moved therebetween. In order to effect vertical adjustment of the top four sets each of three roll-supporting discs there is provided a vertically-adjustable frame assembly in the form of three separate frames each with a height-adjustment mechanism in the form of threaded v "e 10 adjustment bolt sets, (four 61, 62, 63, 64 being labelled), for a respective upper roll-supporting disc. There being twelve adjustment bolt sets altogether. All of the support rollers are separately adjustable and may be individually manually o adjusted to allow differing diameters of ducting to be produced with the same set of discs. Alternatively adjustment of the discs may be controlled by Y I a programmed microprocessor-based control system driving various forms of motion systems.

ooeoo Referring to Figures 4 to 6, three chain linkage drives 65, (visible in Figure 4) enable vertical reciprocation for adjustment of upper :roll form discs while providing rotational drive from the single upper drive shaft Z 24 to upper roll form discs 26, 27 and 28. A similar arrangement of three chain linkage drives and three upper roll form discs is arrangemed at the other end of the upper drive shaft 24. A single lower chain drive 66 operatively connects the single lower drive shaft 32 and the lower roll form disc 34. The upper roll form discs adjacent each resepctive end of the upper shaft are each 2 clamped between flanged hubs such as the one labelled 24a and the lower roll form discs are each clamped or mounted on a hub such as the one shown and labelled 34a. The same lower drive shaft 32 drives a similar single chain and lower form disc arrangement at the other ehd of the apparatus of Figure 2.

8 During roll-forming this arrangement enables drive to a respective roll form disc 26 or 34 from a respective drive shaft 24 or 32 which has its centreline essentially fixed while it drives roll form discs the centrelines of which are essentially being varied and off-set from the centreline of the shaft from which each respective disc is being driven.

Referring again to Figures 4 to 6, the workpiece which is labelled 67 is formed into circular 80mm diameter ducting and for this purpose the sheet material being rolled has lock-form edges 68 and 69 (shown in Figures 5 and Figure 5 shows 80mm ducting being roll formed whereby the centreline of each upper and lower roll form disc is radially off-set from the centreline of the respective shaft upon which a particular disc is mounted and the amount of off-set is proportional to the amount of curvature of ducting required when roll-forming the workpiece- in other words depending upon the variation of ducting diameter. For example, when roll-forming the same sheet metal IS l material of 1.5mm thickness to produce ducting of 160mm diameter the off-set distance of the centreline of each upper roll form disc such as the three shown and labelled discs 26, 27, 28 from the centreline of the single upper drive shaft 24 is less than that required forproducing 1.5mm thick 80mm diameter ducting of the same material. Under these conditions, the distance of the centreline 20 of the lower drive shaft to each lower roll form disc, such as the one labelled 34, remains fixed.

Claims (19)

1. Adjustable roll form apparatus which comprises a series of rotatable roll form discs each with a profiled edge adapted to be in deforming pressure contact with a form being rolled therebetween and which further comprises rotary support members for the said discs ,the members being in contacting opposition to the said discs, positioning of the discs relative to the form being varied by adjusting the distance of the support members via settable height adjustment means connected to the support members and in accordance with variable form curvature required for different-diameter tubing.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there are sets of rotatable discs comprising a plurality of rotatable primary roll form discs, a plurality of rotatable secondary r011 form discs, and a plurality of rotary support members .i for each rotatable roll form disc.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the rotary support member for the rotatable roll form disc is a roller.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein there are sets comprising pairs of at least two rotatable roll form discs with corresponding pairs of at least two rotary support members in the form of discs.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein there are two sets of three primary or upper rotatable roll form discs with two sets of three primary roll form rotary support discs, one set of support discs being provided for each roll form disc set; sets of two form-closing-side secondary rotatable roll form discs and sets of two secondary roll form disc support rollers for each secondary disc.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein there are sets of discs comprising a plurality of primary or upper rotatable roll form discs 9a with a plurality of primary roll form disc support rollers, a plurality of rotatable lower or secondary roll form discs and a plurality of secondary or lower roll form disc support rollers. *o gOOD e with a plurality of primary roll form disc support rollers, a plurality of rotatable lower or secondary roll form discs and a plurality of secondary or lower roll form disc support rollers.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein there are provided; pairs of sets of three upper support rollers for each set of rotatable primary or upper roll form discs, one pair of each set of rollers being provided for supporting each upper or primary roll form disc and, sets of two rotary, lower support rollers for each secondary or lower rotatable roll form disc.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein there are two sets of three different-diameter, primary or upper rotatable roll form discs, eight sets of three primary or upper roll form rotary support discs, two secondary or lower rotatable roll form discs and two sets of two secondary or lower roll form disc rotary support discs. g9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the rotatable discs of each set of the two sets of three primary roll form discs are of the same diameter. S' 10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim which comprises a roll stland with vertically adjustable top and bottom substantially axial frames mounted on fixed supports comprising fixed uprights connected by a base :and a top with load-bearing frame members, a primary driven rotatable shaft mounted in bearings on the uprights, primary roll form discs mounted in juxtaposition at or adjacent each end of the upper shaft, each roll form disc S"having a profiled edge, a secondary driven rotatable shaft mounted between bearings on the stand uprights, a single secondary roll form disc with a profiled edge mounted at or adjacent each end of the lower shaft, a plurality of support rollers each roller being carried by a support roller carrying member,

11. .Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein primary roll form disc is an upper disc, primary roll form disc support roller is an upper roller, the -11- secondary roll form disc is a lower disc, the secondary roll form disc support roller is a lower support roller.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11 wherein, each support roll carrying member is a support arm dependent from a vertically adjustable overhead frame member being disposed over and at each side of each upper roll form disc whereby arrangement is such that each upper roll form large-diameter disc is surrounded on each side with a support roll disc unit comprising a pair of support roll discs each being mounted on the end of an arcuate-shaped carry arm there being two carry arms and thus four support roll discs per upper roll form disc, the four support roll discs being mutually arranged in a circumferential arc so that each support roll disc for its respective roll form disc is radially positioned along the same centreline as the roll form disc.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the support roller arms and with them the support rollers are carried by three pairs of overhead vertically- adjustable frame members comprising a top pair at the same horizontal level, an intermediate pair at the same horizontal level and a bottom pair at the same horizontal level, a corresponding pair of vertically adjustable frame members at each topside of each disc being at the same lateral and vertical level, each set of three vertically-adjustable members being mutually ego• horizontally and vertically offset whereby a pair or set of axially opposite support discs comprising lower, intermediate and upper support disc sets may be raised and lowered.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein there are twelve r-disc) arcuate-shaped disc-support arms and each arm has a small-diameter support roller rotatably mounted on each end thereof. -12- Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein there is provided a pair of upwardly directed lower roll disc support or reaction discs, two sheet-metal bending force reaction discs on support arms, two of these arms being mounted upon a common adjustable height frame member and two being mounted upon a counterpart member on the opposite side of the shaft and being directed in unison towards each lower roll disc to be in pressure contact with the sheet metal workpiece placed and moved therebetween.

16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim which includes a vertically-adjustable frame assembly to effect vertical adjustment of the top plurality of roll-form supporting discs, the frame assembly comprising separately movable and height-settable frames each with a separate height-adjustment mechanism and members. :17 Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the vertically- oo:" adjustable frame assembly is for effecting vertical adjustment of the top four sets each of three form roll-supporting discs said frame assembly being in the form of three separate frames each with a height-adjustment mechanism in the form of threaded adjustment bolt sets, for a respective upper roll-supporting disc.

18. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein there are twelve adjustment bolt sets altogether. •il*

19. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein any or all of the support rollers may be individually adjusted. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein three chain linkage drives are provided which enable vertical reciprocation for adjustment of upper roll form discs while providing rotational drive from a single upper drive shaft to upper rotatable roll form discs and at least one single lower chain drive operatively connects at least one single lower drive shaft and a lower -13- rotatable roll form disc whereby during roll forming this arrangement enables drive to a respective roll form disc from a respective drive shaft which has its centreline essentially fixed while it drives roll form discs the centrelines of which are essentially being varied and off-set from the centreline of the shaft from which each respective disc is being driven.

21. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein during roll forming the centreline of each upper and lower roll form disc is radially off-set from the centreline of the respective shaft upon which a particular disc is mounted and the amount of off-set is proportional to the amount of curvature of ducting required when roll-forming the workpiece in accordance with variation of ducting diameter.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein when 1.5mm thickness roll-forming sheet metal material is used to produce ducting of 80mm diameter.

23. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein when 1.5mm thickness roll-forming sheet metal material is used to produce ducting of 160mm diameter, the off-set distance of the centreline of each upper roll form disc from the centreline of the single upper drive shaft is less than that required for 80mm ducting of the same thickness and wherein the distance of the centreline of the lower drive shaft to each lower roll form disc remains fixed. ••go

24. Adjustable roll form apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 23rd day of June 2004 DOUGLAS JAMES READ By My Patent Attorney JOHN L.DAVIES CO