EP0161255A1

EP0161255A1 - Structural members

Info

Publication number: EP0161255A1
Application number: EP19840900484
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ambrose Ronald Lee
Original assignee: Silvertape Ptyltd
Current assignee: Silvertape Ptyltd
Priority date: 1983-01-13
Filing date: 1984-01-12
Publication date: 1985-11-21
Also published as: GB8503352D0; WO1984002666A1; GB2152406A

Abstract

Un organe structural du type consistant en une bande métallique (12) de section non plate est fabriqué en enroulant une bande métallique de section sensiblement plate en un rouleau (11) en rotation dans une boîte de support (10), une section de la bande étant extraite, à volonté, de la boîte (10) en la faisant passer au travers d'un dispositif de formation (13) monté sur la boîte pour déformer la partie extraite et lui donner une configuration désirée non plate, puis la sectionner. De préférence, la bande (12) est préformée avec la configuration non plate puis elle est sensiblement aplatie lorsqu'elle est enroulée, le dispositif de formation (13) ayant des côtés convergents (24) qui, par application d'une force de compression transversalement sur la section ou partie extraite, redonnent à la bande sa section non plate.A structural member of the type consisting of a metal strip (12) of non-flat section is produced by winding a metal strip of substantially flat section into a roller (11) rotating in a support box (10), a section of the strip being extracted, at will, from the box (10) by passing it through a forming device (13) mounted on the box to deform the extracted part and give it a desired configuration which is not flat, then section it. Preferably, the strip (12) is preformed with the non-flat configuration then it is substantially flattened when it is wound, the forming device (13) having converging sides (24) which, by application of a compressive force transversely on the section or part extracted, restore the strip to its non-flat section.

Description

Title:- "STRUCTURAL MEMBERS"

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to structural members and a method of and apparatus for making them, and it relates more particularly to building components of the type consisting of metal strips formed to non- flat cross-sectional configuration suiting them for use as, for example, wall or roofing braces, ant capping and the like.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

Structural members of this general type are well known, widely used and generally satisfactory in performing the functions for which they have been designed. However, because of their cross-sectional profiles they are fairly rigid and are made and sold in lengths, usually of three or five metres, and are likely to become bent or otherwise damaged in storage or transport. To reduce the likelihood of such damage occurring, the members are commonly made of a heavier gauge of sheet metal than is required to withstand the stresses they will encounter in use, and thus they are likely to be unduly costly and heavy. Furthermore, being made in pre-cut lengths, a good deal of wastage occurs in their application, from off-cuts of over-long members or over-lapping of too-short sections. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention has been devised with the general object of overcoming or materially reducing these disadvantages by providing .structural members of the type set out which can be packaged in very compact form and stored and transported with little likelihood of damage, and at the same time are made available for use in any length likely to be required with little or no wastage; and by providing a method of and apparatus for the simple and economical production of such members.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides broadly, in one aspect, in a method of making a brace or other structural member of the type consisting of a section of metal strip of non-flat cross-sectional configuration including the steps of coiling a metal strip of substantially flat cross-section into a roll; mounting the roll rotatably on a carrier; drawing a section of the strip from the roll and through a former on the carrier which deforms the strip being drawn there-through to the said cross-sectional configuration; and severing the deformed section of the strip.

In another aspect , the invention resides broadly in a method of making a brace or other structural member of the type set out including the steps of forming a metal strip to the required cross-sectional configuration, for example by conventional roll-forming techniques; coiling the strip into a roll and thereby substantially flattening it in cross-section; drawing a section of the strip from the roll and through a former which substantially reshapes the strip being drawn therethrough to the said required cross-section; and severing the reshaped section of the strip.

The invention resides, in a futher aspect, in a device for making a brace or other structural member including a carrier; a roll of coiled metal strip, substantially flat in cross-section, rotatably mounted on the carrier; a former on the carrier for deforming metal strip, drawn from the roll and through the former, to a non-flat cross-sectional configuration.

The metal strip may, before being coiled into a roll, be roll-formed to the desired cross-section, and substantially flattened in cross-section when being coiled, the former restoring the cross-sectional profile of the section of metal strip drawn through it.. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that a preferred embodiment of the invention may be readily understood and carried into practical effect, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein :-

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a forming device according to the invention applied to the profiling of a brace and its application to a roof structure , FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the fixing of an end of the roofing brace to the apex of a truss of the structure,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the fixing of the other or heel end of the brace to the roofing structure,

FIG. 4 is a partly broken-away side elevational view of the forming device,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a sectional view, to larger scale, taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5, and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show the cross-sectional configuration of other structural members made in modified forms of the forming device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The forming device shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6 includes a carrier box 10 which may suitably be made up of a blank of corrugated-core fibreboard folded and stapled in well-known manner. A roll 11 of galvanized sheet steel strip 12 is enclosed and is freely rotatable, in the carrier box 10, the outer end of the strip being conducted tangentially through a profiling former 13 and through an outlet opening 14 in one corner portion of the box 10. Before the strip 12 is coiled into the roll 11, it is subjected to a preliminary shaping, by well-known roll-forming techniques , to the required cross-sectional configuration. On being tightly rolled to form the roll 12, the strip becomes largely flattened again, but with longitudinal weakened bend lines, as indicated at 15 in FIG. 5 to facilitate its subsequent re-shaping to return to the required cross-sectional configuration. To facilitate the subsequent re-shaping of the strip, and also to reduce friction of the roll 11 within the box 10, any suitable lubricant is applied to the roll, for example by application of the lubricant to the sides of the closely rolled strip. For the further reduction of friction, a strip of adhesive plastic tape indicated at 16 in FIG. 4 is applied to the inside surfaces of the box bottom 17 and of the lower parts of the box sides 18.

A hand-hole 19 is formed through the box 10 by forming in its sides 18 oppositely directed C-shaped cuts to define flaps 20 which are bent into and through the box 10, a small tab 21 on each of the two flaps engaging in a recess 22.

The profiling former 13 through which the strip 12 is to be drawn is a single sheet metal member shaped to form a flat base 23 diminishing in width from rear to front, and two sides 24 which are upwardly convergent, being at angles of about 45° to the base, the rear or innermost parts of the sides tapering to the rear. Locking lugs 25 pressed downwardly from the former base 23 are driven down through the box bottom 17 and bent over, in two directions, to hold the former firmly in place.

The strip 12 may be drawn manually, without undue difficulty, through the former 13 which, because of the convergence of its sides from rear to front applies compressive force transversely on the strip being withdrawn. Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the strip is progressively forced to assume the cross-sectional configuration to which it was initially shaped by roll-forming, bending along the weakened longitudinal lines 15.

In applying the strip 12 as a brace for a roof structure, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a fairly short withdrawn section of the strip 12 is nailed to the apex of one of the roof trusses 26 after being wrapped around the top chord, as shown in FIG. 2, The forming and dispensing device is then drawn obliquely across the roof structure, as shown in FIG. 1, the operator holding the box 10 with one hand through the hand hole 19, the strip 12 being profiled as it is withdrawn from the roll 11 and through the former 13. Finally, the withdrawn section of the strip 12 is wrapped around and nailed to the final truss 26, as shown in FIG. 3, and is cut by any suitable tool, the strip then being nailed to the trusses over which it has been passed.

The device as described and illustrated may be used for applying ceiling bracing, wall bracing, cross bridging for floor joists, cyclone straps from rafters or roof trusses down wall framing to foundations, and other structural members.

A forming and dispensing device according to the invention and with an appropriately modified former and a wider box may be used for the production of ant capping, as shown in FIG. 7 with a wide flange 27 to overlie a course of brickwork of a wall and a narrow flange 28 to incline downwardly outside the wall. With other minor modifications the device may be used for the production of angled bracing strip as shown in FIG. 8, or, as shown in FIG. 9, arcuate section strip, which may be formed directly from a roll of flat metal strip, not previously roll-formed.

The invention will be found to be effective in achieving the objects for which it has been devised. It will be understood of course that the particular embodiment of the invention herein described and illustrated may be subject to many modifications of detail and design, which will be readily apparent to skilled persons, without departing from the scope of the invention hereinafter claimed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of making a brace or other structural member of the type consisting of a section of metal strip of non-flat cross-sectional configuration including the steps of: coiling a metal strip of substantially flat cross-section into a roll, mounting the roll rotatably on a carrier, drawing a section of the strip from the roll and through a former on the carrier and which deforms the strip being drawn therethrough to the said cross- sectional configuration, and severing the deformed section of the strip.

2. A method of making a brace or other structural member of the type consisting of a section of metal strip of non-flat cross-sectional configuration including the steps of: forming a metal strip to the said cross-sectional configuration, coiling the strip into a roll and thereby substantially flattening the strip in cross-section, drawing a section of the strip from the roll and through a former which substantially reshapes the strip being drawn therethrough to the said cross-sectional configuration, and severing the reshaped section of the strip.

3. A method of making a brace or other structural member of the type consisting of a section of metal strip of non-flat cross-sectional configuration including the steps of: forming a metal strip to the said cross-sectional configuration, coiling the strip into a roll and thereby substantially flattening the strip in cross-section, mounting the roll rotatably on a carrier, drawing a section of the strip from the roll and through a former on the carrier, the former progressively applying transverse compression to the strip being drawn therethrough so as to reshape it to the said cross-sectional configuration, and severing the reshaped section of the strip.

4. A device for making a brace or other structural member including: a carrier , a roll of coiled metal strip, substantially flat in cross-section, rotatably mounted on the carrier, a former on the carrier for deforming metal strip, drawn from the roller and through the former , to a non-flat cross-sectional configuration.

5. A device according to Claim 4 wherein: the carrier is a box housing the roll of metal strip, and having an outlet opening, and the former is fixed to the box at or near to the outlet and arranged to receive metal strip drawn substantially tangentially from the roll and through the outlet.

6. A device according to Claim 5 wherein: an anti-friction surface is applied within the box.

7. A device according to Claim 4 wherein: the metal strip is pre-formed with longitudinal weakened bend lines for the purpose hereinbefore set out.

8. A device according to Claim 4 wherein: the former has convergent sides for progressively applying compressive force transversely on the strip being drawn therethrough.