US1485917A - Method of and apparatus for making a sheet-metal product - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1924. 1 485917 L; HARTER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SHEET METAL PRODUCT Filed June 14 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 4, 1924. 1,485,917 L. HARTER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SHEET METAL PRODUCT Filed June 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March, 4, 1924. I 1,485,917

L. HARTER 7 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SHEET METAL PRODUCT Filed June 14. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Patented Mar. 4, 1924 LGUIS HABTER, 0F BITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SHEET-METAL PRGDUCT.

Application filed June is, 1922. Serial No. 568,259.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lo'ors HAR'rnn, a citi-- zen or the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of end Apperetus for Making a Sheet-Metal Prodnot, of which thejollowing is a. specification.

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for forming a sheet motel product useful as a building structure, and especielly as a reinforcement for concrete.

The particular form of metal structure which the invention proposes to produce comprises a metal sheet of the desired gauge and dimensions, having 10 itudinel corrugations therein, the ribs 0 which are so shaped as to form channels having outwardly converging side portions, so that the width of the intervening spcce between. the side walls is reduced toward the face oi the sheet, somewhat similar to e dovetail groove, in order that the elementwill have an interlocking engagement with concrete or other plastic or earthen material applied thereto.

An element having this shape is necessarily somewhat difiioult to form on is large commercial. scale, especially in pieces of the desired length, The present invention. has

' for its primary object to provide 2 cheep,

simple means and process for making such reinforcing sheets on a commercially practical scale.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method. of treating the sheets of metal in the preliminary stages of formation in. such manner as to avoid stretching or tearing the metal.

The invention consists broadly in corrugeting the metal in such manner so to form ribs and. channels of considerable depth,

' without injury to the metal, and in then subjecting the opposite feces of corrugated sheet to pressure to decrease the depth of the corrugations by bulging the metal which forms the ribs outwardly, to produce ribs and channels of the desired shape,

My invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 to 7 ere diagreetic views showing successive steps in the preliniinery formation of the motel by a rolling process;

Fig. is a diagrammatic view, she-wing how the rolls may be formed to properly bite the metal;

Fi s. 9 to 12 inclusive ere views correspon mg to views 1 to 7 inclusive, showing how the preliminary steps may be efiected in a press;

Fig. 13 is a front view of the last pair of corrugeting rolls for final formation of the corrugations in the sheet;

Fig. 14 shows one Way of errenging the corrugeting rolls to the finishing rolls;

Fig, 15 is a front View of the-finishing rolls; and

Fi t 16 -is a. perspective view of the finished product.

In the formation of ordinary corrugated sheet metal, the metal. is passed through rolls having longitudinal ribs on their peripheries. The sheet of motel passing between these rolls is corrugated transversely co its direction of. travel, Obviously, the length of the rolls limits the ler th of a sheet which could be corrugated, iii the present invention, it is contemplated that the sheets b corrugated when rolledin the direction of their travel through the rolls, or that the ribs be formed in them longitudinally instead of transversely.

When corrugating sheet metal lengthwise, the width of the strip decreases with the in crease. in the number and depth of the co.- rugstions, end if all the corrugations were formed at the some time, the metal would be stretched and torn.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, 5 and 6 designate upper end lower rolls respectively, and A represents the sheet of metel. Upper roll 5 has a central peripheral 'rib 7, at each side of which are rounded depressions 8. The lower roll 6 has e peripheral groove9 into which the rib 7 projects, and at each side of the groove is a rib 10 having rounded surfaces and adapted to engage in depressions 8 or the upper roll.

The sheet A, emerging from the first roll, hes a. central depressed rib a, at each side of which are slightly raised rounded ribs Z), the outer sides of which taper oil very gradually into the plane of the sheet. The shapes of the various parts of the rolls allow the metal to drew inwardly from the sides, so that in forming the ribs, the mete]. is not stretched. I

In Fig. 2, the upper end lower rolls 5 end 6 correspond to rolls 5 and 6, but the rib and groove E"-*-9, corresponding to arts 7-9 of rolls 5 and 6, are of greater eight and. depth respectively. Portions 8 and correspond to parts 8 and 10 of rolls 5 and 6.

Substantially the onl change which will occur in the sheet A t erefore, will be the increasein depth of the central groove.

In Fig. 3, rolls 5 and 6 correspond .to

rolls 5 and 6, respectively. The upper roll 5! has a central. peripheral rib 7 of considerable height with a rounded periphery and fiat tapered sides, and at each side of this rib are curved recesses or grooves 8" of slightly less width than 'the corresponding recess '8 and. 8 of the preceding rolls. At the side of each of recesses 8" are ribs 11, corresponding exactly to ribs T,- and at the side of which is recess 12, similar to recesses 8 and 8".

The lower roll 6" is correspondingly modifled, having the central groove 9 shaped to correspond to the shape of rib 7*. At each side of the groove 9 are ribs 10 which "are less decidedly rounded than the correslponding ribs 10* of the preceding pass. o the sides of these ribs are recesses 13, corresponding exactly to the central groove 9 of the first pass.

After passing through the rolls 5 and 6", the first reliminary rib or corrugation a is complete, and the formation of reverse ribs bare well under formation, and ribs 0 corresponding to rib a are started. The rolls are so she Jed that the metal can always move in roin the sides, so that the metal need not be stretched or ruptured while bending.

The next rolls 5 and 6 do not change the center groove, but are shaped to increase ribs 6 and a, rib c in this pair of rolls being shaped to the dimension of rib a afiier passing through the second rolls 5 an 6.

In Fig. 5, rolls 5 and 6 complete ribs b and c, and begin the formation of additional ribs (Z and e at each side of ribs 0. The rolls 5 and 6 of Fig. 6 do not change ribs a, b, a, but increase the rib formation of ribs (Z and e to the same extent that ribs b and 0 are formed by the rolls of Fig. 4%. The rolls 5 and (i of Fig. 7 complete the preliminary formation oi ribs (1 and e, and begin the first bending of additional ribs to the sides of ribs 8.

By a sufficient number of rolls formed along this line, the entire width of a sheet of metal of the desired dimensions may be progressively corrugated, and the metal will not be subjected to undue stretching, and will not be liable to be torn. while corrugations of considerable depth may be formed. The first rib need not necessarily be formed at the middle. but this is desired because the progressive formation of the corrugations may be continued at both sides o f the central groove, thereby reducing the number of rolls neoessa consider sly below the number needed iithe first corrugations were formed at the side. it". necessary, certain other rolls may be employed in addition to those shown in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive, and disposed between such rolls.

Fig. 13" shows the last rolls 5 and 6 of the series for forming the preliminary corrugations, the emerging sheet A bein shown with a plurality of corrugations of considerable depth therein.

The various pairs of rolls are set rather closely together, and, in order that, with their respective ribs and recesses, the rolls may get a bite on the metal to feed it through, notches 15 as shown in Fig. 8

are cut in the peripheral portions of the two rolls, which are adapted to come opposite each other at the same time. These notches allow the sheet A to slip in between the rolls sumciently far to enable the rolls to bite the metal and pull, it through. As the ribs and coves are formed, the metal will crease acir in the sheet, so that the notches 15 will not destroy the continuity of the ribs or grooves.

While rolls are particulariy useful in efiecting the preliminary stages of corrugating where extremely long sheets are treated, presses may be used on sheets of certain sizes up to a given maximum. Figs. 9 to 12 illustrate diagrammatically how this may be done. i

.In Fig. 9, designates an end view of a portion of a press bed or platen, having a series of longitudinal ribs 21" on its upper face, between which are channels 21". Hisposed over the table is a series of longitudinally extending pressing bars 22, each' one of which may be raised and lowered by a suitable mechanism, such as one or more pressure cylinders. The bars 22 are in alinement with channels 21 in the bed 20, and are adapted to be projected into such channels.

The sheet of material A. is first properly positioned on the table. Then one of the pressing bars 22., preferably the central one. is forced downwardly, to the position shown in Fig. 9. One corrugation is completely formed by this operation. During the formation of the first corrugation, the metal is free to move in from each side to thereby prevent stretching of the metal. lVhile the first bar remains down, the next adjacent plunger comes down. When the central bar is the first one lowered, then the adjacent plunger at each side is forced down, as shown in Fig. 10, and the next two corru gations are shown. While these plnngers remain down, the plungers adjacrnt them are lowered, completing two more corrugations, as shown in 11. In this-way, the sheet is corrugated until all of theplungers are down, as shown in Fig. 12. he thus Hi l Edi)

formed, the metal is not'stretched or ruptured, as the sheet is free to contract its width from the edges inwardly with the formation of each co tion. j

It may thus be seen at the metal ma be given the reliminary treatment m ro or in a suita le press to form longitudinal ooves of substantial depth, by progressivey forming the corrugations across the sheet while allowing the sheet to contract laterally, and while holding the corru ation first formed against dlstortion whi e adjacent corrugations are beingmade. The holding of the corrugations against distortion after once formed is accomplished in the rolling operation by providing the successive rolls with the corresponding ribs-and grooves. As an example, afterthe first corru ation is completed, and the formation of ad acent corru ations begun, a rib is retained on the rolls or engaging in the first corrugation to prevent it from pulling out. In the pressing operation, the plungers remain down while the adjacent rooves are being formed.

After the s eet A has been corrugated as shown in Fig. 13 entirely across its width, pressure is ap lied to its faces to decrease the depth of the corrugations b compressing and bulging the sides thereo outwardly.

This is preferably accomplished by rolling, as illustrated m Fig. 15. The up er and lower rolls 25 and 26 are journal ed' in a housing 27. Each roll is provided with a series of peripheral ribs 25 and 26 respectively, which 'are of less height than the ribs of the preliminary corrugations of sheet A.

The are of less width than the corrugations in s eet A and instead of havi ta ered sides, they have straight sides. e ribs of the res ective rolls are. sta gered, so that the ribs 0 one extend into t e spaces between the ribs ofvthe other. These spaces or channels, designated 25 on the up r roll and 26 onthe lower, are wider at t eir innermost portions than the corresponding ooves of rolls 5 and 6 of Fi 13 or 0 table 20,

- and the bottoms of t e grooves are more rounded.

When the sheet A, having the hi h ribbed corrugations, is assed between r0 5 25 and 26, the faces 0 the sheet, or the tops of the ribs, are compressed and their height 'decreased. This compression of the ribs bulges-them out to form a product of the shape shown in Fig. 16. Y I

;All of the steps, especially with heavier stock, are preferabl carried out when the sheet is heated, to give the best results with -the least strain on the metal.

When carrying out the preliminary steps by a rolling process, all of the rolls, to ether with the finishing rolls, may be embo led in a single unitary construction, all of the rolls being driven at constant speed, so that a fiat sheet may be put in at one end and and then applying pressure to said ribs in a the direction of the height of the ribs to cause the ribs to bulge.

3. The process of forming a sheet metal product which consists in forming a plurality of corrugations therein, and subjecting the sheet while hot to pressure applied to the corrugations in the direction of their height to decrease the height thereof and bulge the metal outward.

4. The method of forming a sheet metal article having an outwardly bulged rib thereon'which consists in first forming a rib in said sheet by pressing the metal outwardly, then applying pressure to the rib in the direction of its height to upset the rib and cause its walls to bulge outwardly.

their height to cause them to bulge at the desired point. i

6. The method of forming a sheet metal product which consists in corrugating the sheet to produce longitudinally extending ribs, then passing the-sheet through transversely corrugated rolls, the ribs and channels of which are of less depth than the depth of the corrugations in the sheet whereby the height of the corrugations of the sheet are decreased and the walls thereof caused to bulge. y

7. The process of forming a sheet metal article which consists in forming a rib on one face of a sheet of metal which forms a channel in the other face of the sheet, andpassing said sheet between a pair of rolls adapted to decrease the hei ht of said rib and thereby bulge the walls thereof outwardly between the top and the bottom thereof in a direction at right angles to the height of the ribs.

8. The process of forming a sheet metal article which consists in corrugatin'g a sheet of metal, passing said sheet through corrugated rolls, the corrugations of which rolls correspond in position with the corrugations of the sheet, the ribs on said corrw gated rolls being of less width and less depth than the corrugations of the sheet, and the grooves in the rolls being wider than the corresponding grooves of the sheet,

wherebycertain parts of the ribs of the sheet are caflsed to bulge.

9. The method of forming :1 sheet metal article which consists in (jfll'lligztiillg a sheet of metal and then subjecting it to pressure in the direction of the height of the ribs between corrugated shaping members, the ribs of which are of less depth than the ribs of the sheet and wherein the space between adjacent ribs at their bases is considerably greater than the width of the corrugation of the sheet which they enter, and thereby upsetting the ribs of the sheet and expanding them laterally into the spacebetween adjacent ribs of the corrugated shaping mem-' here.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUIS HARTER.

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