US1572376A - Sheet-metal-working machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,376

J. BINGHAM I SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE I Filed May 6. 1925 3 Sheefis-Sheet u m- JW- 1 .4. I l I l I I i a I I ll I I I Feb. 9 1926.- 7 1,572,376

J. BINGHAM SHEET METAL WORKING IACHINE Filed May a, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i El 3 ,z -/W'/ ////////V/ Feb. 9 1926.

J. BINGHAM SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed May 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 19' W" 1 2 7 m 1'' A7 /1B w g 1 10 9 i Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

JEREMIAH BINGHAM, 0F TOLEDO, oHro, AssIGnon T0 THE AMERICAN-NATIONAL COMPANY, or rename, OHIQ, a conronarron or 01110.

SHEET METAL-WORKING MACI-ITNE.

Application filed May 6, 1925. Serial No. 28,294.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH BINGHAM, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and the State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Sheet-Metal-7orking Machine, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to metal working machines and particularly to machines for bending the edges of sheet metal.

Objects of the invention are to curl or roll an edge of a sheet metal strip of relatively light gauge in a simple and improved manner without liability of distortion; to provide a metal working machine which will .readily bend without undesirable distortion the edge of sheet metal of light gauge, and to provide a machine of this character-which will roll an edge of a sheet metal strip in a the new and improved manner hereinafter described; and to providega metal working machine having the'new HDClllnPlOVGCl features of constructlon, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

The invention is shown by way of illus' tration in the accompanying drawings in which 4 Fig. 1 is a top plan view with some of the parts broken away of a metal working machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2

is a section on the line 2-2 of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a section on theline 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the clamping members separated; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of F 1; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of the strip after the side edges thereof have been rolled and with the end portion bent at an obtuse angle. v

The embodiment of the invention shown for illustrative purposes comprises a, metal working machine or apparatus for curling or rolling the edge or edges of sheet metal strips of relatively light gauge. While it has been found to be a comparatively sim ple problem to curl the edges of sheet metal strips of relatively heavy gauge, the lighter metal strips present a more diliicult problem for solution. An important factor tobe taken into consideration in the latter case is the fact that the metal almost invariably buckles when curling is attempted -so that it has heretofore been necessary in most instances to utilize lillers around which the metal is curled, subsequently the fillers are usually removed in one way or another. This procedure necessitates considenable time and labor and is therefore quite expensive as well as being unsatisfactory for ther reasons.

In the drawings, the machine is provided with a pair of relatively movable clamping members 1 and" 2, the clamping member 1 being stationary and the clamping memher 2 being moved toward and away from the member 1 by means of any suitable source of power. The clamping membecl consists of a rectangular plate having on its upper surface a clamping block 3 which extends longitudinally thereof and is provided with roundedlongitudinal edges a The width of the;;clarnping block 3 is so chosen that the side edges of a sheet metal strip 5 placed thereon project to one side thereof, as indicated in Fig. l.- a

Cooperatingwith the clamping block 3 for holdingthesheet metal strip 5 in position is a second clamping block 6, which is fixed to and depends from the clamping member 2. Theonter ends ofthe block 3 extend upwardly and outwardly, as indicated at 7, and the outer ends ofthe complemental block 6 are cut away as shown at 8, so that the'two blocks interfit for firm- 1y clamping the metal strip 5 therebetween. For permitting a slight movement between the block 6 and clamping member 2, screws 20' are fixed to the block-6 and are providedrwith heads 21 which are movable in sockets 22 in the member 2, and positioned between the parts 2 and 6 are coil springs 23 which serve to hold the block 6 normally-distended and cushion the relative move ment of the parts.

' By constructing the clamping blocks With tapered, interfitting portions, as indicated, the metal strip 5 is not' only firmly and securely held together for the curling operation but also enables the edges at the end portions of the strip to be curled when bent at an obtuse angle, thereafter when the curl or roll of the edge isconipleted the end portions of the strip may be bent movable transversely of the clamping memher 1 concomitantly toward or away from the clamping block 3, being guided in such movement by guide members 10 (Fig. 5), which project into grooves formed in the under surface of the die blocks 9. The die blocks 9 are provided on the inner faces thereof with longitudinally elongate die elements 11, which fit snugly into grooves formed in the die blocks. The die elements 11 have grooves 12 which extend along the direction of the rounded edges 4 of the clamping'blook 3. The outer face of the die elements 11 protrude slightly beyond the outer face of the die blocks and the clamping block 6 is formed with grooves 6, which are adapted to bear against the shoulders formed by the die elements as will hereinafter be described.

For concomitantly moving the die blocks 9 toward and away from the block 3, toggle levers 12 and 13 are pivoted at one end to longitudinally extending rods 14:. The opposite ends of the levers 12 are pivoted to brackets 15, which areset. in recesseslti in the die blocks '9, and the opposite ends of the levers 13 are pivoted to brackets 1?. Connecting the rods -14-to the clamping member 2 are linkslS, which are pivoted to the rods at one end and to brackets 19 fixed to the clamping, member 2 at the other end.

In the operation of the machine, a strap 5 is first placed on the block 3 withthe side edges thereof; bentslightly downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 4', and 'withfthe opposite end portionsbent upwardly to form an obtuse angle with the body portion in general to conform to the upturned end portions 7 of the block 3. When the clamping memher 2 is forced downwardly, the block 6 first engages the sheet metal strip '5 and secures it firmly in position. Upon further movement of the clamping member 2, the die blocks 9 are concomitantly moved inwardly toward the block 8 by means of the toggle mechanism above described, so that the down-turned side edges of the sheet metal strip areengaged by the slots or grooves-12 in the die elements 11.

Further inward movement of the die blocks 9 causes the side edges of the metal strip to move around the inside of the grooves 12 thereby to curl or roll the edges. A slight upward buckling of the strip 5 may occur during this operation and in order to overcome this, the block 6 engages the upper surface of thestrip 5, thus flattening it and also assisting in the final rolling operation. As indicated-in Fig. 3, the rounded edges 4 are engaged by the edge portions of the metal strip a'nd'aid iii-properly directing these portions to form the roll.

Thereafter by elevation of the clamping member 2 the several parts are returned to tions which have been bent to a considerable degree only have to be bent but a short way to 'form a right angle bend and this bend may be effected without damaging or distorting the metal in the region of the bend. This. is particularly important because heretofore in bending sheet metal strips having rolled edges ithas beenneces- .sary to utilize'fillers to preventdistortion of the metal at the bend, but as will readily be apparent by thisapparatus the strips may be bent without the aid of such fillers and the timeand trouble required to effect these ope'rations'is reduced to a minimum.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction and ar-- rangement may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

I claim I v 1. Ina metal working machine, a'pair of clamping blocks, said blocksbeing shaped to receivea sheet metal strip therebetween with the end portions of the strip bent to form an obtuse angle with the body of the strip, means on one of-said blocks and movable transversely of said strip for curling an edge thereof, and mechanism actuated by relative movement of said blocks for operating said curling means.

- 2. In a metal working machine, the com-- bination of a pair of relatively movable members, a clamping block on one of said members having rounded edges, die blocks on said last member movable transversely thereof, said blocks having longitudinallyextending grooves, toggle levers connected at one end to the respective die blocks and at the other end to said last member, and means carried by the other o-f'saidmembers for concomitantly actuating said toggles to move said die elements in the direction of said block when said members are moved toward each other, whereby the opposite edges of thesheet metal strip are progressively forced into said grooves thereby to roll the same, the rounded edges of the block being adapted to cooperate therewith. 3. A metal working machinecomprising-a pair of relatively movable clamping members, a clamping block fixedto one of said members, a clamping block carriedby the other ofsaid members and having limited movement relatively thereto, said blocks be adapted to receive a sheet metal strip therebetween with the end portions thereof bent to form an obtuse angle with the body of the strip; die elements arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal edges of said strip and adapted to engage and curl the edges thereof, and toggle means connected to said clamping members, respec- In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

JEREMIAH BINGHAM.

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