This invention relates to a method of bending shaped or corr¬ ugated metal sheet, which has alternatingly occurring long¬ itudinal ridges and valleys, the side portions of which also constitute 'the side portions of the ridges , about an axis , which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the ridges and valleys and is in parallel with the plane of the metal sheet. The invention further relates to an app¬ aratus for carrying, out the method.

For bending such shaped or corrugated metal sheets, plates, strips and the like of metal about an axis , which extends perpendicularly in relation to the. longitudinal direction of the shaping and is in parallel with the plane of the sheet, it is previously known to form in the corrugations , the tops of which are located closest to said ^" xis, strip-shaped proj¬ ections in the direction of the axis which project from one and the same side of the sheet. -Each such projection extends continuously over at least a portion of the lateral ^' portion and intermediate portion of the respective corrugation, and the projections are given such shape that the sheet is shrunk more closest to the axis than farthest away from it. By this method of bending shaped metal sheet, in the zone of transition,between the lateral portions of the corrugation and the intermediate portion an accumulation of material is obtained which renders it impossible to bend shaped metal sheets provided with a surrace-coveriπg coat, without damaging the coat on one side or the other, -which can give rise to weakenings in the material at the bending place. It is not possible either, with this known method to bend a shaped sheet to a radius smaller than about 750 ιr_m, which is a sub¬ stantial limitation of the applicability of the bending method*. It further is known to bend shaped metal sheet about

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an axis , Which extends ^' perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the shaping and in parallel with the plane of the sheet, according to which method impressions are effec ed from below in those portions of the corrugations of the sheet which are facing toward said axis. Said impressions are made in subsequent steps until the desired bending angl is achieved. As by this known method a relatively small bending angle, for example 15 , is obtained for each bend¬ ing operation, i.e. for each impression, consequently six subsequent bending operations are required for obtaining a total bending angle of 90 .

The present invention, therefore, has the object a.o. to provide a bending method, which can be applied to substant ially all existing types of shaped _, or corrugated metal shee and which renders possible the bending of such shaped sheet up to at least 90 in one step or bending moment,' and which besides, shall be careful to the sheeir ^*" and not weaken it to an appreciable degree at and about the place of bending.

In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention a bending method and an apparatus are proposed, which have been given the characterizing features defined i the attached claims .

^' The invention is described in the following _^ in greater deta with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a lateral view of a bending and press¬ ing frame according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a section along the line II-II in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III in

Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale, Fig. -4 is a section along the line IV-I7 in _. Fig.

2 on an enlarged scale, Fig. 5 is a section along the line V-V in Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale,

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Figs. 6 and 7 show in a schematical way the bending tool according to the invention arid together illustrate the principle, on which the method according to the invention is based,

Fig. 8 is an end view of strippers arranged on each side of the ^* pressing frame,

Fig. 9 is a view along the line IX-IX in Fig. 8, .

Fig. 10 is a schematic lateral view of a plant provided with the bending frame according to the invention and capable to bend corr¬ ugated sheets for pallets,

Fig. 11 is a horizontal view of the infeed table in the plant shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a section al ^' ong the line XII-XII in

Fig. 11, . .

Fig, 13 and 14 are a horizontal view and, respectively, a lateral view of the discharge or receiv¬ ing table of said plant, .

Figs. 5a-d illustrate the bending sequence for the bending of a corrugated sheet to a first type of a pallet,

Figs. 15a-e illustrate the bending sequence for the bending of a corrugated sheet to a second type of pallet.

The apparatus according to the present invention for bending corrugated metal sheet comprises a bending or pressing frame 1, which consists cf a stand 2 and is provided with a bend¬ ing tool generally designated by 3.- This tool is assembled of several parts, viz. a punch ^' 3a, which by screw or bolt joint 4 is detachably, and thus exchangeably, secured on an upper vertically movable tool holder 5, and three dies ^' 3b,3c, of which the one designated by 3b by a screw or belt joint 6

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is detachably connected to a plate 7 , which as an anvil or dolly is rigidly secured in the stand 2, while the two rema ing dies 3c by screw or bolt joints 8 are connected each to a lower tool holder 9, which are provided on each side of t anvil plate 7 and each are movable in a plane 10 forming an angle _\ with the anvil plate 7. This angle can be between 10 and 50 and should preferably be about 30 , as shown at the embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

The upper tool holder 5 is a plate 11, to the lower edge of which the punch 3a is detachably attached, and which extend between end walls 12 of the stand. At these end walls the plate 11,. by means of slide strips 13. attached to its ends, is movably guided between parallel guide strips 15, which by means of screws 14- are connected to the end walls 12 and are adjustable by means.of set screws 15 provided in bars 1 attached to the end walls 12. In order to prevent the plate 11 from moving in its longitudinal direction between the end walls 12, the plate is provided at each end with guide rollers 130 co-operating with the guide strips 15.

The tool holder plate 11 is suspended on two spaced links 18, each of which consists of two parallel parts, which are connected to the plate 11 each by its axle 19. Ξch axle 19 is rόtatably mounted in the plate 11 by means of bearings 2 located between the parts of the respective _^ , lin . At its other end -each link 18 is connected to an axle 21, which is rotatably mounted each in a swinging arm 22 through a bear¬ ing 23 located with the parts of the respective link. The axles 21 of_the .two swinging arms are interconnected throug a parallel guide rod 24 consisting of two parallel parts an like The axles 19 are provided at each end with washers ^' 25 and locking rings 26 , which fix the axles against movement in axial direction.

Each swinging arm 23 is rotatably suspended on an eccentric axle 27, .which by axle journals 28 are rotatably mounted in bearings 29, with bearing holders 30 secured by screws in the upper sidewalls 31 of the* stand. One of said swinging

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arms 22 is formed at one end with a stop shoulder 32, which in co-operation with a stud 33 provided in the associated link 18 between the parts thereof limits the clockwise move¬ ment of the swinging arm to the position shown in Fig. 2, and at its other end is formed with a fastening lug 34 for a piston-cylinder device- 35, which operates between said fastening lug and the stand 2 for swinging the swinging arms 22. Upon projection of the piston rod 36 of the piston-cyl¬ inder device in the position shown in Fig. 2, the swinging arm 22 connected to the piston rod is swung counter-clockwise about the centre point 37 of the eccentric axle, and to a corresponding degree also the other swinging arm is swung about its axis, due to the parallel guide bar 24,. whereby also the tool holder plate 11 with the punch 3a is lifted from the position of preparedness for ^" bending to an upper starting position for obatining a relatively large gap between the upper and the lower tool parts . For lowering "the tool holder plate 11 with its punch 3a ^' to__~h.e position of prepar¬ edness, thus, the piston rod 3a of the piston-cylinder device is caused to move in opposite direction and thereby swings the swinging arms 22 clockwise until the step shoulder 32 meshes with the stud 33, whereby said position of prepared¬ ness has been obtained. Due to the piston-cylinder device 35 acting directly on one swinging arm 22, the lowering and lifting of the plate 11, and therewith of tj-.e punch 3a, takes place rapidly between the starting position and the position of preparedness .

For lowering the tool holder plate 11 with its punch 3a from the position of preparedness to a bending position, and for effecting necessary bending or pressing forces for bending corrugated metal sheet inserted between the punch 3a and the die 3b, a piston-cylinder device 38 is provided. This ^' device is hingedly attached at one end to the stand 2,- and its piston rod 39 is rotatably mounted by means of a journal 40 and a. bearing 41 in a rotary lug .42, which is rigidly connected with one eccentric axle 27. On this axle also an additional rotary Lug 43 is fastened, which is connected to

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a corresponding rotary lu 44 mounted on the other eccentri axle 27 through a link rod 45, which preferably is adjust¬ able as to its length and at its ends is rotatably mounted in the respective rotary lug by means of journals 46 and bearings 47. By this link rod 45, thus, the eccentric axles are rotated simultaneously and to the same extent about the respective rotary axles 43. upon projecting the piston rod 39 of the piston-cylinder de vice in the position of preparedness shown in Fig. 1, the two eccentric axles, thus, are rotated simultaneously about the respective rotary axle 48 and thereby through their ecc entrics 49 cause the swinging arms 22 together with the links 18 and the tool holder 5 to be moved downward to the bending position with the force required for bending a shee to a predetermined angle by co-operation of the punch with the stationary die 3b. The movable dies 3c are in a retract position, as shown in Fig. 6.

During the bending phase, i.e. during the movement of the punch 3a to and from the bending position, the piston-cyl¬ inder device ^" 35 is in floating position, so that its piston 35 can move freely.

^' Each of the lower tool holder plates 9 carrying the dies 3c which plates are arranged identically each in a lower part 50 of the stand, extends outward through openings 51 in the end wails 12 of 'the stand and is.provided at its ends with slide .strips -52, by means of which they are movably guided between parallel guide strips 54 attached by screws 53' to the end walls 12. Said guide strips are adjustable by means of s.et screws 55 located on bars 56 attached to the end wal In order to prevent the tool holder plate 9 from moving in "its longitudinal direction between the end walls 12, it is provided with at least one guide roller 57 at each end, whi rollers co-operate with, a guide bar 53 attached to the in¬ side of the end wall, possibly by means of the same screws

■53, which are used for attaching the guide strip 54 located on the outside of the end wall.

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Each tool holder 9 formed as a plate carries two spaced links 60, each of which is hingedly connected to the plate 9 by means of a stud 61 and a bearing 62, and at its other end ^" is rotatably mounted each on an eccentric axle 53, which by means of their axle journals 54 are mounted in bearings 65 in bearing holders 56 secured by screws in the sidewalls 67 of the stand. The two eccentric axles 63 are provided each with a rotary lug 63, and these lugs 68, which are rigidly connected to the axles 63, are interconnected by a link rod 69 for effecting simultaneous rotation of the two axles 63. One of said axles further is provided with an additional rotary lug 70, in which a piston rod of a piston-cylinder device 72 hingedly attached to the stand 2 is hingedly attached by means of a stud 70a. For rotating . ^' the eccentric axles 53 about their ^' centre of rotation 73 and thereby for lifting and lowering the tool holjde-r 9.in response to the movement of the upper tool holder S to and from the bending position, the piston-cylinder devices 72 of the two tool holders 9 are with one another, so that the movement of the tool holders, and therewith of the dies 3c, to and from bending position takes place si - •ultaneously.

At the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, each piston-cylinder device is connected at its end remote from the piston rod 71 to a cylinder ^* mounting 74, which .is located on an axle 75. Said axle 75* is located eccentrically within a greater axle 76, which is mounted in brackets 7-7 attached to the stand. On the axle 75, between the brackets 77, a rotary lug 73 connected non-rotary to the axle 75 is provided which rotat¬ ably carries a stud 79 with a threaded hole, into which a threaded adjusting rod 80 is screwn. Said rod extends through the stand 'wall 67 and outside of this is provided with a wheel SI and is rotatably mounted"in the wall 57 through a bearing bushing 82.

By rotating, the rod SO, thus, the rotary lug 73 rotates the

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axle 75, and thereby the axle 75 eccentrically located there in, and therewith said cylinder mounting 74, are moved in one direction or the other, depending on whether the rod is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise. It is thereby poss¬ ible to adjust the rotary lugs 68 connected to the eccentri axles 63 to the desired angular position for obtaining the intended bending position for the dies 3c, i.e. their upper end position. This end position, however, is adjustable in vertical direction and by changing this upper end position it is also possible to change the angle to which the sheet is to _. be bent. The greater the desired bending angle, the higher the upper end position is located.

The end positions of the movable dies also can be determine for example, by stationary guide members 84,85. For actuat¬ ing said ^* embers ,arms 86,37 are provided which are connecte to the axle journal 64 of one eccentric axle and adjustable relative to each other. -In the upper end position shown, the arm 85 has contacted the guide member 84, -which thereby causes the piston-cylinder devices 72 to change the direct¬ ion of movement in order to lower the dies 3c, and when the lower end position has been assumed the arm 87 actuates the guide member 85, which thereby causes the piston-cylinder ^' devices 72 to remain in this position and to wait for a starting impulse. By changing the angle between the two arms 35 and 87, the desired end positions for the dies 3c can be set simply and rapidly.

The tool 3, as already mentioned, comprises an upper punch 3a, which has -three downward projecting fingers 90 and 91, which in strip shape extend over the entire length of the punch and therewith over the entire width of the sheet to be bent. The central finger 90 thereof is located in the plane of vertical movement of the punch, while the remainin two fingers 91 are located angularly relative to the centra one, which angle can vary from one case to another, but pre erably should correspond to the angle between the plane of

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movement 10 of the dies and that, of the punch. The tool further comprises the dies - 3b and 3c, each of which has ■ at least the same length as the punch 3a, and which show support members or teeth 92 and recesses therebetween, which alternate in a way corresponding to the ridges and valleys or corrug ___ations of the shap—ed sheet to be bent. For a trap—- ezoid shaped sheet the support members 92 may have the lateral form shown in Fig. 5a, i.e. a form adapted to the cross-sectional form of the ridges and valleys. The cross- -secti-onal form of the support members of the dies is as shown in Figs.* 6 and 7.

According to the principles , on which the method according to the present invention is based, the bending is carried out in two subsequent steps. At first the punch 3a is moved from its position of preparedness to the bending position, which. is shown in Fig. 6, and in which the punch with its central finger 90 projecting through a longer distance than the two outer fingers 91 has effected ^"" "an impression in those portions of the sheet A inserted between.the punch 3a and the dies 3b and 3c which are facing to the punch 3a. Said impression is located between the projections 93 of the ^' support members 92, which projections are upwardly rounded- -off. With its outer fingers 91 the punch has effected slight¬ ly less deep impressions on both sides of the impression made by the finger 90. The sheet A thereby has been bent partiall . In the second bending* step the movable lateral dies 3c are caused to project upward on the outside of the outer fingers 91 of the punch, but first after the punch 3a has completed its movement stroke and clamps the sheet against the die 3b. Said dies 3c thereby bend the sheet A about the fingers 91 of the punch .and, thus, complete the bending of . the sheet to the desired angle, as shown in Fig. 7, where ^' the bending angle is 90 . However, by changing the upper end position of the dies 3c, as described above, also other bending angles can be obtained.

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At the return movement of the punch to its position of preparedness , the bent sheet can follow along with the punch 3a. In order to remove the sheet from the punch, the apparatus- can be equipped with a stripper 95 on each side of the punch, as shown in Figs. 8 and ^* 9. Each such stripper is shown to comprise a carrying beam 95, which extends between the end walls 12 of the stand, and which at its ends is attached to swinging arms 97, which are connected pivotally each with an arm 98, which are attached to a bracket 99 secured by screws in the respective end wall 12. On th ^' e carrying beam 96 a number* of bogie wheels 100 acting as dollies are suspended by means of mountings 101, in which the bogie wheels are freely pivotal. At the mo"untings 101 of the outer bogie wheels rotary sheet holder 102 are provided, which are rotated by a motor 103. The carrying beam 96 is supported on a piston-cylinder device 104, which is hingedly attached to the upper sidewali 31 of the stand, and by means of which the 'carryigg beam 95 can be pivoted about the swinging centre _. 105 of the swingin arms 97.

At the bending operation, the sheet is pivoted upward by th movable dies 3c and thereby contacts the bogie wheels 100, which thereby adjust after the sheet A. Thereafter the moto 103 pivot the sheet holders 102 below the edges of the shee and clamp the sheet A against the bogie wheels 100. The she thereby is locked in the stripper 95, When then the upper punch 3a returns to its position* of preparedness , the sheet is released automatically from the punch 3a. By means of th piston-cylinder device 104 the sheet then can be pivoted do ward and placed on a conveyor (not shown in Figs. S and 9) for being advanced through the bending f ame, whereafter th stripper automatically returns to its starting position shown in Fig. 8 for handling the next sheet.

In Fig. 10 a plant for manufacturing pallets is shown schem ally. In this plant blanks of corrugated sheet metal and pr

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erably trapezoid corrugated sheet metal cut to a suitable length are bent.. The plant comprises, in addition to a bending frame 110 according to the invention, a supply table 111 with a supply .of cut to size sheet metal blanks 112, an infeed table 113 and a discharge table 114.

From the supply one sheet blank at a time is taken by a magnetic lifting device 116, which is movable along guide means 115 and tranfers the sheet blank to the infeed table 113, whereafter the lifting device returns for fetching the next sheet blank. On the infeed table the sheet blank is carrie.d on roller conveyors 117 and guided by a guide bar 119 provided with rollers 118 while it is advanced by means of dog members 120, which by a cross-rod 121 are connected to two cylinders 122, preferably so-called Origa-cylinders., acting as drive means . At the end 'of the infeed table facing to the bending frame 110, a number of carrying ba.r_j 123 are provided, which are hingedly attached to the infeed table and are carried by the stationary die 3b in recesses between the supporting members 92 thereof for guiding the sheet into correct position in the bending frame.*

The.discharge table 114 shown in greater detail in Figs. 13 ^' and 1- comprises two conveyor belts 123, which are driven by a worm gear motor 125 via a shaft 125 and elastic coupling 127. Each conveyor belt 123 is provided with a belt stretcher 129, a guide bar ^* 131 provided with rollers 130 for guiding the sheet, and a movable sheet stop member 132 adjustable in different positions and moved to the different positions by means of a cylinder 123, preferably pneumatic and of Origa- type. Said cylinder 133 is supported on a cylinder stand 134 with mounting plates 135, and the stand in its turn is supp¬ orted on links 137 hingedly attached to the table frame by axles 135. Said links also are hingedly attached to the mounting plates 135 of the cylinder stand by means of axles 139 mounted in bearing bushings 128. Between the tabie frame and the cylinder stand 134 a pistcn-cylinder device 140, ^" pref-

erably pneumatic or hydraulic, is provided for lifting and lowering the cylinder stand 134 and therewith a stop member 141, which is located at the stand end facing to the bend¬ ing frame 110. A number of clamping tools 142 and a number limit switches (not shown) for the different positions of the movable stop member 132 are also provided.

When a sheet blank 112 is being fed into the bending frame 110, the blank "is stopped against the stop member 141 on th discharge table. Thereby the bending frame is started and carries out a bending operation in the way described above bending the sheet blank through 90-°. The sheet blank 112 thereby has been bent a first time and assumed the shape shown in Fig. 15a. After the stripper 95 has put down the sheet blank on the feed conveyor, and after the stop member 141 has beer, lowered and the movable stop member 32 has assumed a predetermined forward stop position, the sheet blank is advanced a further step by the -dog membe'rs 120 of infeed table to abut the stop member- 32. Thereby the bend¬ ing frame is started again and carries out its bending oper ation for effecting a second bending of the sheet blank through 90 , as shown at 145 in Fig. 15b. Thereafter the -. movable stop member 132 moves to a rear end position , and the sheet blank 112 is advanced against said, stop member, ^• whereafter the sheet blank is bent through 90 at its other ^{' '} end as shown at -145 in Fig. 15c. Thereafter the sheet blank is moved in the opposite direction by the stop member 132 t a new positi'O ^' n, in which the sheet blank is bent through 90 inside of the bending 145 effected last, as shown at 147 in Fig. ISd. Thereby the sheet blank has been bent four times and formed to a pallet.

For rendering it possible to remove the pallet from the bending frame 110, the punch 3a must be lifted to the said starting position. This lifting is effected by the piston- -cylinder device 35.

.In Figs. Iδa-e a similar bending sequence as the one shewn in Figs. 15a-d is illustrated, but in this case for produci a pallet of a type other than that shown in Figs. 15a-d, viz. a pallet with ^" inward folded edge portions 150 acti^r^O

as supporting legs.

In this case the sheet blank is bent at first through 45 , as shown in Fig. 16a at 151, then advanced through one step and bent through 45 , as shown in Fig. iδb at 152, then advanced through a further step and bent through 30 , as shown in Fig. 16c at 153, and then advanced through a long step to be -bent at its other edge through 45 , as shown in Fig. 16d at 154. Thereafter the sheet.blank is fed in the opposite direction through one step and bent through 45 , as shown at 155 in Fig. Iδd, and finally it is advanced through a further step in the same direction to be bent through 90°, as shown at 155 in Fig. Iδd. Thereafter the sheet blank is discharged from the bending frame, and the edge portions 150 now can be folded inward by means of a . pressure bar 161 pivotal about an axle 150 to the position shown ^' in Fig. Iδe. At the inward folding of the edge porti¬ ons 150, the pallet abuts a support .151 as shown schematically in Fig. 15e.

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawing, but can be altered and.modified in many different ways -within the sccpe of the ^' invention idea defined in the attached claims.