FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus for processing a sheet with a longitudinal waveform in such a manner that suitable end products can be manufactured from the sheet. In particular, the invention relates to the shaping and cutting of cladding plates made of thin plate (of metal, for in¬ stance), but it should be noted that the apparatus of the invention can also be utilized for other purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] An apparatus for processing a sheet is previously known, in whose shaping section (deep drawing section) it is possible to make into the sheet transverse steps simulating the tile ends of a tile roof. In this known solu¬ tion, the shaping section has grippers that are designed to correspond to the waveform of the sheet and that form the step into the sheet by clamping. This type of known apparatus uses a cutter that is suspended from conductors and movable in the longitudinal direction of the sheet to the location where the sheet is to be cut. A clamp also moves with the cutter.

[0003] However, the above-mentioned known apparatus has the problem that cutting the sheet takes time. This is due to the fact that moving the relatively heavy cutter and setting it at exactly the correct location is very slow. Thus, the cutting of the sheet at the correct location is an action that lim¬ its the production capacity of the apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The object of this invention is to solve the problem described above and to provide an apparatus that facilitates the processing of the sheet and produces the most different end products with a higher production capacity than before. The object is achieved with the apparatus according to independ¬ ent claim 1.

[0005] In the apparatus of the invention, a fixed cutter in the direc¬ tion of travel of the sheet is mounted in connection with the shaping section. The parts of the shaping section that come into contact with the sheet, i.e. the grippers, can be positioned for shaping as well as transport and gripping. Thus, the cutting of the sheet with the cutter can be done during shaping or alterna¬ tively as a separate action, in which the sheet is transported after shaping for a

suitable distance so as to ensure that the cutter cuts the sheet at the correct location. During cutting the grippers that come into contact with the sheet are in the gripping position to keep the sheet in place for cutting. Thus, when using the apparatus of the invention, only the sheet needs to be moved, and the cut¬ ter ^' s position may be fixed. This makes it possible to cut the sheet at a desired location without making the production capacity of the apparatus suffer.

[0006] Preferred embodiments of the apparatus of the invention are disclosed in the attached dependent claims 2 to 6.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0007] The invention will now be described by way of example in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings, in which

Figures 1 and 2 show a first preferred embodiment of the invention in a transport position,

Figure 3 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a gripping posi¬ tion,

Figure 4 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the gripping position of Figure 3,

Figure 5 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a shaping posi¬ tion,

Figure 6 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the shaping position of Figure 5,

Figure 7 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a shaping posi¬ tion,

Figure 8 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the shaping position of Figure 7,

Figure 9 shows a first end product,

Figure 10 shows a second end product,

Figure 11 shows a third end product,

Figure 12 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention in a transport position, and

Figure 13 shows a third preferred embodiment of the invention in a transport position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Figures 1 and 2 show a first preferred embodiment of the apparatus 1 of the invention in its transport position, i.e. a position, in which the

sheet can be freely transported through the apparatus 1. In Figure 1 the appa¬ ratus 1 is shown from the side and mounted on a production line that may be a production line for roofing boards made of sheet metal, and in Figure 2 the ap¬ paratus 1 is shown from the front.

[0009] The production line of Figure 1 comprises a winder 2 from which a sheet 3 is pulled to a profiling section 4. The sheet may be of coated or uncoated steel, copper, or aluminium, for instance. The profiling section 4 may be a prior-art profiling section whose rolls that come into contact with the sheet 3 shape a waveform of a desired shape in the longitudinal direction of the sheet. The concept "wave" should in this context be understood widely to cover all different shapes that can be used in a corrugated metal sheet, includ¬ ing angular shapes.

[0010] The sheet 3 with the longitudinal waveform is led from the profiling section to the apparatus 1 , with which one or more transverse steps are shaped into the sheet 3 and with which the sheet 3 is cut to produce the end product (cladding plate). The finished end products are received into a storage container 5.

[0011] The apparatus 1 comprises a shaping section whose parts that come into contact with the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet 1 , i.e. grippers 6, 9, 12, and 14, are shaped to correspond to the waveform of the sheet. The shaping section (deep drawing section) shapes the sheet by clamp¬ ing. In the transport position shown in Figure 1 , these top grippers 6 and 12 and bottom grippers 9 and 14 of the shaping section are separated, so the sheet can be freely transported through the gap between them. The bottom gripper 14 fixed to the base 11 of the apparatus 1 and the bottom gripper 9 fastened flexibly to the base 11 by means of springs 10 or the like support the sheet as it is transported through the gap.

[0012] Figure 2 shows drive equipment 8, such as hydraulic cylin¬ ders, belonging to the apparatus 1 , by means of which the top part 7 of the frame of the apparatus 1 can be moved vertically relative to the base 11 of the apparatus.

[0013] Figure 3 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in its grip¬ ping position. The top part 7 of the frame has then been moved vertically a dis¬ tance d1 downward (in comparison with the transport position) by means of the drive equipment 8 in such a manner that the top grippers 6 and 12 of the shap¬ ing section are also in contact with the sheet. At this stage, the shaping section

does not, however, shape the sheet, but only "grips" it, i.e. keeps the sheet in place so that the sheet 3 can be cut with a cutter 15. A separate drive 16, for instance a hydraulic cylinder, moves the cutter 15 vertically. As a result of the interworking of the fixed bottom gripper 14 and cutter 15, the sheet can thus be cut at a desired location in the gripping position.

[0014] Figure 4 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the gripping position of Figure 3. In Figure 4, the sheet is shown from above. The left edge of the sheet 3 in Figure 4 is cut with the cutter 15. The shape of the blade of the cutter 15 is also shown from above in Figure 4. The blade of the cutter is designed to have a vertical waveform that corresponds to the longitudinal waveform of the sheet. This waveform is also produced on the cut front edge of the sheet. However, if the front edge is to be straight, a straight blade with¬ out the waveform shown in Figure 4 can be used in the cutter 15.

[0015] The shape of the sheet 3 from the side is shown topmost in Figure 4. At this stage, i.e. after the initial cutting of the front edge, the sheet does not yet have any transverse steps.

[0016] Figure 5 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a shap¬ ing position. The top part 7 of the frame is then moved vertically a distance d2 downward (relative to the transport position) by means of the drive equipment 8 in such a manner that the shaping section of the apparatus 1 shapes the sheet 3. The distance d2 is longer than the distance d1 shown in Figure 3.

[0017] Thus, clamping has shaped the sheet. The top grippers 6 and 12 of the shaping section have moved with the top part 7 of the apparatus downward sufficiently for the top gripper 6 to clamp the sheet 3 and the bottom gripper 9 at the same location with a sufficient force to bend the sheet 3, and the bottom part supported by the springs 10 has pressed against the spring force to the base 11 of the apparatus. At the same time, the top gripper 12 has come in contact with the sheet 3, whereby, because of the fixed bottom gripper 14 supporting the sheet below the top gripper 12, the springs 10, from which the top gripper 12 of the shaping section is suspended from the top part 7 of the apparatus, are fully compressed. As a result of the compression, the front end of the sheet is bent downward.

[0018] In Figure 5, the cutter 15 is in a position in which it does not touch the sheet. However, it is possible that the plate is also cut in the shaping position, in which case the cutter 15 is lowered by means of the actuator 16 after the shaping section has first shaped the sheet in the desired manner.

[0019] Figure 6 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the shaping position of Figure 5. In the figure, the sheet 3 is shown from the top, and the topmost image shows it from the side. The figure shows that the front edge of the sheet is bent downward. When seen from the top, the bent left edge of the sheet has a waveform that corresponds to the longitudinal waveform of the sheet.

[0020] Figure 7 shows the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a shap¬ ing position. Figure 7 corresponds otherwise to Figure 5, but the front edge shown on the left in the sheet in Figure 7 has been shaped earlier and after this the sheet has been transported forward a predefined distance with the ap¬ paratus 1 in the transport position. In the situation of Figure 7, the apparatus 1 is again in a shaping position, and a first transverse step is formed in the sheet. At this time, it is also possible to cut the sheet with the cutter 15 if de¬ sired. If this is done, the result is a plate with one transverse step and a short tail.

[0021] Figure 8 illustrates the shape of the sheet after the shaping position of Figure 7. In the figure, the sheet 3 is shown from the top, and the topmost image shows it from the side. The figure shows that the front edge of the sheet is bent downward, and a first transverse step is also formed in the sheet.

[0022] Figures 9 to 11 show three alternative end products that can be produced with the apparatus of the invention. All Figures 9 to 1 1 show by way of example that the front edge on the left in the end product is bent down¬ ward. However, it is naturally also possible to produce an end product in which the front edge is not bent downward, but it extends horizontally. This is achieved by leaving out the first front edge shaping stage following the cutting of the front edge.

[0023] Figures 9 to 11 show that the number of the transverse steps and their length in the longitudinal direction of the end product may vary as desired. In the situation of Figure 9, the sheet has been cut with the cutter after the last step was formed. This results in the end product 17 with a short tail shown on the right.

[0024] The end product 18 of Figure 10 also has a short tail, but, in addition to this, the length of the last transverse step in the longitudinal direc¬ tion of the end product is shorter than that of the other steps. This is achieved by moving the sheet for a shorter distance between the shaping stages.

[0025] The end product of Figure 11 has a long tail. This is achieved by not cutting the sheet during shaping and by moving the sheet for a desired distance after the shaping of the last step, after which the sheet is cut while the shaping section of the apparatus is in its gripping position.

[0026] Figure 12 shows a second preferred embodiment of the ap¬ paratus V of the invention in a transport position. The apparatus Y of Figure 12 is otherwise similar to the apparatus described in the earlier figures except that a second cutter 20 is added thereto after the shaping section (in the direction of travel of the sheet).

[0027] The second cutter preferably is a straight-blade cutter, i.e. a cutter that does not have the waveform shown in the blade 15 of the cutter in Figure 4. This makes it possible to produce with the same apparatus even more varied shapes for the end product. For instance, the front edge of the sheet can then be cut as desired into a waveform with the cutter 15 or alterna¬ tively straight with the cutter 20. According to the invention, the second cutter 20 may, as shown in Figure 12, be integrated into the apparatus of the inven¬ tion, or alternatively the second cutter can be arranged to a separate appara¬ tus.

[0028] Figure 13 shows a third preferred embodiment of the appara¬ tus of the invention in its transport position. The apparatus 1 " of Figure 13 is otherwise similar to the apparatus in Figure 12 except that a second shaping section is added between the shaping section and straight cutter 20 of Figure 12. The second shaping section practically nearly doubles the production ca¬ pacity of the apparatus 1 ".

[0029] In the exemplary case of Figure 13, the second shaping sec¬ tion has top and bottom grippers 21 to 24 corresponding to those in the first shaping section (6, 9, 12, and 14).

[0030] It should be understood that the above description and the related figures are only intended to illustrate the present invention. Different variations and modifications of the invention will be obvious to a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.