And Interrelated Means To Adjust Plural Elements Simultaneously Patents (Class 72/174)
  • Patent number: 8872060
    Abstract: An apparatus forms a sheet into a beam having four exterior walls and a common center leg extending between an opposing two of the walls. The apparatus includes a roll former forming the sheet into the beam cross section, a welding station with top and bottom laser welders, and a weld box fixture having inwardly-biased external mandrels (biased by actuators) and outwardly-biased internal split mandrels (biased by springs) that interact to hold a desired shape of the beam in the weld fixture, and also includes a sweeping unit and cutoff device. By this arrangement, the internal and external mandrels, in combination with a bias of the actuators and springs, control a shape of the beam by flexure and movement of material of the sheet when in the weld box fixture during a welding process of the welder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
  • Patent number: 8210014
    Abstract: A flexible forming device for forming three-dimensional shaped workpieces, comprising a frame, at least two working rollers, one or more working roller driving mechanisms and one or more adjusting mechanisms, wherein the working rollers, the one or more working roller driving mechanisms and the one or more adjusting mechanisms are installed on the frame respectively. At least one of the working rollers is a flexible working roller, which is bendable and adjustable. The forming device need not use mold and can realize the continuous formation of a three-dimensional curved surface of a plate-shaped workpiece, and the gradual formation of a tube-shaped or bar-shaped three-dimensional shaped workpiece. The forming device can save manpower, material and time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Jilin University
    Inventors: Mingzhe Li, Zhiqing Hu, Zhongyi Cai, Wenzhi Fu, Chunguo Liu, Zhen Sui, Xiangji Cui, Yushan Deng, Gang Sun, Xiangji Li
  • Patent number: 6823579
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a portable platform (10) for use in gasket manufacture, comprising a shaft connected to a motor and can receive at least one mandrel, and a surface to receive at least one molding tool, the mandrel being activated by the motor to turn in relation to the platform (10) and to the tool, and to move gasket-forming elements, such as metallic or non-metallic strips, among others, to be processed by the tool. Moreover, as much the mandrel as with the tool are replaceable respectively between mandrels and tools with different characteristics. Thus, the same platform (10) may produce different types of gaskets, and, consequently, speed up and facilitate the gasket replacement process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Manegro Administracao E Participacoes LTDA.
    Inventor: José Carlos Carvalho Veiga
  • Patent number: 6662613
    Abstract: In a long member bending apparatus having a bending head and a material supply unit, the bending head is composed of a base plate having a guide pipe, which includes a guide hole for passing a long member, at the center thereof, a movable plate having a die, which applies a bending force to the long member supplied from the guide pipe forward, disposed at the center thereof, and six extendable units including hydraulic cylinders interposed between the base plate and the movable plate and universal joints disposed to both the ends of each hydraulic cylinder, thereby a parallel link mechanism is arranged that executes a motion of a total of six degrees of freedom including three degrees of freedom of translational movement and three degrees of freedom of rotation by expanding and contracting the hydraulic cylinders to set the position (distance, offset), inclination, and the like of the movable plate with respect to the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Kikuchi Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Ichiryu, Yuji Terauchi, Katsuhiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 6598446
    Abstract: A machine for bending pipes (2; 63; 78) sections or similar of a given section (S1; S2; S3) has a guide device (6) having a longitudinal axis (9) for guiding the pipes (2; 63; 78) in a feed direction (D1) parallel to the axis (9); and a bending member (7) movable with respect to the guide device (6) in a plane (P1) perpendicular to the feed direction (D1), and having an annular guide (50), which has a passage section (45; 61; 76) for the pipes (2; 63; 78) substantially equal to the section (S1; S2; S3) of the pipes (2; 63; 78) and is defined by rollers (40; 52; 82; 67) rotating about respective axes (41; 53; 83; 68) lying in a plane coplanar with the passage section (45; 61; 76).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Tauring S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Meliga
  • Patent number: 6598447
    Abstract: A machine for bending sections (2) having a longitudinal axis (3) and a constant cross section along the longitudinal axis (3) feeds the sections (2) longitudinally in a first direction (D1), and has a first and a second annular die (11, 12); an ass (15) connected to the second annular die (12) and movable in a plane perpendicular to the first direction (D1) to move the second annular die (12) into a number of operating positions with respect to the first annular die (11) to bend the sections (2); and a joint (22; 39) connecting the first and the second annular die (11, 12), and which forces the second annular die (12) to assume a given position with respect to the first annular die (11) for each position assumed by the assembly (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Tauring S.p.A.
    Inventor: Mauro Meliga
  • Publication number: 20030066327
    Abstract: A roll-type straightening and feed mechanism includes opposing sets of straightening rolls adapted to straighten coil stock as it travels therebetween, opposing feed rolls adapted to grip the coil stock therebetween to advance the straightened coil stock to a using station, and operators connected to simultaneously separate the straightening rolls and the feed rolls and release the coil stock therebetween, and to simultaneously reset the straightening rolls and the feed roll and re-grip the coil stock for advancing straightened stock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: Richard D. Nordlof
  • Patent number: 5361618
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a set of bending rolls which simultaneously position a pair of adjustable top bending rolls with respect to a bottom bending roll. A bottom bending roll is mounted within a housing while a pair of adjustable top bending rolls is mounted on a frame. A pivot shaft is rotatably mounted on the housing with eccentric portions of the pivot shaft coupled to the frame. Rotation of the pivot shaft causes the simultaneous adjustment of the pair of adjustable bending rolls with respect to the bottom bending roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Italimpianti of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Stefanelli
  • Patent number: 4653301
    Abstract: The bending machine comprises two pairs of parallel feed rollers between which the pipe is fed in a given first direction, and a slide moving in a second direction perpendicular to the first and having a pair of bend rollers turning on it in idle manner; each of the said rollers being designed to press against and bend the said pipe subsequent to displacement of the said slide, and means being provided for lowering and clearing one of the said rollers from the said pipe when the other said roller is forced against the same for bending it subsequent to displacement of the said slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Inventor: Mauro Meliga
  • Patent number: 4249406
    Abstract: A machine and method for forming line pipe is disclosed wherein small diameter roll elements not exceeding five times the thickness of the blank form a tube. The roll elements positioned in a pyramid roll assembly are dynamically adjustable toward and away from each other to provide different size line pipe, or similar tubular articles. The segments of the upper roll elements are mounted on cantilever arms, the leading edge of blank being deflected against the upper curved surface of the arms during the final stages of forming. The deflection is maintained within the elastic recovery limit of the metal. A rigid frame mounts the cantilever arm and other components. The frame includes a plurality of vertical bed plates and corresponding upper frame plates and cross tie members. A pusher mechanism pushes the sheet blank through the pyramid roll assembly. A multi-walled tube may be formed by providing the required additional length to the blank and continuation of the forming beyond 360.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Inventor: Frohman C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4114432
    Abstract: Apparatus for winding a linear, elongated object into a coil including a bending roller assembly for bending the linear, elongated object into loops of the coil, and a leveling device for bringing the curvature of the coil to a predetermined level. The leveling device includes a base movable toward and away from the bending roller assembly so as to adjust the spacing between the bending roller assembly and the base, a plurality of sliders supported by the base and located circumferentially of the coil in spaced relation to one another for movement in sliding motion toward and away from the center of curvature of the coil, a plurality of leveling roller assemblies each supported by one of the sliders for imparting a bending moment to the coil to correct the curvature thereof to a desired value, and an actuator for radially positioning the sliders in accordance with the spacing between the bending roller assembly and the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Miura, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Koue Yusa