Gutter guard forming machine
The gutter guard forming machine accepts relatively narrow, elongate sheets of imperforate materials and foraminous screen materials from a series of supply rollers and passes those sheets of material through a series of forming rollers and dies to crimp the sheets mechanically together along their common elongate edges to form the desired cross-sectional shape for the finished gutter guard. The raw sheet materials are fed into the machine in two overlying and two underlying streams, which are joined together and shaped by the forming rollers and dies. The process is continuous, with an automated cutoff saw cutting the completed gutter guard to practical lengths after formation. The mechanism is primarily electrically-powered, with a pneumatic-hydraulic cylinder being used for one of the operations. Various components are adjustable to allow the configuration of the completed gutter guard to be adjusted as desired.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to conveyor systems for processing or forming a product. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gutter guard forming machine that receives relatively narrow sheet and screen material from a series of supply rolls, forms and crimps the sheets and screens together to form a finished gutter guard, and cuts the finished material to length as desired.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rain gutters are found on nearly all building structures, for removing runoff from the immediate vicinity of the foundation and to channel the runoff to a disposal site rather than running directly off the eaves and onto people and objects below. As the rain gutters are essentially troughs, they are subject to collecting leaves and other debris, particularly in the case of residential neighborhoods with trees in the area. The rain gutters of buildings and residences in such treed areas will collect leaves and other debris, which wash along the lengths of the gutters and clog the downspouts of the gutter system. This requires the gutters and downspouts to be cleaned out periodically, with the cleaning process being a somewhat tedious and potentially hazardous procedure.
As a result, numerous gutter guards have been developed for installation over the gutters. The general concept behind such guards is that they allow water to run through the guard and into the gutter, while preventing leaves and other debris from entering the gutter. Many different configurations of gutter guards have been developed, with some functioning better than others. The present inventor has found a particularly effective gutter guard configuration, but hand-forming such a gutter guard assembly from several different sheets of screen and other sheet material is very inefficient and would make the cost of the finished product prohibitive due to the labor involved.
The present inventor is aware of various machines that have been developed in the past for automating the forming of various shapes and assemblies from sheet materials. An example of such is found in German Patent No. 3,208,851, published on Dec. 9, 1982, which describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a press having three rollers, for forming curved shapes in a single metal sheet or panel. The single top roller is vertically and laterally adjustable by a series of hydraulic struts.
Another example is found in Japanese Patent No. 4-179,530, published on Jun. 26, 1992, which describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a method of forming a thermoplastic eaves gutter. Resins having different melting or setting temperatures are used for different sheets of material, with the sheets being laminated and treated at a temperature between the melt or set points of the two resins in order to provide the desired workability of the completed lamination.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a gutter guard forming machine solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe gutter guard forming machine accepts relatively narrow, elongate sheets of imperforate materials and foraminous screen materials from a series of supply rollers, and passes those sheets of material through a series of forming rollers and dies to crimp the sheets mechanically together along their common elongate edges to form the desired cross-sectional shape for the finished gutter guard. The raw sheet materials are fed into the machine in two overlying and two underlying streams, which are joined together and shaped by the forming rollers and dies. The process is continuous, with an automated cutoff saw cutting the completed gutter guard to practicable lengths after formation. The mechanism is primarily electrically-powered, with a pneumatic-hydraulic cylinder being used for one of the operations. Various components are adjustable to allow the configuration of the completed gutter guard to be adjusted as desired.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSThe present invention is a gutter guard forming machine that accepts multiple strips of imperforate material and foraminous screen and forms and crimps the materials together to form a finished product. The machine includes upper and lower conveyors extending from the infeed end and merging into a single intermediate conveyor, which, in turn, passes the finished gutter guard to a traveling cutoff saw that cuts the guard to practical lengths. The result is the automated production of a gutter guard configuration that has been shown to be quite efficient at preventing leaves, evergreen needles, and other debris from collecting in rain gutters when installed thereon.
It should be noted that the second and third rolls 32 and 36 are not in the same plane with one another, but are offset to each side of the first and fourth rolls 28 and 40. The two imperforate strips 34 and 38 travel around an initial guide roller 44 that positions the two laterally spaced strips 34 and 38 in the same plane with one another before they pass through the forming rollers of the upper conveyor line 20. The fine mesh screen material 42 initially feeds in the opposite direction, i.e., out of the infeed end 14 of the frame 12 and toward the three rolls 28, 32, and 36, and then doubles back around a guide bar or roller 46. The expanded metal strip 30 from the first roll 28 also passes beneath this guide bar or roller 46. The two foraminous strips 30 and 42 are merged at this point, with the fine mesh screen 42 overlying the expanded metal 30, to pass through an additional guide and edge forming assembly 48 and into the lower conveyor line 22. The guide and edge forming assembly 48 includes a series of specially configured rollers that fold the edges of the fine mesh screen 42 downwardly around the edges of the underlying expanded metal strip 30 to secure the two strips 30 and 42 together. These forming rollers in the guide and edge forming assembly 48 operate in much the same manner as the forming rollers installed in the various conveyor lines 20, 22, and 24, with specifics of the forming operations performed by those conveyor lines being discussed in detail further below. Various additional guides, tensioners, brakes, etc. may be provided to control the paths and flow of the various material strips 30, 34, 38, and 42 as they enter the machine 10.
Each of the conveyors 20, 22, and 24 comprises a series of upper and lower roller pairs for forming and assembling the strips of material as they pass therethrough. The roller pairs of each of the three conveyor lines 20, 22, and 24 are powered by a motor driving a series of roller chains, as shown in the rear view of the conveyors in
A series of alternating, offset roller chains 70 extend between the sprockets of each of the laterally adjacent rollers, e.g., rollers 50a and 52a, rollers 58a and 60a, etc. One roller chain and laterally adjacent sprocket pair transfers drive energy from the previous sprocket and roller to the adjacent sprocket and roller in the line, and the next roller chain passes around the second of the two concentric sprockets of the roller to transfer drive to the next sprocket and roller in the line. This mechanism is continued along the entire roller line from upper roller 68a, which is closest to the drive motor, continuing down the line to the initial upper roller 50a.
Drive is transferred from one of the upper rollers, e.g., roller 68a, to an adjacent lower roller, e.g., roller 68b, by a pair of conventional spur gears (not shown) disposed upon adjacent upper and lower roller shafts. This results in the upper roller series rotating in the opposite direction from the lower roller series, with the roller faces of each roller pair moving in the same direction when they are adjacent to one another in order to draw the material therethrough. Drive is transferred along the sprockets and rollers of the lower roller series 68b, 66b, 64b, etc., back to the initial lower roller 50b by another series of roller chains 70 and sprockets having the same configuration as that described further above for the upper roller and sprocket series. An upper conveyor drive motor 72 and speed reduction 74 are provided to drive the upper roller series 50a through 68b by an initial drive roller chain 76. The motor 72 is electric in this example, but alternative drive motors and power may be provided, e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.
The roller series of the lower conveyor 22 is configured and driven similarly to the upper conveyor roller series, as discussed above. The lower conveyor 22 includes a series of roller pairs comprising a first roller pair 78a, 78b, second roller pair 80a, 80b, third roller pair 82a, 82b, and so on through the tenth roller pair 96a, 96b. All of these rollers are installed upon a corresponding series of mutually parallel shafts, with the roller shafts of the lower conveyor 22 all being axially parallel to the roller shafts of the upper conveyor 20. Roller chains 70 extend between the sprockets of each of the laterally adjacent rollers, e.g., rollers 78a and 80a, rollers 86a and 88a, etc.
Drive is transferred from one of the upper rollers, e.g., roller 96a, to an adjacent lower roller, e.g., roller 96b, by a pair of conventional spur gears (not shown) disposed upon adjacent upper and lower roller shafts, as in the case of the upper conveyor 20. Drive is transferred along the sprockets and rollers of the lower roller series 96b, 94b, etc. back to the initial lower roller 78b by another set of roller chains 70 and sprockets having the same configuration as that described further above for the upper conveyor 20. A lower conveyor drive motor and speed reduction assembly 98 is provided to drive the lower roller series 78a through 96b by an initial drive roller chain 100. The lower conveyor drive motor is concentric with its speed reduction unit, with the two components being shown as a single assembly 98 in
The third or delivery conveyor line 24 of the roller conveyor series operates in essentially the same manner as the upper and lower conveyors 20 and 22, as described above. The delivery conveyor 24 includes a roller pairs comprising first roller pair 102a, 102b, second roller pair 104a, 104b, third roller pair 106a, 106b, and so on through the eighth roller pair 116a, 116b. All of these rollers are installed upon a corresponding series of mutually parallel shafts, with the roller shafts of the delivery conveyor 24 all being axially parallel to the roller shafts of the upper and lower conveyors 20 and 22. Roller chains 70 extend between the sprockets of each of the laterally adjacent rollers, e.g., rollers 108a and 110a, etc.
Drive is transferred from one of the upper rollers, e.g., roller 116a, to an adjacent lower roller, e.g., roller 116b, by a pair of conventional spur gears (not shown) disposed upon adjacent upper and lower roller shafts, as in the case of the upper and lower conveyors 20 and 22. Drive is transferred along the sprockets and rollers of the lower roller series 116b, 114b, etc., back to the initial lower roller 102b by another set of roller chains 70 and sprockets having the same configuration as that described further above for the upper and lower conveyors 20 and 22. A lower conveyor drive motor 118 and speed reduction unit 120 are provided to drive the delivery conveyor roller series 102a through 116b by an initial drive roller chain 122. The three conveyor drive motors 72, 98, and 118 are synchronous motors and are controlled by known means in order to synchronize the speeds of the various conveyor rollers in order to provide a smooth and constant flow of the material through the machine.
The upper conveyor 20 is the primary mechanism of forming the two laterally opposed imperforate sheets 34 and 38 that form the edges of the completed gutter guard assembly. It will be noted in
In certain instances, it may not be necessary to use forming rollers for shaping and guiding the strip material as it passes through the machine 10. In some instances, it may be sufficient to provide a relatively simple guide or die having a slot therein through which one edge of the sheet material passes.
The forming of the various components comprising the completed gutter guard has been illustrated in
Once the gutter guard assembly 200 has been completed as described above, the gutter guard is cut to the desired length by a traveling cutoff saw 26 disposed within the delivery end portion 18 of the frame 12.
The saw travel drive motor 156 is selectively actuated according to conventional programming to rotate the drive shaft 154 at a predetermined speed, which drives the two carriage belts 146 and 148 to move the cutoff saw carriage 142 and the cutoff saw 26 mounted thereon along the path of travel of the completed gutter guard 200 at the same rate of travel as the gutter guard as it passes through the delivery end portion 18 of the machine. In other words, the saw 26 and gutter guard assembly 200 are stationary relative to one another (but not relative to the rest of the machine 10) as the saw 26 is in longitudinal motion along the delivery end of the machine 10 during the cutting operation. This allows the saw 26 to make periodic cuts across the length of completed gutter guard 200 as it is leaving the machine, cutting the gutter guard 200 to predetermined lengths according to the conventional programming for the saw operation. Electrical power is conveyed to the circular saw motor 160 by an electrical cord protected by an articulating electrical cord or cable guard 162, which articulates back and forth with longitudinal movement of the saw 26 and carriage 142 along the slides 138 and 140.
The lift strut 170 is actuated to extend and lift the cutoff saw 26 arcuately between cutoff operations, thus lifting the saw and its blade above the plane of the completed gutter guard 200 passing therebeneath as it departs the machine 10. When the desired length of gutter guard 200 has passed the saw 26, the system is actuated by conventional programming to operate the saw travel drive motor 156 to drive the saw 26 along the delivery end 18 of the frame 12 to match with the speed of the gutter guard 200, and simultaneously retract the lift strut extension rod 172 to lower the saw 26 onto the gutter guard 200. The saw blade is normally in continuous operation during operation of the gutter guard forming machine 10, and cuts the completed gutter guard 200 to length as the gutter guard and saw 26 travel along the delivery end 18 of the machine. When the cut is complete, the saw 26 is raised by extending the lift strut extension rod 172, and the saw travel drive motor 156 is reversed to draw the saw carriage 142, cutoff saw 26, and attached saw lift strut 170 back toward the delivery conveyor line 24 in readiness to repeat the cutting operation.
The gutter guard 200 is supported during the cutting operation and guided from the saw after cutting by a pair of unpowered pinch rollers 176 immediately adjacent to the saw 26. The cut lengths of gutter guard 200 are drawn from the delivery end 18 of the machine 10 by a pair of powered delivery end pinch rollers 178 (
The end result of the operation of the gutter guard forming machine is a series of lengths of completed gutter guard 200, a detailed end view of which is shown in
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A gutter guard forming machine, comprising:
- a conveyor frame having an infeed end, a delivery end opposite the infeed end, and an intermediate portion between the infeed end and the delivery end;
- an upper conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame;
- a lower conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame below the upper conveyor line, the upper and lower conveyor lines merging at the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame;
- a delivery conveyor line extending from the merger of the upper conveyor line and the lower conveyor line, the delivery conveyor line extending through the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame; and
- a linearly traveling circular cutoff saw disposed along the delivery end of the conveyor frame, the cutoff saw selectively traveling along a path parallel to the delivery conveyor line.
2. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mechanically-powered forming rollers and crimping rollers disposed along the upper conveyor line, the lower conveyor line, and the delivery conveyor line, the forming rollers and the crimping rollers having mutually parallel axes.
3. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 2, wherein at least one pair of the forming rollers and the crimping rollers are laterally adjustable along their axes.
4. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 1, further comprising:
- an upper conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the upper conveyor line;
- a lower conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the lower conveyor line;
- a delivery conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the delivery conveyor line;
- a cutoff saw travel drive motor communicating mechanically with the cutoff saw; and
- a delivery end pinch roller drive motor disposed at the delivery end of the conveyor frame.
5. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 1, further including at least one stationary die disposed along the delivery conveyor line.
6. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cutoff saw tracks disposed along the delivery end of the conveyor frame parallel to the delivery conveyor line, the cutoff saw being slidably disposed upon the cutoff saw tracks and selectively traveling along the tracks.
7. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 1, further including a pneumatic-hydraulic strut disposed beneath the cutoff saw and attached thereto, the strut selectively lifting the saw between cutting operations.
8. A gutter guard forming machine, comprising:
- a conveyor frame having an infeed end, a delivery end opposite the infeed end, and an intermediate portion between the infeed end and the delivery end;
- an upper conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame;
- a lower conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame below the upper conveyor line, the upper and lower conveyor lines merging at the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame;
- a delivery conveyor line extending from the merger of the upper conveyor line and the lower conveyor line, the delivery conveyor line extending through the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame; and
- a plurality of mechanically-powered forming rollers and crimping rollers disposed along the upper conveyor line, the lower conveyor line, and the delivery conveyor line, the forming rollers and the crimping rollers having mutually parallel axes.
9. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 8, further comprising:
- an upper conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the upper conveyor line;
- a lower conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the lower conveyor line;
- a delivery conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the delivery conveyor line;
- a cutoff saw travel drive motor disposed at the delivery end of the conveyor frame adjacent the delivery conveyor line; and
- a delivery end pinch roller drive motor disposed at the delivery end of the conveyor frame.
10. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 8, wherein at least one pair of the forming rollers and the crimping rollers are laterally adjustable along their axes.
11. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 8, further including at least one stationary die disposed along the delivery conveyor line.
12. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 8, further comprising:
- a plurality of cutoff saw tracks disposed along the delivery end of the conveyor frame and parallel to the delivery conveyor line; and
- a linearly traveling circular cutoff saw slidably disposed upon the cutoff saw tracks, the cutoff selectively traveling along the tracks parallel to the delivery conveyor line.
13. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 12, further including a pneumatic-hydraulic strut disposed beneath the cutoff saw and attached thereto, the strut selectively lifting the saw between cutting operations.
14. A gutter guard forming machine, comprising:
- a conveyor frame having an infeed end, a delivery end opposite the infeed end, and an intermediate portion between the infeed end and the delivery end;
- a delivery conveyor line extending through the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame to the delivery end of the conveyor frame;
- a plurality of cutoff saw tracks disposed along the delivery end of the conveyor frame parallel to the delivery conveyor line; and
- a linearly traveling circular cutoff saw slidably disposed upon the cutoff saw tracks, the cutoff saw selectively traveling along the tracks parallel to the delivery conveyor line.
15. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 14, further comprising:
- an upper conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame, and merging with the delivery conveyor line;
- a lower conveyor line extending from the infeed end to the intermediate portion of the conveyor frame below the upper conveyor line, the upper and lower conveyor lines merging at the delivery conveyor line; and
- a plurality of mechanically-powered forming rollers and crimping rollers disposed along the upper conveyor line, the lower conveyor line, and the delivery conveyor line, the forming rollers and the crimping rollers having mutually parallel axes.
16. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 15, further comprising:
- an upper conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the upper conveyor line;
- a lower conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the lower conveyor line;
- a delivery conveyor line drive motor communicating mechanically with the delivery conveyor line;
- a cutoff saw travel drive motor communicating mechanically with the cutoff saw; and
- a delivery end pinch roller drive motor disposed at the delivery end of the conveyor frame.
17. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 15, wherein at least one pair of the forming rollers and the crimping rollers are laterally adjustable along their axes.
18. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 14, further including at least one stationary die disposed along the delivery conveyor line.
19. The gutter guard forming machine according to claim 14, further including a pneumatic-hydraulic strut disposed beneath the cutoff saw and attached thereto, the strut selectively lifting the saw between cutting operations.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 25, 2008
Publication Date: Dec 31, 2009
Inventor: Evelyn M. Robins (Ruckersville, VA)
Application Number: 12/213,862
International Classification: B21D 5/08 (20060101);