US 12,128,468 B2
Apparatus and method for bending contoured metal sheeting about a fold line
Matthew Edward Dingle, Drysdale (AU)
Assigned to FORMFLOW PTY LTD, Victoria (AU)
Appl. No. 17/602,399
Filed by FORMFLOW PTY LTD, Victoria (AU)
PCT Filed Apr. 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/AU2020/050348
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 8, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/206493, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019901258 (AU), filed on Apr. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0203425 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. B21D 13/02 (2006.01); B21D 11/20 (2006.01); E04C 2/08 (2006.01); E04C 2/32 (2006.01)
CPC B21D 11/206 (2013.01) [B21D 13/02 (2013.01); E04C 2/08 (2013.01); E04C 2/322 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of bending a contoured metal sheet, the contoured metal sheet having a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the contoured metal sheet, the contoured metal sheet having a contoured profile that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the contoured metal sheet, the method comprising:
(A) securing a first sheet section of the contoured metal sheet in a securing section between a securing surface of a securing member and an engagement surface of an engagement member, the securing section also including a backing surface positioned at a selected angle relative to the securing surface about a first bending edge formed therebetween;
(B) positioning at least part of a second sheet section of the contoured metal sheet in a forming section between a forming member having a pressing surface and a forming surface, and a seating member having a seating surface, the seating member configured to cooperate with the forming member to engage the second sheet section between the pressing surface and the seating surface, and also allow the second section of contoured metal sheet to slide therebetween;
(C) moving the forming section and the securing section relative to one another to:
bend the first sheet section the selected angle relative to the second sheet section over the first bending edge; and
feed the second sheet section from between the pressing surface and the seating surface, over a second bending edge, to between the forming surface and the backing surface, the forming surface being orientated the selected angle to the pressing surface about the second bending edge formed therebetween, the forming surface being shaped with a contour comprising a substantially symmetrical mirror profile to the contoured profile of the contoured metal sheet; and the backing surface having a complementary and cooperating profiled surface to the forming surface which is configured to cooperate with the forming surface to engage the second sheet section therebetween, thereby transforming the contoured profile of the second sheet section into a symmetrical mirror of that contoured profile; and
(D) positioning a following section substantially adjacent to the second bending edge, the following section being configured to cooperate with the forming surface to engage and compress a portion of the second sheet section of the contoured metal sheet therebetween when the relative movement between the securing section and the forming section moves the backing surface to a position remote from the forming surface of the forming member.