U.S. patent application number 12/659886 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-29 for system and method for attaching a wall to a building structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to M.I.C. Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Todd E. Anderson, Frederick Morello.
Application Number | 20110232203 12/659886 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44654752 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110232203 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anderson; Todd E. ; et
al. |
September 29, 2011 |
System and method for attaching a wall to a building structure
Abstract
An attachment member formed from sheet material configured to
connect a wall to a curved roof of a building structure. The
attachment member includes at least two segments: a first segment
having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending
perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of
walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to
the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a
portion of a wall of a building structure; and a second segment
extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second
segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion
of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including
a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross
section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted
to mate with a rib of a curved building panel. Building structures
made using such attachment members and an attachment member forming
system are also described.
Inventors: |
Anderson; Todd E.;
(Duncansville, PA) ; Morello; Frederick;
(Johnstown, PA) |
Assignee: |
M.I.C. Industries, Inc.
Reston
VA
|
Family ID: |
44654752 |
Appl. No.: |
12/659886 |
Filed: |
March 24, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/86 ;
29/897.32; 52/698 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21D 5/08 20130101; E04B
2001/327 20130101; Y10T 29/49629 20150115; E04B 1/3205
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/86 ; 52/698;
29/897.32 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/32 20060101
E04B001/32; E04B 1/38 20060101 E04B001/38; B21D 47/00 20060101
B21D047/00 |
Claims
1. A system for forming an attachment member for connecting a wall
to a curved roof of a building structure, the system comprising: a.
a support structure; b. a cutting assembly supported by the support
structure configured to receive sheet material wherein a plane of
the sheet material is oriented in a substantially vertical
orientation, the cutting assembly including a slitter to cut the
sheet material along a feed direction of the sheet material into
first and second portions of sheet material, the slitter having
guides to support the first and second portions of sheet material
in the substantially vertical orientation, the guides directing the
first portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing
the second portion of sheet material in a second direction
different from the first direction; and c. a forming assembly
supported by the support structure, the forming assembly being
configured to receive sheet material from the cutting assembly and
comprising: i. a frame, and ii. multiple rollers supported by the
frame, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of
sheet material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first
portion of sheet material as the first portion of sheet material
passes along the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an
attachment member, the attachment member having a plurality of
segments in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed
direction including a first flat segment in cross section and a
second segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the
first segment.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising: d. a curving assembly
supported on the support structure for curving the attachment
member, the curving assembly comprising: a first pair of crimping
rollers offset from one another and located within the curving
assembly configured to receive the attachment member such that when
the attachment member enters the curving assembly the second
segment of the attachment member passes between said crimping
rollers, wherein the first pair of crimping rollers is configured
to crimp the second segment of the attachment member to impart a
longitudinal curve to the attachment member along a length of the
attachment member.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to form
the attachment member such that the attachment member comprises: a.
a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls
extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the
pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction
perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted
to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; b. a
second segment extending from one of the walls of the first
segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the
flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the
second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib
protruding in cross section from the second segment, the
longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved
building panel.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the multiple rollers comprises: a.
an upper set of rollers attached to an adjustable platform mounted
on a shaft; and b. a lower set of rollers; c. wherein a distance
between the upper set of rollers and the lower set of rollers is
adjustable such that attachment members of different sizes can be
accommodated.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a building panel
forming apparatus supported on the support structure.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a decoiler supported by
the support structure configured to feed sheet material to the
cutting assembly, wherein the decoiler is oriented vertically such
that a rotation axis of the decoiler is parallel to a vertical
direction.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a drive unit supported
on the support structure proximate the decoiler and the cutting
assembly, the drive unit configured to feed the sheet material from
the decoiler to the cutting assembly.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the curving assembly further
comprises a second pair of crimping rollers offset from one another
and offset from the first pair of crimping rollers, wherein a
distance between the first pair of crimping rollers and the second
pair of crimping rollers is adjustable to accommodate different
sizes of attachment members.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the rollers of the
forming assembly is removable to form the attachment member into
either an L-shape or C-shape in cross section.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the curving assembly is mounted
on a movable platform supported on the support structure and
located between the cutting assemblyand the forming assembly.
11. An attachment member formed from sheet material configured to
connect a wall to a curved roof of a building structure, the curved
roof being formed from a plurality of curved building panels, the
attachment member being curved in a longitudinal direction and
having a shape in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the
longitudinal direction, the attachment member comprising: a. a
first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls
extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the
pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction
perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted
to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; and b.
a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first
segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the
flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the
second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib
protruding in cross section from the second segment, the
longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved
building panel.
12. The attachment member of claim 11 wherein the central portion
of the curved building panel includes a rib in cross section, and
wherein the longitudinal rib of the attachment member is adapted to
mate with the rib of the building panel.
13. The attachment member of claim 11 wherein the attachment member
is formed from two portions of sheet material.
14. The attachment member of claim 13, wherein the attachment
member comprises: a. a first L-shaped portion in cross section, the
first L-shaped member forming one of the walls of the first
segment; and b. a second L-shaped portion in cross section forming
the other wall of the first segment; c. wherein the first L-shaped
portion is mated to the second L-shaped portion to form the first
segment of the attachment member.
15. The attachment member of claim 13, wherein the attachment
member comprises: a. an L-shaped portion in cross section; and b. a
C-shaped portion in cross section; c. wherein the C-shaped portion
is nested into the L-shaped portion to form the first segment of
the attachment member.
16. The attachment member of claim 11 wherein the attachment member
is formed from a single portion of sheet material.
17. The attachment member of claim 16 wherein the attachment member
further comprises: a. a third segment extending from a wall
opposite the second segment, the third segment being oriented in a
same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross
section, the third segment including a second longitudinal rib; and
b. the second longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the
third segment, the second longitudinal rib being adapted to mate
with a rib of another curved building panel.
18. The attachment member of claim 11 wherein the sheet material
comprises sheet metal having a thickness between about 0.035 inches
and about 0.060 inches.
19. A building structure comprising: a. a curved roof formed from a
plurality of interconnected building panels, each building panel
extending in a longitudinal direction and having a shape in cross
section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
wherein each building panel includes a central portion having a rib
in cross section; b. a wall; and c. an attachment member formed
from sheet material attaching the wall to the curved roof, the
attachment member comprising: i. a first segment having a flat
center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the
center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a
recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion,
wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of
a building structure; ii. a second segment extending from one of
the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented
in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in
cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the
longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second
segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a
curved building panel; and iii. wherein the flat center portion of
the first segment is connected to a first building panel of the
curved roof, and the longitudinal rib of the second segment is
connected to a rib of a second building panel of the curved
roof.
20. The building structure of claim 19 wherein the wall is an
exterior wall of the building structure.
21. The building structure of claim 19 wherein the wall is inset
from an edge of the curved roof by greater than the width of one of
the interconnected building panels to provide an open yet covered
area.
22. The building structure of claim 19 wherein the wall is an
interior wall of the building structure.
23. The building structure of claim 19 wherein the wall is formed
from a set of interconnected building panels.
24. The building structure of claim 19 wherein the wall is formed
from a set of concrete blocks.
25. A method of forming an attachment member for connecting a wall
to a building structure, the method comprising: a. cutting sheet
material from a source of sheet material in a feed direction into
first and second portions of sheet material, wherein a plane of the
sheet material is oriented in a substantially vertical orientation;
b. supporting the first and second portions of sheet material in
the vertical orientation with guides such that the first portion of
sheet material is directed in a first direction and the second
portion of sheet material is directed in a second direction
different from the first direction; c. translating the first
portion of sheet material through multiple rollers, the multiple
rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet material as
the first portion passes along the multiple rollers in a feed
direction to form an attachment member, the attachment member
having a plurality of segments in cross section in a plane
perpendicular to the feed direction including a first flat segment
in cross section and a second segment extending perpendicularly in
cross section from the first segment; and d. crimping the second
segment of the attachment member to impart a longitudinal curve to
the attachment member along a length of the attachment member.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the attachment member comprises:
a. a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls
extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the
pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction
perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted
to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; and b.
a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first
segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the
flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the
second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib
protruding in cross section from the second segment, the
longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved
building panel.
27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of: a.
attaching a first segment of the attachment member to a first
building panel of a curved roof; b. attaching a second segment of
the attachment member to a second building panel of the curved
roof, wherein the second building panel is adjacent the first
building panel; and c. attaching the attachment member to a portion
of a wall of a building structure.
28. A system for forming an attachment member for connecting a wall
to a curved roof of a building structure, the system comprising: a.
a support structure; b. a cutting assembly supported by the support
structure configured to receive sheet material, the cutting
assembly including a slitter to cut the sheet material along a feed
direction of the sheet material into first and second portions of
sheet material, the slitter having guides to support the first and
second portions of sheet material, the guides directing the first
portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing the
second portion of sheet material in a second direction different
from the first direction; and c. a forming assembly supported by
the support structure, the forming assembly being configured to
receive sheet material from the cutting assembly and comprising: i.
a frame, and ii. multiple rollers supported by the frame, the
multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet
material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first portion of
sheet material as the first portion of sheet material passes along
the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an attachment
member, the attachment member having a plurality of segments in
cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction
including a first flat segment in cross section and a second
segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the first
segment; wherein the forming assembly is configured to form the
attachment member such that the attachment member comprises: a
first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls
extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the
pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction
perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted
to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; a
second segment extending from one of the walls of the first
segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the
flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the
second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib
protruding in cross section from the second segment, the
longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved
building panel.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure relates to attachment members made
from sheet materials for connecting walls to building structures,
building structures made using such attachment members, and an
attachment member forming system for fabricating attachment members
to connect walls to building structures.
[0003] 2. Background Information
[0004] Conventional methods are known in the art for erecting
building structures made of sheet material building panels, e.g.,
galvanized steel sheet metal. The roof of such building structures
can be formed from interconnected arched building panels attached
side-by-side and the end walls of the building structures can be
formed from substantially flat building panels or other suitable
materials. The panels are interconnected by placing them adjacent
one another and forming a sealed joint where the edges of the
panels overlap. As a result, the length of the building increases
with the number of interconnected panels forming the roof and the
width of each panel. The width of the building, on the other hand,
is a function of the length of each panel. Thus, the overall size
of the building is dependent upon the dimensions of each panel and
the total number thereof.
[0005] In conventional building structures, the end walls are
typically connected to a single arched building panel at the
outermost edge of the roof. However, the present inventors have
observed that attaching the end walls to the outer edge of a single
building panel in this manner forms a structurally weak joint that
may not be suitable for certain building structures. In particular,
the present inventors have observed that this type of joint may be
subject to buckling in some areas and that such buckled areas can
significantly reduce the strength of the joint and the structural
integrity of the building structure. For example, as the size of
each panel forming the roof increases, so does its weight. Because
weight is a gravitational force, which imparts a moment upon
structures, as the width and length of each panel increases, the
panel is subject to greater moments that can cause failure of this
joint.
SUMMARY
[0006] According to an exemplary aspect, a system for forming an
attachment member for connecting a wall to a curved roof of a
building structure is described. The system includes a support
structure and a cutting assembly supported by the support structure
configured to receive sheet material wherein a plane of the sheet
material is oriented in a substantially vertical orientation, the
cutting assembly including a slitter to cut the sheet material
along a feed direction of the sheet material into first and second
portions of sheet material, the slitter having guides to support
the first and second portions of sheet material in the
substantially vertical orientation, the guides directing the first
portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing the
second portion of sheet material in a second direction different
from the first direction. The system also includes a forming
assembly supported by the support structure. The forming assembly
is configured to receive sheet material from the cutting assembly
and includes a frame, and multiple rollers supported by the frame,
the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet
material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first portion of
sheet material as the first portion of sheet material passes along
the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an attachment
member, the attachment member having a plurality of segments in
cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction
including a first flat segment in cross section and a second
segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the first
segment.
[0007] According to another aspect, an attachment member formed
from sheet material is described. The attachment member is
configured to connect a wall to a curved roof of a building
structure, the curved roof being formed from a plurality of curved
building panels, the attachment member being curved in a
longitudinal direction and having a shape in cross section in a
plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The attachment
member includes a first segment having a flat center portion and a
pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in
cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a
direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess
is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building
structure. The attachment member further includes a second segment
extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second
segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion
of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including
a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross
section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted
to mate with a rib of a curved building panel.
[0008] According to another aspect, a building structure is
described. The building structure comprises a curved roof formed
from a plurality of interconnected building panels, each building
panel extending in a longitudinal direction and having a shape in
cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction, wherein each building panel includes a central portion
having a rib in cross section. The building structure also includes
a wall. And further, the building structure includes an attachment
member formed from sheet material attaching the wall to the curved
roof. The attachment member comprises a first segment having a flat
center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the
center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a
recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion,
wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of
a building structure; a second segment extending from one of the
walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a
same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross
section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the
longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second
segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a
curved building panel; and wherein the flat center portion of the
first segment is connected to a first building panel of the curved
roof, and the longitudinal rib of the second segment is connected
to a rib of a second building panel of the curved roof.
[0009] According to yet another aspect, a method of forming an
attachment member for connecting a wall to a building structure is
described. The method comprises cutting sheet material from a
source of sheet material in a feed direction into first and second
portions of sheet material, a plane of the sheet material being
oriented in a vertical orientation; supporting the first and second
portions of sheet material in the vertical orientation with guides
such that the first portion of sheet material is directed in a
first direction and the second portion of sheet material is
directed in a second direction different from the first direction;
translating the first portion of sheet material through multiple
rollers, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion
of sheet material as the first portion passes along the multiple
rollers in a feed direction to form an attachment member, the
attachment member having a plurality of segments in cross section
in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction including a first
flat segment in cross section and a second segment extending
perpendicularly in cross section from the first segment; and
crimping the second segment of the attachment member to impart a
longitudinal curve to the attachment member along a length of the
attachment member.
[0010] According to still another aspect, a system for forming an
attachment member for connecting a wall to a curved roof of a
building structure is described. The system includes a support
structure and a cutting assembly supported by the support structure
configured to receive sheet material, the cutting assembly
including a slitter to cut the sheet material along a feed
direction of the sheet material into first and second portions of
sheet material, the slitter having guides to support the first and
second portions of sheet material, the guides directing the first
portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing the
second portion of sheet material in a second direction different
from the first direction. The system further includes a forming
assembly supported by the support structure that is configured to
receive sheet material from the cutting assembly. The forming
assembly includes a frame, and multiple rollers supported by the
frame, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of
sheet material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first
portion of sheet material as the first portion of sheet material
passes along the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an
attachment member, the attachment member having a plurality of
segments in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed
direction including a first flat segment in cross section and a
second segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the
first segment. The forming assembly is configured to form an
attachment member including: a first segment having a flat center
portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center
portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess
oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion,
wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of
a building structure; and a second segment extending from one of
the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented
in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in
cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the
longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second
segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a
curved building panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] These and other featured aspects and advantage for the
present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying
drawings.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary gable style building that
can be formed using building panels according to an exemplary
aspect.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary circular or arch style
building that can be formed using building panels according to an
exemplary aspect.
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary double radius or two radius
style buildings that can be formed using building panels according
to an exemplary aspect.
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional method of attaching a
curved roof building to a substantially planar wall.
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional shape of a
building panel that is straight along its length prior to being
curved longitudinally according to an exemplary aspect.
[0017] FIG. 6a illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional shape of
exemplary building panel having a longitudinal curve along its
length according to an exemplary aspect.
[0018] FIG. 6b illustrates another exemplary cross-sectional shape
of an exemplary building panel having a longitudinal curve along
its length according to an exemplary aspect.
[0019] FIG. 6c illustrates another exemplary cross-sectional shape
of an exemplary building panel having a longitudinal curve along
its length according to an exemplary aspect.
[0020] FIGS. 7a-7c illustrate an exemplary attachment member
connected to an exemplary curved building panel according to
exemplary aspects.
[0021] FIGS. 8a-8c illustrate exemplary attachment isometric views
of attachment members according to exemplary aspects.
[0022] FIGS. 9a-9c illustrate exemplary cross-sectional shape of
attachment members according to exemplary aspects.
[0023] FIGS. 10a-10b illustrate exemplary attachment members
according to exemplary aspects.
[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates a side view of an exemplary panel
curving system according to an exemplary aspect.
[0025] FIGS. 12a-12c illustrate an exemplary coil holder in a
system for forming an attachment member according to an exemplary
aspect.
[0026] FIG. 13 illustrate an exemplary drive unit of a system for
forming and attachment member according to an exemplary aspect.
[0027] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary sharing assembly of a
system for forming an attachment member according to an exemplary
aspect.
[0028] FIGS. 15a-15b illustrate exemplary views of a sharing
assembly in a system for forming an attachment member according to
exemplary aspects.
[0029] FIGS. 15c-15d illustrate a close up view of an exemplary
splitting assembly in a system for forming an attachment member
according to an exemplary aspect.
[0030] FIG. 16a illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary
forming assembly in a system for forming an attachment member
according to an exemplary aspect.
[0031] FIGS. 16b-16o illustrate front and rear views of an
exemplary forming assembly configured to produce varying
cross-sectional shapes of attachment members according to an
exemplary aspect.
[0032] FIG. 17 illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary
curving assembly in a system for forming an attachment member
according to an exemplary aspect.
[0033] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary controller in a system for
forming an attachment member according to an exemplary aspect.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Building structures manufactured using building panels
formed from sheet material can be constructed in a variety of
configurations. For example, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate exemplary shapes
of buildings that can be manufactured using building panels and
attachment members as described herein. These exemplary building
shapes include gable style buildings; an example of which is shown
in FIG. 1; circular style buildings, an example of which is shown
in FIG. 2; and double radius or two radius style buildings an
example of which is shown in the example of FIG. 3. In the
exemplary buildings illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, longitudinally curved
building panels are used to form the roof sections and
substantially straight building panels or other materials are used
to construct the flat wall sections. Other shapes can also be
fabricated such as lean to buildings, which are taller at one side
than another side and other variations using combinations of
building panels having longitudinally curved portions of various
radii and building panels having straight portions.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates a conventional method of attaching a
curved roof building structure to an end wall. In FIG. 4, an edge
panel 2, shown as an L shaped metal component, is attached to an
edge portion of a roof panel 1 to form a joint. The short leg of
the edge panel 2 is bolted to a lip on the top outermost edge of
the roof panel 1, and the long leg of the edge panel 2 extends
downward proximate the edge of the roof panel 1. An elbow shaped
panel 3 extends over the short leg of the edge panel 2 and is
bolted to the edge panel 2, and the remainder extends over a top
portion of the end wall panel 5. Typically, a wooden beam 4 is
placed between the underside of the panel 3 and the top portion of
the end wall panel 5.
[0036] However, the present inventors have noted that the
configuration of conventional attachment members, i.e., attachment
members attached to the outermost edge of a curved building panel,
has disadvantages. For example, the conventional structure lacks
stability due to the fact that it is attached to the edge of the
building panel and can be subject to torsion that can cause
buckling or failure. As shown in FIG. 4, the open space between the
edge panel 2 and the roof panel 1 provides an unsupported area that
may be particularly susceptible to these stresses.
[0037] Exemplary building panels and attachment members described
herein may be formed from sheet material, such as, for example,
structural steel sheet material ranging from about 0.035 inches to
about 0.080 inches in thickness. These building panels and
attachment members can be formed from other sheet materials as
well, such as other types of steel, galvalume, zincalume, aluminum,
or other building material that is suitable for construction. The
thickness of the building panels and attachment members may
generally range from about 0.035 inches to about 0.080 inches in
thickness (.+-.10%), depending on the type of sheet material used.
Of course, the building panels and attachment members may be formed
using other thicknesses and using other sheet building materials so
long as the sheet materials possess suitable engineering properties
of strength, toughness, workability, etc. It should also be noted
that the building panels and the attachment members need not be
made of the same material.
[0038] Exemplary building panels that may be used with exemplary
attachment members as described herein will now be described with
reference to FIGS. 5, 6a and 6b. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the
exemplary building panel 10 includes a curved center portion
through 30, a curved side portion 36 and 38, extending from the
curved center portion 30 in cross-section, and a pair of connecting
portions 32 and 34, extending from the side portions 36 and 38
respectively, in cross-section. The overall outline of the curved
center portion 30 is illustrated by the curved dotted line C.
Connecting portion 32 may include a hook portion 32a as illustrated
in FIG. 5; but in general, any suitable configuration may be used
for the connecting portion 32. Similarly, connecting portion 34 my
include a hem portion 34a, the hook portion 32a and the hem portion
34a being complementary in shape for joining the building panel to
adjacent building panels. However any suitable complementary shape
may be used for the connecting portion 34 that permits connecting
portion 34 to be joined to connecting portion 32.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, the building panel also includes a
plurality of segments 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28. These
segments extend in the longitudinal direction L along the length of
the building panel 10. These segments may also be referred to as
longitudinal deformation, longitudinal ribs, stiffening ribs and
the like and serve to strengthen the building panel 10 against
buckling and bending under loads. In this example, segments 22, 24,
26 and 28 extend outwardly in cross-section and segments 12, 14,
16, 18 and 20 extend inwardly in cross-section. For reference
purposes, inward as used herein means closer to a geometric center
of the cross-section of a building panel and outward means further
from the geometric center of the cross-section of a building panel.
As shown in FIG. 5, adjacent segments extend in opposing
directions. For example, segment 12 extends inwardly whereas in
adjacent segment 22 extends outwardly. In the example of FIG. 5,
the depth of a given segment relative to the adjacent segment is a
depth d. The depths of a segment of the building panel may all be
the same as illustrated in the example of FIG. 5; or the depths of
the segment may differ from one another.
[0040] The exemplary building panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 5
includes five inwardly extending segments 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and
four outwardly segments 22, 24, 26 and 28 but other numbers of
outwardly extending segments and inwardly extending segments may be
used. For example, the number of outwardly extending segments could
be greater or less than the number of inwardly extending segments.
Various sizes and number combination of segments may be used
depending upon the cross-sectional shape desired and the building
panel.
[0041] FIG. 6a is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary
building panel that may be used with certain exemplary embodiment
described herein. The exemplary building panel 39 includes a
central portion 40, and two inclined sidewall portions 44, 45
extending from opposite ends of the central portion 40. The central
portion 40 is straight and in order to increase that portion's
stiffness it may include a longitudinal rib 43. Assuming the
central portion includes a notched stiffener or longitudinal rib,
the central portion 30 would be separated into two sub-central
portions 41, 42. Although such a feature is not shown, the inclined
sidewall portion 44, 45 may also include notches to stiffen those
portions of the building pane. Continuing through FIG. 6a, the
building panel 39 further includes two wing portions 46, 47
extending from the inclined sidewall portion 44, 45 respectively;
the wing portions 46, 47 are substantially parallel to the straight
central portion 40 and may include notch stiffeners 50, 51. A hem
portion 48, extends from one wing portion 46, and a complementary
hook portion 49 extends from the other wing portion 47.
[0042] FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary
building panel that may be used with certain exemplary embodiment
described herein. The exemplary building panel 55 comprises a
curved central portion 56 from the ends of which extend a pair of
outwardly diverging inclined sidewall portions 57, 58. The panel 55
also comprises two wing portions 59, 60, which extend from the
outer end of inclined sidewall portion 57, 58 respectively. It may
also be preferable to include notches 61, 62 within the wing
portion 59, 60 to increase the stiffness of those portions.
Similarly, although they are not illustrated in FIG. 6b, it may be
preferable to include a notch stiffener within each of the inclined
sidewall portion. Continuing to refer to FIG. 6b, at the end of one
wing portion 59 is the hem portion 53 and at the end of the other
wing portion 60, is the complementary hook portion 54 capable of
receiving the hem portion 53.
[0043] FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary
building panel that may be used with certain exemplary embodiment
described herein. The exemplary building panel 63 has a convex base
64 in cross section, a pair of spaced upright side portions 65 and
66 projecting upwardly from the opposite marginal edges of and in a
direction transverse to the convex base 64, an upper inturned
flange portion 67 projecting inwardly from the upper marginal edge
of and in a direction transverse to the side portion 65. An upper
outturned flange portion 68 projects outwardly from an upper
marginal edge of and in a direction transverse to the side portion
66 and has a downturned terminal portion 66a at the outer marginal
edge thereof. The inturned flange portion 67, has a terminal
section 67a bent toward the side portion 65 to provide a reverse
bend or fold and a double thickness. The outturned flange portion
68 is bent downwardly to provide a straight, downturned terminal
portion 68a providing an inverted, generally U-shaped connecting
channel with a bottom opening. The bottom opening formed by the
outturned flange portion 68 is of greater width than the inturned
flange portion 66 so that it will receive the inturned flange
portion of the next adjacent panel directly through the bottom
opening to facilitate assembly of the panels. The base 64 and the
side portions 65, 66 may include corrugations therein to improve
the structural integrity of the panel 63.
[0044] FIG. 7a illustrates the building panel of FIG. 5 connected
to an exemplary attachment member and the attachment member
connected to an end wall in accordance with certain exemplary
embodiments. FIG. 7a shows a curved roof 70 comprised of multiple
curved building panels. The curved building panels include a first
roof panel 72 connected to a second roof panel 74. As shown, the
connecting portion 32 of the first roof panel 72 is connected to
the connecting portion 34 of the second roof panel 74 in a
longitudinal direction. Mated to the bottom of the two building
panels of the curved roof 70 is an attachment member 76. The
attachment member 76 includes a first portion 78 connected to the
bottom portions of the roof building panels 72, 74 and having an
L-shape in cross section. The attachment member 76 also includes a
second portion 80 nested into the bottom of the first portion 78
and also having a L-shape in cross-section.
[0045] Nested between the perpendicular walls of the first portion
78 and the second portion 80 is a sealing element 82 (e.g.,
neoprene, or any other suitable material such as rubber, plastics
and other polymer and/or foam materials as will be appreciated by
one of ordinary skill in the art). The sealing element 82 seals the
top portion of the end wall 84 to provide a moisture barrier
between the outside and inside of the building structure. The end
wall 84 of a building structure in accordance with exemplary
embodiments is typically substantially planar in shape and may be
composed of interconnected building panels made from sheet
material, concrete cinderblocks, wood, or any other suitable
building material as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the
art. FIG. 7b illustrates the curved roof 70, mated to the
attachment member 76 and including a sealing element 82, but
without the end wall 84. FIG. 7c illustrates the curved roof 70,
connected to the attachment member 76 but without the sealing
element 82 or the end wall 84.
[0046] Advantageously, exemplary building structures manufactured
using attachment members as described in exemplary embodiments
herein may not suffer from the weakness of conventional techniques
of attaching end walls to the roof because they may be attached to
the bottom portion of two building panels. This configuration can
provide additional rigidity and strength to the joint because it
provides a triangle-shaped support structure in cross section
between the roof and the end wall that is more resistant to
stresses and bending moments. For example, as shown in FIG. 7a, the
apex of the triangle is the seam between the building panels 72,
24, the upper walls are the inner walls of the building panels 72,
74, and the base is formed by the attachment member 76.
[0047] In addition, attaching the end walls between the bottom
portion of two building panels allows advantageous configurations
that were not readily achievable with conventional techniques. For
example, since the end wall in exemplary embodiments of the present
disclosure does not need to be attached to the edge of a roof
panel, the end wall can be inset from the edge of the curved roof
by any desired distance. The end wall can be inset by the width of
one or two building panels to form an eave, or inset by a greater
distance to provide an open yet covered area (e.g., a shelter or
sun shade area). Moreover, walls can also be attached interior to
the building structure, allowing contractors to construct buildings
with internal partitions.
[0048] FIG. 8a illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary
attachment member. The exemplary attachment member 76 has a
longitudinal direction L as shown in FIG. 8a, and a cross section
in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. The
attachment member 76 typically is curved in the longitudinal
direction L to match a longitudinal curve in building panels
forming the roof of a building structure, so that it can closely
mate with these building panels.
[0049] The exemplary attachment member 76 is formed from two
portions: the first portion 78 having an L-shape in cross section
and a second portion 80 also having an L-shape in cross section.
The first portion 78 includes a channel wall 92 at one end and a
longitudinal rib 96 at the other end (shown as an arcuate portion).
Similarly, the second portion 80 includes the channel wall 90, at
one end and a longitudinal rib 98 at the other end. When the second
portion 80 is mated to the first portion 78, the attachment member
76 has a first segment that forms a channel for accommodating an
end wall and a second segment including a longitudinal rib for
mating with the rib of a first curved building panel of the
roof.
[0050] The first segment of the exemplary attachment member 76 is
formed from three components: (i) the flat center portion 93 (i.e.,
the portion of the first portion 78 extending past the wall of the
second portion 80), (ii) the perpendicular channel wall 90 of the
second portion 80, and (iii) the perpendicular channel wall 92 of
the first portion 78, which together define a recess 94 oriented in
a direction perpendicular to the center portion 93. The recess 94
is designed to accommodate the upper portion of an end wall 84 and
may include the sealing member 82 as illustrated in FIG. 7a. The
top of the flat center portion 93 vertically supports and may be
attached to the bottom of a second curved building panel of the
roof that is adjacent to the first panel, for example, by way of
bolts, screws, rivets, or other suitable means. The second segment
of the exemplary attachment member 76 extends from the first
segment starting at the wall 90 of the second portion 80 and is
oriented in the same plane as the flat center portion 93 of the
first segment. The second segment includes longitudinal ribs 96, 98
at the end of the first and second portions 78, 80, which are
designed to accommodate the longitudinal rib portions 16 of the
building panel shown in FIG. 5 or the longitudinal rib section 43
of the building panel shown in FIG. 6a. These ribs 96, 98 may be
affixed to the longitudinal rib of a building panel by any suitable
means; for example, a rivet, bolt, screw, weld or any other
suitable means. The dimensions of the recess 94 may vary to
accommodate various sizes of end wall portions in certain exemplary
embodiments. For example, FIG. 8b illustrate an exemplary
attachment member with a slightly narrower recess portion 94 in
cross section, and FIG. 8c illustrates and exemplary attachment
member with an even more narrow recess 94 in cross section.
[0051] FIG. 9a illustrates a cross-section of the exemplary
attachment member 76 shown in FIGS. 8a-8c. In cross-section, the
exemplary attachment member 76 includes the first portion 78 and
second portion 80. The first portion 78 includes at one end a
perpendicular channel wall 90 and at the other end a longitudinal
rib designed to mate with the longitudinal rib portion of a
building panel forming a curved roof The second portion 80 includes
at one end, a perpendicular channel wall 90 and at the other end, a
longitudinal rib 98. When the first portion 78 and the second
portion 80 are mated together they form a recess 94 designed to
accommodate the upper portion of an end wall. The attachment member
76 may be attached to a curved building panel, for example, using
bolts, rivets, screws, welds, any combination thereof, or any other
suitable means.
[0052] FIG. 9b illustrates an attachment member 100 in accordance
with another exemplary embodiment. The attachment member 100
includes a first portion 102 having an L-shape in cross-section and
a second portion 104 having a C-shape in cross-section. The first
portion 102 has at one end a perpendicular channel wall 103 and at
the other end a longitudinal rib 112 designed to accommodate the
longitudinal rib of a curved building panel. The second portion 104
is the channel segment of the attachment member that includes two
perpendicular channel walls, 106 and 108, which form a recess 110
designed to accommodate the upper portion of an end wall. This
segment may also include a sealing element to seal the upper
portion of the end wall. The C-shaped second portion 104 nests into
the L-shaped first portion 102, and may be attached to a curved
building panel, for example by means of a bolt, rivet, screw, weld
or any other suitable means.
[0053] FIG. 9c illustrate an attachment member in accordance with
yet another exemplary embodiment. The attachment member 120 is
composed of a single sheet and both ends of the attachment member
include longitudinal ribs 128, 130, designed to mate with
longitudinal rib portions of curved building panels that form a
curved roof. The center segment of the attachment member 120
includes two perpendicular channel walls 122 and 124 that define a
recess 126. The recess 126 can accommodate the upper portion of an
end wall and may also include a sealing element to seal the upper
portion of the end wall.
[0054] FIGS. 10a and 10b illustrate an attachment member in
accordance with another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 10a illustrates
an isometric view of an attachment member 114 having a C-shape in
cross-section, attached to a curved building panel 72 and having a
sealing member 115 inserted therein. FIG. 10b illustrates a
close-up isometric view of attachment member 114. The attachment
member 114 includes perpendicular channel walls 116, 117 that
define a recess 118, the recess being designed to accommodate the
upper portion of an end wall.
[0055] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary attachment member forming
system 150. The system 150 includes a support structure 152, shown
in this example as a mobile trailer platform, which can be towed
behind a truck so that the system 150 can be easily transported to
a job site. Supported by the support structure 152, is a coil
holder 154 for supporting a coil of sheet material, e.g., steel
sheet material. Shown supported on the coil holder is a coil of
sheet material 155. Also supported on the support structure 152 and
proximate coil holder 154 is a drive unit 156. The drive unit 156
comprises opposing drive rollers having faces with rubber or other
suitable material for grabbing the sheet material and driving it
through the system 150. The drive unit 156 may include a hydraulic
motor or electric motor for driving the drive rollers, or the drive
unit 156 may be pneumatically or manually operated, and is designed
to feed sheet material from the coil holder 154 to the subsequent
components of the system 150.
[0056] As illustrated, the components of the exemplary system 150
preferably support the sheet material in a substantially vertical
orientation when in use (wherein substantially vertical is defined
herein as any orientation within a few degrees, e.g.,
1.degree.-2.degree. or less, of an orientation parallel to the axis
of gravitational force after the support structure 152 has been
leveled) and translate the sheet material in a feed direction F.
Advantageously, arranging the components to work the sheet material
in a vertical orientation may allow the components to take up less
space than a horizontal arrangement, thereby facilitating
transportation of all the components on a single trailer. However,
it is explicitly contemplated that embodiments of the present
disclosure also can include one or more components configured in a
horizontal arrangement. For example, in such embodiments the coil
holder 154 could have a horizontal axis of rotation and feed sheet
material to a horizontally oriented drive unit 156, which would
then feed horizontally oriented sheet material to the subsequent
components of the system 150.
[0057] Proximate the drive unit 156 and supported on the support
structure 152 is a cutting assembly that includes a shearing
assembly 158 and a slitting assembly 160. The cutting assembly cuts
the sheet material to a shape (typically rectangular with longer
dimensions along the feed direction F) and size suitable for
forming the desired attachment members in accordance with exemplary
embodiments. The shearing assembly 158 cuts the sheet material in a
direction perpendicular to the feed direction F, i.e., a vertical
direction as shown in FIG. 11. The exemplary slitting assembly 160
cuts the sheet material along its length (i.e., in the feed
direction F) into two portions: an upper portion that is scrap
sheet material and a lower portion that is used to form the
attachment member. The slitting assembly 160 includes guides that
direct the upper portion of the sheet material in a first direction
(i.e., out of the plane of the feed direction F) for collection by
workers, and the lower portion in a second direction different from
the first direction (e.g., along the feed direction F) to a forming
assembly 162.
[0058] The forming assembly 162 includes multiple hydraulically
actuated rollers designed to form the sheet material into the
desired cross-sectional shape (e.g., a C-shape or L-shape in
cross-section). However, it should be noted that they could be
driven in any suitable manner such as, for example, electrically,
manually or pneumatically. Once the attachment member has been
formed to have the desired cross-sectional shape, it can then be
fed back through the curving assembly 164, which includes crimping
rollers for imparting a longitudinal curve to the attachment
member. The rear of the curving assembly 164 includes guides to
direct sheet material from the cutting assembly to the forming
assembly 162 and the exemplary curving assembly 164 is mounted on a
track so that it can be moved on the support structure
perpendicular to the feed direction F. Advantageously, this
configuration provides the capability for stowing the curving
assembly inside a trailer to facilitate transportation, and for
extending the curving assembly to provide a track from the cutting
assembly to the forming assembly 162.
[0059] The support structure 152 also includes a controller 166
that may be, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC) or
a microprocessor based controller used for controlling the
operations of the components of the attachment member forming
system 150. In addition, a power supply, for example, a diesel
generator 168, can also be provided on the support structure 152 to
power the various functions of the system 150. In addition, in
exemplary embodiments a building panel forming machine may also be
included on the support structure 152. For example, a building
panel forming machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,445 or
5,359,871 or in US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0000156
could be supported on a portion of the support structure 152 that
is not occupied by the attachment member forming system 150.
[0060] The individual components of an exemplary system for forming
an attachment member for connecting an end wall to a curved roof of
a building structure will now be described with reference to
specific figures.
[0061] FIG. 12a illustrates an exemplary coil holder 154 (also
referred to herein as a decoiler) in accordance with exemplary
embodiments. As shown in FIG. 12a, the decoiler 154 comprises a
frame 169 (e.g., a horizontal metal platform) and multiple support
roller assemblies 170 supported by the frame 169, each support
roller assembly 170 comprising a conical support roller 171, an
outer support member 178, and an inner support member 173. The
inner and outer support members 173 and 178 support each of the
support rollers 171 via suitable bearings. In the example of FIG.
12a, there are four support roller assemblies 171, one of which is
hidden from view. The decoiler 154 also includes a central
rotatable spindle 172, which serves to maintain a coil of sheet
material centered on the decoiler 154. FIG. 12b illustrates the
decoiler 154 with a coil of sheet material 155 positioned thereon,
wherein it is seen that the coil of sheet material 155 has an outer
surface, a hollow core, and an inner surface within the hollow
core.
[0062] As shown by comparing FIGS. 12a and 12b, the rotatable
spindle 172 is positioned to coincide with the bottom opening of a
hollow core of the coil 155 of sheet material. Also shown in FIGS.
12a and 12b, the dotted line "B" designates the rotation axis of
the rotatable spindle 172, which coincides with the cylindrical
axis of the coil 155. The rotation axis "B" of the spindle 172 is
oriented perpendicularly to a horizontal plane associated with the
frame 169 (e.g., a plane of a supporting platform such as shown in
the example of FIGS. 12a and 12b). The rotation axis B is oriented
substantially vertically along the Z direction when the decoiler is
in use. As referred to herein "substantially vertical" means that
the rotation axis B of the decoiler is within a few degrees (e.g.,
1-2 degrees or less) of a gravitational force direction. In other
words, when the support frame 169 is horizontally oriented to
within a few degrees of "level" (e.g., 1-2 degrees or less), the
rotation axis B will be oriented substantially vertically.
[0063] Referring again to the example of FIG. 12a, the rotatable
spindle 172 may comprise a rotating platform 175 (e.g., a disk of
metal plate), a set of radial members 174a and 174b supported by
the rotating platform 175, a vertical shaft 176 (and associated
housing and bearings), and a cap 177 that secures and/or guides the
radial members 174a, 174b. The rotatable spindle 172 may comprise
an adjustable mechanism wherein some radial members 174b are
movable inward and outward in radial directions perpendicular to
the rotation axis B via scissors mechanisms, while other radial
members 174a have fixed positions. A suitable scissors mechanism
can be provided, for example, by connecting a lower linkage of the
scissors mechanism to a vertical sleeve that slides up and down an
outer surface of the central rotating shaft of the spindle 172 such
that when the sleeve is pushed upward (e.g., via hydraulics), the
upper and lower scissors linkages are brought closer together,
thereby moving the radial members 174b radially outward, and vice
versa. Of course, the positions of the radial members 174b could
also be controlled via a scissors mechanism driven by a hand-crank
instead of hydraulics as will be appreciated by those skilled in
the art.
[0064] The radial members 174a, 174b preferably are shaped to have
sloped upper edges as shown in FIG. 12a such that when a coil of
sheet material 155 is positioned onto the decoiler (e.g., lowered
onto the decoiler 154 via straps held from a hoist or forklift) the
sloped edges of the radial members 174a, 174b serve to guide the
coil 155 to an approximately centered position. Then, radial
members 174b (whose positions are adjustable) may be moved outward
in a cooperative manner so as to contact the inner surface of the
coil 155 to push the coil 155 into a centered position such that
the cylindrical axis of the coil coincides with the rotation axis B
of the rotatable spindle 172. When a coil of sheet material 155 has
been consumed, the radial members 174b can be retracted radially
inward.
[0065] FIG. 12c illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a
support roller assembly 170 comprising an inner support member 173
and an outer support member 178 that support the support rollers
171 via suitable bearings. As illustrated in FIG. 12c, the conical
support rollers 106 each have a conical shape with a wide end and a
narrow end, wherein each of the conical support rollers 106 has a
respective axis of rotation C. The conical support rollers 171 are
oriented such that their respective rotational axes C are directed
radially toward the rotation axis B of the rotatable spindle, i.e.,
toward, a center of the coil 155, and oriented at an angle .theta.
upward relative to a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to
the axis of rotation B of the rotatable spindle, so that the
portions of the conical support rollers 171 that contact the bottom
of the coil 155 are arranged substantially horizontally. This
orientation of the conical support rollers 171 permits the flat
bottom of the coil 155 to supported along the length of each
support rollers 171. Each support roller assembly 170 may also
include a side roller 179 whose axis of rotation is oriented
parallel to axis of rotation B supported by outer support member
178, wherein the side roller 179 can provide lateral support to
prevent the coil of sheet material 155 from shifting radially
outward past an outer edge of the support roller 171.
[0066] The dimensions of the conical support members 171 can be
selected based upon the expected sizes of coils of sheet material
anticipated. A typical coil 155 may have, for example, an inner
diameter of about 24 inches, an outer diameter of about 40 inches,
and a height of about 36 inches. Generally, the length of each
conical support roller 171 should be at least as large as the
difference between the inner and outer radii of the coil 155, i.e.,
the length of each conical support roller 171 should be at least as
large as the radial width of the sheet material coiled on the coil
155. To accommodate typical sized coils of sheet material, the
conical support rollers 106 can be about 12.3 inches long with a
narrow-end diameter of about 2.25 inches and a wide-end diameter of
about 5.3 inches. The narrow end of the support roller 171 can be
positioned at a distance of about 9 inches from the rotation axis B
of the rotatable spindle 172 (i.e., from the cylindrical axis of
the coil 155), and the wide end of the support roller 171 can be
positioned at a distance of about 12.3 inches from the rotation
axis B. The wide-end and narrow-end diameters of the conical
support rollers 171 should be chosen according to the relationship
R1/R2=A1/A2, where A1 is a diameter of the roller 171 near its
narrow end, A2 is a diameter of the roller 171 near its wide end,
R1 is a distance from the rotation axis B to a contact point on the
roller 171 at diameter A1, and R2 is a distance from the rotation
axis B to a contact point on the roller 171 at diameter A2, such as
shown in FIG. 12c. Choosing the support roller dimensions according
to satisfy this relationship ensures that at any given distance
from the rotation axis B, the linear speed of the sheet material
riding on the support roller 171 matches the linear speed of the
surface of the support roller 171 at that point. Thus, R1 and R2
can be chosen to accommodate the expected sizes of coils, A1 can be
selected to a desired value (e.g., large enough for desired
structural strength such as, e.g., 2.25 inches, 2.5 inches, 3
inches, etc.), and A2 can then be calculated based on R1, R2 and
A1. As seen from FIG. 12c, the angle .theta. can be given by sin
.theta.=A1/(2R1)=A2/(2R2). Suitable dimensions for support rollers
to accommodate other coil sizes can be selected by those skilled in
the art in light of the explanation above.
[0067] Choices for the materials used in fabricating various
components of the decoiler 154 and the other devices described
herein can be made based upon the expected size and weight of the
coils and sheet material to be accommodated. For example, as noted
above, a typical coil for use in metal building fabrication may
have an inner diameter of, for example, about 20 inches (i.e., the
diameter of the hollow core is about 20 inches), an outer diameter
of about 40 inches, and a height of about 36 inches. The weight of
such coils may range from about 6000 to 9000 pounds typically, for
example. The materials used for fabricating various components
according to the present disclosure should be chosen to accommodate
the weight of the coils and sheet material being used. For example,
frame pieces may be made from stainless steel or aluminum-alloy
plates, e.g., 0.5-0.75 inches in thickness, support rollers made be
made from stainless steel or polyurethane, connecting rods and
shafts may be made from stainless steel or hardened steel, bearings
and gears may be made from hardened steel, etc.
[0068] The coil holder 154 may include a tensioning mechanism for
opposing a rotation of the rotating member so as to permit
tensioning of the sheet material as it is fed from the coil. For
example, the tensioning mechanism may be provided by a rotating
disk attached to the rotating member that rotates with the rotating
member, against which a brake shoe or other device may be pressed
so as to provided a controllable frictional force against the disk.
The coil holder 154 may also include a radially adjustable clamping
mechanism (e.g., a vertically oriented roller) that can be moved
radially inward and outward and positioned against the outermost
sheet of the coil 176 to prevent the coil from unwinding when its
holding strap is released. The coil holder 154 may also include a
drive mechanism to drive a pair of the support rollers 171 to
rotate the coil, e.g., to facilitate feeding sheet material from
the coil 155 into the drive unit 156. In addition, the coil holder
154 may be arranged on an adjustable platform that can be attached
to a side of the support structure 152 so as to reposition the coil
holder 154 (e.g., rotate the vertical rotation axis by about 90
degrees) to put it in a non-use position when the overall system
150 is being transported. An exemplary decoiling system that can be
used for the coil holder 154 is disclosed in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. 011925-0084-999)
entitled "Vertical Sheet Metal Decoiling Systems and Methods" filed
even date herewith, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
[0069] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary drive unit 156 in
accordance with exemplary embodiments. The drive unit 156 includes
a frame 180 that supports the components of the drive unit therein.
Attached to the frame 180 is a pair of inlet guide rollers 182 that
support inserted sheet material in a vertical orientation. The
inserted sheet material translates through the drive unit 156 in
the feed direction, which in FIG. 13 is from right to left. The
sheet material passes between rollers 188, 190 in the feed
direction. Rollers 190 are fixed to the frame 180 and rollers 188
are attached to a shaft 186, that is driven by a gear 192. The gear
192 is driven by drive gear 194, which is mated to the hydraulic
assembly 184 to drive the rotation of the rollers 188 and translate
the feed material in the feed direction through the drive unit
156.
[0070] In addition to sheet material supplied from the exemplary
coil holder 154, the drive unit 156 may also receive and translate
scrap sheet metal that may be available at the job site. For
example, if suitable sheet material has been previously slit as
described with reference to the exemplary slitting assembly 160
below, there may be sufficient scrap sheet material to produce
additional attachment members. This scrap sheet material can be fed
into the drive unit 156 by hand or by any other suitable
mechanism.
[0071] FIGS. 14, 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d illustrate exemplary
embodiments of the cutting assembly. The cutting assembly includes
a shearing assembly 158 illustrated in FIG. 14. The shearing
assembly 158 includes a frame 200 adapted to be supported on the
support structure 152. Attached to the frame are vertical guide
members 202 that guide sheet material as it translates through the
shearing assembly 158 in the feed direction, which in FIG. 14 is
from right to left. Also attached to the frame are guiding rollers
204 that horizontally support the sheet material as it passes
through the shearing assembly 158 in the feed direction. Attached
within the frame is a cutting blade 206 (e.g., a guillotine type
blade) that is used to cut the sheet material along a vertical
axis, i.e., in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction F. The
cutting blade 206 is driven by hydraulic pistons 208, which are
mounted on the frame 200, to cut through the sheet material.
[0072] FIGS. 15a and 15b illustrate an exemplary front view and
side view, respectively, of a slitting assembly 160 in accordance
with exemplary embodiments. The slitting assembly 160 includes a
frame 210 that supports the components of the slitting assembly
therein. Sheet material passes into the slitting assembly 160
through inlet guide rollers 224 that support the sheet material in
a substantially vertical orientation. After the sheet material
passes through the inlet guide rollers 224, it is then slit into
two portions, an upper portion and a lower portion, lengthwise
along the feed direction. In the exemplary embodiment, the upper
portion is scrap metal translated out of the plane of the feed
direction for collection, and the lower portion is translated in
the feed direction toward the forming assembly 162 to be formed
into an attachment member. Of course, the destinations and use of
the portions of sheet material have been described for exemplary
purposes only and could readily be reversed.
[0073] FIGS. 15c and 15d illustrate close-up views of the slitting
members 226 and the proximate sheet material supporting components.
As shown, the slitting members 226 include a pair of cutting wheels
232, 236 that are vertically offset, and a stripper wheel 234
supported opposite the cutting wheel 232 and mounted on a shaft
below the cutting wheel 236 that prevents sheet material from
adhering to the cutting wheel 236 during the slitting process. The
cutting wheel 232 is mounted on a shaft above a horizontal guide
roller 222. In operation, the sheet material is translated between
the hydraulically driven cutting wheels 232, 236, which causes the
sheet material to be slit lengthwise. The cutting wheels 232, 236
are rotationally driven by a hydraulic motor of the hydraulic
assembly 228, which is mounted to the frame 210. Providing support
to and driving the sheet material as it passes through the slitting
members 226 is an assortment of horizontal guide rollers 222
supported by supporting members 238 (e.g., square brackets, bars,
or other supports). While described as hydraulically driven, it
should be noted that the slitting members 226 could be driven in
any suitable manner such as, for example, electrically, manually or
pneumatically.
[0074] The present inventors have found that it is desirable to
support the upper portion of the sheet material closely after
slitting it (i.e., cutting it into upper and lower portions in the
feed direction), to prevent the upper portion from bending downward
under gravitational force against the lower portion, and to prevent
binding of the slitting assembly 160. This also prevents damage to
the slitting members 226 that could be caused by the binding of the
sheet material in the slitting assembly 160. Accordingly, exemplary
embodiments of the present disclosure include vertical rollers 230
(e.g., rollers with a v-shaped or u-shaped recesses) that support
the sheet material vertically shortly after it is slit by the
slitting members 226. These vertical rollers 230 keep the upper
portion (i.e., the scrap metal) of the sheet material from falling
down and interfering with the lower portion of the sheet material.
The vertical guide rollers 230 are supported by supporting members
238 and attached to an adjustable pedestal 216, which is movably
mounted to the frame 210. The adjustable pedestal 216 is mounted on
a track and can be moved up or down by handwheel 218 via a set of
linkages. This adjustability allows the slitting assembly 160 to
cut varying cross sectional widths of sheet material suitable for
varying sizes of attachment members.
[0075] As can be seen, the upper portion of sheet material passes
along a different path than the lower portion of sheet material.
The lower portion passes along fixed guiding members 212 and
vertical guiding rollers 214, which are both fixedly mounted to the
frame 210. The lower portion is also supported by vertical guide
rollers 231 (e.g., rollers with a v-shaped or u-shaped recesses) at
the upper end. Similar to the vertical guide rollers 230, the
vertical guide rollers 231 are also mounted to the adjustable
pedestal 216 to accommodate varying cross sectional widths of sheet
material suitable for varying sizes of attachment members.
[0076] FIGS. 16a to 16o illustrate an exemplary forming assembly
162 for imparting a desired cross sectional shape to the sheet
material in order to fabricate attachment members. FIG. 16a
illustrates an exemplary configuration of rollers suitable to form
L-shaped portions of sheet material. In FIG. 16a, flat sheet
material oriented in a vertical direction Z enters on the right
side of the forming assembly 162, translates through a series of
rollers in the feed direction F, and exits on the left side of the
forming assembly with an L-shapes cross section imparted thereto.
The forming assembly 162 has a frame 240 that supports the
components of the forming assembly therein. Starting from the right
side of FIG. 16a, an inlet guide assembly 241 is attached to the
frame 240, the inlet guide assembly including fixed members and
vertically oriented rollers that support the sheet material as it
enters the forming assembly in a vertical orientation. The inlet
guide assembly 241 includes a set of upper vertical guide rollers
243 (e.g., with v-shaped or u-shaped recesses therein) that are
adjustable to accommodate various cross sectional widths of sheet
material.
[0077] After the sheet material passes the inlet guide assembly 241
in the feed direction F, it passes between a first pair of shafts:
a front shaft 246, and a rear shaft 247. The front shaft 246, and
rear shaft 247 are attached to the frame 240 via bearings that
allow the shafts to rotate. A concave roller 248 is at the upper
end of the front shaft 246, and a complementary convex roller 249
is at the upper end of the rear shaft 247; both rollers being
supported in position by an adjustable platform 263. When sheet
material passes between the concave roller 248 and the convex
roller 249, these rollers impact the sheet material and form a
longitudinal rib therein. Also, attached to the bottom end of the
front shaft 246 is a conical roller 250 having an angle
approximately 15.degree. from vertical; and attached to the bottom
of the rear shaft 247 is a complementary conical roller 251. When
the sheet material passes between these conical rollers 250, 251,
these rollers impact the sheet material and begin to bend the sheet
material to provide a first bend to ultimately obtain a cross
sectional L shape.
[0078] Next the sheet material passes between a second pair of
shafts: front shaft 252 and a rear shaft 253. The front shaft 252
extends vertically from the base of the frame 240 to approximately
the center of the frame, and is supported by adjustable platform
267. Attached to the upper portion of the front shaft 252 is an
upper conical roller 254 having an angle approximately 45.degree.
from vertical. The upper conical roller 254 may be removed and
replaced with a cylindrical roller 258 as explained further below
to form the sheet material into different shapes. Attached to the
middle portion of the rear shaft 253, and also supported by
adjustable platform 267 is a complementary conical roller 255, also
removable, designed to mate with the upper conical roller 254.
[0079] As illustrated in FIGS. 16b, 16c, 16f, 16g, 16l, and 16m,
the conical rollers 254, 255, which are removable, are used when
the forming assembly 162 is configured to produce C-shaped portions
of sheet material in cross section. When the sheet material passes
between these conical rollers 254, 255, these rollers impact the
sheet material and bend the upper portion of the sheet material to
obtain a cross sectional C shape.
[0080] The upper conical roller 254 may be loosened and removed via
the adjustment mechanism 260 (e.g., a frictional locking
mechanism), which uses a hand-crank mechanism. The upper conical
roller 254 may be replaced with a cylindrical roller 258. The
replacement cylindrical roller 258 is used when the forming
assembly is configured to produce L-shaped portions of sheet
material in cross section. As such, when the upper conical roller
254 is replaced with the cylindrical roller 258, the rollers 255,
258 impart no cross section shape to the sheet material and instead
act merely as horizontal guides that serve to translate sheet
material through the forming assembly. Attached to the bottom end
of the front shaft 252 is a conical roller 256 having an angle
approximately 30.degree. from vertical; and attached to the bottom
of the rear shaft 253 is a complementary conical roller 257. When
the sheet material passes between these conical rollers 256, 257,
these rollers impact the sheet material and further bend the sheet
material to obtain more of a cross sectional L shape. In other
words, as described further below, the conical roller 254 is used
when the forming assembly 162 is used to create a C-shaped member
from the sheet material (e.g., a C-shaped member with two 90 degree
bends), and the cylindrical roller 258 is used when the forming
assembly 162 is used to create an L-shaped member from the sheet
material.
[0081] After the sheet material passes between the second pair of
shafts 252, 253 in the feed direction F, it passes between a third
pair of shafts: a front shaft 268, and a rear shaft 269. The front
shaft 268, and rear shaft 269 are attached to the frame 240 via
bearings that allow the shafts to rotate. A concave roller 270 is
at the upper end of the front shaft 268, and a complementary convex
roller 271 is at the upper end of the rear shaft 269, both rollers
being supported in position by the adjustable platform 263. When
sheet material passes between the concave roller 270 and the convex
roller 271, these rollers further impact the sheet material to
further form the longitudinal rib therein. Also, attached to the
bottom end of the front shaft 268 is a conical roller 272 having an
angle approximately 45.degree. from vertical; and attached to the
bottom of the rear shaft 269 is a complementary conical roller 273.
When the sheet material passes between these conical rollers 272,
273, these rollers impact the sheet material and further bend the
sheet material to obtain more of a cross sectional L shape.
[0082] Next the sheet material passes between a fourth pair of
shafts: front shaft 274 and a rear shaft 275. The front shaft 274
extends vertically from the base of the frame 240 to approximately
the center of the frame, and is supported by adjustable platform
267. Attached to the upper portion of the front shaft 274 is an
upper conical roller 276 having an angle approximately 75.degree.
from vertical. The upper conical roller 276 may be removed and
replaced with a cylindrical roller 280 as explained further below
to form the sheet material into different shapes. Attached to the
middle portion of the rear shaft 275, and also supported by
adjustable platform 267 is a complementary conical roller 277
designed to mate with the upper conical roller 276.
[0083] As illustrated in FIGS. 16b, 16c, 16f, 16g, 16l, and 16m,
the conical rollers 276, 277 are used when the forming assembly 162
is configured to produce C-shaped portions of sheet material in
cross section. When the sheet material passes between these conical
rollers 276, 277, these rollers impact the sheet material and
further bend the upper portion of the sheet material to obtain a
cross sectional C shape.
[0084] The upper conical roller 276 may be loosened and removed via
the adjustment mechanism 261 (e.g., a frictional locking
mechanism), which uses a hand-crank mechanism. The upper conical
roller 276 may be replaced with a cylindrical roller 280. The
replacement cylindrical roller 280 is used when the forming
assembly is configured to produce L-shaped portions of sheet
material in cross section. As such, when the upper conical roller
276 is replaced with the cylindrical roller 280, the rollers 277,
280 impart no cross section shape to the sheet material and instead
act merely as horizontal guides that serve to translate sheet
material through the forming assembly. Attached to the bottom end
of the front shaft 274 is a conical roller 278 having an angle
approximately 60.degree. from vertical; and attached to the bottom
of the rear shaft 275 is a complementary conical roller 279. When
the sheet material passes between these conical rollers 278, 279,
these rollers impact the sheet material and further bend the sheet
material to obtain more of a cross sectional L shape.
[0085] After the sheet material passes between the fourth pair of
shafts 274, 275 in the feed direction F, it passes between a fifth
pair of shafts: a front shaft 283, and a rear shaft 289. The front
shaft 283, and rear shaft 289 are attached to the frame 240 via
bearings that allow the shafts to rotate. A concave roller 285 is
at the upper end of the front shaft 283, and a complementary convex
roller 286 is at the upper end of the rear shaft 289, both rollers
being supported in position by the adjustable platform 263. When
sheet material passes between the concave roller 285 and the convex
roller 286, these rollers further impact the sheet material to
further form the longitudinal rib therein. Also, attached to the
bottom end of the front shaft 283 is a conical roller 287 having an
angle approximately 75.degree. from vertical; and attached to the
bottom of the rear shaft 289 is a complementary conical roller 288.
When the sheet material passes between these conical rollers 287,
288, these rollers impact the sheet material and further bend the
sheet material to obtain more of a cross sectional L shape.
[0086] Finally, the sheet material passes between a sixth pair of
shafts: a front shaft 286, and a rear shaft 290. The front shaft
286, and rear shaft 290 are attached to the frame 240 via bearings
that allow the shafts to rotate. A concave roller 291 is at the
upper end of the front shaft 286, and a complementary convex roller
292 is at the upper end of the rear shaft 290, both rollers being
supported in position by the adjustable platform 263. When sheet
material passes between the concave roller 286 and the convex
roller 292, these rollers further impact the sheet material to
further form the longitudinal rib therein. Also, attached to the
bottom end of the front shaft 286 is a cylindrical roller 293; and
attached to the bottom of the rear shaft 290 is a complementary
cylindrical roller 294. When the sheet material passes between
these cylindrical rollers 293, 294, these rollers impact the sheet
material and complete bending the sheet material into the desired a
cross sectional L shape.
[0087] Furthermore, attached to approximately the middle of the
front shaft 286 is a cylindrical roller 259; and attached to
approximately the middle of the rear shaft 290 is a complementary
cylindrical roller 265. As illustrated in FIGS. 16b, 16c, 16f, 16g,
16l, and 16m, these rollers are used when the forming assembly 162
is configured to produce C-shaped portions of sheet material in
cross section. These cylindrical rollers 259, 265 are affixed in
tracks on the shafts 286, 290 by screws so that they may be
adjusted up or down on the shafts to produce varying sizes of
C-shaped portions. When the upper portion of the sheet material
passes between these cylindrical rollers 259, 265, these rollers
impact the sheet material and complete bending the upper portion of
the sheet material into the desired a cross sectional C shape. Thus
depending upon which combinations of rollers are used as explained
above, the sheet material may be formed into different shapes,
e.g., L-shaped members or C-shaped members (e.g., the C-shaped
members having two 90 degree bends.
[0088] As discussed above, the conical rollers 254, 255, 276, 277
are supported on the adjustable platform 267, which is adjustable
vertically via the adjustment mechanism 282 that includes a socket
configured to receive a hand-crank attached via a set of linkages
to move the adjustable platform 267 up and down within the frame.
This feature allows the forming assembly 162 to accommodate a
variety of sizes of attachment members.
[0089] In addition, the rollers 248, 249, 270, 271, 285, 286, 291,
292 are supported by an adjustable platform 263 that can be
adjusted vertically by way of an adjustment mechanism 262. This
adjustment mechanism 262 includes a socket configured to receive a
hand-crank attached via a set of linkages to move the adjustable
platform 267 up and down within the frame 240.
[0090] At the outlet of the forming assembly 162 is a set of guide
rollers, a lower guide roller 264, which is fixed to the frame, and
a set of upper guide rollers 266 that are adjustable and/or
removable from the frame to accommodate various sizes of attachment
members after they have received the desired cross sectional
shape.
[0091] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the shafts and
rollers in the forming assembly 162 are driven by a hydraulic
motor. However, it should be noted that they could be driven in any
suitable manner such as, for example, electrically, manually or
pneumatically. Hydraulic assembly 244 is coupled to a drive gear
295, which is in turn engaged with the gears attached to the shafts
at the top portion of the frame. As illustrated, the large gears
242 are attached to the top of the rear shafts 247, 253, 269, 275,
289, 290. These large gears 242 are in turn coupled to each other
by way of coupling gears 296. Furthermore, the large gears 242
engage with and drive small gears 297 that are attached to the
front shafts 246, 268, 283, 286. As can be seen, the front shafts
252, 274 do not extend fully to the top of the frame 240.
Accordingly, the rear shafts 253, 257, which do extend fully from
the top to the bottom of the frame, have gears attached to the
bottom that engage with small gears 298 attached to the bottom
portion of front shafts 252, 274. The small gears 298 drive these
front shafts.
[0092] Referring now to FIGS. 16b to 16o, various configurations an
exemplary forming assembly 162 are shown configured to provide
varying sizes of C-shaped and L-shaped attachment members.
[0093] FIGS. 16b and 16c illustrate a front and rear view
respectively of a forming assembly 162 configured to provide a
C-shaped attachment member in cross section. As can be seen, the
sheet material enters the right side of FIG. 16b and is
substantially planar at that point. As the sheet material passes
between the rollers configured to impart the cross sectional
C-shape, it exits the right side having the desired cross-sectional
shape. FIGS. 16d and 16e illustrate a front and rear view
respectively of a forming assembly 162 configured to provide a
L-shaped attachment member in cross section. FIGS. 16f and 16g
illustrate a front and rear view respectively of a forming assembly
162 configured to provide a C-shaped attachment member in cross
section. FIGS. 16h and 16i illustrate a front and rear view
respectively of a forming assembly 162 configured to provide a
L-shaped attachment member in cross section. FIGS. 16j and 16k
illustrate a front and rear view respectively of a forming assembly
162 configured to provide a L-shaped attachment member in cross
section. FIGS. 16l and 16m illustrate a front and rear view
respectively of a forming assembly 162 configured to provide a
C-shaped attachment member in cross section. FIGS. 16n and 16o
illustrate a front and rear view respectively of a forming assembly
162 configured to provide a L-shaped attachment member in cross
section.
[0094] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary curving assembly 164. The
exemplary curving assembly 164 includes a base 300 mounted in a
track 302 that allows the curving assembly 164 to be moved in and
out from the support structure 152. The curving assembly 164
includes a frame 304 that supports the components therein. Attached
to the frame 304 is a lower crimping assembly 316 which drives a
pair of crimping rollers: a lower crimping roller 312 and an upper
crimping roller 314 that are designed to crimp a portion of sheet
material that passes between them. Each of the crimping rollers 312
and 314 includes a plurality of crimping blades separated by spaces
therebetween. A blade of one crimping roller is positioned opposite
a space between blades of the opposing crimping roller to crimp the
material passing therebetween to thereby impart a longitudinal
curve or arch to the attachment member. The spacing between lower
crimping roller 312 and upper crimping roller 314 is adjustable by
way of handwheel 320 attached through linkages to the lower
crimping assembly 316. This adjustment allows the crimps imparted
to the sheet material to be adjusted so that the longitudinal curve
of the attachment member can varied to match the longitudinal curve
of curved building panels forming the roof of a building
structure.
[0095] The curving assembly 164 also includes an upper crimping
assembly 318 attached to a pair of crimping rollers 330, 332, which
also have an adjustable offset to provide different longitudinal
curves to an attachment member. The spacing between the crimping
rollers 330, 332 is adjusted by way of handwheel 322 that is linked
via a gear assembly to the upper crimping assembly 318. By having
both an upper crimping assembly 318 and a lower crimping assembly
316, the curving assembly can crimp both opposing sides of a
C-shaped attachment member to provide the longitudinal curve.
[0096] In addition, the spacing between the lower crimping assembly
316 and the upper crimping assembly 318 can be adjusted by way of
handwheel 324. This adjustment allows the curving assembly 164 to
accommodate various sizes of attachment members. It should be noted
that to accommodate attachment members having an L-shape in cross
section, the upper crimping assembly 318 can be moved sufficiently
up into the housing 304 to avoid impacting any portion of the
attachment member as it translates through. the curving assembly.
The lower crimping assembly 316 then crimps one side of the
L-shaped attachment member to provide the longitudinal curve. The
crimping rollers 312, 314, 330, 332 can be driven by a hydraulic
motor 328, which imparts driving force to these rollers. The
hydraulic assembly 328 is controlled by controller 326 (e.g., a
PLC) to provide an on-off capability.
[0097] Also attached to the base 300 of the curving assembly 164 is
a guide assembly 306 having an upper portion and a lower portion,
where the upper portion directs scrap metal outward so that it can
be collected by workers, and the lower portion directing sections
of sheet material to be formed into attachment members to the
forming assembly 162. The upper portion of the guide assembly
comprises an upper guide 308 (e.g., curved brackets with a space
therebetween through which the sheet material can pass) that is
curved to direct the scrap metal outward, which is attached to
shafts 336 that allow the upper guide 308 to be adjusted vertically
to accommodate varying sizes of scrap metal. Similarly, the lower
portion of the guide assembly 306 comprises lower guides 310 (e.g.,
straight brackets with a space therebetween through which the sheet
material can pass) mounted on shafts 334 that allow these lower
guides to be adjusted up and down to accommodate varying sizes of
sheet material suitable to be formed into attachment members.
[0098] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary control panel 166 that
allows operators to control various features of the attachment
member forming system 150. The controller 166 may be driven via a
simple PLC, or by a more complicated microprocessor based
controller as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
The controls include a power switch 340 for turning on and off the
system 150. The controls also include a run button 344 that causes
the system 150 to translate sheet material in the feed direction
through the system, and a halt button 342 that stops the
translation of sheet material. Also included is a jog switch 348
that allows an attachment member translating through the system to
be moved in short bursts forward and backward, and a shear button
346 that powers the shear assembly 158 to cause it to cut sheet
material in a direction perpendicular to the feed direction. The
control panel further includes a numeric keypad 350 for entering
data (e.g., controlling the length of panels) into the controller
and a display 352 for rendering information for an operator of the
controller. Further included on the controller 166 are various
other controls including: a selector switch 354 for selecting
between an attachment member forming system and a building panel
forming system (for exemplary embodiments that include both an
attachment member forming system and a building panel forming
system on the same support structure), an eject button 356 to eject
material from the attachment member forming system after it has
been sheared, a hydraulic stop 358, an emergency stop 360, an
ignition switch 362, an engine start 364, a high speed/low speed
selector for a diesel generator 366, a low voltage pilot light 368
and a diesel generator instrument panel 370 that provides
indications of various parameters of the diesel generator including
fuel, pressure, temperature, and voltage.
[0099] While the present invention has been described in terms of
exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various modifications can be made thereto without
departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the
claims.
* * * * *