Method and apparatus for producing siding

Claim 2

Apparatus for making polyvinyl chloride resin siding having hanger and butt edges with an intervening panel, the apparatus comprising an extruder with an extrusion die having a generally horizontally directed orifice generally conforming with the cross sectional shape of the siding and having a flat mid portion for forming the panel of the siding, a panel embossing roll above the extruded siding for embossing the upper surface thereof, curved templates downstream of the embossing roll for imparting curvature to the siding panel with the concavely curved side presented upwardly, and means for cooling and hardening the siding as it passes in contact with the templates, the cooling means including means providing for faster cooling of the lower side of the siding than the upper side thereof.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the templates comprise plate-like elements having concavely curved edges arranged in spaced relation in a series along the feed path of the siding with the concave edges extended across the siding underneath the siding, and in which the templates further comprise a series of templates above the siding having convexly curved edges.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the templates below and above the siding are offset from each other along the path of feed of the siding.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the cooling means includes separate blowers for blowing air against the lower and upper surfaces of the siding in the spaces between the lower and upper series of templates.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which a group of the templates above the siding are jointly mounted for conjoint upward pivoting movement away from the upper surface of the siding panel.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 and further including a plenum chamber for delivering air to the upper surface of the siding, and means pivotally mounting said plenum chamber above the pivoted group of templates and providing for holding the pivoted templates in their operative position.

Claim 8

Apparatus for making polyvinyl chloride resin siding having hanger and butt edges with an intervening panel, the apparatus comprising an extruder with an extrusion die having a generally horizontally directed orifice generally conforming with the cross sectional shape of the siding and having a flat mid portion for forming the panel of the siding, a panel embossing roll above the extruded siding for embossing the upper surface thereof, curved templates downstream of the embossing roll foR imparting curvature to the siding panel with the concavely curved side presented upwardly, and means for cooling and hardening the siding as it passes in contact with the templates, the cooling means including means providing for faster cooling of the lower side of the siding than the upper side thereof and comprising a plurality of plenum chambers along the feed path at at least one side of the siding, separate blowers for delivering air to said plenum chambers, and a blower for a downstream plenum chamber having means for cooling the air delivered thereby to the downstream plenum chamber.

Claim 9

Apparatus for making polyvinyl chloride resin siding having hanger and butt edges with an intervening panel, the apparatus comprising an extruder with an extrusion die having a generally horizontally directed orifice generally conforming with the cross sectional shape of the siding and having a flat mid portion for forming the panel of the siding, a panel embossing roll above the extruded siding for embossing the upper surface thereof, curved templates downstream of the embossing roll foR imparting curvature to the siding panel with the concavely curved side presented upwardly, and means for cooling and hardening the siding as it passes in contact with the templates, the cooling means including means providing for faster cooling of the lower side of the siding than the upper side thereof and comprising a plurality of plenum chambers along the feed path at at least one side of the siding, separate blowers for delivering air to said plenum chambers, and a blower for a downstream plenum chamber having means for cooling the air delivered thereby to the downstream plenum chamber.