Seam crimping apparatus

Claim 1

A seam crimping apparatus for crimping standing seams of roofing panels of the type having a surface portion and an upstanding rib along each longitudinal edge thereof, each rib being configured to mate with the corresponding rib of an adjacent panel and having a substantially vertical upstanding member, a substantially horizontal upper flange portion and a deformable flange hook portion extending downwardly from the upper portion toward the surface portion, to form a standing seam, which comprises: a. a frame sized to span two parallel standing seams, said frame carrying a first pair of spaced, coplanar, horizontal abutment surfaces for each standing seam adapted to overlie said horizontal flange portion of said standing seams and a second pair of spaced, coplanar, substantially vertical abutment surfaces for each seam adapted to abut the vertical upstanding member of said seams, and wheels retractably mounted in at least said horizontal abutment surfaces to guide and support said seam crimping apparatus along the standing seams; b. at least one crimping blade for each standing seam pivotally mounted and connected to levers carried on said frame for swinging movement between an open position and a closed position, each said crimping blade being substantially parallel to its respective seam when said apparatus is in work crimping position and lying on the opposite side of its respective seam from its respective pair of vertical abutment surfaces and parallel to the flange portion of its respective seam, each said crimping blade being backed by said abutment surfaces and being of a length sufficient to span its respective pairs of vertical and horizontal abutment surfaces, each said blade being shiftable between an open position wherein it is parallel and out of contact with its respective deformable flange hook portion of said seam, and a closed position wherein it is in contact with its respective deformable flange hood portion and has crimped said hook portion as desired; and c. means to shift said crimping blades between their open and closed positions simultaneously.