Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said apparatus comprising: a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; means for rotating at least one of the feed rolls to feed the panel between said feed rolls; a curving roll located proximate and downstream of the feed rolls, said curving rolls having a surface conformed to the outside surface of the panel and located in the path of the panel as the panel member exits the feed rolls to bend the panel into a curved configuration; and an anti-distortion roll juxtaposed to the curving roll and adapted to compress the panel therebetween so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said apparatus comprising: a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; means for rotating at least one of the feed rolls to feed the panel between said feed rolls; a curving roll located proximate and downstream of the feed rolls, said curving rolls having a surface conformed to the outside surface of the panel and located in the path of the panel as the panel member exits the feed rolls to bend the panel into a curved configuration; and an anti-distortion roll juxtaposed to the curving roll and adapted to compress the panel therebetween so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said rotating means comprises means for driving at least one of the feed rolls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 2 and additionally comprising means for driving the curving roll and the anti-distortion roll at a slightly greater speed than the feed roll is driven to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls and further insure that the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 and additionally comprising means for driving the curving roll and anti-distortion roll to further insure that the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion thereof.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said method comprising the steps of: feeding the panel member between a pair of juxtaposed feed rollers having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel; compressing the panel between said feed rollers; bending the panel by interposing a curving roll downstream of the feed rolls; and securing the panel to the curving roll by compressing the panel between the curving roll and an anti-distortion roll so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said method comprising the steps of: feeding the panel member between a pair of juxtaposed feed rollers having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel; compressing the panel between said feed rollers; bending the panel by interposing a curving roll downstream of the feed rolls; and securing the panel to the curving roll by compressing the panel between the curving roll and an anti-distortion roll so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as recited in claim 5 and additionally comprising the steps of driving the feed rolls at a first rotational velocity, and driving the curving and anti-distortion rolls at a second rotational velocity slightly greater than that of the feed rolls to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls to further insure that the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion thereof.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said apparatus comprising: a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; a curving roll located proximate and downstream of the feed rolls, said curving roll having a surface conformed to the outside surface of the panel and located in the path of the panel as the panel member exits the feed rolls to bend the panel into a curved configuration; an anti-distortion roll juxtaposed to the curving roll and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; and means for driving the feed rolls, the curving roll, and the anti-distortion roll, said driving means including means for driving the curving and anti-distortion rolls at a slightly greater rotational speed than the feed rolls to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls to inhibit unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said apparatus comprising: a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generally conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; a curving roll located proximate and downstream of the feed rolls, said curving roll having a surface conformed to the outside surface of the panel and located in the path of the panel as the panel member exits the feed rolls to bend the panel into a curved configuration; an anti-distortion roll juxtaposed to the curving roll and adapted to compress the panel therebetween; and means for driving the feed rolls, the curving roll, and the anti-distortion roll, said driving means including means for driving the curving and anti-distortion rolls at a slightly greater rotational speed than the feed rolls to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls to inhibit unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said method comprising the steps of: feeding the panel member between a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generall conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel; driving the feed rolls at a first rotational velocity; compressing the panel between said feed rolls; bending the panel by interposing a curving roll downstream of the feed rolls; securing the panel to the curving roll by compressing the panel between the curving roll and an anti-distortion roll; and driving the curving and anti-distortion rolls at a second rotational velocity slightly greater than that of the feed rolls to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for forming an elongate building panel having inside and outside surfaces respectively and a two-dimensional sectional profile into a curved configuration, said method comprising the steps of: feeding the panel member between a pair of juxtaposed feed rolls having surfaces generall conformed to the respective inside and outside surfaces of the panel; driving the feed rolls at a first rotational velocity; compressing the panel between said feed rolls; bending the panel by interposing a curving roll downstream of the feed rolls; securing the panel to the curving roll by compressing the panel between the curving roll and an anti-distortion roll; and driving the curving and anti-distortion rolls at a second rotational velocity slightly greater than that of the feed rolls to tension the panel between the feed rolls and the curving and anti-distortion rolls so that the panel bends about a neutral line within the panel and the bending of the panel does not cause unwanted distortion of the panel.