Method and device for complex forming a metal sheet by means of bodies of revolution

Abstract

A metal sheet is formed by passing it between a pair of closely spaced shaped bodies fixedly mounted on driving shafts by intermediate pieces which limit the angular portion of the circumferences of the shaped bodies with which the sheet comes into contact. The configuration of the surfaces of the shaped bodies define the respective top and bottom surface configurations imparted to the sheet by being passed between the rotating shaped bodies with pressure, and, optionally, heat. The direction of rotation of the shaped bodies is reversed, without the application of pressure to the sheet, to bring the sheet back to a starting position for each repeated pass of the sheet through the shaped bodies thereby to progressively change thickness and/or shape of the sheet.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for complex forming a metal sheet, comprising
 in a first phase, providing two mutually spaced receiving shafts with respective shaped bodies, surfaces of the respective shaped bodies being configured to replicate a desired end product, and positioning said shaped bodies relative to each other to receive therebetween a metal sheet as a workpiece;   in a second phase, aligning said shaped bodies so that they face each other in a predetermined neutral position and inserting a leading edge of said workpiece between the shaped bodies in said neutral position;   in a third phase, effecting a first stage of forming by feeding the workpiece in a feeding direction between the shaped bodies under pressure while rotating the shaped bodies thereby to change at least one of thickness and contour of the workpiece, removing the workpiece by releasing the pressure and rotating the rolls in a direction which moves the workpiece in a direction opposite the feed direction; and   optionally, in a fourth phase effecting at least one further forming stage by repeating the first stage so that the shape and/or contour of the workpiece is changed progressively.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 effecting a pre-forming stage before the first forming stage or a post-forming stage after an otherwise last forming stage with substitution of at least one of said shaped bodies with a differently configured shaped body.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 trimming at least one side edge of the workpiece.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising
 forming at least one undercut on the workpiece.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 heating said workpiece while subjecting said workpiece to pressure.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 in each forming stage, contacting the workpiece with a same portion of the circumference of each of the bodies.   
     
     
         20 . Apparatus for complex forming a metal sheet, comprising
 a pair of shaped bodies fixed onto respective rotationally driven shafts by respective intermediate pieces fixedly connecting the shaped bodies to the respective shafts, surfaces of the respective bodies extending circumferentially between but not including the intermediate pieces and the surfaces being contoured to conform to the configuration of respective top and bottom surfaces of a metal sheet to be formed by the shaped bodies, the shaped bodies facing each other with the respective axis of rotation of each parallel to the axis of rotation of the other to receive the sheet therebetween while the shafts and, therewith the shaped bodies, are rotated in a direction to feed the sheet between the shaped bodies while pressure is applied to the sheet by the shaped bodies to contour and/or change thickness of the sheet by means of the contoured surfaces of the bodies, the shaped bodies having a neutral position in which the intermediate pieces are in registry with each other, thereby assuring that each pass of a sheet through the apparatus will match each preceding throughpass.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 ,
 further comprising at least one device for trimming a side edge of the sheet.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein
 a surface of at least one of the bodies is configured to form an undercut on the sheet.