Apparatus and method for forming a sealing portion on duct members

Abstract

An apparatus and method for forming a sealing portion on a duct member for use in connection to another duct member, with the connection between the duct members being substantially sealed from the egress of air in an air handling system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for forming a sealing portion in a duct member comprising,
 at least one work station adapted to accommodate a first duct member having at least one end configured to connect to a second duct member in formation of a duct,   the at least one work station including a forming assembly to form at least one extending sealing bead in a duct member in a position adjacent at least one end of the duct member a spaced distance from the at least one end of the first duct member, where the at least one sealing bead has a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the second duct member at a position adjacent the end of the second duct member to frictionally engage the second duct member when connected for use, to substantially seal the connection between the first and second duct members from the egress of air.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the at least one sealing bead extends outwardly from the side of the first duct member. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the forming assembly forms a plurality of sealing beads adjacent the at least one end of the first duct member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of sealing beads extend outwardly from the side of the first duct member. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , where the plurality of sealing beads change in diameter as the distance from the at least one end of the first duct member increases. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , where the plurality of sealing beads extend outwardly from the side of the first duct member and the outside diameter of the plurality of sealing beads increases as the distance from the at least one end of the first duct member increases. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the forming assembly forms at least one stop bead spaced from the end of the first duct member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the forming assembly includes at least one die member that engages with the side of the first duct member. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the forming assembly includes at least one die member that is repositionable between an operational and a non-operational position. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , where the forming assembly includes at least one die member that engages with the side of the first duct member in the operational position. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , where the forming assembly includes at least one forming wheel mating with the at least one die member to form the at least one sealing bead. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , where the forming assembly includes at least one forming wheel mating with the at least one die member wherein the at least one forming wheel includes a plurality of beading sections mating with a plurality of forming grooves in the at least one die member to form a plurality of sealing beads with different diameters. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , where there are a plurality of forming wheels mating with forming grooves in the at least one die member to form a plurality of sealing beads in spaced positions from the at least one end of the first duct member. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for forming a sealing end portion on a duct member comprising,
 a work station including a clamping assembly to clamp a first duct member and a forming assembly to form at least one outwardly extending bead in the first duct member in a spaced position adjacent at least one open end of the duct member a predetermined distance from the at least one open end of the duct member, where the at least one sealing bead has an outer diameter substantially corresponding to the inside diameter of the end of a second duct member at a position adjacent the open end of the second duct member to frictionally engage the inside diameter when connected for use, to substantially seal the connection between the first and second duct members from the egress of air.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , where forming assembly forms a plurality of spaced apart sealing beads on the at least one end of the first duct member. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , where the outside diameter of the plurality of sealing beads increase as the distance from the at least one end of the duct member increases. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the forming assembly forms at least one stop bead spaced from the end of the duct member. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , where the forming assembly includes at least one forming wheel with a plurality of beading sections mating with a plurality of forming grooves in at least one die member to form a plurality of sealing beads with different outside diameters. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , where the forming assembly includes at least one die member that is movable to engage the outside of the first duct member and mating with at least one forming wheel to form the at least one sealing bead. 
     
     
         20 . A method of sealing the connection between first and second duct members comprising:
 a) providing a first duct member having a cylindrical configuration and providing at least one sealing bead extending from the side of the first duct member in a position adjacent at least a first end of the first duct member a spaced distance from the at least first end of the first duct member,   b) providing a second duct member having a cylindrical configuration and an end configured to be connected to the first end of the first duct member,   c) connecting the end of the second duct member to the first end of the first duct member until the at least one sealing bead frictionally engages the second duct member, to substantially seal the connection between the first and second duct members from the egress of air.