Arcuate mounting bracket and fabrication system

Abstract

An arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system includes a powered roller conveyor for receiving blanks to be formed into arcuate connection brackets. A roll form assembly received the blanks and includes a plurality of roll forming dies for incrementally bending portions of blanks to form straight flanges terminating in lips. An entry assembly carried by the powered roller conveyor positions the blanks entering the roll form assembly. An arcuate flange forming apparatus for forming arcuate flanges in the roll formed blank receives roll formed blanks from a transfer mechanism.

1 . Arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system comprising:
 a powered roller conveyor having a front end for receiving blanks to be formed into arcuate connection brackets, and a back end;   a roll form assembly having a front end coupled to the back end of the powered roller conveyor, the roll form assembly including a plurality of roll forming dies carried from the front end to a back end for incrementally bending portions of blanks to form straight flanges terminating in lips;   an entry assembly carried by back end of powered roller conveyor adjacent the roll form assembly for positioning blanks entering the roll form assembly;   an arcuate flange forming apparatus for forming arcuate flanges in the roll formed blank; and   a transfer mechanism for transferring the roll formed blank to the arcuate flange forming apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the transfer mechanism is a robotic arm. 
     
     
         3 . The arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a laser station to cuts blanks from sheet metal positioned proximate the front end of the powered roller conveyor. 
     
     
         4 . The arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the roll form apparatus further includes a plurality of roll for forming dies incrementally forming strengthening beads in the blank. 
     
     
         5 . The arcuate mounting bracket fabrication system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the arcuate flange forming apparatus comprises:
 a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion; 
 a top die assembly carried by the upper portion of the frame, the top die assembly comprising:
 a top pad having an upper surface attached to the upper portion of the frame, a lower surface, a back edge and a front edge; 
 a die holder having an upper surface slidably engaging the lower surface of top pad, a back edge, a front edge and a lower surface; 
 a lip die having an arcuate back edge, a front edge engaging the back edge of the die holder, and a top surface partially slidably engaging the lower surface of the top pad; 
 a bead die carried by and underlying the die holder and the lip die, the bead die includes an arcuate back edge, a front edge, a lower surface, and an arcuate bead channel formed in the lower surface parallel to and spaced apart from the arcuate back edge; and 
 a first actuating motor attached to the front edge of the die holder for moving the die holder in a forward and backward reciprocating movement; 
 
 a bottom die assembly carried by the lower portion of the frame, partially underlying the top die assembly, the bottom die assembly comprising:
 a forward die assembly including a pressure plate having an arcuate rearward edge and reciprocally moveable vertically between a raised position and a lowered position by a second actuator motor, the pressure plate positioned underlying and adjacent the lower surface of the bead die in the raised position; 
 a rearward die assembly including a pressure plate having an arcuate forward edge parallel to and spaced from the arcuate rearward edge of the forward die assembly, the rearward die assembly reciprocally moveable vertically between a raised position and a lowered position by a third actuator motor, the pressure plate positioned rearward of and above the lip die in the raised position; and 
 a horizontal actuating motor coupled to the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly for reciprocally movement of the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly horizontally between a forward position and a rearward position with the rearward die assembly in the raised position. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the forward die assembly further comprises an arcuate extrusion punch carried by an upper surface of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and extending a length thereof, the arcuate extrusion punch spaced apart from and parallel to the arcuate rearward edge of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and extending upwardly from the upper surface of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and positioned underlying the top die assembly such that the arcuate extrusion punch is received within the bead channel with the forward die assembly in the raised position. 
     
     
         7 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly including a wiping die carried by a die pad, the wiping die includes a top surface and a front wiping surface having an arcuate shape and positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the arcuate rearward edge of the pressure plate of the front die assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 7  further including a wiping die bracket underlying the die pad and acted upon by the third actuator motor and carrying the horizontal actuating motor. 
     
     
         9 . Arcuate flange forming apparatus comprising:
 a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;   a top die assembly carried by the upper portion of the frame, the top die assembly comprising:
 a top pad having an upper surface attached to the upper portion of the frame, a lower surface, a back edge and a front edge; 
 a die holder having an upper surface slidably engaging the lower surface of top pad, a back edge, a front edge and a lower surface; 
 a lip die having an arcuate back edge, a front edge engaging the back edge of the die holder, and a top surface partially slidably engaging the lower surface of the top pad; 
 a bead die carried by and underlying the die holder and the lip die, the bead die includes an arcuate back edge, a front edge, a lower surface, and an arcuate bead channel formed in the lower surface parallel to and spaced apart from the arcuate back edge; and 
 a first actuating motor attached to the front edge of the die holder for moving the die holder in a forward and backward reciprocating movement; 
   a bottom die assembly carried by the lower portion of the frame, partially underlying the top die assembly, the bottom die assembly comprising:
 a forward die assembly including a pressure plate having an arcuate rearward edge and reciprocally moveable vertically between a raised position and a lowered position by a second actuator motor, the pressure plate positioned underlying and adjacent the lower surface of the bead die in the raised position; 
 a rearward die assembly including a pressure plate having an arcuate forward edge parallel to and spaced from the arcuate rearward edge of the forward die assembly, the rearward die assembly reciprocally moveable vertically between a raised position and a lowered position by a third actuator motor, the pressure plate positioned rearward of and above the lip die in the raised position; and 
 a horizontal actuating motor coupled to the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly for reciprocally movement of the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly horizontally between a forward position and a rearward position with the rearward die assembly in the raised position. 
   
     
     
         10 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the forward die assembly further comprises an arcuate extrusion punch carried by an upper surface of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and extending a length thereof, the arcuate extrusion punch spaced apart from and parallel to the arcuate rearward edge of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and extending upwardly from the upper surface of the pressure plate of the forward die assembly and positioned underlying the top die assembly such that the arcuate extrusion punch is received within the bead channel with the forward die assembly in the raised position. 
     
     
         11 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the pressure plate of the rearward die assembly including a wiping die carried by a die pad, the wiping die includes a top surface and a front wiping surface having an arcuate shape and positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the arcuate rearward edge of the pressure plate of the front die assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The arcuate flange forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  further including a wiping die bracket underlying the die pad and acted upon by the third actuator motor and carrying the horizontal actuating motor. 
     
     
         13 . Arcuate mounting bracket comprising:
 a body having an upper edge with a first end and a second end and a lower edge having a first end and a second end, the lower edge being shorter in length than the upper edge, spaced apart therefrom, and positioned intermediate the first end and the second end of the upper edge;   a first side edge of the body extending generally perpendicularly from the first end of the upper edge and terminating in an end;   a first arcuate edge of the body extending from the end of the first side and terminating at the first end of the lower edge;   a second side edge of the body extending generally perpendicularly from the second end of the upper edge and terminating in an end;   a second arcuate edge of the body extending from the end of the second side edge and terminating at the second end of the lower edge;   a flange extending perpendicularly from the upper edge between the first end and the second end thereof and terminating in a lip;   a first arcuate flange extending perpendicularly from the first arcuate edge and terminating in a lip; and   a second arcuate flange extending perpendicularly from the second arcuate edge and terminating in a lip.   
     
     
         14 . The arcuate mounting bracket as claimed in  claim 13  further comprising:
 a pair of parallel strengthening beads formed in the body and extending parallel and spaced from the upper edge; 
 a first arcuate bead formed in the body  12  and extending parallel to and spaced from the first arcuate edge; and 
 a second arcuate bead formed in the body and extending parallel to and spaced from the second arcuate edge.