VERSATILE MANUAL CRIMPER FOR ROOF SEAMING

Abstract

A manual crimping device for roof seaming purposes that includes interchangeable components to allow for myriad different crimping configurations is disclosed. Such a device (and method of roof seaming utilization therewith) permits a user a selection of many different crimping results, whether in terms of crimp angle, crimp indentations, and/or crimp folds. A two-station crimp application configuration within the subject device further permits the user the ability to deform a subject seam to a proper final result, basically providing an initial crimp operation with a separate second and subsequent crimp to the same seam until reaching final status. The interchangeable components, being at least an anvil, a blade, and a hook, allows for these myriad different results without having to utilize and thus possess such a myriad different number of manual crimpers. A manual crimping method utilizing such a versatile device for different crimping results is encompassed herewith as well.

Claims

1. A manually operated crimping device for crimping a portion of a standing seam of adjacent metal panels when placed in a pre-selected location along said standing roof seam, wherein said standing seam is provided through contacting engagement of a male end of one metal panel properly nested within a female end of an adjacent metal panel, wherein, when overlapping one another, said standing seam is aligned as a substantially straight line having a vertical component rising to a horizontal component from which extends a flange component, and wherein said flange component extends at an angle of any measurement downward from said horizontal component of said standing seam; wherein said crimping device includes a manual crimping means to simultaneously bend substantially all of said flange component of said standing seam at the location at which said crimping device is placed, and wherein said crimping means is interchangeable through the removal and substitution of at least one different crimping component selected from an anvil, a blade, and a jaw hook, wherein a multiple of different variations of said at least one different crimping component is provided to accord multiple variations of resultant crimping configurations within the same device on demand

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is an isometric, partial cut-away view of a portion of a roof system utilizing a standing seam roof assembly.

[0019] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are side views of potential embodiments of some of many alternative, interchangeable component structures of the manual crimper blade, anvil, and jaw hook.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable blade component.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable anvil component.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable jaw hook component.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable anvil component.

[0024] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable jaw hook component.

[0025] FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable blade component.

[0026] FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of another potential embodiment of an alternative interchangeable two-stage blade component.

[0027] FIG. 10 is a side cut-away view of an uncrimped roof seam with overlapping male and female edges of adjacent panels.

[0028] FIG. 11 is a side cut-away view of a crimped roof seam with overlapping male and female edges of adjacent panels as in FIG. 10.

[0029] FIG. 12 is a side view of a two-station manual crimping device including the interchangeable component described herein with the first station placed over an initially uncrimped roof seam.

[0030] FIG. 13 is a side view of the two-station manual crimping device of FIG. 12 including certain interchangeable components as described herein with the first station placed over an initially crimped roof seam.

[0031] FIG. 14 is a side view of the device of FIG. 12 with the second station placed over the same initially crimped seam and finished with a second seam.

[0032] FIG. 15 is a side view of a two-station manual crimping device including the interchangeable anvil component of FIG. 2B with the first station placed over an initially crimped roof seam.

[0033] FIG. 16 is a side view of a two-station manual crimping device including the interchangeable anvil component of FIG. 6 with the first station placed over an initially crimped roof seam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] A better understanding of the present disclosure will be had when reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical parts are identified by identical reference numerals. Such a depiction is for a presentation of the potentially preferred embodiments of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the breadth of the disclosure in any manner. The ordinarily skilled artisan would have sufficient understanding and respect for this specific art in order to consider the true breadth of the disclosure itself in relation to the overall descriptions.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, there is depicted a pre-engineered building roof 10 supported by a pre-engineered building structure 12. Such a pre-engineered structure 12 comprises a primary structural system 14 including a number of upwardly extending column members 16 [to be connected to a base foundation (not illustrated)]. Also, the primary structural system 14 has a plurality of beams 18 which are supported by the column members 16.

[0036] Also included is a secondary structural system 20 including a number of open web beams 22 attached to and supported horizontally by the primary beams 18. Alternative structures may be employed in place of these web beams 22, if desired. A plurality of roof panels 24 are supported over the secondary structural assembly 20 by a plurality of panel support assemblies 26 and are attached to the upper flanges of the web beams 22. The roof panels 24, only portions of which are shown, are depicted as being standing seam panels with interlocking standing seams 25 connected by clip portions of the panel support assemblies 26. Alternatives to such clips may be practiced as well and other clips may be incorporated within the panels to hold them in place with the building skeletal portions noted above.

[0037] FIGS. 2A through 10 depict different interchangeable components of a subject manual crimping device (such as 200 in FIG. 12). In FIG. 2A, there is shown side views of a manual crimper blade 10, in FIG. 2B an anvil 12, and in FIG. 3 a jaw hook 14. In FIG. 3 there is shown a different type of blade 16 having openings 18 for bolt connections (and a spacer). FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a different anvil 20 with an angled end 22 that acts as a directional guide for the blade 16 when manually operated. Likewise, the anvil includes openings (not illustrated) for bolt connections to the body of the manually crimping base (200 of FIG. 12). FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a jaw hook 26 component in the same manner as the other two components 15, 20 with openings 28 for bolt connections. A different anvil 30 with openings (not illustrated) and an angled end 34 is shown in perspective view in FIG. 6, with a different jaw hook 36 in FIG. 7 with openings 38 for connections as above, and in FIG. 8 a different blade 40 with bolt openings 42. FIG. 9 shows a blade spacer 50 with bolt openings 52 as well. Such representations of components 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 26, 30, 36, 40, 50, are merely a handful of possible components that may be interchanged within the crimping device (200 of FIG. 12) to impart myriad different crimping configurations within a single device on demand.

[0038] FIG. 10 shows a side cut-away view of a roof seam 100 with a male end panel 102, a female end panel 104, parallel vertical sections 106, 108, and a flange 110 from the female panel 104. FIG. 11 shows the same seam 100 as in FIG. 10 with the deformed flange 110 in place to provide contact between both panels 102, 104. Such a result is but one possible configuration provided by a manually crimping device as described herein.

[0039] FIG. 12 shows a two-station manually crimping device 200 with operating arms 202, 204, a first crimping station 206, a second crimping station 208, and manually operated blades 210, 212, and directional anvils 214, 216 placed over an uncrimped seam 100. FIG. 13 shows the initial crimping of the seam 218 under the first station 206 and movement of the blade 210 as directed to a result by the anvil 214. FIG. 14 shows the finished crimping of the seam 220 under the second station 208 and movement of the second blade 212 as directed by the second anvil 216. The first station crimping is provided to show the juxtaposition from the first initial crimp to the second.

[0040] FIG. 15 thus shows a manual crimping device 222 having a different anvil 224 and blade 226 from that of FIG. 12. An initial crimp if provided under a first station 228 distinct from that of the result in FIG. 13 with such result due to the interchange (substitution) of the anvil 224 and blade 226 from those in FIG. 13 (210, 214). Likewise, to show the different results available through such substitution of a different anvil 229 and blade 230, FIG. 16 depicts a totally different crimp result 232 of the seam 234.

[0041] Thus, a manual crimping apparatus is provided that may be manually placed at any selected location along a standing seam for appropriate deformation of the seam components for reliable and secure engagement thereof, at least through movement of the flange component of such a standing seam to a desired location in relation to the male end and horizontal edge formed therein through a selected combination of interchangeable components. The ability to substitute any number and combination of such component parts allows for the same base crimping device to be utilized as desired to effectuate myriad resultant seaming configurations on roof seams between adjacent panels. This capability reduces the need for multiple manual crimping devices to be transported in case different seaming results are needed; to the contrary, a user may simply substitute small components within the same base crimping device to impart any desired crimping result. Whether a single station or two-station crimping device, the manual device(s) utilizing such interchangeable components allows for greater versatility and efficiency at the subject construction site. Such an apparatus has never been provided the metal building industry as of today.

[0042] Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes and details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.