Method of production of joining profiles for structural members

• US 20070107369A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TSF Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Trakloc International LLC
• Inventors: Darmody, Geoffrey, Andrews, William, Hill, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 7,594,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/741.100
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/5818 of substantially U - form
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/761 L-connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2/766 T-connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49623 Static structure, e.g., a building component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5125 Stock turret

Abstract

A method for forming a joining profile in a structural member comprises providing an assembly having a base member, a forming body and a pair of side anvils having profiles formed therewithin. The method further comprises mounting the structural member on the base member, advancing the forming body toward the structural member such that the structural member is clamped to the base member, urging the side anvils toward flanges of the structural member, forming a profile in each of the flanges, and engaging protrusions of the side anvils with the web such that opposing portions of the web are forced upwardly by the protrusions at locations adjacent to each one of the flange profiles in order to accommodate formation of the flange profiles in the structural member. Formation of the joining profiles in the structural members allows for detachable engagement thereof with another member having a corresponding mating profile.

Claims

1. A method of forming a joining profile in a structural member such that the structural member may detachably engage another member having a corresponding mating profile, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a forming assembly having a base member and including a forming body and at least one side anvil having at least one anvil profile formed therein and a protrusion disposed adjacent to the anvil profile;

b) mounting the structural member on the base member, the structural member having a web and at least one flange extending outwardly from the web;

c) advancing the forming body toward the structural member until the web is clamped between the forming body and the base member;

d) urging the side anvil toward an external face of the flange along a direction perpendicular to a plane of the flange such that the anvil profile engages the flange;

e) forming the joining profile in the flange, the joining profile having a gender opposite that of the anvil profile; and

f) engaging the protrusion with the web during urging of the side anvil toward the flange such that a portion of the web is forced upwardly by the protrusion to accommodate formation of the joining profile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the anvil profile is V-shaped and step (e) comprises forming a V-shaped joining profile.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the protrusion is dome shaped.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the protrusion is disposed on a seat supporting the side anvil.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming the joining profile such that the joining profile defines an inwardly directed recess configured to engage a corresponding profile of opposite gender in another one of the members.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming the joining profile in one of parallel and normal orientations relative to a longitudinal axis of the structural member.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the flange has an external and internal faces;

the joining profile defining a recess formed in the external face and a projection formed opposite the recess in the internal face.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the flange defines a height from the web;

step (e) comprises forming the joining profile along a substantial portion of the flange height.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming the joining profile at a location proximate the web.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming the joining profile at a location adjacent an end of the structural member.

11. A structural member having at least one joining profile configured to detachably engage another member having a corresponding mating profile, the joining profile being formed by a method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a forming assembly having a base member and including a forming body and at least one side anvil having at least one anvil profile formed therein and a protrusion disposed adjacent to the anvil profile;

b) mounting the structural member on the base member, the structural member having a web and at least one flange extending outwardly from the web;

c) advancing the forming body toward the structural member until the web is clamped between the forming body and the base member;

d) urging the side anvil toward an external face of the flange along a direction perpendicular to a plane of the flange such that the anvil profile engages the flange;

e) forming the joining profile in the flange, the joining profile having a gender opposite that of the anvil profile; and

f) engaging the protrusion with the web during urging of the side anvil toward the flange such that a portion of the web is forced upwardly by the protrusion to accommodate formation of the joining profile.

12. A method of forming joining profiles in a channel shaped structural member such that the structural member may detachably engage another member having corresponding mating profiles, the structural member defining a longitudinal axis and having a web and a pair of opposing flanges extending outwardly from the web, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a forming assembly having a base member and including a forming body having a mid anvil with V-shaped anvil profiles formed on opposing faces of the mid anvil, the forming assembly further including a pair of side anvils each having V-shaped anvil profiles formed complementary to the anvil profiles of the mid anvil, each one of the side anvils further including at least one protrusion disposed adjacent to the anvil profile;

b) mounting the structural member on the forming assembly by placing the web on the base member;

c) advancing the forming body toward the structural member until the web is clamped between the forming body and the base member;

d) urging the side anvils toward a corresponding one of the external faces along a direction perpendicular to a plane of the flanges such that the anvil profiles engage respective ones of the flanges;

e) forming a V-shaped joining profile in each one of the flanges by clamping the flanges between the mid anvil and the side anvils, the joining profiles having a gender opposite that of the anvil profiles; and

f) engaging the protrusions with the web during urging of the side anvils toward respective ones of the flanges such that opposing portions of the web are forced upwardly by the protrusions at locations adjacent to each one of the joining profiles to accommodate formation of the joining profiles.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming each of the joining profiles on opposing external faces at equal distances from the web.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the protrusion is dome shaped.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein each of the protrusions is disposed on a seat mounted to a corresponding one of the side anvils.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein:

each one of the flanges has external and internal faces;

step (e) comprises forming the joining profiles such that each of the joining profiles defines an inwardly directed recess formed in the external face and a projection formed opposite the recess.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein:

step (e) comprises forming each of the joining profiles in one of a parallel and a normal orientation relative to the longitudinal axis.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein:

each one of the flanges defines a height from the web;

step (e) comprises forming the joining profiles along a substantial portion of respective ones of the flange height.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the forming assembly further includes a retractable cutting blade, the method further comprising the step of:

g) cutting the structural member at an orientation transverse to the longitudinal axis by advancing the cutting blade toward the structural member while the web is clamped between the forming body and the base member.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the structural member is cut such that the joining profiles are located proximate an end of the structural member.