Solar Turbines Inc.

Clifford G Knepper

Douglas R Ervin

Thomas J Quinn

A fin folding machine is disclosed for sequentially folding relatively thin sheet metal material into narrowly grooved corrugations. The fin folding machine includes a pair of opposed clamping tools disposed on opposite sides of the sheet material. The clamping tools are movable in a direction transverse to and into engagement with the sheet material to clamp the sheet material therebetween. A pair of opposed forming tools are disposed on opposite sides of the sheet material and are sequentially movable in a direction transverse to and into engagement with the sheet material to fold the sheet material in one direction by the engagement of one of the forming tools and then in the opposite direction by the engagement of the other of the forming tools. Gas charged accumulators are used to apply a force to continuously urge a respective one of the clamping and forming tools into engagement with the sheet material. Camming devices are used to move a respective one of the clamping and forming tools away from engagement with the sheet material to a clearance position, and to prevent its respective clamping or forming tool from exceeding a predetermined material engagement stop position regardless of the operating speed of the fin folding machine.

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Astoria, IL, United States of America

Clifford G Knepper