Usg Interiors, Inc.

Donn Incorporated

Joseph A Hocevar

Gale E Sauer

Dennis A Alvarez

Patrick M Kelly

George F Bosl

A cold-forming method is disclosed for thinning localized, longitudinally extending portions of sheet metal by lateral shear deformation without any substantial longitudinal deformation. With such method, it is possible to produce elongated members which are thinned in zones of low stress and are thicker in zones of higher stress so as to provide high metal use efficiency. The method is performed by an apparatus including a rotating mandrel providing opposed conical surfaces and pressure rolls operable to apply forces substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the mandrel to cause a portion of the sheet metal to yield in shear to reduce the thickness of longitudinally extending portions of the sheet metal. The forces are applied in a plane normal to the length of the strip in order to avoid longitudinal elongation.

Apparatus for producing cold roll-formed structures

Cold roll-formed structures and method and apparatus for producing same

A grid tee for suspension ceilings is disclosed which includes a metal strip bent to provide a stiffening bulb along one edge, a pair of parallel web portions extending from the bulb in face-to-face adjacency, and a flange portion extending laterally in opposite directions from the side of the web remote from the bulb. A second elongated piece of sheet metal forming a cap is positioned against the side of the flange remote from the bulb and is connected to the flange along the edges thereof by a reverse bend. A band of cross-link cured adhesive is located at the interface between the flange and the cap, bonding the two together. The adhesive effectively closes the section and provides torsional stiffness to the grid tee.

Suspension ceiling grid tee

Method for producing cold roll-formed structures

Growing community of inventors

Willoughby Hills, OH, United States of America

Joseph A Hocevar