Architectural panel arching device

1. Apparatus for forming an arch in architectural panels of the type having an underside and side legs, the apparatus comprising a drive section and an arching section, each of said driving and arching sections including at least one roller and cooperating followers, said at least one roller adapted to engage the underside of the architectural panel, said cooperating followers each having a groove configured to accept the side legs of the architectural panels, said cooperating followers received upon a shaft, each of said cooperating followers being free to axially slide upon said shaft during formation of the arch in the architectural panel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arching section roller is rotatable about an axis and further comprises link means pivotable about said axis, said link means supporting an arching section follower for rotation about said arching section roller axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein there are two driving section rollers.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for driving architectural panels through said apparatus wherein said means comprises means for rotating said driving section rollers.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein there are two driving section rollers.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said panel driving means comprises means for synchronously driving each of said rollers and followers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein there are two driving section rollers.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said driving and arching section rollers have a set of two cooperating followers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein there are two driving section rollers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for driving architectural panels through said apparatus said means comprises means for synchronously rotating said driving section rollers.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising means for driving architectural panels through said apparatus said means comprises means for synchronously rotating said driving section and arching section rollers.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each set of cooperating followers rotate about a common axis and are movable relative to each other along said axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each set of cooperating followers rotate about a common shaft and float along that shaft to accommodate variations in side leg spacing along a panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for synchronizing movement of cooperating followers within said set along their common shaft.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said groove of each of said followers is selectively configurable.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for setting initial follower positions.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said followers comprise a first cylindrical member having a central bore, and a second member having a hub and a cylindrical flange extending therefrom, said hub being within said bore, a spacing between said cylindrical flange and said first cylindrical member selectively establishing a width for each follower groove.

18. An apparatus for imparting a radius bend in a tapered architectural panel, said apparatus comprising a bending mechanism, and a series of panel driving members and a series of panel guiding members through which the tapered architectural panel passes, each of said panel guiding members of said series of panel guiding members comprising a pair of panel engaging followers, said followers being axially translatable upon a shaft during bending of the tapered architectural panel in response to the taper thereof, said bending mechanism comprising at least a single panel guide member of said series of panel guide members, said at least a single panel guide member being pivotable with respect to a corresponding panel driving member of said series of panel driving members.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said followers include a surface adapted to receive an edge of the tapered architectural panel.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said followers are variably configurable for receipt of an edge of the tapered architectural panel.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said followers comprise first and second members, said members being selectively united so as to define a channel for receipt of an edge of the tapered architectural panel.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first member comprises a cylinder having a central bore for receipt of a portion of said second member.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said second member comprises a hub from which extends a cylindrical flange, said hub being variably affixed within said central bore of said first member.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising follower positioning means, each of said followers adapted for operative engagement with a portion of said follower positioning means, said followers of said panel guide members of said series of panel guiding members being thereby synchronously responsive to said follower positioning means.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said follower positioning means comprise rods for engagement with both of said followers of each of said guiding members of said series of guiding members.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said each of said followers include a profiled surface for receipt of said rods.

27. An apparatus for imparting a radius bend in an architectural element, said apparatus comprising a bending mechanism, and a series of element driving members and a series of element guiding members through which the architectural element passes, each of said element guiding members of said series of element guiding members comprising an element engaging follower, said follower being free to slide upon a shaft during bending of the architectural element, said bending mechanism comprising at least a single element guide member of said series of element guide members, said at least a single element guide member being pivotable with respect to a corresponding element driving member of said series of element driving members.