Lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender

Details Lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender Lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender

2002-07-16

2003-12-02

Larson, Lowell A. (Department: 3725)

Metal deforming

By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during...

By use of work-contacting wiper and moving, work-holding form

Reexamination Certificate

active

06655183

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender, and more particularly a lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender, which can make the head member move up and down smoothly, and eliminate the risk of undesirable downward movement of the head member caused by oil leakage or other breakdowns of the hydraulic cylinder.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Referring to
FIGS. 7 and 8
, a conventional pipe bender includes a head member
10
, a molding member
20
, a foldable hand member
30
, and a feeding element
40
. The head member
10
is tip and down movably disposed at a front end of the pipe bender. The molding member
20
, and the foldable hand member
30
are fitted to the head member
10
. Ad, the feeding member
40
is fitted on the main body of the pipe bender for feeding pipes to the head member
10
.
The head member
10
is equipped with a rear guide block
101
, a rear guide mould
102
, a guide block
103
, and a guide mould
104
. The molding member
20
consists of several decks of molding wheels
201
of different diameters. The foldable hand member
30
includes an upper clipping element
301
, and a lower clipping element
302
arranged beside corresponding molding wheels
201
.
In using such pipe bender, pipes fed to the head member
10
via the guide moulds
102
,
104
on the head member
10
are clipped by means of one of the clipping elements
301
, and
302
. Then, the clipping element
301
or
302
operate to press the pipes over the corresponding molding wheel
201
so that the pipes are bent in conformity with shapes and diameters of the molding wheel
201
.
Referring to
FIGS. 9 and 10
, the head member
10
is fitted to vertical guide rails at one side, and equipped with a lifting mechanism
50
comprising a hydraulic cylinder
501
, which is disposed under the head member
10
with a piston rod
502
propping the bottom of the head member
10
. Thus, the lifting mechanism
50
can be operated to adjust the height of the head member
10
. After the head member
10
is adjusted to a desired height, pipes fed from the feeding member
40
can be clipped by one of the clipping elements
301
,
302
that is as high as it, and then shaped in accordance with the corresponding molding wheel
201
when the clipping element is operated.
However, the lifting mechanism for head member is found to have disadvantages as followings:
1. The entire weight of the head member
10
is supported by the cylinder
501
therefore the lifting mechanism will have shortened service life. And, the head member will undesirably move down due to gravity if there is breakdown in the cylinder or leakage in the oil circuit.
2. The head member
10
is prone to vibrate because it is relatively heavy in weight. Consequently, the head member
10
will have reduced precision.
3. Because the hydraulic cylinder
501
of the lifting mechanism is disposed under the head member
10
, it is likely to interfere with bending process of pipe benders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender such that the head member can be moved up and down smoothly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lifting mechanism for a head member of a pipe bender such that an oil cylinder thereof do not have to bear the weight of the head member after the head member has been moved to desired position, eliminating the risk of undesirable downward movement of the head member caused by oil leakage or other breakdowns of the hydraulic cylinder.
The present lifting mechanism includes a connecting block, and an oil cylinder. The connecting block is joined to the head member. The oil cylinder is horizontally fitted to the main body of the pipe bender. The connecting block is equipped with a propped block on the bottom. The propped block has several horizontal propped surfaces on the bottom, which are formed at different heights with slopes formed in between. Wheels are fitted to the piston rod of the cylinder to prop up the propped block. Therefore, when the cylinder operates for the wheels to move relative to the propped block, the head member can be moved up and down. The piston rod stops moving when the wheels are positioned under one of the horizontal propped surfaces, therefore the cylinder don't have to bear the weight of the head member all the time.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4495788 (1985-01-01), Traub
patent: 5263350 (1993-11-01), Crippa
patent: 5950474 (1999-09-01), George et al.

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