Metal deforming – By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during... – By use of work-contacting wiper and moving – work-holding form
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-19
2001-04-24
Butler, Rodney A. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during...
By use of work-contacting wiper and moving, work-holding form
C072S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to bend dies, and more particularly, to bend dies which produce multiple bends within tubing.
Tubing often is used to carry pressurized fluids from one location to another. The tubing is installed after assembly of major components and must be routed around obstructions to complete a fluid circuit. Such routing may require compound bends in the tubing.
Typically, compound bends are formed using manual or automated bending machines. To form compound bends, the tubing often must be located in multiple pre-bending tubing positions to securely position the tubing while the tubing is bent. Multiple clamps are used to hold the tubing in place. However, a straight section of tubing between clamps typically is required to form the desired bends. The straight section length is typically a minimum of two to three times a diameter of the tubing.
To form a compound bend having bends closer together than possible with known manual or automated bending machines, a portion of the desired bends is formed on several pieces of tubing. The separate pieces are then welded together to form a single tube having the desired compound bends. Alternatively, a first portion of the compound bend is formed using a bending machine and a first clamp block, and a second clamp block is manufactured to include a second portion of the desired compound bend and used with the bending machine to form a second portion of the compound bend. The process is repeated with as many clamp blocks as necessary until the desired compound bend is formed in a single piece of tubing.
Welding multiple sections of tubing together to form a single tubing having the desired compound bends, produces tubing that does not have the structural integrity of non-welded tubing. Creating a compound bend using multiple clamp blocks forms a compound bend in tubing that maintains the structural integrity of non-welded tubing, but is much more laborious and cumbersome to form. Multiple assembly set-ups and clamp block manufacturing increases the time necessary to form a desired compound bend in tubing.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an exemplary embodiment, a bend die assembly facilitates the formation of a compound bend in a single tube in a single operation. The assembly includes a bend die, a base, and a clamp block assembly. The bend die is attached to the base and includes a t-shaped projection which extends outward from the bend die. The clamp block assembly includes a first clamp block and a second clamp block. The first clamp block includes a first opening, a plurality of second openings, and a plurality of projections. The first opening is substantially T-shaped and slidably receives the bend die projection. The plurality of second openings are disposed in a bottom surface of the first clamp block and engage a plurality of clamp block drive keys attached to the base. The first clamp block also includes a tube groove which includes a plurality of indentations which in combination with the second clamp block produce a desired compound bend in tubing.
In operation, the first clamp block is easily installed or removed from the bend die. Additionally, the first clamp block and the second clamp block each include a tube groove which mate together to hold and position the tube as the bend die forms the desired compound bend in one operation. Because all bending is accomplished with the use of the bend die and the clamp block assembly, no pre-bend setup steps are necessary. Furthermore, because no additional clamps are used to position the tubing, a straight length of tubing is not necessary between bends in the compound bend.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4038853 (1977-08-01), Schwarze
patent: 4078411 (1978-03-01), Eaton
patent: 4083216 (1978-04-01), Gilkerson et al.
patent: 4178788 (1979-12-01), Zollweg et al.
patent: 4236398 (1980-12-01), Schwrze
patent: 4899567 (1990-02-01), Lenglet et al.
Klingensmith James K.
Wehmeyer John E.
Butler Rodney A.
General Electric Company
Gressel Gerry S.
Hess Andrew C.
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