Metal deforming – By deflecting successively-presented portions of work during... – By use of work-contacting wiper and moving – work-holding form
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-03
2001-07-17
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
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260395
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertically oriented apparatus for bending metal tubing. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated and computer controlled apparatus for bending tubing, in which the height of the apparatus is greater than the width thereof, in order to occupy less floor space than is required for a conventional tube bending machine, and in which tubing stock is moved along a substantially vertical path.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many different types of tube bending machines are known and commercially available. Some examples of tubing benders may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,724,256, 4,126,030, 4,606,250, 4,703,678 and 5,025,651.
However, it is believed that all of the known tubing benders are mounted on a horizontally oriented support frame or base, and move a piece of tubing stock therethrough along a substantially horizontal path. This conventional arrangement of the machine takes up a large floor space in a manufacturing facility, which tends to be relatively expensive.
A need still exists in the art for an improved tube bending apparatus, which includes tube moving and bending components mounted on a support frame which takes up less floor space in a manufacturing plant than the previously known tubing benders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a vertically oriented tube bending apparatus, which takes up less floor space than the previously known tubing benders.
A tube bending apparatus in accordance with the present invention, generally, includes a support frame having a length, a width, and a height, wherein the greatest of these is the height.
The apparatus further includes a tubing advance mechanism, attached to the support frame, for moving a tubing workpiece therethrough along a substantially vertical path. A bend die is also provided which is rotatably attached to the support frame and pivotally movable about a pivot axis. The bend die has an outer side edge with an arcuate peripheral groove formed therein to receive a portion of a tubing workpiece.
The apparatus also includes a pressure die movably attached to said support frame. The pressure die has a reciprocally movable first pressure applicator for applying pressure to a follower slide; and a follower slide which is slidably attached to said first pressure applicator. The follower slide includes an inner face having an arcuate cutout channel formed therein to receive a portion of a tubing workpiece therein substantially opposite the bend die.
The apparatus also includes a bend arm assembly for bending a tubing workpiece against the bend die. The bend arm assembly is rotatably movable about the pivot axis of the bend die, and may be integrally formed therewith.
The present invention also encompasses a method of using the vertically oriented tubing bender to bend a piece of tubing stock.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for moving a piece of tubing stock through a tube bending machine along a path which is substantially vertically oriented, and for bending the tubing in a selected, predetermined way.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the reader is referred to the following detailed description section, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description and in the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts.
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patent: 4970885 (1990-11-01), Chipp et al.
patent: 4974436 (1990-12-01), Nakatsuji
patent: 5016507 (1991-05-01), Riera
patent: 5025651 (1991-06-01), Del Fabro et al.
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patent: 5343725 (1994-09-01), Sabine
patent: 5499522 (1996-03-01), Schwarze
Adaptive Motion Control Systems, Inc.
Blackman William D.
Butler Rodney A.
Carrier Joseph P.
Carrier Blackman & Associates P.C.
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