US2762416A - Rod or tube bending machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 11, 1956 F. L. MIDDLETON 2,

ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FOREST g M|DD ETON ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 F. L. MIDDLETON 2,762,416)

ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L L ME FORE ST EMIDDLETON ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 Filed July 12, 1954 annual"! F. L. MIDDLETON ROD OR TUBE BENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w FOREST kMIDDLETON M LQ I ATTORNEY Superior Machine & 'Tool, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 1 Application July 12, 1954, Serial No. 442,595

Claims. (01. 153-45 i This invention is directed to a particularly simple, "pracnitswam Q tical, sturdy and useful tube bending machine. However,

the machine of my invention is also equally adapted to bend rods, pipes, wire and other various elongated metallic forms of uniform cross section, such tubes, rods and the like being bent through' any desired arc, so that one section of the tube or rod at one side of the bend lies at a selected angle with respect to the section thereof at the opposite side of the bend. With my invention, a tube, rod or the like may be bent practically, at a maximum, through a complete half circle or 180 degrees, two

sections of the tubing at opposite sides of the bend lying V 7 parallel to each other. a g

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a machine as noted by means of which rods, tubes, pipes and the like are very quickly and economically bent to desired forms, the novel machine which I have invented for such purpose being exceptionally strong and durable, of long life and very effective for' attainment of the purposes for which it has been produced. An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the a accompaying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which, I a

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the novel machine of my invention with the parts occupying the position which they have when a pipe, tube, rod or the like is placed in' the machine for bending. v i

Fig. 2 is a like plan view showing the tube bent back upon itself through a full 180 degree bend, the'parts occupying the position which they have at the completion of such bending. P

Fig. 3 is a like plan view showing the first step of the machine operation to bring the bending wiper of the machine against the tube or rod after' it has been placed in the machine.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine as it is in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows the several sembled.

Fig. 6 is a generally horizontal section taken on the planes of the broken line 6-6 of Fig. '3, looking in the direction indicated, and

Fig. 7 illustrates the several steps of operation of the bending wiper at the beginning, at intermediate stages, and at the end of the bending operation.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings. I

In the structure illustrated, a fixed horizontal table 1 has cut in it an arcuate slot 2, the center of the radius of which is the axis of a vertical fixed shaft 3 by a drive or press fit to the table and which extends upwardly through the table having portions both above and below it. The slot 2 is of a length less than a full circle, as shown.

Below the table 1 a driving member 4, located against an annular flange 3:: on the shaft, is free to rotate around parts of the machine disasmoves with the plate.

the shaft 3, being shown in the form'of a disk though not necessarily of disk form. A vertical pin 5 fixed to the driving member 4 outwardly from the shaft 3 ,extends upwardly through the slot 2 in the table and into an opening made adjacent the outeren'd ofa flat cam plate 6 through which the shaft 3 passes and about which the plate 6 may turn. At the upper side of the plate 6 a cam member 7, of somewhat elongated-. 'form with rounded ends, is secured, havingan elongated -slot'or recess 8' withparallel sides and'r ounded ends 'made therethrough. Such cam member 7 fixed to the plate'6 Over the cam member 7 a connectinglinkfi, of the form shown best in Figs. 1, 2 and}, is positioned. It is a fiat plate which'at-one end has a collar 10 extending downwardly therefrom'beinglocated around the upper end portion of the shaft 3 andextending downwardly.

Between the inner end portion of the plate 6 and the connecting link 9 a brake is located, having an arcuate portion 11 surrounding the collar 10, such arcuate portion being of a circular form, parted at one side and having outwardlyextending generally parallel arms 12 at the parting, one of which is located between twospaced vertical pins 13'fixed to the table'l. An adjusting screw 14 passes through the shorter arm 12 and is threaded into the longer arm 12. Itis used for tightening or loosenin g the brake upon the collar 10.

A vertical pin 15 has a roller 16 at its lower end, the roller being received in the slot 8 of: the 'cam member 7. The pin 15 is fixed to and depends from a wiper member 17 near one end thereof. The wiper is pivotally connected, as at 18, adjacent its opposite. end to, turn about a vertical axis, having apiv'otalconnection ,vvith and another position in which both sides are perpendicular to such length coming against a stop pin 19 extending upwardly from-the connecting link 9. In such swinging movements the roller -16 traverses the slot 8 and at its extremes of movements may come against the rounded ends of said slot.

A circular die 20 is mounted at the upper end portion of the shaft 3 over'the link 9 substantia1ly in the same plane as the wiper 17. Such circular or disk die 20 is fixed on the reduced end portion of the shaft 3. It has a continuous annular groove 22 around it as shown. The inner side of the wiper 17, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, has a cooperating groove 23 lengthwisethereof in the same plane as groove 22. Both grooves 22 and 23 are of semi-circular form in cross section, each having a radius substantially equal to the outside radius of a tube or rod which is to be bent.

A stop 24 is fixed to and extends upwardly from the table 1 against which an edge of the cam plate 6 is brought at the starting position of the machine as in Fig. 1. Adjacent the opposite end of the slot 2 a second stop 25, likewise secured to and extending upwardly from the table 1, is secured. Such stop 25 or stops similar thereto may be located at selected distances away from such end of the slot 2 to limit the extent of movement of the plate 6 and the parts connected therewith-and in this manner govern the degreeof bending of a'pipe, tube, rod or the like which is processed in the machine. The opposite edge of the cam plate 6 comes against the stop 25 at whatever position such stop may be placed. When it comes against the stop 25 adjacent the end of the slot 2 a full degree bend of the tube or rod 26 is made so that the two sections of the tube or red at opposite sides of the bend lie parallel to each other.

In the operation, driving member 4 is preferably turned by a suitable power means. Such power means in practice is by m'eans of a pneumatic cylinder and piston'and piston rod having rack and gearing connections with drivjngmember 4. 1 However, the method and; means ot-applyiugpower to the cam plate 6 .to rot-ate in opposite ,directions is subject to .wide variation and is not .an essenvital part of .the present invention. Of course the :cam ,plate 6-.can be turnedbyhand power. V

In operation, a tube such as .tube 26, is ;placed above the connecting link 9 with the parts in the position shown in 'Fig. .1 received .partly in the .groove 22 of the die 20; and preferably the tube .is rleasablyaclamped .against movement outside of the lbending .apparatus. .On rotating .the driving :memher 4 counter-clockwise the pin first moves the plate ,6 .to the position shownin Fig. 3. The .connecting'link .9 is 'frictionallyheld by the brake :11 against movement. I

Insuh movement of .the plate 6, roller :16traverses the slot of the .cam member 7 from its outerto its inner end and .swings the .wiper 17 to the position 'shown in Fig.3, the .groove 23 in .said wiper partially receiving .the opposite :side of the tube 26. Further continued movement of the plate 6 swings theconnecting link 9 counterclockwise around the vertical axis of the shaft .3 and carries the wiper 17 with it, causing said wiper to bend the tube '26 around the die 20. The bending continues .until the end stop 25 is reached as-in Fig. 2, against whichanedge of the plate '6 engages, being stopped Ibysaid stop upon reaching it. In bending the tube or rod it is 'bent into a complete U-bendassshown in Fig. .2. If, however, astop 25, .for example, is located as indicated in the dashedlines in Fig. 3, the bend will :beiof a lesser degree-andby.selectivelyplacingthe stop at different ,positions, varied bendings of the rod or tube may .be obtained.

-'When such bending .is .completed, 1 on a reverse turning ofthedrivingmember 4-in-a clockwise direction-the first .movementLis of .the plate .6, untilthe roller -.16"has .traverse'drthe .slot8 to the outer endthereof, and the wiper comes .againstpin 19 turning link '9 against the friction of =the.brake 11 .which has heldconnecting link 9*against movement and both move together until-they reach the .initial;.posit-ion in \Fig. 1 when the-plate 6 comes against ;pin 24. .T he tube is-releasedatonce from the wiper 17 as soon as the return movement of the plate 6 begins, .the wiper moving away from the' tube-which may be removed from the-die .20; and a-section of 'the tube 'or .rodat :either side .ofthe bend which, has been "made may .then be placedinthe machine at. a selected'position when .the machine hasreturneddo the position shown in Fig. 1.

.The machine described is particularly simple, durable, tpracticalandnseful. ,Bendingoftubenrods and thelik'e is accomplished .very rapidly. A tube may have several .spaced bends therein of different degrees of bending at any of the preselected angles of curvature wantedat-the bends. Quantity production of tube, rod-and wireb'ending .istattaineddna very'economical manner. Thernachine, because of .its simplicityand sturdlinessof structure, it also-economical.toproduce andis not liable to get out-of .order.

Theinventionis definedin-the appendedclaims land is .to be considered comprehensive of "all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I. claim:

.1. In abending-machine, ahorizontaletablea vertical shaft on andcextending upwardly from said table, a plate above the table through which said shaft passes and about which the plate is mounted to turn, means for driving said plate about the shaft in back and forth movements, a cam member secured to said plate at its upper side having an elongated slot therein, a link above the cam member through which said shaft passes and about which shaft the link is rotatively movable, a Wiper having a grooved side edge pivotally connected to and located over said link, means connected to the wiper spaced from its pivotal connection to the link extending into said slot and :engageable'by the sides of said slot, and a circular 'die carried at the upper portion of said =0f said wiper in one direction of movement thereof, .wherebysaid-linkis moved-by the wiper against the brake ;--acting on .the link.

4. Structure having the-elements in combination deifined in claim .2, and a stop for limiting the extent of ,movementlof said plate in-a return direction and a second stop adapted to be adjustably positionedin the path of .saidplate tolimit the extent-of movement thereof in the opposite direction. e

S. In a machine of the class described, a horizontal table, a vertical shaft mounted on and passing through saidtable, a member rotatably mounted to turn about the axis of the shaft below the table, .a pin fixed to said .member'extendingupwardly therefrom at a distance from said shaft, .said table ,having an arcuate slot traversed bysaid pin, a plate over-said table through which said shaft ,passes, said pinhaving connection to the Plate over said slot-in the .table, spaced stops on the table to limit 0 ,the :movement'of said plate in either direction, a cam member secured to the plate at the upper side of the plate having an ;outer end adjacent the outer edge of the plate and an inner end extending toward but spaced laterally from said shaft, said cam member having a slot, lengthwise thereof, alink located over said plate and cam member havinga downwardly extending collar through which said shaft passes, a friction brake around the collar between said link and plate, a wiper of generally :rectangular form pivotally connected to said link adja- .cent-one end andlying at.its other end over said cam member, said wiper having a groove in one longitudinal edgethereof, a die of circular form secured to said shaft above said link having a'groove in an edge thereof in the same horizontal plane asthe groove in said Wiper, a

roller mounted on and below said wiper adjacent the .other-end thereof located in;the slot of said cam member,

and an upwardly extending projection on said link located .outwardly from said shaft against which the wiper is adapted to engage at its edge opposite the groove therein.

References :Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 407g6-75 'McNutt July 23, 1889 1,263,301 Wheeler Apr. 16, 1918 1,305,990 Barry June 10, 1919 1,309,238 Brinkman July 8, 1919 1,424,366 McArdle Aug. 1, 1922 2,469,405 'Payne May '10, 1949 2,636,637 "Redman Apr. 28, 1953

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