EP0121077B2 - Pipe-bending machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a machine for bending strand material, in particular brake lines, fuel lines and the like, with a central clamping device for the strand material and with a bending head which can be moved in the longitudinal direction along the axis of the bent strand material (strand material axis) and which on both sides of the clamping device one each, for example Bending molding designed as a bending roller and a pivotable in the common bending plane about the axis of the bending molding (bending molding axis), e.g. Has formed as a counter-pressure roller, the bending heads can be moved independently of one another along the strand material axis.

Such a bending machine is known from US-A-3 245 433. Either both bending heads can be moved synchronously or in mirror image to the central clamping plane of the strand material, or only one bending head is actuated for bending on one side of this clamping plane independently of the other bending head, which is stationary during this time. The change in the bending plane is brought about by the fact that the strand of material is clamped in the middle of a rotary head, which changes the bending plane simultaneously and equally on both sides of the central clamping plane. With such a bending machine, strands of material can only be bent symmetrically or with the greatest expenditure of time.

From DE-A-2 918 813 a machine for bending metal bars with a round full or tubular cross section is known. The rod is clamped in the middle of a clamping device. One bending head each is axially and mirror-symmetrically adjustable to the vertical machine center plane on each side of the central clamping device by means of a threaded spindle on guide rods, so that the same arches can be bent in succession from the outside to the strand material. The bending plane of both bending heads is vertical. In order to be able to bend sheets lying in different planes of the strand material, the strand material can be rotated about its longitudinal axis with the aid of the central clamping swivel bearing before the next sheet in each case is placed on both sides of the clamping device at the same time. The arches attached to the right and left at the same time inevitably lie in a common bending plane. If sheets are to be provided to the right and left of the clamping device that are not in a common bending plane, this can only be done by bending the individual sheets on both sides of the central clamping device in succession instead of at the same time, which means a considerable additional expenditure of time.

From US-A-3 373 587, FR-B-2 311 604 and DE-A-2 518 798 it is known per se to arrange a single bending head for pipe bending machines pivotable about the strand material axis.

Brake lines, fuel lines or the like are strand material, which has considerable lengths in relation to the diameter and is therefore difficult to handle. Common to such bent parts is that they often have to have a longer straight center piece with adjoining, completely differently curved end sections on both sides. The individual bends can differ in their sequence according to length, bend angle and bend plane. The known bending machine described above is therefore not suitable for bending brake lines, fuel lines and the like. The like. Bending by hand on special one-purpose devices, as has hitherto been customary in brake lines, fuel lines or the like, is also too time-consuming and costly.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to develop a machine of the generic type in such a way that it enables simple operation to be carried out quickly, even with strand materials such as brake lines, fuel lines or the like, which are to be bent asymmetrically.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the bending heads can be pivoted independently of one another while rotating the bending plane formed by the bending molding and counter-pressure molding about the strand material axis.

In the bending machine according to the invention, the strand material remains firm during the bending processes, i.e. not rotatable relative to the machine bed, clamped. The bending heads, on the other hand, can form different bending planes independently of one another and can also provide different distances between the bends or bending angles independently of one another, so that any bends can be lined up independently of one another on both sides of the central clamping device. This not only found a structurally simple bending machine to solve the problem described above, but also created a bending machine with high output rates.

The required rotation of the bending planes on both sides of the central clamping device can be solved in a structurally simple manner, for example, by arranging swivel brackets for the bending heads on both sides of the central clamping device, the swivel axis of which coincides with the strand material axis in the region of the ends of axially outer and axially inner hoop arms and the hoop webs in the Distance parallel to the strand material axis. Since the distance between the stirrups and the strand material axis can be chosen to be relatively large, there is a large amount of free space available for the ends of the material strand that can be bent in a very bulky manner, which is not the case with the bending machine described at the beginning because of the two guide rods and the displacement spindle for the bending head .

The free ends of the axially outer Bracket arms can each be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft of a swivel motor. With the help of the respective swivel motor, the swivel bracket and thus the bending plane can be rotated up to 300 ° and more.

A transport motor for the axial movement of the respective bending head is expediently arranged on the swivel bracket on each swivel bracket on the bracket web. In this way, expensive gears, transmissions or the like are avoided, since the respective transport motor, for example via threaded spindles known per se, can move the bending head assigned to it on the respective stirrup bar.

A robust construction of the bending machine is obtained when the respective swivel bracket is pivotably mounted between a middle and an outer bracket of the machine bed.

It is advantageous if the two swivel brackets are pivotally mounted on a common central bracket, which also carries the clamping device.

The respective bending head can be attached to a holder, which also carries the drive motor for the bending molding and / or counter-pressure molding and is axially displaceably mounted on the bracket web of the respective swivel bracket. This also promotes the goal of simple construction.

For example, an end stop for the strand material can be arranged axially adjustable on the respective outer consoles; the end stops are used to position the strand material in its initial position. The respective end stop can also deliver a position signal dependent on its relative axial position to the central clamping device for program control of the method and pivoting of the respective bending head. This makes it possible to run certain bending processes using a standard bending program.

The respective bending head is preferably in its starting position when the strand material is clamped directly adjacent to the central clamping device, then it first moves axially outward along the strand material, in order then to be axially displaced from the outside in order to carry out the individual bending processes. This mode of operation has the advantage that union nuts present on the strand material, as is often the case with brake lines, fuel lines or the like, are inevitably pushed to the outer end where they belong on the finished workpiece. After all, the union nuts may no longer be able to be pushed over the bent strand material into the desired outer position, especially if there are bends with a small radius of curvature.

The bending machine according to the invention can additionally be equipped with automatic devices for feeding the unbent strand material and / or removing the finished workpieces. The strand material is e.g. subtracted from a coil.

With the invention, therefore, a universally usable, easily automated, structurally simple and fast-working bending machine is created, which is particularly suitable for bending complicated brake lines, fuel lines or the like. All known bending heads and bending techniques can be used.

Further objectives, advantages and possible applications result from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the attached drawing.

• Fig. 1 die Biegemaschine schematisch in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 2 die Biegemaschine von Fig. 1 schematisch in Draufsicht,
• Fig. 3 die Biegemaschine nach Fig. 1 in stirnseitiger Ansicht 111,
• Fig. 4 demgegenüber vergrößert in Draufsicht einen bei der Biegemaschine einsetzbaren Biegekopft,
• Fig. 5 den Biegekopf von Fig. 4 in Richtung der Strangmaterialachse gesehen, und
• Fig. 6 in Richtung der Strangmaterialachse gesehen eine mögliche bei der Biegemaschine einsetzbare Einspannvorrichtung.

It shows:

• 1 shows the bending machine schematically in side view,
• 2 shows the bending machine of FIG. 1 schematically in plan view,
• 3 shows the bending machine according to FIG. 1 in front view 111,
• 4, on the other hand, enlarges a top view of a bending head which can be used in the bending machine,
• 5 seen the bending head of FIG. 4 in the direction of the strand material axis, and
• 6, seen in the direction of the strand material axis, a possible clamping device that can be used in the bending machine.

The bending machine 1 shown in the drawing has a central clamping device 2 for clamping the central, essentially straight section of a strand material 20, the sections of which are to be provided on the outside with bends of different arc lengths, radii of curvature and bending planes. The unbent strand material 20 forms the strand material axis S. On both sides of the central clamping device 2 there is a bending head 3, 3 '. Each bending head 3, 3 'has a bending molding 4, 4', which is designed as a bending roller in the illustrated case, and a counter pressure molding 5, 5 ', which is designed as a counter-pressure roller in the illustrated case. In the illustrated bending heads 3, 3 ', the counter-pressure molding 5, 5' can be pivoted about the respective axis of the bending molding 4, 4 ', the bending molding axis B, B', for carrying out the bending process, for example from that shown in solid lines in FIG. 4 upper position to the lower position shown in dashed lines. 5 that it can be used as a bending molding 4, 4 'and counter pressure molding 5, 5', respectively, groove-free bending rollers or counter pressure rollers. For the essentially central clamping of the strand material 20 in the clamping device 2, according to FIG. 6, the latter has, for example, a fixed clamping jaw 21 and a counter clamping jaw 22 which can be set thereon and perpendicular to the strand material axis S and which is adjustable by an actuating piston 23 which can be acted upon by pressure medium D. For rough pre-orientation of the position of the strand material on the bending head 3, a slightly widening positioning slot 24 is provided, on the bottom of which clamping jaws 21 and counter-clamping jaws 22 cooperate. On each bending head 3, 3 'there is also a counter-holder 19 for holding the strand material 20 in the immediate vicinity of the bending molding 4, 4' during the bending process.

Each bending head 3, 3 'is carried at the upper end of a holder 15, 15', which holder 15, 15 'at the lower end has a drive motor 16, 16' for driving the bending molding 4, 4 'and / or the counter pressure molding 5, 5 ' having. Holders 15, 15 'with bending head 3, 3' and drive motor 16, 16 'are arranged so that they can be moved in the axial direction by means of a foot part 18, 18' on a bracket web 9, 9 'of a swivel bracket 6, 6'. Each bracket web 9, 9 'has at its ends an axially inner, essentially radially extending bracket arm 7, 7' and an axially outer, essentially radially extending bracket arm 8, 8 '. The respective inner bracket arm 7, 7 'is mounted on a central bracket 12 of the machine bed 14, which supports the clamping device 2, so that it can pivot about the strand material axis S. The ends of the respective outer bracket arm 8, 8 'are attached in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft of a swivel motor 10, 10', which is intended and suitable for swiveling the respective swivel bracket 6, 6 'around the strand material axis S, as is shown in particular in FIG 3 emerges. In this way, the beige plane E formed by the respective bending head 3, 3 'can be rotated about the strand material axis S, so that the bending heads 3, 3' can independently carry out bends in different bending planes, while the strand material 20 is fixed in the clamping device 2 remains clamped. The swivel motors 10, 10 'are held firmly on outer brackets 13, 13' of the machine bed 14.

The axial adjustment of the holders 15, 15 'with the bending heads 3, 3' takes place via transport motors 11, 111, e.g. by means of threaded spindles (not shown) which engage the foot part) 18, 18 '. The transport motors 11, 11 'are arranged at the outer end of the bar webs 9, 9' on the swivel bars 6, 6 'and can be pivoted with them.

When the strand material 20 is clamped, end stops 17, 17 ', which are axially displaceably mounted on the outer brackets 13, 13', are fed to the respective end of the strand material 20. As a result, an electrical position signal corresponding to the position of the respective end stop 17, 17 'is emitted, which serves as a reference value for the program control for the axial displacement and pivoting of the bending heads 3, 3', so that, depending on the axial position of the strand material 20 and the predetermined bending program required bends on both sides of the central clamping when the bending machine 1 is operated automatically also be placed in the correct place.

When the strand material 20 is clamped, the bending heads 3, 3 'are in their starting position in the immediate vicinity of the central clamping device 2, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thereafter, the bending heads 3, 3 'are first moved to the outer end of the still straight strand material 20 to be bent without a bending process. The union nuts which may be located on the strand material 20 are pushed to the outer ends of the strand material 20, where they belong on the finished workpiece. Then the individual bending processes are carried out by gradually working the bending heads 3, 3 ′ from the outside axially inward until they reach the central, just remaining section of the strand material 20, at which the strand material 20 is clamped in the central clamping device 2.

As can be seen, the bending heads 3, 3 'can, independently of one another, carry out bends simultaneously in different bending planes, since this is determined exclusively by the respective pivot position of the respective pivot bracket 6, 6'.

Reference symbol list:

• 1 bending machine
• 2 clamping device
• 3, 3 'bending head
• 4, 4 'bending molding
• 5, 5 'counter pressure molding
• 6, 6 'swivel bracket
• 7, 7 'axially inner bracket arms
• 8, 8 'axially outer bracket arms
• 9, 9 'stirrups
• 10, 10 'swivel motor
• 11, 11 'transport motor
• 12 middle console
• 13, 13 'outer consoles
• 14 machine bed
• 15, 15 'holder
• 16, 16 'drive motor
• 17, 17 'end stop
• 18.18 'foot section
• 19 counterholders
• 20 strand material
• 21 jaws
• 22 counter clamps
• 23 actuating pistons
• 24 positioning slot
• S strand material axis
• E bending plane
• B, B 'bent molding axis
• D pressure medium

Claims (13)

1. A machine for bending extruded material, in particular, brake conduits, fuel pipes or the like, comprising a central clamping mechanism for the extruded material and a bending head on either side of the clamping mechanism movable respectively in the longitudinal direction along the axis of the bent extruded material (extruded material axis), with the bending head respectively comprising a bending mold part formed, for example, as a bending roll, and a counter-pressure part formed, for example, as a counter-pressure roll and swivable in the common bending plane about the axis of the bending part (bending part axis), and with the bending heads being movable independently of one another along the extruded material axis characterized in that the bending heads (3,3') are independently tiltable by rotating the bending plane (E) formed by the bending part (4, 4') and by the counter-pressure part (5, 5') about the extruded material axis (S).

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that disposed on either side of the central clamping means (2) are pivot brackets (6, 6') for the bending heads (3, 3'), the pivot axis of which coincides in the area of the ends of the axially outer and axially inner bracket arms (7, 7'; 8, 8') with the extruded material axis (S) and the bracket webs of which (9, 9') extend at a distance in parallel to the extending material axis (S).

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the free ends of the respectively axially outer bracket arm (8, 8') respectively are connected non-rotationally to the driving shaft of a pivot motor (10, 10').

4. A machine according to claims 2 or 3, characterized in that disposed on each pivot bracket (6, 6'), pivotally thereto, is a transport motor (11, 11') for axial movement of the respective bending head (3, 3') on the bracket web (9, 9').

5. A machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the respective pivot bracket (6, 6') is pivotally disposed between a central and an outer console (12; 13, 13') of the machine bed (14).

6. A machine according to claim 5, characterized in that both pivot brackets (6, 6') are pivotally disposed on a common central console (12) also carrying the clamping means (2).

7. A machine according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the respective bending head (3, 3') is disposed on a support (15, 15') which also carries the driving motor (16, 16') for the bending mold part (4, 4') and/or the counter-pressure part (5, 5') and is displaceably disposed on the bracket web (9, 9') of the respective pivot bracket (6, 6').

8. A machine according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that disposed on the respectively outer consoles (13, 13') in axially displaceable manner is an end stop (17, 17') for the extruded material (20).

9. A machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the respective end stop (17, 17') provides a position signal for the program control of the manoeuvering and swivelling of the respective bending head (3, 3'), which signal is dependent on the relative axial position vis-à-vis the central clamping means (2).

10. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the respective bending head (3, 3') in the initial position thereof during clamping of the extruded material (20) is located in the immediate vicinity of the central clamping means (2), subsequently moves axially outwardly along the extruded material (20) and is then axially displaced from the outside to the inside to perform the individual bending steps.

11. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by an automatic extruded material supply means.

12. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the extruded material supply means supplies the extruded material from a coil.

13. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by an automatic dispensing mechanism for the finished workpieces.

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