US 12,673,354 B1 · Width-expandable shoe for conduit bending apparatus and an associated method

Abstract

A conduit bending apparatus having a shoe mounted for rotation about an axis and having an arcuate-shaped periphery defining an outwardly-opening groove having sidewalls for closely accepting the outer surface of a conduit desired to be bent utilizes a shoe comprised of a pair of platen half-sections which are joined in a side-by-side relationship and which collectively define the outwardly-opening groove. In addition, the groove has a width as measured laterally across the opening thereof, and the pair of half-sections are joined together in a manner which permits the pair of half-sections to be moved toward and away from one another to alter the width of the outwardly-opening groove so that the outwardly-opening groove can closely accept the outer surface of a conduit having a width which falls within a range of outer diameters.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about an axis and having an arcuate-shaped periphery defining an outwardly-opening groove having opposing sidewalls for accepting an outer surface of a conduit to be bent having a predetermined outer diameter and wherein the outwardly-opening groove has a width as measured laterally across an opening thereof and which is sized to accept the outer surface of the conduit so that by positioning the outwardly-opening groove of the conduit-bending shoe about the conduit so that the outer surface of the conduit is accepted by the outwardly-opening groove and then pressing the shoe against the conduit while rotating the shoe about the axis so that the outwardly-opening groove rolls along a length of the conduit, a bend is formed in the conduit, the improvement characterized in that:

the outwardly-opening groove is provided by a plurality of sections arranged adjacent each other and forming the arcuate-shaped periphery, said plurality of sections including two half-sections configured to move relative to each other along the axis;
the outwardly-opening groove has a width configured to expand to accept one conduit having a diameter which is greater than the predetermined outer diameter;
and
the improvement further comprising biasing means for continually biasing the two half-sections toward each other, such that when the two half-sections are pressed against the one conduit, the two half-sections are forced to spread apart in opposition to a force of the biasing means.

1 more element

In a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe which is mounted for rotation about an axis and having an arcuate-shaped periphery defining an outwardly-opening groove which extends there-along and having two opposing sidewalls for accepting an outer surface of a conduit to be bent having a predetermined outer diameter and wherein the outwardly-opening groove has a width as measured laterally across the opening thereof which is sized to accept the conduit so that by positioning the outwardly-opening groove of about the outer surface of the conduit and then pressing the conduit-bending shoe against the conduit while rotating the conduit-bending shoe about the axis of rotation so that the outwardly-opening groove rolls axially along the conduit, a bend is formed in the conduit, the improvement characterized in that:

the width of the outwardly-opening groove of the conduit-bending shoe is capable of expanding from an unexpanded condition toward an expanded condition for accepting a conduit having an outer diameter which is greater than the predetermined outer diameter;
and
the shoe further includes biasing means for biasing the width of the outwardly-opening groove from the expanded condition toward the unexpanded condition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Width-expandable shoe for conduit bending apparatus and an associated method

Life of this patent

Width-expandable shoe for conduit bending apparatus and an associated method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19