Rotational indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus

A conduit rotational indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a plurality of conduit-bending shoes mounted in a side-by-side relationship for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by one of the conduit-bending shoes for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the one shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the one shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the one shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track and toward and away from the one shoe, and the support plate having a face which is oriented in a plane which is arranged substantially at 90 degrees to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track and toward and away from the one shoe;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is oriented substantially normal to the plane of the face thereof and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• and
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the face of the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• wherein the body of the hub assembly defines a through-opening which extends centrally therethrough, the support plate defines a through-opening which opens out of the face thereof, and the system further includes a headed fastener whose shank extends through both the through-opening of the body of the hub assembly and the through-opening of the support plate to rotatably attach the body of the hub assembly to the support plate to permit the body of the hub assembly to be rotatably indexed relative to the support plate and about the second rotation axis as aforesaid.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by the conduit-bending shoe for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track and toward and away from the shoe;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is arranged substantially parallel to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track and toward and away from the shoe and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• means for securing the support plate in a stationary position relative to the second rotation axis;
• and
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the support plate in a stationary position relative to the second rotation axis, securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• wherein the body of the hub assembly includes a cylindrically-shaped section which is centered about the second rotation axis and which is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent when the distal end of the conduit is directed endwise about the cylindrically-shaped section;
• wherein the cylindrically-shaped section is a first cylindrically-shaped section and the body of the hub assembly includes a second cylindrically-shaped section which is centered about the second rotation axis and is sized to accept the distal end of an alternative conduit desired to be bent with the conduit bending apparatus.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein a conduit to be bent with the apparatus has a longitudinal axis about which the conduit is desired to be indexed with the conduit indexing system, a proximal end capable of being engaged by the conduit bending shoe for conduit bending purposes, and a distal end which extends away from the conduit bending shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a hub assembly for supporting the distal end of the conduit in a first condition for rotation about a second axis of rotation and so that the second rotation axis is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the conduit so that by supporting the distal end of the conduit by way of the hub assembly in the first condition and subsequently rotatably indexing the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation through a desired number of angular degrees to a second condition, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• a support plate which is associated with the hub assembly and defines a planar face which is arranged substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the conduit so that by rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation through a desired number of angular degrees while the distal end of the conduit is supported by the hub assembly effects the indexing of the conduit about its longitudinal axis and relative to the planar face of the support plate through the desired number of angular degrees;
• and
• wherein the planar face of the support plate bears indicia-providing means which identifies for an operator the amount of angular degrees about the second rotation axis through which the body of the hub assembly is rotatably indexed from the first condition.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by the conduit-bending shoe for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track, and the support plate having a face which is oriented in a plane which is arranged substantially normal to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is oriented substantially normal to the plane of the face thereof and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• and
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the face of the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• wherein the body of the hub assembly includes a cylindrically-shaped section which is sized to closely accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• wherein the means for securing includes a securement bolt having an end and further includes a securement arm which is attached to the support plate and includes a portion positioned adjacent the body of the hub assembly, and
• the securement arm defines an internally-threaded opening for threadably accepting the securement bolt so that when the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent is positioned about the body of the hub assembly, the securement bolt can be rotated within the internally-threaded opening of the securement arm to move the end of the securement bolt into engagement with the conduit so that the conduit is tightly held between the cylindrically-shaped section of the body of the hub assembly and the end of the securement bolt.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by the conduit-bending shoe for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track, and the support plate having a face which is oriented in a plane which is arranged substantially normal to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is oriented substantially normal to the plane of the face thereof and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• and
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the face of the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• wherein the body of the hub assembly includes a cylindrically-shaped section which is sized to closely accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• wherein the cylindrically-shaped section is a first cylindrically-shaped section, and the body of the hub assembly includes a second cylindrically-shaped section which is sized to closely accept the distal end of a second conduit having an inner diameter which is different in magnitude than that of the conduit desired to be bent.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by the conduit-bending shoe for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track, and the support plate having a face which is oriented in a plane which is arranged substantially normal to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is oriented substantially normal to the plane of the face thereof and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the face of the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• and
• means associated with the support plate for releasably securing the body of the hub assembly in a stationary relationship with respect to the support plate upon rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation through a desired number of angular degrees.

A conduit indexing system for use with a conduit bending apparatus having a conduit-bending shoe mounted for rotation about a first axis and wherein the conduit desired to be bent has a longitudinal axis, a proximal end which is capable of being engaged by the conduit-bending shoe for conduit-bending purposes and a distal end which extends away from the shoe, the conduit indexing system comprising:

• a guide track having a length and which extends lengthways away from the shoe of the conduit bending apparatus;
• a carriage which is mounted upon the guide track for movement relative thereto and along the length thereof toward and away from the shoe;
• a support plate supported by the carriage for movement therewith along the length of the guide track and toward and away from the shoe;
• a hub assembly having a body which is mounted upon the support plate for rotation relative thereto about a second axis of rotation which is arranged substantially parallel to the permitted direction of movement of the carriage along the guide track and toward and away from the shoe and wherein the body is sized to accept the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent;
• means for securing the support plate in a stationary position relative to the second rotation axis;
• and
• means for securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly so that by securing the support plate in a stationary position relative to the second rotation axis, securing the distal end of the conduit about the body of the hub assembly and then rotatably indexing the body of the hub assembly about the second axis of rotation and relative to the support plate through a desired number of angular degrees, the conduit is indexed about its longitudinal axis by a corresponding amount;
• and
• a securement bolt having an end;
• and a securement arm which is attached to the support plate and includes a portion positioned adjacent the body of the hub assembly, and the securement arm defines an internally-threaded opening for threadably accepting the securement bolt so that when the distal end of the conduit desired to be bent is positioned about the body of the hub assembly, the securement bolt can be rotated within the internally-threaded opening of the securement arm to move the end of the securement bolt into engagement with the conduit so that the conduit is tightly held between the cylindrically-shaped section of the body of the hub assembly and the end of the securement bolt.