Bending machine for bending workpieces, in particular a press brake

A bending machine for bending workpieces, in particular a press brake, with a lower beam and an upper beam, for forming a workpiece by bending along a bending line which extends in a width direction of the bending machine, wherein a tool holder for receiving bending tools is provided on the lower beam, and each end of the tool holder lying in the width direction is associated with a recessed region which is formed in the lower beam overlapping with the respective end of the tool holder, wherein:

• the lower beam comprises a, in particular plate-shaped, central element and at least one, in particular plate-shaped, side element, which are arranged adjacent to one another in the thickness direction of the lower beam, wherein the recessed regions are provided in the central element and/or in the width direction adjacent to the central element;
• the lower beam includes a central region below a central portion of the tool holder in the width direction, wherein during a bending operation of a workpiece a force is introduced via the tool holder in the central region both into the central element as well as into the at least one side element;
• the lower beam comprises, for each end of the tool holder, a free region which extends beneath the tool holder originating from the respective end of the tool holder and comprises that region of the recessed region associated with the respective end which lies beneath the tool holder;
• the central element and the at least one side element are arranged in a respective free region in such a manner that in the respective free region, during a bending operation of a workpiece, at least initially, a force is introduced exclusively into the central element.