Apparatus for bending tubes
AssigneeEaton-Leonard Corporation
InventorHomer L. Eaton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tube bend is started by compression bending and continued by draw bending. Conventional bending equipment is employed with one die slightly modified so that normal machine operation causes the pressure die to initially operate in a compression bending mode and then to operate in a draw bending mode. The tube is clamped between a rotatable bend and clamp die. The pressure die presses the tube against the bend die and initially moves with the tube so as to exert little axial restraint. The pressure die is caused to exert increasing pressure upon the tube, and its motion with the tube is stopped after a short initial travel, whereupon the pressure die restrains the tube as the bend and clamp dies continue to rotate, thereby to effect a draw bending to the completion of the bend.
Claims31
Tube bending apparatus comprising
- a rotatably mounted bend die,
- clamp die means cooperating with said bend die for clamping a portion of a tube therebetween,
- pressure die means for pressing a second portion of said tube,
- means for rotating said bend die and clamp die means to bend said tube around said bend die,
- means for mounting said pressure die means for movement with said tube as said bend die and clamp die means are moved through an initial portion of rotation, and
- means for restraining motion of said pressure die means during a subsequent portion of the rotation of said bend die and clamp die means.
In tube bending apparatus having a rotatable bend die, a clamp die rotatable therewith for clamping a tube between the bend and clamp dies, and a pressure die mounted for motion with a tube to be bent and adapted to be pressed against the tube, the improvement comprising
- means for increasing the pressure of said pressure die upon the tube during an initial part of the bending, and
- means for restraining said motion of said pressure die with the tube to be bent after said initial part of the bending has begun and during a subsequent part of te bending.
Bending apparatus comprising
- a machine bed,
- a carriage mounted for motion on the machine bed,
- a tube holding chuck mounted on the carriage,
- a bend arm assembly comprising
- a bend die rotatably mounted at one end of the machine bed,
- a clamp slide mounted for rotation with the bend die,
- a clamp die carried on the clamp slide,
- means for moving the clamp die and clamp slide toward and away from said bend die,
- means for rotating the bend die, clamp slide and clamp die,
- a stationary arm assembly comprising
- a stationary arm body,
- a bolster mounted to said body for slidable motion transverse to the extent of said bed,
- means for driving said bolster on its slidable mounting,
- a pressure die mounted to said bolster for slidable motion in a direction along said bed,
- means for limiting motion of said pressure die relative to said bolster, and
- means for causing said pressure and bend dies to approach each other as said pressure die moves through its limited motion.
Bending apparatus comprising
- a machine bed,
- a carriage mounted for motion on the machine bed,
- a tube holding chuck mounted on the carriage,
- a bend arm assembly comprising
- a bend die rotatably mounted at one end of the machine bed,
- a clamp slide mounted for rotation with the bend die,
- a clamp die carried on the clamp slide,
- means for moving the clamp die and clamp slide toward and away from said bend die,
- means for rotating the bend die, clamp slide and clamp die,
- a stationary arm assembly comprising
- a stationary arm body,
- a bolster mounted to said body for slidable motion transverse to the extent of said bed,
- means for driving said bolster on its slidable mounting,
- a pressure die mounted to said bolster for slidable motion along said bed,
- booster cylinder means mounted on said bolster and connected to said pressure die to alternatively drive or restrain slidable motion of the pressure die along said bed,
- a control valve connected to restrict exhausting fluid from said booster cylinder and having an actuator for varying the amount of restriction of said exhausting fluid,
- a cam plate carried by said pressure die having a surface engageable with said control valve actuator and shaped to operate the actuator to increase restriction of exhausting fluid from said cylinder as said pressure die moves along said bed.
In tube bending apparatus having a rotatable bend die, means rotatable therewith for pressing a tube against the bend die, and a pressure die mounted for motion with a tube to be bent and adapted to be pressed against the tube, the improvement comprising
- means for increasing the force holding the tube against the bend die including
- means for pressing the tube against the bend die,
- means for rotating the bend die to compression bend the tube through an initial angle while allowing said pressure die to move with the tube without restraint, and
- means for restraining motion of the pressure die with the tube to be bent after said initial angle of bending has begun and during a subsequent angle of rotation of said bend die to draw bend the tube.
Tube bending apparatus comprising
- a rotatably mounted bend die,
- means cooperating with said bend die for pressing a first portion of a tube against the bend die,
- pressure die means for pressing a second portion of said tube,
- means for rotating said bend die to bend said tube around said bend die,
- means for mounting said pressure die means for movement with said tube as said bend die is moved through an initial rotation, and
- means for initiating an increasing restraint upon motion of said pressure die means during a subsequent portion of the rotation of said bend die, after said bend die has been rotated to bend said tube partly around said bend die.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.