Hand operated bending apparatus and method for metal bar, tubing and the like
OwnerBilly G. Maplesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand operated bending apparatus is provided for the bending of metal such as tubing and bar by the application of a force to a sweep lever arm cooperating with a preset pivoted force link, thereby urging the metal to follow the contour of a forming die and automatically terminating the bending action at a preset point by the disengagement of the force link from the metal bar.
Claims13
Apparatus for a hand-operated bending of metal bars and/or tubing, said bending being automatically terminated when and as the bending reaches a preselected arc point, this apparatus including:
- (a) a base member providing means for mounting said base member to a worktable, vise and the like;
- (b) a forming die removably secured to and carried by the base member, said forming die having a theoretical center providing a bend radii means for a said metal bar, tubing and the like;
- (c) a first guide means removably secured to said base member and providing aligning and retaining means for maintaining said metal bar, tubing and the like in a longitudinal axial position with the forming die preparatory to being bent;
- (d) a sweep lever arm having one end pivotally secured to said forming die at an axis which is substantially at the center of a bend radii of and for the bar, tubing and the like being bent;
- (e) a force link having one end pivotally carried and mounted in the sweep lever arm, this pivoted end mounted intermediate the extent of said sweep lever arm, a distal end of said force link having a second guide means adapted to engage said bar, tubing or the like prior to the bending of said bar, tubing and the like, wherein the distal end of the force link is swung from an included angle of zero degrees or alignment with said sweep lever arm a selected amount, to form an included angle between the force link and the sweep lever arm, and at this time the second guide means engages the bar, tubing or the like along a longitudinal extent;
- (f) means for grasping and rotating the sweep lever arm about the forming die, said rotation progressively reducing the included angle between the force link and the sweep lever arm, so that at the completion of the bend of the bar, tube and the like the distal end of the force link swings to and through an included angle of zero degree and alignment with the sweep lever arm.
The method of bending metal bar, tubing and the like, said bending being automatically terminated when and as the bending reaches a preselected arc, this method including the following steps;
- (a) inserting the metal bar, tubing and the like into the bending apparatus;
- (b) aligning the metal bar with a fixed first guide means and a forming die having a determined radius;
- (c) selecting an included angle between a sweep lever arm and a force link, said force link having a second guide means at its distal or free end;
- (d) engaging the metal bar, tubing or the like with said second guide means;
- (e) rotating the sweep lever arm pivotally movable around a substantially center of the forming die and in the direction of the bend, wherein said included angle is progressively reduced until the second guide means disengages from the metal bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.