Apparatus and method for forming curved needles

Apparatus for forming curved surgical needles from elongated workpieces, said elongated workpieces having a taper pre-formed at least at one of a first or a second ends, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame including a forming surface demountably attached thereto;
• a guide member movably mounted on said frame, said guide member being adapted for securely biasing said elongated workpieces against said forming surface in a fixed position;
• and
• first and second means mounted on said frame for bending said workpieces about said forming surface, said bending means being adapted for sequentially urging said elongated workpiece about said forming surface, said bending means cooperating with said forming surface such that upon initial contact between said bending means and said first and second ends, said bending means does not contact the respective terminal section of said first and second ends whereby said pre-formed taper is kept intact throughout the bending of said elongated workpieces.

Apparatus for forming curved surgical needles from elongated workpieces, such elongated workpieces having a taper pre-formed at least at one of a first and second ends comprising:

• a frame including a forming surface demountably attached thereto;
• a guide member movably mounted on said frame, adapted for biasing said elongated workpieces against said forming surface in a fixed position;
• and
• first and second bending means slidably mounted on said frame wherein said bending means simultaneously advance towards said first end and said second end of said elongated workpiece respectively thereby contacting said workpiece ends and bending said ends about said forming surface, said bending means cooperating with said forming surface such that upon initial contact between said bending means and said first and second ends, said bending means does not contact the respective terminal section of said first and second ends whereby said pre-formed taper remains intact throughout the bending of said first and second ends.

Apparatus for forming curved surgical needles from elongated workpieces, said elongated workpieces having a first end and a second end and a taper preformed at least one of said first or second ends, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame including retaining means mounted thereon for retaining said elongated workpieces;
• movable forming means for securely biasing said elongated workpieces against said retaining means in a fixed position said forming means being disposed adjacent said retaining means;
• and
• bending means, movably mounted on said frame, for bending said elongated workpieces about said forming means, said bending means cooperating with said forming means such that upon initial contact between said bending means and said first and second ends, said bending means does not contact the respective terminal section of said first and second ends whereby when said bending means bends said previously tapered elongated workpiece said taper remains intact.

A method for forming curved surgical needles from elongated workpieces, said elongated workpieces having a taper pre-formed at least at one of a first and second ends thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a forming surface;
• (b) biasing an elongated workpiece against said forming surface into a fixed position;
• (c) providing first and second bending dies for contacting ends of said workpiece;
• and
• (d) bending said ends of said elongated workpiece about said forming surface by moving said bending dies into contact with said ends of said elongated workpiece without initially contacting the terminal section of the ends such that said pre-formed taper remains intact throughout the bending of said first and second ends.

A method for forming curved surgical needles from elongated workpieces of high tensile strength material, said elongated workpieces having a taper preformed at least at one of a first and a second ends, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a movable forming surface;
• (b) providing a retaining surface for holding at least one elongated workpiece;
• (c) biasing an elongated workpiece against said retaining surface into a fixed position by moving said forming surface toward said retaining surface;
• (d) providing first and second bending dies for contacting ends of said workpiece;
• and
• (e) bending said ends of said elongated workpiece by reciprocatingly sliding said bending dies so as to contact said ends of said workpiece bending them about said forming surface without initially contacting the terminal section of the ends such that said pre-formed taper remains intact throughout said bending.