Bending brake

A method of preparing a bending brake for on-site bending, comprising

• (i) transporting to the bending site the elements of a bending brake comprising a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface for movement into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly having an upward brake surface for bending material clamped between the brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, at least said apron assembly being disconnected from other elements of said brake during said transport and connected to said base assembly for the on-site bending operations, at least one of said assemblies comprising a support member and a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments forming the brake surface of said one assembly, said table segments being mounted with said support member extending therethrough in a manner precluding each segment from being transversely demounted from said linear alignment, said segments being slidably movable in the linear direction of said alignment,
• (ii) moving one or more of said movable table segments on said support member in the linear direction of said alignment to thereby adjust the configuration of the brake surface of said one assembly,
• (iii) fixing said segments of said configuration against linear movement on said support member, and
• (iv) providing in said one assembly a foundation member in addition to said support member and adjusting said linearly movable table segments by shifting said segments in a lateral direction with respect to said foundation member, the relationship of said foundation member to said support member being such that movement of said support member during a bending operation causes equal movement of said foundation member.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having a near end and a remote end and an upward brake surface between said ends, a cover assembly having a near end and a remote end and a downward brake surface therebetween, said cover assembly being above said base assembly and having its near end hinged to paid base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly in a manner involving movement of said remote end of said cover assembly toward and away from the remote end of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface for performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of each of said three assemblies being formed by linearly movable table segments, said table segments of each said assembly consisting essentially of a table means supported by leg means, an elongated support system for each said assembly, said table segments of each said assembly being mounted at said leg means thereof to said elongated support system in a manner permitting linear sliding movement along said support system to locations entirely vacated by a said segment, and each said assembly having means for fixing said movable table segments thereof against said linear sliding movement.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface above said base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, said apron assembly being pivotally movable about its mounting in performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of at least one of said three assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment of said one assembly being mounted on said one assembly so as to be not transversely demountable from said linear alignment, wherein said linear alignment lies between a near end and a remote end of said one assembly and each of the other two assemblies has a near end proximate to the near end of said one assembly and a remote end proximate to the remote end of said one assembly, and wherein said near end of said cover assembly is hinged to the near end of said base assembly for pivotal movement of said remote end of said cover assembly toward and away from the remote end of said base assembly.

A method of preparing a bending brake for on-site bending, comprising

• (i) transporting to the bending site the elements of a bending brake comprising a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface for movement into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly having an upward brake surface for bending material clamped between the brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, at least said apron assembly being disconnected from other elements of said brake during said transport and connected to said base assembly for the on-site bending operations, at least one of said assemblies comprising a support member and a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments forming the brake surface of said one assembly, said table segments being mounted with said support member extending therethrough in a manner precluding each segment from being transversely demounted from said linear alignment, said segments being slidably movable in the linear direction of said alignment,
• (ii) moving one or more of said movable table segments on said support member in the linear direction of said alignment to thereby adjust the configuration of the brake surface of said one assembly, and
• (iii) fixing said segments of said configuration against linear movement on said support member.

A bending brake comprising a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly above said base assembly, said cover assembly having a downward brake surface movable into and out of a clamping relationship to said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly pivotally hinged to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, the brake surface of at least one of said assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment having an abuttable surface subordinate to said brake surface, said one assembly additionally comprising a mounting rod extending through said linearly movable table segments in a manner permitting sliding movement of said table segments on said mounting rod, opposing end members to which said mounting rod is mounted, a foundation rod extending substantially parallel to said mounting rod, said foundation rod being fixed at the ends thereof to said end members, a floating elongated abutment member in parallel relationship to said foundation rod and in mating abutment against said table segment abuttable surfaces, and elevation adjustment members lodged in said foundation rod for applying elevational pressure on said floating member and ultimately on said table segments through said abuttable surfaces abutted by said floating member, to thereby vary the elevation of said table segments with respect to said foundation rod.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface above said base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, said apron assembly being pivotally movable about its mounting in performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of at least one of said three assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment of said one assembly being mounted on said one assembly so as to be not transversely removable from said linear alignment, wherein said one assembly additionally comprises a mounting rod on which said linearly movable table segments of said one assembly are mounted in a manner allowing for movement along said rod, said brake additionally comprising a foundation support rod spaced on each side of said mounting rod and extending substantially parallel to said mounting rod, an elongated abutment member in parallel and proximate relationship to each said foundation support rod, abuttable surfaces on said table segments against which said elongated abutment members abut, and elevational adjustment members extending between said foundation support rods and said elongated abutment members for acting on said table segment abuttable surfaces through said elongated abutment members to effect incremental variation of the elevation of said table segments with respect to said foundation support rods.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface above said base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, said apron assembly being pivotally movable about its mounting in performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of at least one of said three assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment of said one assembly being mounted on said one assembly so as to be not transversely removable from said linear alignment, wherein said one assembly additionally comprises a mounting rod on which said linearly movable table segments of said one assembly are mounted in a manner allowing for movement along said rod, and said linearly movable table segments are relatively snugly mounted for sliding movement on said mounting rod and have abuttable surfaces subordinate to said brake surfaces thereof, and wherein said one assembly additionally comprises opposing end members to which said mounting rod is mounted, a foundation rod extending substantially parallel to said mounting rod, said foundation rod being fixed at the ends thereof to said end members of said one assembly, a floating elongated abutment member in parallel relationship to said foundation rod and in mating abutment against said table segment abuttable surfaces, and elevation adjustment members lodged in said foundation rod for applying elevational pressure on said floating member and ultimately on said table segments through said abuttable surfaces abutted by said floating member, to thereby vary the elevation of said table segments with respect to said foundation rod and to thereby simultaneously vary, through said table segments, the elevational stress applied on said mounting rod from said foundation rod.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface above said base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, said apron assembly being pivotally movable about its mounting in performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of at least one of said three assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment of said one assembly being mounted on said one assembly so as to be not transversely removable from said linear alignment, wherein said one assembly additionally comprises a mounting rod on which said linearly movable table segments of said one assembly are mounted in a manner allowing for movement along said rod, and said linearly movable table segments are relatively snugly mounted for sliding movement on said mounting rod and have abuttable surfaces on each lateral side of said mounting rod, said abuttable surfaces on each said side comprising a substantially horizontal abuttable surface and a substantially vertical abuttable surface, and wherein said one assembly additionally comprises opposing end members in which the ends of said mounting rod are removably lodged, and an adjustable support system on each lateral side of said mounting rod, said adjustable support system on one said lateral side comprising a foundation rod laterally spaced from and extending substantially parallel to said mounting rod, said foundation rod being fixed at the ends thereof to said end members of said one assembly, a floating elongated abutment member in parallel relationship to said foundation rod and in mating abutment against said table segment abuttable surfaces on said one lateral side, elevation adjustment members lodged in said foundation rod for applying elevational pressure on said floating member and therefore also on the substantially horizontal abuttable surface of said table segments abutted by said floating member, to thereby vary the elevation of said table segments with respect to said foundation rod and to thereby simultaneously vary, through said table segments, the elevational tension applied on said mounting rod from said foundation rod, and horizontal adjustment members lodged in said foundation rod for applying horizontal pressure on said floating member and therefore also on the substantially vertical abuttable surface of said table segments abutted by said floating member, to thereby vary the horizontal position of said table segments with respect to said foundation rod and to thereby simultaneously vary, through said table segments, the horizontal tension applied on said mounting rod from said foundation rod;

• said floating elongated abutment member as well as said mounting rod being held against dislodgement from said one assembly when either said elevation adjustment members or said horizontal adjustment members are placed in pressing condition on said floating adjustment member.

A bending brake comprising three assemblies, namely a base assembly having an upward brake surface, a cover assembly having a downward brake surface above said base assembly, said downward brake surface of said cover assembly being movable into and out of a clamping relationship with said upward brake surface of said base assembly, and an apron assembly mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said base assembly and having an upward brake surface, said apron assembly being pivotally movable about its mounting in performing a bending operation on material clamped between said brake surfaces of said cover assembly and said base assembly, the brake surface of at least one of said three assemblies comprising a linear alignment of a plurality of movable table segments that can be moved in the linear direction of said alignment, each said table segment of said one assembly being mounted on said one assembly so as to be not transversely removable from said linear alignment, wherein said linear alignment lies between a near end and a remote end of said one assembly and each of the other two assemblies has a near end proximate to the near end of said one assembly and a remote end proximate to the remote end of said one assembly, wherein said near end of said cover assembly is hinged to the near end of said base assembly for pivotal movement of said remote end of said cover assembly toward and away from the remote end of said base assembly, and additionally comprising a latch for latching the remote end of said cover assembly to said base assembly, said latch comprising a handle lever fixed laterally to a disk member and pivotable at an axis pin parallel to and eccentric to the axis of said disk member such that pivot movement of said handle lever in one direction serves to lower said disk member and pivot movement of said handle lever in the opposite direction tends to elevate said disk member, said axis pin being mounted in said remote end of said cover assembly, and a hook member mounted on said disk member in a manner such that elevation and lowering of said disk member effectively elevates and lowers said hook member for latching and unlatching.