System, including a bending bar and a bending cage, for bending a plate in a plane of the plate

A system for bending a plate or rod, comprising

• (a) at least first and second elongate bending bars each comprising first and second ends and a body portion between the first and second ends, each of the at least first and second bending bars having a longitudinal axis, the body portion of each of the at least first and second bending bars comprising an upper surface and a lower surface defining a thickness t, the first end of each of the at least first and second bending bars comprising an aperture or slot for engaging the plate or rod such that, with the plate or rod engaged in the apertures or slots of the respective at least first and second bending bars, a bending force can be applied to the plate or rod by application of force to the second ends of the respective bending bars;
• and
• (b) a bending cage comprising a hollow interior and opposed front and rear surfaces separated by a distance d, each of the opposed front and rear surfaces defining an elongate opening formed with respective upper and lower parallel edges, each of the elongate openings having a primary axis along a length thereof, respective dimensions of the elongate openings, the distance d and the at least first and second bending bars being such that (i) the at least first and second bending bars are insertable through one of the respective openings in the front or rear surface to an operable position wherein the respective body portions of the at least first and second bending bars are disposed within the bending cage with the respective first and second ends of the at least first and second bending bars disposed outside of the bending cage at opposing sides of the bending cage, and (ii) with the at least first and second bending bars in said operable position, the respective upper and lower parallel edges of the openings are disposed with respect to the respective upper and lower surfaces of the at least first and second bending bars so as freely to permit lateral movement of the at least first and second bending bars in a direction parallel to the primary axes of the respective openings but to restrict rotational movement of the at least first and second bending bars about an axis substantially parallel to the respective longitudinal axes of the at least first and second bending bars whereby, with the at least first and second bending bars in the operable position in the bending cage and the plate or rod engaged in the apertures or slots in the respective first ends of the at least first and second bending bars, the bending cage restricts transfer of bending forces applied to the plate or rod by application of force to the respective second ends of the at least first and second bending bars to an axis that is parallel to the primary axes of the respective openings.