U-Bolt bender

• US 4,446,711 A
• Filed: 08/18/1982
• Issued: 05/08/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VALENTE, RAYMOND L. 535 S. MAY STREET KANKAKEE, IL 60901
• Original Assignee: Vale Industries Limited
• Inventors: Valente, Raymond L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Lowell A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Griffin, Jorji M.
• Application Number:
  US06/409,061
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 72/213, 72/220, 72/126, 72/127, 72/316, 72/322, 72/323, 72/380, 72/418, 72/308, 72/389, 267/153
• US Class Current: 72/213
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 11/10 Bending specially adapted to produce specific articles, e.g. leaf springs making or bending leaf springs B21D53/886
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 7/06 in press brakes or between rams and anvils or abutments; Pliers with forming dies

Abstract

One embodiment of an invention providing am inprovement upon a U-bolt bender is disclosed. The bender has a clamp for clamping a workpiece thereto and a slide for advancing the workpiece along a path. The improvement comprises a die and rollers for urging an intermediate portion of the workpiece against a forward surface of the die and for urging end portion of the workpiece respectively against sides of the die adjacent to the forward surface. The bender carries the rollers and the slide carries the die and brings the workpiece into engagement with the rollers by advancing the workpiece along the path. The sides of the die converge together and extend away from the forward surface such that as the slide brings the workpiece into engagement with the roller, the rollers urge the intermediate portion of the workpiece against the forward surface and urge the end portions of the workpiece respectively against the sides of the die, the slide meanwhile causing the clamp to clamp the workpiece to the die. The workpiece initially conforms to the shape of the die; and is made of a resilient material; and upon being released from the die and the rollers, has end portions which spread apart slightly. The sides of the die are oriented such that the workpiece, upon being released from the die and the rollers, has end portions which are in substantially parallel orientation, one end portion to the other.

Claims

1. In a U-bolt bender of the type including support structure, in combination with a workpiece having opposite end portions, said bender further including actuator means carried by said support structure for causing movement of said workpiece along a predetermined path, a die having a surface advanceable along said path and disposed transverse thereto and at least one side surface disposed transverse to and converging away from said die advanceable surface, clamping means for clamping said workpiece to said die, and slide means for moving said die along said path, said slide means carrying said die, wherein the improvement, in combination, comprises:

linkage means for pivotally connecting said actuator means to said clamping means, said linkage means being pivotally connected to said actuator means, to said slide means and to said clamping means;

roller means carried by said support structure for urging at least one of said workpiece opposite end portions against said die side surface, said roller means being disposed transverse to said path; and

biasing means pivotally connected to said roller means for causing said roller means initially spaced from said path by a first dimension to be urged toward said path when spaced from said path by a second dimension relatively less than said first dimension, said actuator means including means for causing movement along said path of one of said die and said roller means relative to the other of said die and said roller means whereby for urging said workpiece against said roller means, wherein said actuator means, said slide means, said clamping means and said linkage means coact to clamp said workpiece to said die thereby producing a clamped workpiece, and wherein said actuator means, said clamping means, said die, said linkage means and said slide means coact to advance said clamped workpiece along said path and to urge said clamped workpiece against said roller means, whereby said roller means engaging said one of said workpiece opposite end portions coacts with said die to urge said one of said workpiece opposite end portions against said die side surface.

2. In a U-bolt bender of the type including support structure, in combination with a workpiece having opposite end portions, said bender further including actuator means carried by said support structure for causing movement of said workpiece along a predetermined path, a die having a surface advanceable along said path and disposed transverse thereto and opposite side surfaces disposed transverse to and converging away from said die advanceable surface, clamping means for clamping said workpiece to said die, and slide means for moving said die along said path, said slide means carrying said die, wherein the improvement, in combination, comprises:

first and second linkage means for pivotally connecting said actuator means to said clamping means, one of said first and second linkage means being pivotally connected at a first end portion thereof to said actuator means, being pivotally connected at a second end portion thereof opposite said first end portion to the other of said first and second linkage means, and being pivotally connected intermediate said first and second end portions thereof to said slide means, the other of said first and second linkage means being pivotally connected at a first end portion thereof to said one of said first and second linkage means and being pivotally connected at a second end portion thereof opposite said first end portion to said clamping means;

first and second roller means carried by said support structure for urging said workpiece opposite end portions against respective ones of said die side surfaces, respective ones of said first and second roller means being disposed transverse to and on opposite sides of said path; and

biasing means pivotally connected to said first and second roller means for causing one of said first and second roller means initially spaced by a first dimension from the other of said first and second roller means to be urged toward said other of said first and second roller means when spaced from said one of said first and second roller means by a second dimension relatively less than said first dimension, said actuator means including means for causing movement along said path of one of said die and said first and second roller means relative to the other of said die and said first and second roller means whereby for urging said workpiece between said first and second roller means, wherein said actuator means, said slide means, said clamping means and said first and second linkage means coact to clamp said workpiece to said die thereby producing a clamped workpiece, and wherein said actuator means, said clamping means, said die, said first and second linkage means and said slide means coact to advance said clamped workpiece along said path and to urge said clamped workpiece between said first and second roller means, whereby said first and second roller means engaging said workpiece opposite end portions coact with said die to urge said workpiece opposite end portions against respective ones of said die side surfaces.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said actuator means includes a hydraulically operated piston enclosed in a cylinder.

4. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said workpiece has predetermined springy qualities;

and wherein said die side surfaces converge away from said die advanceable surface in a manner related to said workpiece springy qualities such that said workpiece opposite end portions which initially have been urged by said first and second roller means against said die side surfaces eventually come to a mutually parallel relative relation.

5. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said first and second roller means are threadedly, pivotally connected to a threaded, rotatable shaft carried by said support structure and disposed transverse to said path, said shaft including means for rotating said shaft, whereby said first and second roller means are relatively adjustable transverse to said path for varying said first dimension.

6. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said biasing means includes a block of rubber.

7. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said biasing means includes a block of resilient plastic.

8. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said biasing means includes a spring.

9. Means for forming a workpiece having opposite end portions, used in combination with a U-bolt bender of the type including support structure, actuator means carried by said support structure for causing movement of said workpiece along a predetermined path, a die having a surface advanceable along said path and disposed transverse thereto and at least one side surface disposed transverse to and converging away from said die advanceable surface, clamping means for clamping said workpiece to said die, and slide means for moving said die along said path, said slide means carrying said die, comprising:

linkage means for pivotally connecting said actuator means to said clamping means, said linkage means being pivotally connected to said actuator means, to said slide means and to said clamping means;

roller means carried by said support structure for urging at least one of said workpiece opposite end portions against said die side surface, said roller means being disposed transverse to said path; and

biasing means pivotally connected to said roller means for causing said roller means initially spaced from said path by a first dimension to be urged toward said path when spaced from said path by a second dimension relatively less than said first dimension, said actuator means including means for causing movement along said path of one of said die and said roller means relative to the other of said die and said roller means whereby for urging said workpiece against said roller means, wherein said actuator means, said slide means, said clamping means and said linkage means coact to clamp said workpiece to said die thereby producing a clamped workpiece, and wherein said actuator means, said clamping means, said die, said linkage means and said slide means coact to advance said clamped workpiece along said path and to urge said clamped workpiece against said roller means, whereby said roller means engaging said one of said workpiece opposite end portions coacts with said die to urge said one of said workpiece opposite end portions against said die side surface.

10. Means for forming a workpiece having opposite end portions, used in combination with a U-bolt bender of the type including support structure, actuator means carried by said support structure for causing movement of said workpiece along a predetermined path, a die having a surface advanceable along said path and disposed transverse thereto and opposite side surfaces disposed transverse to and converging away from said die advanceable surface, clamping means for clamping said workpiece to said die, and slide means for moving said die along said path, said slide means carrying said die, comprising:

first and second linkage means for pivotally connecting said actuator means to said clamping means, one of said first and second linkage means being pivotally connected at a first end portion thereof to said actuator means, being pivotally connected at a second end portion thereof opposite said first end portion to the other of said first and second linkage means, and being pivotally connected intermediate said first and second end portions thereof to said slide means, the other of said first and second linkage means being pivotally connected at a first end portion thereof to said one of said first and second linkage means and being pivotally connected at a second end portion thereof opposite said first end portion to said clamping means;

first and second roller means carried by said support structure for urging said workpiece opposite end portions against respective ones of said die side surfaces, respective ones of said first and second roller means being disposed transverse to and on opposite sides of said path; and

biasing means pivotally connected to said first and second roller means for causing one of said first and second roller means initially spaced by a first dimension from the other of said first and second roller means to be urged toward said other of said first and second roller means when spaced from said one of said first and second roller means by a second dimension relatively less than said first dimension, said actuator means including means for causing movement along said path of one of said die and said first and second roller means relative to the other of said die and said first and second roller means whereby for urging said workpiece between said first and second roller means, wherein said actuator means, said slide means, said clamping means and said first and second linkage means coact to clamp said workpiece to said die thereby producing a clamped workpiece, and wherein said actuator means, said clamping means, said die, said first and second linkage means and said slide means coact to advance said clamped workpiece along said path and to urge said clamped workpiece between said first and second roller means, whereby said first and second roller means engaging said workpiece opposite end portions coact with said die to urge said workpeice opposite end portions against respective ones of said die side surfaces.

11. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said actuator means includes a hydraulically operated piston enclosed in a cylinder.

12. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said workpiece has predetermined springy qualities;

and wherein said die side surfaces converge away from said die advanceable surface in a manner related to said workpiece springy qualities such that said workpiece opposite end portions which initially have been urged by said first and second roller means against said die side surfaces eventually come to a mutually parallel relative relation.

13. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said first and second roller means are threadedly, pivotally connected to a threaded, rotatable shaft carried by said support structure and disposed transverse to said path, said shaft including means for rotating said shaft, whereby said first and second roller means are relatively adjustable transverse to said path for varying said first dimension.

14. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said biasing means includes a block of rubber.

15. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said biasing means includes a block of resilient plastic.

16. The workpiece-forming means of claim 10 wherein said biasing means includes a spring.