Welded wire fabric bending apparatus and method

• US 4,515,004 A
• Filed: 10/07/1982
• Issued: 05/07/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GNA Kabushiki Kaisha (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Jenglo Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Jaenson, Howard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLaughlin, Linda
• Application Number:
  US06/433,360
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 72/388, 72/187, 72/188, 72/319, 72/21, 140/107
• US Class Current: 72/388
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 11/125 Bending wire nets

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for bending a welded wire fabric into a desired shape for use in reinforcing concrete. The apparatus includes an elongated frame and a plurality of anvils mounted on the frame around which the wires of the fabric are to be bent. The frame is divided into right-hand and left-hand sides along its length by a vertical plane passing the anvil axes. A first forming bar is on the right-hand side of the plane along the length of the frame. The first forming bar is mounted to pivot with respect to the anvils about a point on the left-hand side of the plane. A second forming bar is on the left-hand side of the plane along the length of the frame. The second forming bar is mounted to pivot with respect to the anvils about a point on the right-hand side of the plane. Means are provided for pivoting each forming bar to bring it into contact with the wires to be bent and for bending the wires around the anvils.

Claims

1. Apparatus for bending wire, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an elongated support;

(b) a track mounted on the top of the support and extending along the length of the support;

(c) at least one anvil mounted on the track, such an anvil having an axis and around which a wire is to be bent, the anvil axis and longitudinal axis of the support defining a plane that divides the support into two generally symmetrical halves;

(d) a pair of forming bar assemblies wherein;

(i) the first such forming bar assembly comprises;

(a) a plurality of arms wherein each such arm is pivotally mounted to the support on a first side of the plane and extends to the second side of the plane; and

(b) an elongated forming bar secured to the arms on the second side of the plane; and

(ii) the second such forming bar assembly comprises;

(a) a plurality of arms wherein each such arm is pivotally mounted to the support on the second side of the plane and extends to the first side of the plane; and

(b) an elongated forming bar secured to the arms on the first side of the plane; and

(e) means on the elongated support for pivoting the arms of each forming bar assembly with respect to the anvil to thereby bring such a forming bar into contact with the wire and bend it around the anvil wherein each such forming bar assembly additionally comprises a torque tube for distributing forces provided by the arm pivoting means generally evenly along the length of such a forming bar so that the longitudinal axis of the forming bar remains about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support when the forming bar is bending the wire around the anvil, wherein each such torque tube extends along the length of the support, is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and is connected at each end to a pivot arm of its respective forming bar assembly.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each such torque tube is mounted in the support and extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support.