Powered rod cutting and bending system and method for fabricating same

Abstract

A powered rod cutting and bending system including pre-existing equipment having a power source that moves a portion of the equipment during use of the equipment, and a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool attached to the equipment such that the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool to actuate the tool.

Description

This is a nonprovisional United States patent application directed toward a powered rod cutting and bending system and a method of fabricating same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of the powered rod cutting and bending system of the invention with a rod being bent thereby;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded view of a rebar cutter and bender utilized in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of a portion of a backhoe utilized in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with a rod in position to be cut thereby.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a powered rod cutting and bending system according to the invention is shown broadly in FIG. 1 at reference numeral 10. The illustrated embodiment of the powered rod cutting and bending system 10 of the invention is constructed by modifying a pre-existing non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool such as a rebar cutter and bender (shown in fragmentary exploded view in FIG. 2) and pre-existing equipment including a power source, such as a backhoe having a hydraulic power system (shown in fragmentary exploded view in FIG. 3) in order to mount the modified rebar cutter and bender to the modified backhoe in a manner that enables the hydraulic power system of the backhoe to actuate the rebar cutter and bender without the need for a user to apply brute human force.

The pre-existing rebar cutter and bender utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the invention and shown in FIG. 2 is the Model RCB-16N ⅝″ Rebar Cutter Bender formerly distributed by Jet Equipment & Tools, Inc. of Auburn, Wash. under the JET® trademark. As of the filing date of this application, a similar product is being distributed under the JET® trademark as Model RCB-16NDLX, Item 220019, by WMH Tool Group, Inc., an entity with an address at 2420 Vantage Drive, Elgin, Ill. 60123 USA, a telephone number of 847-851-1000, and a web site at www.wmhtoolgroup.com or www.jettools.com. As of the filing date of this application, a Parts List and Breakdown for the RCB-16NDLX rebar cutter/bender is located at http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/partfiles/m_—220019.pdf. The pre-existing backhoe utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the invention and shown in FIG. 3 is the Model BH9000 distributed under the WOODS® and GROUNDBREAKER™ trademarks by Woods Equipment Company, an entity with an address at 2606 South Illinois Route 2, P.O. Box 1000, Oregon, Ill. 61061 USA, a telephone number of 815-732-2141, and a web site at www.woodsequipment.com. As of the filing date of this application, an Operator's Manual for the BH9000 backhoe is located at http://www.woodsequipment.com/manuals/manuals/Ag/38638.pdf.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the rebar cutter/bender utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown broadly at reference numeral 20. The rebar cutter/bender 20 includes a top handle 21 and a bottom lever 22. The top handle includes a distal portion 23 (shown in phantom) and a proximal portion 27. In order to configure the rebar cutter/bender 20 for mounting on the backhoe, the distal portion 23 of the top handle 21 of the rebar cutter/bender 20 is cut away and the entire bottom lever 22 (also shown in phantom) of the rebar cutter/bender 20 is removed. All components illustrated with solid lines in FIG. 2 remain to form the modified rebar cutter/bender. Among these components are a cam receiver 24, a movable cutter cam 25, a stationary cutter cam 26, a handle cam 30, and a coupling cam 31. The movable cutter cam 25 includes a distal end 43 and a proximal end 45. The handle cam 30, the cam receiver 24, and the coupling cam 31 are pivotably joined together by a pivot pin 32. The coupling cam 31 is also attached to the handle cam 30 by a fixed pin 33 that carries a bolt 34. The coupling cam 31 also carries a first bending post 35. The cam receiver 24 includes a base plate 40 and an upright plate 41. A second bending post 42 extends from the upright plate 41. The stationary cutter cam 26 and the distal end 43 of the movable cutter cam 25 are pivotably joined to the upright plate 41 of the cam receiver 24 by a pivot pin 44. The proximal end 45 of the movable cutter cam 25 is pivotably joined to the upright plate 41 of the cam receiver 24 by a second pivot pin 46. The movable cutter cam 25 and the stationary cutter cam 26 each define two notches 47 for receiving a length of rebar “R” (FIG. 5).

Looking at FIG. 3, a backhoe utilized in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown broadly at reference numeral 50. The backhoe 50 includes a bucket 51, a bucket articulation mechanism, and a hydraulic power system. The bucket articulation mechanism includes a support arm 53, first and second brace bars 54, 55, and a brace bar bracket 56 centrally disposed between the first and second brace bars 54, 55. The bucket articulation mechanism mechanically couples the bucket 51 to the hydraulic power system of the backhoe 50. The hydraulic power system comprises a hydraulic cylinder 57 that carries a hydraulic cylinder rod 60 that has a T-shaped distal end 61 for engaging the brace bar bracket 56 of the bucket articulation system. The bucket articulation mechanism has been modified by fixedly securing, for instance by welding, a stop rod 62 onto the support arm 53 and and by fixedly securing around the first brace bar 54, for instance by welding, a coupler such as a support sleeve 63.

As shown in cross-section in FIG. 4, the modified rebar cutter/bender 20 (FIG. 2) is welded to the modified bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe 50 (FIG. 3) by fixedly securing, for instance by welding, the base plate 40 of the cam receiver 24 of the rebar/cutter bender 20 to the support sleeve 63 that has been fixedly secured to the first brace bar 54 of the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe 50. The support sleeve 63 transmits the articulating motion of the bucket articulation mechanism to the rebar cutter/bender 20 during use of the system 10 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the stop rod 62 on the support arm 53 of the bucket articulation mechanism limits the motion of the proximal portion 27 of the top handle 21 of the modified rebar cutter/bender 20 during use of the system 10.

As is also shown in FIG. 1, a length of rebar “R” may be bent by actuating the rod cutting and bending system 10. Specifically, the rebar “R” may be threaded under the pivot pin 32 and over the first and second bending posts 35, 42. When the hydraulic cylinder rod 60 is retracted into the hydraulic cylinder 57, the T-shaped distal end 61 of the hydraulic cylinder rod 60 moves the brace bar bracket 56, which in turn moves the first brace bar 54 and the support sleeve 63 thereon, thereby urging the first and second bending posts 35, 42 of the cam receiver 24 toward the pivot pin 32 such that the rebar “R” is urged against the pivot pin 32, causing the rebar “R” to bend around the pivot pin 32.

FIG. 5 illustrates a length of rebar “R” placed in the rod cutting and bending system 10 to be cut. After the hydraulic cylinder 57 moves the hydraulic cylinder rod 60 such that the notches 47 in the movable cutter cam 25 and the notches 47 in the stationary cutter cam 26 are aligned, a length of rebar “R” may be placed in the notches 47. When the hydraulic cylinder rod 60 is retracted into the hydraulic cylinder 57, the movable cutter cam 25 pivots about the pivot pin 44 while the stationary cutter cam 25 remains stationary. This movement of the notches 47 of the movable and stationary cutter cams 25, 26 out of alignment with one another shears the length of rebar “R” approximately at the point of intersection of the movable and stationary cutter cams 25, 26.

Rod cutting and bending systems within the scope of the invention may also cut and bend rods of other materials and dimensions than the rebar illustrated herein. In addition, rod cutting and bending systems within the scope of the invention may utilize power sources other than hydraulic power systems and others installed on backhoes and similar earth moving equipment. The particular rebar cutter/bender and backhoe disclosed herein and the modification, assembly, and operation of those structures in the disclosed embodiment of the invention are described only to provide an example of one possible embodiment of the invention and are not provided to limit the scope of the invention. Unitary powered rod cutters and benders and powered rod cutters and benders assembled from hardware other than the specific devices described herein may fall within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the power source for actuating the rod cutter and bender does not have to be hydraulic. It may alternatively be electric, gas-powered, or pneumatic.

A rod cutting and bending system and method of fabricating same is described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation—the invention being defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:

pre-existing equipment comprising a power source that moves a portion of the equipment during use of the equipment; and

a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool attached to the equipment such that the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool to actuate the tool.

2. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 1, wherein the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool by a coupler attached to both the portion of the equipment moved by the power source and to the tool.

3. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to the tool the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source.

4. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitting means is a coupler attached to both the portion of the equipment moved by the power source and to the tool.

5. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-existing equipment is a backhoe comprising a bucket articulation mechanism and the portion of the equipment moved by the power source during use of the equipment is the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe.

6. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 5, wherein the power source of the equipment is a hydraulic power system and the tool is a rebar cutter and bender.

7. A powered rod cutting and bending system according to claim 6, wherein the motion of the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe caused by the hydraulic power system of the backhoe is transmitted to the tool by a coupler attached to both the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe and to the rebar cutter and bender.

8. A powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:

a backhoe comprising a hydraulic power system and a bucket articulation mechanism moved by the hydraulic power system during use of the backhoe;

a rebar cutter and bender; and

a coupler attached to both the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe and to the rebar cutter and bender, wherein during use of the system, the coupler transmits the motion of the bucket articulation mechanism caused by the hydraulic power system to the rebar cutter and bender in order to actuate the rebar cutter and bender.

9. A method of fabricating a powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:

providing pre-existing equipment comprising a power source, and a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool;

configuring the equipment to receive attachment of the tool such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool;

configuring the tool to beattached to the equipment such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool; and

attaching the tool to the equipment such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a backhoe.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the power source of the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a hydraulic power system.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a backhoe and the power source of the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a hydraulic power system.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the pre-existing non-powered tool provided in said providing step is a rebar cutter and bender.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the rebar cutter and bender comprises a top handle and a bottom lever.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of configuring the rebar cutter and bender such that the power source of the pre-existing equipment may be utilized to actuate the rebar cutter and bender comprises cutting away a distal portion of the top handle and removing the bottom lever.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the backhoe provided in said providing step comprises a bucket and a bucket articulation mechanism, the bucket articulation mechanism comprising a support arm and a brace bar for mechanically coupling the hydraulic power system to the bucket, wherein said step of configuring the backhoe such that the hydraulic power system of the backhoe may be utilized to actuate the tool comprises fixedly securing a coupler to the brace bar for receiving attachment of the tool in said attaching step and fixedly securing a stop rod to the support arm for limiting movement of the tool after the tool is attached to the backhoe in said attaching step.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the pre-existing non-powered tool provided in said providing step is a rebar cutter and bender.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the rebar cutter and bender comprises a top handle and a bottom lever.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the step of configuring the rebar cutter and bender such that the hydraulic power system of the backhoe may be utilized to actuate the rebar cutter and bender comprises cutting away a distal portion of the top handle and removing the bottom lever.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the rebar cuttter and bender provided in said providing step further comprises a cam receiver comprising a base plate, and wherein said attaching step comprises fixedly securing the base plate of the cam receiver of the rebar cutter and bender to the coupler fixedly secured to the brace bar of the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe.