Abstract: The machine comprises a working apparatus arranged to carry out the working operation on a tube, or a similar blank, and a tube feeding device arranged to feed the tube towards the working apparatus. The working apparatus and the tube feeding device comprise respective clamping members for clamping the tube being worked. According to the invention, at least one of the clamping members of the working apparatus or of the tube feeding device is provided with a displacement sensor arranged to detect and measure any movements of the tube relative to said clamping member while the tube is clamped by said clamping member during the working operation.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments describe a method for producing a bent tubular shaft for a tubular shaft instrument as well as a tubular shaft produced in such manner as well as a tubular shaft instrument with such a bent tubular shaft. The tubular shaft is produced by providing a hollow shaft component and an actuating rod. The actuating rod in this case has at least one bending area in which flexible segments and support segments alternate. The at least one bending area of the actuating rod is provided with a friction-reducing layer before it is inserted into the shaft component in order to create a tubular shaft. The tubular shaft is then bent in an area that corresponds to the at least one bending area of the actuating rod.

Abstract: A bending assembly for extruded, stock material specifically including elongated channel stock initially supported on a mandrel in an operative position relative to a forming assembly which includes a movable section and a fixed section. The movable section includes a forming channel disposed about a periphery thereof and having a predetermined curved configuration corresponding to the intended curve of the stock material to be bent. Cooperative placement and structuring of the movable and fixed sections continuously force the stock material into the forming channel and along the length thereof upon travel of the movable section through a forming cycle. A locking assembly is structured to secure the stock material to the movable section, such that the stock material moves relative to the both the movable and fixed sections and with the movable section during the forming cycle. A brace assembly is mounted interiorly of the stock material in order to prevent unwanted deformation thereof.

Abstract: The manual pipe bender has a stationary handle, a head, a bending die, a bending lever, and a bending handle. The stationary handle has a distal end, and the head is attached to the stationary handle. The bending die has a bending surface and multiple ratchet teeth. The bending lever attaches the bending die rotatably to the head. The bending handle is attached to and rotates the bending die around the head and has a drive bracket that engages a selected ratchet tooth on the bending die to keep the handles from crossing. Consequently, bending acute angles in pipes is convenient.

Abstract: A pipe bending processing apparatus includes a drawing and bending section for pressingly contacting a drawing and bending mold, a clamp mold with one end of a pipe P and performing drawing and bending processing, compression bending section for pressingly contacting a chuck with the other end of the pipe and performing compression bending processing, side bending section for pressingly contacting a wiper, and a side bending mold with the side of the pipe and performing side bending processing. The side bending mold provides a stopper 8 which advances and retracts from a pipe pressingly contact surface and engages with the other end of the pipe.

Abstract: A bracing device for a bending machine, in particular for a tube bending machine, in the form of a slide rail moved linearly in slaved fashion in the bending operation and having a plurality of slide rail extensions for different bending radii, which are mounted on the slide rail (12) via lockable and unlockable adapters.

Abstract: A bending machine according to the present invention include: a first fixture member 22 for holding one end portion of a long work 20; a second fixture member 24 for holding the other end portion of the work 20; a rack 30 mounted on the first fixture member 22 so as to extend in longitudinal directions of the first fixture member 22; a roll-shaped bending die 21, mounted on the second fixture member 24, for bending the work along the outer peripheral surface of the second fixture member; a pinion gear 26 which is coaxially connected to the bending die 21 via a shaft 28 and which engages the rack 30; and a connecting member 27 for connecting the first fixture member 22 to the second fixture member 24 via the shaft 28 in a relatively rotatable state so that the pinion gear 26 is movable along the rack 30 while engaging the rack 30.

Abstract: A shaped groove countermatrix for a rotary groove pulley matrix and countermatrix head pipe bending machines has a semicircular cross-sectional tract and an end tract (2) tapered, both longitudinally and transversely according to substantially elliptic profiles (20). With respect to the preceding tract, an edge of a groove (10) remains at the same level. The end tract (2) has its cross section substantially determined by the arcs (4, 4') of two ellipses (12) with their major axes (6, 6') parallel to and slightly offset with respect to a plane of longitudinal symmetry (8) of the groove (10) which is inferiorly radiused by an arc which is elliptic too. The tapering of the end tract (2), starting from a substantially parabolic profile (14), has its axis on the plane of longitudinal symmetry (8) of the groove (10) and its convexity (16) at a short distance from the exit edge (18) of the groove (10).

Abstract: A shaped groove countermatrix for a rotary groove pulley matrix and a countermatrix head pipe bending machine has a semicircular cross-sectional tract and an end tract (2) tapered, both longitudinally and transversely, according to substantially elliptic profiles (20). The end tract (2) has its cross section substantially determined by the arcs (4, 4') of two ellipses (12) with their major axes (6, 6') parallel to and slightly offset with respect to a plane (8) of longitudinal symmetry of the groove (10). The tapering of the end tract (2) starts from a substantially parabolic profile (14) which has its axis on the plane (8) of longitudinal symmetry of the groove (10) and its vertex (16) at a short distance from the exit edge (18) of the groove (10). A well (22) allows for feeding a lubricating fluid onto the groove (10) which is in fluid communication therewith through a hole (24) via a wick (24'). A check valve ( 26) allows recharge of the well (22) with the lubricating fluid.

Abstract: Forming dies adaptable to conventional tube bending machinery, the forming dies including aligned forming rollers engaging the tubing to be bent, said forming rollers containing grooves having curvilinear surfaces said forming rollers initially deforming the said tubing into a first curvilinear shape upon the drawing or pushing of the tubing between the forming rollers. A bend die is aligned with a pressure die roller, the pressure die roller and bend die each containing grooves having curvilinear surfaces defining a second curvilinear shape. Upon drawing or pushing the tubing through the pressure die roller and bend die, a second curvilinear shape is imparted to the tube. The tubing may thus be provided with an enhanced curvilinear shape prior to bending.

Abstract: A tube bending apparatus is provided for placing a plurality of bends in an elongated tube. The apparatus includes a position sensor for sensing at least one location on the tube for assessing the accuracy of the bends placed therein. The apparatus further includes a programmable bender having a bend die and a clamp die for securely engaging the tube and bending the tube through a selected degree of curvature. A collet assembly is operative to axially and rotationally position the tube for each sequential bend. A pressure die boost and a collet assembly are provided for exerting axial pressure on the tube to urge the tube into the bend. The amount of axial force is programmed and selectively controllable in response to sensed operating conditions. A lubricated mandrel is programmably operative to be placed inside the tube. The movement of the mandrel is programmable and the flow of lubrication therethrough is both programmable and condition responsive.

Abstract: A guide strip control device of pipe bending machine for controlling the transverse movement of a guide strip that is applied laterally against a pipe to be bent, which is held and moved longitudinally by a carriage. A first cylinder moves the guide strip over a considerable distance to disengage the pipe entirely from its gripping position and thus to allow the free passage of the carriage. A second cylinder moves the guide strip over a short distance so that the pipe is freed laterally but remains supported by a part of the guide strip.

Abstract: A tube bender has multiple rotatable bend dies of differing radii and a pressure die engaging the outer surface of the trailing portion of the tube tangential to the bend. A drive for the pressure die is provided to move the pressure die parallel to the tangential tube portion during bending. The drive includes sensors for determining both the drive speed of the pressure die and the rotation rate of the bend die, a computer which converts the detected rotation rate into a center line speed for the tube, and a servomechanism which controls the drive structure so as to drive the pressure die at a speed which has a selected ratio to the tube center line speed.

Abstract: A bending apparatus is provided for rectangular tubes. The apparatus comprises a bending die, a wiper die, a clamp die, a pressure die and a mandrel. The clamp die and pressure die are provided with tongues which are engageable in corresponding grooves in the bending and wiper dies. The tongues and the clamping and pressure surfaces of the respective dies are dimensioned to enable the rectangular tube to be bent about either of its two axes by placing the tube on either of the opposed sides of the respective tongues. The tongue of the pressure die is movable to facilitate the tangential advancement of the pressure die under the action of a booster for urging the tubing into the bend. The mandrel includes a plurality of movable blocks. A plurality of springs interconnect the blocks to facilitate alignment. The blocks are mounted to a replaceable head which can be removed and replaced when worn. The mandrel includes channels for lubrication.

Abstract: The follow bar of a rocker type conduit bender includes a pair of cam tracks with a series of angular ramp surfaces along their length. The inclination of the ramp surfaces relative to the working surface of the bender shoe is varied inversely with changes in length of the bender lever arm to provide more uniform bending forces on the conduit.

Abstract: Material is drawn from a roll of flat stock, passed through a pipe forming machine, and welded to provide a continuous length of pipe which is stored in a variable size loop. Pipe is withdrawn from the loop by means of a series of pipe straightening and feeding rollers which feeds the pipe to a bending machine. The bending machine is suspended from an overhead platform for rotation about a vertical axis and carries a shearing cutter so that multi-bend pipe sections, such as automobile exhaust pipes, may be bent, severed and dropped onto a conveyor for inspection and disposition while the pipe is being continuously formed from the flat stock. Distance between bends and plane of bend are respectively controlled by the pipe feeder and the bend machine rotation. Differences between forming and bending rates are compensated by varying the amount of pipe in the storage loop.

Abstract: In a rotary pipe bending machine in which the pipe is clamped against a rotary bend die by a clamp die and the two dies are rotated together while a rear section of the pipe is pressed by a pressure die, the clamp die is adjustably mounted for motion tangentially of the bend die. The clamp die can be driven between a first position in which it is spaced forwardly of the bend die axis and forwardly of the bend die, and a second position in which it is positioned substantially at a point of tangency between the pipe to be bent and the bend die. The position of the clamp die is chosen according to the length of the straight portion of the pipe between a previous bend and the point at which the next bend is to be made.

Abstract: A tube bend is started by compresssion bending and continued by draw bending. Conventional bending equipment is employed with one die slightly modified so that normal machine operation causes the pressure die to initially operate in a compression bending mode and then to operate in a draw bending mode. The tube is clamped between a rotatable bend and clamp die. The pressure die presses the tube against the bend die and initially moves with the tube so as to exert little axial restraint. The pressure die is caused to exert increasing pressure upon the tube, and its motion with the tube is stopped after a short initial travel, whereupon the pressure die restrains the tube as the bend and clamp dies continue to rotate, thereby to effect a draw bending to the completion of the bend.

Abstract: In a machine for draw bending pipe, a long pressure die that moves with the pipe during the bend is provided with a retractable rear section. Both sections are used for a large degree of bend but when a bend of lesser degree is made near the end of the pipe, interference between the pipe grasping chuck and the long pressure die is avoided by retracting the rear pressure die section.

Abstract: The device bends pipes into a serpentine pipe bank having right-hand and left-hand bends, with the pipe being held, during the bending operation, in a bending rail and the pipe end to be bent being clamped in a bending form. The bending rail and the bending form are mounted in a cylindrical frame which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the pipe to be bent. After each formation of two 90.degree. bends, or one 180.degree. bend, the frame is rotated through 180.degree. with the pipe remaining stationary and with the bending rail and bending form completely disengaged from the pipe. The bending rail is adjustable in the frame to fixed positions in accordance with the diameter of the pipe to be bent, and the bending form, together with clamping jaws associated therewith, is pivotally mounted in the frame for swinging about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the pipe.

Abstract: A clamp die for urging a tube against a rotatable bend die is mounted for limited translational and rotational motion so that its tube receiving cavity will accommodate and receive a portion of a bend previously made in the tube. Thus, one bend may be started closely adjacent a previous bend and little or no length of the straight and as yet unbent tube need extend forwardly of the point of tangency with the bend die in order to permit gripping by the floating clamp die.

Abstract: A tube bend is started by compression bending and continued by draw bending. Conventional bending equipment is employed with one die slightly modified so that normal machine operation causes the pressure die to initially operate in a compression bending mode and then to operate in a draw bending mode. The tube is clamped between a rotatable bend and clamp die. The pressure die presses the tube against the bend die and initially moves with the tube so as to exert little axial restraint. The pressure die is caused to exert increasing pressure upon the tube, and its motion with the tube is stopped after a short initial travel, whereupon the pressure die restrains the tube as the bend and clamp dies continue to rotate, thereby to effect a draw bending to the completion of the bend.

Abstract: A pipe bending apparatus for bending large diameter pipe of either thin or thick walled construction. The pipe bending apparatus includes a bending shoe which is pivotably mounted to a frame member and a follower shoe which is operable with the bending shoe to receive a pipe therebetween for bending. The apparatus also includes a fluid motor which is operable to cause pivotal movement of the bending shoe and a clamping assembly comprising a plurality of rollers which are secured together to clampingly engage the follower shoe and the bending shoe to force them together such that the pipe is forced to conform to the arcuate configuration of the bending shoe as the bending shoe pivots. During such pivotal movement, the rollers of the clamping assembly traverse the arcuate surface of the bending shoe and the rear surface of the follower shoe clamping the pipe between the bending and follower shoe and causing the pipe to assume the configuration of the bending shoe in a rolling mill type operation.