Tube bending machine

Claim 1

IN A TUBE BENDING MACHINE CHARACTERIZED BY AN UPPER VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE ARCUATE DIE AND A PAIR OF LOWER DIE BLOCKS ROTATABLY AND ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO THE BED OF THE MACHINE BENEATH THE UPPER DIE, THE IMPROVED MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING AND RESISTING ROTARY MOVEMENT OF EACH OF SAID LOWER DIE BLOCKS WHICH COMPRISES: A HOUSING ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO THE BED OF THE MACHINE, THE INNER END OF SAID HOUSING BEING POSITIONED BENEATH AND SUBSTANTIALLY, IN LINE WITH THE UPPER RECIPROCABLE DIE; SAID HOUSING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION FORMED IN ITS OUTER END HAVING A PISTON MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT THEREIN; SAID HOUSING FURTHER HAVING A ROTARY SHAFT TRANSVERSELY JOURNALED AT THE INNER END THEREOF; SAID SHAFT HAVING BOTH A LOWER DIE BLOCK AND A PINION GEAR FIXEDLY MOUNTED THERETO; A RACK GEAR IN MESH WITH SAID PINION GEAR AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID PISTON FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT THEREWITH; RESISTING MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID CYLINDER FOR PROVIDING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT AND UNIFORM RESISTANCE TO OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON IN SAID CYLINDER; SAID DIE BLOCKS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A TUBE TO BE BENT IN AN INITIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, THE DOWNWARD STROKE OF SAID UPPER DIE ENGAGING THE TUBE TO BE BENT, CONTINUED DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER DIE CAUSING SAID LOWER DIE BLOCKS AND PINION GEARS TO ROTATE WITH SAID TRANSVERSE SHAFT, THE ROTATION OF SAID PINION GEAR CAUSING OUTWARD STROKING OF SAID RACK GEAR AND PISTON, SAID OUTWARD STROKING BEING ACCOMPLISHED AGAINST THE CONTINUED FORCE OF SAID RESISTING MEANS.