Automated stops for bar bending machine

Claim 1

In a bar bending machine comprising a tabletop, a rotatable bending disc mounted in said table top with its face in substantially the same plane as said table top, said disc being provided with a central pin and a bending pin, means on said table top for resisting the bending torque of the bar during the bending operation, a plurality of horizontally adjustable stops for positioning said bar longitudinally, control means for sequentially rotating said disc through predetermined angles, said disc automatically returning to its original position following each rotation, the improvement comprising: a. means, connected to each of said stops intermediate the outermost stops, for moving the stop connected thereto into and out of the path of said bar, b. a stepping switch comprising a plurality of sets of contacts which sequentially open and close, the opening of a set of contacts resulting in the automatic closing of the next set of contacts in the sequence, c. means connecting each means (a) to one of said sets of contacts of means (b) whereby closing of said contacts actuates one of means (a) to move the stop connected thereto into the path of said bar, while opening of said contacts actuates said one of means (a) to move the stop connected thereto out of the path of said bar, and d. means for alternately: i. actuating said control means to perform a step in the sequence of rotation of said bending disc; and ii. actuating said stepping switch to open said closed set of contacts and close the next set of contacts in its sequence.