Apparatus for automatically bending metallic tubes

Claim 1

An apparatus for automatically bending a metallic tube, comprising: feed means for sequentially feeding elongated tubes; bending-direction setting means for clamping a tube fed from said feed means substantially centrally along the length of said tube, and for rotating the tube around the longitudinal axis of the gripped portion thereof, said bending direction setting means including a link assembly having a plurality of support members, a pair of parallel beams hinged loosely to each of said support members and a clamp pivotably connected to said support members for gripping the tube, said link assembly defining a plane disposed substantially at a right angle to the portion of the tube clamped by said bending direction setting means, said parallel beams each being pivotably mounted about hinge points disposed at respective locations thereon spaced from said support members for rotation within the plane of said link assembly; means connected to at least one hinge point for rotating one of said parallel beams; a pair of automatic bending means for bending the tube preselected amounts, said bending means being disposed on opposite sides of said bending direction setting means and being movable relative thereto; and removal means for removing a bent tube from said bending direction setting means, said removal means being selectively movable with respect to said bending direction setting means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for automatically bending a metallic tube, comprising: feed means for sequentially feeding elongated tubes; bending-direction setting means for clamping a tube fed from said feed means substantially centrally along the length of said tube, and for rotating the tube around the longitudinal axis of the gripped portion thereof, said bending direction setting means including a link assembly having a plurality of support members, a pair of parallel beams hinged loosely to each of said support members and a clamp pivotably connected to said support members for gripping the tube, said link assembly defining a plane disposed substantially at a right angle to the portion of the tube clamped by said bending direction setting means, said parallel beams each being pivotably mounted about hinge points disposed at respective locations thereon spaced from said support members for rotation within the plane of said link assembly; means connected to at least one hinge point for rotating one of said parallel beams; a pair of automatic bending means for bending the tube preselected amounts, said bending means being disposed on opposite sides of said bending direction setting means and being movable relative thereto; and removal means for removing a bent tube from said bending direction setting means, said removal means being selectively movable with respect to said bending direction setting means.

Claim 7

An apparatus for selectively setting the bending direction of a metallic tube bending apparatus comprising: a support frame having a pair of spaced apart hinge pins; a pair of elongated beams, each said beam having opposed first and second ends, the first ends of said beam being hinged respectively to the hinge pins of said frame; a first support member hingedly connected to the respective second ends of said beams at spaced apart locations thereon such that said beams are substantially parallel to one another; a second support member hingedly connected to said beams at locations on said beams intermediate the first and second ends thereof; a guide hingedly connected to each of said first and second support members, said guide being disposed generally parallel to and intermediate said beams; a clamp mounted to said guide, said clamp including a clamping portion for securely clamping a tube, said clamping portion being disposed between and substantially on a line joining the hinge pins of said frame; means coupled to said clamp for selectively actuating said clamp; and means connected to one of sid beams for selectively rotating one of said beams about the respective hinge pin of the frame.

Claim 8

An apparatus for selectively setting the bending direction of a metallic tube bending apparatus comprising: a support frame having a pair of spaced apart hinge pins; a pair of elongated beams, each said beam having opposed first and second ends, the first ends of said beam being hinged respectively to the hinge pins of said frame; a first support member hingedly connected to the respective second ends of said beams at spaced apart locations thereon such that said beams are substantially parallel to one another; a second support member hingedly connected to said beams at locations on said beams intermediate the first and second ends thereof; a guide hingedly connected to each of said first and second support members, said guide being disposed generally parallel to and intermediate said beams; a clamp mounted to said guide, said clamp including a clamping portion for securely clamping a tube, said clamping portion being disposed between and substantially on a line joining the hinge pins of said frame; means coupled to said clamp for selectively actuating said clamp; and means connected to one of sid beams for selectively rotating one of said beams about the respective hinge pin of the frame.