GB2511093B

GB2511093B - Pipe-bending regulator

Info

Publication number: GB2511093B
Application number: GB1303202.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shorthouse Steven; Rampley David
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-22
Filing date: 2013-02-22
Publication date: 2019-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 2033-02-22
Also published as: GB2511093A; GB201303202D0

Description

Pipe-bending Regulator

Statement of Invention

This invention relates to the bending of 15mm copper tube with a high degree of accuracy using a pipe- bender of similar construction to that shown in Figure 1 - though it could equally apply to other diameters of tube and different forms of bender.

Plumbers use a pipe-bender to bend copper tube at various angles and in various planes. The degree of accuracy relies on a good deal on estimation and guesswork coupled with the skill of the operator. Bends made at incorrect angles and multiple bends made in the incorrect plane or 'out of line' can result in wastage of copper or stress on pipework, if forced to fit in situation.

To overcome this, the invention proposes to: • Determine the required length of material to be fed through the pipe-bender and to hold the work-piece so that a second or subsequent bend will be formed in the predetermined plane - using an adjustable slide/regulator mounted on the work-piece to be bent and with reference to a given table or mathematical calculation. • Measure the angle of bend, with a rotatable/fixed protractor mounted on the hub of the pipe-bender and a rotatable/fixed pointer/laser mounted in such a way that angles can be read.

The regulator ensures that second and subsequent bends are formed with the pre-determined offsets and in the pre-determined planes.

The protractor attachment ensures any bend can be made at any pre-determined angle. The protractor can be set to compensate for 'spring-back' of the copper tube.

The invention reduces potential pipe-wastage.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows a typical pipe-bender to which the invention relates.

Figure 2 shows an easy-fit attachment that will enable more accurate measuring of the angle to be formed.

Figure 3 shows the offset table used to determine the setting of the slide for a pre-determined offset.

Figure 4 shows a regulation unit that has one slot in the head - which enables the production of multiple offsets to be formed in one plane. It also shows a measuring method for setting the position of the slide.

Figure 5 shows a regulation unit mounted on a tube/work-piece and engaged with the straight former of the pipe-bender.

Figure 6 shows a regulation unit mounted with work-piece and set up for the first stage of bending/forming an offset.

Figure 7 shows the first stage of bending/forming an offset completed.

Figure 8 shows a regulation unit mounted with work-piece and set up for the second stage of bending/forming an offset.

Figure 9 shows the second stage of bending/forming an offset completed.

Figure 10 shows a regulation unit that has two slots at right angles to each other that enable second and subsequent bends to be in the same plane or a plane at right angles to the first or previous plane.

Figure 11 shows a regulation unit that has a rotary head - which enables second and subsequent bends to be in the same plane or in a plane at any angle between 0-180 degrees to the first or previous plane.

In the description below parts relating to the pipe-bending jig to which the invention relates are numbered a.b.c... while parts relating to the invention are numbered 1,2,3...

Description

The invention relates to the accurate use of a hand operated pipe-bender. A typical pipe-bender for which the invention is designed, is shown in Figure 1. - where: a central retaining bolt (a) secures curved former (b), a retaining bolt (c) secures a roller (d), a straight former (e) is held between the work-piece (f) and roller (d).

The invention requires the angle of bend to be measured.

The angle of bend is measured by incorporating a protractor and reference indicator on the pipe-bender. In Figure 2, a protractor (1) is held/positioned on the hub of the pipe-bender by magnetic or other means so that it can rotate around the central retaining bolt (a) for adjustment or setting. A reference indicator (2) is held/positioned on the retaining bolt (c) of roller (d) by magnetic means or otherwise such that it may be aligned with the reference on former (e) and rotate/twist out of the path of the work-piece when required to do so.

The invention enables the precise calculation and positioning of the tube so that accurate predetermined bends, offsets and subsequent offsets can be formed in chosen plane/planes. In the description below the invention will now be referred to as the 'regulator'.

The amount of material required to pass through the pipe-bender before a second or subsequent bend can be completed to form an offset, can be determined mathematically by, (i) the angle of bend (ii) and the required offset distance.

For simplicity, a table (Figure 3) is provided. This calculated distance will be referred to as 'bar-set'.

As shown in Figure 4, two bars (3) are held parallel between a head (4) and end-stop (5). A slide (6) is allowed to travel between the head (4) and the end-stop (5). A graduated rod (8) enables the setting of the slide (6). Alternative setting guides such as a rule or spacer blocks could be used.

The central holes in the head, slide and end-stop enable the regulator to slide on 15mm. tube (f), as shown in Figure 5 - but the device may be adapted to fit other sizes of tube too. The head (4) engages with the end of former (e).

Figure 6 shows the regulator in position and ready for the first bend.

The protractor (1) and reference indicator (2) are aligned with the reference mark on former (e). At this point the protractor may read less than 0 degrees to allow for potential spring-back of the tube. The slot in the face of the head (4) is located in the end of former (e).

The slide (6) is moved the bar-set distance away from the head (4). This is either calculated mathematically or determined with reference to the table in Figure 2. As can be seen from the table an offset of 50mm. with a bending angle of 30 degrees would require a bar-set distance of 100mm. The clamping screw (7) in the slide (6) secures the regulator to the work-piece/tube in this position. The first bend to the required angle is now made - as shown in Figure7.

The work-piece and regulator are released from the pipe-bender with the clamping screw (7) securely in place. The head (4) is moved back to meet the slide (6). This ensures the correct amount of material will be passed through the pipe-bender for the required offset. The work-piece and regulator are rotated through 180 degrees and re-positioned in the pipe-bender, as shown in Figure 8. The slot in the head again locates with the end of the former (e) and ensures the next bend will be in the same plan as the first bend. The protractor, reference indicator and reference mark on former (e) are aligned as before.

The second bend, to the same angle as selected for the first bend, is now made - as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 10 shows a modified head (9) where two slots at right angles to each other, permit second and subsequent bends to be in the same plane as the first plane, or at right angles to the previous plane.

Figure 11 shows a modified head consisting of parts (10) and (11) that enables the regulator to rotate the work-piece through/up to 360 degrees, facilitating second and subsequent bends to be formed at any pre-determined angle to the first plane.

Claims

Claims Claim one A bending regulator unit compromising temporary attachment means for attaching the unit to a tube and component of a pipe bender, a sliding block that can slide freely along the length of the unit and when located on the tube can be temporarily fixed to it, a head-block that can engage with a reference position on a component of the pipe bender. Claim two A bending regulator unit according to claim one, where the regulator unit is restricted to two location positions (0 and 180 degrees) to the reference position on a component of the pipe bender. Claim three A bending regulator unit according to claim one, where the regulator unit is restricted to a number of fixed positions to the reference position on a component of the pipe bender. Claim Four A bending regulator according to claim one, where the unit may be located at any position (0 to 360 degrees) to the reference position on a component of the pipe bender. Claim five A bending regulator unit according to claims one, two, three and four incorporates a graduated rod assist positioning of the sliding block.