US2785477A

US2785477A - Conduit bending guide

Info

Publication number: US2785477A
Application number: US534652A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl F Gregory
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-09-16
Filing date: 1955-09-16
Publication date: 1957-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-19

Description

March 19, 1957 E. F. GREGORY 2,735,477

CONDUIT BENDING GUIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1955 March 19, 1957 E. F. GREGORY 2,735,477

CONDUIT BENDING GUIDE Filed Sept. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Earl F. Gregor INVEN TOR.

2,785,477 Patented Mar. 19, 1957 v This invention relates to a device especially adapted to be utilized in conjunction with bending pipes and other similar conduits, and has for its primary object the"provision of means for providing a guide adapted to'enable true radius bends to be made in a pipe in a convenient manner.

The construction of this invention features a transparent block having a tube with an air bubble therein, with the tube arranged in a suitable arc. The transparent block has a slot therein for the reception of cards which have indicia thereon cooperating with the bubble in the tube to provide an indication to the user of the number of bends or presses which must be made .in a pipe at given points to arrive at the desired bend of the radius desired.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a conduit bending guide which employs novel means for adjustment so as to assure that it can be ass cured on the pipe to be bent in a selected and initial position and which employs means for allowing different cardw-having varying indicia thereon to be readily substituted for one another so as to enable the device to be utilized in forming bends of varying curvatures.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a conduit bending guide that is simple in construction, highly efiicient in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and efiicient in use.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this conduit bending guide, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the conduit bending guide as associated with a length of pipe and operatively installed on a work table for use in bending the pipe to the desired radius;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the conduit bending guide;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 2 illustrating the relative position of the slot and the arcuate tube;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 44 in Figure 2 illustrating in particular the means utilized for positioning the conduit bending guide on a pipe or like member;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 5- in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of one of the cards utilized in conjunction with the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the card shown in Figure 6.

With continuing reference to the accompanying draw ings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the conduit bending guide which is adapted to be utilized to enable a section of pipe, as at 12, to be bent to the desired radius of curvature. In

use, the conduit bending guide is suitably mounted on the section of pipe 12 which is secured in a vise 14. The vise 14 has an upper clamping member 16 as well as a lower clamping member 18 and is adjusted by a threaded member 20 in the conventional manner of a clamp press. The vise 14 is slidably mounted on a table 22 of suitable length which has a guide bar 24 mounted thereon in any convenient manner. The vise 14 is adapted to engage the guide bar 24 to assure its travel in the desired direction.

Mounted on the table 22 is a winch 26 having a drum 28 about which a chain or a cable 30 has an end secured.

The drum 28 is mounted for rotation on suitable bearing mounts 3t) and 32 through which the shaft 24 on which the drum 28 is secured extends. A handle 36 is provided for rotating the shaft 34 and hence the drum 28. The other end of the chain or cable 30 is secured to the vise M and upon rotation of the shaft 34 and hence the drum 28, the vise 14 will be moved toward the winch suitably guided by the guide bar 24.

Secured on the table 22 and adapted to clampingly engage the pipe or conduit 12 is a conventional pipe bender 46. As the pipe 12 is moved by action of the winch 26, the pipe bender 40 is adapted to make successive bends in the pipe.

In order to inform the user of the conduit bending guide it) of the desired amount of movement for the pipe 14 and the desired amount of bend to be applied on the pipe, the guide 10 is secured about the pipe 12. This conduit bending guide includes a lower mounting plate 42 having a pair of

studs

44 and 46 extending outwardly from one end portion thereof. Positioned about this end portion are chains 48, the ends of which have springs 5t) and 52 secured thereto. The

springs

56 and 52 have hook-

like ends

54 and 56 engageable within

apertures

58 and 68 in the lower mounting plate 42. The lower mounting plate 42 is preferably of channel shape in construction to provide suitable engagement with the pipe 12 independent of the diameter of the pipe.

Secured to and spaced from the lower mounting plate 42 is an upper mounting plate 62.

Suitable spacer fasteners

64 and 66 hold one end of the upper mounting plate 62 in spaced relationship from the lower mounting plate 42. However, a bolt 68 extends through suitable aligned apertures in the upper and

lower mounting plates

62 and 42 respectively and a wing nut 70 is used for engagement about the threaded fastener or bolt 68. Positioned about the bolt 68 and resiliently yieldingly engaging the upper surface of the lower mounting plate 42 and the lower surface of the upper mounting plate 62 is a spring 72. Hence, by utilization of the nut 70, the upper mounting plate 62 can be suitably angularly adjusted with respect to the lower mounting plate 42, the

fasteners

64 and 66 not being of such rigidity as to prevent this adjustment.

Bonded to the upper mounting plate 62 or otherwise secured thereto is a block 76 of any suitable transparent plastic material in which an arcuate tube 78 is embedded. The tube is filled with a suitable fluid, such as oil or the like, and an air bubble 80 is provided in the fluid. The tube 78 is shaped to conform to a portion of a circle of selected radius.

The transparent block 7 6 is provided with a substantially rectangular slot 82 therein of sutficient size so as to receive an indicator card 84 in the slot. The slot 82 is positioned to the rear of the arcuate tube 78 and is provided with an enlarged portion 86 for enabling the removal and replacement of the cards 84.

Each of the cards 84 is provided with. suitable indicia thereon. This indicia is in the form of radius marks 90 for indicating the angular relationship of the guide for each successive bend of the bending apparatus 40. On the obverse side of the card 84, there is shown other indicia 92 having suitable graduations 94 for indicating the distance that the pipe ILZShOllld be moved "for each successive bend of the'bending apparatus 4%? to form the bend desired.

In use, after the desired card 84 has been selected so as to obtain the bend desired, the guide is positioned on the pipe with the bubble 8i) adjusted to zero. Then, a first press is made and the pipe is then moved in accordance with the indicia 94 the proper distance, at which time another press is made until the bubble centers on the radial indicia 90 indicated as the first line. Then, successive movements and successive presses are made until the conduit is for-med in the shape desired.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A conduit bending guide comprising a lower mounting plate, means for securing said lower mounting plate on a conduit, an upper mounting plate carried by said lower mounting plate, a transparent block secured on said upper mounting plate, said block having a slot therein for receiving an indicator card, an arcuate tube embedded in said block, said tube being substantially filled with fluid to form an air bubble in said tube, and means for adjusting said upper mounting plate with respect to said lower mounting plate.

2. A conduit bending guide comprising a lower mountingiplate, means for securing said lower mounting plate on a conduit, "an upper mounting plate carried by said lower mounting plate, a transparent block secured on said upper mounting plate, said block having a slot therein for receiving an iridicator card, an arcuate tube embedded in said block, said tube being substantially filled with fluid to form an air bubble in said tube, an indicator card in said slot, said indicator card having indicia thereon, said indicia being arranged in alignment with said arcuate tube, and means for adjusting said upper mounting plate with respect to said lower mounting plate.

3. A conduit bending guide comprising a lower mounting plate, means for securing said lower mounting plate on a conduit, an upper mounting plate carried by said lower mounting plate, a transparent block secured on 'said upper mounting plate, said block having a slot therein for receiving an indicator card, an arcuate tube embedded said block, said tube being substantially filled with liuid to form an air bubble in said tube, an indicator card in said slot, said indicator card having indicia thereon, said indicia being arranged in alignment with said arcuate tube, said means for securing said lower mounting plate on a conduit including chains secured to said lower mouting plate at one edge portion thereof, said lower mounting plate having apertures therein 'adja'ce'iit another edge portion thereof, and springs secured "to said chains, said springs having hook ends enga'geable in said apertures, and means for adjusting said upper mounting plate with respect to said lower mounting plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,072,779 Torbert Mar. 2, 1937 2,656,607 Harding Oct. 27, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 559,325 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1 9 44 452,152 :Switzerland Oct. 10, {9419 280,539 Switzerland May 1, -2