Patent ID: 6418772
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B21D,B21F,B21K

Abstract:
A U-bolt bending machine centering device to center a rod having threaded spaced ends to be bent around a mandrel on the U-bolt bending machine into a U-bolt, the centering device comprising:an elongate carriage adapted to be mounted to the U-bolt bending machine; a pair of spaced centering plates coupled to the carriage and equally spaced on opposite sides of the mandrel when the carriage is mounted to the U-bolt bending machine; and a transport mechanism on the carriage and coupled to each of the centering plates to provide conjoint movement of the centering plates in opposite directions relative to the mandrel when the carriage is mounted to the U-bolt bending machine; wherein when a rod is placed on the mandrel between the centering plates with the centering device mounted to the U-bolt bending machine, one of the centering plates is moved in a first direction into contact with one of the ends of the rod until the other end of the rod contacts the other centering plate thereby centering the rod on the mandrel for subsequent bending by the U-bolt bending machine into a U-bolt having generally equal length legs.