Patent ID: 7523633
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: B21D

Abstract:
1. A jig for bending a wire tray made of welded wires, having bottom and opposite wire tray side wall portions which define a generally uniform interior opening therealong, comprising: a) an operationally non-moveable base having a top interior side portion adapted to carry a rear end portion of the wire tray, said base having a front end portion having two spaced points adapted for hangable connection; b) two swinging arms each having one end hingably attached to the front end portion of the base to swing in a same direction as the other; c) an arm spacer having a rear end portion having two spaced points, equal in spacing to the points on the front end portion, adapted for hangable connection, and wherein each point on the spacer is pivotally attached to a central point on a corresponding swinging arm, and each central point of attachment is equally spaced along from the corresponding arm's respective point of attachment to the base so that movement of either arm moves the other arm in parallel alignment thereto; d) an interior block/clamp configured to be closely positioned within and thereafter clamp the wire tray on the base, said blockclamp substantially filling the interior of the tray to i) initially facilitate clamping the wire tray on the base, and ii) additionally support the interior bottom and side wall portions of the wire tray when a unidirectional bending force is applied to one exterior side of the tray, thereby maintaining the shape of the wire tray, and preventing the wire tray from internally collapsing; e) an interior block/clamp configured to be closely positioned within and thereafter clamp the wire tray on the spacer, said blockclamp substantially filling the interior of the tray to i) facilitate clamping the wire tray on the spacer, and ii) additionally support the interior bottom and side wall portions of the wire tray when a unidirectional bending force is applied to one exterior side of the tray, thereby maintaining the shape of the wire tray, and preventing the wire tray from internally collapsing; and wherein, f) the interior side portion of the base and the spacer are configured to closely surround the rear exterior bottom and side wall portions of the wire tray; so that when the block/clamps are properly secured within the rear and front end portions of the wire tray, and the tray wall portions are clamped between the block/clamps and the closely surrounding interior side portions, then when force is applied to the one exterior side of the tray, wall deformation is prevented along the wire tray between the interior block/clamps and the closely surrounding interior side portions of the base and spacer, and thereby the interior clamped wire tray wall portions and opening are maintained without deformation, as well as ensuring relatively sharp bending between, and immediately adjacent to the clamped portions of the wire tray.