Reverse bending tool

A reverse bending tool for bending a workpiece bent at a right angle to a reverse curve has a support angle iron and a guide angle iron forming an enclosed space of rectangular cross-section therebetween and extending along the lengths thereof. A shaping member is secured in the space between the support and guide angle irons. The workpiece is drawn between the shaping member and inner surfaces of plates of the support and guide angle irons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a reverse bending tool. More particularly, 
the invention relates to a reverse bending tool for bending a workpiece 
bent at a substantially right angle to a reverse curve. 
Reverse bending tools of the type described herein are disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 146,272; 229,418; 1,823,489; 2,434,401; 3,119,432; 3,343,394; 
3,387,478 and 3,680,346. 
Objects of the invention are to provide a reverse bending tool of simple 
structure, which is inexpensive in manufacture, used with facility, 
convenience and rapidity, and functions efficiently, effectively and 
reliably to bend a workpiece initially bent at a substantially right angle 
in the shape of a 90.degree. dihedral to a reverse curve or substantially 
zero degree dihedral. The reverse bending tool of the invention is 
especially adaptable for use in the aluminum siding of structures, wherein 
the improved reverse bend may be utilized to hide the J channel and to 
provide a watertight seal of the trim on the side of the structure. The 
reverse bending tool of the invention also permits trimming after the 
installation of the siding more rapidly and with greater facility than do 
the known devices. The reverse bending tool of the invention seals the 
joints in the siding of a structure and insures that cracks, open seams 
and loose joints are eliminated as far as the transfer of moisture into 
the structure is concerned. The reverse bending tool of the invention is 
equally usable with sheet metal and metal initially bent at a 
substantially right angle to form a 90.degree. dihedral.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The reverse bending tool of the invention bends a workpiece 1 (FIGS. 1, 3 
and 4) initially bent at a substantially right angle, as shown in FIGS. 1 
and 3, to initially form a substantially 90.degree. dihedral to a reverse 
curve or substantially zero degree dihedral, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. 
The reverse bending tool of the invention comprises a support angle iron 2 
(FIGS. 1 and 2) having first and second plates 3 and 4, respectively, 
joining each other at right angles along a length edge 5 of each, as shown 
in FIGS. 1 and 2. The first and second plates 3 and 4 have inner surfaces 
6 and 7, respectively, and outer surfaces 8 and 9, respectively, as shown 
in FIG. 2. The first and second plates 3 and 4 of the support angle iron 2 
have a predetermined width W1. 
A handle 10 is affixed to the outer surface 8 of the first plate 3 of the 
support angle iron 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The reverse bending tool of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
further comprises a guide angle iron 11 having first and second plates 12 
and 13, respectively, joining each other at right angles along a length 
edge 14 of each. The first and second plates 12 and 13 of the guide angle 
iron 11 have inner surfaces 15 and 16, respectively, and outer surfaces 17 
and 18, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2. The first and second plates 12 
and 13 of the guide angle iron 11 have a width W2 (FIG. 2) smaller than 
the predetermined width W1 of the first and second plates 3 and 4 of the 
support angle iron 2. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide angle iron 11 extends from the support 
angle iron 2 with the first plate 12 of said guide angle iron extending 
substantially perpendicularly from the inner surface 6 of the first plate 
3 of said support angle iron in spaced relation with the inner surface 7 
of the second plate 4 of said support angle iron. The second plate 13 of 
the guide angle iron 11 extends substantially perpendicularly to the 
second plate 4 of the support angle iron 2, but spaced from the inner 
surface 7 of said second plate of said support angle iron by a gap 19 
(FIG. 2). The support angle iron and the guide angle iron 11 thus enclose 
a space of substantially rectangular cross-section therebetween. 
A shaping member 20, which preferably comprises wood (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) is 
secured in the space between the support angle iron 2 and the guide angle 
iron 11, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The shaping member 20, which may also 
be known as a plow, has a cross-section shaped to bend the right angle of 
the workpiece 1, shown in FIG. 3, to a reverse angle, shown in FIG. 4. The 
shaping member 20 preferably consists of wood. 
The reverse bending tool of the invention is utilized by drawing or pulling 
the workpiece 1 between the shaping member 20 and the inner surface 7 and 
16 of the second plates 4 and 13, respectively, of the support angle iron 
2 and the guide angle iron 11, respectively. Alternatively, the reverse 
bending tool of the invention is moved along the workpiece 1 after said 
workpiece is initially positioned between the shaping member 20 and the 
inner surface 7 of the second plate 4 of the support angle iron 2. 
While the invention has been described by means of a specific example and 
in a specific embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious 
modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the invention.