Patent Publication Number: US-10780482-B2

Title: Tube-propelling apparatus for tube bending machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a tube bending push apparatus, in particular a tube bending apparatus can chuck more tube in a tube bending machine than conventional tube pushing apparatus. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Tube bending technology is widely used in many industries such central air conditioning industry, automotive industry, aerospace industry, shipbuilding industry and many other manufacturing industry. In manufacturing elbow (tube, tube and etc.), the quality of elbow will directly affect the structure integrity, safety and reliability of the final products of these industries. In the process of bending tube in the desirable form a bending machine feeder is use to control and feed tube into bending machine. However, when bending machine bends the tube in the final processing stage, the front push end of the feeder reaches the top of crease plate in the bending machine. In this case, due to crease plate restriction, the feeder cannot push the tube forward anymore, therefore, the remaining portion of the tube cannot be process and thus, the unprocessed portion is discarded from the tube and is treated as production waste. 
     Chinese patent application publication No. ZL201020151025 discloses a clamping device concealed in a tube bending machine, said clamping device comprises a push tube to be sleeved on a positioning tube of the bending machine, a drive device for pushing the push tube forward or backward in relation to the positioning tube, a push tube actuation tube clamp seat and a tube clamp seat actuation material clamp. When the push tube is pushed forward by the drive device, which at the same time actuates the tube clamp seat and material clamp to radially contract; and when the push tube moves back, which at the time actuates the tube clamp seat and the material clamp to radially expand, is this way to generate loosening or tightening force on a tube and reached to solve the problem of material waste. 
     Another similar tube bender patent application (Taiwan patent application no. 95113271) also proposed a solution to the problem of material waste. Similar to CN ZL201020151025, a base is sleeved on a one end of an outer tube, an inner tube is provided within the outer tube, the outer tube is further provided with two slots, the inner tube and the base is secured together with two locking devices that pass through the two slots on the outer tube, when the base is actuated, the inner tube is moved relatively to the outer tube, at the same time, a support seat provides support force to the tube support seat in order to secure a tube. 
     However, the above-mentioned tube bender inventions are structurally complex and difficult to assemble. Moreover, a core rod is inserted into the tube during bending process, in order to ensure the roundness of the bend section. The above-mention bender will interfere with the core rod such that the surplus material may not be pushed out totally from the tube clamp. If it one is to adapt to these bender and decreases the core rod radius, then it cannot guarantee the soundness of the bend section, and it may easily cause wrinkle in the bend section. Therefore, the above-mentioned benders may fully utility the tube material however, the quality of the finishing tube is compromised. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     In order to solve the above-mentioned problems the present invention provides a bending machine that is simple in structure and assure the bending quality of the tube at the time fully utilize surplus material during the process. 
     To achieve the above-mention objectives, the present invention provides a bending machine comprises: a main tube-propelling base mounted on a slide rail mechanism that can be slide forward and backward; the main tube-propelling base is further provided with a penetrating hole though which both a fixing sleeve and a core rod pass are secured on the main tube-propelling base, which the rear end of the fixing sleeve is fixed in the penetrating hole, and the front end of the fixing sleeve is provided with a tube clamping apparatus. 
     It is characterized that present invention further comprises: a surplus material auxiliary propelling base mounted on the slide rail mechanism of the tube bending machine tool, wherein the surplus material auxiliary propelling base is provided with a through hole coaxial with the penetrating hole of the main tube-propelling base, an auxiliary pushing sleeve is mounted in the through-hole, and the core rod passes through the auxiliary pushing sleeve. Meanwhile, the auxiliary pushing sleeve is sheathed in the fixing sleeve and the front end of the auxiliary pushing sleeve is provided with a propelling head engaging with a tube; and a drive part for moving the surplus material auxiliary propelling base back and forth. 
     As a further improvement, the slide rail mechanism is provided with a tube locking controlling base that can slide back and forth, a passing-hole is provided on the tube locking controlling base and an axis sleeve is provided inside the passing-hole and between the fixing sleeve and auxiliary pushing sleeve, the front end of the axis sleeve is coupled with the tube clamping apparatus. 
     Advantageously, same one slide rail mechanism is used for the main tube-propelling base, surplus material auxiliary propelling base and tribe locking controlling base. To be used as a specific technical solutions, the tube clamping apparatus comprises a tube clamp mounted on the fixing sleeve, one end of tube clamp is arranged with elastic claws, while the front end is tapped and coupled with the axis sleeve. 
     As a further improvement, bending machine is provided with a rack next to the slide rail mechanism, the bottom of the main tube-propelling base is provided with a first gear powered by a first electric power motor; the first gear engages with the rack to enable a back and forth sliding movement. 
     Advantageously, the power pushing mechanism for the bending machine comprise a second electric power motor mounted on the main tube-propelling base, with a steel threaded rod. One end of the steel threaded rod is connected with a threaded nut on the surplus material auxiliary propelling base. 
     Advantageously, the power pushing mechanism comprises the second electric power motor mounted on the surplus material auxiliary propelling base, the surplus material auxiliary propelling base is mounted on the rack next to the slide rail mechanism, the bottom of the surplus material auxiliary propelling base is provided with a second gear for the second electric power motor, and the second gear engages with the rack to enable a back and forth sliding movement. 
     To be used as a specific technical solutions, the tube locking controlling base is provided with a nut, correspondingly, the main tube-propelling base is provided with a third electric power motor, the output end of the third electric power motor is connected with one end of a driving threaded rod, and the other end of the threaded rod is connected with the nut on the tube locking controlling base. 
     As an improvement, the propelling head is disposed on the tip of the auxiliary pushing sleeve and is removable. 
     Preferably, removable refers to the propelling head comprises a pinhead end and the front peripheral side end of the auxiliary pushing sleeve is provided with pin holes, the surface of the auxiliary pushing sleeve is also provided with a threaded hole and a screw with a ball tip is tapped into the threaded hole, a spring is provided in the cavity of the threaded hole to support the ball tip, the pinhead end is inserted into the pin holes and the ball tip pushes against the pinhead end inside the pin holes. 
     Preferably, removable refers to the front end of the propelling head pushes and fits with the tube, and the back end of the propelling head is a threaded connection joint to be fixed with the auxiliary pushing sleeve. 
     As a further improvement, the back end of the fixing sleeve is rotatably fixed inside the through hole to facilitate the rotation and other processing of the tube. 
     Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention is: combining the main tube-propelling base and tube locking controlling base, and the surplus material auxiliary propelling base, through a quick adjustable propelling head according to the thickness of the tube wall, the surplus tube material from the conventional bender machine can be entirely pushed through the machine without the restriction from the core rod, as such, reducing waste and increasing output; and the simple construction of the device can be easily fitted onto the bender machine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural view of the present invention bender machine; 
         FIG. 2  is a structural view the surplus material auxiliary propelling base; 
         FIG. 3  is a structural view the surplus material auxiliary propelling base without the auxiliary pushing sleeve; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the main tube-propelling base; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the main tube-propelling base; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a power motor; 
         FIG. 7  is a structural view of the tube clamp and auxiliary pushing, sleeve; 
         FIG. 8  is a structural view of the propelling head; 
         FIG. 9  is an installation view of the propelling head; 
         FIG. 10  is a structural view of the pin and screw; and 
         FIG. 11  is a connection view of the tube locking controlling base and the main tube propelling base. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The accompanying drawings of embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 ˜ FIG. 11 , the present invention a tube-propelling apparatus for tube bending machine comprises a main tube-propelling base  1  mounted on the slide rail mechanism  3  of a bending machine  2 , the main tube-propelling base  1  can be slide back and forth through a sliding block mounted on the bottom with the sliding rail mechanism  3 ; the main tube-propelling base is provided with a penetrating hole  11  for receiving a fixing sleeve  4  and a core rod  5 , the back end of the fixing sleeve  4  is provided with a flange structure  111  for rotatably fixed in the penetrating hole  11 , the front end of the fixing sleeve  4  is provided with a tube clamp apparatus  41  for securing the tube, and the core rod  5  passes through the penetrating hole  11  but not touching the penetrating hole  11 , as shown in the figures. 
     As a preferred embodiment; the sliding rail mechanism  3  of the bending machine  2  is provided with a rack  21 , the main tube-propelling base  1  is mounted on the rack  21 , furthermore, the bottom of the main tube-propelling base  1  is provided with a first electric motor  12  for powering a first gear  121 , the first gear  121  engages with the rack  21  for allowing sliding movement of the main tube-propelling base  1 ; of course other means of sliding structure can be used for sliding the main tube-propelling base on the slide rail mechanism  3 , such as with electric motor and threaded rod and nut, as shown in the figures. 
     The present invention is further provided with a surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6 , for the purpose of saving production costs; said surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  is also mounted on the sliding rail mechanism  3  of the bending machine  2  and can slide back and forth on the sliding rail mechanism  3  through a sliding block. 
     The surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  is provided with a through hole  61  that has the same axis with the penetrating hole  11  of the main tube-propelling base  1 , an auxiliary pushing sleeve  7  is provided in the through hole  61  for the core rod  5  to pass through the auxiliary pushing sleeve  7 , at the same time, the auxiliary pushing sleeve  7  is sleeved by the fixing sleeve  4 , the front end of the auxiliary pushing sleeve  7  is provided with a pushing head  71 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Pushing head  71  can be removably attached to the front end of the auxiliary pushing sleeve  7 , as a preferred embodiment, the front end of the pushing head  71  is provided with a plug and push part  711  and the back end of the pushing head  71  is a receive and connect part  712 , in addition, the front end of the auxiliary sleeve  7  is provided with a pin hole  72  and the front peripheral end of the auxiliary sleeve  7  is provided with threaded holes  73 , a screw nail  74  with a ball point  741  is tightened in the threaded hole  73 , a spring is provided to support the ball point  741  in cavity of the screw nail  74 , the spring maintains the ball point in a protruding position, a pin  721  is inserted into the pin hole  72  and pushes against the receive and connect part  712  of the pushing head  71 , the ball point  741  of the screw nail  74  pushes against a limiting groove on the pin  721 , as shown in  FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 , of course, the pushing head  71  can adopt a simple thread joint to be attached to the front end of the auxiliary pushing sleeve  7 . 
     The surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  is further provided with a power pushing apparatus for sliding the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  back and forth. Said power pushing apparatus may slide the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  in various way, as a preferred embodiment, the power pushing apparatus in the present invention comprises a second electric motor  13  mounted on the main tube-propelling base  1  and a threaded rod  131  matching with the second electric motor  13 ; one end of the threaded rod  131  connects with a thread nut  62  on the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Of course, the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  can also slide back and forth on the sliding rail mechanism  3  with a rack, a gear and an electric motor set up. 
     The sliding rail mechanism  3  of the bending machine  2  is further provided with a tube locking controlling base  9  that can slide back and forth, the tube locking controlling base  9  is provided with a through hole  91 ; a shaft sleeve  10  is provided inside the through hole  91 . The shaft sleeve  10  sets between the fixing sleeve  4  and auxiliary pushing sleeve  7 , the front end of the shaft sleeve  10  couples with the tube clamp apparatus  41 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     As a preferred embodiment for coupling with the shaft sleeve  10 , the tube clamp apparatus  41  in the present invention comprises a tube clamp  42  fixed on the fixing sleeve  4 , one end of the tube clamp  42  is slotted to form an elastic tube claw  421  and the other end of the tube clamp  42  is provided with a tapered surface  422  to be coupled with the front end of the shaft sleeve  10 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Of course, the tube clamp apparatus  41  can also be used the hand operated claw commonly seen, but the effect would not be optimal. 
     In order to allow the tube locking controlling base  9  to slide on the sliding rail mechanism  3 , as a preferred embodiment, the tube locking controlling base  9  is provided with a nut  92 , correspondingly, the main tube-propelling base  1  is provided with a third electric motor  14 , the output end of the third electric motor  14  is provided with a threaded driving rod  141 , one end of the threaded driving rod  141  connects with the nut  92  on the tube locking controlling base  92 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     In the present invention, when the main tube-propelling base  1  pushes the tube  8  into the end of the final bending process, the anti-wrinkle board in the bending machine  2  prevents the fixing sleeve  4  on the main tube-propelling base from pushing forward anymore, however, there is still an unprocessed portion of tube  8  left in the tube clamp apparatus  41 , typically, this portion of tube  8  would be the waste material. In order to fully utilize the material, a control device triggers the second electric motor  13  and the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  slides forward, and the pushing head  71  pushes the back end of the tube  8 , at the same time, the third electric motor  14  is triggered, and the tube locking controlling base  9  slides forward, the tube clamp apparatus  41  and tube clamp  42  work together release tube  8 , and then, the surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  slides forward more so that pushing head  71  pushes forward more such that, tube  8  is pushed through the tube clamp apparatus  41 . The present invention provides that through the work of main tube-propelling base  1 , with the operation of surplus material auxiliary propelling base  6  and tube locking controlling base  9 , to allow full utilization of tube  8 , while the whole apparatus is simple in structure can be easily integrated into an automated production process.