IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR BENDING TUBES OR PIPES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR BENDING
TUBES OR PIPES" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to means or apparatus for bending tubes or pipes without
crushing, by placing the same on a grooved bed, having a circular head, resting the
ends against stay blocks, and then producing the bend by sweeping a grooved die
over the circular head, all as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying Drawing:-
Figure 1 is a plan of a machine constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the lines x and y y Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan of the groove in the forming head: and
Figure 6 is a section of the bent end of the tube.
A indicates a flat bed provided with a longitudinal groove a, which is a half
circle in cross section. A¹ is a circular head at one end of the bed, having also a
groove a¹ in its periphery, which is a continuation of the groove a in the bed. The
tube or pipe B is placed in the groove a, its end projecting over and beyond the
circular head for the purpose of bending. The groove a', in the head is provided
with a set of corrugations a² as shewn in Figure 5, being deepest at the bottom of
the groove and getting shallower towards the sides.
C is a block forming a clamp, which rests above the bed, and has a groove c on
its under side. This block is simply for clamping the tube fast on the bed, to
hold it while the bending operation is performed. It is operated by any suitable
means, a yoke D, being shewn having at its bottom a treadle b and provided with
reacting springs d d. By pressing on the treadle the clamp will be brought down
on the tube, and by removing the pressure the clamp will be released.
31

page_text: E is a yoke having arms e e which turn on journals ƒ ƒ of the circular head A¹.
G is a die which rests within the yoke, being pivotted at y and provided with a
groove on its underside, resting over the groove in the circular head.
As the yoke
is turned the die sweeps around the circular head A' and bends the tube, as shewn
in Figure 2. E' is a lever attached to the yoke, by which it is turned, and G¹ is a
lever attached to the die, by which the latter is turned on its pivot and caused to
bear against the tube. The two levers stand one in advance of the other, and when
seized by the hand the first action is to cause the die to clamp the tube and then
the two more down together, the die bearing on the tube all the way while the
yoke simply acts as a carrier. In the back action the die releases from the tube.
If desired a grooved wheel can be used in the die for bearing upon the tube.
HH' are two heads at opposite ends of the machine for holding the ends of the
pipe, the heads having rounded ends to press the sand in the tube when sand is
used, and having also circular grooves ii in which the ends of the tube rest and by
which they are held during the bending operation. These heads have screw
shafts resting in bearings, by which the heads may be moved forward or
backward to fit the ends of the tube.
I is a frame at one end of the machine, carrying the head H, the said frame
consisting of two side pieces j, j and an end piece / secured together at one end by
screws m m so that as the frame is swung down, as shewn by dotted lines Figure 2,
the end piece can still be adjusted to any desired position, either horizontally or
vertically. The opposite ends of the side piecesjj are slotted as shewn at n,
through which slots pass set screws o o securing them to the side of the bed piece,
by which means the frame may be adjusted in or out to meet the pipe.
The opposite head H¹ has its bearing in a cross piece p attached to two
connections J J consisting of steel straps attached to the bed and resting over the
top of the circular head A. As the yoko is turned it wraps the connections around
the circular head, and as the said connections carry the guide head H', the latter
'will be turned with the bending of the tube and will always hold the end of the
latter in position. The circular head is provided with two or more offsets or
steps of different diameters, on its periphery, and the springs J J are changed
froin one to another by means of set screws ss for a purpose presently to be
described.
The operation is as follows: The straight tube or pipe is laid in the groove a,
under the clamp C and die G, its ends resting in the circular grooves in the
heads H H which are turned up firmly against them. In some cases the tube is
filled with sand or other suitable material, and in others it is not necessary. The
clamp C is then drawn down to secure the tube and the yoke E and die G are then
swept around the circular head, bending the tube as they move around. The
corrugations a³ a crimp the tube on the under side, so that will upset easily as
the bending operation proceeds, preventing any strain or breaking of the metal. The
die clamps down on the tube, and bears firmly thereon during the whole movement.
At the same time, the yoke bears upon the connection J J, wrapping them around the
head A' and carrying the guide head H' around as fast as the tube is bent and holding
the end of the tube in position during the whole sweep. This finishes the bending
of one end of the tube. If it is desired to bend both ends of the tube, the tube is
shifted, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the frame I, being turned down at
any desired angle, and the block being adjusted by means of the set screws,
so that the head H will stand in line with the bent end of the tube. The other
end is then bent in the same manner. The connections J J. perforin an important
function, as they gauge and control the bending of the tube. By shifting them,
from one to another of the steps or offsets rr, on the forming head, they are raised
or lowered above or below the centre of the tube. When raised above the centre
they lessen the stretching action on top of the tube and increase the upsetting action
on the bottom of the tube. When lowered below the centre they increase the
stretching action and lessen the upsetting action. When they are adjusted to the
centre the stretching and upsetting action are equal. These variations are

page_text: necessary in bending different kinds of tubes and pipes as thick pipes will stand
much stretching and thin ones will not. There is also great difference in the
stretching of different metals. By the adjustment above described, the amount of
stretching or upsetting can be adapted to the necessities of the case. Tho
connections J J controul the action by carrying the head H¹ concentrically around
the forming head, at whatever elevation it is placed relatively to the tube. These
connections are preferably flat steel springs, but they may be made of wire, rod
or cable. Any device that will accomplish the purpose may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. In an apparatus for bending tube or pipe, the combination of a bed upon
which the tube is laid, a grooved forming head over which the tube is bent, a
clamp for fastening the tube, a die which bears upon the tube and sweeps around
the forming head to produce the bending, and two heads at opposite ends of the
machine to hold the ends of the tube, one being stationary, the other moving in
unison with the die to clamp the end of the tube as it is bent, as set forth.
Second. In an apparatus for bending tube or pipe, the combination, with a
grooved forming head over which the tube is bent, and with a grooved die for
Lending the tube, of two heads on opposite sides for holding the ends of the tube,
one head being stationary, the other moving concentrically around the forming
head, in unison with the die, to carry the end of the tube as it is bent, as set forth.
Third. In an apparatus for bending tube or pipe, the combination, with a grooved
forming head over which the tube is bent, and with a grooved die for bending the
tube, of connections which wind over the forming head as the dio progresses, and
a head at the outer end of the connections for holding the end of the tube, us set
forth,
Fourth. In an apparatus for bending tubes or pipes, the combination of a grooved
forming head provided with off sets or steps of different diameters, and connections
which are changeable to the different offsets or steps projecting outward beyond
the forming head and carrying the head that supports the end of the tube, as, and
for the purpose, specified.
Fifth. In an apparatus for bending tube or pipe, the grooved forming head
provided with corrugations in the groove, for the purpose of crimping the pipe on
the under side while being bent, as set forth.
Sixth. In an apparatus for bending tube or pipe, the combination, with the
grooved bed for holding the tube, of a frame pivotted to the bed, carrying at its
outer end a head for receiving the end of the tube, the said frame being adjustable
vertically on its pivot to bring the head in position to receive the bent end of
the tube, preparatory to bending the opposite end, as set forth.
Seventh. In combination with the grooved bed A, the frame I attached to the
frame by set screws, and constructed with side pieces j, j, and an end piece
connected by set screws, whereby the said end piece may be changed in position as
the frame is adjusted vertically, as set forth.
Eighth. The combination with the yoke E and forming head A¹, of the die G
pivotted in the yoke, and serving to clamp upon the tube before the yoke receives
movement as herein shown and described.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.