Tubing bending machine

Abstract

A tubing bending machine comprising a bending assembly further comprising a hydraulic cylinder which reciprocates a plurality of bands set apart by guide discs, with each band being held in place by a forming die having two threaded ends which are secured to the hydraulic cylinder by means of nuts. The bending assembly is mounted vertically in a frame, on which two tubing guides are also mounted by means of bearings. The tubing guides have alignment guides corresponding to each band on the bending assembly and are oriented such that when a piece of tubing inserted in the machine is resting on the tubing guide, the piece of tubing will be aligned with a corresponding band and forming die.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of bending metal tubing comprising: 
 a. aligning a piece of tubing lengthwise with a forming die; and    b. hydraulically pressing said forming die against said tubing.    
     
     
         2 . A tubing bending machine comprising: 
 a. a frame;    b. a bending assembly mounted vertically in said frame, with said bending assembly further comprising: 
 i. hydraulic means for reciprocating said bending assembly;  
 ii. a plurality of guide discs arranged parallel to each other and mounted to said hydraulic means, with a corresponding plurality of bands between said guide discs; and  
 iii. a plurality of forming dies equal in number to said plurality of bands, with each of said forming dies having two threaded ends, with one of said forming dies placed along the circumference of each of said bands, and with each forming die secured to said hydraulic means by a nut fastened on said threaded ends; and  
   b. two tubing guides mounted to said frame below and at either end of said bending assembly, with each of said tubing guides mounted to said frame by means of a bearing at either end of said tubing guides, with said bearings attached to said frame by means of a mounting bracket.    
     
     
         3 . A bending assembly further comprising: 
 a. hydraulic means for reciprocating said bending assembly;    b. a plurality of guide discs arranged parallel to each other and mounted to said hydraulic means, with a corresponding plurality of bands between said guide discs; and    c. a plurality of forming dies equal in number to said plurality of bands, with each of said forming dies having two threaded ends, with one of said forming dies placed along the circumference of each of said bands, and with each forming die secured to said hydraulic means by a nut fastened on said threaded ends.