Powered rod cutting and bending system and method for fabricating same

Abstract

A powered rod cutting and bending system including pre-existing equipment having a power source that moves a portion of the equipment during use of the equipment, and a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool attached to the equipment such that the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool to actuate the tool.

1 . A powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:
 pre-existing equipment comprising a power source that moves a portion of the equipment during use of the equipment; and   a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool attached to the equipment such that the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool to actuate the tool.   
   
   
       2 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source is transmitted to the tool by a coupler attached to both the portion of the equipment moved by the power source and to the tool. 
   
   
       3 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for transmitting to the tool the motion of the portion of the equipment moved by the power source. 
   
   
       4 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 3 , wherein the transmitting means is a coupler attached to both the portion of the equipment moved by the power source and to the tool. 
   
   
       5 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-existing equipment is a backhoe comprising a bucket articulation mechanism and the portion of the equipment moved by the power source during use of the equipment is the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe. 
   
   
       6 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 5 , wherein the power source of the equipment is a hydraulic power system and the tool is a rebar cutter and bender. 
   
   
       7 . A powered rod cutting and bending system according to  claim 6 , wherein the motion of the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe caused by the hydraulic power system of the backhoe is transmitted to the tool by a coupler attached to both the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe and to the rebar cutter and bender. 
   
   
       8 . A powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:
 a backhoe comprising a hydraulic power system and a bucket articulation mechanism moved by the hydraulic power system during use of the backhoe;   a rebar cutter and bender; and   a coupler attached to both the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe and to the rebar cutter and bender, wherein during use of the system, the coupler transmits the motion of the bucket articulation mechanism caused by the hydraulic power system to the rebar cutter and bender in order to actuate the rebar cutter and bender.   
   
   
       9 . A method of fabricating a powered rod cutting and bending system, comprising:
 providing pre-existing equipment comprising a power source, and a pre-existing, non-powered rod cutting and/or bending tool;   configuring the equipment to receive attachment of the tool such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool;   configuring the tool to beattached to the equipment such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool; and   attaching the tool to the equipment such that the power source of the equipment may be utilized to actuate the tool.   
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a backhoe. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the power source of the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a hydraulic power system. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a backhoe and the power source of the pre-existing equipment provided in said providing step is a hydraulic power system. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the pre-existing non-powered tool provided in said providing step is a rebar cutter and bender. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the rebar cutter and bender comprises a top handle and a bottom lever. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of configuring the rebar cutter and bender such that the power source of the pre-existing equipment may be utilized to actuate the rebar cutter and bender comprises cutting away a distal portion of the top handle and removing the bottom lever. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the backhoe provided in said providing step comprises a bucket and a bucket articulation mechanism, the bucket articulation mechanism comprising a support arm and a brace bar for mechanically coupling the hydraulic power system to the bucket, wherein said step of configuring the backhoe such that the hydraulic power system of the backhoe may be utilized to actuate the tool comprises fixedly securing a coupler to the brace bar for receiving attachment of the tool in said attaching step and fixedly securing a stop rod to the support arm for limiting movement of the tool after the tool is attached to the backhoe in said attaching step. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the pre-existing non-powered tool provided in said providing step is a rebar cutter and bender. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the rebar cutter and bender comprises a top handle and a bottom lever. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of configuring the rebar cutter and bender such that the hydraulic power system of the backhoe may be utilized to actuate the rebar cutter and bender comprises cutting away a distal portion of the top handle and removing the bottom lever. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the rebar cuttter and bender provided in said providing step further comprises a cam receiver comprising a base plate, and wherein said attaching step comprises fixedly securing the base plate of the cam receiver of the rebar cutter and bender to the coupler fixedly secured to the brace bar of the bucket articulation mechanism of the backhoe.