Portable Rotary Tube Straightener Apparatus

Abstract

A portable rotary tubing straightener apparatus comprises a mobile console with spool mounting assembly. A motor is supported on the console and drives a shaft which mounts a drive roller. An adjustable tensioner assembly has a tension roller positionable opposite the drive roller. The drive and tension rollers are engageable at opposed locations of a continuous tubing. A rotary straightener assembly is disposed on the console. A motor carried by the console is activatable to rotate the rotary straightener assembly. A spool with metal tubing is mounted to the spool mounting assembly and passes tubing through the rotary assembly and between the rollers. Upon activating the motors, the tubing unwinds from the spool and exits in a continuous straightened condition from the drive and tension rollers. A rotary handle is employed for adjusting the tension in the tension roller.

1 . A portable rotary tubing straightener apparatus comprising:
 a mobile console;   a spool mounting assembly mounted to said console;   a first motor supported on the console and operatively connected for rotating a drive roller;   an adjustable tensioner assembly having a tension roller positionable opposite said drive roller, said drive and tensioner rollers engagable at opposed locations of a continuous tubing;   a rotary straightener assembly mounted to said console;   a second motor carried by said console and activatable to rotate said rotary straightener assembly;   wherein upon mounting a spool with tubing to said spool mounting assembly and feeding tubing through the rotary assembly and between said rollers and activating said first and second motors, said tubing unwinds from said spool and exits in a continuous straightened condition from said drive and tension rollers.   
     
     
         2 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said adjustable tensioner assembly further comprises a pivotal arm mounting said tension roller. 
     
     
         3 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a variably positionable shaft engaging said pivot arm and having a rotary handle. 
     
     
         4 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a safety cover defining a pair of apertures and enclosing said rotary straightener assembly, said tubing passable through said apertures and the rotary straightener assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising at least one upright guide having an eye for guiding entry of said tubing to said tensioner assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said mobile console includes a plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         7 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 6  wherein at least some of the wheels have a settable brake. 
     
     
         8 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said safety cover is secured to said console by a safety latch and a safety interlock switch is activatable to prevent operation in the event that the safety cover is not locked to the console. 
     
     
         9 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a control panel which has manually operating controls which control the speed of the first motor and the second motor. 
     
     
         10 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rotary straightener assembly comprises an arbor with a plurality of removable pegs. 
     
     
         11 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said mobile console includes a perforated panel and a ventilation fan for ventilating heat from the console. 
     
     
         12 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said spool mounting assembly has an unwinder mechanism which unwinds tubing from a spool mounted to said spool mounting assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said safety cover further comprises a pair of opposed handles to facilitate removal of the cover from the console. 
     
     
         14 . A portable rotary tubing straightener apparatus comprising:
 a console;   a spool mounting assembly mounted to said console;   a first motor supported on the console and operatively connected for driving a drive member;   an adjustable tensioner assembly including a tension member, said drive and tension members disposed at generally opposed positions;   a rotary straightener assembly mounted to said console;   a second motor carried by said console and activatable to rotate said rotary straightener assembly;   wherein upon mounting a spool with tubing to said spool mounting assembly and feeding tubing through the rotary assembly and between said drive and tension members and activating said first and second motors, said tubing unwinds from said spool and exits in a continuous straightened condition from said drive and tension members.   
     
     
         15 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said adjustable tension assembly comprises a variably positionable shaft engaging a pivot arm and having a rotary handle. 
     
     
         16 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a safety cover defining a pair of apertures and enclosing said rotary straightener assembly wherein said rotary straightener assembly is disposed between said apertures and said tubing is passable through said apertures and said rotary straightener assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising an upright guide having an eye for guiding entry of said tubing to a location between said drive member and said tension member. 
     
     
         18 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said console is supported on a plurality of omni-directional castor wheels. 
     
     
         19 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a control panel mounted to said console and having an on/off switch for said first motor and an on/off switch for said second motor and a first dial which regulates the speed of the first motor and a second dial which regulates the speed of the second motor. 
     
     
         20 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said rotary straightener assembly further comprises an arbor having a plurality of removable pegs which interact with said tubing. 
     
     
         21 . The portable straightener apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a safety cover for said rotary straightener assembly and wherein said safety cover is lockable to said console via a safety latch and a safety interlock prevents rotation of the rotary straightener assembly in the event that the safety cover is not properly latched to the console. 
     
     
         22 . A portable rotary tubing straightener apparatus comprising:
 a console;   a spool mounting assembly mounted to said console and receiving a spool of continuous metal tubing;   a first motor supported on the console and operable to drive a drive roller;   an adjustable tensioner assembly having a pivot arm mounting a tension roller, said drive and tension rollers engagable at generally opposed locations of said continuous tubing to advance said tubing;   a rotary straightener assembly mounted to said console and serially receiving a portion of said tubing;   a second motor carried by said console and activatable to rotate said rotary straightener assembly;   wherein upon passing tubing through the rotary assembly and between said drive and tension rollers and activating said first and second motors, said tubing unwinds from said spool and traverses a generally linear path from said rotary assembly and exits in a continuous straightened condition from said drive and tension rollers.