Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D9/00—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like
  • B21D9/05—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like co-operating with forming members
  • B21D9/07—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like co-operating with forming members with one or more swinging forming members engaging tube ends only
  • B21D9/073—Bending tubes using mandrels or the like co-operating with forming members with one or more swinging forming members engaging tube ends only with one swinging forming member

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for retaining a tube on a bending machine and more particularly retaining and guiding said tube at the bending head.
• Tubing bending machines which comprise an elongated frame on which a first movable carriage moves, secured to a clamp for retaining the pipe to be bent, a second movable carriage independent of the first and carrying a mandrel or mouse arranged (e) inside the pipe and a bending head.
• the first movable carriage comprises a clamp which clamps the pipe to be bent in order to move it in longitudinal translation and / or in rotation, as a function of preselected positions relative to tools carried by a bending head.
• the first mobile carriage advances and turns the pipe around its longitudinal axis to position it relative to the bending tools carried by the bending head.
• the second mobile carriage positions, inside the pipe and at the level of the bending zone, the mandrel or the mouse to ensure the bending of the tube and to avoid its flattening during its deformation.
• clamping and bending tools cooperate in order to clamp a front part of the pipe in which the mandrel or the mouse is not located.
• the clamping and bending tools are driven simultaneously in rotation about a substantially vertical axis to allow the bending of the pipe. This causes the pipe to bend around the bending tool.
• the tools are retracted, the first mobile carriage is advanced to position the pipe for new bending, the second mobile carriage is moved to move the mandrel or the mouse back from its position inside the pipe.
• the entire bending head includes a fixed arm assembly in which is mounted the rotary drive mechanism of the bending tool. On the stationary arm is also mounted the actuation mechanism of the pressure tool.
• a tilting bending arm assembly is mounted on the fixed arm assembly in order to be integral in rotation with the bending tools around the axis of the latter and this assembly carries the clamping tools and their actuation mechanism.
• the machine is preferably controlled fully automatically to perform a series of bends on a given pipe.
• the object of the drive and retaining device according to the present invention is to simultaneously ensure, on the one hand the movements in longitudinal translation and in rotation of the tube or pipe to be bent, and on the other hand the positioning of the mandrel or of the mouse inside the tube or hose to allow bending of the latter.
• the drive and retaining device comprises a guide mandrel integral with clamping means coming to bear against the internal wall of the tube to be bent, and displacement means which are common to the mandrel and to the clamping means .
• the drive and retaining device comprises clamping means which are connected to the movable carriage by a chuck holder bar.
• the drive and retaining device comprises clamping means which consist of a clamp which can be deformed by hydraulic or pneumatic control means, in order to be able to exert a sufficient pressing force against the wall inside the tube and lock it in the bending position
• the drive and retaining device comprises a clamp which consists of fingers moving axially to increase the external diameter of said clamp.
• the drive and retaining device comprises a clamp which consists of a sealed envelope of elastically deformable elastomer to increase the external diameter of said clamp.
• the drive and retaining device according to the present invention comprises a mandrel which consists of a solid bar secured, at one of its ends, to deformable cups ensuring the deformation of the tube during its bending.
• the drive and retaining device according to the present invention comprises a mandrel whose solid bar is integral at the end opposite to that carrying the cups of a collet.
• the drive and retaining device comprises a mandrel whose solid bar is integral, at the end opposite to that carrying the cups, with a connecting bar allowing connection with a collet.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a machine for bending tubes or pipe and its clamping device according to the present invention.
• FIGS 2 to 7 are views showing different alternative embodiments of the clamping device according to the present invention.
• Figures 8 to 12 are views showing the different stages of the bending cycle of the bending machine provided with the clamping device according to the present invention.
• FIG. 1 a bending machine 1 having a fixed frame 2 which carries at one of its ends a bending head 3 around which pivots a bending arm 4.
• the fixed frame 2 comprises, opposite of the bending head 3 and along its longitudinal axis, a guide rail 5 on which slides a carriage 6 which approaches and moves away from the bending head 3.
• the carriage 6 includes fixing means 7 for receiving and fixing a bar 8, which is moved in translation and in rotation about its axis.
• the bar 8 comprises, at its free end and opposite to that retained in the fixing means 7, a clamping device 9 making it possible simultaneously to provide on the one hand the movements in longitudinal translation and in rotation of a tube or pipe 10 , and secondly the positioning of a mandrel 11 or mouse inside the tube 10 to be bent.
• the clamping device 9 consists of an internal clamping clamp 12 which may or may not be integrated into the mandrel 11.
• the bending arm 4 comprises a jaw support 13 which moves horizontally in the direction of the bending head 3.
• the bending arm 4 is integral with a bending roller 14 constituting a device for fixing one of the jaws 16 of a clamping jaw 15, the other jaw 17 being fixed on the jaw support 13 of the bending arm 4.
• the bending head 3 may include displacement means, in order to be able to move horizontally and vertically relative to the fixed frame 2, that is to say in directions lying in a plane perpendicular to that containing the longitudinal axis of the machine 1 or the fixed frame 2, which is generally embodied by the tube 10 to be bent.
• FIGS. 2 and 3 the clamping device 9 according to the present invention has been shown comprising a mandrel or mouse 11 which is fixed on the mandrel holder bar 8, in order to ensure the displacements and the bending of the tube 10.
• the mandrel 11 consists of a solid bar 18 ending, for example, at one of the ends by a series of cups or ball joints 19, mounted on an axis liable to deform during bending of the tube 10.
• the cups 19 are intended to ensure constant deformation and without rupture of the tube 10.
• the bar 18 comprises, opposite the cups 19, a clamp 12 which comes to bear, after opening or elastic deformation, on the internal wall of the tube 10 in order to ensure on the one hand the maintenance of the latter and on the other hand the horizontal and rotational displacements relative to the fixed frame 2 of the bending machine 1.
• the collet 12 is made of expandable means so that its external diameter increases to come to be pressed and tighten against the internal wall of the tube 10 to be bent.
• the collet 12 can be deformed by hydraulic or pneumatic control means, in order to be able to exert a sufficient pressing force to block the tube 10 in the bending position.
• the clamping device 9 constitutes the mandrel 11 and the clamp 16 in one piece.
• FIGs 4 and 5 there is shown a first variant of the clamping device 9 whose mandrel 11 is separated from the clamp 16 to form two independent parts.
• the collet 12 is arranged against the mandrel 11 to extend the latter axially.
• FIGS. 6 and 7 a second variant of the clamping device 9 according to the present invention is illustrated, the mandrel 11 of which forms an element independent of the clamping clamp 12.
• the clamping clamp 12 is connected to the mandrel 11 by a connecting bar 20.
• the clamping device 9 allows during the bending steps of the tube 10 to simultaneously ensure, on the one hand by means of the clamp 12 the movements in longitudinal translation and in rotation of the tube 10 relative to the bending head 3, and secondly the positioning of the mandrel 11 inside the tube 10 to allow the bending of the latter without deformation.
• the bending machine 1 comprises a single mobile carriage 6 relative to that of the prior art, reducing the travel times and the bending cycles of the tube 10.
• the mobile carriage 6 comprises a first reduction motor 21 allowing the movements of the latter on the guide rail 5 of the frame 2 of the bending machine 1.
• the mobile carriage 6 has a second reduction motor 22 ensuring the rotational movements of the bar 8 carrying the clamping device 9 and the mandrel 11.
• the collet 12 may consist of fingers 23 moving axially to increase the external diameter of said collet ( Figures 2, 5 and 6).
• the collet 12 may consist of a sealed envelope 24 of elastically deformable elastomer to increase the external diameter of said collet ( Figures 3, 5 and 7).
• FIG 8 there is shown the establishment of the tube 10 at the jaws 16 and 17 of the clamping jaw 15 for the realization of a first bending.
• the mandrel 11 is in position inside the tube 10 to accompany the latter during bending while the clamp 12 is free, that is to say, it is not tight against the wall internal of tube 10.
• FIG. 9 the jaws 16 and 17 of the clamping jaw 15 are shown in the closed position against the tube 10.
• the clamping device 9 consisting of the mandrel 11 and the clamp 16 is in the same position and in the same state as that of figure 8.
• FIG. 10 the bending of the tube 10 has been illustrated at the radius of curvature of the bending roller 14 after pivoting of the bending arm 4 around the bending head 3.
• the clamping device 9 consisting of the mandrel 11 and the clamp clamping 12 is in the same position and in the same state as that of FIG. 8. It is noted that due to the bending of the tube 10 it has advanced in the direction of the bending head 3.
• FIG. 11 we have shown the end of the bending of the tube 10 and the opening of the jaws 16 and 17 of the clamping jaw 15.
• the bending arm 4 is always in the pivoted position around the bending head 3.
• the device for clamp 9 and more particularly the clamp 12 is open or inflated to come to press against the internal wall of the tube 10 and tighten the latter.
• FIG. 12 the longitudinal displacement of the tube 10 is shown to release it from the jaw 16 of the clamping jaw 15.
• the displacement of the tube 10 is carried out by means of the movable carriage 6 which slides by means of the geared motor 21 on the rails 5 of the frame 2 in the direction of the bending head 3.
• the movement of the carriage 6 simultaneously drives in movement the chuck holder bar 8 secured to the clamping device 9 consisting of the chuck 11 and the chuck 12 clamped inside of tube 10.
• the reduction motor 22 of the movable carriage 6 is actuated to rotate the chuck holder bar 8 and the clamping device 9 including the clamp clamp 12 is always in the clamped position inside the tube 10.
• the bending machine 1 comprises a movable carriage 6 common to the clamping means (12) and to the mandrel (11) of the clamping device 9 to allow the tube 10 to move.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Bending Of Plates, Rods, And Pipes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29415065

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2002
  • 2002-05-24 FR FR0206380A patent/FR2839907B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-05-20 CA CA002485628A patent/CA2485628A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-05-20 US US10/515,312 patent/US7076984B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-05-20 EP EP03755172A patent/EP1536896A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-05-20 WO PCT/FR2003/001518 patent/WO2003099483A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events