There are no related applications.
This invention relates to a conduit bender and more particularly, to a powered conduit bender.
Tubing, such as electrical conduit, is conventionally supplied as a straight, elongate tube. Prior to installation, it is often necessary to provide a bend in the conduit. This is often accomplished with a manually operated tool known as a conduit bender which provides a desired bend in the conduit without collapsing of the conduit walls.
A typical conduit bender includes a handle and a head. The head is of one piece construction including an arcuate shoe with a laterally concave groove for supporting the conduit. A hook is proximate one end of the shoe for engaging a conduit received in the channel. The handle is secured to the head and is generally positioned in a radial line relative to the arcuate shoe. The conduit rests on a support surface with the hook engaging the conduit. The handle is forced downwardly to roll the shoe onto the conduit with the hook pulling the conduit upwardly to form a bend.
Such a conduit bender requires the presence of a support surface for the conduit and the strength to force the handle to produce the bend. Also, it is necessary for the person using the conduit bender to frequently start and stop the bending operation to observe the bender relative to the conduit to see if the appropriate bending angle has been achieved.
The present invention is directed to further facilitating the operation of bending a conduit or similar tube.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a portable powered conduit bender which can be used with one handed operation.
Broadly, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a powered conduit bender comprising a housing including a handle. A powered drive in the housing has a drive gear. A conduit guide is secured to the housing. A bracket is secured to the housing defining a pivot connection. A head is pivotally connected to the bracket at the pivot connection. The head comprises a shoe defining a downwardly opening arcuate channel selectively positionable proximate the guide. A hook is proximate one end of the shoe for engaging a conduit received in the channel. A driven gear operatively engages the drive gear to controllably pivot the head. In use, the guide supports a conduit engaged by the hook and pivotal movement of the shoe driven by the powered drive deforms the conduit as it passes by the guide.
It is a feature of the invention that the driven gear comprises gear teeth disposed in a path adjacent the shoe. The driven gear may comprise an arcuate rack.
It is another feature of the invention that the head comprises a plate pivotally connected to the bracket and supporting the shoe. The driven gear may comprise an arcuate rack on the plate. It is still another feature of the invention that the guide comprises a roller.
It is a further feature of the invention that the power drive comprises a battery operated drive. The battery operated drive may comprise a battery removably connected to the handle.
There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a portable powered conduit bender comprising a housing including a gripping handle. A battery powered drive in the housing has a drive gear. A conduit guide is secured to the housing. A bracket is secured to the housing defining a pivot connection. A head is pivotally connected to the bracket at the pivot connection. The head comprises a shoe defining a downwardly opening arcuate channel selectively positionable proximate the guide. A hook is proximate one end of the shoe for engaging a conduit received in the channel. A driven gear operatively engages the drive gear to controllably pivot the head. In use, the guide supports a conduit engaged by the hook and pivotal movement of the shoe driven by the powered drive deforms the conduit as it passes by the guide.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings.
Referring to
The powered conduit bender 10 includes a housing 12 including a gripping handle 14. The housing 12 is generally similar to a conventional portable tool, such as a drill. A battery 16 is removably mounted to the housing 12, in a conventional manner, and powers a battery operated powered drive 18 having a drive gear 20, see
A first, elongate, bracket 24 is secured to the housing 12 opposite a generally triangular second bracket 32. The brackets 24 and 32 support a guide 26. The guide 26 may comprise a roller 28 supported on a shaft 30. The second bracket 32 is also mounted to the housing 12 and provides a pivot connection 34. A head 36 is pivotally connected to the bracket 32 at the pivot connection 34.
The head 36 comprises a wedge shaped plate 38 pivotally-connected to the pivot connection 34. A conduit bender body 40 is secured to the plate 38 using fasteners 42. An arcuate rack 44 is secured to the plate 38 using fasteners 46.
The body 40 may comprise a conventional conduit bender body. Examples of conduit bender bodies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,452,064 and 5,927,141. The body 40 includes a shoe 48 defining a downwardly opening arcuate channel of a cross section to receive a conduit. Particularly, the size of the shoe depends on the size of the conduit to be bent. The groove is concave and the shoe defines a convex arc, as is known. A hook 50 is proximate one end of the shoe 48 for engaging a conduit received in the channel, as is known. The rack 44 is arcuate and includes a toothed outer edge 52 generally coaxial with the shoe 48. The body 40 is mounted to the plate 38 so that the pivot connection 34 is in a radial line of the shoe 48 and the arcuate rack 44. The arcuate rack 44 is operatively positioned so that it defines a driven gear driven by the drive gear 20, as shown in
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a conventional conduit bender body 40 is secured to the plate 32. As is apparent, the head 36 could alternatively be formed of one piece construction.
The use of the powered conduit bender 10 is accordance with the invention for bending a conduit C is illustrated in
Referring to
Although the powered conduit bender 10 is described in connection with bending conduit C, the device can be more generally thought of as a powered tube bender for bending any thin walled tube intended to be formed in this manner. Thus, use of the term conduit herein is intended to refer to any such tubing element, as will be apparent.
In operating the powered conduit bender 10, the housing 12 can be held up so that it is easily visible to the user to determine if the proper angle has been satisfied. As such, the shoe 48 may include conventional markers or other indicators indicating the angle. Moreover, the gearing relationship provided between the drive gear 20 and the driven arcuate rack 44 is such that the drive 18 can be started and stopped as necessary to provide the desired bend.
Thus, in accordance with their invention, there is provided a portable, powered conduit bender of the size of a conventional portable power tool enabling a conduit to be bent with a one handed operation.