LOW FORCE AUTO-OPEN TOOLING FOR TUBE BENDING MACHINE

摘要

A tube bending machine (10) is provided which includes a rotatable bend die (12) about which the tube (14) is bent and a rotatable clamp die (16) disposed outwardly of said bend die and movable to secure the tube between the clamp die and the bend die. A clamp die positioning system (18) is provided which includes a drop-away clamp die holder (42) supporting the clamp die, a hydraulic cylinder (30) directly attached to the die clamp holder which advances and retracts the clamp die holder, and an electro-pneumatic control system (76) which drives the cylinder at preselected pressures.