Greenlee Textron Inc.

Greenlee Tools, Inc.

Textron Innovations Inc.

Ex-cell-o Gmbh

Jeffrey Jay Plummer

Sean A Daugherty

Gerald Jonathan Tully

Ryan Mantell

Larry G Adleman

Douglas J Birkholz

Ronald G Axon

Orville W Larsen

David L Eley

Sumeet Pujari

George P Gill

Thomas Pearson

A method of bending a conduit is disclosed. An engagement member is displaced via contact with the conduit and engages a switch. A signal is sent to a microprocessor indicative of a characteristic of the conduit to be bent, in response to engagement of the switch. The microprocessor provides a motor control signal to the motor to control a rotation of the shoe, wherein rotation of the shoe bends the conduit.

Method of bending a conduit

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having at least one channel therein configured to receive a workpiece, a seat proximate to the bending shoe which is configured to receive the workpiece thereon, and a sensor provided on the seat which is configured to sense the presence of the workpiece. In some embodiments, the sensor is configured to sense an end of the workpiece.

Bender having a sensor configured to sense a workpiece

A conduit bender having a unitary frame is mounted to a wheeled base which provides for transportation of the bender. A braking assembly provides for simplified locking of the wheels to secure the bender in a location. The bender is mounted to the base through a pivoting assembly which allows for bending of conduit in either a horizontal or vertical plane. A circuit is provided for controlling the bending operation. An auto-sensing portion of the circuit receives information regarding the characteristics of the conduit to be bent upon placement of the conduit in the bender. A feedback portion of the circuit is used to provide a precise bending operation.

Circuit for conduit bender

A bender includes a rotatable bending shoe having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive a workpiece and a follower assembly. The follower assembly includes a mount, a follower bar attached to the mount, the follower bar having a plurality of channels therein configured to receive the workpiece, a roller attached to the mount and engaged against the follower bar, the roller having an eccentric shaft extending therefrom, and a motor for rotating the shaft and roller, wherein rotation of the shaft and roller causes the follower bar to translate toward or away from the bending shoe. A drive member can be provided to move the mount toward or away from the bending shoe.

Follower bar assembly for a bender

A bender and base assembly according to some embodiments of the disclosure is provided. The bender includes a frame having a pivot shaft extending therefrom, and a shoe shaft extending from the frame for receiving a shoe rotatably mounted thereon, the shoe shaft defining a shoe axis and a shoe plane perpendicular to the shoe axis. The base includes a pivot shaft receptacle, wherein the pivot shaft receptacle defines a pivot axis, wherein the pivot shaft of the bender is received by the pivot shaft receptacle of the base; wherein the pivot shaft rotates relative to the pivot shaft receptacle, to rotate the bender on the pivot axis between a horizontal bending position and a vertical bending position; and wherein the pivot axis intersects with the shoe plane. A lock is provided to lock the position of the bender relative to the base.

Pivoting conduit bender

An automated bender and its method of operation according to some embodiments of the disclosure is provided. The automated bender includes a carousel which has all of the necessary components for bending a variety of conduit sizes provided thereon. The carousel can be rotated to a desired bending position to bend a particular type of conduit. A straight workpiece is fed into the automated bender and a bent workpiece, which may have multiple bends therein, is output from the automated bender. This bending process is performed without manual intervention. Software for achieving same is provided.

Automated bender and systems and methods for providing data to operate an automated bender

A rotary chuck includes a clamp assembly, a first drive mechanism for operating the clamp assembly to clamp an associated workpiece, a frame rotationally fixed to the clamp assembly, and a second drive mechanism for rotating the frame and the clamp assembly. The second drive mechanism can rotate the frame and the clamp assembly around 360 degrees. A pair of alignment springs are engaged with a mounting plate upon which the second drive mechanism is mounted. The mounting plate can pivot relative to a stable surface to which it is mounted, and the springs limit the pivotal movement. Each first and second drive mechanism includes a motor, and are connected to a microprocessor for operation of the respective motor.

Rotary chuck

A conduit bender having a unitary frame is mounted to a wheeled base which provides for transportation of the bender. A braking assembly provides for simplified locking of the wheels to secure the bender in a location. The bender is mounted to the base through a pivoting assembly which allows for bending of conduit in either a horizontal or vertical plane. A circuit is provided for controlling the bending operation. An auto-sensing portion of the circuit receives information regarding the characteristics of the conduit to be bent upon placement of the conduit in the bender. A feed back portion of the circuit is used to provide a precise bending operation.

A device for dispensing fish tape includes a pair of outside walls and outer and inner annular walls depending generally perpendicularly from the edges of the outside walls. Intermediate pinch ring walls depend generally perpendicularly from the outside walls and are positioned between the inner and outer walls. A plurality of spaced apart protuberances are provided on the intermediate walls and engage undulations on a hoop of a winding belt mounted within the device. A fish tape is mounted within the device and engages with the winding hoop. Each outside wall has a flat section extending from the outer edge thereof toward the inner edge thereof, and a raised section extending from the flat section to the inner edge.

Apparatus and method for dispensing fish tape

A cable puller assembly includes a housing assembly, a motor assembly and an anti-fouling device. The motor assembly is secured to the housing assembly and has an output shaft extending outwardly therefrom. The output shaft is rotated about an axis of rotation by the motor assembly. The anti-fouling device has a capstan and a body. The output shaft is operatively associated with the capstan in order to rotate the capstan about the axis of rotation. The body is positioned around an end portion of the capstan proximate to the housing assembly. The body defines a sloped surface that biases incoming rope that wraps around the sloped surface down onto the capstan.

Anti-fouling device having a capstan with a non-driven sloped body

A puller head and cable puller including the puller head are provided for pulling cable in an upward or a downward direction. The puller head includes a frame, a capstan mounted to the frame, and first and second retaining shaft apertures. The puller head is pivotally mounted to a boom of the cable puller through a pivot shaft. The capstan of the puller head is positioned rearward of the boom. The position of an upper most surface of the capstan relative to the boom is changed by pivoting the puller head between upward and downward pulling positions. The puller head is maintained in either the upward or downward pulling position through the use of a retaining shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Rockford, IL, United States of America

Jeffrey Jay Plummer