Pipe bender with mechanical stop

Abstract

A pipe bender includes a bender head including an arcuate rocker, an arcuate aperture defined in the rocker, a bending angle stop, and a pin assembly slidably coupling the bending angle stop to the rocker via the arcuate aperture. The bending angle stop may be disposed at least partially within the outer threshold of the bender head and may extend outward beyond the outer threshold of the bender head when the bending angle stop is secured to the arcuate rocker.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pipe bender comprising:
 a bender head comprising an arcuate rocker;   an arcuate aperture defined in the rocker;   a bending angle stop; and   a pin assembly slidably coupling the bending angle stop to the rocker via the arcuate aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe bender of  claim 1 , wherein the rocker comprises two parallel sidewalls configured to receive a pipe between the two sidewalls, wherein the arcuate aperture comprises a first aperture formed in the first sidewall and a second aperture formed in the second sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe bender of  claim 2 , wherein the bending angle stop is disposed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe bender of  claim 2 , wherein the pin assembly comprises a pin extending through the first aperture, the second aperture, and the bending angle stop. 
     
     
         5 . The pipe bender of  claim 1 , wherein the bending angle stop extends outside of an outer threshold of the rocker. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe bender of  claim 1 , wherein the bending angle stop comprises a wedge. 
     
     
         7 . The pipe bender of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pin assembly comprises a pin having a first diameter and a cap disposed on an end of the pin and having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;   the arcuate aperture defines one or more recesses, each of the one or more recesses disposed along the arcuate aperture and configured to receive the cap to secure a position of the pin assembly relative to the aperture.   
     
     
         8 . A method of using a pipe bender, the method comprising:
 operating a pin assembly to cause the pin assembly to be slidably movable within an aperture defined in a bender head of the pipe bender, wherein the pin assembly is coupled to a bending angle stop;   sliding the pin assembly within the aperture to place the bending angle stop at a desired location along the bender head; and   operating the pin assembly to secure the bending angle stop at the desired location.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising inserting a pipe through a mouth of the bender head and bending the pipe along an arcuate-shaped rocker of the bender head until the pipe contacts the bending angle stop. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein operating the pin assembly comprises operating a button coupled to a bias spring or operating a screw. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein sliding the pin assembly within the aperture is further to place a cap of the pin assembly within one of a plurality of recesses of the bender head, wherein the one of the plurality of recesses corresponds to the desired location. 
     
     
         12 . A pipe bender comprising:
 a bender head comprising an arcuate rocker that defines an outer threshold of the bender head; and   a bending angle stop movably coupled to the arcuate rocker, wherein the bending angle stop is disposed at least partially within the outer threshold of the bender head and extends outward beyond the outer threshold of the bender head when the bending angle stop is secured to the arcuate rocker.   
     
     
         13 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , wherein the bending angle stop comprises a wedge. 
     
     
         14 . The pipe bender of  claim 13 , wherein the wedge comprises a sloped surface configured to receive a pipe disposed in the bender head, wherein the sloped surface is disposed at least partially within the outer threshold of the bender head and extends outward beyond the outer threshold of the bender head. 
     
     
         15 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , wherein the outer threshold is defined by an arcuate surface that contacts a stable environmental surface when a pipe is bent with the pipe bender. 
     
     
         16 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , further comprising a pin assembly coupled to the bending angle stop, wherein the pin assembly is slidably coupled to the arcuate rocker. 
     
     
         17 . The pipe bender of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the pin assembly comprises an engagement key;   the arcuate rocker defines a plurality of receptacles for the engagement key, each of the plurality of receptacles disposed at a respective position corresponding to a respective bending angle; and   engaging the engagement key with one of the plurality of receptacles secures the bending angle stop to the arcuate rocker.   
     
     
         18 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the arcuate rocker defines an arcuate aperture; and   the bending angle stop is movably coupled to the arcuate rocker via the arcuate aperture.   
     
     
         19 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , further comprising a handle coupled to the bender head. 
     
     
         20 . The pipe bender of  claim 12 , wherein the bender head comprises a first metal and the bending angle stop comprises a second metal, wherein the first metal is different from the second metal.