Hand-held conduit bending tool with multiple bending channels

Abstract

A hand-held conduit bending tool includes an elongated handle and a bender head disposed on the handle. The bender head comprising a body portion having at least one curved channel therein. In an embodiment, the channel is elliptical in cross-section. A handle mount is at a rear end of the body portion and rearward of the hook portion and a foot pedal is formed. In some embodiments, two channels are provided to accommodate two differently sized conduits. Markings are provided to enable use of the tool in a head-down position and in a head-up position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand-held conduit bending tool for receiving first and second conduits, comprising:
 a bender head comprising
 a body portion having first and second body channels extending upward from a lower surface thereof and extending from a front end thereof to a rear end thereof, the first and second body channels being configured to receive the first and second conduits, 
 a central spine extending forward from the body portion, 
 a first hook extending from a first side of the central spine and having a first hook channel extending downward from an upper surface of the first hook and extending from a front end of the first hook to a rear end of the first hook, the first hook channel configured to receive the first conduit, 
 a second hook extending from a first side of the central spine and having a second hook channel extending downward from an upper surface of the second hook and extending from a front end of the second hook to a rear end of the second hook, the second hook channel configured to receive the second conduit; and 
   an elongated handle having a central axis, the elongated handle extending from the body portion proximate to the front end thereof and rearward of the central spine;   wherein a part of the lower surface of the body portion and parts of bottom surfaces of the first and second hooks are in contact with a mounting surface when the bending tool is in a stand alone head-down and handle-up resting position, and   wherein the central axis of the elongated handle is angled relative to vertical when the bending tool is in the stand alone head-down and handle-up resting position.   
     
     
         2 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein a handle mount is formed in the body portion proximate to the front end thereof and rearward of the central spine into which the handle is seated. 
     
     
         3 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 2 , wherein the handle mount is an open ended receptacle into which the elongated handle is inserted. 
     
     
         4 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the body portion rearward of the handle mount forms a foot pedal which is configured to receive a foot of a user. 
     
     
         5 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , further comprising first markings provided on the lower surface of the body portion proximate to the first body channel, second markings provided on a first side surface of the body portion proximate to the first body channel, third markings provided on a second side surface of the body portion proximate to the second body channel, and fourth markings provided on the lower surface of the body portion proximate to the second body channel, wherein the first and second markings indicate bend angles for the first body channel, and the third and fourth markings indicate bend angles for the second body channel. 
     
     
         6 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 5 , wherein the central axis is vertical when a 30 degree bend angle has been achieved. 
     
     
         7 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein the central axis is vertical when a 30 degree bend angle has been achieved. 
     
     
         8 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first body channel includes opposite first and second side walls which are separated by a base wall, the first side wall terminating in a first lower wall surface, the second side wall terminating in a second lower wall surface, and the first body channel is elliptical in cross-section along all cross-sections thereof taken transverse to a longitudinal axis, and a first distance is defined from a midpoint of the base wall to the first lower wall surface, and a second distance is defined from the midpoint of the base wall to the second lower wall surface, each of the first and second distances are less than a diameter of the first conduit such that the first conduit extends partially out of the first body channel when positioned therein, and   the second body channel includes opposite first and second side walls which are separated by a base wall, the first side wall of the second body channel terminating in a first lower wall surface, the second side wall of the second body channel terminating in a second lower wall surface, and the second body channel is elliptical in cross-section along all cross-sections thereof taken transverse to the longitudinal axis of the second body channel, and a first distance is defined from a midpoint of the base wall to the first lower wall surface of the second body channel, and a second distance is defined from the midpoint of the base wall to the second lower wall surface of the second body channel, each of the first and second distances of the second body channel are less than the diameter of the second conduit such that the second conduit extends partially out of the second body channel when positioned therein.   
     
     
         9 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein
 a bottom surface of the first hook has a front portion extending from the front end thereof and a planar rear portion extending from the front portion to the rear end thereof, the planar rear portion being angled relative to the front portion, and   a bottom surface of the second hook has a front portion extending from the front end thereof and a planar rear portion extending from the front portion to the rear end thereof, the planar rear portion of the second hook being angled relative to the front portion of the second hook, and   wherein the planar rear portions are in contact with the mounting surface when the bending tool is in the stand alone head-down and handle-up resting position.   
     
     
         10 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 9 , wherein the lower surface of the body portion is radiused, and each planar rear portion extends tangentially from the radiused lower surface. 
     
     
         11 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second body channels defines a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes being parallel to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second body channels are sized to receive different sizes of conduits. 
     
     
         13 . The hand-held conduit bending tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second body channels are sized to receive the same size of conduits.