This invention relates to a forming tool especially useful for bending or cutting of wor pieces formed from metal such as rods, tubular members or wire.

Australian Patent Specification 77262/81 describes a bending tool which includes a pair of elongate handles which are each interconnected by a respective toggle plate to a tool frame on which is rigidly mounted an abutment block or anvil. There is also provided a pusher block which may move from an inoperative position remote from the abutment block to an operative position or bending position adjacent the abutment block upon inward movement of each handle and corresponding pivotal movement of each toggle plate. By using handles of substantial length a considerable amount of thrust may be generated upon actuation of the pusher block and the bending tool may be used for bending rods or pipes.

It has now been discovered that the bending tool of Australian Patent specification may be also utilized as a cutting tool and other forming operations which considerably widens the range of possible uses of the bending tool and thus makes it an attractive commercial proposition.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tool constructed on the same principle as the abovementioned prior art which is appropriate for forming operations. The invention therefore in a first aspect provides a forming tool including: actuating means; a body portion; a pusher member associated with the body portion; abutment means associated with the body portion wherein there is provided relative movement between the pusher member and the abutment means upon actuation of the actuating means from an inoperative position to an operative position wherein the abutment means is located adjacent to the pusher member, and

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cutting means associated with the pusher member and the abutment means whereby in use an elongate workpiece located between the abutment means and pusher member may be cut in the operative position. Preferably the actuating means comprises a pair of elongate handles which are suitably of substantial length so as to generate a considerable amount of thrust when in use. Thus in one form the actuating means may be similar to a pair of bolt cutter handles in operation. However, it will be appreciated that the actuating means does not have to be manually operated as described above but it may also be pneumatically operated or hydraulically operated if desired.

It is also preferred that each actuating handle as described above is pivotally attached to the body portion and to this end there may be provided toggle plates interconnecting each handle and the body portion. Each handle may also include an inner end portion pivotally attached to the body portion.

The pusher member is suitably slidably mounted on the body portion and move from the inoperative to the operative position upon actuation of the actuating means. Suitably the pusher member includes a pusher block or pushrod and is slidably mounted on slideways or slide grooves located in the body portion. The abutment means is suitably in the form of an abutment block or anvil and is suitably located in a rear part of the body portion. Preferably the abutment block is a rigid extension of the body portion.

Preferably the body portion includes a body frame including a pair of opposed side members for slidable mounting of the pusher member. The abutment block may be provided as an integral upwardly extending portion of the body frame located rearwardly of the pair of side members.

The forming means in one orm may be exemplified by the provision of a cutting member or protrusion located, on the

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pusher member which may be into and out of engagement with a mating socket located on the abutment block. It is to be mentioned that the reverse arrangement is possible and the socket located on the pusher block and the cutting member or protrusion located on the abutment block.

However, the former arrangement is preferred. Preferably the socket is of substantially complementary shape to the cutting protrusion.

The abovedescribed arrangement is suitable for cutting operatons such as punching or guillotining. In another variation the abutment block and pusher block may include opposed die members such as protrus¬ ions or sockets which may mate with each other in the operative position for forming operations. In a second aspect of the invention there may be provided a forming tool including -> actuating means; a body portion*; a pusher member associated with the body portion; abutment means associated with the body portion wherein there is provided relative movement between the pusher member and the abutment means upon actuation of the actuating means from an inoperative position to an operative position wherein the abutment means is located adjacent to the pusher member

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whereby an -elongate workpiece may be bent or cut- b the interaction of the pusher member and the abutment means; and releasable attachment means for the pusher member and/or the abutment means wherein pusher members and/or abutment means of varying types may be attached to the body portion depending upon the particular cutting or bending operation desired. The actuating means, body portion, pusher member and abutment means may unction as previously, described i -relation to the first aspect of the invention.

The releasable attachment means between the pusher block and/or abutment block may be of any suitable type and preferably includes both pusher block and abutment block including an elongate rib engageable in a corresponding groove in the body portion and retained therein by suitable retaining means such as a screw member or key member.

In a variation of this arrangement the pusher block or abutment block may include an attachmen groove or socket engageable with a corresponding rib of the body portion and this arrangement is preferred.

In the abovedescribed embodiment it is preferred that the pusher block includes a cutting or bending ₍ protrusion on one side or end and the attachment rib on an opposed side or end thereof. It is also preferred that the abutment block includes the mating socket for the cutting or . bending protrusion on one side or end and the attachment rib on an opposed side or end thereof. Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in the accompany¬ ing drawings wherein:

FIG 1 shows a bending or cutting tool constructed in accordance with the first or second aspect of the present invention;

£IG 2 shows a detailed view of a preferred form of releasable attachment means for use with the second aspect of the invention,

FIG 3 shows a sectional view of a mutually adjacent abutment block and pusher block attached by the releasable attachment means shown in FIG 2; and

FIG 4 is a view showing the range of possible different cutting and bending operations achievable by the releasable attachment means shown in FIG 3 for differing abutment blocks and pusher blocks. In FIG 1 the tool 10 includes actuating handle

11 and toggle plates 12 interconnecting handles 10 to tool body 13. There is also shown rigid extensions 14 of handles

12 pivotally attached to tool body 13 at 15. Toggles 12 are pivotally attached to handle extension 14 at 16 and to tool body 13 at 17.

There is also shown pusher block 18 releasably attached to a support block 19 which is rigidly attached to screw 20. There is also shown abutment block 21 attached to mounting block or rear 22 of tool body 13. Support block 19 is slidably mounted in a similar manner as described in Patent Specification 77262/81 to opposed side members 23 of tool body 13 and is movable into and out of engagement with abutment block 21 upon actuation of handles 11. There is also shown locknut 24 and adjusting nut 25 attached to screw 20.

Upon inward movement of handles 11, toggles 12 are pivoted to cause longitudinal movement of screw shaft

20.

Support block 19 includes pusher block or head 18 which includes a guillotine die member 26 which engages in mating socket 27 having entrance slot 28. Abutment block 21 includes socket 29 engageable with mount¬ ing rib 30 of rear block 22. Pusher head 18 has mounting socket 31 engageable with mounting rib 32 of support block 19.

JL JfIGS 2-3 there is shown one form of releasable attachment means between support, block 19 and cutting block 18 and a suitable retaining means for retaining mounting rib 32 in socket 31. There is shown pivot lock block 33 having tail 38 and head portion 37. Also shown is mounting cavity 40 having rear portion 38 which engages with tail 38. Also shown is mounting bore 39 for locking pin 36 and bore 35 for pivot pi 34. Also shown is spring 42.

The operation of the above described retaining means is shown in FIG 3. When block 18 is engaged with support block 19 rib 32 engages in socket 31. Locking pin 36 which is in the form of a lockscrew engages with flattened portion 41 of pivot lock block 33. This causes the block 33 to pivot on pin 34 causing bearing pressure to be applied to areas A, B, C and D. The spring 42 causes block 33 to be biassed away from the base of cavity 40.

In FIG 4 there are shown a range of abutment blocks and pusher heads or blocks which may be incorporated in tool 10 as described in FIGS 2 and 3. Thus, E refers to a set of heads suitable for punching including punching head 43 and punching die or member 45 engageable in a socket (not shown) of abutment block 44. F refers to a guilloting set of heads already described in relation to FIG 1. G describes a set of heads suitable for piercing operations including pusher head 46 having piercing die 48 engageable in a socket (not shown) in abutment head 47. H describes a set of heads suitable for cable crimping includ¬ ing pusher head 49 having socket 51 which may mate with socket 52 of abutment head 50. I describes a set of heads suitable for round tube bending including pusher head 53 having socket 55 which may mate with socket 56 of abutment head 54.

J describes a set of heads suitable for square tube bending including pusher head 57 having die member 59 engageable with socket 60 of abutment head 58.

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describes a set of heads suitable for wire bending including pusher head 61 having bending socket 63 engageable with protrusion 64 of abutment head 62 ^* .

M describes a set of heads suitable for wire and flat forming (inward hand) and includes pusher head 65 having protrusion 67 engageable with socket 68 of abutment head 66.

O describes a set of heads suitable for wire and flat forming (outward hand) and includes pusher head 68 having socket 70 engageable with protrusion 71 of abut ment head 69.

P describes a set of heads suitable for cable cutting and includes pusher head 72 having cutting die 74 engageable with socket 75 of abutment head 73.

Q describes a set of heads suitable for electrical cable bending and includes pusher head 76 having protrusion 78 engageable with socket 79 of abutment head 77. Socket 79 also includes protrusions 77A as shown.

R describes a set of heads suitable for bolt cutting and includes pusher head 80 having cutting die 82 which may engage with cutting die 83 of abutment head 81.

S describes a set of heads suitable for bolt cutting also and includes pusher head 84 having cutting die 86 which engages with cutting die 87 of abutment head 85.

Each pusher head in the abovedescribed sets includes mounting socket 31 and each abutment head includes mounting socket 29 as previously described.

It will be appreciated that each abutment head and/or pusher head can be varied almost at will depending upon the particular application desired as designated by L in FIG 4.