This invention relates to a plate bending apparatus and is- particularly concerned with the provision of means for adapting a WORKMATE (Trade Mark) portable bench manu¬ factured by the Black and Decker Company. A particular form of such bench sold as the PROFESSION model comprises a foldable framework supporting a pair of parallel jaws, one fixed and the other movable towards and away from the one jaw by a pair of spaced screw members A panel is removably mounted between the jaws, the jaws and the panel together defining a generally planar working surface. Facing edges of the panel and the jaw members define respective pairs of clamping surfaces movable into and out of clamping conditions by operation of the screw members. It is an object of the invention to provide a plate bending apparatus for mounting on a work surface, for example one of the jaws of the aforesaid WORKMATE PROFESSIONAL model portable work bench.

Plate bending apparatus according to the invention comprises a generally rectangular plate clamping member having a rectilinear bending edge, a pair of adjustable clamping devices, one at each end of the plate clamping member and arranged for clamping the plate clamping member to the work surface of a bench with a plate to be bent mounted between the plate clamping member and the work surface, and a bending board hingedly connected' to the plate member at locations spaced apart along the bending edge, the arrangement being such that an upper surface of the bending board can be hingedly moved between a condition generally coplanar with a lower surface of

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of the plate clamping member and a position inclined to the lower surface of the clamping member, whereby a plate clamped to the work surface by the clamping member and extending across the upper surface of the bending board may be bent about the bending edge of the clamping membe .

Suitably the hinge axis coincides with the bending edge, and the bending edge is suitably radiused about the hinge axis. In one embodiment the clamping devices comprise plates bent *in L-fashion and each secured at one limb to a respective end of the plate clamping member with the other limb extending in spaced relation below the plate clamping member. A clamping screw threadably engagin an aperture in the other limb whereby edge portions of the bench work surface may be clamped to the plate clamping member at its opposite ends. This permits positioning of the bending edge at a side edge of the work surface and positioning of the bending board in generally coplanar manner.

Suitably the one limb of the clamping device plates are formed with extensions adjacent to the clamping edge, and to which the bending board is hingedly connected so that the bending board extends throughout the length of the bending -edge and in closely spaced relation thereto. In a convenient arrangement the bending board is releasable -secured at opposite edges in channel shaped clamps having clamping screws mounted in lower flanges of the channels for clamping edge positions of the board against upper flanges .of the channel. Flange extensions

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of the channel are pivotally connected to respective extensions of the clamping device plates at aligned pivots.

It will be appreciated that the clamping devices may be used to secure the plate clamping member to the fixed jaw of the aforedescribed type of WORKMATE bench and the removable panel of the bench secured in the channel shaped clamps, the bending edge of the plate clamping member being located at the junction between the fixed jaw and the panel. The invention thus includes a kit of parts comprising the plate clamping member, the clamping devices and the channel shaped clamps for adapting an existing bench.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of bending apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken ^' along line 2 - 2 of Figure 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows, and

Figures 3 to 5 are schematic views of a WORKMATE bench adapted as a bending apparatus in successive stages of operation. In Figure 1 a _' plate clamping member 1, suitably of steel, is of generally rectangular form and has a bending edge 2 and at an opposite edge is formed with a turned-up stiffening flange 3. At each of its ends, of which one only is shown, the member 1 is provided with an L-shaped clamping device 4 secured at one limb

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41 to an end of the member 1 and extending downwardly op' an opposite side to that of flange 3. The other limb

V 5 of the device 4 extends inwardly below the member 1 and as seen in Figure 2 is provided with a clamping screw 6 arranged to clamp an edge position of a bench work surface 7 to the underside of member 1. The one limbs

41 are formed with respective extensions 8 pivotally connected to respective extensions 9 of channel shaped clamping members 11, the pivots 10 being coaxiall-y arranged with the axis coinciding with the bending edge 2 as seen in Figure 2.. The channel shaped clamping members 11 are formed with the extensions 9 at upper parts of their webs and side flanges 12, 13 extending inwardly to embrace edge portions of a bending board 14. The lower flanges 12 are provided with clamping screws 15 for clamping the board edge portions to the upper flanges 13. The undersides of the upper flanges 13 are suitably arranged coplanar with or slightly below the underside of the plate clamping member 1 to admit a plate 16 to be bent readily to be positioned on the upper surfaces of the work surface 7 and the bending board 14. To accommodate plates 16 of a range of thicknesses, packing pieces may be. placed between the flanges 13 and the bending board 14. in use, as shown in Figures 3 to 5 the apparatus is assembled with the bending board 14 generally coplanar with the work surface 7, and with the plate 16 to be bent clamped by the plate clamping member 1 to the work surface 7 with the bending edge 2 at the junction between the work surface 7 and the bending board 14. The bending

board is clamped in the channel clamps 11 with the plate

-1.6' extending over its upper surface. The bending board

X. 14 is then pivotally moved as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 to bend the plate 16 about the edge 2 until the desired angle has been formed.

For most purposes a radiused bending edge may be used, but if sharp corners are required then a chamfered bending edge may be preferred.

To facilitate assembly of the plate clamping member 1 to the bench work surface 7, and removal therefrom, the clamping, devices 4 are suitably releasably coupled to respective ends of the clamping member 1. To this end, each end of the clamping members 1 is formed with a pair of tongues 17 engaging respective slots in the one limb 41 of the associated clamping device. When the clamping screws 6 is in a withdrawn condition, and the plate 1 mounted on the bench work surface 7, the clamping devices 4 may be assembled to or withdrawn from the. clamping member 1 laterally.