Method of and apparatus for making and filling flexible-walled tubes

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF FORMING INDIVIDUAL TUBE SECTIONS FROM AN ELONGATED HOLLOW FLEXIBLE-WALLED TUBULAR MEMBER AND FILLING EACH SECTION WITH FLOWABLE MATERIAL WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF SEALING AN END SECTION OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER AT A REGION REMOTE FROM THE OPEN END THEREOF, FLOWING MATERIAL INTO SUCH SEALED-OFF END SECTION, CUTTING THE TUBULAR MEMBER AT A REGION IN BACK OF THE SEAL TO FORM AN INDIVIDUAL TUBE SECTION, AND CLOSING THE TUBE SECTION AT ITS OPEN END THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INSERTING AN ELEMENT INTO THE TUBULAR MEMBER, INTERMITTENTLY MOVING THE ELEMENT AND TUBULAR MEMBER RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER LENGTHWISE OF THE LATTER IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING SUCCESSIVE TUBE SECTIONS, STOPPING THE ELEMENT AT THE END OF EACH INTERMITTENT MOVEMENT AT A POSITION IN BACK OF THE REGION AT WHICH THE TUBULAR MEMBER IS CUT TO FORM A TUBE SECTION, UTILIZING THE ELEMENT TO FORM AN OPENING AT THE EXTREME END OF THE NEWLY FORMED END PORTION OF THE FLEXIBLE-WALLED TUBULAR MEMBER EACH TIME THE TUBULAR MEMBER IS CUT, AND ANCHORING THE TUBULAR MEMBER AGAINST THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE ELEMENT WHEN THE TUBULAR MEMBER IS BEING CUT.