Apparatus for forming flexible conduit

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND AXIALLY DELIVERING A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT FORMED FROM A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF FORMABLE MATERIAL AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF EDGE-INTERLOCKED SPIRAL CONVOLUTIONS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS FOR LAYING AND INTERLOCKING THE CONVOLUTIONS TO FORM A CONDUIT AND FOR DELIVERING THE CONDUIT IN AN AXIALLY EXTENDING PATH, SAID LAYING AND INTERLOCKING MEANS COMPRISING A FIXED LAYING AND EDGE-INTERLOCKING DIE TO WHICH THE STRIP OF MATERIAL IS FED, AND A ROTATABLE DRIVEN CONDUIT-SHAPING MANDREL WITHIN THE DIE, THE CONDUIT FORMED BY THE MANDREL AND DIE BEING ROTATED WITH THE MANDREL AS IT ISSUES FROM THE DIE, SAID LAYING AND INTERLOCKING MEANS EXERTING A STRONG CONDUIT-FORWARDING THRUST ON THE CONDUIT, THE PEAKS OF THE THUS FORMED CONDUIT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AXIALLY OF THE CONDUIT, AND CONDUIT COMPACTING MECHANISM THROUGH WHICH THE THUS FORMED CONDUIT PASSES IN ITS TRAVEL FROM SAID LAYING AND INTERLOCKING MEANS, THE IMPROVED CONDUIT COMPACTING MECHANISM INCLUDING MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE CONDUIT AS IT TRAVELS ALONG SAID PATH AND FOR CONTINUOUSLY AXIALLY COMPACTING THE CONDUIT INCLUDING AN ELONGATED GUIDE HELD AGAINST TRAVEL ALONG SAID PATH WITH THE CONDUIT AND HAVING A SMOOTH WALLED PASSAGE THEREIN RECEIVING AND ENCOMPASSING TO A SUBSTANTIAL EXTENT THE CONDUIT DELIVERED FROM THE LAYING AND INTERLOCKING APPARATUS, THE WALL OF THE PASSAGE IMPOSING A STRONG AXIALLY DIRECTED RETARDING FORCE ON THE CONDUIT WHEREBY TO FORCE THE PEAKS OF THE CONDUIT CLOSELY TOGETHER BY STRONGLY FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE PEAKS OF THE CONDUIT AS THE CONDUIT PASSES THROUGH THE GUIDE, AND MEANS MOUNTING THE GUIDE FOR FREE ROTATION BY AND IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE CONDUIT ISSUING FROM THE LAYING AND INTERLOCKING MEANS.