Tube cutoff device

Claim 1

A cutoff device for a tube comprising means for guiding said tube along an axis, means rotatable about said guide means and having an axis of rotation coinciding with said guide means axis, said guide means having a discharge end, said rotatable means extending to adjacent said discharge end, at least three tube contact means carried by said rotatable means adjacent said discharge end, said tube contact means being angularly spaced about said guide means axis, two of said tube contact means being shiftable radially of said guide means axis between an inner position wherein said tube will be contacted by said tube contact means and an outer position spaced from said tube when said tube is supported in said guide meanS, one other of said tube contact means constituting a tube cutter blade means being shiftable radially of said guide means axis between an inner position wherein said cutter blade means will extend through the side wall of said tube and an outer position spaced from said tube when said tube is supported by said guide means, means for rotating said rotatable means and causing rotation of said tube contact means about said guide means axis, and actuator means for shifting said tube contact means together from their said outer positions into their respective said inner positions during rotation of said rotatable means with said tube projecting outwardly of said discharge end between said tube contact means, said guide means being a tubular member having a longitudinal tube receiving bore, said rotatable means including a sleeve journaled over said tubular member, each tube contact means including a disk-shaped part journaled to said sleeve about an axis paralleling said guide means axis, the disk-shaped parts of said two tube contact means constituting rollers, the disk-shaped part of said one other tube contact means constituting said cutter blade means having a circumferential cutting edge, said sleeve including an outer surface and having three angularly spaced bores formed therein, said spaced bores extending radially relative to said guide means axis and having open ends at said sleeve outer surface, a slide member shiftably located in each spaced bore and carrying a tube contact means for movement between its said outer and inner positions, each slide member having a cam defining outer end located adjacent the outer surface of said sleeve, said actuator means being shiftable over said sleeve outer surface and including means engaging the cam defining outer ends of the slide members for causing shiftable movement of said slide members within said bores and corresponding movement of said tube contact means between their outer and inner positions, said actuator means con-stituting an annular member surrounding said sleeve, said annular member including first and second coaxial parts, adjustable threaded interlock means connecting said first and second parts, said first part defining said means engaging the cam defining outer slide member ends, said second part defining means for shifting said first part over said slide member ends, said interlock means for varying the length of said actuator means, the amount of shiftable movement of the slide carrying said one other tube contact means being dependent upon the length of said actuator means.