US3831470A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for forming slits in tubes
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-07-13
•
Granted: 1974-08-27
•
Expires: 1992-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A tube is slit or slotted for use as an irrigation pipe, for example, by intermittently feeding the tube through a slitting station in a stepwise manner and moving a plurality of rotating cutting blades which encircle the path of travel of the tube into cutting engagement with the tube between successive stepwise movements thereof. The apparatus includes a pair of rotary feed members which engage portions of the tube closely adjacent sets of rotary cutting blades arranged around the path of travel of the tube, and means are provided for operating the rotary feed members to impart the stepwise movement to the tube in timed relation to inward and outward movements of the cutting blades.
Inventors
- 👤 E Maroschak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:01
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23C; B23C3/00; B23C3/28; B23C3/34; B21; B21C; B21C37/00; B21C37/06; B21C37/15; B21C37/156; B21C37/157; B26; B26F; B26F1/00; B26F1/0015; B26F1/0023; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/303752; Y10T409/304536; Y10T409/30532; Y10T409/305432; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/04; Y10T83/0524; Y10T83/0596; Y10T83/444; Y10T83/463; Y10T83/4635; Y10T83/647; Y10T83/658; Y10T83/768; Y10T83/7755; Y10T83/7788
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of forming radial slits in only certain valley portions of a corrugated tube which comprises the steps of guiding the corrugated tube through an encircling restricting passageway so as to prevent any substantial lateral displacement of the tube while guiding the tube through a slitting station positioned immediately adjacent the entrance end of the passageway, feeding the tube through the slitting station and passageway by meshingly engaging within the passageway the corrugations of the tube by a forwardly rotating feed gear with successive teeth thereof entering successive valleys and pushing forwardly within the passageway against the respective ribs of the corrugated tube and while continuously rotating the feed gear at a substantially constant peripheral speed, causing the tube to dwell in the slitting station at predetermined intervals of predetermined duration by periodically imparting a rearward translational movement to the feed gear at a rate so correlated to the rate of forward rotation of the feed gear that the tube remains at a standstill in the slitting station throughout the rearward translational movement of the feed gear, then imparting a forward translational movement to the feed gear whereby the feed gear moves the tube forwardly at a rate equal to the rate of rotation of the feed gear combined with the rate of forward translational movement of the feed gear and such that the overall rate of movement of the tube through the slitting station is substantially the same as the rate of continuous rotation of the feed gear whereby stepwise movement of the tube may be effected without disengaging the feed gear from the tube or stopping rotation of the feed gear, and cutting radial slits through certain valleys of the tube immediately adjacent the entrance end of the passageway during each dwell of the tube in the slitting station.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of forming radial slits in only certain valley portions of a corrugated tube which comprises the steps of guiding the corrugated tube through an encircling restricting passageway so as to prevent any substantial lateral displacement of the tube while guiding the tube through a slitting station positioned immediately adjacent the entrance end of the passageway, feeding the tube through the slitting station and passageway by meshingly engaging within the passageway the corrugations of the tube by a forwardly rotating feed gear with successive teeth thereof entering successive valleys and pushing forwardly within the passageway against the respective ribs of the corrugated tube and while continuously rotating the feed gear at a substantially constant peripheral speed, causing the tube to dwell in the slitting station at predetermined intervals of predetermined duration by periodically imparting a rearward translational movement to the feed gear at a rate so correlated to the rate of forward rotation of the feed gear that the tube remains at a standstill in the slitting station throughout the rearward translational movement of the feed gear, then imparting a forward translational movement to the feed gear whereby the feed gear moves the tube forwardly at a rate equal to the rate of rotation of the feed gear combined with the rate of forward translational movement of the feed gear and such that the overall rate of movement of the tube through the slitting station is substantially the same as the rate of continuous rotation of the feed gear whereby stepwise movement of the tube may be effected without disengaging the feed gear from the tube or stopping rotation of the feed gear, and cutting radial slits through certain valleys of the tube immediately adjacent the entrance end of the passageway during each dwell of the tube in the slitting station.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2467030A
Cited
US3209632A
Cited
US3457830A
Cited
US3620115A
Cited
US3545336A
Cited
US3768365A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-26 | 1978-02-25 | 1978-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-26 | 1982-02-25 | 1982-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-26 | 1986-02-25 | 1986-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |