Method and apparatus for punching holes in polymer tubes

Claim 1

A method of punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising inserting the polymer tube section into a guideway extending through a punch mount, inserting an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod into the tube section, driving a tubular punch through the wall of the tube section in the guideway and into the polymer rod end section to sever a hole piece from the tube wall and to force the severed hole piece into the tubular punch, withdrawing the tubular punch and hole piece to form a hole in the wall of the tube section, and severing the end section of the monofilament so as to present an unmarred polymer rod end section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 2

A method of punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising inserting the polymer tube section into a guideway extending through a punch mount, inserting an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod into the tube section, driving a tubular punch through the wall of the tube section in the guideway and into the polymer rod end section to sever a hole piece from the tube wall and to force the severed hole piece into the tubular punch, withdrawing the tubular punch and hole piece to form a hole in the wall of the tube section, and severing the end section of the monofilament so as to present an unmarred polymer rod end section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 5

A method of punching a pluraiity of holes in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising inserting the tube section into a central passageway extending through a punch mount block, inserting an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod into the tube section, driving a plurality of tubular punches through bores from different directions in the guideblock to force the tubular punches through the wall of the tubular section and into the polymer rod at different angular positions to sever hole pieces from the tube wall and to force the severed hole pieces into the tubular punches, withdrawing the tubular punches and hole pieces to form holes at different angles in the wall of the tube section, and severing the end section of the monofilament polymer rod so as to present an unmarred polymer rod section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 6

A method of punching a pluraiity of holes in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising inserting the tube section into a central passageway extending through a punch mount block, inserting an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod into the tube section, driving a plurality of tubular punches through bores from different directions in the guideblock to force the tubular punches through the wall of the tubular section and into the polymer rod at different angular positions to sever hole pieces from the tube wall and to force the severed hole pieces into the tubular punches, withdrawing the tubular punches and hole pieces to form holes at different angles in the wall of the tube section, and severing the end section of the monofilament polymer rod so as to present an unmarred polymer rod section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 9

An apparatus for punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising a punch mount having a guideway therein for receiving the polymer tube section, means for supplying an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod for insertion into the polymer tube section, a tubular punch, means supporting the tubular punch for driving the tubular punch through the wall in the polymer tube section and into the polymer rod to sever a hole portion from the polymer tube section and to force the severed hole portion into the tubular punch and for withdrawing the tubular punch to form a hole in the wall of the polymer tube section, and means for severing the end section of the monofilament polymer rod so as to present an unmarred polymer rod section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 10

An apparatus for punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising a punch mount having a guideway therein for receiving the polymer tube section, means for supplying an end section of a continuous supply of monofilament polymer rod for insertion into the polymer tube section, a tubular punch, means supporting the tubular punch for driving the tubular punch through the wall in the polymer tube section and into the polymer rod to sever a hole portion from the polymer tube section and to force the severed hole portion into the tubular punch and for withdrawing the tubular punch to form a hole in the wall of the polymer tube section, and means for severing the end section of the monofilament polymer rod so as to present an unmarred polymer rod section for a subsequent punching.

Claim 15

An apparatus for punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising a punch mount having a guideway therein for receiving the polymer tube section; means for supplying a section of polymer rod for insertion into the polymer tube section, a plurality of tubular punches, means supporting a plurality of tubular punches in respective different radial positions in a radial arrangement on the punch mount for driving the tubular punches through the wall in the polymer tube section and into the polymer rod to sever hole portions from the polymer tube section and to force the severed hole portions into the tubular punches and for withdrawing the tubular punches to form holes in the wall of the polymer tube section, apparatus support means, a support member mounting the punch mount on the apparatus support means, said support member including a blowoff air inlet and a passage means in a face engaging the punch mount, said punch mount including face channel means communicating with the channel means of the support member, and bore means formed therein communicating with the channel means together with laterally projecting bores opening at oblique angles to openings for the punches, a plurality of pin strippers extending into the respective plurality of tubular punches for stripping the severed hole pieces from the hollow tubular sections when the punches are withdrawn, and means for supplying air pressure through the blowoff inlet to drive air through the bores and the oblique passages to blow the cut pieces from the path of the tubular punches.

Claim 16

An apparatus for punching a hole in a wall of a section of a polymer tube, comprising a punch mount having a guideway therein for receiving the polymer tube section; means for supplying a section of polymer rod for insertion into the polymer tube section, a plurality of tubular punches, means supporting a plurality of tubular punches in respective different radial positions in a radial arrangement on the punch mount for driving the tubular punches through the wall in the polymer tube section and into the polymer rod to sever hole portions from the polymer tube section and to force the severed hole portions into the tubular punches and for withdrawing the tubular punches to form holes in the wall of the polymer tube section, apparatus support means, a support member mounting the punch mount on the apparatus support means, said support member including a blowoff air inlet and a passage means in a face engaging the punch mount, said punch mount including face channel means communicating with the channel means of the support member, and bore means formed therein communicating with the channel means together with laterally projecting bores opening at oblique angles to openings for the punches, a plurality of pin strippers extending into the respective plurality of tubular punches for stripping the severed hole pieces from the hollow tubular sections when the punches are withdrawn, and means for supplying air pressure through the blowoff inlet to drive air through the bores and the oblique passages to blow the cut pieces from the path of the tubular punches.