APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING FLEXIBLE TUBES

摘要

Apparatus for and a method of handling flexible tubes, for examples in the production of a liner for a cargo container to provide a tubular attachment on the liner. A tube (16) in the form of a web of flexible material is drawn over a support (39) mounted on a carrier (29, 30), the support having a greater area than that of the opened-out tube and being tilted to the radial plane (Figure 2) during the drawing action. The support is then moved to the radial plane (Figure 4) so as to stretch the tube (16) in the region of the support whereafter the tube is cut from the web, in the vicinity of the support. The support (39) is moved to a further processing station (Figure 8), carrying the cut off tube (16), whereat the tube is released from the support (39) by tilting the support once more and withdrawing the support from the tube. The support is then returned to its initial position ready for another cycle of operation.