APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORATING TUBING

摘要

Corrugated tubing is advanced along its axial path by rotatably driven lead screw members the screw threading of which is in meshing engagement with the corrugations of the tubing, the lead screw members being in pairs with the screw threading of the members of each pair being of opposite hand and the lead screw members of each pair being rotated in opposite directions. The lead screw members of each pair present outwardly directed cutters which are synchronized substantially simultaneously to intersect the tubing thereby, in perforating the tubing, to restrain the tubing against rotation thereof about the axial path. A slide member is preferably slidably and non-rotatably mounted by a splined connection on each lead screw member with the associated cutter or cutters mounted on the slide member for rotation therewith during operative rotation of the lead screw member, the slide member being slidably moved along the lead screw member by the advancing tubing during intersection of the tubing by the associated cutter or cutters with the slide member and associated cutter or cutters being returned to the initial position thereof between intersections of the tubing by the cutter or cutters. There is also disclosed a method of producing the lead screw members with the outwardly projecting cutters mounted thereon.