Wire-reinforced tubing and method of making the same

A method of manufacturing wire-reinforced plastic tubing segments, comprising:

• supplying an extended length segment of plastic tubing having an extended length segment of plastic support tubing located inside the extended length segment of plastic tubing from a supply reel;
• supporting a portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing supplied from the supply reel intermediate two spaced-apart air chucks, the portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing located intermediate the air chucks defining an axis of rotation;
• taking up the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing onto a take-up reel;
• simultaneously rotating the supply reel, the air chucks, and the take-up reel about the axis of rotation while supplying a reinforcing wire to the portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing located intermediate the air chucks to helically wind at least one wire winding onto the portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing located intermediate the air chucks;
• welding first and second opposite ends of the at least one wire winding that is helically wound onto the portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing located intermediate the air chucks;
• releasing the air chucks and advancing the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing from the supply reel to the take-up reel to advance a subsequent portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing to the location between the air chucks and supporting the subsequent portion of the plastic tubing/plastic support tubing with the air chucks;
• repeating the rotating, welding, and releasing steps;
• installing an outer plastic layer over the exterior of the plastic tubing and the wire windings thereupon;
• cutting the plastic tubing into segments each having at least one wire winding;
• and
• removing the plastic support tubing from the segments of plastic tubing.

A method of manufacturing wire-reinforced plastic tubing segments, comprising:

• providing an extended length segment of plastic tubing;
• supporting a portion of the plastic tubing intermediate two spaced-apart air chucks, the portion of the plastic tubing located intermediate the air chucks defining an axis of rotation;
• simultaneously rotating the air chucks about the axis of rotation while helically winding a wire winding onto the portion of the plastic tubing located intermediate the air chucks;
• releasing the air chucks and advancing the plastic tubing to provide a subsequent portion of the plastic tubing to the location between the air chucks and supporting the subsequent portion of the plastic tubing with the air chucks;
• repeating the rotating and releasing steps;
• installing an outer plastic layer over the exterior of the plastic tubing and the wire windings thereupon;
• and
• cutting the plastic tubing into segments each having at least one wire winding.

An apparatus for manufacturing wire-reinforced plastic tubing segments, comprising:

• a supply reel at one end of the apparatus that is arranged and configured to contain a supply of an extended length segment of plastic tubing;
• a take-up reel at an opposite end of the apparatus that is arranged and configured to take up the plastic tubing;
• two spaced-apart air chucks located on the apparatus intermediate the supply reel and the take-up reel, the air chucks supporting a portion of the plastic tubing supplied from the supply reel that is located intermediate the air chucks and that defines an axis of rotation;
• and
• a mechanism configured to supply a reinforcing wire to the portion of the plastic tubing located intermediate the air chucks while the supply reel, the air chucks, and the take-up reel are simultaneously rotated about the axis of rotation to helically wind at least one wire winding onto the portion of the plastic tubing located intermediate the air chucks;
• wherein the apparatus is arranged and configured to release the air chucks and advance the plastic tubing from the supply reel to the take-up reel to advance a subsequent portion of the plastic tubing to the location between the air chucks and support the subsequent portion of the plastic tubing with the air chucks, following which the rotating and releasing steps are repeated to helically wind additional wire windings onto the portion of the plastic tubing located intermediate the air chucks.