Means and method of installing emitters in irrigation tubing

Means for installing tubular emitter units into a flexible thin wall irrigation tube having a major diameter and a minor diameter, each emitter unit having a collapsible stem, a pair of flanges and an annular channel between the flanges, said installing means, comprising:

• a. an essentially cylindrical core dimensioned for sliding movement within the irrigation tube;
• b. internal rollers carried by the core for contact with the inner surfaces of axially offset, diametrically disposed portions of the irrigation tube which define the minor diameter thereof;
• c. external rollers radially overlapping the internal rollers and engaging the external surfaces of the portions of the irrigation tube engaged by the internal rollers;
• d. the internal and external rollers permitting longitudinal movement of the irrigation tube while restraining the core against axial displacement;
• e. perforating means including an anvil carried by the core, and a radially movable external die for cutting the irrigation tube and form perforations at preselected intervals;
• f. and an emitter inserting means located a distance from the perforating means corresponding to the spacing means between perforations, said inserting means including a fork having a pair of parallel prongs facing the direction of movement of the irrigation tube and spacing the opposite wall portion thereof from the perforation, the emitter inserting means also including a shaft removably supporting an emitter unit, and movable toward the perforation and fork to press the emitter tube and inner flange through the perforation until the emitter channel is received therein.

Means for perforating flexible tubing, comprising:

• a. a core unit dimensioned for axial sliding movement within the tubing;
• b. a set of axially displaced internal rollers carried by the core unit and positioned for rolling contact with the internal surface of the tubing;
• c. a core retainer unit disposed externally of the tubing in registry with the core unit;
• d. a set of external rollers carried by the restraining unit and displaced in axial correspondence with the internal rollers, the external rollers effecting local depression of the internal surface of the tubing into contact with the internal rollers;
• whereby, on axial movement of the tubing the core unit remains fixed within the tubing;
• e. means for effecting axial movement of the tubing between the external and internal rollers;
• f. and tool means including a fixed internal tool element carried by the internal core and an external tool element positioned for periodic engagement with the internal tool element.

A method for installing emitters in flexible irrigation tubes, characterized by:

• a. inserting a core having rollers into an irrigation tube;
• b. rotatably engaging the irrigation tube externally to depress the irrigation tube into restraining contact with the core rollers;
• c. moving the irrigation tube axially while the core is restrained;
• d. utilizing the restrained core and an external tool to perforate the tubing at selected intervals;
• e. and utilizing the core and an external tool to install emitters in the perforations.

A method of perforating flexible tubing, characterized by:

• a. inserting a core structure, including rollers, into a flexible tube;
• b. positioning a restrainer structure, including rollers, externally of the flexible tube to depress the tube into restraining contact with the core structure rollers;
• c. moving the flexible tube axially while the core structure is restrained by the external restraining structure;
• d. and utilizing the restrained core and an external tool to perforate the flexible tube at selected intervals.