Tube louvering machine

An apparatus comprising:

• a body, gripping means on said body for holding a tubular workpiece;
• a plurality of punches slidably mounted on said body, said punches being angularly spaced around said tubular workpiece;
• punch actuating means causing movement of said plurality of punches towards said workpiece to form a plurality of holes therein, said punch actuating means comprises a punch actuating member to surround said workpiece and having a plurality of punch engaging surfaces, said member being rotatable about the workpiece to cause radial inward movement of said punches to pierce said workpiece by said surfaces being inclined to the direction of movement of the punches, driven means to rotatably reciprocate said punch actuating member between a punch extended position and a punch retracted position to cause actuation of said punches, said member having a cam engaging roller, said driven means includes a cam engaging said roller to reciprocate said actuating member, and a shaft rotatably supporting said roller, adjustment means supporting said roller adapted to selectively relocate said shaft to provide for adjustment of said roller with respect to said cam;
• support and guide means for said punches restraining said punches to move in a radial direction with respect to the workpiece.

An apparatus comprising:

• a body;
• gripping means on said body for holding a tubular workpiece;
• a plurality of punches slidably mounted on said body, said punches being angularly spaced around said tubular workpiece;
• and punch actuating means causing movement of said plurality of punches towards said workpiece to form a plurality of holes therein;
• said punch actuating means including an actuating member to surround said workpiece and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece, said actuating member having a plurality of punch engaging surfaces, said surfaces and punches being equally angularly spaced around the workpiece so that the punches are actuated simultaneously by engagement thereof by said surfaces;
• said gripping means comprises a fixed tube holding device and a travelling tube holding device, said fixed tube holding device being adapted to holdingly engage said workpiece during a punching operation and allow movement of the workpiece axially in between punching operations;
• and said travelling tube holding device being adapted to engage said workpiece and move it axially in between punching operations, said fixed tube holding device includes a fixed spring wound around the workpiece, the travelling tube holding device including a movable spring wound around the workpiece at a position spaced longitudinally from the fixed spring, the springs in their relaxed state having a slight interference fit with the workpiece, said fixed tube holding device further includes a fixed means holding one end of the fixed spring stationary, said travelling tube holding device further includes movable means for holding one end of said movable means for holding one end of said movable spring, spring actuating means to cause simultaneous rotation in a predetermined direction and axial movement toward the fixed tube holding device of said movable means to cause rotation of and axial movement of said movable spring, and wherein each of the springs has a free end and the spring have different winding directions so that rotation of said movable spring in said predetermined direction causes said movable spring to grip the workpiece and rotate the workpiece as it is moved axially by the axial movement of said movable spring, while rotation of said workpiece causes unwinding of said fixed spring sufficiently to allow the workpiece to slide through said fixed spring.