Apparatus for perforating corrugated plastic pipe
OwnerDavid W. Slaughterbeckinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for perforating the minor diameter or inner corrugation of a transversely corrugated thermoplastic drainage pipe. A plurality of perforations are simultaneously formed in the inner corrugations of the pipe by reciprocally moving heated punches radially into the pipe, removing the punches and then translating the pipe to another position for the next punching step. In an alternative embodiment, the punches are carried by a rotating ring which positions them opposite an inner corrugation and a cam device drives the punch radially into the pipe.
Claims13
An apparatus for perforating the wall of an elongated tubular drain pipe of thermoplastic material having a predetermined melting temperature, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of spaced apart elongated punches having punching ends, means mounting each of said punches to reciprocate along an axis between a retracted position and an extended position, means for heating said punching ends to a temperature substantially equal to but slightly below the predetermined melting temperature of such thermoplastic material, means for axially moving said drain pipe from a remote position to a punching position opposite the punching ends of said punches, and means for reciprocally moving said punches from said retracted position to said extended position, said reciprocal movement being along the axis of each of said punches with that axis being coincident with radial reference axes extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of said drain pipe when said pipe is in said punching position, whereby said reciprocal movement of said punches causes said heated punch to slightly soften and then punch through the wall of said drain pipe when moved from said retracted position to said extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.