US 4,631,998 AGranted

Mandrel apparatus

OwnerAlexander Borzyminventor

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Abstract

A mandrel apparatus for a tube cutting machine in which the mandrel apparatus is moved into the open end of the tubing advancing along the feed axis of the tubing as the tubing is moved by the feed means into a cutting position. The mandrel apparatus includes a stop member which is mounted for movement between a stop position in which it is positioned across the tube feed path at a location along the feed axis between a rest position of the mandrel and the cutting station and a clear position in which it is pivoted upwardly clear of the feed path. The mandrel apparatus further includes a stripper member having a stripper surface positioned along the feed axis across the feed path between the stop position of the stop member and the rest position of the mandrel. As the tubing is advanced along the feed axis, the mandrel assembly is moved in the opposite direction along the feed axis to pass the mandrel into the advancing open end of the tubing and move the mandrel to the cutting plane within the tubing whereafter, following cutting of the tubing and movement of the stop member to its clear position, the mandrel assembly is moved toward its rest position to move the trailing edge of the cut tubing clear of the cutting station and move the leading edge of the cut tubing against the stripper surface and strip the cut tubing from the mandrel assembly.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A mandrel apparatus for use with a tube cutting machine of the type including a tube cutting station and feed means for feeding the tubing to be cut incrementally along a feed axis to and through the cutting station, said mandrel apparatus being adapted to be positioned at the exit side of the cutting station and including:

A. a mandrel assembly comprising:
(1) a mandrel rod positioned along said feed axis, and
(2) plug means carried on the end of said rod nearest the cutting station and sized to fit within the tubing;
B. power means engaging the other end of said mandrel rod and operative to move said mandrel assembly along said axis between a cutting position in which said plug means is positioned at the cutting plane of the cutting station and a ready position in which the plug means is positioned down axis from the cutting station;
C. a stop member mounted for movement between:
(1) a stop position in which it is positioned across the tube path at a location along said feed axis between the ready position of said plug means and the cutting station, and
(2) a clear position in which it is clear of said path;
and
D. a stripper member having a stripper surface positioned along said feed axis across said path down axis from said stop position of said stop member but no further down axis than said ready position of said plug assembly,
whereby the tubing may be advanced by the feed means along said axis from the cutting station into engagement at its leading edge with said stop member as said mandrel assembly is moved from its ready to its cutting position to position said plug means at the cutting plane and within the tubing whereafter, following cutting of the tubing and movement of said stop member to its clear position, said mandrel assembly may be moved toward its ready position to move the trailing edge of the cut tubing clear of the cutting station and move the leading edge of the cut tubing against said stripper surface and strip said cut tubing from said mandrel assembly as said mandrel assembly continues its movement to its ready position.

7 more elements

A tube cutting apparatus comprising:

A. means defining a cutting station;
B. means at said cutting station operative to cut tubing generally in a cutting plane;
C. means defning a feed axis extending through said cutting station generally normal to said cutting plane;
D. feed means positioned at the entry side of said cutting plane;
E. stop means operative to establish the length of the tubing to be cut;
and
F. a mandrel apparatus positioned at the exit side of said cutting plane and including:
(1) a mandrel rod positioned along said feed axis,
(2) a pair of separate annular plugs carried on the end of said mandrel rod and movable radially relative to each other to accommodate the cutting operation of the tube cutting apparatus,
(3) means mounting said rod and said plugs for movement along said feed axis between a cutting position in which the interface between said plugs is positioned in said cutting plane and a ready position in which said plugs are positioned down axis from said cutting plane, and
(4) drive means engaging the other end of said rod and operative to move said rod and said plugs up axis from said ready position to said cutting position, said plugs each having an external diameter less than the internal diameter of the tubing so that said plugs may move telescopically into the open leading end of the advancing tubing to a position totally within the tubing as said feed means moves the tubing down axis from said cutting plane, said feed means and said stop means coacting during up axis movement of said rod and plugs to move the leading end of the tubing to a position, down axis from said cutting plane, in which said plugs and the leading end portion of said rod are received within the tubing.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.