Apparatus and method for manufacturing a slotted torque tube

In an apparatus for manufacturing a plurality of slotted metal tubular members simultaneously from a plurality of tubular members with the use of a wire cutting EDM machine having a movable table movable in at least one direction of x and y directions in a plane and having an EDM wire moving in a z direction with respect to the table and a computer for controlling the movement of the wire and the movable table, the apparatus comprising an auxiliary support table, a support platform, means mounting said support platform on said auxiliary support table to permit movement along the y axis, means securing the support platform to the movable table so that the support platform is moved along the y axis as the movable table moves along the y axis linear drive means connected to the support platform for moving the support platform along the y axis, a first fixture mounted upon the movable table, a second fixture mounted on the support platform, said first fixture having holes therein adapted to receive said tubular members and having means for making electrical contact therewith, said second fixture having means for grasping each of the tubular members and motor drive means connected to the second fixture for causing simultaneous rotational movement of the tubular members mounted therein.

In a method for manufacturing a plurality of slotted metal torque tubes simultaneously from a plurality of tubular members by the use of an EDM machine having a movable table which is movable in at least one direction of x and y directions, a moving wire travelling in a z direction with respect to the movable table, and computer operated means for controlling the movement of the wire in the z direction and the movement of the movable table in the y direction, the method comprising the steps of placing a plurality of the tubular members in a plane lying in the z direction and in close proximity to the wire, moving the tubular members along a x axis toward the wire so that a plurality of slots are formed simultaneously in the tubes in the z direction, moving the slotted tubes in the x direction away from the wire, moving the tubular members along the y direction an incremental amount, advancing the tubular members in one direction toward the wire to cause a plurality of slots to be formed simultaneously in the torque tubes, moving the torque tubes away from the wire in an x direction and thereafter repeating the steps to provide a plurality of spaced apart slots extending longitudinally of each of the tubular members to provide slotted torque tubes.