Apparatus for attaching protective tubing to a component

A tubing attachment apparatus, comprising:

• a support structure;
• means attached to said support structure for guiding a length of said tubing along a first path;
• means attached to said support structure for severing a plurality of tubing segments from said length of said tubing;
• a carriage slideably attached to said support structure for reciprocal movement along a second path, said second path being generally parallel to said first path;
• a tube slitter attached to said support structure for slitting each of said plurality of tubing segments along its central axis to form an axial slit;
• a spreader attached to said support structure for spreading opposing edges of said axial slit away from each other;
• means for retaining a component proximate said spreader;
• means attached to said carriage for gripping a first preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments and moving said preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments away from said severing means and toward said tube slitter;
• means attached to said carriage for pushing a second preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments past said tube slitter to form said axial slit, over said spreader to spread said opposing edges apart and onto a portion of said component;
• and
• means for feeding said length of tubing toward said guiding means.

A tubing attachment apparatus, comprising:

• a support structure;
• means attached to said support structure for guiding a length of said tubing along a first path;
• means attached to said support structure for severing a plurality of tubing segments from said length of said tubing;
• a carriage slideably attached to said support structure for reciprocal movement along a second path, said second path being generally parallel to said first path;
• a tube slitter attached to said support structure for slitting each of said plurality of tubing segments along its central axis to form an axial slit;
• a spreader attached to said support structure for spreading opposing edges of said axial slit away from each other;
• means for retaining a component proximate said spreader;
• means attached to said carriage for gripping a first preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments and moving said preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments away from said severing means and toward said tube slitter;
• means attached to said carriage for pushing a second preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments past said tube slitter to form said axial slit, over said spreader to spread said opposing edges apart and onto a portion of said component;
• and
• means for feeding said length of tubing toward said guiding means, said spreader comprising two fingers that are movable toward and away from each other, said two fingers being movable toward each other in response to a compressive force exerted by said opposing edges of said axial slit of said first preselected one of said plurality of tubing segments, wherein said retaining means comprises distal ends of said two fingers, said severing means comprising a means for measuring a length of each of said plurality of tubing segments, said gripping means and said pushing means being activated simultaneously during each movement of said carriage away from said severing means and toward said tube slitter, said guiding means comprising a guide rod and a guide tube aligned in spaced relation with said guide rod.