System for cutting glass tube into tube sections

An apparatus for cutting a plurality of tube sections from an elongated glass tube, the apparatus comprising:

• a supply holding a plurality of the tubes;
• means for feeding the tubes one at a time from the supply to a station;
• means for rotating each of the tubes in the station about a longitudinal axis of the tube in the station;
• an axially fixed stop in the station;
• pusher means in the station for pressing the tube axially against the fixed stop;
• cutting means in the station for directing a laser beam at the rotating tube in the station at a location along the tube offset from the stop to melt the tube at the location and cut from the tube a section lying between the location and the stop;
• means for aspirating vapors produced by the cutting operation from the location;
• a conveyor adjacent the station;
• and
• unloading means for transversely displacing the tube section after cutting from the tube onto the conveyor and transporting the tube section from the station by means of the conveyor.