Spiral pipe machine
AssigneeFormtek, Inc.
InventorGary L. Dickinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spiral pipe machine includes a feeding assembly for continuously feeding a web of material, and a forming assembly for accepting the web. The forming assembly bends the web to form a first section of a spiral pipe having a first predetermined diameter. A controller is employed for selectively instructing the forming means to change its configuration so as to give a second section of the spiral pipe a second predetermined diameter. The controller is capable of controlling the forming station to transition from the first predetermined diameter to the second predetermined diameter during the continuous feeding of the web.
Claims13
A spiral pipe machine, comprising:
- feeding means for feeding a web of material;
- forming means for accepting said web, said forming means bending said web to form a spiral pipe having a predetermined diameter;
- a controller for selectively controlling said forming means to change in configuration, thereby altering said predetermined diameter of said spiral pipe during continuous feeding of said web;
- wherein said forming means includes a control band;
- and
- wherein said web is fed by said feeding means such that said web contacts an inner periphery of said control band.
A method for selectively altering a diameter of a spiral pipe during a continuous feeding of a web from which the spiral pipe is formed, said method comprising the steps of:
- feeding said web to a forming station;
- bending said web via said forming station to form a spiral pipe having a predetermined diameter;
- controlling said forming station to selectively cause said forming station to change its configuration, thereby altering said predetermined diameter of said spiral pipe during said continuous feeding of said web;
- including a control band in said forming station, said control band being arranged in a path of said web;
- and
- feeding said web such that said web becomes incident upon an inner periphery of said control band.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.