Apparatus and method for cutting tubular members

An apparatus for cutting a continuous hollow tubular member having a fully expanded configuration with an outer diameter D, including:

• a support structure;
• a control system;
• a cutting station;
• a guide for directing the continuous hollow tubular member to the cutting station in the fully expanded configuration;
• the cutting station having a first wheel having at least one cutting member located on the circumference of the first wheel and a second wheel having at least one projection located on the circumference of the second wheel, the cutting member positioned and configured to cut the continuous hollow tubular member into a plurality of hollow tubular members, each of which has a first flattened end, a second flattened end and a section located between the first flattened end and the second flattened end, the section located between the first flattened end and the second flattened end having an outer diameter D;
• and
• an extracting assembly having a cylindrical member having a first end, a second end, a first interior section tapering from the first end toward the second end, a second interior section tapering from the end of the first interior section toward the second end of the cylindrical member, a third interior section extending from the end of the second interior section toward the second end of the cylindrical member and a pair of grooves for engaging the first and second flattened ends of the plurality of hollow tubular members and expanding them to the fully expanded configuration such that the first and second ends of the plurality of hollow tubular members have an outer diameter D, the pair of grooves extending from the first interior section to the third interior section and decreasing in height and depth from the first interior section to the third interior section.