Patent ID: 6334767
Filing Date: 2002-01-01
Classification: B29B,B29C,B29D,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
An apparatus for converting thermoplastic sleeves into completed thermoplastic tubes, with each completed tube having a head, comprising:an indexing device rotatable about a shaft, means for supporting sleeves in a horizontal orientation mounted on said indexing device for advancement along a closed path in response to relative rotation of said indexing device in a predetermined direction; a frame for mounting said indexing device and a plurality of manufacturing stations, said plurality of manufacturing stations comprising: means for loading said sleeves onto said supporting means in a first location of said closed path; means for forming a head on each sleeve, from thermoplastic material of the sleeve, to form tubes in a forming location of said closed path downstream of said first location, said means being in the horizontal orientation, said means for forming of a head on said sleeves to create tubes further comprises: means for disposing the longitudinal axis of the forming mandrel in horizontal orientation; means for rotating each of said forming mandrels about said axis, means for heating the inner wall surface of said exposed portion of each said longitudinally stretched, extruded thermoplastic sleeve during said rotating by a heat source so that the shape of the exposed portion is controlled and the exposed portion is heated uniformly, wherein the heated exposed portion shrinks and thickens to draw the heated exposed portion into a bullet-shaped exposed portion; means for stopping the rotating of said forming mandrel; and means for pressing the heated exposed portion with sufficient force into a mold cavity to form a head on each said thermoplastic sleeves from the bullet-shaped exposed portion to thereby form said headed thermoplastic tube; means for completing said tubes in at least one location of said closed path downstream of said forming location; and means for unloading said tubes from said supporting means in a location of said closed path downstream of said at least one completing location.