Patent ID: 7334704
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for progressively flattening the sidewall of an elongated flexible or collapsible tube, the apparatus comprising: a frame including a generally flat central portion extending transversely between first and second end walls, one of the first and second end walls including a first brake element formed on an inner face thereof; a gripping roller rotatably mounted to the first and second end walls with a first roller end adjacent to the first end wall and a second roller end adjacent to the second end wall and a cylindrical roller surface generally parallel to, but spaced apart from, the central portion to define a transverse slot, the one of the first and second roller ends adjacent to the first brake element including a second brake element formed thereon engageable with the first brake element to resist relative rotation between the roller and frame; a handle member extending axially from the second roller end through the second end wall for manually rotating the gripping roller relative to the frame, whereby the sidewall of the tube may be inserted through the transverse slot and engaged by the gripping roller and the handle member may be manually rotated to draw the engaged tube progressively through the slot to reduce the width of the tube and the brake elements will cooperate to resist retrogressive movement of the tube through the slot when the handle member is released; and a handle-access slot formed in the second end wall and extending from an inner mouth disposed at an interior portion of the second end wall to an outer mouth disposed on a free edge of the second end wall whereby the gripping roller is selectively demountable from the first and second end walls by moving the handle member through the handle-access slot past a free edge of the second end wall to facilitate insertion and removal of the tube from the apparatus.