Patent ID: 7637189

Claim:
An apparatus for machining a face side of a profile element forming a negative mold for a branch channel interlockingly connectable to a profile strand of a main channel having a main channel axis, the apparatus comprising: (a) a table for receiving the profile element; (b) a curved heating wire extending in a first plane and being shaped corresponding to a contour of the profile strand of the main channel; (c) a support for the heating wire movable along a planar path in a direction of the main channel axis, (1) the support being rotatable about a first axis extending perpendicularly to the planar path of the support and (2) the first plane extending perpendicularly to the planar path; and (d) a guidance for moving and rotating the support, which comprises (1) a linear guide holding the support for displacement along the planar path; (2) a slide coupled to the linear guide and the support for displacing the support along the linear guide; and (3) an arc guide for the linear guide, the arc guide being pivotal about the first axis and rotating the linear guide along an arc about the first axis, the linear guide extending tangentially to the arc and the arc having a radius corresponding to the radius of an arcuate section of the profile strand.