Patent ID: 8438960

Claim:
An apparatus for perforating a corrugated tube comprising: at least a first and a second cutter station, each cutter station including at least one pair of feeder-cutter wheels, each feeder-cutter wheel comprising a threaded worm and at least one cutter disposed thereon, each threaded worm being adapted to continuously engage with the corrugations of the tube, the cutter stations being disposed along separate planes such that the first cutter station engages with any given corrugation before the second cutter station, each feeder-cutter wheel operably connected to an associated drive shaft for rotating each feeder-cutter wheel, the drive shafts being oriented at an angle relative to an axial path of the tube; a drive mechanism for rotating the drive shafts; a guide linkage for guiding and supporting the tube through the apparatus, the guide linkage having a fixed support beam, an elongated engagement beam for contacting the tube, and a plurality of swing arms, each swing arm rotatably connected to the fixed support beam and the engagement beam at the opposed ends thereof, the guide linkage including means for biasing the engagement beam away from the fixed beam, whereby the guide linkage accommodates tubes of oblong and inconsistent diameters; and wherein at least one of the cutter stations is a movable cutter station being mounted to the apparatus for translatable movement along a path parallel to the axis of the tube, and the drive shafts are extendable to accommodate for the translatable movement thereof.