Abstract: An automatic-cutting apparatus arranged to selectively cut a given length of flexible tubing, or ducting, without interruption while the tubing is being produced in a continuous manner. The apparatus comprises a cutting member having a cutting blade, and a wire-cutting tool, both being activated by a combination of electrical and pneumatic elements operated in a sequential manner, to cause the blade to engage and cut the shell or skin wall of the tubing, a sensing arm being provided to subsequently cause the wire-cutting tool to be activated so as to cut the reinforcing wire of the flexible tubing as the tube is being continuously formed.

Abstract: A tensioning device to control the dispensing of a large roll of ribbon or tape under a uniform tension as the roll becomes smaller in diameter. The tensioning device comprises a rotatably supported spool that is fixedly positioned and an adjustable roller mounted to a pivot arm, whereby the roller is positioned contiguously with respect to the fixed spool, the ribbon or tape being interposed therebetween. The roller includes an outer pliable frictional cylinder which is rotatably supported on the shaft mounted to the pivot arm in a vise-like arrangement, whereby the frictional cylinder can be squeezed to cause the outer diameter thereof to be adjusted to the proper frictional engagement with the ribbon or tape.

Abstract: A bonding applicator adapted for use in combination with an apparatus for forming flexible tubing, whereby a continuous, reinforced, flexible tube is formed from an indefinite length of plastic tape or ribbon, together with an indefinite length of wire, which are wound and bonded together by the present bonding applicator to form a continuous tube. The bonding applicator includes a reservoir having a suitable solvent stored therein, and a supply tube connecting the reservoir to the applicator which is provided with an ON/OFF valve operated by the positioning of the applicator arm. A second flow-control valve feeds the solvent to an applicator pad which engages the bonding edges of the overlapping ribbon as it wraps around the tube-forming mandrel.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming flexible tubing wherein the apparatus provides a tube-forming mandrel adapted to form a continuous, reinforced, flexible tube from an indefinite length of a tape or ribbon of flexible material, together with an indefinite length of wire, which are wound and bonded together to form the tube. The mandrel includes a plurality of angularly disposed cylindrical rollers which are rotatably positioned adjacent each other, each roller being fixed at a given angular displacement with respect to the other and to the central axis of the mandrel, in order to establish the fixed skewed arrangement of a plurality of annular grooves formed in each roller, so as to allow the forming tube to advance axially along the rollers.

Abstract: A frictional tensioning device for use in dispensing a continuous spool of ribbon or tape material under a uniform tension, regardless of the changing diameter of the spool. The device comprises a mounting pin secured to a fixed structure or base plate, the pin extending upwardly through an intermediate resilient base member having a sheet member of very low friction defining a layer disposed on the outer surface of the resilient base member, on which is positioned a thin flexible plate interposed between the frictional sheet member and the spool of tape material, so as to allow the spool and the flexible plate to rotate together about the pin under a controlled compressionable force provided by a spring-biased hub member mounted to the pin and held in the central core of the spool by a nut and a spring, thus establishing a means to apply the required compression on a given type of tape or ribbon being dispensed therefrom.