US2511450A - Tube feeding machine - Google Patents

Description

June E3, 195) N; D, ABBEY ZMAS@ i TUBE FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 13, 1950 N. ABBEY TUBE'. FEEDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Shef 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 m uw. m mm n@ Nm NYENTDR NELEDN D AEBEY y June i3, 1950 N. D. ABBEY TUBE FEEDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Deo. 5, 1945 INYENT EIR NBLsnN D. ABBEY E- BY Mfg?? June i3, i950 N. D. ABBEY TUBE FEEDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1945 QNA A IIIW llllllll l .AT TY INVENTUF. NELSUN D. ABBEY BY ,el :1 fi* Patented June 13, "1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE f 16 Claims. l This invention relates to feeding machines and particularly to feeding machines adapted to recurrently forwardly displace predetermined increments of material.

It is an object of this invention to produce a new and improved feeding machine which is operable automatically to recurrently feed desired increments of material to other processing' machines, and, while there being processed, to return preparatory to the next cycle of operation.

Another object of this invention is to produce a new and improved tube clamping and feeding device having novel features of construction, arrangement and operation, said device being adapted for fully automatic or semi-automatic operation in response to hydraulic controls.

Another object of this invention is to produce a new and improved gaging means for controlling the longitudinal movements of the clamping and feeding elements, said gaging means including positive stops in cooperation with adjustable cams.

Another object of this invention is to produce a tube feeding machine having novel tube clamping means associated with an oscillating table which is adapted for the manual adjustment of the traverse rate and for automatic deceleration of the traverse rate near the ends of the longitudinal strokes, thereby to reduce variations in stroke length resulting from more sudden stops.

Another object of this invention is to produce a' tube clamping means having replaceable liners for adapting the unit for use with tubing of different diameters.

Another object is to produce an adjustable hydraulic system including novel features of operation and arrangement which is particularlyv adapted to operate the feeding machine described in a predetermined sequence of movements. f

Other objects and advantages will become evident from-the description of the invention, and for purposes of illustration, but not of limtation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the feeding machine which comprises this invention, the same being shown in association with a tube cutting machine;

Figure 1A is a fragmentary view of one side portion of the machine showing the adjustable gauge means;

Figure 2 is a top plan view ofthe tube feeding machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is al side elevation of the tube feeding machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View along the line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the clamping elements in detail;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a pair of guide liners for use in connection with the clamping jaws;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a .perspective view of the wedge unit with its associated hydraulic actuating means; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the hydraulic system for the sequence of operations of the tube feeding elements.

This invention relates particularly to feeding machines, the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, showing a tube feeding machine designed to automatically clamp a length of tubing, move said tubing forward a measured distance, and While said tubing is retained and processed by other means, release said tubing and return to reclamp said tubing preparatory to another feed cycle. Controls are provided whereby the sequence of operations may recur automatically after the initial start by the operator, or else, semi-automatic operation may be secured for instances where changes or adjustments are to be made. Simple adjustments are provided so that the rate of feed can be readily controlled, other adjustments are provided for modifying the clamping jaws for use with tubing of different diameters, and novel means are provided for expeditiously gaging the amount of tubing recurrently fed forward during each cycle.

' Feeding machines which comprise this invention are suitable for recurrently feeding measured lengths of material into a machine where it may be further processed, drilled, machined, or severed from the substantially continuous length. For purposes of illustration, I have shown an embodiment of my invention associated with a tube cut-off machine, said latter vmachine being fully shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 608,885 en- 'titled Tube clamping and severing machine,

filed August 4, 1945, nowPatent 2,484,601 issued October 11, 1949 and only sucient description of such machine is given as to enable an understanding of the operation of the feeding mawhich operates to sever segments of the tubing T forwardly displaced by the tube clamping device A and its associated elements. Another tube clamping device B operates firmly to grip tubing T and hold it in a stationary position during the period of release of the clamping device A and the severance operation, said clamping device B forming a part of the cut-off machine C which will be referred to in the following description only as it relates to the operation of the feed mechanism of this invention.

The tube feeding machine F consists of a housing Iii within which many of the hydraulic elements, generally designated as H, are disposed and later to be more fully detailed in relation to their function and operation. A pair of spaced guide rails or slideways I I and I2, extending the length of the housing, are attached by'rneans of bolts I3 to spaced platform members lf3 and I5 which are, in turn, rigidly attached to the upper edge portion of said housing. Guide slots It and l" formed between lateral flanges Iii and i on said guide rails and the respective platform members Ifiand l5 serve to retain horizontally disposed gib plates 2@ and 2| bolted to Vlateral flanges 22. and 23 depending from the edgeportions of an integral flat bed table 2li which is reciprocable upon the guide rails Il .and I2` mounted upon the housing Ill. It is manifest that the guide rails serve to guide the longitudinal movement of the reciprocable table in relation to the housing, vertical lifting movement being restricted by gibs 2t and 2l.

A T-shaped connector 26 disposed between guide rails II and I2 and on the under side of the table Ell interconnects the end portion of the table with the forward end of a piston rod 2l (Figure 3) which is connected to a piston (not shown) reciprocable in a cylinder 2?. Hydraulic fittings and Se are provided respectively at the outer and inner ends of the cylinder 28 to admit fluid under pressure to one side or the other of the piston and thereby to move the piston and associated piston rod in one direc-l tion or the other. It is apparent that when the piston and its associated piston rod move forwardly or rearwardly, the movement will be related to the flat bed table 24 resulting in table movement in the same direction.

Associated with the top forward portion of the table 2liI is a tube clamping device A having jaws SI and 32 (Figure 4) operating firmly to grip the tubing T and thereby to conduct said tubing forwardly in response to similar movement of theinterconnected table and piston. The tube clamping mechanism comprises jaws 3l and 32 which are pivoted intermediate their end portions upon a shaft 33 carried by upright end brackets Ell and Sta (Figure 6) which in turn are bolted to lateral support brackets 35 and 35a, the brackets 3d, 34a., 35 and 35a substantially enclosing the lower portion'of the tube clamping device. The support brackets 35 and 35a.. are rigidly secured to the reciprocable table top by means of bolts t.

l-Iorizontally rdisposed pins 3l and protrude fromthe lower ends of each jaw respectively and into a cut away portion 39 (Figure 6) on the under side of the jaws. A coil spring [il] yieldingly interconnects the pins thereby to rock the .jaws about their pivot into the open position as illustrated by the broken lines of Figure 4.

Apair of rollers 4I and 42 are mounted on vertical stub shafts d3 depending from the base ofjawsl and 32 respectively. interposed be` tween the rollers is a wedge block 4e adapted for -under pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder v for driving the piston therein in one direction or Y s. ed.

the other, thereby to impart corresponding movement tothe wedge block.

It is manifest that when pressure fluid is aclmitted to the cylinder Bil in rear of the piston, the piston rod and wedge block 44 will be moved forwardly, and the rollers 4I and 42 abutting the sides of the wedge block will bel cammed laterally. Such lateral` movement of .the rollers imparts rocking movement concomitantly totheclamping jaws 3l and 32 about their pivotal mounting Thus the jaws are positively moved toward each other to clamping position and at the samev time, the coil spring 4l) is further tensioned. Movement of the piston `rod and wedge block in the opposite direction reduces the spain between 1:@ the rollers Lil and #i2 which enables the coil spring 'it to rock the clamping jaws in the opposite direction toward open or unclamped position.

It will be observed .that each of the jaws 3l and@ have arcuate surfaces 53 and 54 to which arcuate liners 55 are secured by screws 5E. The liners 55. arev intended to. be replaceable by others of different sizes to accommodate tubing of different diameters.

For supporting tubing T at the rear end of table 2d is a tapered roller 5l. As illustrated in Figure l, the roller 5l is mounted upon a shaft 58 which -is retained at its ends by bearing brackets 59 mounted on spaced upright supports l?. The roller 5l supports the tubing T within the area of the gripping jaws while the latter are in the 'Y inoperative position during the. rearward movement of clamp A and table 211.k

The operations of the machine are controlled by hydraulic means which in turn is regulated by variousr switch andvalve means, asl will be hereinafter described. In general it will be understood that the reciprocal movement of table 24 is. regulated by an arm-carrying bracket 6I grooved in its upper portion for receipt of a protruding portion of a key nut IGI movable longitudinally in a T-slot 25 recessed in one side ofthe longitudinal table 2li'. Apertures in the key nut Isl are screw-threaded for engagement with clamping bolts IEZ which project from the bracket ill. It is manifest that: tightening the bolts Ii2 will lock the bracket 6I in the adjusted position.

For obtaining fine adjustments, a horizontally disposed adjustable arm 62 is provided, the arm being screw-threaded for engagement with a threaded aperture extending through the lower portion ofy the arm-carrying bracket 61|. An intersecting slot Gla continues downwardly from the screw-threaded aperture forming bifurcated legs @Ib and 6Ic, leg SIb having a shouldered aperture for receipt of a bolt Milav which engages a registered. screw-threaded aperture in leg l'c. Operation of arm I52V in one direction or theother results in lateral adjustment of the arm in relation to the bracket El. Thereafter, operation of bolt Ila results in convergenceof `legs 6th andv Sie ,therebyrmly to grasp the arm 62 in the adjusted position.

. When the table 24 has reached a predetermined I position in its rearward travel, the end' of the arm t2 is adapted to abut a positive stop block 63 rigidly mounted upon the base I0, thereby to arrest the rearward-movement of the table 24 at a predetermined position. The distance beto measurably vary the reciprocal movements of the table 24 from a fraction of an inch up to the length of the cylinder 28.

Description of the operations of the feeding machine comprising this invention may be made with reference to the schematic drawing (Figure 3) showing the hydraulic system, the solid lines indicating standard fluid passages and the broken lines designating pilot passages conducting a limited amount of fluid. The feeding mechanisms are hydraulically operated, as previously pointed out, and for` this purpose, an electric motor 65 drives a pump 66 which communicates with a fluid reservoir 61. The fluid, such as oil, passes from the pump 66 yinto an adjustable pressure regulating valve E8 designed to regulate the fluid pressure in the system-at a predetermined amount, relieving any excess pressure by allowing liquid to return through a passage 69 to the :duid reservoir 61.

Pressure fluid passes from the pressure regulator SS to a sequence valve 10 which normally operates as a coupling directing the pressure fluid through the passage |10 and into the valve 1l, which valve is juxtaposed between two spaced solenoids 1Ia and 1lb containing longitudinally movable `arn'iatures 1Ic and 1Id adapted to laterally displace Athe Valve spool 1|(l in one direction or the otherin response to electrical impulse directed to the respective solenoid by switch members hereinafter described.

Ordinarily, the cycle of operations of the feeding machine commences with the table 24 disposed in the predetermined rearmost position, andthe valve spool 1I0 displaced to the right, thus directing pressure fluid into the communicating passage 13, through tting and to the cylinder 5D, there to rock the clamping jaws iii and 32 to clamping position, as previously explained.

' The clamping operation completed, uid pressure sequentially builds up through the previously designated passages thereby to unseat a spring valve (not shown) opening the port a of the sequence valve 10 which now operates as a T-coupling to direct pressure fluid into` the passage 1Bll and into the valve 12, having aligned spaced solenoids 12a and 12b including armatures 12e and 12d respectively, and a valve spool 120 adaptedY to direct pressure fluid through one port or the other, for effecting the concomitant movement of the piston and the interconnected table 24 in onev direction or the other.

' Upon completion of the tube clamping operation, a limit switch (not shown) is tripped thereby vto direct electrical current to the solenoid 12b'which is energized to effect the lateral displacement of the valve spool 120 to the left, thus admitting pressure fluid into the passage 1t, through a spring head valve 15 and the ttingy 29, thereby to advance the piston and the interconnected table y24. Obviously the forward table movementiis not stopped until the piston.

abuts the forward end of the cylinder 28 as previously pointed out. A micro-switch (not shown) locatedy inthe forward end of the cylinder 28 is actuated by the piston, thereby to direct electri-l cal current to the solenoid operated valve means (not shown), effecting the operation of the clamping means B associated with the cut-off machineC. f

The'rate of thev forward movement of the pistonand the table 24 may be effectively regu-v lated '.bythe manual adjustment of a metering valve'l which may by-pass part of the pressure fluid in the passage 14, the by-passed liquid returning, through passage 11 to the reservoir 61.

Itis expedient to provide means forsubstantiallyreducing the .traverse speed of the piston before the end of the cylinder is reached; otherwise the piston and the associated elements will be stopped with considerable impact, which, not infrequently, will alter the adjustments and substantially reduce the life of the machine. For this purpose, the forward end of cylinder 23 is adjustably cushioned, those familiar with the art referring to the cylinder 26 as an adjustably cushioned head-end cylinder which is a standard productneeding no further description. Suffice it to say that itis effective in substantially reducing the traverse speed of the piston during the nal portions of the forward stroke.

A limit switch (not shown) is operated during the inward movement of the cutting tools (not shown) of the cut off machine C, following in sequence the operation of the clamping device B to clamping position, thereby to direct electrical currentvto solenoids 12a and 1lb effecting the lateral displacement of the valve spool 1li) to the left and the valve spool 129 to the right. Passage of pressure fluid through the valve 1l releases the valve spring in the sequence valve 10 which sequentially operates as previously described first to direct pressure fluid into the valve 1l thereby to effect the return of the clamping jaws 3i and 32 to inoperative position, and subsequently to direct pressure fluid into the valve 12 thereby to effect the rearward movement of the piston and table 24. v

As previously pointed out, the return of the table 2li is regulated by the distance between the arm 52 and the positive stop block 63, and since the piston does not dead end upon the rearward end of the cylinder, it is expedient to provide means for substantially reducing the table traverse speed before the arm 62 abuts the stop t3; otherwise the impact of the adjustable arm will necessitate frequent readjustment and replacement. Adequate deceleration means are provided comprising a bracket 19 which is adjustably positioned in the T-slot 25 and is adapted operably to'depress a plunger 80a in the valve 8i] which is secured to the base Ill at a predetermined distance prior to the contact of the arm 62 with the stop block 63. Normally, pressure uid from the pressure regulator E8 flows throughthe passage 8l and the port 82 of the valve 80 and out of the port 83 into passage 83a, and then into the spring in the valve 15, which operates to substantially resistV the continued flow therethrough 0f the fluid returning from the cylinder.v 28.. Pressure fluid new flows from the port 8d in the. valve 80, through the. passage 85a and into the checkvalve 851 which may be manually adjusted to be vunseatedat a predetermined'Y substantially low pressure, thereby to reduce the uid pressure in the passages 85a and 8l which. operates to reset theI pressure regulator 68 to operate at the predetermined low' pressure. Manifestly, the reduction of fluid pressure operating on the piston and the resistance to flow oi the fluid. from out of the: rearward end of the cylinder 23, results in the substantial deceleration oi4 the piston movement..

A horizontally disposed arm '|90 adjustably secured toI the-lower portion of the bracket 19 is adapted operably to contact a switch arm 8'! operable in a limit switch 86 secured to the. baseA lli,v which. contact occursr simultaneously with the Contact of arm 62' against stop block 63. The limitv switch. 3.6. operates to direct electrical current. to solenoid, 'l la which eects the lateral displacement of the valve spool 1li) to thev right thereby topermitpassageof pressure iiuid, which continues' to operate at low pressure, to the rearward: endl ci cylinder 5t, thereby to reclamp the tubing preparatory to another cycle ofoperation. Obviously it is advantageous to reclamp the tubing at this time, at reduced pressure for the clamping means B and the cutting tools associated with the cut ofi machine are still operative, and to reclamp under high pressure Would result inthe subjection of undue strain upon the tubing T. The pressure regulating valve $8 is not reset' tov operate at the original high fluid pressure until the solenoid 72a is energized permitting the pressure uid to flow through the passage.- 'M and into the check valve 85 there to reseat the spring valve (not shown).

It is evident from the above description that tubing 'I is rmly gripped at all' times by either the clamping means A or the clamping means B :and during part of the cycle by both clamping means, thus` restricting uncontrolled movement of the tubing T which otherwise would make accurate measurements vof. consecutive segments of tubing practically impossible.`

Manually operated switch, buttons (not shown) are. alsciV provided for the individual energization of eaclrsolenoid` II-a, lib, '52a or 12b thereby to open or close the clamping jaws 3l and 32 for replacement of tubing or the like, or to move the table 24 forwardly or rearwardly for adjustment purposes or the like.

The machinemay also be set to operate in automatic sequence in combination with the cut oi'zV machine as described above.

The switch and valve means recited in the de'- scription comprise standard commercial' units which are well-known to those skilled in the art and the detailed descriptions thereof are consid-- ered unnecessary.

From the above description, it will. be manifest that I have produced a simple and compactV feeding machine. which may be particularly adapted to recnrrently measure and. forwardly1 displace segments of substantially continuous tubing for further processing by other means. The above described feeding machine which operates eulciently and accurately makes use of. the variousn control and uid pressure means described for regulating the rate and gauging the amount of longitudinal or transverse movement of. the interconnected elements over awide yet accurately controlled range.

It is to. be understood that; numerous changes in. details or construction, arrangement and op eration may be effected without. departing from the spirit of. the invention especially as dened inthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

i. In. a machine of the class described employingy a stationary tube severingdevice,l tube clamping means, mechanism. for recurrently advancing a predetermined length oi tubing to said tube'.

severing device including a carriage mounted ior horizontal reciprocable movement toward1 and away from said tube severing device, a second tube: clamping means mounted on said carriage, means for operating saidtube clamping means whereby one or the other oi`- said tube clamping, means is effective to grip the tube at all tim-es, said second tube clamping, means being effective during` the advancing movement of said carriage thereby to feed a predetermined length of tubing and ineffective duringY the carriage return. movement to move relative tosaid tubing, said rst tube clamping means being ineiective dur-` ing the advancing movement of said. carriagev thereby toenable relative movement of said advancing tubing, and fluid operating means for actuating carriage movement in both directions Said through fast and then slow movements.

2. In a, machine o1^ the class described employing` a stationary tube severing device, a stationary tube clamping means associated with said device, mechanism for recurrently advancing a predetermined length of tubing to said tube severing` device including a carriage mounted for horizontal advancing and return movements, a second tube clamping means mounted on said carriage, .a common hydraulic system. for rendering said tube clamping meansl effective or inel'ective and for effecting longitudinal movement. of said carriage in one direction or the other, and means for automatically effecting the sequence of operations whereby one or the other of said tube clamping means is in gripping relation with said tubing at all times, said second tube clamping means being effective during advancing movement oi said carriage whereby the tubing is cor-v respondingly displacedwith the carriage and ineiective during the return movement of said carriage to enable relative movement between said tubing and carriage, said rst tube clamping means being ineiective during forward movement of said carriage and effective during the return movement thereof.

in a machine of the class described employing a stationary tube severing device, a tube clamping means cooperative with. said device,v mechanism for recurrently advancing a predetermined length of tubing to said tube severing evice including a carriage mounted for horizontal advancing and return movement, a second tube clamping means mounted on said carriage,y linear motur means for effec-ting movement of said carriage,` other linear motor means for ren-` dering said clamping' means effective or ineffect nunon hydraulic system for operating ear motors,` means for automatically con-- tro ino' the sequence uioperations of said linear motor including means whereby one orv the otherV of s* with s tubing at4 all times, said second clamping means eiiectiye `during the advancing movement. of said carriage. and ineifective during'v return 'incvemena said first tube clamping means being ineffective during the advancing movement. of. said carriage"r and other means for manually controlling; the operations of said linear motors,

Inka machine :of the class described employing a stationary tube severing device,ftube clamping means y cooperative with said device, vmechanism for recurrently advancing a predetermined'length of tubing tov said tube severing device includingy a carriage mounted for horizon- 'tal advancing and vreturn movement, a second ltube clamping means mounted on said carriage, linear motor means for effecting movement of said carriage in both directions, other linear motor means for rendering said clamping means effective or'ineffective, a common hydraulic system for operating "said linear motors, means for automatically controlling the sequence of operations of said linear motors including means` whereby one. or the other of said clamping means is in gripping relation with said tubing at all times, said second clamping means being effective during the advancing movement of said carriage and ineffective during return movement, said firstC tube clamping means being ineffective during the advancing movement of said carriage, and switch means 'for rendering said first tube clamping means and said tube severing device eiective ywhen the carriage has reached the end of itsf rforwardl stroke;

5. In a machine of the class described employing a stationary tube severing device, av tube clampingmeans cooperative with said device,

mechanism for recurrently advancing a predeter-f mined length of tubing to said tube severing device including a carriage mounted for horizontal advancing and return movement, a second tube clamping. means mounted konsaid carriage, linear e motor means for effecting movement of said careffective during the advancing movement of said carriage and ineffective during its return movement, means whereby said first clamping means and said tube severing device is rendered operative when the carriage has reached the end of its forward stroke, said iirst clamping means being rendered effective before said second clamping means becomes ineffective thereby to maintain the tubing in gripping relation at all times, and adjustable means for predetermining the return stroke of said carriage for increasing or decreasing the length of tubing delivered to the tube severing device.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 in which a stationary base supports the reciprocal carriage, and the means for arresting the rearward movement of the carriage comprises an abutment on one of said carriage and base members, and an adjustable stop on the other of said carriage and base members and disposed to be engaged by said abutment when the predetermined carriage return movement has taken place.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6 in which the adjustable stop comprises a housing rigid with the base and having a horizontally disposed threaded aperture therein and a horizontally disposed screw threaded arm adjustably engaging said apertured housing, and means for securing aid arm in said housing in the adjusted posiion.

8. In a machine of the class described employing a stationary tube severing device, a tube clamping means cooperative with said device,

mechanism for'recurrently advancing a predetermined length of tubing to said tube severing de- Y vice including a carriage mounted for horizontal advancing and return movement axially of said tube severing device and a second tube clamping means mounted on said carriage, linear motor means for effecting movement of said carriage fective,- a common yhydraulic system foroperating said linear motors, means forautomatically controlling the 'sequencer of y operations'ojf f said linear motors including means whereby oner or the other of said clamping means-is-in' gripping relation with said tubingat al1 times,`s'aid second clamping means being rendered effective during the advancing movement of said carriage and ineffective during return movement, and said'irst tube clamping means being rendered ineffective during thefadvancingl movement of said carriage,

and means'for effecting deceleration ofsaid first linear motor means near the end cfits' stroke e in both directions.

9. A machine las claimed in claim 8 in which the means for effecting deceleration of the linear motor comprises means for cushioning the escape of fluid near the forward end of its stroke; and means for reducing the hydraulic pressure operating on` the linear motor near, the rearward end of its stroke. y

10. A machine asv claimed in claim '9` in which the means for reducing the hydraulic pressure near the rearward end vof its strokevvcomprises an adjustable bleedl valve in the hydraulicA sys,-

"tem, and adjustable'means for-"rendering said bleed valve effective near the end of rearward carriage movement.

11. In a machine of the class described, tube clamping means, mechanism for recurrently advancing a predetermined length of tubing including a carriage mounted for horizontal reciprocal movement, a second tube clamping means on said carriage, means for operating said tube clamping means whereby one or the other is effective to grip the tubing at all times, said second tube clamping means being effective during the movement of the carriage in one direction of its reciprocating movement to advance a predetermined length of tubing and ineffective during the return movement of the carriage to enable the carriage to move relative to said tubing, the second tube clamping means comprising a pair of rigid members rotatable about a common pivot intermediate their ends, a support for said pivot, means responsive to the operating means for effecting pivotal movement of said rigid member in a direction to grip the tubing, other means constantly urging pivotal movement of said rigid members in the opposite direction and consequently the release of said tubing when the operating means is rendered ineffective in accordance with the position of the carriage, and means for actuating said carriage in both directions.

12. A machine as claimed in claim ll in which said operating means is rendered effective when the carriage has fully reached the end of its return stroke and ineffective when the carriage has reached the end of its forward stroke and after the first tube clamping means has been rendered eiective.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 11 in which a horizontally reciprocal wedge member is interposed between the lower ends of said rigid members to effect divergence thereof when operated in one direction and to enable convergence when operated .in the lopposite direction, means for ,guiding said'wedge Vin movement including a 1onrgitudinal'ly disposed strip on the underside-of said "wedge inengagement with an aligned :slot in the support.

'14. Amachine as claimed in claim 13 in which vrollers are rotatably mounted on the endsfof said rigidmember for engaging the sides of said Wedge.

15. In a machine of the class described employing a stationary tube severing device, a-tube clamping means cooperative with said device, mechanism for recurrently advancing a predetermined `length of tubing to .said tubesevering device including Ya carriage mounted for horizontal advancing and return movement axially `of said tube severing device, a second tube -clamping means mounted on said carriage, linear motor means for eiecting movement of said carriage in both directions,other rlinear motor means for rendering said clamping means effective or ineffective, Va common ,hydraulic system for operating said linear motors,.meansfor automatically effecting the sequence of operations whereby the second tube clamping means is effective during the forward ,movement of the carriage and ineffective during return .movement thereof yand :said iirst tube clamping means is rendered effective when the carriage .has reached the end of its `for- Ward stroke Yand during severing operations, and means operating in timed relation with the severing device for imparting a, dwell to the carriage at the end of its return Ystroke until severing operations `have been completed.

v16. .In combination Witha tube severing-device .having `a tubegripping means, a reciprocable car- 12 riage, tube gripping means on the `carriage operable -in one direction of carriage movement to grip the tubing to enable advancing movement thereof a predetermined distance to :the tube severing device and in theretracting direction of carriage movement to release ,the tubing for enabling the carriage to movegrelative thereto, means Yfor rendering the tubesevering device and its tube gripping means effective at the end of the ftube advancing stroke 4whereby the tubing is stationarily gripped during severing operations andduring the movement-of said carriage in the rei-,ranting direction, and a fluid motor for effecting carriage movement in both directions.

NELSON D. ABBEY.

REFERENCES CITED Theffollowing references are vof record in the nie `of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,020,433 McGrath Mar. 19, 1912 1,481,259 Harrison Jan. 22, 1924 1,571,332 Herminghausen Feb. 2, 1926 1,732,563 Koppl Oct. 22, 1929 2,967,626 Benninghoff Jan. 12, 1937 2,296,397 Muhlbach Sept. 22, 1942 2,359,167 Somes Sept. 26, 1944 .2,389,556 Siegerist Nov. 20, 1945 2,39%??? 9 Hunter et a1.. Feb. 12, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 302,011? Great Britain July 30, 1928

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