The invention concerns a universal device for cutting of corrugated tubing, allowing to cut the corrugated tubing with different diameters around the crest of the fold of the tubing, which contains a conveying unit for linear transfer of corrugated tubing through the device, cutting unit containing a blade with a reciprocating movement across to the longitudinal axis of the tubing, and positioning unit placing the tubing relative to the cutting blade before cutting the tubing.

Corrugated plastic tubing with a cylindrical body with a number of folds (waves) in the form of a ridges and grooves (i.e. valleys, notches), both in the form of rings, arranged alternately and perpendicularly to the axis of the tubing is commonly used as a shield for wires or wiring harnesses, mainly in vehicles, machines and machine tools and household equipment.

It is known that due to the risk of damage to the cables inside such tubing, the ends of the tubing sections which enclose the wires should be free of edges that could hook wire's insulation. The above requirement is implemented in the industrial practice in a simple manner, which is characterized in that subsequent sections of corrugated tubing are cut from the tubing coil in each case in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tubing and passing across the crest of the fold (wave). It is understood that with this method of cutting the tubing, the length of the cut section of the pipe is always a multiple length of the fold (wave), which means herein the length of one ridge and one groove designated in the axial direction of the tubing.

In patent documents and in practice there is a number of known devices and equipment allowing for cutting corrugated tubing in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis and passing through the crest of the fold to obtain sections of a desired length, which is a multiple of the length of the fold (wave). Patent EP 2106314 discloses a device for cutting corrugated tubing, with a unit for transverse cutting, so that the corrugated tubing is cut in the transverse direction and with a unit for cutting in longitudinal direction to cut the corrugated tubing in the longitudinal direction, wherein the device has a sensor module to position the corrugated tubing. In this known device, between the unit for transverse cutting and the unit for longitudinal cutting there is a conveyor, at least approximately concurrent with the rate of feed of the corrugated tubing, so that the force exerted by a device for longitudinal cutting of corrugated tubing does not act on the part of the corrugated tubing, which is located in the area of the transverse cutting unit. The conveyor has at least two conveyor belts, which at least approximately are located at opposite positions relative to the corrugated tubing and act on the corrugated tubing.

To establish the position of the corrugated tubing in relation to the transverse cutting unit, there is provided a sensor module, for example a laser light barrier. Moreover, the device has a feed unit for the tubing so that the corrugated tubing which is to be cut can be fed to the transverse cutting unit. Between the unit for conveying the tubing and the unit for transverse cutting there is an inlet sleeve for tubing, and an outlet sleeve is located behind the transverse cutting unit. The tubing feed unit has two conveyor belts, which are substantially located in positions opposite to the circumference of the corrugated tubing and act on the corrugated tubing in a way that when transferring it to the unit for transverse cutting, the tubing is clamped between the conveyor belts, which have circulating transport belts with a closed circuit, basically extending parallel to the tubing. The drive can be implemented in any manner, for example, using an electric motor shared by the two conveyors.

In this known solution, the laser light barrier defining the position of the corrugated tubing is located at least approximately in the plane in which the transverse cutting blade cuts the tubing. For example, the laser light barrier reads the trough of a wave of the corrugated tubing, and when the desired length of the section of the corrugated tubing does not stop in the trough of a wave, the corrugated tubing is transported further until the light barrier determines the next wave trough. From the wave trough defined this way, the corrugated tubing is further transported in the direction of travel, and the blade for transverse cutting is located in the plane of the next wave crest. The crest of the wave is reliably reached by blade, by the fact that the light barrier determines the preceding wave trough.

The description of patent CN 101912993 discloses a machine for the transverse cutting of corrugated tubing using a rotating head with cutting elements. The machine has a unit conveying the tubing to be cut, wherein the transfer unit has two substantially mutually parallel closed conveyor belts, where in addition to the return rollers of conveyor belts is provided with the upper pressing roller and the lower pressing roller for the belts moving the tubing, located opposite to each other, and a drive motor for driving the pressing roller unit.

Patent description JP 5724697 and patent application US 2014/0116214 disclose a device for transverse cutting of corrugated tubing, which has a jacket slit in the direction of their longitudinal axis. This device allows to cut transversely corrugated tubing of different diameters on the convex part (crest) of the wave.

This known device is equipped with a conveying unit feeding the tubing in the axial direction along the route of feed, to the cutting unit in which the tubing is cut by a blade.

The tubing feed unit has, facing each other, two belt conveyors with conveyor belts which are in form of a closed circuit, wherein the conveyor belts have return rollers at the ends. The corrugated tubing is conveyed and clamped between the conveyor belts sections clamping it which are practically mutually parallel to each other and then is fed into the cutting unit equipped with a blade moving transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tubing fed for cutting. The conveyor belt rollers are driven by a mechanism synchronising the speed of the two conveyor belts, preferably comprising a stepper motor. Preferably, it is provided with at least one mechanism that allows to move the conveyor belts closer and further from each other so as to fit the gap between the belts to the diameter of the corrugated tubing fed.

Corrugated tubing, which is fed to the cutting unit, is cut in the circumferential direction (i.e. transverse to the longitudinal axis) by the cutting element, preferably a blade driven with a mechanism with a reciprocating movement along the cutting path. The cutting path is positioned perpendicularly to the path of feeding the tubing. As a mechanism for driving the blade can be used for example a pneumatic cylinder.

The known device has a camera that captures the image of the planned position of cutting the corrugated tubing and has a determiner which analyses the image captured by the camera in order to determine whether the intended cutting position is on the convex part (ridge) of the tube's fold, and a driver which causes the start of the unit for cutting the corrugated tubing in the planned position of cutting when the determiner gives a positive result of the determination of the planned cutting position. If the determiner gives a negative result for a specific cutting position, the cutting element is activated only when the tubing is in a position different from the planned cutting position. Therefore, it is possible to reliably avoid cutting the corrugated tubing in the concave portion (groove) of the wave.

The Polish patent application PL 404559(A1 ) describes a hand-held device for transverse cutting of corrugated tubing, having a unit locking the location of the tubing before the cutting operation, a unit for transverse cutting of the tubing and a unit for measuring the length of the tubing section before cutting.

The device features a cylindrical guide for tubing, provided with a transverse slot for guiding the blade and has a pair of gripping elements moved towards each other perpendicular to the axis of the tubing and locking the position of the tubing in a tubular guide before the cutting operation. Each of the gripping element has two locking projections which, in the locking position are inserted into the troughs of the folds of the tubing and define a space between them for placing the blade during the cutting operation.

In the known device, the cutting unit has a moving beam with the blade attached thereto and is provided with an element locking the motion of the blade, which cooperates with two two-armed levers of the unit locking the tubing in the tubular guide, whereas the lower ends of the two-armed lever of the locking unit feature the said gripping elements with locking projections, which through the holes in the guide extend to the interior of the guide in the area of the guiding blade notch and in the tubing locking position said gripping elements are inserted into the troughs in the folds of the tubing, thus defining the space between them for placing the blade during the cutting operation of the tubing.

The unit for measuring the length of the tubing section to be cut off has a toothed wheel, rolling without slip on the outer surface of the tubing when it is fed through the cylindrical guide element, and is coupled to the element adding up the angle of rotation of the wheel and indicating the position of the end of tubing relative to the guide slot for the blade.

Japanese patent application JP 2006296015 (A) describes a solution to the problem of slitting corrugated tubing through the ridge part of the fold, so as to eliminate the formation of sharp edges at the ends of the tubing when it is cut to the desired length. According to the solution presented, cutting corrugated tubing which is used for shielding electrical wiring harness in vehicles, is performed in a position where two adjacent wave troughs are immobilised by pushing the gripping elements, perpendicular to the axis of tubing, to each other. The gripping elements have two locking projections which, in the cutting position, are pressed into the troughs in the folds of the tubing on both sides of the wave crest, which is to be cut by the sliding blade, moving through the slot of one of the gripping elements between its positioning projections. The technical problem to be solved is to develop a universal device for transverse cutting of corrugated tubing, having at least a conveying unit for the linear transfer of corrugated tubing through the device, a positioning unit for positioning the tubing to be cut relative to the blade of the cutting unit prior to operation of transverse cutting, and the cutting unit of a blade moved using a mechanism with a reciprocating motion along the path of cutting, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubing, and of such design that permits the quick adjustment of the device for cutting corrugated tubing of different given diameters.

The abovementioned technical issue is solved by the device according to the invention, having a known feed unit for linear conveying of tubing by the device, with two conveyor belts facing each other with transport belts with a closed circuit and a mechanism that allows to bring the belt conveyors closer and further from each other, so as to match the gap between belts to the diameter of the tubing fed and having a known cutting unit with a blade, having a reciprocating motion along the cutting path perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubing, which is provided with an assembly of at least two fast-removable positioning units for positioning the tubing to be cut relative to the blade in the cutting unit, which constitute replaceable modules, wherein each of the positioning units of this set is adapted for setting the position of the tube having a different given diameter with respect to the blade in the cutting unit.

According to the invention, the universal device for cutting of corrugated tubing in the transverse direction, equipped at least with a conveying unit for linear transfer of the corrugated tubing through the device, containing two substantially parallel transport belts, and a mechanism for moving the belts closer and further from each other and an electric motor driving the belts, a cutting unit containing a blade moving with a reciprocating movement, a unit positioning the tubing relative to the blade of the cutting unit before the transverse cutting operation, a unit for measuring the length of the tubing to be cut, operatively coupled to the feed system, wherein the unit positioning the tubing relative to the blade of the cutting unit has a cylindrical guide for the tubing, containing a guide slot for the blade and has a pair of oppositely positioned latches moving towards each other in the direction of the tubing axis and setting the tubing position in the guide before the cutting operation, where the tips of the latches have projections locking the tubing in the guide, characterized in that the positioning unit has a support plate, through which it is fixed to the body of the device using quick-release couples containing positioning pins, preferably conical, and positioning holes, preferably conical, as well as quick-release clamps, preferably articulated lever clamps, wherein the positioning unit fixed to the body has a cylindrical guide for a tubing with a given diameter, and the device is provided with a set comprising of at least two positioning units, which are quickly interchangeable modules of the device, each of which has a cylindrical guide for tubing with a different given diameter.

Preferably, the support plate of the positioning unit is provided with at least two conical positioning holes, and the body of the device contains at least two conical positioning pins cooperating with conical holes of the support plate, wherein conical positioning holes are formed in the positioning sleeves of the support plate and the conical positioning pins are fixed to the main plate of the body.

It is also preferable when the support plate of the positioning unit, immobilized using positioning holes on positioning pins, is detachably attached to the main plate of the body with pressure lugs of the quick-release clamps attached to the main plate of the body.

Preferably, the support plate of the positioning unit has a casing attached, containing a cylindrical guide for tubing with a given diameter, wherein the casing has a channel for the cylindrical guide, and more in the middle part of the channel the casing has a groove located transversely to the longitudinal axis of the channel for the cylindrical guide for the tubing, and the groove is open to the outside of the casing at least in two opposite directions. Preferably, the cylindrical guide for the tubing comprises of two guiding sleeves, mounted in the channel of the casing so that their faces define between them the slot for the blade of the cutting unit, wherein the slot is positioned within the groove of the casing, whereas the cylindrical guide for the tubing, formed by the two guide sleeves, has two opposite windows within the groove of the casing, and the windows are covering with their range a part of the slot for the blade. These windows feature slidably mounted two opposing latches whose tips, before the cutting operation, position and set the tubing corrugation on each side of the slot for the blade, while the shanks of latches extended beyond the casing are connected, using the sliding kinematic pairs, to the support plate and coupled to the piston rods of actuators, preferably pneumatic actuators, secured to the support plate.

Preferably, the sliding kinematic pairs, connecting the latches to the support plate, contain guides fixed to the support plate, and on guides there are mounted sliders, connected to the shanks of latches, wherein it is best if the guides contain rolling elements and the sliders mounted on them are in the form of trolleys.

Furthermore, it is preferable that opposing windows of the cylindrical guide for the tubing are formed by pairs of troughs created in these faces of the guiding sleeves, which define the slot for the blade between them, and more when the input sleeve for the tubing, protruding beyond the casing, abuts first of the guiding sleeves and the outlet sleeve for the tubing, protruding beyond the casing, abuts the second guiding sleeve.

It is also preferable when the shanks of latch extending beyond the casing are coupled with the piston rods of actuators via clamping arms, and clamping arms on one end are fixed to the corresponding latches or its sliders, and on the other end are provided with a hole and are slidably inserted into a corresponding shaped pins with a threaded end assembled with the piston rod, wherein from the side of the piston rod the shaped pin has a stopping flange for the pressed compensation spring slipped onto the pin, whose end opposite the flange is based on the second end of the clamping arm, while a nut abuts the other side of the clamping arm opposite to the spring, screwed onto the threaded end of the shaped pin.

The main advantage of the device according to the invention is the possibility of a quick and simple preparation for cutting corrugated tubing with a diameter different than the diameter of the tubing not yet cut, which was achieved through the development of a positioning unit with modular structure and the application quick-release couples between the body and the modular positioning unit.

In addition, the undoubted advantage of the solution according to the invention is ensuring effective cutting of tubing on the ridge in so called "peak" (i.e. perpendicular to the axis of the tubing at the place of its maximum diameter), which was achieved by using two opposite latches to position the tubing, whose tips not only position and locks the tubing in a tubular guide before the cutting operation, but also act as reliable mechanical sensors for the position of the notches and troughs of the tubing with respect to the blade slot, prior to the operation, thanks to the fact that when the tubing is positioned in the guide, they are pressed against it continuously at low and constant force from the compensating springs.

Using this method of cutting corrugated tubing, as carried out by the device, the ends of the cut length of the tubing are free of sharp edges, and thus safe for the environment and cables placed inside.

The device is safe and easy to use and relatively inexpensive to operate. Moving the tubing through the cylindrical guide of the positioning unit, locking and cutting of the tubing is carried out completely mechanically.

Furthermore, the device makes it possible to effectively slit the crest of a fold of corrugated tubing of any type, e.g.: single, double, open or folded, due to application of two opposing latches and lock the tubing by its ends on both sides of the guide slot for the blade.

A sample of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows the device in frontal view, partially interrupted from the side of the cut tubing output, Figure 2 - side view of the device with a partial cross-section from the rear side, Figure 3 - front view of the corrugated tubing positioning unit relative to the blade of cutting unit, with partial cross-section through the casing and the guiding sleeves, Figure 4 - view from the side of the corrugated tubing positioning unit relative to the blade of cutting unit, Figure 5 - section A-A from Figure 3, Figure 6 - detail B from Figure 2, Figure 7 - detail D from Figure 3, and Figure 8 - detail view of two guide sleeves within the guide slot for the blade.

In the practical example of the invention, the universal device for cutting corrugated tubing R has a body 1 , provided with the main plate 2, to which the device's units are attached, such as the conveying unit T, provided with transport devices for linear transfer of corrugated tubing R by the device, a cutting unit C, equipped with blade 3 for transverse cutting of the tubing R, moved with a reciprocating movement by actuator 4 and one of the positioning units P, chosen from a set which contains at least two quick- replaceable modular positioning units P, which prior to the cutting operation determines the position of the tubing R with respect to the blade 3 of the cutting unit C, so that the blade 3 can cut the corrugated tubing R within the crest of its fold (wave).

Preferably, the device's body has a storage space for storing the modular positioning units P of the set, wherein during operation of the device, always only one positioning unit P from this set is detachably attached to the main plate 2 of the body 1.

The conveying unit T for the tubing R and the positioning unit P are attached to the same side of the main plate 2 of the body 1 of the device, and the cutting unit C is attached to the other side of the main plate 2, opposite to the said conveying unit T and positioning unit P.

The device is also equipped with a measuring unit for measuring the length of tubing R to be cut, operatively coupled to the conveying unit T, and has a control unit with a control panel and power supply assembly. The positioning unit P has at least one position sensor for tubing R with respect to the blade 3 of the cutting unit C, operatively coupled to the control unit.

In a preferable variant of the device, the conveying unit T and the positioning unit P attached to the main plate 2 are covered with a transparent cover (which is not shown in the drawing for better readability).

The conveying unit T, moving (feeding) the corrugated tubing R through the device is driven by an electric motor M and two belt conveyors 5, whose conveyor belts 6 with a closed circuit are located on adjacent sections, practically parallel to each other, whereby in places where the belts

6 change their directions, the conveyors 5 are fitted in the reversing rollers 7. On the opposite side to the adjacent conveying sections of the belts 6, each of the conveyors 5 has a tensioning roller 8, located between the reversing rollers 7.

Preferably, support rollers are located between reversing rollers 7, on the part of the conveyor 5 on which the conveying belts 6 are adjacent to each other.

Conveying belts 6 of both conveyors 5 are driven by the reverse rollers

7 from the shared electric motor M, which preferably is a stepper or servo motor.

In a preferable variant of the device, conveying belts 6 are designed as toothed belts, and return rollers 7 as well as the possible support rollers have profiles corresponding to the teeth in belts 6.

In addition, the conveying unit T has a mechanism (not shown on the drawing for its greater readability) that enables bringing belt conveyors 5 closer and further from each other, so as to adjust the gap between adjacent sections of the conveying belts 6, to the diameter suitable for cutting corrugated tubing R, which enters the device through the inlet sleeve 9, attached by the edge of the main plate 2 of the body 1.

Each positioning unit P has a base in the form of a support plate 10, which is adapted for a quick release of the attachment to the main plate 2 of the body 1 of the device, and to immobilise it in a predetermined position relative to the conveying unit T and the cutting unit C, on the positioning conical pins 11 attached to the main plate 2.

For this purpose, the support plate 10 features positioning sleeves 12 with positioning conical holes, which cooperate with the positioning conical pins 11 of the main plate 2 of the body 1 , while the main plate 2 has quick- release clamps 13 attached, preferably articulated lever clamps (toggle clamps), known, for example, from EP 1413398 (B1 ), DE 20216149 (U1 ), DE 20216150 (U1 ), whose clamping lugs 14 cooperate with the support plate 10, when it is immobilised on the positioning pins 11 , pressing it against the, main plate 2.

This solution for a rigid and at the same time quickly assemblage and disassemblable, repeatable connection between the main plate 2 of the body 1 and the support plate 10 of the positioning unit P, allows for convenient and quick replacement of the positioning unit P attached to the main plate 2, in order to replace it with another positioning unit P adapted for cutting corrugated tubing R with a diameter different than the diameter of the tubing R already cut.

If the device is to be set up (change tooling) for cutting corrugated tubing R with a diameter other than the diameter of the corrugated tubing R previously cut, the design of the quick-release couple, described above between the main plate 2 of the body 1 and the support plate 10 of the positioning unit P, allows for quick and easy removal of the positioning unit P from the device, which is used when cutting corrugated tubing R with a given diameter, and than a convenient, quick and secure attachment in this place of another positioning unit P adapted for cutting tubing R with a different given diameter, included in the device's set of positioning units P.

The support plate 10 of each positioning unit P adapted to the cutting corrugated tubing R with a predetermined diameter is equipped with a casing 15 for the two guiding sleeves 16 and 17, forming a cylindrical guide for tubing R to be cut. The casing 15, which is a component of each positioning unit P, has a channel, wherein in the central portion of the channel there is a groove 18, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the channel, and the groove 8 is open to the outside of the casing 5, at least in two opposite directions.

In the channel of casing 15 there are located guiding sleeves 16, 17, whose inner diameters allow for running through them corrugated tubing R with a predetermined diameter, intended for cutting.

Preferably, the device is equipped with a set containing more than two positioning units P, each of which has a support plate 10 and casing 15 with the guiding sleeves 16, 17 adapted to running through them corrugated tubing R with another diameter, whereby during the operation of the device, always only one positioning unit P from this set is attached to the main panel 2 of the body 1.

In each positioning unit P, within the groove 18 in the casing 15, the fronts of guiding sleeves 16 and 17 define the gap 19 between them for the blade 3 belonging to the cutting unit C, and preferably this gap 19 is positioned in the middle of the width of the groove 18.

Furthermore, preferably, the casing 15 of each positioning unit P has on one side the input sleeve 20 for tubing R, adjacent to the inside of the channel of casing 15 to the first guiding sleeve 16 and extending beyond the casing 15 from the side which, after attaching the positioning unit P in the device faces towards the conveying unit T for tubing R, whereas on the opposite side, in the casing 15 there is the output sleeve 21 for tubing R, adjacent to the inside of the channel of the casing 15 to the second guiding sleeve 17, also extending beyond the casing 15.

It is understood here that for the corrugated tubing R to be cut in order to be able to move correctly through the positioning unit P, the diameter of the input sleeve 20 and the outlet sleeve 21 must correspond to the diameters of the guiding sleeves 16 and 17.

It is also understood that in other variants, the input sleeve 20 may form a single integral element with the first guiding sleeve 16, and the outlet sleeve 21 may form the second integral element with the second guiding sleeve 17.

In addition, in each positioning unit P, the faces of the guiding sleeves

16, 17, which within the groove 18 of the casing 15 define the slot 19 between them for the blade 3, have two opposite troughs 22 each within the groove 18. These troughs 22 are located in each of the guiding sleeves 16,

17, facing each other, viewed in the radial direction of the guiding sleeves 16, 17, and extend in the axial direction of the guiding sleeves 16, 17 at such a distance from the face so that the troughs 22 along with the slot 19 for blade 3 have a width of not less than the width of the groove 18 in the casing 15, and preferably have a width equal to the width of the groove 18.

Thanks to such shaping of the faces of the two guiding sleeves 16, 17, as described above, after placing them in the channel of the casing 15 so that the troughs 22 in the face of the first guiding sleeve 16 lie opposite the troughs 22 in the face of the second guiding sleeve 17, guiding sleeves 16, 17 form within the range of the groove 18 of the casing 15 two windows opposing each other towards radial direction, whose range also covers a part of slot 19 for the blade 3.

Two opposite positioned latches 23, with tips positioning the notches (folds) of the tubing R before the cutting operation and immobilising the tubing R during the cutting operation, are placed through these windows inside the guiding sleeve 16, 17, wherein in the variant described in detail, the first latch 23 is inserted through one window, e.g. the lower one, and the second latch 23 is inserted through the second window, e.g. the upper one.

Preferably, the tips of both latches 23, which constitute the elements clamping the tubing R placed in the guiding sleeves 16, 17 are on the side cooperating with the tubing R formed in the same manner as shown in patent application PL 404559 (A1 ).

The shanks of both latches 23 are routed through slot 18 of casing 15 outside its perimeter and each of these shank is attached to the slider 24 mounted slidably on the guide 25 attached to the support plate 10. Preferably, the guides 25 contain rolling elements and the sliders 24 mounted on them are in the form of trolleys.

Furthermore, in the vicinity of the guides 25, two opposite double- acting pneumatic actuators 26 are attached to the support plate 10 of each positioning unit P, wherein the longitudinal axes of the piston rods 27 of these actuators 26 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guides 25 of both latches 23.

Each of the latches 23 is mechanically coupled with a piston rod 27 of one actuator 26 using the clamping arm 28, which is joined at one end with a latch 23 or preferably with its slider 24.

Each clamping arm 28 at its other end has an opening, through which shaped pin 29 with a threaded end moves slidably, assembled with the piston rod 27 of the actuator 26, wherein from the side of the rod 27, the shaped pin 29 has a stop flange 30 for the compressed compensation spring 31 slipped onto it, whose end opposite the flange 30 rests against the other end of the clamping arm 28 with a hole, while the nut 32, screwed onto the threaded end of the shaped pin 29, abuts the side of the other end of the clamping arm 28 opposite the spring 31 , which prevents disconnection of the clamping arm 28 from the actuator 26.

Such shaping of the coupling of the latches 23 with the pneumatic actuators 26 moving them, in the event of activation of actuators 26 and the resulting shift of the tips of latches 23 into the guiding sleeves 16, 17, allows to protect the corrugated tubing R fed from crushing, since the tips of latches 23 are pressed against its surface only with a small force, which the compensating springs 31 exert on the latches 23.

Besides the above structure of the coupling of the latches 23 with the pneumatic actuators 26 moving them, allows to use a deeper or shallower position of the latches 23 - after they are moved by the actuators 26, in order to determine whether the section of corrugated tubing R measured and fed from the conveying unit T can be cut crosswise within the wave crest, or whether it is necessary to correct the positioning of the tubing with respect to the slot 19 for the blade 3, sending a short current pulse to the motor M of the conveying unit T.

Since the tips of latches 23 located in the windows of the sleeves 16, 17 adjacent to tubing R are shaped so that when the tubing R intended for cutting will take such position that the crest of its wave is located within the slot 19 for the blade 3 of the cutting unit C, the tips of the latches 23 will be within the troughs of the wave of tubing R and the sliders 24 of the latches 23 will take the nearest possible position relative to the casing 15. In that case, the sensor, preferably a laser one (not shown in the figure) will send a signal to the control unit about the correct position of the tubing R to the cutting operation, and the control unit will start the actuator 4 of the blade 3 of the cutting unit C.

However, if the tubing R intended for cutting will take such a position that the troughs of its wave is located within the slot 19 for the blade 3, then the tips of latches 23 will be within the wave crests of tubing R, and the sliders 24 of the latches 23 will take a further position relative to the casing 15 than in the situation previously described. Then the sensor, e.g. a laser one (the same as described above, or separate) will send a signal to the control unit of the need to pulse start the motor M of the conveying unit T in "forward and reverse" mode, which due to the considerable susceptibility of corrugated tubing R in the longitudinal direction, will result in only slight movement of the tubing R with respect to the slot 19 for the blade 3 and the ends of the latches 23 (continuously pressed toward the tubing R by the compensating springs 31 ) falling into the troughs of the wave of tubing R, and thus the sensor signals its readiness to start the cutting operation.

It is obvious that in order to avoid the risk of accidental activation of the cutting operation, for example, when the section of tubing R being measured is still moved by the guiding sleeves 16, 17 of the positioning unit P, the aforementioned control mode for the cutting unit C is turned off when the pneumatic actuators 26 withdraw the tips of latches 23 from the inside of the guiding sleeves 16, 17, which can be easily achieved, for example by connecting the control unit with the sensor 33 (e.g. magnetic sensor) for the position of the piston rods 27 in the actuators 26.

In a simplified variant of the device, possible to be used when the length tolerance of the cut sections of corrugated tubing R is greater than the length of one wave of tubing R, the device may have only the sensor 33 for the position of the piston rods 27 in the actuators 26, and this sensor 33 after pulling out the rods 27 towards the casing 15 and the springy resting of the tips of the latches 23 against the tubing R located inside the guiding sleeves 16, 17, sends a signal to a control unit, and this unit pulse starts the motor M of the conveying unit T in a "forward and reverse" mode, for the possible latching of the latches 23 in the troughs of the tubing R, after which with a predetermined delay, the actuator 4 for the drive of the blade 3 of the cutting unit C is activated.

To ensure proper operation of modular, interchangeable positioning units P and their appropriate cooperation with device's other units, mounting is planned on a support plate 10 of the electro - pneumatic port 34, to which supply cables for pneumatic actuators and cables connecting the positioning unit P with the control unit are connected after each replacement of the positioning unit P.

LIST OF REFERENCE

T - conveying unit

P - positioning unit

C - cutting unit

M- electric motor

R - tubing

1 - body of the device

2 - main plate

3 - blade

4 - blade actuator

5 - belt conveyors

6 - conveyor belts

7 - reversing rollers

8 - tensioning rollers

9 - inlet sleeve

10 - support plate

11 - positioning pin

12 - positioning sleeve

13 - quick-release clamp

14 - clamping lugs

5 - casing

16 - first guiding sleeve

17 - second guiding sleeve

18 - casing groove

19 - guiding slot for the blade

20 - input sleeve for the tubing

21 - outlet sleeve for the tubing

22 - troughs in guiding sleeves

23 - latches

24 - sliders - guide

- pneumatic actuator - actuator piston

- clamping arm

- shaped pin

- flange of shaped pin - spring

- nut

- sensor

- electro - pneumatic port