Abstract: A panel former is provided for producing a panel that is formed from polymer tubing for solar collectors, heat exchangers, and other devices. The panel former can receive the tubing and continuously wrap the tubing around a drum so that support members can be welded to the tubing. After the support members are welded to the tubing, the tubing can be cut along a line substantially parallel to the support members to remove the tubing from the panel former and to form the risers in a panel.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite profile having a non-circular cross section, comprising the steps of—actuating a string of mandrel sections (1) having a non-circular cross section to move axially in a one way motion through one or more orbital winding stations (3) that are rotationally disposed about to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel in one or more passes,—continuously helically winding in one or more winding stations tape comprising a bundle of parallel longitudinally extending fibres in a thermoplastic matrix material onto the mandrel sections or a previously wound layer to form layers (4) of a wall of a thin walled profile having a closed cross section including at least one planar surface, and—cutting the thin walled profile into profile sections that are carried on one or more mandrel section sections, wherein the layer is consolidated with the previous layer prior to cutting.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment. An elastic element applicator is provided that is configured to move a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane. A first web of material is conveyed in a first web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane. Then, the applicator is operated to move the elastic element about the plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to the web moving direction and such that the first web draws the continuous elastic strand from the elastic element applicator as the first web is conveyed away from the plane. The elastic element applicator may be in the form of a spin cylinder or bracket that is operated to spin the elastic element about the moving first web, thereby applying the elastic element on the first web.

Abstract: The invention can efficiently provide a carcass member constituting a carcass layer of a radial tire, particularly, a carcass member a direction of a cord of which constitutes an angle of substantially 90° relative to a tire circumferential direction, and can easily adjust a length in accordance with a size, one piece of a cord (C) is continuously passed through a rubber coating die (14) to coat rubber on the cord, the rubber coated cord (C1) is shaped such that a sectional outer shape thereof constitutes an elliptical shape, the rubber coated cord (C1) is wound around an aligning drum (30) while adjusting a direction of the elliptical shape by way of an aligning guide (20) to bond without producing a gap to form a cylinder-like member (A1), thereafter, the cylinder-like member (A1) is cut in a direction in parallel with the drum axis center to constitute a sheet-like shape.

Abstract: The invention resides in enabling high-mix low-volume production by a compact apparatus for a rubber sheet reinforced with a cord of a belt material for a tire, a body-ply material, etc. variously changing a cord material, cord arrangement angle, width of sheet, etc. and relates to manufacturing apparatus and method for a rubber sheet reinforced with a cord according to wrapping around a rubber coated cord group continuously on a surface of a pair of a cylindrical rotating body rotating in the same direction or on a surface of a cylindrical rotating body disposed small diameter roller groups of plural number on a side surface of a cylinder.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing for a rubber sheet reinforced with a cord, it consists of a first cylinder formed to wrap around a rubber coated cord on a surface of the cylinder by rotating centering an axis of the cylinder and a second cylinder that is a smaller cylinder diameter than a cylinder diameter of the first cylinder and is established in parallel aligning a cylinder axis direction to the first cylinder, spirally winding continuously a great number of rubber coated cords on the surface of the cylinder contacting with each other by transferring the rubber coated cord from the first cylinder to the second cylinder.

Abstract: A method of making an elastic composite is provided. The method entails conveying a first web of material along a web plane path. The method also entails applying a first section of a first elastic strand onto the first web and generally transversely to the web plane path and applying a second section of a second elastic strand onto the first web and generally transversely to the web plane path. These applying steps are repeated while performing the conveying step, thereby arranging a plurality of first and second elastic elements on the first web, in generally parallel relation to one another. The resultant composite is suitable for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment, textile or fabric structure, and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing single ply, continuous, cross ply or angle ply thermoplastic prepregs comprising means for feeding a tape of thermoplastic prepreg material into the apparatus and around at least one carrier means for positioning and aligning the tape to form a tube in such a way as to maintain substantially uninterrupted contact between the leading edge of the incoming tape of material and the receding edge of the previous wrap of the tape means for creating a cohesive transitional tube by joining the edges of adjacent wraps means for cutting the resulting cohesive transitional tube so as to produce at least one thermoplastic prepreg product with desired shape, size and ply fibre orientation and means for collecting the thermoplastic prepreg products so produced.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for continuously manufacturing a thermoplastic resin film product of any width having a small film thickness and uniform flat surface at an excellent yield. A tubular resin film cutting and winding device for cutting a tubular resin film 1a into a helical shape and winding a long film 1b, comprising a cutting device having a cutting member 2 for cutting a tubular resin film 1a; a winding device 4 for winding the cut long film 1b; and a guide rollers 3 for guiding the cut long film to the winding device, wherein the cutting member 2 and the guide rollers 3 have a mechanism for rotation in the circumferential direction of the tubular resin film.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a unique non-woven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for adhesive coated parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation with the adhesive coating on the outside, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric composite so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator includes a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship. Tension on the weft yarns is provided by the rotation of the drum (centrifugal force) and a stationary conical aligner is used to guide the weft yarn material onto the warp yarns in substantially perpendicular alignment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making elongated articles are disclosed. One method includes feeding at least one base string along an axis, wrapping at least one monofilament around the axis to produce a number of monofilament wraps per length of base string which are transported by the base string, bonding the wraps to the base string with ultrasonic energy, and cutting the wraps at a point downstream of where the wraps are bonded to the base string. The result is an article having two rows of monofilament segments connected to the base string.

Abstract: In the present invention, hollow thermoplastic foam tubes of any desired diameter are easily achieved as well as large sheets or planks of thermoplastic foam material in any width and thickness desired by spirally wrapping and fusing a thermoplastic foam profile having a desired size and shape. By employing a thermoplastic foam extruder to produce a profile having a desired cross-sectional shape or configuration, and advancing the profile onto a rotating support member for being wrapped peripherally surrounding the rotating support and continuously bonding the abutting edges of the profile as the profile is spirally wound, a unique spiral forming and product manufacturing procedure and system is realized. By employing this unique spiral forming process, a hollow cylindrical thermoplastic foam tube is formed on a continuous basis, with the length thereof being controlled only by the needs of the customer.

Abstract: In the present invention, hollow thermoplastic foam tubes of any desired diameter are easily achieved as well as large sheets or planks of thermoplastic foam material in any width and thickness desired by spirally wrapping and fusing a thermoplastic foam profile having a desired size and shape. By employing a thermoplastic foam extruder to produce a profile having a desired cross-sectional shape or configuration, and advancing the profile onto a rotating support member for being wrapped peripherally surrounding the rotating support and continuously bonding the abutting edges of the profile as the profile is spirally wound, a unique spiral forming and product manufacturing procedure and system is realized. By employing this unique spiral forming process, a hollow cylindrical thermoplastic foam tube is formed on a continuous basis, with the length thereof being controlled only by the needs of the customer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a resin-impregnated fiber web that is particularly suitable for use in reinforced plastic composites and printed circuit board applications. The method includes the steps of drawing machine direction yarns from multiple spools contained in creels arranged around a hollow cylinder; passing machine direction yarns from the creels through a circular reed; pulling machine direction yarns the length of the hollow cylinder's outer surface in a longitudinal direction; controlling the application of an uncured or partially cured thermoset or thermoplastic resin to the yarns as they travel the length of the hollow cylinder; winding cross-direction yarns around the periphery of the hollow cylinder (i.e., on top of the machine direction yarns) thereby forming a web; heating and cooling the resulting web; and finally collecting the web on a roll.

Abstract: lining apparatus deals with tubular culverts having various cross sections which are not limited to a general cross section of a circular shape but may be constituted by an oval shape, a rectangular shape or another polygonal shape and the like. The lining apparatus inserts a tubular body (lining pipe) formed by spirally winding a strip member having a long sheet-like body at an inner face of an existing tubular culvert such as a sewage pipe, a water supply pipe, a gas pipe or the like. The lining apparatus is constituted mainly by a forming frame in a closed loop shape made flexible by a link mechanism having a series of links. A joint mechanism unit is attached to the forming frame and a peripheral length adjusting mechanism adjusts the peripheral length. An interval maintaining mechanism fixes the peripheral length. Rotary guides are mounted to the forming frame and a rigid regulating frame is brought into contact with the rotary guides and is arranged on the inner side of the forming frame.

Abstract: Substantially constant tension is maintained on a melt-blown nonwoven fibrous sheet by mounting the sheet take-up roller for longitudinal movements relative so as to accommodate the increasing diameter of the sheet material being wound convolutely on the take-up roller. Sheet tension during production is thereby maintained substantially constant by virtue of a continual increase in the longitudinal distance (in relation to the machine direction) between the fiber collection mandrel and the take-up roll. Preferably, tension control is achieved by a pneumatic pressure-regulating system which includes at least one rotatable press roller which is longitudinally fixed in position relative to the collection mandrel and is in contact with the sheet material being wound around the take-up roll. The take-up roller is pneumatically advanced toward the press roller by the pneumatic actuation of at least one air cylinder.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing a plurality of bundles of semipermeable hollow fibers for a membrane device from a sheet of fibers (19) formed by winding a fiber or a stranded set of fibers (11) on a drum (1, 2) consists in:cutting the sheet of fibers (19) on the drum (1, 2) along a line of cut that is substantially parallel to the axis of the drum (1, 2);laying out the sheet of fibers (19) on a plane (14);rolling up the sheet of fibers (19) in a direction perpendicular to the line of cut to form a single bundle of fibers (45); andcutting up the single bundle of fibers (45) into a plurality of bundles for a membrane device.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a fiber optic display screen is disclosed where a fiber is guided onto a revolving drum and disposed into input and output clamps located on the surface of the drum. The fiber guiding device allows the fiber to be precisely located on the surface of the drum in a hexagonal offset pattern in corresponding locals in the input and output clamps. The strand is continuously guided over several layers of long thin rectangular slotted spacers until the desired height of the display is created. The fibers between the output spacers are then cut to form two or more rectangular or square shaped fiber optic display screen apparatus. Large display screens can be constructed by placing several sections of these display apparatus together.

Abstract: Flexible tubular film is helically cut into a flat strip by feeding the tubular film in flattened form from a supply source to a film feeding means advancing the flat film tube at a predetermined velocity to a tube expansion zone in which the flat tube is expanded into a generally cylindrical tube and passed axially over a hollow mandrel slightly less in external diameter than the diameter of the expanded tube to be cut helically while on the mandrel into a flat strop that is removed at an angle to the mandrel axis. The tube is expanded in the zone by inflation with air fed through the mandrel in a direction countercurrent to the direction of tube movement and under a pressure sufficient to render the expanded tube stiff as it slides over the mandrel and resistant to deformation while being helically cut.

Abstract: The method of fabricating selectively shaped dog-leg plies of composite material comprising unidirectionally extending high tensile strength fibers or filaments extending for the full length of the ply and embedded in a resin matrix comprising winding high tensile strength filament onto a mandrel of generally cylindrical shape but having circumferentially extending frustoconical projections extending radially therefrom so that the filament wound onto the cylindrical portion of the mandrel forms the straight legs of the dog-leg ply and so that the filament wound on the frustoconical projection of the mandrel form the arcuate central portion of the dog-leg ply.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for dispensing tape of a thermoplastic matrix composite material onto a recipient surface comprising in combination support means for mounting a reel of tape; feed means for unwinding the tape from the reel and advancing it along a path of travel to the mandrel; a guillotine knife in the path of travel for cutting the tape at a predetermined angle with respect to the path of travel; a slotted, box-type pre-heater for the tape located in the path of travel following the knife for providing heat to the tape; a heated pressure roller located in the path of travel following the pre-heater for providing additional heat to the tape for effecting a process operating temperature and for applying the required pressure to the tape for lamination of the tape onto the recipient surface; cooling means located in the path of travel beyond the pressure roller for reducing the process heat from the laminated tape on the recipient surface and to smoothing it for thereby obtain the desired surface finish; an

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making fiber optic light transfer devices has apparatus to continuously supply a selected number of optical fibers, apparatus to form those fibers into a ribbon and adjust to different wrapping radii of a wrapper. The wrapper is in the form of a rotary wheel on which there is mounted a matrix former and a spaced ribbon former. The end of the ribbon is clamped to the rotary wheel and as the wheel is rotated successive wraps of ribbon are made on aligned U-shaped support surfaces of the formers. A separator is positioned between each ribbon layer in the matrix former and a channel-shaped locator element is positioned on the spaced ribbon former before each ribbon layer is wrapped thereon. A reflective glue is added to the layers in both formers. A clamp clamps the wrapped layers in each former after which they are cured in an oven.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for manufacturing pile fabrics, a method of using the apparatus and pile fabrics produced by the method. The apparatus is particularly suitable for use in the production of pile fabrics incorporating natural woollen fibers by adhesion of a series of courses of wool fiber to a backing sheet of appropriate material.

Abstract: A predetermined number of optical fibre parts (27) is provided on a rectangular frame (1), the fibre parts extending parallel to each other along a straight line between two opposite first sides (3) of the frame. These first sides (3) comprise comb-shaped fibre guides (5) with teeth (13), between which the fibre parts (27) are guided so that the fibre guides determine a first relative distance between the fibre parts. The first sides (3) are pivotably connected to the two second sides (7) of the frame (1), which is then deformed to a parallelogram until the portions of the fibre parts (27) located inside the frame have a predetermined second relative distance. A permanent connection between the fibre parts (27) is established so that a ribbon of fibre parts is obtained. A number of such ribbons can be stacked with the interposition of strip-shaped spacers (29) to form a bundle.

Abstract: A nozzle structure for supplying synthetic resin to a core of a sheet molding apparatus for molding a sheet molding compound. The nozzle structure has a hollow annular nozzle with an opening directed generally along or at an angle to the core on which the sheet is being molded, and frustoconical members are provided for guiding linear materials through the nozzle structure for coating them with synthetic resin.

Abstract: A varied thickness laminate or panel (92, 128) is fabricated by polar winding incomplete lamina or plies (54, 146, 148) on a mandrel (10, 110, 130) at selected angles. The plies (54) are wound at crossing angles, first one layer (60) at one angle and then a second layer (64) at a second angle. At the most remote crossing point from a wide starting end (32), a V (66) is formed between the crossing plies (60, 64) and in the space (62) formed by the V (66), no plies extend on the mandrel side (30). Thus, the winding on each side (30) is incomplete, a space (62) between successive V's (66, 154, 164, 174) being skipped by steps of the crossing plies. The first V (66) starts a taper from wide starting end (32) to narrow other end (34). Successive plies are wound around the mandrel from the polar ends (48, 50, 134), each successive set forming a V so as to thicken the windings in steps formed by the V's.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making toothed belts and toothed belt made using such method and apparatus are provided wherein the belt is made primarily of polymeric material and is comprised of at least parts of a plurality of successive turns of a single helically wound toothed strip wherein the turns are bonded together in adjoining side-by-side relation and the toothed belt has improved teeth comprised of teeth initially provided in the single toothed strip by compressed, displaced, and reshaped portions of hot strip means of substantially self-supporting quadrilateral cross-sectional configuration employed to define such single strip.

Abstract: A can is provided that includes a tubular can body having a separation line extending from one end to the other with a label over it to prevent the separation line from opening during shipment or storage. The label includes a partial circumferential collar cut extending from one edge of the label material toward the other edge and having a termination point spaced from the other edge of the label. According to one method of manufacture the cuts in the label are formed by severing the label stock just before it is wound upon the fiber body during the manufacture of the tube from which can length pieces are cut. The knife is moved rectilinearly parallel to the tube with the same component of velocity that the label has parallel to the axis of the tube thereby providing a cut in the label at right angles to the can axis.

Abstract: In a method for feeding reinforcing strand when making a tubular product of plastic or other synthetic material, comprising supplying helically a supporting strand during rotation of a tube blank and applying a longitudinal reinforcing strand to the blank, the longitudinal reinforcement strand is in form of pieces cut off from a continuous strand after abutment thereof against the supporting strand. The continuous strand gradually displaces the cut off lengths of strand during the rotation of the tube blank. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for feeding support helically around a rotating tube blank, means for feeding portions of additional reinforcing strand oriented in the direction of the tube blank to place the portions between the supporting strands and the tube blank, and means for cutting off said axially orientated reinforcing strands. The cutting is carried out when the strand portion is held by at least one supporting strand.