Abstract: A tank or bottle including two end portions separated by a corrugated cylindrical body, with the corrugated cylindrical body being circumferentially reinforced. A longitudinal reinforcement is disposed along an entire outer surface of the tank with the exception of openings provided in the end portions for accommodating closure elements, whereby it is possible to reduce a thickness of the end portions and to reduce the overall weight of the tank.

Abstract: A composite structure for rocket motors includes a longitudinal element of the composite structure, which is an assembly of segments of clamshell or barrel stave form. The element is held in place by a circumferential element, which is a composite overwrap of reinforcing fibers in a resin matrix. The matrix may be thermoplastic or thermosetting. The reinforcing fiber being high strength polyolefin thereby providing the rocket motor with insensitive munitions capability.

Abstract: A light weight filament wound pressure vessel for retaining gases under high pressure is formed with a barrier liner, in which the liner comprises a single layer of biaxially stretched and oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic material.

Abstract: A metal lined pressure vessel has a filament wound shell with a curved polar end. The shell has polar opening, and a metal internal liner is substantially surrounded by the shell and has an opening aligned with the polar opening in the shell. A boss or fitting is disposed at the polar end and has a tubular neck projecting through the opening in the shell and an annular flange which extends radially from an inner end of the neck within the vessel. A shear stress relieving layer is bonded between the boss and the metal liner to relieve stresses induced when the vessel is pressurized, and the liner is affixed to the boss continuously about the opening in the liner for isolating the layer from fluid in the vessel.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an integrally wound joint structure with filament wound composite structure at an adjacent end of the integrally wound joint structure and having means for attaching said integrally wound joint structure to another structure provided at other end of said joint structure. The joint structure includes filament winding over a joint tube or joint solid with appropriately sized and spaced grooves running circumferentially around the outer surface of the joint structure. A curable resin is employed in filament winding to complete an assembly which is placed in a conventional oven and allowed to cure.

Abstract: A reservoir for storing a pressurized fluid is disclosed, having a longitudinal axis and comprising a central tubular portion closed at its ends by two bottoms, one at least of which bulges outwardly and is provided with a neck, and also a method of manufacturing such a reservoir.According to the invention, said reservoir is formed by a tubular shell of a composite fiber-thermoplastic binder material and two end pieces made from a thermoplastic material strengthened with reinforcement fibers, said shell and said end pieces being secured solidly together by local heat-melted zones.

Abstract: A storage tank comprises a cylindrical-shaped main body, end caps, a manway and a set of support ribs extending circumferentially around the main body. The manway is integral with a main body of the storage tank and has a side wall which extends generally vertically from the main body with a terminus which forms a substantially horizontal plane and defines an opening. A manway lid is dimensioned to cover the opening and has means to removably secure it to the manway. The cylindrical-shaped main body and manway are formed together using a fibrous reinforcing material and a resinous material so as to be integral with one another.

Abstract: A pressure vessel of fibre-reinforced plastic has an essentially cylindrical central portion (10) and two end portions (11, 12) and is preferably provided with a gas-tight liner (14). The central portion comprises a tangential winding (20) of the fibre material, in which the fibre material is oriented in an essentially tangential direction and an axial winding (21), located outside the tangential winding, of fibre material in which the fibre material is oriented in an essentially axial direction and the fibre material of which extends out into and forms a reinforcement of the fibre material in the end portions. The central portion, including its tangential winding and its axial winding, in each of its parts (10a, 20a, 21a) located nearest to an end portion, is formed with a diameter which decreases in a direction towards the end portion.