Abstract: A method of producing cement mortar mouldings is provided. Cement mortar material is supplied onto a lower mould. The lower mould is then brought into a vertical alignment with an upper mould. The lower and upper moulds are pressed to each other to compress the cement mortar material which is, in turn, dehydrated by suction means. While maintaining the suction, the lower mould is separated from the upper mould to leave a moulding on the upper mould. This mould is placed on a conveyor for later processing.An apparatus for producing cement mortar mouldings is also provided. The apparatus comprises upper and lower moulds, suction means, mould actuating means, and conveyor means. The suction means is provided in association with the upper mould to assure both dehydration and holding of the molding manufactured from the compressed from the moulding material.

Abstract: A method is provided for making shaped self-supporting carbon-fiber structure by initially forming a fluid mixture of curable binder and carbon-fiber. The mixture is poured into a mold, and a vacuum is applied to the mold to effect the separation of excess binder. Cure is effected of the residual binder to produce a removable self-supporting shaped carbon-fiber structure.

Abstract: Large blocks of cheese are formed in a container having a removable bottom, side walls, and an essentially open top. A plurality of upstanding perforated tapered posts extend from the removable bottom to essentially the desired final height of the cheese block. The posts are longitudinally and laterally spaced from one another so that the curd surrounds each post when the container is filled with curd. Pressure is then applied downward to the curd in the container which compacts the curd and causes draining of whey through the upstanding perforated posts. After the curd has been compacted to the desired height, and the whey has been drained through the upstanding perforated posts, the container is inverted and the tapered posts are withdrawn. Pressure is again applied to cause the curd surrounding each perforated post to knit together and aid in removal of any additional whey, thereby providing a cheese block of uniform texture.

Abstract: Apparatus for making a fibrous element includes an elongate foraminous former provided by at least one foraminous belt, with a foraminous forming chamber through which said belt passes and which is formed to a hollow shape thereby. The belt is driven through the forming chamber, and fluid is extracted in a fluid extraction zone which surrounds at least part of the forming chamber and formed by a closed drainage casing. An injection nozzle injects a fibrous dispersion into the former within said forming chamber with the injection nozzle being dimensioned so as to substantially exclude the ingress of air around an interface with the walls of said belt so that the apparatus produces an elongate fibrous element having an outer core of greater density than the inner core which it surrounds.

Abstract: A method of making molding compounds, and particularly sheet molding compounds, wherein the reactive monomers are mixed directly with high density inorganic fillers and other ingredients of a molding compound. The monomers are converted to a resin insitu that is in or approaching the B-stage, so that the material is handleable as a solid and is moldable. Because of the amount, type, and thermal conductivity of the fillers, the resinification can be done quickly in a continuous process, by reason of the fact that the monomers are spread over a large surface area of inert fillers to provide good heat transfer, and exceedingly good process control.

Abstract: A process for making dry carbon/polytetrafluoroethylene floc material, particularly useful in the manufacture of fuel cell electrodes, comprises of the steps of floccing a co-suspension of carbon particles and polytetrafluoroethylene particles, filtering excess liquids from the co-suspension, molding pellet shapes from the remaining wet floc solids without using significant pressure during the molding, drying the wet floc pellet shapes within the mold at temperatures no greater than about 150.degree. F., and removing the dry pellets from the mold.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a filament reinforced metal matrix composite comprises bonding a plurality of filaments to a perforated metal foil with a fugitive binder, overlaying the filaments with a second perforated metal foil to form a stack, positioning the stack in a vacuum die, heating the stack in a vacuum to cause vaporization of the binder and evacuation of the vapors through the perforations in the foils and hot pressing to consolidate the stack.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the production of molded bodies which are shaped by means of a filtration-dehydration process wherein such bodies after shaping are subjected to a rolling movement preferably by means of a roller conveyor to strengthen and homogenize the same before being further processed.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing fiberboard and the like from fibrous sheeting material by the dry method, in which the fibrous sheeting material is advanced from a forming station while supported on a perforated endless belt to a pressing station where it is compressed to desired thickness and compactness. During the advancement of the sheeting material from the forming station to the pressing station, air is evacuated from the fibrous material by suction from beneath the endless belt while the sheeting is being simultaneously subjected to a preliminary compression, without disturbing the fiber orientation therein, but sufficient to render the sheeting material self-supporting during its further advancement to the pressing station, from which it is passed to cutting station for subdivision into board units.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for vacuum processing concrete for removing surplus water from the concrete by exposing the concrete to vacuum. According to the invention solid particles are prevented from being sucked away from the concrete by applying the vacuum to the concrete surface through a sheet perforated with a great number of holes. The holes are sized to substantially exceed the smallest particles to be prevented from being sucked away by filtering within the concrete.

Abstract: An apparatus for pressing and vacuum treating cheese curd to provide a cheese block wherein the receptacle for the curd is used as part of the vacuum chamber. The apparatus includes a simple attachment for a curd receptacle whereby the curd within the receptacle can be pressed while at the same time the curd is deaerated with vacuum.

Abstract: A machine producing moulded components in a compactable material, the components being produced in die cavities in a die plate disposed between a filter assembly and a die cover plate, pressure of the compactable material in the die cavities causing filtration and compaction of the material. The compactable material may be a slurry material containing particles of magnetic material for the production of permanent magnet compacts, in which case means may be provided for producing an induced magnetic field around the die cavities before and during the compaction process.

Abstract: Moulding apparatus including a die, a first hydraulic ram member for opening and closing the die and a second ram member, contained within the first ram member, for injecting mouldable material into the die. The apparatus may be for moulding permanent magnet compacts in which case means may be provided for maintaining a magnetic field around the material in the die.

Abstract: Apparatus for moulding components in compactable materials, including a die plate with die cavities closed by a filter assembly at one side of the die plate, the filter assembly being constituted by a filter block with a grooved or perforated surface and a filter pad in abutment with said grooved or perforated surface. The compactable material may be a slurry material containing magnetic particles for producing permanent magnet compacts, in which case means may be provided for maintaining a magnetic field around the die cavities.

Abstract: An apparatus is connected directly on-line with an extruder to inject fluid into or to remove fluid from a fresh extrusion on a continuous basis as the latter is extruded. In one case the fluid injected is a catalyst that causes curing of a mixing of particulate matter and resin binder. In the method one part of a two part binder mechanism is mixed with a particulate material, and the mixture is extruded on a continuous basis. The second part of the binder then is injected into the fresh extrusion on a continuous basis downstream of the extruder output to cure the extrusion. The extruder die also may include fluid injecting paths, on the one hand, for injecting lubricant or, on the other hand, for injecting of the second binder part, e.g. catalyst, into the relatively less dense material near the upstream end of the die.

Abstract: Crumbled cheese curd is fed into the top of a hollow column in a chamber maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure so as to form in the column a pillar of curd devoid of air pockets, the curd in the lower portion of the pillar being compressed by the weight of superimposed curd to press out whey therefrom and consolidate the curd, the whey passing through perforations in the wall of the column, and the pillar of curd is repeatedly lowered, the bottom end of the pillar severed to form a block of cheese, and fresh curd added to the top of the pillar. The curd is fed into the chamber through a feedpipe connected between the top of the chamber and the outlet of a hopper containing curd under atmospheric pressure, the differential pressure between the hopper and the chamber causing curd to flow along the feedpipe. The feedpipe discharges into a cyclone separator in the top of the chamber for separating air from the curd.

Abstract: For casting large concrete articles, a wheel-mounted main frame supports a mould assembly which can be rotated about a horizontal axis, and also raised and lowered. This assembly has two main mould sections oppositely arranged so that when one faces upwards the other faces downwards. A removable mould section fitted to each main mould section forms a complete mould capable, when uppermost, of receiving concrete to be cast. The mould assembly may then be inverted and lowered to a support, and the removable mould section disconnected to serve as a pallet for the cast article. The mould assembly may be raised, concrete may be cast in the other mould, which is uppermost, and the main frame may be moved clear of the deposited cast article.

Abstract: Fiber reinforced plastic structural components having curved surface areas are produced in molds utilizing a bleeder cloth comprising a textile-like non-woven polyester fabric characterized by a fiber interlock value of at least 7 and a fiber entanglement completeness of at least 0.5. The utilization of this bleeder cloth allows quicker assembly of the mold components since cutting and forming are not necessary, proper pressure transmittal is ensured, and the air permeability, drape, stretchability, and resin holding capacity of the cloth are ideal. For producing the desired structural components with curved surface areas, at least one layer of resin pre-impregnated partially cured fabric is disposed in cooperation with a first mold section, a release liner is placed on the fabric, and a bleeder cloth according to the invention is placed on the release liner.

Abstract: Voids in an artificial or natural structure are filled with a hardenable material in a liquid or semi-liquid state by surrounding the structure or a part of the structure containing the voids by a closely fitting, fluid-impermeable covering and sealing boundary edges of the covering to the structure to form a substantially fluid-tight enclosure. Air is evacuated from the voids within the fluid-tight enclosure and hardenable material in a liquid or semi-liquid state is allowed to enter into the evacuated voids until the hardenable material appears at the openings of the voids in the surface or surfaces of the structure. The hardenable material is then permitted or caused to set. The covering may be formed wholly or in part by at least one closely fitting, flexible, fluid-impermeable shroud, which is preferably transparent. At least part of the covering may comprise at least one closely fitting, fluid-impermeable coating.

Abstract: Mats of aligned fibers are formed by feeding a dispersion of fibers through an aligning nozzle onto the inner surface of a cylindrical permeable surface and rotating the surface sufficiently rapidly to remove the dispersion medium and maintain the fiber alignment on the surface.

Abstract: A gas-permeable seamless pipe structure formed in a pipe shape by a wet process comprising (A) 20 to 95% by weight of thermoplastic fibers and (B) 5 to 80% by weight of a component consisting of (a) 20 to 100% of other fibers being infusible at the fusing temperature of said thermoplastic fibers (A) or having a higher melting point than said thermoplastic fibers (A) and (b) 0 to 80% by weight of a void-containing particulate material having an apparent density of not more than 1 and an average particle size of 20 to 2,000 microns and being infusible at the fusing temperature of said thermoplastic fibers (A), said thermoplastic fibers (A) being bonded to the other component (B) as a result of heat fusing; a method for producing the pipe structure; and an apparatus for use in this method. The pipe structure has superior physical properties such as strength and hardness, good water resistance, light weight and superior gas-permeability.

Abstract: A greater percentage of hole area is provided in opposite leg portions of the semi-cylindrical perforated backing plate of either the core or the pressing head of a mold box assembly, used in the pressing of a slurry into semi-cylindrical bodies of lightweight thermal insulation for pipe, than in the crown portion connecting the leg portions. More uniform density is thereby provided in the pieces of insulation, and breakage during handling before curing is greatly reduced.

Abstract: In order to dry wet strands of plastics which have been passed through a cooling bath during the manufacture of plastics granules, we provide an apparatus and a process in which the strands are fed through a gap and a current of air is passed through the gap in order to dry the strands.