Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-sealing flexible plastic valve for a non-latex balloon, to a balloon incorporating such a valve, to a method of manufacturing such a valve, and to a method of manufacturing a balloon incorporating such a valve. The valve is made from two flexible plastic strips, bonded together along the side edges to define a valve passageway or tube, and having an open inlet end and an open outlet end. The inlet end of one or both valve strips flares or otherwise curls outwardly to facilitate opening of the valve to insert a gas supply mechanism to inflate the balloon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing carpet which provides for assembling and suspending a wheeled gantry hoist over a work domain for lifting furniture or other objects in a work-space, raising the suspended furniture by as little as one-half inch, and subsequently installing rolled carpet beneath the furniture. The wheeled gantry hoist comprises a pair of mobile support trusses spanned by an elongated beam of sufficient length to permit the full width of the carpet to be passed thereunder. The beam suspends at least one ratchet winch adapted to lift modular office panels and furniture and be slidably and detachably suspended from the beam. The carpet roll, having been rolled onto a spindle, is horizontally supported by a mobile carriage for spooling out the carpet. A blower is disposed to force high-velocity air beneath adhesive carpet to lift the carpet and prevent adhesion of the carpet to the floor as the carpet is being pulled beneath the raised furniture to be set in place by an installer.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying strip fastener elements or zippers to web material includes an unwind stand holding a roll of film material, an infeed dancer arrangement of rollers, a zipper apparatus which conditions zipper material, cuts zippers and delivers zippers to a zipper feed apparatus. The zipper feed apparatus loads zippers into a sealing platen of a rotating turret. The rotating turret carries the zippers successively to a position adjacent a surface of the film and a seal bar presses the film to successive zippers to seal the zippers thereto while a new zipper is being received in a sealing platen of the turret at a loading station at a rotational position at a distance from the sealing station. The film with zippers attached is drawn downstream of the turret to a rewind dancer roll assembly and thereafter to a rewind stand for winding into a roll of zippered film.

Abstract: In a method of producing a filter body which comprises adsorber particles fixedly connected together by an adhesive and which is formed with through passages, a base member having through holes is used, through the through holes in which are passed needles which close off the through holes. The needles project into a housing chamber which is defined by the base member and into which the adsorber particles are then introduced. The needles project with end portions out of the adsorber particle bed. The adsorber particles are consolidated by the adhesive to constitute the filter body. Thereafter the needles are withdrawn from the consolidated filter body to give a filter body with corresponding through passages.

Abstract: An air purifier, an air filter and a method of manufacturing an air filter for an air purifier are provided. The air purifier includes a base assembly, a filter assembly and a grill. A fan is mounted to the base assembly, and draws air through the filter assembly. The base and filter assemblies include adjoining walls having openings which are substantially smaller in area than the areas of the adjoining walls and area through which air is drawn in through the filter assembly. A resilient gasket having a passage approximately the size of these openings is positioned between the adjoining walls. The filter assembly is drawn towards the base assembly when the fan is operated, thereby enhancing the seal formed by the gasket against the adjoining walls. Unfiltered air is accordingly unlikely to bypass the filter assembly. The air filter is manufactured in an efficient manner through the use of a back plate having oblique end portions.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rigid fiber composite material and the product thereof created by needling a composite of a non-woven blend of first fibers with a initial melting point with one or more other fibers with higher melting points that are interposed between two interentangled non-woven layers of the first fibers and then heating this composite to a level above the melting point of the first fibers forming a plasticized structure.

Abstract: Wear resistant devices and methods of their manufacture in which the intended function or result of the devices is to influence operational coefficients of friction. The devices are made of fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials produced by nonwoven textile and plastics industries' materials and methods.

Abstract: Decorative cords for leather, vinyl or leather and vinyl furniture are made by feeding a strip of vinyl and lengths of one or more filler yarns through a hollow cylindrical feeder tube which causes the longitudinal edges of the vinyl strip to wrap around the filler yarns and meet where they are welded together to form a tubular cord structure with an almost invisible seam. A plurality of such cords may be twisted together and welded to form multi-ply cords for decorating furniture. A tab may be welded along the length of the cords for being sewn into the seam of an upholstered cushion or the like.

Abstract: A distinctive technique for creating a shaped article (90, 100) includes a pivoting of a first portion (56) of a cooperating web layer (26) substantially about a first joining region (40) to lie laterally adjacent to a first portion (52) of a primary web layer (24). The cooperating web layer (26) has been positioned in a superposed facing relation with the primary web layer (24) with the primary web layer having a first and second, lateral side edge regions (32, 34), and the cooperating web layer having third and fourth, lateral side edge regions (36, 38). The first side edge region (32) of the primary web layer (24) has been synchronized to the third side edge region (36) of the cooperating web layer (26) along the first joining region (40), and the second side edge region (34) of the primary web layer (24) has been synchronized to the fourth side edge region (38) of the cooperating web layer (26) along a second joining region (42) to provide a synchronized laminated web (44).

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical isolator having at least one fitting cemented onto an insulating body, in which the insulating body is bonded to the fitting via a cement shell, wherein a laminated layer which contains at least two layers of different materials is applied on the fitting between the cement shell and the fitting, wherein at least one of the layers protects the fitting from corrosion and wherein at least one other layer permits movement between the cement shell and the fitting.

Abstract: I improve the impact shock resistance of bonds between composite elements by including Z-pin reinforcement. I prepare stubbled composite structure by using peel plys over the appropriate surface of the composite during pin insertion using conventional processes. I then use the stubbled composite structure with padups, as necessary, to produce the Z-pin reinforced joint or bond between composite elements using any of adhesive bonding, cocuring, or thermoplastic welding.

Abstract: A pressure applicator device for applying pressure to a repair patch of a variable contoured aircraft surface, the pressure applicator device is provided with an inflatable pressure bladder. The bladder is configured for applying pressure to the repair patch and is formed of a generally fluid tight elastic material. The pressure applicator device is further provided with at least one variable direction adjustable arm. The arm is disposed in mechanical communication with the bladder for facilitating the application of pressure by the bladder to the repair patch upon inflation of the bladder. The bladder is further provided with at least one suction device for providing suction attachment to the aircraft surface. The bladder is attachable to a respective one of the at least one variable direction adjustable arm. The arm facilitates selective attachment of the respective suction device to the variable contoured aircraft surface while maintaining the position of the bladder with respect to the repair patch.

Abstract: A process for preparing a lap seam for roofing comprising applying a butyl rubber-containing primer with a mesh pad to the EPDM membrane surfaces to be joined. The primer is applied with a long-handled applicator to permit the roofer to stand during priming. Thereafter a splice tape is positioned between the primed surfaces to form a seam structure and pressure is applied to the structure thus provided to form an adhesively-held lap seam characterized by being watertight and having superior peel strength when compared to other methods of making seam tapes.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement for sealing overlapped edge portions of laminates folded onto a support member. The arrangement includes a pressure pad assembly and a drive member. An elastomeric disk is retained compressed between the drive member and the pressure pad assembly. A drive unit serves to extend the drive member to thereby urge the pressure pad via the elastomeric disk into pressure sealing engagement with the overlapped laminates on the support member.

Abstract: A Process for Joining Plastic Moldings Plastic moldings can be joined with one-component or two-component adhesives, the connecting joint being spanned by metal strips. The metal strips are at least partly embedded in the adhesive layer. This process is particularly suitable for repairing damaged plastic moldings, more particularly automobile parts, for example fenders. The moldings repaired by the process according to the invention are restored to their original performance properties, more particularly dimensional rigidity, impact strength and appearance. In the event of scrapping, the moldings thus repaired are fully recyclable by conventional methods.

Abstract: A process for patching a crack or other defect in a thick-walled steel component, such as the wall of a pressure vessel, is provided. Stacked sheets of pre-impregnated carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy are bonded together and cured by interposed layers of a second resin. A structural adhesive is used to bond the stack to the steel to form the patch.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing angiographic catheters comprises providing a length of elastomeric tube of a predetermined outer diameter and braiding multiple strands of wire wrapping about its exterior. A plastic bonding agent is extruded onto the entire length of the wire wrapping to bond the strands to each other. Thereafter, the wire wrapping is ground away at predetermined spaced locations along the length of the elastomeric tube to provide a series of wire wrapped sections joined by non-wrapped sections. An elastomer layer is disposed over both the wire wrapped sections and the non-wrapped sections throughout the length thereof. Subsequently, the coated length is severed into pieces with the pieces each constituting unitary construction including a wire wrapped section that forms a catheter body and a non-wrapped section joined to at least one end thereof to constitute a flexible catheter tip.

Abstract: I improve the impact shock resistance of bonds between composite elements by including Z-pin reinforcement. I prepare stubbled composite structure by using peel plys over the appropriate surface of the composite during pin insertion using conventional processes. I then use the stubbled composite structure with padups, as necessary, to produce the Z-pin reinforced joint or bond between composite elements using any of adhesive bonding, cocuring, or thermoplastic welding.

Abstract: A structural member formed from a billet, each member comprising a plurality of elongate corrugated paperboard sheets bonded together with an adhesive and disposed between a top and a bottom cap, each cap comprising at least one ply of a fibreboard sheet, a pair of side caps of a solid fibreboard sheet bonded to respective side faces of the paperboard sheet and to the respective edges of the top and bottom caps. The billet comprises a plurality of structural members each separated by a corrugated paperboard rip-out sheet. A method of manufacture is disclosed in which the billet is built up of structural members and rip-out sheets. The billet is then ripped into planks which are ripped along the rip-out sheets to separate the structural members for use as a substitute member for wood cleats or members.

Abstract: A method for repairing a high temperature composite structure fabricated from layers of composite plies. If the composite structure contains an internal high temperature core, the core is first restored by installing a core block into the damaged region, bonding the core block in place by applying high temperature material resin and uncured foam material into the region between the core block and the damaged region, and partially curing the core block. A number of repair plies, formed from pre-impregnated composite material or formed using dry cloth manually impregnated with high temperature resin are prepared. The repair plies are sized and shaped using a series of templates corresponding to the damaged region. The installed plies are cured using high temperature localized heating of the damaged region without impairing the surrounding structure.