Abstract: An apparatus includes a frame and a crucible having a central axis and a bottom. The crucible is supported and is moved so that the central axis of the crucible describes a substantially conical surface with an apex located substantially on the central axis and spaced from the bottom of the crucible by a distance equal to or less than the crucible height. The crucible is restrained against rotation about its own axis.

Abstract: An extruder delivers an extrudate at a temperature in the low end of the extruding range between 250.degree. and 550.degree. F. between opposed rollers carrying mating dies. The dies are sprayed with mold release agent when away from the extrudate. The extrudate is cooled after leaving the region between a pair of rollers and may enter the region between other similar pairs of rollers. Cold plastic inserts may be inserted into molded items.

Abstract: Mandrel-cured, curved elastomeric hose is provided with an indexing mark that is formed prior to or during curing of the hose on the mandrel. The rigid curved mandrel has an exterior hose-bearing surface and an interior cavity. The cavity and exterior surface are connected by a small passageway or hole which is located where the index mark is to be made on the hose. A sleeve having a wall of uncured elastomeric material is mounted on the mandrel such that a portion of the sleeve covers the passageway. The mandrel having the sleeve mounted thereon is placed in an autoclave and subjected to steam pressure. The steam pressure forces elastomer material into the passageway and thereafter cures the elastomer sleeve into a hose. The pressure inside the cavity is approximately atmospheric at the introduction of the steam pressure. The cavity within the mandrel may be sealed except for the passageway or the cavity and the passageway may be vented to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The invention applies to thermoforming apparatus with presses in which the objects are formed and cut in one unit and relates to an extractor for removing the objects from the presses and setting them down elsewhere, among other places in the channels of a stacker. The extractor consists of a movable plate (12) provided with channels and holes for supplying adjustable suction and compression by connection to a vacuum and compressed air unit in order to extract the objects (13) from the recesses in a die (9) and to transfer them to a stacker (26).

Abstract: Apparatus for producing moldings from a dry, particulate or granular material such as a ceramic molding composition, comprises a first mold half carried on the base of a press, while a vacuum shooting head, a second mold half and a removal head are carried on a movable carriage supported by a press head of the press. The carriage is displaceable transversely of the pressing direction so that the vacuum shooting head, the second mold half, and the removal head can be successively brought into alignment with the first mold half to allow the molding process to be performed rapidly and continuously without long gaps in the successive pressing stages.

Abstract: A screw extruder and positive displacement wave pump assembly for plasticating or melting solid plastic material or the like, including an extruder screw member in an elongated cylindrical barrel having an upstream end and a downstream or discharge end, the screw being rotatably housed in portions of the barrel adjacent the upstream end. The screw has a helical thread of plural turns integral with the core of the screw having a minimum clearance to the barrel for feeding the plastic material along the screw from its feed end to its discharge end.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for applying gasket material to the skirt of a gasket for the mounting cup of an aerosol container, wherein the gasket material is mechanically applied to the mounting cup through the use of a novel mandrel and cutting arrangement. A mounting cup, having a uniquely placed gasket, said gasket extending from the skirt into the channel of the mounting cup.

Abstract: The method of manufacturing building bricks from an earth-based material, comprises:providing an open topped variable volume mold (140) whose bottom face is constituted by a piston (156);placing the open top of the mold under a feeder (95) for supplying earth-based compressible material;lowering the piston to a predetermined level to gravity load the chamber with a predetermined volume of material;displacing the mold transversely (204) relative to the loading direction until the said opening is closed by a compression plate;driving the piston (156) by means of a pressure-controlled jack (160) to compress the contents of the mold chamber to a predetermined pressure;displacing the mold transversely a second time to disengage the said opening from the compression plate, and raising the said piston by means of the said pressure-controlled jack to eject the compressed-earth product.

Abstract: This invention relates to safety devices built into a machine designed to press a ball of dough into a pizza crust of uniform predetermined size.

Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for forming preimpregnated composite material into thin, narrow structural elements or "fillets" (18). The machine includes a cylindrical lower forming roll (26) rotatably mounted at its ends between two side plates (40). A cylindrical upper forming roll (28) is mounted above the lower forming roll and urged into frictional contact therewith. Annular protrusions (30) are formed in the periphery of the lower forming roll and project radially therefrom. Each protrusion comprises a groove (34) formed in its outermost surface that defines a die. The die, with the outer surface of the upper forming roll, combine to form an orifice (35). Each orifice is shaped substantially identical to the cross-sectional shape of the fillet. A strip of composite material (24) is fed through a series of guides and into a selected orifice. A drive mechanism (36) causes rotation of the lower forming roll and hence the frictionally contacting upper forming roll.

Abstract: An endless power transmission belt construction or the like formed of material that is mainly polymeric material and a method and apparatus for forming the same are provided, the belt construction comprising a tension section, a compression section, and a load-carrying section disposed intermediate the tension section and the compression section with at least part of the material of at least one of the sections having been oriented by the force of field line means imposed thereon.

Abstract: A pre-shaped aluminum plate is held against the flat end wall of an inverted mold cavity by vacuum pressure communicated through bore holes in the wall leading to a vacuum chamber in the mold body. A high temperature PTFE gasket shaped to match the plate fits in an annular recess in the wall to provide a seal between the wall and plate. Polyurethane foam expands and hardens in the mold cavity to further press the plate against the wall and to form a foamed plastic water ski having a flush aluminum deck. The mold cavity has a curved side wall to produce a ski having a radiused edge about the deck.

Abstract: An apparatus for embossing a high resolution relief pattern such as a phase hologram or diffraction grating from a mold onto a thermoplastic material is disclosed.The apparatus comprises first and second adjacent disks adapted to rotate in opposite senses, the disks serving to define an embossing zone therebetween in which the circumferences of the disks exert pressure on one another. The first disk serves to transport the thermoplastic material to the embossing zone. To preheat the thermoplastic material, a preheating band of limited length is mounted under tension on the circumference of the first disk, the preheating band being resistively heated by a longitudinally flowing electric current. A resistively heated band-shaped embossing mold is mounted on the circumference of the second disk. The embossing mold and the thermoplastic carrier come into contact with one another in the embossing zone.

Abstract: A die assembly for generating a green tread extrudate for pneumatic tire fabrication is presented. Fundamentally, the invention includes a preform die of fixed configuration, having passages and openings therein for passing both a base stock material and a cap stock material. The openings are separated by a partition. Upper and lower final die plates are then formed to communicate with the openings, one for the cap stock, and the other for the base stock. The configuration of the die portion of the die plates control not only the external geometry of the resulting extrudate, but also the geometry of the junction between the cap stock and the base stock in the extrudate. The invention accommodates a broad range of tire specifications with the simple change of die plates.

Abstract: A press for adjusting and inspecting molds is disclosed, which comprises a vertically movable slide and two bolsters provided on the lowermost position of the opposite sides of the slide. The slide has a coupler provided on either side. Each bolster has a coupler provided on either end. The couplers of each bolster can be coupled to the respective couplers of the slide by first coupling one of them to the corresponding coupler of the slide such that the bolster can be swung relative thereto. The slide includes a bolster inverter, which consists of a piston-cylinder assembly or the like for swinging a bolster about its end detachably coupled thereto, and an inverter orientation controller for turning the end of the bolster inverter toward the respective bolsters. Two molds are disposed on the opposite sides of the lowermost position of the slide, and either one of them can be adjusted and inspected when desired.

Abstract: A reusable panel system for making concrete form structures, especially, after concrete is hardened, forms are dismantled and construction is finished, various patterns or designs will be left on the ceiling and beam, and these patterns or designs are uniform, smooth and delicate, therefore, they could save labor and material and make building have a nice appearance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a twin-wall internally corrugated plastic structural part provided with a smooth, dense, solid, thin walled, non-cellular skin comprising injecting a thermoplastic or resin material into a pair of closed mold members which define a sealed cavity. A small amount of plastic material is initially injected into the cavity with the material impinging upon and being dispersed over the mold members thereby forming a generally continuous thin skin substantially the mold surfaces. Thereafter, successively and intermittently injecting an inert gas under pressure through one mold member during continued injection of the plastic material into the cavity thereby pressurizing the skin against the walls of the mold cavity and progressively commingling the inert gas under pressure and the inwardly flowing plastic material as both enter the cavity until the cavity is filled with an internal corrugated body integral with and bonded to the skin.

Abstract: A modular concrete form structure including a series of at least three vertically extending rows of concrete form panels to be joined together in side-by-side relation as a gang for use in the formation of straight or curved concrete walls. The panels have confronting slotted panel margins about their perimeters. Fasteners secure the confronting panel margins in side-by-side relation. A series of spaced vertically aligned a horizontally positioned mini-walers are provided for mounted disposition in lapped engagement against the confronting slotted panel margins. The mini-walers each have a width exceeding the width of the form panel and being of sufficient additional width to extend over joints formed between the confronting slotted panel margins at opposite sides of each panel to provide a backing. Fasteners are provided for securing the spaced vertically aligned horizontally positioned mini-walers to the panels.

Abstract: A method of controlling the peripheral flattening of the convex aspheric surface on soft contact lenses by providing a soft lens having a spherical convex surface and aspheric concave surface. The concave aspheric surface having a longer radius at the center and progressive shorter radii toward the edge. When this lens is in place on the eye, the convex spherical surface becomes an aspheric surface having a shorter radius at the center and progressively longer radii toward the edge.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling and processing very different types of material, for example by means of homogenizing, predosing, plasticizing, or mixing. Accommodated in a working chamber of the apparatus is a rotatably driven processing tool which supplies the material, during the processing, to an outlet of the housing. The working chamber is provided with a conveying section which tapers in cross section in the direction toward the outlet, and which, in the direction of conveyance of the material, passes into a processing section of the working chamber. The processing section also tapers in cross section in the direction of the outlet, yet tapers more markedly than does the conveying section. The processing of the materials takes place in the processing section, while in the conveying section the materials are conveyed into the processing section. Depending upon the cross sectional taper, the materials can be mixed, homogenized, or plasticized.