Abstract: A method of finishing concrete using a vibrating tool to consolidate a “dry shake” aggregate into the upper layer of the concrete. The use of the vibrating tool causes moisture within the concrete mass to migrate into the surface layer where the moisture may hydrate the aggregates in the dry shake mixture. The ability to cause upward migration of water in the concrete mass provides a larger window of finishability for the concrete. The vibrations also provide thorough consolidation of aggregates in the upper layer of the concrete mass helping to prevent delamination.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved method and apparatus for replicating various types of optical discs such as CDs and DVDs. The apparatus includes a support plate attached to a rotatable shaft. The support plate has a top surface for supporting a stamper, ultraviolet (“UV”) curable resin, and a support substrate. The UV curable resin forming the information layer on the support substrate of the optical disc. In the method, the stamper is placed on top of the support plate, and UV curable resin is applied to the top of the stamper having information containing data pits formed therein. The support substrate is placed on top of the stamper with the UV curable resin sandwiched in-between. The apparatus is rotated to spread the resin onto both surfaces of the support substrate and stamper. The joined surfaces of the support substrate and stamper are exposed to UV radiation.

Abstract: A weir assembly is disclosed in which the size and shape of the opening can be easily changed, by utilizing a sizing insert system. In one embodiment, the sizing insert comprises a mechanical iris. The position of the opening is easily adjustable by utilizing at least one positioning stage that is fastened to the sizing insert. Spring plungers are utilized for retention of the transparent weir plate within the vertical channels of a water trough. A center-finder is utilized to approximately position the opening in relation to an extrusion die.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently forming individual building units is provided, generally includes providing a plurality of molds, each capable of simultaneously forming a plurality of building units. Batches of cementitious slurry are individually mixed in order to control the density of each building unit formed. The ingredients are individually measured and combined into the mixing device. The cementitious slurry is then conveyed or transported and poured into one of the molds. The method provides the ability to control the amount of cementitious slurry in each batch in order to control to the extent possible the quantity of cementitious slurry poured into each mold and the ability to precisely control the dimensions of each building unit produced.

Abstract: A facility including molds into each of which a latex foam is introduced and a furnace into the vulcanizing chamber of which the molds are introduced with a view to vulcanizing the latex foam for the formation of articles. The facility further includes a mold filling station for filling the molds with latex foams, a stripping station for removing the articles and a washing unit and drying unit for the stripped articles. The vulcanizing chamber is embodies by a shell arranged at a distance from the side walls and above the furnace, which together with the latter delimits an enclosed space which communicates with the vulcanizing chamber by way of passages embodied in the lower part. The invention provides for the upper part to have at least one opening for introducing steam which communicates with the enclosed space and for the lower part to have at least one opening for extracting the steam and evacuating the condensed water.

Abstract: In a device for handling plastic material, such as a stamping device for stamping detergent bars, an elastomeric layer is provided on the handling surface which has good adhesion to the handling surface and good release from the plastic material. The elastomeric layer comprises at least two elastomeric coatings of different properties and/or compositions.

Abstract: An air bag door construction in which the air bag develops smoothly and securely, the skin can be easily produced. The skin is formed by a mold including an endless and annular wall provided on a molding surface to be inclined relative to the molding surface. A groove portion of the skin formed by the wall is cut at a bottom portion to separate the skin into a general portion and a door portion which are made flush with each other. When the surfaces of the general portion and the door portion are flush the gap between the general portion and the door portion can be narrowed, and gap on the surface is narrowed. When the skin is disposed in the mold for foam forming, the skin can position the general portion and the door portion in the desired position easily, and will not scatter a skin chip in the development of the air bag.

Abstract: There is provided a container having a container with open end, and a bottom cap has a sealant material bonded thereto to provide a hermetic seal between the bottom cap and the open bottom of the container and a grip surface through or slightly beyond the exterior surface of the bottom cap to contact a substrate, such as a table.

Abstract: A two-part resilient bumper formed by depositing a first liquified resilient material into a bumper cavity of a mold plate, distributing the first liquified resilient material over a bottom portion of the bumper cavity before depositing a second liquified resilient material into the bumper cavity on top of the first liquified resilient material, and curing the first and second liquified resilient materials to form a first resilient material bonded to a second resilient material, wherein the first and second resilient materials have different performance characteristics when cured.

Abstract: An automatic mold opening and food product extracting apparatus. The apparatus includes a first conveyor for moving a food mold with a food product therein from a staging gate to a delatcher and further to a time-delay gate. The staging gate controls movement of the molds and food products therein into the delatcher. The delatcher engages the mold such that the first and second portions are unlatched. A second conveyor is disposed above a portion of the first conveyor. The time-delay gate controls movement of the molds toward the second conveyor. Gripping pads on the second conveyor grippingly engage the second portion of the mold so that the second portion is raised above the first portion and the food product originally in the mold. The separation may be provided by gravity or by a lid puller device when proper separation does not occur.

Abstract: A mold base system for injection molding machines comprises two cast mold bases each with interior lugs. The lugs of each mold base removeably hold an insert. The inserts are machined to define a cavity that is the negative of the part to be molded. The inserts can be changed to suit different parts without changing the mold bases, which can stay on the injection molding machine indefinitely. Ribs connect the lugs to the mold base outside walls. Two ribs and an outside wall define a pocket that provides access to an insert. The ribs are notched to enable coolant lines to be routed without interference inside the mold base. The mold base system further comprises an ejector plate and a cap. The cap is changeable to suit different configurations of the ejector pins without changing the ejector plate.

Abstract: A method of releasing pressure in a non-metallic injection mold has a pressure relief valve positioned in the molten resin flow path for handling excess resin pressure. The pressure relief valve responds to excess resin pressure in the cavity by providing an alternate resin flow path for the pressurized excess resin.

Abstract: A method is provided for rapidly forming a cementitious panel. A cementitious mixture is introduced into a mold configured to provide the desired surface appearance and profile of the cementitious panel. The cementitious mixture is then subject to an accelerated curing process by applying microwave energy to the cementitious mixture for a predetermined time period. After a relatively short resting or cooling period, the resulting cementitious panel is ready to be removed from the mold.

Abstract: A device and method for forming tableware from biodegradable vegetable fibers includes a device for punching a sheet of vegetable fibers into a preset shape and forming final products from the vegetable fibers. The device and method include a humidifier for humidifying the vegetable fibers, a bender for bend-drawing the vegetable fiber into an intermediate article, a warm-air dryer for keeping and drying the intermediate article, a cool-air dryer for further drying and cooling the intermediate article into a finished article.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing plastic film, of the type in which molten plastic is extruded through an annular die to form a tubular bubble which is expanded by air blown into the bubble, and a collapsing frame for forming the bubble into a flat tube prior to passing the tube through a nip formed between rollers, in which opposed, converging reaches of endless belts are used for the collapsing. The belts have their upstream ends held by a pair of first rollers spaced apart on opposite sides of the bubble, and have their downstream ends held by a pair of nip rollers which hold the belts together to form a nip for the collapsed tube. Pulleys and a belt, or gears, are provided which rotatably interconnect the pinch rollers and ensure that the belts entering the nip travel at the same surface speed.

Abstract: Hydrophobic polymer surfaces whose level of protein binding is less than about 50-80 ng/cm2 are achieved by: (1) applying a coating solution composed of a solvent and a non-ionic surfactant having a HLB number of less than 5 to the surface; and (2) drying the surface to remove the solvent and thereby bring the surfactant into direct contact with the hydrophobic polymer. The combination of a low HLB number and the drying step have been found to produce low binding surfaces which can withstand multiple washes with water and/or protein-containing solutions. Alternatively, the low binding surfaces can be produced by applying the non-ionic surfactant to the mold surfaces which contact molten polymer and form the polymer into a desired shape, e.g., into a multi-well plate, a pipette tip, or the like. Further, the low binding surfaces may be produced by incorporating non-soluble, non-ionic surfactants having an HLB number of less than or equal to 10 into a polymer blend prior to molding the article.

Abstract: An extruder die head comprises an internal cylindrical mandrel and a shell, which encloses said mandrel concentrically. Between said mandrel and shell an annular channel is formed that empties into the die slit. A polymer melt is fed through a line to the annular channel. To prevent the polymer melt in the area of the start of the annular channel from penetrating into a slit that forms between the mandrel and the shell due to heat expansion, there is between both mandrel and shell a ring with such a coefficient of thermal expansion that when heated up due to the polymer melt said ring seals the slit between the shell and the mandrel.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming metal spheres includes a droplet generator, a buffering chamber, and a cooling drum. The droplet generator generates a droplet from a molten metal mass. The buffering chamber receives the droplet from the droplet generator, and diminishes internal kinetic energy of the droplet without solidifying the droplet. The cooling drum receives the droplet from the buffering chamber, and cools the droplet to the extent that the droplet solidifies into a metal sphere. The apparatus can further include a collector arrangement that receives the metal spheres from the cooling drum and makes the metal spheres available for collection.

Abstract: Molding apparatus (10) is provided which allows use of a particulate non-liquid molding material (121) to produce a variety of articles, such as frustoconical barrel segments (122). The apparatus (10) includes a female mold segment (18) including generally annular inner and outer sidewalls (70, 76) and a complemental male mold section (20) having an annular sidewall unit (30). In use, a molding material (121) is placed between the sidewalls (70, 76) and the section (20) is shifted so that it telescopes within the section (18); this compresses the material (121) to a desired final shape, which is then hardened to yield the final product (122). An optional wear insert (26) can be used with female mold section (18), which can be replaced as needed and assists in cleaning of the apparatus (10).

Abstract: An internal bubble cooling air control system in a blown film apparatus has sensors arranged to increase response time and reduce interference, and includes a high speed valve for fast actuation of air flow from a controller in response to signals received from the sensors.