Abstract: A method for forming a sheet material permeable to gas and not permeable to water includes forming the sheet material by hot pressing two materials together, and discharging static electricity to the sheet material in order to form a number of apertures in the sheet material. The apertures have a size smaller than that of water particles and larger than that of gas particles such that the sheet material is permeable to gas and not permeable to water.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a fiberscopic catheter having a tightly fitted optical glass fiber bundle received within an internal lumen of the catheter. The lumen for receiving the optical glass fiber bundle is heated and expanded under internal fluid pressure. The catheter and lumen are then cooled with the lumen still under the internal fluid pressure. After cooling, the fluid pressure is released and the lumen retains its expanded condition. An optical glass fiber bundle is inserted into the expanded lumen to a predetermined position within the catheter. The catheter and lumen are reheated to contract the expanded diameter of the lumen about the optical glass fiber bundle to provide a fiberscopic catheter having a tightly fitted fiber optic bundle within the catheter.

Abstract: A cross-oriented multi-layer laminated plastic film is produced by first providing a flattened tubular plastic film having a outer plastic film layer with a first melting temperature and an inner plastic film layer with a second melting temperature lower than the first melting temperature, the outer plastic film layer having a molecular orientation substantially in the direction of the length of the tubular plastic film. The flattened tubular plastic film is passed from an expanding station in an expanded condition along a predetermined path in the direction of the length of said film to a collapsing station in a continuous manner. The expanded tubular plastic film is rotated about the predetermined path as the film passes from the expanding station to the collapsing station to effect cross-orientation of the outer film layer in directions inclined to the direction of travel of the tubular plastic film.

Abstract: A method producing deformed pipe liners from continuously extruded thermoplastic material by collapsing and bending deformable portions of the tube toward a back-up portion thereof and without elongation to maintain diameter and wall thickness, and apparatus to carry out said method and characterized by at least one back-up roller and at least one shaping roller folding the deformable portion along a line of symmetry and juxtaposing a fold of the tube to the back-up portion, all at raised temperature followed by reduced temperature on a rail conforming to the deformed tube configuration.

Abstract: An improved electrical insulator for high voltage transmission lines is formed from certain polymer-based concrete compositions. An apparatus provides for the molding of the polymer-based mixture to form a highly degassed product. The method and apparatus include the ability to combine the constituents of the mixture in a mixer. A vacuum is applied to the mixture to degas the mixture. A mold is filled with the degassed mixture without introducing air thereinto in the absence of a vacuum. The resulting insulator has highly reduced air entrainment.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a rigid spacer, containing a silicone bound desiccant which is useful for a multi-pane sealed window. An infrared radiation curable silicone is used as a binder for a desiccant such as a zeolite which is injected in a continuous manner into a U-shaped or V-shaped semi-rigid spacer such as a steel channel.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a molding member, for instance for automobile front window plates, as well as a method of manufacturing such molding members. The molding member has a lip section in the form of a ridge which extends throughout the entire length. The lip section bears against the surface of the window plate along the upper portion to realize a flush outer surface between the upper edge of the window plate and the body panel, but is spaced therefrom along the side portions to define a weir. The weir can be formed by deforming a predetermined location of the ridge, and prevents flow of the rain water across the molding member to preserve the driver's or passenger's sight through an adjacent side window.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a hose for a vacuum cleaner, such hose having anti-whistling characteristics. In a standard blow molding process, a blow pipe is configured with a plurality of printing rollers having arcuate outer surfaces configured and spaced in such a manner as to assure engagement of the entirety of the hose with a printing roller during the manufacturing process. The printing rollers are provided with apertures which, upon engagement with the tacky material of the inner surface of inwardly extending corrugations causes indentations or protrusions in such surface. The roughened interior surface prevents the formation of audible harmonics when air passes through the tube in response to a vacuum source at one end thereof.

Abstract: The process for manufacturing a polarizing film based on polyvinyl alcohol and at least one dichroic substance by casting or extrusion of a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and a solvent, whereby the polyvinyl alcohol contains the dichroic substance, drying and stretching of the film by between 300 and 1200%, whereby, depending on the width of the unstretched film b.sub.o, a stretch gap l.sub.o is provided, satisfying the condition b.sub.o /l.sub.o <3, leads to higher dichroic extinction quotients.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing a pigmented thermoplastic polymer composition which is useful as a low profile additive composition for thermosetting resins. The process includes the steps of(A) selecting at least on thermoplastic polymer having a refractive index which is within about 0.06 units of the refractive index of the thermosetting resin;(B) preparing a mixture of said thermoplastic polymer and at least one color pigment, dye or mixture thereof under high shear in a high-intensity mixer; and(C) forming a slurry containing said mixture obtained in step (B) in at least one liquid copolymerizable monomer containing at least one CH.sub.2 .dbd.C<group. In a preferred embodiment, at least one surfactant is included in the slurry obtained in step (C) in an amount sufficient to enhance the uniformity of the pigmentation of a cured composite produced from the thermosetting resin composition and a low profile additive composition.

Abstract: A thin ribbon of paint film is guided and applied directly to hot thermoplastics extrudate just as it exits the extrusion die by a film curving and guide plate and then by a film application wheel that is adjusted so that the film mates with and is laminated to the extrudate with an adhesive bond between the paint film substrate and the extrudate. This eliminates the need for high gloss, high metallic content thermoplastics for use as extrudate such as currently used for finished automotive side molding and allows reground thermoplastics to be used as the extrudate and finished with a paint film covering. The thermoplastic extrusion molding is then compression formed in a preform operation to establish end corners with selected radii for corner sharpness as well as reshape the part cross section. This is accomplished with a die and end cap construction which can be relatively adjusted to provide effective gas venting around the end of the die cavity on die closure.

Abstract: A screw extruder having a cylinder, an extrusion head, a screw in the cylinder and a motor for driving the screw in rotation has insert members which extend into the cylinder to effect plastification and homogenization of the material being extruded. The web of the screw is provided with annular recesses into which the insert members project. Some of the insert members are stationary, in the form of pins projecting radially into the cylinder, while others are movable so as to vary the extent of their projection into the cylinder. The movable insert members may be pins extending radially into the cylinder and movable radially, rotatable threaded pins extending tangentially into the cylinder, rotatable pins extending tangentially into the cylinder and having non-circular portions in the cylinder, or sector-shaped discs which are movable pivotally.

Abstract: An electrically conductive composition of (a) at least one oxidized polycationic polyheteroaromatic compound and (b) at least one polyanion of a film-forming thermoplastic polymer containing sulfated alcohol groups ##STR1## in repeating structural units in form of films or filaments is drawn at temperatures below the melt/decomposition temperature to increase electrical conductivity and to improve mechanical properties. The material may be used as electrodes, electrically conductive filaments or components for electromagnetic screening.

Abstract: Thermoplastic printed wiring board spacers are fabricated by providing a water soluble partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol resin or fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol resin or a blend of partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol resin and fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol resin, the ration thereof depending upon (1) the degree of hydrolyzation of the polyvinyl alcohol resins, (2) crystallinity associated with particular polyvinyl alcohol resins, (3) the fabrication temperatures of the printed wiring board to avoid spacer melting and (4) the degree of solubility in water of the spacer. The spacers are fabricated by injection molding the polyvinyl alcohol resins or desired polyvinyl alcohol resin mixture to provide a molded configuration having a runner system with spacers attached to a sub runner system by a very thin gate.

Abstract: An isotropic, biaxially stretched polyimide film prepared by casting a solution of a polyamic acid precursor in an organic solvent containing a cyclization catalyst and dehydrating agent onto the surface of a support, imidizing the polyamic acid to give a continuous self-supporting gel film containing 5-50% by weight of solids, stretching the gel film in the machine direction (MD) at a ratio of 1.1-1.9, and stretching in the transverse direction (TD) with respect to the machine direction so as to maintain a TD/MD stretch ratio of from 0.9 to 1.3.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an oriented multilayer laminate film having at least three layers, said method including: (a) extruding in a molten state (i) polypropylene selected from a homopolymer or a copolymer of propylene wherein said copolymer comprises an alkene monomer having 2 or 4-6 carbons; (ii) adhesive; and (iii) co-polyester of a polyesterification reaction product where the reactants are at least one glycol and at least one dibasic acid with the total reactants being at least three of the glycols and dibasic acids, (b) laminating (i), (ii) and (iii) together in the molten state to form the film; (c) cooling the film; (d) drawing the film in a temperature range that allows orienting without breaking; and (e) heat setting the oriented film.

Abstract: A plurality of cores are covered with the same jacketing material by passing the cores through respective dies of a plate, while flowing the jacketing material through sub-channels in the plate and into coating relationship with the cores. Any of the sub-channels can be shut off by diverting the jacketing material a flow diverting path without affecting the flow in the other sub-channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for forming clear shrinkable film material for use as labels on containers. A blend of general purpose polystryene and styrene-butadiene or styrene butyl acrylate is extruded from an annular extruder die orifice to form a frustoconical tube which is stretched before cooling air is applied to form a clear film that has machine direction orientation and cross direction orientation that can be used as a shrinkable label on containers. As the tube is extruded, it is shielded from cooling air which is applied downstream from the extruder die orifice. The apparatus shields the hot annular extruded material adjacent the die orifice. The air is supplied downstream from an annular air orifice which is designed with a taper that allows ambient air to be freely drawn in and eliminates what would be a negative pressure zone immediately downstream of the air orifice while eliminating air turbulence and improving cooling.

Abstract: A thermoplastic tube, and method for forming such a tube, has a tube body portion formed from an inner layer of thermoplastic material, a barrier layer, and an outer layer of thermoplastic material. The outer layer does not extend completely about the periphery of the tube body and a strip of thermoplastic material having the same composition as the inner layer, fills each gap in the outer layer to form a smooth surface about the tube. The strip may be transparent or of a color different than the color of the outer layer. In a preferred tube, a first layer of adhesive material is provided between the inner layer and the barrier layer, and a second layer of adhesive material is provided between the barrier layer and the outer layer and strip.

Abstract: A process for forming a plastic casing having reinforcing elements to resist tensile forces by simultaneously extruding the plastic casing and the reinforcing elements which are in a molten form and then twisting the extruded casing and elements to impart a helical configuration to the elements.