Abstract: A method of manufacturing a building product from a mix (6) including particulate material and a thermoplastic binder which comprises heating the mix at least to a temperature at which the thermoplastic binder in the mix liquefies, subjecting the heated thermoplastic mix to a pressing action that shapes the heated mix, and cooling the shaped heated thermoplastic mix to solidify the thermoplastic binder and form the product (FIG. 4).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a molded article from a settable mixture includes the steps of in-taking a plurality of components into a plurality of separate material discharge containers sized relative to each other to provide the required mix ratio of the settable mixture. The components contained in the material discharge containers are discharged to a mold tool through a mixing head that receives each of the components separately and thoroughly mixes them into the settable mixture. The settable mixture flows from the mixing head to fill the mold tool. The mold tool rotates about an axis during the filling step to evacuate air from the mold tool. Pressure of the settable mixture is monitored during the filling step and rate of discharge of the settable component is varied in response to changes in pressure of the settable mixture.

Abstract: A process and plant for laying a pipe in a trench comprising placing a flattened tubular preform in the trench, the perform having a reinforcement surrounding an inner seal, the reinforcement being impregnated with a resin, and inflating the perform in the trench.

Abstract: In a method of reinforcing an existing concrete electric pole having an annular side wall, an inner hollow portion provided therein and an opening portion formed to a position of the annular side wall to be penetrated therethrough, at least one of a predetermined amount of mortar, a predetermined amount of sand and a predetermined amount of gravel is injected into the inner hollow portion of the electric pole through the opening portion. A reinforcing member for reinforcing the electric pole is injected into the inner hollow portion of the electric pole through the opening portion.

Abstract: A process for producing a dental prosthesis wherein an impression is taken of the patient's mouth, a working model is created, a base plate is applied to the working model, an insulating film is applied to the base plate, a tooth arrangement in wax is formed on the base plate, a framework of the teeth is then formed with an investment compound, the wax is then boiled out and replaced with a curable material which is subsequently hardened.

Abstract: A stay-in-place method of manufacturing a composite form that is used to provide a strong and durable concrete structure. The form includes a composite shell having an inner wall surface defining an enclosure into which concrete may be poured and allowed to harden. The composite shell may be made of one or several layers of fabric having a resin matrix impregnated therein. The concrete hardens to form a concrete core within the enclosure and a liner is affixed to the inner wall surface of the composite shell to protect the composite shell from alkalinity in the concrete core. The liner includes at least one sheet of a water-impermeable material to protect the concrete core from water and other corrosive elements. The fabric layers are selected such that the fibers elongate as the concrete is poured into the enclosure due to a weight of the concrete and partially shrink back to compensate for shrinkage of the concrete as the concrete dries to form the concrete core.

Abstract: A method of making a catheter balloon or other tubular medical device or component, in which a sheet of polymeric material is wrapped on a mandrel and heated to fuse sections of the wrapped sheet together to form a tube. The mandrel has a metallic core and a jacket on an outer surface of the metallic core, and the wrapped sheet of polymeric material is heated without corroding the metallic core of the mandrel. In a presently preferred embodiment, the sheet is formed of a fluoropolymeric material, and the resulting fluoropolymeric tube forms at least a layer of a catheter balloon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for fabricating a concrete product in a slip-form casting process, in which method concrete mix is fed into a slip-form mold of a defined cross section moving progressively in the casting process so as to obtain a concrete product of a desired shape. The method includes an interruptible guidance control of the prestressing tendons so as to allow the tendon guides to travel past supplementary parts such as reinforcing steels connected to the prestressing tendons.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed to prepare strand segments of predetermined length for use in a molded concrete product at an assembly facility. The strand segments are loaded into a strand reel (10) having multiple slots. The strand reel is then transported to the mold site. At the mold site, the strand segments can be simultaneously pulled out from the strand reel for placement in the mold.

Abstract: Gypsum board having inorganic fiber, preferably glass fiber, preferably glass fiber, includes providing face sheets which have been completely impregnated with a gypsum slurry so as to penetrate through said random interstices between the inorganic fibers and to thereby cover the board surfaces with gypsum slurry. The gypsum board product is formed by passing the wet gypsum board through a board forming station having double forming plates, an upper forming plate having at least a portion thereof being set at a predetermined angle relative to a lower forming plate and having a separation between the forming plates defining a predetermined dimension substantially equal to the desired thickness of the manufactured gypsum board product. The method provides a multilayer gypsum board having a polymeric compound added to unset gypsum so as to provide a gypsum board ready for finishing.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed to feed strand (30) through apertures (214) in bearing plates (60) and bulkheads (202) in a mold (62). A collar (210) can be attached to a rod (208) for limited motion relative thereto, including rotation relative the rod about its elongate axis. The end (96) of the strand (30) is received in a cylindrical receptacle (232) in the collar and the strand can then be used to push the rod, collar and strand through the apertures. A strand feeder rack (56) can be used to simultaneously feed a number of strands.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a prefabricated precast riser module, where the required forms that are used in casting the modules are reusable and need not to be transported to the construction site. Each precast riser assembly is finished having brick facings. Brick facings are applied to the vertical surfaces of the precast riser. They are: the commonly used stretcher course and row lock course. A Rebar reinforcing rod is imbedded in the concrete mixture, which will strengthen the assembly to prevent damage when being transported on site. This added strengthening would also allow for minor misalignments during the assembly phase. These novel concrete brick faced modules can be assembled by inexperienced craftsmen, and when completed, will give the appearance of a handcrafted riser that was constructed by professional masonry craftsmen using brick and sandstone.

Abstract: A slip casting mold includes a water absorption layer having self water absorption capability and substantial water resistance. With the water saturation percentage of the water absorption layer being controlled, a slurry layer is deposited in the slip casting mold mainly under capillary attractive forces of the slip casting mold. The water absorption layer comprises an open porous body which is manufactured by stirring a mixture of an epoxy compound having at least one epoxy ring in one molecule, a hardener for reacting with the epoxy compound to harden the epoxy compound, a filler for developing self water absorption capability and mold releasability, and water into an O/W-type emulsion slurry, and casting the emulsion slurry into a mold impermeable to water, hardening the emulsion slurry in the mold while containing water.

Abstract: A gypsum board forming device having a gypsum forming station including two laterally disposed edger shoes, and at least one laterally disposed edger bar clamping element on the edger bar. In one embodiment a laterally extending forming plate extends over the top surface of the formed gypsum board, the forming plate including a plurality of micropore conduits through which pressurized water is supplied to provide a film of smoothing water over the top surface of the gypsum board. In another embodiment the edger shoes have a flapper mechanism for retaining unset slurry skimmed off the surface of the gypsum board by the edger bar.

Abstract: A presently-preferred process for bending a workpiece includes placing a first portion of the workpiece on a substantially flat surface so that a second portion of the workpiece overhangs an edge of the substantially flat surface, and securing the first portion of the workpiece on the substantially flat surface by clamping the workpiece between the substantially flat surface and a substantially v-shaped end portion of a male die. The presently-preferred process also includes causing the second portion of the workpiece to pivot around a tip of the substantially v-shaped end portion by rotating a bending die around the tip while the bending die contacts the second portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: A process for preparing a cleansing bar having well-defined platelet striations therein which comprises extruding a cleansing bar composition having platelets therein to form a cleansing bar using an extruder having a perforated barrier across the cross section of the extruder, wherein the perforated barrier is located at a sufficient distance downstream from the spider to allow well-defined platelet striations to be observed in the finished cleansing bar with the human eye. The perforated barrier is located at a distance from the spider equal to at least about 60%, preferably at least about 70%, of the distance from the spider to the extruder cone outlet of the extruder. Generally, a standard extruder cone length from spider to cone outlet is about 483 mm to about 560 mm.

Abstract: A method is provided are for fabricating a concrete product in a substantially horizontal slip-form casting process, in which method concrete mix is fed into a slip-form mold of a defined cross section moving progressively in the casting process so as to give a concrete product of a desired shape. The input power need of the concrete mix feed and compaction is measured, whereupon the travel resistance of the casting machine is controlled based on the value of a measured process variable. Therefore, quality variations in a slip-form cast product that are caused by changes in the density of the concrete mix and the travel resistance of the casting machine are eliminated.

Abstract: A process for producing a golf ball which includes the steps of placing a rubber composition into the cavity of a mold having an upper portion and a lower portion, clamping the upper portion and the lower portion together at a moving velocity of from 0.03. mm/s to 1.0 mm/s, causing excess rubber composition to flow out from the cavities; and unclamping the mold and removing from the mold cavity spherical bodies and associated rubber flashers formed in the mold cavities.

Abstract: A method is disclosed to feed strand (30) through apertures (214) in bearing plates (60) and bulkheads (202) in a mold (62). A collar (210) can be attached to a rod (208) for limited motion relative thereto, including rotation relative the rod about its elongate axis. The end (96) of the strand (30) is received in a cylindrical receptacle (232) in the collar and the strand can then be used to push the rod, collar and strand through the apertures. A strand feeder rack (56) can be used to simultaneously feed a number of strands.

Abstract: A film made of a vinylidene-trifluoroethylene or tetrafluoroethylene copolymer is uniaxially drawn to fabricate a uniaxially drawn film. Then, the uniaxially drawn film is thermally treated at a temperature within a temperature range of the Curie temperature through the melting point of the vinylidene-trifluoroethylene or tetrafluoroethylene copolymer for five hours or over, to diffuse the molecular chains of the uniaxially drawn film along the orientation direction and thus, to remove the intertwining between the molecular chains.