Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a substantially uniform thermoplastic foam extruded from an extruder, the molten thermoplastic resin having uniformly distributed therein a foaming agent. A cooling-mixer continuously receives the extruded mass of resin and foaming agent from the extruder and intimately mixes and substantially cools the mass. A substantially adiabatic zigzag mixer is connected to the cooling-mixer and divides the mass into a plurality of separate streams which are at least partially separated and recombined. A die is connected to the zigzag mixer and extrudes the uniformly cooled mass into a lower pressure zone to produce a substantially uniform thermoplastic foam.

Abstract: A rigid porous, deformation resisting, nonresilient inflexible thermoset resin foam having macroscopic open cells and the method of making the same. The method comprises foaming and partially curing a polyepoxide or polyurethane resin in which the cells are closed. The partially cured resin is softened by heating and then crushed to compress the cells to produce an open-celled product. The crushed foam is reexpanded and finally cured. The foam may be filled for strengthening with a filler such as carbon black before or after the final cure.

Abstract: High quality plastic foam and the like expanded products and articles are made by incorporating a blowing agent in an acid-containing alkenyl aromatic polymer, such as a copolymer of styrene and acrylic acid; extruding while cross-linking the polymer with a polyfunctional cross-linking agent.

Abstract: These novel molds are characterized in that they contain a cavity in porous material which is not monolithic, but which, on the contrary, is constituted by zones B with high capillary forces and by zones A with low capillary forces for liquids. The process of using these novel molds is useful for the manufacture of expanded plastics articles.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to be positioned downstream of a foam extrusion die in an environmental control or vacuum chamber for remote monitoring of the thickness and profile of foam boards, planks and like extrudates soon after the extrudate exits the die and takes its final shape, is characterized by opposed, relatively narrow shoes on opposite sides of the extrudate path and respective carriages therefor which together are movable transversely with respect to the extrudate path by respective worms and translating nuts and a common worm drive. One shoe is operative to support the bottom surface of the extrudate in a predetermined position while the other shoe rides on the extrudate and is position monitored by a transducer operative then to provide an output signal representative of the spacing between the shoes, and thus the thickness of the extrudate passing between the shoes, to remote monitoring circuitry located outside of the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: An improved foamable vinyl aromatic polymer composition and a process for preparing a vinyl aromatic polymer foam having incorporated therein a blend of alpha-olefin polymers are disclosed. The blend of alpha-olefin polymers may be virgin material or a portion of recycle feedstream, the recycle feedstream being prepared from adhesive film faced extruded vinyl aromatic foam laminate scrap. Foam materials having improved solvent resistance, ultraviolet light stability, and adhesive characteristics are prepared from the composition and process.

Abstract: In a method of producing a plate-like polystyrene resin foam which comprises extruding a molten mixture of a polystyrene resin and a volatile blowing agent from an extruder into a zone kept at a lower pressure than the inside of the extruder, the improvement wherein the volatile blowing agent is a mixture consisting of 50 to 80% by weight of dichlorodifluoromethane and 50 to 20% by weight of ethyl chloride and is present in said molten mixture in a proportion of 8 to 17 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polystyrene resin.

Abstract: A flowable slidifyable mass is applied onto the inner surface of a hull made of an elastomeric material and corresponding to the human skin section. This flowable mass is let to solidify into a shell-like body. Thereafter the shell-like body is cut and machined such to produce an article corresponding in shape to a portion of the human skeleton. A molding mass which solidifies to a flexible body is injected into the void space defined by the elastomeric hull stretched over the skeleton portion such that a flexible negative form of the skeleton is produced. Thereafter the elastomeric hull, the negative form and the skeleton portion are separated from each other and the elastomeric hull stretched over the negative form only and a further molding mass is inserted into the void spaces defined by the elastomeric hull and the negative form such that an arbitrary number of skeleton portions can be produced.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for making a pile-surfaced thermoplastic material by a tack-spin technique the laminate of backing web and adhered pile is hauled off from the heated drawing surface over a rod or bar which fixes the point at which the laminate separates from the heated drawing surface and which directs cooling fluid from an aperture in the rod or bar and onto the back of the backing web and into the fibril-forming area.

Abstract: After arranging on dual pans two thick strips of a deformable fiber-reinforced spongeous material and covering them with a liner made of an elastic cloth, a fluid polymer is poured into said pans which reacts to set and foam in a conveniently short time. During the setting time, the user keeps his/her feet fixedly inside the pans, to thus leave an impression which accurately reproduces the shape thereof. After setting, the deformable strips is bonded to the liner and retains the exact impression left by the foot.Successive trimming operations provide an insole taylored to fit the user's feet.

Abstract: A membrane cast in the form of either a hollow filament or a flat film formed of a polybenzimidazole polymer is subjected to an annealing process by contacting the membrane with an annealing medium comprised of a solvent for the polymer and water. Such an annealing step can advantageously occur at an annealing temperature below the boiling point of water, thus avoiding the necessity for removing water present in the membrane in a conventional pre-annealing treatment step. These polybenzimidazole membranes find particular utility in reverse osmosis desalination processes. The annealing step of the present invention improves the mechanical and separative properties of the membrane and is simple in comparison to conventional annealing procedures.

Abstract: A system and a method for the production of thermoformable plastic foam material from a mix of plastic foam selvage and a foamable virgin plastic resin. Accordingly, the present invention provides for a selvage formed during the production of thermoformed foam material articles from a plastic foam sheet stock is recycled and admixed with the virgin foamable plastic resin, in that the material components are admixed in a feed hopper and then conducted from the feed hopper into a twin-screw compressor which will impart a positive forward feed to the compressible plastic materials conveyed therethrough.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a process for producing foamed articles of thermo-plastic or thermo-setting compounds. The improvement reduces the number of steps normally followed to make a foamed product and cuts down on the time.

Abstract: A water heater including a tank, a cylindrical jacket, surrounding the tank to provide an insulating space therebetween and a cover member mounted on top of the jacket to close off the top of the insulating space. An insulating wall is provided in the insulating space between the tank and the jacket. The insulating wall is comprised of a plastic envelope member and a wall of insulating material which has been foamed-in-place inside the envelope member.

Abstract: A hose of improved impulse life is described including an inner polymeric tube which has a relatively hard outer surface, a tightly packed wire reinforcement e.g., braid or spiral, telescoped over the tube, and an expanded polymeric cushion matrix encapsulating at least a portion of the strands of the reinforcement and also promoting wire-to-wire and tube-to-wire adhesion. A method for producing the hose employing a foamable material applicator is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a foam pad for carpets has features to improve the quality of the pad. The apparatus has a hopper section for receiving foam particles coated with heat activated bonding agent. An extruder section compresses the particles as they are moved continuously along a conveyor belt. A heat section heats the particles after being compressed. A raking device in the hopper section rakes the top of the body of particles prior to entering the extruder section. The raking device rakes in a direction opposite to the movement of the body of particles. The raking device can be raised and lowered to change the level of the particles, and thus the density. The raking device also forms the top of the body of particles with upwardly tapered corners. A plate located below the hopper and extruder sections supports the lower conveyor belt. The heat section uses steam chambers with a perforated top, which also serves to support the conveyor belt.

Abstract: In the manufacture of cells, e.g. of the system Li-Al/LiCl-KCl/FeS.sub.x, the finely divided raw materials for the electrodes and for an included ceramic separator are respectively mixed individually with the electrolyte salt, as well as with a synthetic plastic which is decomposable without residue under heat. The mixtures are rolled into plates, and the plates are heated above the decomposition temperature of the plastic after assembly. The plastic is preferably a polyhydrocarbon such as polyisobutylene and is preferably introduced by means of a solvent. It makes the powder mixtures plastifiable and suitable for rolling. This makes it possible to produce ceramic separators, which are fundamentally composed only of loose particle accumulations, in the form of plates of uniform structure and strength and to handle these in the same way as electrode plates during cell assembly.

Abstract: A foam extrusion die and monitoring apparatus, including a pair of adjustable die lip members having opposed, rigid die lips defining therebetween an elongated arcuate die orifice, is characterized by position sensors located along the arc of the die lips to monitor the die opening at such locations. The position sensors include sensing styli mounted for movement with the lip members at respective sensing locations such as at the arc ends and arc centers of the die lips, and provision is made for connecting the sensing styli as by precision push-pull, flexible cables to respective linear variable displacement transformers which provide electrical output signals representative of sensed positions to remotely located monitoring circuitry. The apparatus has particular application in a vacuum extrusion line wherein the extrusion die is located inside a vacuum chamber and thus is inaccessible during extrusion.

Abstract: An inwardly offset surface of the cover of a carton is cut in a plane transverse to the top of the cover. A protrusion on the bottom surface of a complementary recess in the latch flap extends through the hole to latch the carton with the protrusion being within the cover recess to prevent accidental opening of the carton. The mold for producing the carton cuts the hole while thermoforming by relative movement between a male key mounted in the male mold member and female key mounted in the female mold member. Both keys have flat surfaces transverse to the closing motion of the molds. These flat surfaces are biased into engagement one with the other so that the plastic is cut in a shearing action.

Abstract: A process for obtaining cellular materials from unsaturated polyester resins reinforced with fillers having a density below 0.7 kg/lt by injecting a liquid foam, made from the resins by mechanical introduction of a gas therein into a closed mold, is described. The liquid foam, obtained from polyester resins including additives and optionally a reinforcement of synthetic, artificial, vegetable or mineral fibres having a length lower than 5 mm, and optionally containing a low boiling foaming agent, is injected voluminized and cross-linked in the hot or in the cold in a closed mold containing a reinforcing agent of synthetic, artificial, vegetable or mineral fibers as a monofilament mat, a cut fibre mat, a mono or bidirectional roving woven mat, rovings, fabrics.