Abstract: The density of the foam is reduced and the thickness of the sheet obtained by extrusion/expansion is increased by grasping the sheet between confining walls which are permeable to gas and movable together with the sheet, and which diverge from each other in the direction of advance of the sheet, and by applying a subatmospheric pressure to the faces of the sheet and through the said walls while the sheet is in its thermoplastic state, after which the foam is gelled by cooling to stabilize the thickness achieved.

Abstract: An open-cell foamed article of a cross-linked polyolefin having a high open-cell ratio and a high degree of expansion is produced by a method which comprises the steps of preparing a foamable and cross-linkable polyolefin composition, forming the composition into a desired shape maintaining its gel percent at zero, decomposing the cross-linking agent and blowing agent concurrently by heating the composition under atmospheric pressure in such conditions that the peak of the ratio of the degree of cross-linking to the degree of decomposition of the blowing agent is not more than 20 and exerting a mechanical deformation to the resulting polyolefin foam to rupture the cell membranes.

Abstract: A heat-insulating paper container having good heat-insulating property which can be prepared easily at low cost is disclosed. The paper container is prepared by heating a paper container comprising a body member and a bottom member, wherein one surface of at least the container body member is coated or laminated with a thermoplastic synthetic resin film and the other surface of the body member is coated or laminated with the same or different thermoplastic synthetic resin film or an aluminum foil, to thereby foam the thermoplastic synthetic resin film and form a heat-insulating layer on at least one surface of the container.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the production of porous tubing. One extrudes a homogeneous mixture of at least two components, one component a meltable polymer and the other component a liquid inert in relation to the polymer, both components forming a binary system which in liquid aggregate state displays a range of complete miscibility and a range with a miscibility gap, at a temperature above the separation temperature, substantially vertically upwardly using a circular slot nozzle and blowing of gas or dosing-in of liquid into the interior of the nozzle, into a bath, which displays a temperature below the separation temperature, allows the tubing to solidify, and extracts or lixiviates the tubing. Preferred embodiments include the use of water at a temperature from 15.degree. to 90.degree. C.

Abstract: A method is shown for making porous thermoresin structures. By the method, the thermoresin is at least partially solvated, formed into a desired shape, and cooled until droplets of the solvent form by syneresis within the shape. Further cooling crystalizes the droplets. These crystalized droplets are subsequently removed to leave a porous structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is a taxidermy mannikin mold and molding method for making a mannikin which has eyes insert-molded therein in proper position and rotational orientation and which has proper eye-surrounding anatomical surface features. The mold cavity has therein eye socket recesses each of which is immediately surrounded by a correctly contoured surface having reference indicia marking.

Abstract: An improved machine for the continuous molding of polystyrene is described in which granules of polystyrene containing a heat-activated expansion agent are converted into a coherent agglutinated body. The machine includes an open ended molding chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end. The pre-expanded polystyrene granules enter the molding chamber through the inlet end of the molding chamber and continuously move through the chamber. As the polystyrene granules move through the chamber they are subjected to heat to cause their expansion. The improved molding chamber includes interior wall surface portions that operate to limit the expansion of the polystyrene granules in order to produce a dimensionally stable cross section in the agglutinated body. At least a portion of the interior wall surface portions are stationary.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a porous membrane is provided which comprises the steps of preparing an aqueous dispersion system by dispersing a first material in water, said first material being selected from the group consisting of waxy substances, fatty substances and mixtures thereof and having a melting point of from the room temperature to 100.degree. C., admixing with said aqueous dispersion system an aqueous solution or aqueous dispersion of a second material selected from the group consisting of high polymers and compounds forming high polymers when irradiated by light rays, forming a membrane from the admixture, drying said membrane to evaporate water therefrom and removing said waxy substances and said fatty substances contained in the dried membrane by extracting the same by the use of a solvent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a fabric-type artificial leather, wherein a nonwoven fabric is formed by using a dry method to join together hydrophobic fibers. The fabric so formed is densified by needling and the activation of shrinking forces. It is then impregnated with a mixture of a heat sensitive elastomeric bonding agent, powdered barium sulfate and a compound that reacts with acid to form a gas. The impregnated fabric is then exposed to a heated, acidified liquid which triggers coagulation of the bonding agent and liberates a gas formed by reaction of the acid and acid-reactive compound. The resulting solidified fabric is then washed, dried and ground-over on at least one side to produce a nap. Finally, the fabric is intensively fulled.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for molding polymeric materials using the reaction injection mixing (RIM) technique of combining two or more chemically reactive components immediately prior to their introduction into a mold. The invention is more particularly adapted to RIM molding of polyamide (nylon) type polymers, but is also useful for urethane polymers. In either case the polymers may be of the unfilled or of the reinforced type. Modification of conventional RIM technique is made to meet higher component temperature conditions required for nylon molding as compared to urethane polymers, for example. A characterizing feature of the invention is the employment of an attempering "oil tracer" system comprising casings and jackets enclosing the flow paths of each of the several reactive components, and the flow therethrough of a temperature-controlled oil or other fluid medium in heat-exchange but non-fluid communication with the reactive components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reaction vessel adapted to withstand pressures and temperatures of the magnitude associated with the manufacture of diamond products and boron nitride (BN) and similar hard materials. The reaction vessel has an outer chamber or shell formed from steel and an inner reaction chamber. Known vessels of this type must be provided with a thick layer of insulating material between the reaction chamber and the outer steel shell to protect the outer shell from the heat of the diamond-forming process carried on in the reaction chamber. The quantity of insulating material required within the vessel for adequate protection of the outer shell is relatively large as compared to the area of the outer shell. Accordingly, the amount of available space remaining within the vessel for the diamond-forming reaction is limited, thus limiting the size of the diamonds formed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly manufacturing concrete or like poducts having an advanced state of cure by blending together a calcareous cementitious binder, aggregate, and water to form a mix, molding the mixture to have a predetermined shape and exposing the shape to an atmosphere in a chambr consisting essentially of carbon dioxide gas, wherein ultracold carbon dioxide gas is fed to said chamber during the movement of the shape therein and continuing the feed so as to cause an exothermic temperature rise in the shape.

Abstract: Disclosed is the preparation of micro-bits of expanded styrene-polymers and of expanded polyolefins by comminuting the styrene-polymer or polyolefin in a particular combination of comminuting steps in a suitable comminutor that can provide that combination of steps and in the presence of water as a cooling agent. The polymer micro-bits, which are produced as an aqueous slurry, may be rendered dry-to-the-touch by vacuum filtration followed by passage through a filter press.

Abstract: A polyurethane RIM system has at least two molding stations. The reactants are brought to the mixheads as three separate streams. One stream contains the isocyanate, the second stream contains some of the polyol, the chain extender and crosslinker and a third stream contains additional amounts of the polyol, along with what additives might be desired. At each mixhead the proportions of ingredients are controlled to give an isocyanate index of about 100, but the ratio of one polyol stream to the other is regulated to control the flex modulus and other properties of the molded product as may be desired. In this way, one source of supply can be used to feed several molding stations, each of wich may produce a product of different physical properties and thus of different costs.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing economically shaped article of polystyrene foam with a small wall thickness and sufficient strength by a continuous simple operation including a short forming cycle in which the sheet of polystyrene foam having a bulk density of 0.15 to 0.7 g/cm.sup.3, a thickness of 0.3 to 1.0 mm, 5 to 20 cell membranes widthwise of the sheet and a draw ratio of up to 1.25 and containing 0.03 to 0.3 mole/kg of the residual gas of the blowing agent is formed by an extruder and utilized to produce the shaped article.

Abstract: A method for the production of a more water-resistant foamed element from waterglass consisting essentially of the steps of mixing together a major amount of an alkali metal silicate solution, with inorganic fillers, at least one alkali-resistant wetting agent in an amount sufficient to form a stable foam, at least one compound capable of hardening a waterglass foam in an amount sufficient to cause said alkali metal silicate to harden, and sufficient natural latex dispersion to cause the foamed element to have a greater water resistance, mechanically foaming said mixture by the incorporation of an inert gas thereon, filling the resultant foam into an element form capable of disassembly, curing said foam in said form, and recovering a more water-resistant foamed and cured element. Preferably the natural latex dispersion is employed in a 50% dispersion in an amount of from 0.2% to 30% by weight, preferably from 0.2% to 10% by weight, based on the total mixture.

Abstract: According to the process, the shape of the mold cavity is at least partly modified at the point where it is desired to modify the physical characteristics of the molding during production. After the synthetic material is injected into the mold and hot expanded to fill the mold, the mold cavity is expanded at the point where the physical characteristics are to be modified and the molding is allowed to expand in a complementary manner in order that the material completely fills the expanded cavity. Then there is a compression of the molding and the molding is cooled to fix its shape.

Abstract: An article having a relatively lower density polystyrene core and a relatively higher density polystyrene skin is prepared by a method in which a mold is supplied, simultaneously and/or sequentially with electrostatically charged prepuffs of a relatively higher density polystyrene and relatively uncharged low density prepuffs. The walls of the metal mold preferentially attract the electrostatically charged particles. The uncharged lower density prepuffs concentrate at the core. The thus filled mold is subjected to the heating and cooling cycle to provide a molded article having a core with a lower density than the skin.

Abstract: Thermoplastic foams of polystyrene, for example, are prepared with a blowing agent which is a mixture of an organic plasticizing blowing agent, such as pentane, and an atmospheric gas, such as carbon dioxide. Typically, such foams prepared with organic blowing agent alone were aged prior to thermoforming the foam into articles. Foams prepared with the mixed blowing agent of this invention exhibit the advantage of reduced atmospheric emissions on aging.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously and rapidly forming trays of highly uniform elastomeric soil plugs comprises means for continuously mixing a water-containing soil slurry with a water-reactive pre-polymer compound, means for supplying the soil slurry and the pre-polymer compound to the mixing means at respective controlled rates, and means for delivering the mixed soil slurry and pre-polymer compound to a dispensing station for dispensing into mold receptacles; the receptacles are disposed in a closed path and carried by transport means seriatim past the dispensing station. Releasable bias means biases a tray mold member against a base mold member within each receptacle so as to extrude soil-pre-polymer mixture into plug-molding cavities of the tray mold member. The bias means is released after the plugs within the tray mold member have cured.