Abstract: A single sheet of standard grade plastic laminate material is bent at two locations to form it into a side wall and two end walls corresponding to the side wall and two end walls of a bathtub recess. Following forming, one end wall portion of the wall covering is loosely folded over the opposite end wall portion. Then, the partially folded wall covering is pushed endwise into a rectangular cardboard box having a normal thickness which is substantially smaller than the initial depth of the partially folded wall covering. The box with the partially folded wall covering inside is moved through a rectangular opening provided in a rigid mandril, sized to be substantially equal to the normal outside dimension of the box. The mandril forces the outwardly bulging side walls of the box inwardly and reshapes both the side walls of the box and the side and end walls of the partially folded wall covering therein.

Abstract: Heated material is injected into an annular cavity, defined by a pair of mold halves, through a sprue passage, defined by a sprue bushing and an end portion of a punch. The annular cavity and the sprue passage form, respectively, the centrally apertured part and a sprue. After partial cooling of the heated material, the punch is locked in place while the annular cavity is displaced relative to the sprue passage so that the sprue is severed from the part along the peripheral surface of the punch end portion. The mold halves are separated to open the annular cavity while the sprue is resting on the punch end portion, and while the part is held by the punch end peripheral surface. After the mold halves are separated, a sprue ejector member is actuated to eject the sprue from the punch end portion. The finished video disc is then removed, carried by the moving platen of the moving mold assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for pressing and vacuum treating cheese curd to provide a cheese block wherein the receptacle for the curd is used as part of the vacuum chamber. The apparatus includes a simple attachment for a curd receptacle whereby the curd within the receptacle can be pressed while at the same time the curd is deaerated with vacuum.

Abstract: An extrusion pelleting apparatus is disclosed wherein the outermost portion of an extrusion orifice is surrounded by a heat reservoir maintained at a temperature significantly higher than the softening temperature range of the polymer being extruded. The high temperature heat reservoir constitutes a heat source from which individual extrusion orifices may be heated above the polymer's softening range to assist in melting frozen plugs of polymer which may block the orifice from time to time.Also disclosed is a heat flow control mechanism, in effect, for slowing the heat release from the reservoir to the individual extrusion orifices for economy of operation while still making available such high temperature source for unfreezing such plugs.

Abstract: Low speed rotational molding of plastic objects at about ambient temperatures from a liquid thermosetting plastic material distributed in a mold substantially under gravitational force; the selected thermosetting plastic is placed as a distributable liquid in a mold having a volume much larger than the volume of the liquid polymer and slowly rotated about two axes at or about room temperature; urethane polymers to which a quantity of diamine curing agent has been added prior to the introduction of the flowable plastic into the rotatable mold are typical thermosetting materials; useful objects or shapes having thin, relatively uniform walls are produced by the disclosed process; repetition of molding steps allows the build up of same or different layers which may have interposed therebetween, lightening, stiffening, and/or strengthening members; precoating of a mold with a variety of coatings which release, interact, or decorate the thermoset resin surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of thermoplastic substrate with fibrous surfaces. The fibers of these surfaces are formed by drawing away from a heated surface a molten polymer component backed by an unmelted polymer residue layer or substate. Simultaneous with the drawing, the nascent fibers are stabilized by cooling. For this purpose, cooling media are introduced in the fiber-forming zone. The thermoplastic polymer compounds should be applied in a thickness of at least 50 microns, and preferably 150 microns (when only 1 polymer forms the molten component), on a heated drawing surface of a drum or a conveyor belt apparatus.This invention relates to the production of fibrous surfaces on polymer substrates. Typically the substrates are in the form of webs. The use of webs makes the cooling process more efficient.

Abstract: An inplace gasket belling machine wherein a plastic pipe is received in a tilt clamp fixture and tilted thereon for receiving a heating bell on one end portion of the pipe. Heated fluid is directed over the inserted pipe end portion. The heating bell may be withdrawn from the pipe in intermittent steps to afford a temperature gradient along the pipe end portion. The pipe is then tilted to a horizontal disposition for the insertion of a gasket belling mandrel into the heated end portion of the pipe. A gasket magazine is supported adjacent the mandrel for automatically placing an annular gasket on the mandrel for insertion into the pipe end portion. The mandrel includes an outer housing and a mandrel body portion telescopically received within the outer housing. The outer housing has a stop shoulder and a gasket positioning sleeve extended forwardly therefrom. The mandrel body portion has a flared pipe expanding portion and a gasket carrying portion rearwardly thereof.

Abstract: Relatively light gauge thermoplastic sheet material is pierced by a hot punch to provide a bearing aperture. The hot punch is held in sheet-penetrating position long enough to cause plastic flow of displaced material and formation of a collar-like hub surrounding the aperture. The hot punch is withdrawn and replaced by a cool punch to retard further plastic flow of the displaced material, thereby fixing the aperture in desired size and shape. There results a bearing aperture having an axial length greater than the starting thickness of the sheet material, and consequently a larger bearing surface integrally formed locally in the sheet material. Apparatus for forming the bearing aperture is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of manufacturing, in one and the same operation, a wall or a wall section having an opening therein, and a door or cover for the opening, the door or cover being larger than the free opening in the wall or wall section.The two components are formed in a common tool, the components being placed in staggered parallel planes and interconnected by means of a connecting flange which is directed substantially transversely of these planes and extends between the surrounding edge portion of the wall opening and the surrounding edge portion of the door or cover. After forming, the two components are severed by cutting off of the connecting flange, the overlap of the wall or wall section and the door or cover being determined by the thickness of the connecting flange.

Abstract: Method for making a plug valve having a housing molded in place about a pre-formed rotary valvemember. The rotary valve member is molded with the mold parting lines lying in a plane containing the axis of the flow passageway. Around the passageway orifice, the mold parting line is eliminated by use of a core insert which forms a recessed region with an annular mold parting line spaced from the orifice. The housing includes a body portion which surrounds the rotary valve member and an annular lip seal member formed as a homogenous part of the body portion and extending inwardly adjacent the recessed region of the valve member. The inwardly extending portion of the lip seal member has the property of flexing to form a fluid-tight seal when the valve member is in its closed position.

Abstract: In apparatus having an endless pressing band, formed of a layer of rubber with a steel-wire fabric connected thereto, passing around a heating drum, two associated guide rollers and a hitch roller, the relative positions of advancement of the opposite ends of a transverse weft wire of the steel-wire fabric are sensed by photoelectric cell arrangements and, upon sensing of a lagging of one end behind the other, control means are activated to move the bearing at one end of the hitch roller towards or away from the heating drum while retaining the axes of the hitch roller and the heating drum in a common plane.

Abstract: In a sodium sulphur cell, a cathode electrode of annular form comprising a plurality of segments, each of trapezoidal form in cross-section is made by compressing a blanket or sheet of carbon or graphite felt or fibres in a heated mould, which is shaped to produce the segments joined by thin webs, the material being impregnated with sulphur or sodium polysulphide before or after insertion in the mould, and the material being cooled before removal from the mould. Alternatively, the segments may be formed from the blanket or sheet by using shaped rolls, the mateial being cooled, e.g., by water or air, as it leaves the rolls.

Abstract: Method for making a tire whose white sidewall portion is created by, selectively, providing a circumferential groove in the molded tire, buffing the surfaces of the groove, placing an adhesive in the groove, heating the tire about 138.degree. C. to dry the adhesive, bringing the tire temperature to about 100.degree. C. and, while rotating the tire with the groove in a substantially horizontal plane, directing a stream of white polyurethane stock into the groove by means of an applicator which is formed to direct the stock in differing volumes into the bottom of the groove and laterally against its corners and sides; the white sidewall strip so formed has the shape of a concave meniscus.

Abstract: A method for cleaning thermoplastic material especially for reclaiming thermoplastic material from scrap material which includes in addition to the thermoplastic material, materials having a higher melting point than the thermoplastic, such as metal, thermosetting material, etc. The scrap material which has been treated to remove large particles of metal and/or other hard materials is heated and extruded to thereby provide a confined pressurized stream of melted thermoplastic material containing therein small metallic or other unmelted particles. A portion of the stream of melted material is filtered to provide a filtrate composed of melted thermoplastic material containing therein unmelted materials having a size less than a preselected size.

Abstract: A method and system for cooling an injection molded plastic article by forming a portion of a mold cavity of fluid permeable porous material that communicates with a cooling liquid passageway and subjecting the cooling liquid to different pressures to vary the flow of fluid through the porous plug.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an integrally formed thermoplastic conduit and washer for being connected with a second conduit by way of conventional fitting, characterized by means for of inserting a guide pin within the tubing so as to maintain a predetermined internal diameter within the tubing and washer; emplacing a mold about the guide pin and tubing to hold the tubing, the mold having a washer cavity to define the exterior dimensions and form of the washer with the tubing extending about the guide pins and into the washer cavity; means for heating at least the outer most portion of the wall of the tubing that is within the washer cavity to its softening temperature and means for compressing the softened tubing walls longitudinally of the pin to accordion pleat the walls into a washer having an exterior film thereabout and having the accordion pleated walls therewithin to have an inherent springiness that readily effects sealing interconnection with another conduit shape and that frictionally holds a tightened f

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for preparing continuous, seamless blown thermoplastic film tubing by extruding a melt of the thermoplastic through an annular orifice into a tubular shape, inflating the film tube thus formed and cooling such inflated tubing. In the apparatus, the extruded tube while still plastic is passed through an external cooling means having one or more multi-perforated air rings shaped in congruance to the desired shape of the inflating tube. Additionally, final cooling means is provided which cools the precooled film tube with air supplied from a continuous, non interrupted annulus surrounding the tube. A major advantage of this apparatus is that production speeds can be increased while maintaining bubble stability.

Abstract: A process for the continuous production of a hose formed and vulcanized on a mandrel, comprising continuously forming and advancing a hollow mandrel, continuously forming said hose about said mandrel and continuously vulcanizing said hose while advancing said hose in axial direction with said mandrel, after said mandrel arrives at a predetermined location continuously destroying said mandrel within said hose, and removing the remnants of said mandrel from said hose. The mandrel may be formed of a brittle material such as sintered metal or of a relatively low melting material and its destruction can be effected by longitudinal severance into strips and/or melting by induced current and/or fragmentation by ultrasound. Alternatively the mandrel may be made of soluble material and subsequently dissolved away. Endless reinforcements may also be circulated and the mandrel formed so as to partially embed said reinforcements. Corresponding apparatus is provided.

Abstract: Doors and other closure members for apertures of high temperature plant e.g. coke ovens, are sealed by a heat-resistant putty, conveniently a clay-based putty, applied in a tubular skin, e.g. of polyethylene. On closing the aperture the skin deforms and bursts to distribute the putty to the mating surfaces.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for preparing a wax replica of a dental prosthesis is disclosed. The method of the invention is carried out by preparing a composite dental model which includes a base portion, an odontal die projecting from the base portion having a cavity in which the dental prosthesis is to be implanted, and an index pin embedded within the composite dental model. A complementary dental model having an odontal projection defining an occlusal surface for engaging the odontal die is also prepared. The index pin includes an anchor shank portion embedded within the odontal die, an alignment shank portion embedded in the base portion and a radially projecting collar portion disposed in the interface of the base portion and the odontal die. The odontal die and embedded index pin are removed from the base portion of the composite dental model and a die spacer is placed around the alignment shank portion of the index pin.