Abstract: A method of making a high strength polyester strap, preferably a coextruded polyethylene terephthalate, suitable for higher load applications that typically require steel strapping. The coextruded strap has a core of highly oriented PET and a skin or outer surface of a PET which has been impact modified. The strap is made by a process in which a coextruded strand (or sheet) is subjected to a plurality of stretching steps with a final stretch ratio of at least 5 to 1. In a preferred embodiment, the strap has an outermost layer in which the brittleness of the strap is reduced and the toughness is increase by the inclusion of an elastomer, which has been found to significantly improve the weldability of the strap.

Abstract: Improvements in a method for extruding plastic members includes a joint connection for splicing glass fiber rebars together in end-to-end relation for use as reinforcing elements in an extruded plastic member. The extruded plastic member is cut into predetermined lengths at the locations of the splices or joint connections so that the reinforcing rebars in the extruded members are joint- or splice-free. A device for locating the position of the splices in the extruded plastic member is suspended above the extrusion apparatus and is adjustable for any predetermined length of reinforcing rebars to be used in the extruded plastic member. After the extruded member is cut, a chilled plate is inserted into the cut to cool and solidify any molten plastic that may remain at the confronting surfaces of the cut to prevent leakage of molten plastic from the cut ends of the extruded plastic member.

Abstract: A high strength polyester strap, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, suitable for higher load applications that typically require steel strapping. The strap is made by a process in which an extruded strand or sheet of polyester is subjected to a plurality of stretching steps with a final stretch ratio of at least 5 to 1. Raising the temperature of the strap in at least one of the stretching steps is preferred. In a preferred embodiment, the strap is surface treated to reduce the brittleness of the strap and to improve weldability. The profile of the strap is flattened as part of the surface treatment which treatment enhances the weldability of the strap.

Abstract: An elongated, substantially rigid member suitable for use as a marine piling is formed by feeding a substantially solid plastic core into a die and continuously extruding a molten plastic into the die so that the molten plastic surrounds and bonds to the plastic core and to reinforcing bars fed into the die at positions surrounding the plastic core. The plastic core acts as a heat sink to facilitate cooling of the molten plastic and deters bending of the member while cooling.

Abstract: An elongated structural member suitable for use as a marine piling includes a continuous, extruded plastic body having rebar disposed within the plastic body and extending in the lengthwise direction of the structural member. The structural member is formed by continuously extruding a molten plastic into a die so that the molten plastic surrounds and bonds to rebar fed into the die.

Abstract: A high strength polyester strap, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, suitable for higher load applications that typically require steel strapping. The strap is made by a process in which an extruded strand or sheet of polyester is subjected to a plurality of stretching steps with a final stretch ratio of at least 5 to 1. Raising the temperature of the strap in at least one of the stretching steps is preferred. In a preferred embodiment, the strap is surface treated to reduce the brittleness of the strap and to improve weldability. The profile of the strap is flattened as part of the surface treatment which treatment enhances the weldability of the strap.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for attaching a rapidly continuously running substrate web and a corunning separable fastener strip having an attachment base surface carrying a dormant reactivatable adhesive which is reactivated and the fastener strip and the web pressed into firmly adhesively bonded relation.

Abstract: A length of thermoplastic strapping is provided for use as strap disposed in a loop around an article so that overlapping strap portions are arranged in a face-to-face relationship, and an improved welded joint from such strapping is also provided. The weld includes at least part of the thickness of each strap portion forming a resolidified region from a fused state after application of heat. The resolidified region includes a solid phase of the first material and a plurality of discrete volumes defined in the resolidified region from which the first material is absent and which are distributed in the first material across the width and thickness of the resolidified region at least adjacent each end of the resolidified region. The strapping has a first layer including a first material and a second material carried by the first material.

Abstract: A synthetic resin resiliently flexible separable fastener strip adapted for attachment to a substrate, is thermoplastically extruded in continuous strip form and provided with a base surface to which is applied during extrusion an adhesive in fluent state, with the extruded strip and adhesive carried thereby being then concurrently cured so that the fastener as formed and the adhesive in a dormant state on the strip can be rolled into a storage roll. The material of the fastener strip and the material of the adhesive are selected to permit the adhesive on the strip to be reactivated when the strip is to be adhesively bonded to a substrate, without deformably affecting the fastener strip. By extruding the strip without base webs, a plurality such as at least four, separate complementary strips can be extruded from a single die for efficiently joining sets of the profile strips into separable fastener assemblies immediately after concurrent curing of the extruded strips and the reactivatable adhesive.

Abstract: A closure strip adapted to be bonded to a substrate comprises a one-piece polymeric extrusion having a base surface essentially no wider than the profile portion of the strip and wherein a plane projected normal to and bisecting the base surface longitudinally into two parts also bisects the profile portion into two corresponding parts, a dormant but reactivatable adhesive layer adhering to and along the base surface on at least one side of the plane, so that the closure strip is adapted to be bonded to the substrate upon reactivation of the dormant adhesive.

Abstract: A baseball protection device for attachment to a baseball glove includes a multi-layered shielding portion for protecting the wrist and lower forearm of one who wears the glove. It also includes a stretchable fabric sewn to outermost side edges of the shielding portion such that the shielding portion and fabric together encircle the wrist and forearm. The shielding portion is formed from two separate but attached sections sewn together along a seam extending lengthwise of the wrist and forearm. Each section has a pad of pliable, shock-absorbent material and a sheet of hard, semi-rigid material superimposed on top of the pad. The pad and sheet are encased in a durable material. The device is provided with a plurality of eyelets at a forward end thereof for detachably fastening the device to a heel portion of the glove using the existing glove lacing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for forming an abrasion resistant sheet from a sheet of orientable thermoplastic polymer material in one continuous process which can be effected by a single continuous production line apparatus. A method and apparatus is also provided for treating the surface of an oriented sheet with heated rolls for creating a fused surface layer on each side of the sheet. A method and apparatus is also provided for slitting a wider sheet into a plurality of strips at elevated temperatures with the strap under tension and with a staggered array of fixed blades. Further, a method and apparatus is provided for treating an oriented strip having a non-uniform thickness so as to conform the surfaces of the strip in a substantially uniformly flat and parallel configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus is provied for forming an abrasion resistant sheet from a sheet of orientable thermoplastic polymer material in one continuous production line apparatus. Apparatus is also provided for treating the surface of an oriented sheet with heated rolls for creating a fused surface layer on each side of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheetform article such as a binding strap and the like which exhibits improved fusibility is a laminar composite made of a crystalline synthetic thermoplastic polymer. The composite has a major thickness portion or base layer of the polymer having a relatively lower average molecular weight and a minor thickness portion of the same polymer but having a relatively higher average molecular weight. The minor thickness portion defines a fusible face of the sheetform article, and all thickness portions of the article have substantially similar planar crystalline orientation.

Abstract: Ends of thermoplastic polymeric strap are joined together using a hot sealing blade of substantially rectangular transverse cross section and having corners with an effective radius in the range of about 0.005 inches to 0.03 inches. Joints or welds produced by this sealing blade have a novel configuration in which a fused interfacial region includes an annular mass defining at least one elongated cavity. At least two such cavities are present within the region and together span the width of the strap. Such welds are stronger than prior art welds, and can consistently be produced having a joint strength of at least about 85 percent of the strap strength.

Abstract: A joint having improved snag resistance and peel strength is formed between overlapping end portions of a thermoplastic strap by the method and apparatus of the present invention. The thermoplastic strap is formed into a loop having overlapping inner and outer end portions which are joined to one another by a resolidified thin layer of formerly melted material from each of the overlapping strap end portions. Resolidified material extends completely to an inwardly tapered end of the outer strap end portion to provide the improved joint. A resolidified mass of formerly molten material also is present in front of the tapered end to further protect it against snagging.

Abstract: A joint having improved snag resistance and peel strength is formed between overlapping end portions of a thermoplastic strap. The thermoplastic strap is formed into a loop having overlapping inner and outer end portions which are joined to one another by a resolidified thin layer of formerly melted material from each of the overlapping strap end portions. Resolidified material extends completely to an inwardly tapered end of the outer strap end portion to provide the improved joint. A resolidified mass of formerly molten material also is present in front of the tapered end to further protect it against snagging.