Abstract: A system for the automatic manufacture of pipe-shaped or tubular structural parts of a fiber-reinforced plastic. A device is provided with which fiber strands are soaked with a heat-hardenable binding agent. The device has the capability of clamping at least one winding mandrel into a winding machine, on which mandrel can be placed the soaked fiber strands. The winding machine has a guiding mechanism for the fiber strand which is to be wound onto the mandrel, which guiding mechanism can be moved back and forth parallel with respect to the mandrel. A transporting mechanism is provided for moving the wound structural parts through a hardening furnace to a device for extracting the winding mandrels from the hardened structural parts and to at least one finish-working station. The extracted and now empty winding mandrels are returned through a mandrel preparation station to the winding station. The finish-working station is provided between the hardening furnace and the mandrel extracting device.

Abstract: A safety steering column made of wound fiber-reinforced synthetic material s manufactured economically and simply, yet simultaneously with due regard to its deformation characteristics in response to axial compressive overloading under various operating conditions. For this purpose the steering column is wound as a rotationally symmetrical tubular body having five component integral sections (3, 4, 5, 6, and 7). The component sections (3 and 7) are relatively thick-walled connecting tubes to provide a torque input section and a torque output section provided with connectors (8) for steering wheel hub and for a steering mechanism. An intermediate section (5) of the steering column is a cylindrical, relatively thin-walled tube with a larger diameter (d.sub.2) compared to the connecting sections. Conical transition sections (4 and 6) preferably extend between the intermediate section and the connecting tubes or sections.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper bar is made of at least one completely closed box shaped dy wound of fiber-reinforced synthetic resin impregnated strands or bands with a fiber orientation that may vary along the length of the bar and also from one wall of the box shape to the other. Several bodies of closed cross-section may be bonded together, for example by the resin curing, to form a single integral body of approximately square configuration. Towing elements may be integrated directly into the bar.