Abstract: In the case of strand-shaped material, for instance corrugated tubes, electric cables or lines, there is provided on the surface of the material an armoring comprising a plurality of wires which are applied with a long length of lay and are held by a further armoring layer. The wires are applied to the material with changing direction of lay. The additional armoring layer is at least one wire applied with a short length of lay and which is applied with initial tension onto the first armoring layer.

Abstract: There is described an improved apparatus for use in medical applications. The invention is adaptable for either disposable or non-disposable use. The apparatus includes a tubing which has a spiral configuration and a "spin-in cuff" or connector with a spiral end which mates with the spiral tubing to form a connection which is secure, substantially fluid leakproof, and yet readily engageable and disengageable. The cuff (or connector) is adapted to interact with existing medical equipment.

Abstract: A shirred food casing stick with enhanced overall interpleat coherency is produced by imparting a rotational force to the stick as it is shirred, in a direction opposite to the rotational force imparted to the stick by the shirring.

Abstract: A guide tube for guiding the movement of an endoscope into a passageway includes a tubular body having a front end slanted with respect to an axis thereof. At least that portion of the tubular body adjacent to said front end is axially compressible resiliently and resiliently bendable.

Abstract: A pipe made of a synthetic resin and suitable for underground use which has an improved strength and reliability. In a first embodiment, a helical reinforcing rib is provided by extruding together with a band of resin material which forms the main body of the pipe a corrugated tube. By passing the corrugated tube through the extrusion die, the danger of the wall thickness of the main body of the pipe being reduced is eliminated. In a second embodiment, the reinforcing rib is formed by helically winding a reinforcing member having at least an outer coating of either the same material which forms the main body of a straight-wall pipe or a material having a high fusibility therewith. In this case also, the reinforcing rib can be made from a corrugated tube having a semicircular cross-section.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of flexible tubes including a main body of a rubber material and a reinforcing element of a hard resin material in which the reinforcing element is embedded at least partly in the main body in a form of helical coil and adjoined thereto to form an integral body of the flexible tube. The flexible tube is manufactured by helically winding a composite web of a rubber strip and a hard resin strip adjoined to each lateral side end of the rubber strip with the web being in a plastic condition so that a lateral end portion of the resin strip in the web of each turn is made to be in contact with and adjoined to that of the preceding turn.

Abstract: To manufacture a bent prestress conduit (5) adapted to receive without damage cables (7) subjected to extremely high pulling forces, one of the faces of a metal strip (1) is coated intimately with a metal phosphate layer (4) itself covered by a soap and this metal strip is wound in helical form so as to obtain a continuous tube whose inner face is formed by the thus coated face of the metal strip.

Abstract: A flexible plastic conduit having a pair of longitudinally extending reinforcement tapes to improve the resistance to elongation of the flexible plastic conduit is provided. A fitting is also provided to cooperate with the flexible tubing to provide the proper resistance to forces trying to separate the flexible conduit and the fitting when in assembled relationship. A method for assembling the flexible conduit and the fitting is also provided.

Abstract: A helically wound two-piece construction hose is provided, having greater flexibility and resistance to kinking than previous helically wound two-piece construction hoses because of the provision of a hinge in a strip thereof. The hinge is made of a material which is flexible, yet has hardness, strength, and abrasion resistance, and is also resistant to fatigue failure.

Abstract: A bellows device having a plurality of recesses and ridges in the direction of expansion and contraction is used for a movable part of a vacuum switch tube. The thickness of an middle part in the direction of expansion and contraction is 1.2 times or more than the thickness of a part placed adjacent the middle part. The middle part has three or more ridges.

Abstract: Corrugations are removed from the end of a helically corrugated pipe by compressing the end of the pipe between a plurality of radially movable die segments. By choosing appropriately-shaped die segments and die-actuating cams, the end of the pipe can be expanded, or shrunk to a diameter less than that of an imaginary cylinder defined by a surface of revolution contacting the innermost surfaces of the pipe. Products manufactured in accordance with the method of the invention have an end portion with an accurately controlled diameter; a minimum of pipe length is taken up by the modification.

Abstract: A flexible connection from a rigid air inlet device to a rigid air cleaner inlet duct or a flexible connection from an air cleaner rigid outlet duct to a resonator rigid inlet duct or from a resonator rigid outlet duct to a fuel-air mixture metering device such as a carburetor or an electronic fuel injection device or system. The system described may or may not include a resonator. The connection is a flexible spiral wound wire duct. A flexible sleeve is heat shrunk onto the end of the wire duct, leaving a free end projecting from the duct for application to the rigid duct in any combination to satisfy air delivery to the fuel metering system.

Abstract: A tubular core for use in fabricating a cored casing article, the core having its aft end portion provided with a plurality of spaced ramp-shaped elements which extend about the periphery of the aft end portion. The elements permit one-way loading of a shirred casing stick over the aft end and onto the core while resisting the axial growth of the casing stick in an aft direction.

Abstract: One or more electric conductors (36, 236) in a flexible hose (10, 210) are protected from tensile and compressive forces exerted on or by the hose by providing an enclosure (32, 232) for the conductor(s) whose radial dimension (46, 246) provides a path for movement of the conductor(s) that is greater than any movement thereon exerted on or by the hose which might otherwise harm or break the conductor(s).

Abstract: The formation of tubular objects by spirally winding and seaming a relatively rigid strip of plastics material. A sealing flap (15, 215) along one longitudinal edge (5, 25) of the strip, and an engaging surface (16, 216) along the other edge (11, 211) positioned close to but separate from the interlocking portions (8 and 12, 28, 212) of these longitudinal edges. The provision of these sealing flaps and engaging surfaces permit the interlocking portions at the edges to be designed independent of the ability of these interlocking portions to create a fluid seal. This results in optimum operation of these interlocking portions to, for example, permit relatively rapid changes in the diameter of the tube as it is formed, as well as subsequent to its formation.

Abstract: A device for the electric measurement of the level of a liquid within a container has a protective tube (1) within which a conductive foil (2) is helically arranged. The conductive foil (2) is wound with such a pitch that sufficient space remains between its longitudinal edges (3, 3') to provide a helically extending flexible protective-tube region (16, 16') within the protective tube (1). This protective-tube region has inwardly and outwardly directed U-shaped tube sections (17, 18, 19). As a result of this development the protective tube (1) bends exclusively in those regions which are located between the longitudinal edges (3) of the conductive foil (2).

Abstract: Double walled thermoplastic tubes, with corrugated outer walls and smooth inner wall are formed with integral bell sections spaced along the tube. The outer, corrugated wall is formed with a bell section. One of the walls is pierced between the ends of the bell section to allow the escape of air, and the inner wall is pressed outwards into engagement with the bell section of the outer wall.

Abstract: A device and method for producing a tube comprises a rotatable mandrel over which the tube is formed and an extruder alongside the mandrel having a nozzle which extrudes a supporting material having a hollow portion onto the mandrel at a selected angle in a manner to form a continuously helically wound strip on the mandrel as the mandrel is rotated and the mandrel and the extruder are moved relatively in respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube. A supply of a profiled material such as a tubular reinforcement is provided alongside the mandrel and advantageously comprises a reel supply over which the tube is wound and which is connected through a feeder in the form of upper and lower rollers which engage the profiled material and feed it through the extruder into association with the supporting material and into the hollow portion thereof.

Abstract: A fire-barrier comprises a composite of three types of fire-retardant materials operable sequentially to combat an increase in temperature, e.g. as occurs on outbreak of a fire, by different methods. A preferred combination of materials is an outer layer of heat reflective material, an inner layer of thermally intumescent material and an intermediate layer of endothermal material between the inner and outer layers.

Abstract: A strip of longitudinally corrugated thin sheet metal is spirally coiled to form a tube with adjacent border portions of successive convolutions overlapping each other with at least one corrugation in the overlying border portion of one convolution fitting into one corrugation of the underlying border portion of an adjoining convolution, and the interfitting crests are provided with circumferentially spaced locking detents each of which has a flattened central area flanked by crimps along its marginal portions that extend downwardly and outwardly in substantial abutment with the lowermost portions of the crests in which the detents are located.

Abstract: A hollow tubular core for supporting an elastic tubular cover member in a highly radially stretched condition comprises a cylindrical plastic tube having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending lugs on the inner wall of the tube and a continuous helical cut in the wall of the tube from the exterior surface thereof severing the tube into a continuous narrow strip with only the lugs connected axially along the length of the tube.

Abstract: A folding, bellows type, hose of synthetic resin includes a coil to from the chevrons thereof. The modulus of elasticity in bending of the synthetic resin hose wall is in the range of from 2.500 to 14.00 Kg/cm. The oblique portions of the hose wall is attached to the coil on one side thereof near a valley, and on the other side thereof near the crest of the chevron, throughout the whole length of hose.

Abstract: A double-walled corrugated synthetic resin pipe comprises a straight inner pipe, and a corrugated outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe, and joined integrally thereto. The inner pipe is formed by a spirally wound flat strip of a synthetic resin having adjoining turns joined to each other along their adjoining edges, and has a generally even outer surface. The outer pipe is formed by a spirally wound corrugated synthetic resin strip also having adjoining turns thereof joined to each other along their adjoining edges. The outer pipe has a corrugation defined by a ridge portion, a groove portion, and an intermediate portion, and the groove portion has an inner surface joined to the outer surface of the inner pipe.

Abstract: The central conductor of a gas-insulated flexible cable consists of separate concentric tubes which are alternately spirally corrugated and annularly corrugated so that the corrugations will not nest relative to one another and are axially movable relative to one another.

Abstract: A strip of very thin flexible material has continuous longitudinal corrugations in the form of curved ridges and hollows, and may be curled helically to form a flexible tube. The strip has a first marginal ridge with a radius of curvature smaller than that of all other ridges, and a second marginal ridge with a radius of curvature larger than that of all other ridges. As the strip is curled with the first marginal ridge overlying a first intermediate ridge and the second marginal ridge underlying a second intermediate ridge, the marginal ridges are respectively spread over and closed under the intermediate ridges to conform to the curvature thereof.

Abstract: A typical embodiment of the invention produces helically wound tubes from strips of thin plate in which adjacent edges are provided with interlocking ribs that are folded over to form a compressed bead. A further rib is formed at the bead, the bead providing one of the sides of the new-formed rib.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for strengthening the core of an insulated flexible duct formed of a helical wire wrapped with a flexible material. Strengthening tape is applied to the surface of the duct along its entire length. The apparatus for applying the strengthening tape is a tray having adjustable wiping arms. The wiping arms stretch the duct out as it is pulled through the tray, testing bonds securing the material around a reinforcing coil of wire. A roll of tape is mounted adjacent to the wiper arms and is automatically applied as the duct is pulled along the tray through the wiper arms. At least two wiper arms and continuous strips of tape along the longitudinal surface of the duct core are preferred.

Abstract: A convoluted hose construction comprised of an elongated helically wound elastomeric strip is provided and has first and second connecting means defining opposite side edge portions of the strip for holding the strip in its helically wound relation; and, the connecting means assures that the hose construction is held together in a high strength manner with maximum flexibility while using a minimum amount of material.

Abstract: A collapse resistant hose is described which may be selectively deformed to a desired shape. It includes the usual elongated polymeric body, including an internal passageway in which is positioned a spring insert reinforcement. An axially extending rod means is positioned adjacent the spring to which it is intimately attached, permitting the hose to be deformed to a desired shape-retaining configuration by bending the rod beyond its yield point.

Abstract: Flexible hose for liquefied gases, comprising a tubular body of biaxially oriented polypropylene film (2) arranged between an inner helically wound wire (3) and an outer helically wound wire (4), said wires being wound at the same pitch but having the windings displaced by half a pitch width from each other.

Abstract: The formation of articles using an elongated strip which has on it a series of longitudinally positioned upstanding ribs to form between them a series of longitudinally positioned channels and including connectors on the strip spaced apart transversely on the strip whereby the strip can be wound helically to form an elongated object with the connectors interengated along a helical line to lock the strip in object form.

Abstract: A controllable stiffness duct having a spirally wound metallic strip with a spiral turns interlock to define a flexible product carrying or delivering conduit. Disposed in the spiral turns interlock is a pressure line inflatable to stiffen the conduit and resist collapse. The pressure line may be used to convey fluid through the duct to power a device at a remote end of the duct. The pressure line may include imbedded electrically conductive materials to provide electrical power to the remote end of the duct. An insulating layer and a protective wire rope sheath cover the conduit to form the controllable stiffness duct.

Abstract: Collapse failures of a pipe wall are prevented from propagating along an underwater pipeline by providing corrugations at intermittent, recurrent, or periodic intervals along the length of the pipeline.

Abstract: A flexible hose wherein the majority of the mass and the strength are located at the radially outermost portion of the hose. The hose is constructed by combining a relatively rigid radially outermost cap with a relatively flexible inner membrane.

Abstract: A fluid-conveying, flexible, lagged pipe for building up in particular a liquefied natural gas carrying pipe-line connecting an off-shore platform for working submarine oil fields or like underwater pools to a tanker ship and comprising an inner tubular duct including an inner helical metal spring, an intermediate layer of yielding composite material and an outer helical metal spring like the inner spring but longitudinally offset by half a pitch of turns with respect to the latter so that the turns of said outer spring be nested between those, respectively, of said inner spring.

Abstract: A hose construction and method of making same are provided wherein such hose construction comprises a flexible corrugated hose made of polymeric material, a pair of hose connectors fixed to opposite ends of the hose, and a sleeve disposed around the hose and having opposite end portions wherein the sleeve is fastened to the hose only at its opposite end portions and the sleeve serves to improve the fluid pressure resistance and external wear resistance of the hose while keeping its flexibility substantially intact.

Abstract: A flexible hose having resistance to radial crush is formed from a bonded and interlocked helically wound rod or strip of plastic co-extrusion. The co-extruded profile of the strip is defined by a pair of matable rib components which are joined by a web. The rib components are bonded, sealed and interlocked together at adjoining convolutions of the profile not only to form the hose but also to form a composite rib integrated into the hose for resisting radial crushing and axially directed deformation forces exerted on the hose. The composite rib is formed from a material having a hardness which is greater than that of at least a part of the web for rendering the rib with a relatively stiff bend resistance characteristic and the web with a relatively soft and flexible characteristic. The web itself may be a co-extrusion of two materials placed in series, or in parallel as a laminate, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The flexible corrugated tube is made of spirally coiled thin metal strip with corrugations extending parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof, in which tube at least one corrugation of the one side edge of the one convolution (2) lies respectively in at least one corrugation on the other overlapping side edge of the subsequent convolution (3) and the crests of corrugations lying in each other are pressed down by only a part of the corrugation height in such a manner that the corrugation crests are wider than the corrugation cross-section beneath same.

Abstract: A flexible buoyant conduit which includes a thermoplastic pressure-resistant stratum. The pressure resistant stratum is formed by spirally winding, and overlapping, a belt or band the cross-section of which is in the form of an elongated S-shape having a groove in the bottom wall of each channel.

Abstract: A method of continuously manufacturing a corrugated tube having a corrugated outer wall and a smooth inner wall surface along the length of the tube is provided which method comprises the steps of arranging in a circular array a plurality of rollers each rotating at the same speed such that an imaginary cylinder is defined about its central axis by said rollers, the longitudinal axes of said rollers being parallel to each other but offset with respect to said central axis; continuously feeding a flat non-reinforced strip of synthetic resin material in a softened state generally perpendicularly to the length of said rollers in such a manner that said strip is helically wrapped around and advanced axially along said imaginary cylinder with portions of adjacent turns of the strip overlapping one on another and welded together; continuously feeding a flexible core member and embedding it between the overlapping portions of adjacent turns of the strip to raise the upper one of said overlapping portions so as to de

Abstract: A continuous tube T is formed by spirally-winding an extruded thermoplastic ribbon R having mating edges which are joined together to form a spiral seam and having at least one reinforcing rib 3 which, when in its spiral wrapped form, projects radially out from the tube. At predetermined lengths, the tube is cut and at the same time the outer surfaces of the tube on each side of the cut are shaped to facilitate handling and interconnecting of pipe section 1 thus formed. At least one end of the pipe has an annular groove 6 at a uniform distance from that end. This groove is formed by cutting a path through each of the radially extending reinforcing ribs intersecting its annular path. An elastomeric O-ring 8 engages the outer surface of the pipe and the axial movement of the O-ring is restrained by the walls of the groove formed by the radially extending reinforcing ribs.

Abstract: A foldable conduit has a generally parabolic arched portion and a flat base. The arched portion comprises a pair of corrugated side walls which are connected with a hinge. The corrugations comprise alternating peak portions and valley portions. Each peak portion comprises a pair of generally vertical corrugation walls and a top wall connected with the corrugation walls. The top wall has a pair of ribs, each adjacent one of the pair of corrugation walls. Between the ribs is a recessed area. The ribs and recessed area are arcuate and generally undulating in cross section. The valley portion comprises an arcuate valley wall connected with the corrugation walls of adjacent peak portions. The flat base is a flexible sheet which may be perforated to permit fluid ingress and egress. The hinge and flexible base allow the side walls to be folded together with the base folded in between for more compact shipment.

Abstract: A heat-insulated conduit provided by the invention has a tube, a sheath of heat insulating foamed material disposed around the tube, wires wound around the sheath of foamed material which deform the sheath locally along annular lines, and a tubular film disposed around the sheath in line or point contact with the deformed sheath.

Abstract: A method of making a flexible hose comprising a hose main body formed from a rubber strip wound into helical coils rigidly joined together and a linear reinforcement of rigid resin disposed in contact with the strip in a manner to have a thickness between the reinforcement and the inner surface of the helically wound strip. The reinforcement is bonded to the integral homogeneous rubber portion of the strip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle exhaust system containing a three-way catalytic converter. An insulated flexible duct connects the outlet of the engine exhaust manifold with the inlet of the three-way catalytic converter to retain the exhaust engine gases at a temperature greater than the ignition temperature of the three-way catalyst in the catalytic converter. The insulated flexible duct is preferably made of an inner flexible metal conduit surrounded by fibrous insulation which in turn is surrounded on the outside by a second flexible metal conduit. The system is economical, contains no active elements which would require maintenance or could get out of order, is adaptable to motor vehicles of all types (especially automobiles, light trucks and vans) including those powered by either gasoline and diesel engines and entirely eliminates the need for expensive and complicated light-off catalysts in the system.

Abstract: A flexible conduit has an undulating liquid tight inner tube portion and layers of metal reinforcing wound around the tube. The layers include a burst resisting layer adjacent the tube, then traction and pressure resisting layers, and an outer sheath. The undulations in the interior of the tube can be filled with packing or the tube can be lined with a spiral strip to lessen resistance to fluid flow through the conduit.

Abstract: The invention provides a hose that withstands a vacuum which is considered to be approximately two to three times greater than the vacuum withstood by the best known previously available pliable convoluted semirigid plastic hoses of comparable designs. To fabricate the hose, a bobbin of wire stock is unwound, with the wire preferably being pulled off the end of the bobbin. The wire is then looped around a spool to form it into a spiral or coil having a preset diameter which is proportionately smaller than the diameter of a preformed, semirigid convoluted plastic hose. While the pulled wire is still substantially extended, it is taken up by being rolled upon the plastic hose, thereby snapping the preset formed wire spiral into the spiral convolutions formed in the surface of the hose. If desired, the spiral or coil might be pulled off the end of the samller diameter spool to impart a twist thereto.

Abstract: A flexible hose and method for making same, suitable for cleaning swimming pools and general vacuum applications, having contiguous turns of an extruded helical plastic bead. The strip has thin flange and leg members for receiving the bead that provide excellent crush resistant strength in I-beam fashion while providing a high degree of flexibility.

Abstract: A plastic medical respiratory conduit is provided having a first tubular helical coil conduit communicating with a first source of fluid. The coil conduit is wrapped with a pliable tape to form a second conduit communicating with a second source of fluid. Resilient couplers can be attached to each end of the conduit to form part of a medical ventilator or humidification system, the resulting ventilator or humidification system providing heretofore unavailable advantages.

Abstract: Thin-walled metal duct particularly useful for heating and air-conditioning purposes is usually made by grooving, spiral wrapping, and seaming strips of thin metal sheet. The resultant tubular form provides the necessary rigidity to resist collapse of the tubular form. In the past, at least one end of the ribbed tubular ducts have been reformed to permit the ducts to be joined together. The end reforming techniques of the past have resulted in reformed ends having insufficient rigidity and strength to resist the abuse the ducts frequently receive in shipping, storing, handling, and installation.The present product, method, and apparatus provide a ribbed thin-walled tubular duct having reformed ends with rigidity and strength superior to the prior art products. This achievement is accomplished in the present invention by moving more metal into the end portion of the duct prior to reforming the end portion, thus reinforcing the end portion of the duct.