Abstract: A sports ball and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The sports ball having a bladder, an outer cover layer, and an intermediate structure disposed between the outer cover layer and the bladder. The intermediate structure includes a restriction structure comprising a plurality of overlapping layers of cross-linked polymer film wrapped about the bladder. The sports ball may be formed via the steps of surrounding the bladder, having a first initial circumferential dimension, with a plurality of overlapping layers of cross-linked polymer shrink film, such that the cross-linked shrink film forms a restriction structure in a first dimensional state; applying a heat shrinking process to the cross-linked polymer shrink film to contract the restriction structure from the first dimensional state to a second dimensional state; inflating the bladder to a second circumferential dimension; and disposing the outer cover layer and intermediate layers about the bladder and restriction structure.

Abstract: A method of operating a training device includes measuring a force applied to a training ball including an outer skin surrounding an inner bladder, determining if a force applied to the training ball decreases below a predetermined threshold, and indicating when the force applied to the training ball decreases below the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method of making a game ball having a carcass comprising a foamed intermediate layer and a plurality of raised seams made from an outer layer is disclosed. The foamed intermediate layer may be formed from two sheets of foamed material. The sheets are shaped to have leaves that can be folded into the shape of a hemisphere with no gaps between adjacent leaves. The sheets are placed around a bladder, an outer layer is placed around the sheets, and the combination is heat molded. The seams are not made from strips of seam material placed on the outer layer of the carcass.

Abstract: A collapsible bladder has flexible outer walls and at least one strut inside the enclosure. The strut is connected to the outer walls and controls the shape into which the enclosure may be collapsed.

Abstract: A composite ball is formed with wound filament in a winding machine by winding the filament on a core, which can be permanent and form part of the finished ball. Alternatively, the core can be temporary. When winding is completed, the wound body is removed from the winding machine, an exterior of the wound body is finished, and the wound body is cured. When the core is permanent, at least a portion of the core is removed from the winding machine along with the wound body so any excess of the permanent core can be removed. The temporary core, however, is removed from the wound body, and the void is filled with filler material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an antiballistic article comprising the steps of forming a stack of sheets by stacking 2 or more sheets, each sheet comprising one or more mono-layers of anti-ballistic fibers and optionally a thermoplastic binder, followed by subjecting the stack of sheets to a reduced atmospheric pressure environment; and while maintaining the reduced atmospheric pressure environment, consolidating said stack of sheets to a pressure of at least 10 MPa at an elevated temperature. The invention also relates to an anti-ballistic article.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball shaped product and a method for making the same. The method includes the following steps of: (a) placing a ball shaped interior material on a supporting seat, wherein a part of an outer surface of the ball shaped interior material is exposed outside the supporting seat; (b) placing the ball shaped interior material and the supporting seat in a chamber; (c) covering a wrapping material on the chamber; (d) vacuum pumping the chamber, so that the wrapping material is attached to the exposed part of the outer surface of the ball shaped interior material; (e) releasing the vacuum of the chamber; and (f) rotating the ball shaped interior material, and repeating the step (a) to step (e) at least one time.

Abstract: A system and method for a composite ball for use downhole in a hydrocarbon wellbore, the composite ball having: a core; a fiber structure arranged around the core, wherein the fiber structure has non-uniform oriented fiber; and a resin within and encasing the fiber structure arranged around the core. A system and method for fabricating a composite ball for use downhole in a hydrocarbon wellbore, including arranging at least one fiber m a plurality of non-uniform orientations around a core; infusing a resin onto the at least one fiber arranged around the core; and forming a resin skin on the composite ball.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a protective helmet for the military and other uses are disclosed. Embodiments of the method include winding ballistic-tolerant tape or fibers to create a preform, placing the preform into a first mold member having an interior that defines a helmet-shaped cavity, and pressing together the first mold member against a second mold member that includes a pressurized bladder member. The method may further include pressurizing the bladder until the first and second mold members are heated and adhesives have melted or cured. The first and second mold members are cooled and the preform is removed from the first and second mold members.

Abstract: A fuel pebble for use in a fusion-fission engine includes a buffer material and a fertile or fissile fuel shell surrounding the buffer material. The fuel pebble also includes a containment shell surrounding the fertile or fissile fuel shell. The containment shell includes silicon carbide. The fuel pebble further includes a composite material layer surrounding the containment shell and a cladding layer surrounding the composite material layer.

Abstract: There is provided a polymer fabric that accommodates movement at or adjacent one or more respective surfaces without compromising structural integrity of the or each surface when the polymer fabric is affixed thereon. There is further provided methods of manufacture and application of the polymer fabric. The polymer fabric finds use in applications requiring sealing, containment, protection and insulation.

Abstract: A Sandwich panel with a core structure, in particular with a honeycomb-shaped core structure, and plane-parallel cover layers applied to both sides of this core structure, to form a floor surface in a fuselage airframe of an aircraft, the core structure having at least one recess into which at least one reinforcing structure is integrated, wherein the at least one reinforcing structure is formed with at least one core, said core having at least one recess into which a stopper is introduced, into which at least one attachment element can be introduced to attach at least one further component to the sandwich panel, and a plurality of prepreg strips which each have a uniform fibre running direction being wound around the core. In addition, the invention relates to a method for the production of a sandwich panel according to the invention.

Abstract: Reinforced composite pipes and methods for making the same, generally employ at least one polymeric reinforcement phase, typically provided as an intermediate form 214. The intermediate form is typically applied over a core pipe 216, and may be consolidated. An optional jacket may be employed.

Abstract: An apparatus and invention are provided for accelerating an added tow to match the lay-down speed of other tows exiting a compaction roller of a fiber placement head, by driving the added tow with an add roller operatively coupled to be driven at the same peripheral speed as a feed roller having a peripheral speed matching the peripheral speed of the compaction roller.

Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a construction material constructed from a plurality of flexible strips, the strips are helically wound upon one another to form a tire pole. The tire pole may incorporate bolts, nails, screws and polymers for securing the flexible strips to one another. The construction material is generally constructed from discarded tires and may comprise a utility pole, a guardrail, a signpost and may be suitable for many other construction applications.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a basketball, a basketball semi-product that includes an inflated bladder and a winding layer surrounding the bladder is prepared. A large-area rubber sheet and a large-area polyurethane sheet are prepared, and are interconnected fixedly so as to form a two-layer sheet. The two-layer sheet is cut to form a plurality of cover panels, each of which includes a small-area rubber sheet and a small-area PU sheet that abut against each other. The cover panels are adhered to an outer surface of the winding layer so as to form a ball body which has an outer surface that is formed with a channel network among the cover panels. The ball body is subsequently vulcanized.

Abstract: A ball-covering needlefelt produced by needling a fibre batt in a range of angles including a plurality of angles which are non-perpendicular to the plane of the batt. The range of angles is preferably achieved by the batt being curved during needling, the batt conveniently being curved in its direction of travel through the needling machine. The needleboard of the needling machine is preferably correspondingly curved.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for heat sealing bags having a mandrel with protruding needles for holding the bag material when the material is wrapped around the mandrel. The mandrel has a ridge for allowing easy penetration of an upwardly angled hot blade between the two overlapping ends of the bag. An apparatus composed of three hot blades of which the two outside blades enter the bottom of the bag and expand outward contacting an inner perimeter of the bag when the middle blade moves forward. The blades then retract and the bag is then fused together by pressure bars and cut by heat trimmers.

Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping fireworks shells is provided and includes a base provided with preferably three support rollers configured to support a spherical firework shell thereon; stepper motors coupled to two of the rollers, a computer coupled to the stepper motors to control the movement of the stepper motors and thereby control the angular rotation of the shell on the rollers, and a dispenser assembly which dispenses continuous-feed tape for wrapping the shell and applies and presses the tape to the shell as the shell is rotated on the rollers. The computer instructs the stepper motors to systematically, at times, rotate the rollers at relatively different speeds, such that a shell on the rollers is subjected to angular rotation and-the tape is evenly applied to all portions of the shell such that the tape forms a very even casing of the firework shell.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a circumferential deposition thickness distribution on a substrate includes a motor that rotates the substrate and a positioning sensor that senses an angular position of the substrate. At least one deposition thickness sensor senses the deposition thickness of the substrate at multiple positions on a circumference of a circle centered about an axis of rotation of the substrate. At least one controller drives a vapor source used to emit material for a deposition on a substrate. The at least one controller is coupled to the positioning sensor and the deposition thickness sensor. The controller synchronously varies an emission rate of material from the vapor source with respect to the angular position of the substrate to control the circumferential deposition thickness distribution.

Abstract: A wound golf ball includes a center, at least one cover layer, and at least one wound layer disposed between the center and the cover layer. At least one of the wound layers is formed of a thread composed of at least two plies of material bonded together. The first and second plies have different physical properties. The first ply is more resilient than the second ply, and the second ply is more processible than the first ply. Each ply is formed of at least about 60% synthetic rubber and less than about 40% natural rubber. The synthetic rubber is a mixture of two synthetic cis- 1,4 polyisoprene rubbers with a cis-1,4 content of at least 90%. Each ply has a different ratio of the first synthetic rubber to the second synthetic rubber, so that the plies have different physical properties.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a wound golf ball that includes a wound core surrounded with a cover material. The wound core is formed of a fluid-filled or solid center, and at least one wound layer segment surrounding the center. The wound layer segment includes a first untreated portion, a first impregnated portion, a second untreated portion and a second impregnated portion. The first impregnated portion is impregnated with a first material, such as latex. In one embodiment, the wound layer segment is formed of two layers, each having an untreated and an impregnated portion. Thus, the multi-layered wound layer segment has an impregnated portion between two untreated portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating insulation of cryogenic devices such as piping, dewars, tanks, superconducting assemblies and the like. A sleeve having a generally circular cross-section and a diameter slightly larger than the cryogenic device is fabricated from a material preferably having low thermal emissivity and covered with the required thickness of insulation so that what the insulated sleeve with the device installed inside is placed into a housing or jacket the required heat leak from the device when in use is achieved.

Abstract: A method of making a pipe-like member such as a fishing rod and a golf club is disclosed. According to the method, a tape-like prepreg is formed by overlaying each other a first fiber layer comprised of fibers aligned along a longitudinal direction of the layer and a second fiber layer comprised of fibers aligned in a direction substantially normal to the fiber alignment direction of the first fiber layer. Then, the tape-like prepreg is wound about a mandrel with a turn of the prepreg being widthwise overlapped with an adjacent turn of the prepreg. Thereafter, the assembly is sintered.

Abstract: Cryogenic vessels provided with improved thermal insulation by spirally generating two layers of thermal insulation thereon; permits thicker insulation without requirement of increased space and heavier equipment.

Abstract: A method of taping a product and a tape dispenser. A support for a roll of tape is mounted in a frame and a lever unit is pivotally mounted in the frame. A cutter head and a tape roller are carried by the lever unit, with the tape following a path from the initial roll of tape over the roller to the cutter head, with the adhesive side of the tape exposed and away from the components of the dispenser. The cutter head is pivotally mounted on the lever unit and a linkage provides for pivoting the cutter head from a tab folding position to a cutting position as tape is pulled from the roll, over the roller and onto the product. The taped product is cut from the remainder of the tape at the cutter thereby releasing the pulling force on the lever unit which returns to its original position producing slack in the tape which is folded over to produce the desired tab.

Abstract: To increase the strength of a helical spring with a spring wire made of thermosetting plastic in which reinforcing fibers are embedded that run at an angle of approximately .+-.45.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the spring wire, the fibers are present as a fabric that is wound helically around the longitudinal axis of the spring wire, with the warp and woof threads being at an angle of approximately 45.degree. to the longitudinal axis. A process is also proposed for producing such helical springs.

Abstract: An adhesive tape useful for winding around an article to be bound is provided with at least one non-adhesive end part by adhering a second tape piece to such end part, whereby ready separation and unbinding of the bound article is facilitated. A method for producing the adhesive tape includes the cutting of pieces of the second tape and securing such pieces at predetermined intervals of the adhesive tape and cutting of the adhesive tape in predetermined lengths.

Abstract: Balls comprised of (1) a generally spherically shaped center portion or core prepared from a piece(s) of material, such as a rag or sheet rubber, (2) cohesive tape at least partially covering this center portion, (3) yarn covering the cohesive tape-covered center portion, (4) additional tape (preferably cohesive) substantially completely covering this yarn layer, and (5) a synthetic cloth cover (preferably a double knit polyester). The cover is preferably formed of two figure eight-shaped cloth pieces which have short lines imprinted thereon extending inwardly from the perimeter of each cloth piece such that when the two cloth pieces are joined, corresponding short lines on each cloth piece are aligned such that they either intersect or would intersect if extended thereby simulating the stitching utilized in the construction of conventional baseballs and the like.

Abstract: A method for producing a fishing rod made of a glass fiber-reinforced synthetic resin which comprises impregnating a glass cloth with a thermosetting synthetic resin to form a prepreg, wrapping the prepreg about a tapered mandrel, curing it under heat, and then pulling out the mandrel, wherein the glass cloth has letters, geometrical figures or other decorative designs applied to the whole or a part of its surface by printing or coating, and the thermosetting synthetic resin is the one which can give a transparent cured product.

Abstract: A molded game ball, particularly for volley-ball, hand ball and soccer is made by winding a layer of fibrous material on an inflated rubber bladder, applying a sheet of a rubber mixture with a vulcanizing agent on this layer, imprinting in a cold mold a network of fields on this layer indicating places where cover segments have to be bonded thereon so that do not get in touch one with another on their periphery and by finally pressing this semiproduct with bonded cover segments in a smooth mold at temperatures for vulcanizing.

Abstract: Improved welds for thermoplastic foam insulation spirally deposited about a structure are obtained employing a thin, resistance heated welding blade which beneficially is positioned by means of a four-bar linkage connecting the blade to the blade support.

Abstract: Large vessels such as tanks and the like are insulated by means of a spiral generation process thereby providing rapid application of the insulation with minimal labor. The process is particularly suited for operation in confined quarters.

Abstract: Large vessels such as tanks and the like are insulated by means of a spiral generation process thereby providing rapid application of the insulation with minimal labor. The process is particularly suited for operation in confined quarters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filament wound spherical structure comprising a plurality of filament band sets disposed about the surface of a mandrel with each band of each set formed of a continuous filament circumferentially wound about the mandrel a selected number of circuits and with each circuit of filament being wound parallel to and contiguous with an immediate previously wound circuit. Each filament band in each band set is wound at the same helix angle from the axis of revolution of the mandrel and all of the bands of each set are uniformly distributed about the mandrel circumference. The pole-to-equator wall thickness taper associated with each band set, as several contiguous band sets are wound about the mandrel starting at the poles, is accumulative as the band sets are nested to provide a complete filament wound sphere of essentially uniform thickness.