Abstract: To prepare a glass fiber-reinforced composite material, a glass fiber strand is drawn through an agitated aqueous powder dispersion of a coupling agent over a deflection body, the water is removed, the powder is melted onto the glass fiber strand and the pretreated fiber strand is subsequently impregnated with polyolefins by means of melt pultrusion.

Abstract: A coil support and a winding arranged thereon, especially one including a fiber-optic waveguide, whose turns are mutually fixed by a binding agent. The binding agent drys while a volatile solvent diffuses off. The coil support is permeable to solvent and is designed such that it has essentially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the winding. This achieves the uniform, thorough drying of the binding agent over the entire winding and reduces the risk of damage to the fiber-optic waveguide during the transportation and the unwinding of the winding in a coil form.

Abstract: An apparatus for reinforcing an external surface of a stationary vertical column with a reinforcing material includes a supply of a reinforcing material and a guide that directs the reinforcing material from the supply onto the stationary vertical column. A winding device moves the guide means in a spiral pattern relative to the stationary vertical column, to wind spiral layers of the reinforcing material onto the vertical column. The winding device is provided as a multipart structure that may be assembled around the vertical column and later disassembled to permit removal from around the vertical column. In one approach, the reinforcing material is tows of a curable composite material that are wound onto the vertical column and later cured in place after the winding device is removed.

Abstract: A system produces segmented tubular products such as filters from nonwoven fibers and includes a die assembly, a collector assembly including a rotating mandrel, a withdrawer assembly, and a post-treatment assembly. The withdrawer assembly utilizes at least one threaded roller contacting either the inner or outer periphery of a tube formed on the mandrel to withdraw the tube from the mandrel in a controlled manner. The post-treatment assembly smoothes the outer surface of the tube prior to cutting by melting loose fiber strand strands extending therefrom. The properties of the finished product can be varied by altering the operation of the collector assembly and/or the withdrawer assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a corrugated tube contains a roller assembly composed of plural rollers having plural convexed rings, respective convexed rings forming a helix as a whole so as to substantially form a single rotating shaft body, and a synthetic resin supplier for supplying a strip of synthetic resin onto the roller assembly. The pitches between the convexed rings, and the diameters and the widths of the convexed rings are so constructed as to be gradually decreased in accordance with the contraction percentage of the synthetic resin. The apparatus is provided with a follower ring on a roller valley portion between the convexed rings, the follower ring being rotatable in response to circumferential speed of the apex of the convexed ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a corrugated tube contains a roller assembly composed of plural rollers having plural convexed rings, respective convexed rings forming a helix as a whole so as to substantially form a single rotating shaft body, and a synthetic resin supplier for supplying a strip of synthetic resin onto the roller assembly. The pitches between the convexed rings, and the diameters and the widths of the convexed rings are so constructed as to be gradually decreased in accordance with the contraction percentage of the synthetic resin. The apparatus is provided with a follower ring on a roller valley portion between the convexed rings, the follower ring being rotatable in response to circumferential speed of the apex of the convexed ring.

Abstract: Wrapped covering material, e.g. tape is applied around an elongate substrate, such as a pipe, using an apparatus comprising a hollow frame mounted on rollers that is rotatable about the substrate, a delivery device for holding the covering material, mounted on the frame, and pressure rollers designed to press down on the covering material.

Abstract: A direct wind coil winding head assembly for depositing coil windings directly onto a coil support mandrel, comprising wire feed means having an input and an output, the wire feed means adapted to receive a continuous length of wire at the input and to cause the wire to exit the output at a first rate, mandrel positioning means for dynamically positioning the coil support mandrel beneath the output and control means coupled to the wire feed means and the mandrel positioning means, the control means operable to cause the mandrel positioning means to dynamically position the coil support mandrel beneath the output such that the exiting wire is deposited onto the mandrel in a predetermined pattern, and further operable to control the wire feed means such that the first rate is substantially equal to a second rate of movement of the coil support mandrel relative to the output, whereby the wire is deposited onto the coil support mandrel with substantially no residual winding stresses.

Abstract: A paint roller having a tubular core formed of thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material being in the form of a multiplicity of spirally wound plies. The multiplicity of plies comprising an outer ply surrounding and in continuous contact with an inner ply. The plies are in general parallelism with one another and fused to one another in the absence of adhesive. A fabric cover overlies the core and is heat fused to the underlying core in the absence of adhesive.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for helically winding pipes from tube forming plastics strip comprising a single fixed rigid loop formed from a length of metal band, wherein the inner surface of the loop forms a spiral path along which the strip is directed when helically wound, strip guide means for guiding the strip into the path of the loop, and driven roller means for driving the strip around the spiral path and for joining together adjacent edges of adjacent convolutions of the strip, whereby during the helical winding process, the strip is driven around the spiral path in frictional engagement with the loop inner surface, maintaining intimate contact therewith, to thereby form the pipe.

Abstract: A control architecture involves two control loops, one for controlling heat input to a moving composite structure and the other controlling the speed of the structure to control quality of the product being formed. Since velocity and heat input affect the temperature of the composite there is cross coupling between the control loops so that either or both can be used to control the temperature. Preferably the invention uses the velocity or speed of the composite as the primary control, i.e., the controller automatically seeks the proper laydown velocity for the current heat input. If the energy source is not providing sufficient heat, the process slows down until the proper temperature is reached. This ensures that the composite material passing through the process is always at the proper temperature.

Abstract: Hydraulic cylinders made of fiber-resin composite materials have a central piston chamber section and bell-shaped internally threaded end sections. Cylinders are made by winding resin coated fibers over a mandril over which externally threaded sleeves are slipped and spaced apart so as to define the end sections. After curing the resin, the winding is cut in the areas of the sleeves to separate the cylinders. An expendable strip is wound onto the sleeves and in the cutting operation is cut into. A bearing, a seal cavity and an enlarged inside diameter at a piston rod end of the cylinder may also be provided using a method of the invention, with the cylinders being cut apart between the ends of sleeves and between the other ends of the cylinders.

Abstract: Pile weatherstripping having rows of pile sandwiching a fin is fabricated so as to precisely locate the height of the fin with respect to the height of the pile. A travelling endless band receives webs providing the fins on opposite sides thereof with the edge of each web, which defines the height of the fin, precisely positioned on a side of the band and the other edge overhanging the edges of the band. Alignment of the webs on the band is provided either by an aligning fixture or by coining the webs to provide lines of indentations which index the webs at the edges of the band. The yarn which forms the pile is wound around the webs and the band and serves to wrap the overhanging portions of the webs around the band, or a guide may be used to facilitate wrapping of the webs around the band, prior to winding of the yarn. Backing strips are attached, as by ultrasonic welding, along the edges of the band. Then the yarn is slit without cutting into the webs.

Abstract: A taping machine particularly suited to the taping of an electrical cable splice includes a planar base, a traveling tape dispenser, and supports for the cable. The tape dispenser is of split construction to accommodate being assembled on site to surround the cable. During a taping operation the tape dispenser, powered by a motor, rotates around the cable. Travel along the cable is powered by a separate motor. Speeds of both motors are independently adjustable.

Abstract: Conventionally co-axial cable is made in a continuous extrusion machine by continuously extruding an aluminum tubular cladding (1) through an annular die and simultaneously continuously introducing a core (4), comprised of a conductive wire surrounded by insulation, through an bore in a mandrel (3). A gap is inevitably present between the outer surface of the core (4) and the tubular cladding (1). To eliminate the gap it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the tubular cladding by swaging or drawing. The present invention disposes of the &wagging or drawing step by compacting the insulation of the core before introduction to the mandrel (3). The insulation then gradually expands to recover its original diameter and fill the cladding which has been extruded to its final diameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for wrapping pipe with a cementatious material such as concrete. The material is conveyed to the pipe as a continuous strip provided with notches along one edge and complementary notches are formed at the other edge of the strip as the strip is wrapped spirally onto the pipe. The continuous strip is formed in a hopper having a number of sections of successively reduced widths and containing rollers by which successive superimposed layer portions of the strip are formed with reinforcing mesh embedded between successive layer portions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making tubes from flexible textile sheets by which a sheet is helically wound around two or more non-rotatable support bars. Feed rollers contacting two or more helical convolutions wind the sheet so that adjacent helical convolutions overlap and also maintain the tube upstream of the feed rollers in tension to progress the tube axially along the support bars. As the sheet is wound into helical form, successive helical convolutions are sewn together to form a continuous tube.

Abstract: Conventionally co-axial cable is made in a continuous extrusion machine by continuously extruding an aluminium tubular cladding (1) through an annular die and simultaneously continuously introducing a core (4), comprised of a conductive wire surrounded by insulation, through an bore in a mandrel (3). A gap is inevitably present between the outer surface of the core (4) and the tubular cladding (1). To eliminate the gap it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the tubular cladding by swagging or drawing step by compacting the insulation of the core before introduction to the mandrel (3). The insulation then gradually expands to recover its original diameter and fill the cladding which has been extruded to its final diameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing flexible tubes of desired length from several strips of rubber and/or fiber reinforced rubber. The apparatus comprises a wrapping machine and a vulcanizer arranged in series on a common axis along which a core can move.

Abstract: A wire take-up apparatus for applying wire to a wire spool includes a tape applicator assembly for automatically applying a length of adhesive tape to the outer terminal end portion of the wire applied to a spool in order to prevent the wire from unraveling from the spool. The tape applicator assembly includes a vacuum roller assembly including a vacuum roller element which is operative for releasably retaining a portion of a length of tape on the outer surface thereof so that the adhesive surface of the tape faces outwardly. The vacuum roller assembly is movable to a position wherein the tape on the vacuum roller element thereof contacts the wire on a wire spool to apply the tape to the wire.

Abstract: An applicator for applying resin to fibers being braided in a tubular shape (e.g., in the manufacture of a fuse casing), the applicator having a wiping surface on which the fibers wipe as they travel to a mandrel on which they are braided, the wiping surface being defined by a surface of revolution around the mandrel and having a continuous orifice for supplying resin continuously around the wiping surface. Also disclosed is an electrical fuse including a fuse casing having a tubular wall including multiple-filament reinforcing yarns that have been braided in the tubular shape of the wall and a synthetic resin bonding the yarns together and impregnating the yarns, a pair of terminals secured to the ends of the fuse casing, and a fusible element inside the casing and connected to the terminals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for lining the interior surface (45) of a vessel (18) with a continuous ribbon (44) of lining material. The apparatus (10) has a cantilevered boom (21) with a guide assembly (25) secured to the unsupported end portion (24) of the boom (21). Mechanism (34-38) drives the conveyor belt (33)--from a location that is normally exterior to the vessel (18)--along the boom (21) and about a path defined by the guide assembly (25). The guide assembly (25) both turns and twists the conveyor belt (33). Turning the belt (33) causes it to encircle the boom (21), thereby extending the belt (33) radially to engage the interior surface (45) of the vessel (18). In addition, the guide assembly (25) twists the belt (33) so that the normally inner, supporting surface (46) thereon temporarily reverses positions with the normally outer, sliding surface (49).

Abstract: A method for lining the inner surface of a generally cylindrical member or domed cylindrical member with an elastomeric material. A let-off head is provided within the member for applying a continuous strip of tacky elastomeric material to the inner surface thereof as it rotates. The head is moved axially as the strip is applied to form a layer of elastomeric material over the inner surface. After the head is removed, the applied elastomer material is cured.

Abstract: A tube winding apparatus includes a drum having a jacket formed by elongated cylindric members. A number of these members, namely the circumferential rollers, is motor driven basically by the normal drive of the winding apparatus. Such supports the tube and web drive and the feeding or advancing of the tube.

Abstract: A guide device (11) for feeding cord (2) from a source, such as a reel, to a mandrel (1) via an application roller (8). The device (1) has a body (12) housing a knife (10) for cutting the cord (2), and also houses a cord end retaining means (24) for holding the severed end of the cord from the reel after cutting. The retaining means is a resilient roller (24) which is biased against the application roller (8) to hold the severed cord end between the two rollers. Such a guide device can be used during the manufacture of a cord reinforced elastomeric ply for a pneumatic tire.

Abstract: This invention relates to industrial manufacture of composite tubes in a continuous fashion. The invention utilizes a segmented mandrel which proceeds as a train of endwise joined segments through a composite tube forming machine. Segments are added to and subtracted from the mandrel during manufacture of the tubes.

Abstract: A portable manual control device for taping articles such as for example bunches of electrical cables with a flexible material in the shape of a tape, a band or a cord, unwound from a coil carried by the device, said device including a platen supporting a driving motor as well as control means for said motor, and formed with an opened passage for receiving the article, a rotary crown rotating on the platen being controlled in rotation by the motor via a driving means, the crown being formed with an opening in which is engaged the article to be taped when said opening is in register with the opened passage of the platen, and at least one feed coil with the flexible material in the shape of a tape, band or cord, with return and guiding means for said material, characterized in that the rotary crown includes in the bottom of its opening receiving the article a curved guide for positioning the article in the crown, a slot being provided in the guide for bringing the flexible material in contact with the article,

Abstract: Method and apparatus for encasing drainage pipes, using fibrous or particulate loose filler material guided onto the drainage pipe by means of a hollow screw and held there with a permeable envelope material preferably wound round with a filament. The pitch or number of threads on the screw, the height thereof and the speed at which the screw rotates determine the amount of filler material applied to the drainage pipe per unit of area. The apparatus comprises a machine consisting of a guide tube carrying an internal hollow screw, the drainage pipe being guided in the interior of the screw, the encasing envelope material being placed externally upon the said guide tube and preferably being wound around with a filament at the end of the screw.

Abstract: An automatic taping device which is used for winding insulation tapes around an object such as an electrical conductor bar. This device has a supporting frame which is driven along the object, and a revolving ring with a layer of the insulation tape around it, which is arranged on the supporting frame and which revolves around the object continuously winding the insulation tape(s) supplied from the layer. The device also has an adhesive feeder which feeds adhesive onto the outside of the insulation tape(s) on the revolving ring when the thickness of the layer of the insulation tape has become less than a stipulated value, and it also has a tape feeder which feeds an insulation tape to the revolving ring after the adhesive is fed there.

Abstract: There is disclosed a flexible mandrel for making tubular products comprising an elastomeric portion surrounding a reinforcing cable comprised of wire cables twisted around a non-metallic core. There is also disclosed a process for making a flexible mandrel and a process of making a hose using the flexible mandrel.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously and sequentially forming cylindrical bodies from flat sheet material includes a rotating mandrel and an array of forming belts spaced along the mandrel for receiving and winding either continuous ribbon or discrete blanks of composite material about the mandrel to form a cylindrical body such as for a container and passing the formed body along the mandrel to a heat sealing means to seal the overlapping edges of the material; the array of belts are disposed to partially surround and run in contact with the mandrel and a gap is provided in the spiral path of the belts to permit continuous feeding of sheet material to the mandrel to enable continuous operation of the forming apparatus.

Abstract: A taping machine (10) for hot taping an electrical conductor (1), the machine comprising an outer ring (20) which is fixed so as not to rotate relative to the conductor and which receives the conductor to be insulated passing through the center thereof, and a rotating ring (30) rotating inside said fixed ring and carrying at least one reel (53) having pre-impregnated insulating tape (2) wound thereon, the taping machine and the conductor being caused to move relative to each other in translation while said rotating ring is simultaneously caused to rotate relative to the conductor to cause the, or each, tape to be helically wound around the conductor, said fixed ring including a peripheral channel (21) which is fed with hot air, and said rotating ring being provided with a rotating assembly (50) including a plate (51) for closing said peripheral channel, at least one spout rotating around said peripheral channel, and at least one associated heating nozzle (55) which is fed with hot air via said spout, with eac

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously and sequentially forming cylindrical bodies from flat sheet material includes a rotating mandrel and an array of forming belts spaced along the mandrel for receiving and winding either continuous ribbon or discrete blanks of composite material about the mandrel to form a cylindrical body such as for a container and passing the formed body along the mandrel to a heat sealing means to seal the overlapping edges of the material; the array of belts are disposed to partially surround and run in contact with the mandrel and a gap is provided in the spiral path of the belts to permit continuous feeding of sheet material to the mandrel to enable continuous operation of the forming apparatus.

Abstract: A pipe tape tensioner (26) is disclosed for applying tape (12) with constant tension to a pipe (14). The pipe tape tensioner (26) employs a primary roller (32) rotatably mounted on a base (34). First clutch disks (92) and second clutch disks (100) are urged against each other by clutch springs (104) to generate a frictional resistance to rotation of the primary roller relative to the base (34) to tension the tape (12) engaged with the outer surface (36) of the primary roller (32). The first clutch disks (92) are splined to the splines (58) formed on the interior of the base (34). The second clutch disks (100) are splined to the hub (96) of the primary roller (32). A cooling fluid can be employed to cool the splines and surrounding components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a corrugated tube having a smooth inner wall surface and a corrugated outer wall are provided. A first strip of resin material is wrapped around first portions of rollers arranged in a circular array and is helically wrapped around the first portions of the rollers each having equally spaced ridges therearound to form the corrugated outer wall. A second strip of resin material is fed from the interior of second portions of rollers arranged in a circular array onto the inner surface of the outer wall being manufactured and bonded thereto. The second strip bonded to the outer wall is wrapped around the second portions of the rollers each having a smooth surface to form the smooth inner wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for wrapping pipe with a cementatious material wherein the wrapping strip is provided with notches along the edges thereof which interlock along the wrapping seam about the pipe to provide an even coating. Where reinforcing mesh is provided within the coating material the mesh also overlaps at the wrapping seam to give greater strength to the coating. Compacting of the coating material is accomplished after the pipe is wrapped by means of a vibrating shoe.

Abstract: A heatable winding drum construction for use in the manufacture of thermoplastic tubes and receptacles comprises an internal supporting structure for an elongated cylindrical wall with an insulating layer between the supporting structure and the wall.

Abstract: This invention relates to industrial manufacture of composite tubes in a continuous fashion. The invention utilizes a segmented mandrel which proceeds as a train of endwise joined segments through a composite tube forming machine. Segments are added to and subtracted from the mandrel during manufacture of the tubes.

Abstract: A nozzle structure for supplying synthetic resin to a core of a sheet molding apparatus for molding a sheet molding compound. The nozzle structure has a hollow annular nozzle with an opening directed generally along or at an angle to the core on which the sheet is being molded, and frustoconical members are provided for guiding linear materials through the nozzle structure for coating them with synthetic resin.

Abstract: A method for high speed continuous production of reinforced plastic sheets and reinforced plastic sheet laminate structures which may have widths ranging from relatively narrow to very wide. One or more layers of resin impregnated, fiber-containing, reinforced plastic composite material is brought into contact with surfaces of one or more endwise abutted relatively flat panels. The panel or panels are then passed between a pair of continuously rotating belts. A pressurized air body is formed in a plenum chamber which faces the interiorly presented surface of at least one of the belts and which air body is between the housing forming the plenum chamber and the interior surface of the belt. Preferably, a similar housing creates a pressurized air body between such similar housing and the other of the belts. In this way, the pressurized body of air forces the belts into intimate contact with the layers forming the reinforced plastic laminate structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing reinforced plastic sheets and reinforced plastic sheet laminate structures on a high speed continuous basis and which sheets and laminate structures may have widths ranging from relatively narrow to very wide. The apparatus comprises a means for bringing one or more layers of resin impregnated, fiber-containing, reinforced plastic composite material into contact with each other or into contact with surfaces of one or more endwise abutted relatively flat panels.

Abstract: Process of making a reinforced tube including extruding a thin walled tube, encircling the tube with a completely closed layer of helically extending strip coated with heat activatable adhesive material. The tube is then passed through a sizing die heated at its entrance to activate the adhesive while subjecting the tube to relatively low internal pressure to bond the tube to the layer of strips. The integrally connected tube and strips are then passed through pinch rolls which close the tube and maintain the pressure upstream from the rolls different from the downstream pressure. Further reinforcing strips and an outer sheath are thereafter provided.

Abstract: A tile-lined pipe and its method of manufacture comprising a tubular pipe member having a layer of tile elements on the inner surface to form a lining therefor. The tile elements extend one after another along helical lines and are formed by subdividing larger tiles transversely along score lines so that the adjoining faces of the subdivided tiles will be in closely conforming adjoining relation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for winding hoop windings onto a cylindrical member which may be a fiberglass tube or a mandrel. Two sequential stations are provided, each of which includes a rotatable drum and a rotatable winding member. Each of these is separately drivable by respective pulleys. The separately driven drum can be wound with filament or filament may be stripped therefrom according to requirement. The associated winding member consists of two funnels between which are positioned a plurality of pulleys, such that the filament can be unwound from the associated drum and applied to the mandrel or tube.

Abstract: The frames of a tube winding machine comprises a cylinder with a series of spiral grooves milled in its surface to house rotary flexible shafts. The cross-section of each groove is a major segment of a circle. A guide ring is provided to ensure that the shafts enter the grooves in a direction parallel to the cylinder axis at the drive end.

Abstract: Forces are applied to cut fibres in a prescribed fashion to cause them to move in a predetermined manner toward and to be deposited on a mould surface in a controlled oriented fashion.

Abstract: A completely automatic process and apparatus are described for producing multi-layer rubber or plastics tubes reinforced with fabric tapes or metal wires.The apparatus is new both overall and in its individual component units.Specifically, spiral-forming units of new design are described, which operate in series to each apply a different tape material as a spiral on to the metal core which is fed with rectilinear motion, to form a continuous layer thereon. Unwrapping units are also described for automatically removing and rewinding the outer forming tape for the finished tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for internally wrapping the surface of a conduit, cylinder or pipeline with a sealing membrane which is adhered to the interior surface. The apparatus applies the membrane in a helical spiral by taking the membrane from a roll and pressing it against the interior surface while applying an adhesive and while transporting the roll longitudinally in the conduit on a transport assembly that rolls internally in the conduit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making toothed belts and toothed belt made using such method and apparatus are provided wherein the belt is made primarily of polymeric material and is comprised of at least parts of a plurality of successive turns of a single helically wound toothed strip wherein the turns are bonded together in adjoining side-by-side relation and the toothed belt has improved teeth comprised of teeth initially provided in the single toothed strip by compressed, displaced, and reshaped portions of hot strip means of substantially self-supporting quadrilateral cross-sectional configuration employed to define such single strip.

Abstract: A system for applying insulating tape to a three-dimensionally curved conductor, particularly of the type used in high voltage applications. A wrapping ring having an axis of rotation is oriented with respect to the conductor such that the axis of rotation is always placed on the spinning point of the insulating tape, the spinning point being at the location where the tape tangentially contacts the conductor during wrapping. Such an orientation of the wrapping ring avoids the formation of pockets at the curved places of the conductor.