Abstract: Method and apparatus for heat shrinking projecting edges of heat shrinkable (but unshrunken) film onto articles such as cylindrical containers. The film is tightly wrapped around the bodies of the articles and the overlapping ends are held together by glue. The projecting edges of the articles are then heat shrunk onto the shoulders and/or curved lower ends of the bodies as the containers are transported and are caused to spin while being transported. In so doing the hot air is blown in a direction such that it does not blow directly onto the glue at the side seams. This may be accomplished by using a circular, turret type transport and by having blowers which blow hot air obliquely, rather than radially at the articles. Where the articles are closely packed, each article acts to shield the next article when its side seam is parallel to the flow of hot air.

Abstract: A substantially solvent-free adhesive composition consists essentially of an elastomer and tackifier, a metal oxide and, optionally, a plasticizer. The elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polar elastomers and unsaturated elastomers which have at least 5 mole percent unsaturation, said elastomer being a non-crystalline elastomer or an elastomer which has a slow rate of crystallization such that after a time period of at least 100 hours has elapsed following subjecting the elastomer to a temperature of 70.degree. C. for 30 minutes, the elastomer has a room temperature Shore A hardness of less than 60. The adhesive compositions can be formed into a shaped article, such as of a tape, film, sheet or tubular sleeve, if desired. The compositions have high adhesive strength for bonding together a variety of substrates. The adhesive is particularly useful with a dimensionally recoverable article, such as a shrinkable sleeve, to bond the recovered sleeve to a substrate such as an electric cable.

Abstract: A patch closure system for joining heat recoverable sheet material, especially for covering a substrate where the joined material is to be recovered around the substrate, comprises a layer of adhesive on one surface, a part of which is a pressure-sensitive adhesive and the remainder of which is a heat-activatable adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is of such an area and is placed such that, when the patch is placed over the overlap between the edges of the heat recoverable sheet material, the patch will continue to cover the overlap when the sheet material is recovered, even if the heat-activatable adhesive layer has not been used to attach the patch to the sheet material.

Abstract: This relates to method and apparatus for the packaging of a tubular shirred casing strand within a wrap sleeve. The wrap sleeve is provided with end portions which extend beyond the casing strand, and these end portions are heated and folded and deformed by way of a plunger which functions as a piston within a mold structure so as to define a rigid substantially solid end cap which is integral with the wrap sleeve.

Abstract: A dimensionally heat recoverable article carrying a thermoplastic polymeric material and a heat-softenable adhesive of smaller thickness and lower softening or melting point than the polymeric material is used to encapsulate objects such as joints in cables. The heat-softenable adhesive allows low installation temperature while the polymeric material allows excellent cycling performance to be maintained. The article may be in the form of a wrap-around sleeve.

Abstract: A device for slipping segments of film, such as originally flattened but tubular segments of plastic film, on vessels such as bottles. A rotor rotates about a horizontal axis. Sucker devices mounted on swivel arms and expanding mandrels are arranged alternately about the circumference of the rotor. The flat sleeve segments are fed toward the rotor and are attracted by a sucker device. As the rotor rotates from the position in which a sleeve is gripped by a sucker device the sucker parts spread to open the tubular sleeve and the arm carrying the sucker is caused to swing and turn the sleeve segment 90.degree. whereupon the sleeve is passed over the presently unexpanded mandrel which is circumferentially adjacent the designated arm and its suckers. The mandrel is caused to expand for holding the sleeve and the sucker is timely released.

Abstract: An assembly for enclosing a telecommunication cable splice comprising a wraparound sleeve having longitudinal edges which can be brought together and secured by for example a metal channel. A seal is made between these edges by an internal sealing member which bridges the abutting edges of the sleeve and is urged into contact with the sleeve by expansive urging means between the sealing member and underlying cable splice. The urging means is preferably a foam strip.

Abstract: Insulated pipes are generally bared of insulation at their ends in order to make joints, for example welds, between the pipes. A reinsulating method and assembly is provided for the bared joints, wherein a support comprising a coiled member, for example a helical coil, is positioned around the pipe, a recoverable cover recovered into engagement with the support, and thermally insulating material introduced between the cover and the pipe. The invention is suitable for straight, T, and bent joints.

Abstract: Aluminum-shielded coaxial cable is repaired by using a wraparound metallic sheet, such as copper, having a contact means on the sheet, such as "dragon skin" brass strips, and a sealing means, such as a mastic. The metallic sheet provides the electrical continuity and radio frequency shielding and the sealing means provides the environmental seal to prevent moisture from entering the opening in the aluminum shield. The sheet and contact means are held in position by compression means, such as clamps, and the sheet and compression means can then be covered with a wraparound heat-recoverable closure to protect the entire assembly.

Abstract: A tube package of plastic material which includes a tubular shell part together with end closures front and back. The shell part is constituted of a cylinder of molecular-oriented plastic material, and its front end closure of a curved shrunk portion of the extension of the shell part. The rear closure of the shell part is constituted of a transversely sealed portion of the shell part.

Abstract: A protective packaging method of protecting the spliced portion of optical fibers, comprising the steps of providing a protective packaging assembly having a heat-shrinkable tube capable of shrinking in the radial direction thereof, an extended form of hot-melt adhesive disposed on the inner side of the heat-shrinkable tube, and an electrical resistance heating element so disposed on the inner side of the heat-shrinkable tube and extendedly in the axial direction of the heat-shrinkable tube as to be capable of heating both the heat-shrinkable tube and the extended form of hot-melt adhesive, and a space provided in the heat-shrinkable tube for allowing the passage of the optical fiber; placing the protective packaging assembly around the splice portion of the optical fiber which has been passed through the space; and supplying electric current through the electrical resistance heating element to heat-melt the hot-melt adhesive and to heat-shrink the heat-shrinkable tube for forming a reinforced unit including

Abstract: The invention discloses resulting products and a method of producing high voltage resistant members employed in electrical installations such as bushings and insulators. The method comprises placing a sheath of unvulcanized elastomer on a core, which for example is a fiberglass rod, for example by extruding the sheath thereon, and mounting vulcanized sheds on the sheath therealong, then vulcanizing the sheath to form an integrated high voltage resistant member. The sheath is unvulcanized when the sheds are mounted thereon and then the sheath is heated to vulcanize it, in order to bond it to the sheds and to the core. The sheds also can be molded directly onto the sheath together therewith in steps along the length of the core. For producing a bushing, the sheath is placed on a core formed of a conductive stud wrapped with paper and metal foil and then impregnated with a suitable hardenable resin.

Abstract: A method of making a wire reference electrode in an electrolytic cell is provided wherein the wire reference electrode comprises a lead-in wire portion, a reference wire portion, a sealing material to seal the junction of the lead-in and wire reference portions, and a heat shrinkable insulating material which is heated for a predetermined period of time to collapse the heat shrinkable insulating material about the sealing material.

Abstract: A wire reference electrode and a method of employing the wire reference in an electrolytic cell is provided wherein the wire reference electrode comprises a lead-in wire portion, a reference wire portion, a sealing material to seal the junction of the lead-in and wire reference portions, and a heat shrinkable insulating material.

Abstract: An article for forming a cable block or for enclosing a cable splice comprises a recoverable driver sleeve and a particulate heat-activatable adhesive temporarily restrained adjacent an inner surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: A cable splice, branchout or termination has a heat recovered member (30) around one or more cable portions (33) extending out of an end of the member (30). The cable portion (33) is protected from physical damage and heat by placing around it individually a metal foil member (1), preferably aluminium of thickness 150-250 microns. The metal foil member is preferably coated with a hot melt adhesive (2) and a mastic (5) at distinct locations. A pressure sensitive adhesive (4) may also be provided to help secure the foil member (1) around the cable portion (33) before recovery of the outer member (30). Apertures (44) may be provided in the foil member (1) to allow passage therethrough of hot melt adhesive provided on the inner surface of the recoverable member (30).

Abstract: A wraparound recoverable closure, wherein a portion of the closure is not recovered against a substrate, which has a flap to seal across the gap between the abutting edge portions of the closure. Where the closure does not recover against and contact a substrate, the flap does not seal adequately for some applications. This invention provides means for supporting the flap to improve the seal. The preferred embodiment is a bag inside the closure which contains a resilient liner which supplies pressure on the flap to seal the flap across said gap.

Abstract: A method of repairing damage to the sheath of a communications cable in which a heat shrinkable material is wrapped around the communications cable to bridge across the damaged area of the sheath. A flexible strip heater having a base with a heating element in a portion of its width and a parallel insulating layer overlying only a portion of the base is wrapped in a spiral around the heat shrinkable material with the portion having the insulating layer wrapped on the portion of the previous turn not having the insulating layer. The insulating layer substantially abuts itself in adjacent turns of the heater to position the portions of the base containing the heating element adjacent each other along the heat shrinkable material. The heating element is activated to cause the heat shrinkable tape to shrink tightly onto the communications cable to cover the damaged portion of the sheath and, the flexible strip heater is then removed.

Abstract: First and second bodies of heat recoverable polymeric material are fusion bonded together with their directions of recovery at an angle to each other, the bond preferably being cross-linked after bonding to enable the resulting article better to withstand the recovery forces encountered in use. The invention is especially useful for making wraparound tubular enclosures for "T"'s and bends which enclosures in use will recover radially about two tubular axes.

Abstract: A machine for placing and heat-shrinking oriented plastic tubular sleeve labels around containers is described. The machine has a turret with means for holding and rotating containers around the turret periphery including rope drive means. There is also provided sealing means for heating and pressing the heated seam of the sleeve, the means including a free floating self-aligning pressing bar.

Abstract: An article is decorated by applying a coating to the surface of the article to be decorated, placing over and around the coated article a shrinkable film carrying a desired decoration, shrinking the film over the coated article to transfer the decoration to the article and then removing the shrinkable film leaving on the surface of the article the desired decoration or ornamentation.

Abstract: A branch-off of at least two substrates leaving an end of a recovered sleeve is effected using a heat activatable sealant, and a thermally conductive member which has a fin-shaped protruberance by means of which heat can be conducted into the crutch region between the substrates to activate the sealant. The thermally conductive member can also function to urge together circumferentially spaced portions of the sleeve to define conduits for the substrates. This urging function can be supplemented or carried out totally by a separate clip.

Abstract: A joint between a mass-impregnated paper insulated cable and a plastic insulated cable is sealed to contain the mass impregnating, oil material by applying a heat-recoverable oil resistant tubing over the exposed paper insulation so as to leave a portion thereof uncovered adjacent the exposed conductor of the cable, applying an oil resistant mastic to said uncovered portion of the insulation and over an adjacent end of said tubing, and applying a further heat-recoverable tubing over the mastic and an adjacent portion of the oil resistant tubing.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a means for conveying a container or bottle from a first to a second location wherein a plastic tube feeding mechanism feeds a tubular flat folded heat-shrinkable strip above the conveying means and cuts the same into labels through a knife action where the labels are retrieved by a plurality of vacuum heads secured to a pair of transversely rotating wheels for depositing the labels over the container or bottle. The vacuum applied to the plurality of vacuum heads is controlled by a pair of manifolds secured to the wheels which are driven in synchronism with the means for conveying the containers or bottles. Two sources of vacuum are supplied to feed the pair of manifolds and, thus, supply a vacuum in alternate fashion to the two wheels.

Abstract: A heat shrinkable covering for an article, such as a pipe, comprises a heat shrinkable material in the form of a flexible sheet which is wrapped around the article so that its ends overlap. The overlapping end portions are bonded together by means of a hold-down adhesive, preferably a shear-resistant adhesive, leaving an adhesive-free region at the interface. Heat is applied externally to the overlapping end portions so as to effect a fusion bond at the adhesive-free region of the interface, and the sheet is heat-shrunk onto the article in known manner. The covering offers the advantages and convenience of application common to conventional wrap-around sleeves, while having the intrinsic strength properties of a seamless tubular sleeve.

Abstract: An assembly for sealing and protection of cable splices comprising a recoverable, preferably heat-recoverable outer sleeve 5 surrounding a cable or other body 1; a thermoplastic support layer 7 surrounding the body 1 and within the sleeve 5; and a heat barrier layer, preferably foamed, between the support 7 and the sleeve 5, to prevent thermal deformation of the support 7 during heat recovery of the sleeve or during other heat treatment 5.

Abstract: A heat-recoverable sleeve for enclosing splices or joints in pressurized cables or supply lines is given increased resistance to peeling away from the cable or line by insertion of auxiliary means, preferably a U- or V-shaped flexible strip, which may be heat-recoverable, between the sleeve and the cable or supply line. The ends of the strip are preferably closed and are preferably overlapped and bonded to each other when the strip is placed around the cable or supply line. A release foil may be positioned inside the U- or V-shape of the strip to resist bonding together of the opposed arms thereof, and the foil may carry adhesive to bond it to one of the arms and may protrude beyond the ends of the arms so that the foil adhesive can help to locate the strip on the cable or supply line.

Abstract: A cable breakout article (78) which is formed of a polymeric material and which is preferably heat-recoverable comprises a body portion and at least two tubes or outlet portions (91 to 94) leading from apertures in the body portion. The length and flexibility of the tubes (91 to 94) is such that at least one of them can be bent away from the other(s) to allow operations such as heat recovery to be carried out on an end portion of one of the tubes in isolation from the others.Preferably one or more of the tubes (95) is corrugated at least near its end adjacent to the body portion (78) so as to assist bending.

Abstract: A gravure printing cylinder is formed by fitting a printing sleeve over a core roll via a layer of a hotmelt adhesive. A gravure printing surface with ink-retaining cells is formed on the printing sleeve either before or, preferably, after the mounting of the sleeve on the core roll. For assemblage of the printing cylinder the hotmelt is applied in the molten state to at least part of at least either of the opposed surfaces of the printing sleeve and the core roll. Then the printing sleeve is placed over the core roll, preferably while both sleeve and roll are being heated. The printing cylinder can be readily disassemblaged by remelting the hotmelt layer. Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for the assemblage and disassemblage of the printing cylinder, including a roll holder for holding the core roll in an upstanding attitude while the core roll is being heated by a heating medium circulating therethrough.

Abstract: A dimensionally recoverable body, which is preferably heat-recoverable, has a body wall which is provided with a plurality of locking elements that are engageable with each other, or are engageable with corresponding elements located on a separate partition, to furcate the body into a plurality of channels.The body may be used for enclosing branch-offs in electrical cables in order to protect the enclosed branch-off from the environment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a dampening roll cover useful in a flat-bed printing process, comprised of hygro-thermally shrinkable fibers which do not shrink due to exposure to ambient mositure during storage. Such dampening roll covers are prepared by preliminarily shrinking a cylinder of a fibrous fleece comprised of hygro-thermally shrinkable fibers to the extent of about 3% to about 50% in length to compact the fibrous structure of the cylinder.

Abstract: An improved method of joining insulated conductors and providing a water-tight seal. The area about the joined conductors is filled with a putty-like insulation filler material and an O-ring placed on the conductor insulation, some distance from the joint. The joint, including the O-ring, is overtaped with resin-rich insulation tape and the tape is surrounded by a shrinkable polyester film. Heat is applied to partially cure the insulation tape, and to cause the polyester film to contract tightly about the joint.

Abstract: A thermochromic composition suitable for coating heat-recoverable materials for cable enclosures. The composition contains an organic material which melts and decomposes at a certain temperature by trapping the decomposition products in the composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a wraparound protective closure in sheet form having a specially profiled transverse-edge which is enveloped when the closure is overlappingly wrapped around an elongate substrate and a method of protecting an elongate substrate using said closure. Repeating structural units along the profiled transverse-edge comprise spoiler-edges which run at right angles to the transverse direction of the profiled transverse-edge and cause air trapped along the enveloped, profiled transverse-edge to form into discrete pockets away from the spoiler-edges when the closure is overlappingly wrapped around the elongate substrate instead of forming a continuous channel along the enveloped edge. The wraparound closure is preferably a dimensionally-recoverable wraparound closure, most preferably a heat-shrinkable wraparound closure, and especially a closure comprised of a polymeric composition.

Abstract: Labelling equipment is provided for applying heat shrinkable wrap-around labels to contoured surfaces of containers. The equipment includes a label carrier having a wheel rotatable about its axis, a vacuum system coupled to the wheel to retain labels on the wheel, a feeder for directing containers individually to the wheel adjacent the periphery of the wheel to receive a label, and a drive system for receiving containers from the bottle feeder and for rolling the containers upon receiving the label from the label carrier.The container is supported on a platten having a diameter corresponding to the greatest diameter of the container so that the label depends in a skirt from the container. The container is subsequently transferred to a smaller platten and passed over a heated plenum to shrink the skirt to the contours of the container.

Abstract: A safety shield for containing and deflecting a fluid leaking from a flanged pipe coupling in the form of an arcuate strip of transparent fluoropolymer. The strip has a flange along each circumferential edge which is integral with the strip and extends radially inwardly thereof. The strip is of sufficient length to encase the circumference of the pipe coupling flange to which it is applied with the opposing ends overlapping and fastened together. The flanges closely engage the radial surfaces of the coupling flanges. The safety shield is obtained by heat-shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube of fluoropolymer while restricting radial shrinkage thereof except the marginal edge portions which become the flanges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for covering a substrate with a cylindrically shaped heat-shrinkable film, particularly to a method for covering a cylindrically shaped heat-shrinkable film so as to fit the contour of a substrate by conducting the heat treatment in multiple steps at different temperatures.

Abstract: A method for making decorated battery casings wherein a thin walled heat shrinkable plastic tubing is cut to size, placed on a support member such as a mandrel, heat shrunk, decorated with decorative materials and protective coatings thereon and crimped at one end. The casing is then removed from the mandrel, placed upon a cell or battery and crimped at the other end to complete the battery or cell encasing procedure. The procedure is particularly efficacious in providing metallic decorated plastic battery casings.

Abstract: A closure for a telecommunications splice case is provided, which comprises a wraparound sleeve secured for example by a rail and channel closure. Re-entry is achieved by cutting of the old rails and channel and removing a central portion of the sleeve, and shrinking a new sleeve across the butts of the old sleeve. If the new sleeve is to seal properly, there must be no leak path along any gap between the remnants of the old rails. Deformations are provided on the flap of the original sleeve, or at the base of the short rail, to allow adhesive on the inside of the sleeve to fill the area between the rail.

Abstract: A heat-recoverable article is formed from a tube of cross-linked polymeric material. Subsequent to cross-linking, spaced-apart portions of the article are welded together to form two separate compartments in the article. The cross-linking and welding are arranged so that the weld is broken by the forces generated on recovery of the article, whereby the two compartments merge into one. An insert of solder may be provided in one of the compartments, and the other compartment may receive two electrical conductors to be spliced together.

Abstract: An electrical connection insulator comprising an outer tube formed from a mono-layered film of a non-adhesive, heat stable, dielectric, synthetic, polymeric resin enclosing an inner tube formed from a mono-layered film of a non-adhesive, heat shrinkable, dielectric, synthetic, polymeric resin. The outer surface of the inner tube is attached to a selected minor portion of the inner surface of the outer tube by an adhesive strip spirally wound about the body of the inner tube. An electrical connection is covered with the insulator by disposing it within the inner tube, heat-shrinking the inner tube about the connection, and then sealing the outer tube about the heat-shrunk inner tube under heat and pressure.

Abstract: Terminations and splices in high voltage electrical cable can be shielded by shrinking over the termination or splice a heat recoverable hollow article which comprises a heat-shrinkable outer sleeve whose outer surface is anti-tracking at voltages of 2.5 KV and at least part of whose inner surface has a layer thereon which is solid at room temperature and which has electrical stress-grading character.

Abstract: A transversely pleated, longitudinally heat-shrinkable tape is made from a heat-shrinkable polymeric film. One side of the tape may be adhesive-coated, and the other side may be coated with a thermochromic paint. The tape is wrapped around a substrate, and is particularly adapted, by reason of the pleats, to be wrapped around a substrate of non-uniform cross-section, e.g. a splice in a telephone cable. On heating the tape to its recovery temperature, the pleats disappear and the tape shrinks longitudinally to tightly cover the substrate. The tape may additionally comprise integral heating means.

Abstract: A process for firmly bonding a thermoplastic covering sheet on a hard article, for example, a steel pipe or cable, comprising wrapping a heat-shrinkable covering sheet having an adhesive layer around a portion of the peripheral surface of a hard article to be protected and heating the covering sheet so as to shrink it, which process is characterized by placing a pressing band on the covering sheet and by creating a pressure in the pressing band, so as to press the covering sheet against the hard article, thereby removing air bubbles formed between the covering sheet and the hard article.

Abstract: A polymeric article, at least part of which is dimensionally-recoverable, preferably heat-recoverable, has, bonded to the surface of a dimensionally-recoverable portion thereof, a pliant, adhesive-receptive polymeric film which is soft at the temperature at which the dimensionally-recoverable portion is recovered, and which is substantially non-curable at ambient temperatures. The polymeric film is preferably based on a film-forming chlorinated resin or a film forming silane.The articles may be recovered over objects such as electrical equipment to provide electrical insulation and may be bonded to the object or other article with an adhesive without the necessity of any special surface treatment immediately before bonding.

Abstract: A heat-recoverable closure assembly for enclosing e.g. cable splices comprising a heat-recoverable outer sleeve surrounding a body to be enclosed thereby, a support member surrounding the body and within the sleeve which support member has slotted end portions arranged to be capable of forming a tapering transition from the support member to the body, and a flexible barrier layer bridging the slots of the slotted portions. The barrier may act to seal the slots against ingress of moisture ior heat, and the barrier layer preferably covers substantially all of one surface of the support. Foamed polymer layers are particularly suitable as heat barriers, and metallic layers carried on a flexible carrier are particularly suitable as moisture barriers. The barrier may be inside or outside the support member, to suit end use requirements. A heat barrier will normally be placed outside the support member when the latter is made of thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A process for the production of a marker sleeve assembly which comprises deforming a substantially non-cross-linked web of polymeric material at a temperature below the crystalline melting point or softening point of the material to render the web heat-recoverable, fusing together parts of the web or parts of the web and at least one other polymeric web to define a plurality of radially inwardly heat-recoverable marker sleeves, disposed in side-by-side relationship and preferably separable and subsequently cross-linking the resulting assembly.

Abstract: A process for the production of a heat shrinkable article which comprises forming bonds between regions of at least two superimposed lengths of polymeric material to produce a bonded article so disposed that the desired direction of heat shrinkability lies along the length of the bonded article, cross-linking the bonded article and the bonds between the said lengths of polymeric material, heating the bonded article, stretching the bonded article longitudinally and cooling it (which may comprise allowing it to cool naturally in the stretched condition) to render the articles heat shrinkable. Pneumatic or other methods of expansion may be used in addition to the stretching to render hollow articles heat-shrinkable, the combination of stretching and another such method being advantageous in achieving high expansion ratios while maintaining a reasonable degree of symmetry in the finished hollow recoverable articles.

Abstract: A patch closure system for joining heat recoverable sheet material, especially for covering a substrate where the joined material is to be recovered around the substrate, comprises a layer of adhesive on one surface, a part of which is a pressure-sensitive adhesive and the remainder of which is a heat-activatable adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is of such an area and is placed such that, when the patch is placed over the overlap between the edges of the heat recoverable sheet material, the patch will continue to cover the overlap when the sheet material is recovered, even if the heat-activatable adhesive layer has not been used to attach the patch to the sheet material.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a dimensionally recoverable article comprises forming a plurality of separate component parts thereof, joining the component parts together to form the article, cross-linking the polymeric material from which the parts are formed after they have been joined together, and then expanding the article.The process enables dimensionally recoverable articles of complex shape to be manufactured by high speed moulding processes or extrusion processes without the need for curing of the article during formation thereof.