Abstract: As a pair of fastener tapes is supplied through a molding machine and then through a fiber hardening agent applying and impregnating unit, a predetermined length of coupling element rows are molded on and along confronting beaded edges of the fastener tapes, and simultaneously a separable bottom stop assembly composed of a pin member and a box member and top stops are molded about one ends and the other ends of the coupling element rows, whereupon a fiber hardening agent is applied over and impregnated in the tape surfaces of the prospective bottom end portions by the fiber hardening agent applying and impregnating unit.

Abstract: A method of molding a separable bottom stop assembly on a concealed slide fastener, including: forming a number of space portions devoid of fastener elements at predetermined intervals in a concealed slide fastener; impregnating molten synthetic resin in fastener tapes at areas around the space portion; heat-molding and hardening the tapes in such a manner that confronting edge portions of the tapes are turned over; cutting the tapes across the space portion; injection molding a second pin member of the separable bottom stop assembly on the edge portion of one tape and a first pin member of a box member on the edge portion of the other tape at the space portion, contiguously to the fastener elements; and attaching a box to the first pin member to complete the box member. The result is that a separable concealed slide fastener, which could not be put to practical use conventionally, can be manufactured simply.

Abstract: A tubular component made of composite material comprises a core of resistant fibers impregnated with a matrix of thermohardening resin. The core includes a tubular reinforcement made of fabric or of non-woven fabric. The tubular reinforcement comprises at least two coaxial adjacent layers which have reciprocal connection elements projecting radially.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a composite thread formed of a plurality of filaments combined with a thermoplastic organic material, which consists in mechanically entraining a thread in a device mounted in the manner of a cross head at the end of an extruder and injecting the material in the direction of the thread and concentrically thereto at a constant maximum radial pressure of less than 50 bars.

Abstract: The production process of the present invention can significantly suppress the fuzzing on the surface of the composite material and substantially prevents the accumulation of fractured fibers in the nozzle causative of the breaking of a strand and so on, so that it becomes possible to enhance the take-up speed of the strand and so on, and can provide a long-fiber-reinforced composite material excellent in the dispersion of the fibers in the composite material and the impregnation of a resin. The process comprises impregnating a continuous reinforcing fiber with a molten thermoplastic resin while pulling the fiber, and is characterized in that, after the fiber is impregnated or coated with a molten resin, the resultant fiber is continuously pultruded while squeezing excess resin and the pultruded fiber is passed through a shaping nozzle to regulate the shape to a desired one.

Abstract: A hybrid composite automotive leaf spring comprises parallel glass and polyethylene terephthalate fibers distributed in a pattern replicated throughout a resin matrix. A method of producing the hybrid composite leaf spring comprises winding various proportions of glass and polyethylene terephthalate or nylon fibers together into a homogeneous mass in an epoxy matrix in a mold to form a blank, which is then compressed and cured into a leaf spring having a predetermined homogeneous mixture of parallel fibers distributed throughout the cross-section of the spring. The unitary spring has a spring rate that is a composite of the resin-bonded glass and other fibers. Different spring rates are obtained by varying the percentage content of the glass and other fibers, while maintaining the homogeneity of the resultant leaf spring.

Abstract: A pultrusion processing method for long fiber-reinforced nylon which combines the nylon anionic ring-opening polymerization technology and the pultrusion processing method to manufacture long fiber-reinforced thermoplastic nylon composites. The method comprises the steps of forming an active caprolactam sodium salt catalyst composition by reacting melt nylon 6 monomer raw material, i.e., caprolactum, with sodium hydride, forming co-catalyst composition by melting caprolactam and a polymeric co-catalyst, then mixing the active caprolactum sodium salt catalyst composition and the co-catalyst composition in a continuous mixing device to obtain a reaction mixture with low viscosity. The mixture is then charged into a closed impregnating tank to impregnate preheated and dried reinforced fiber, which is immediately pulled into a hot mold for composite molding processing to form a finished product of long fiber-reinforced nylon composites.

Abstract: Sheet glass to be mounted in a window or other various objects is reinforced so as not to be broken easily, and if broken, scattering is prevented. A water-tightness is also provided and it is easy to mount the window, on the objects. End edges of sheet glass in a desired size and shape is reinforced by ultraviolet curing resin.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a honeycomb deodorizing filter including ceramic fibrous paper supporting cuprous oxide or both cuprous oxide and solid acid includes the steps of: soaking ceramic fibrous paper in a slurry; drying the soaked paper; and forming the dried paper into a honeycomb filter. The slurry includes a mixture of a reductant-added water solution with either (i) the cuprous oxide and binder, or (ii) cuprous oxide, solid acid and binder. Alternately, the fibrous paper and binder may first be formed into a honeycomb filter and then soaked in the slurry.

Abstract: A method of forming a tapered tubular part including the steps of: providing tows of filaments, the filaments being adapted to fuse together when subjected to combined heat and pressure; braiding the tows of filaments into a sleeve; providing a tapered mold and a matingly tapered mandrel; sliding the sleeve into the mold and securing the sleeve to the mold; forcing the mandrel into the mold to compress the wall of the sleeve and to stretch the length of the sleeve while applying heat to the mold to fuse the filaments of the sleeve together into a tube; cooling the mold; withdrawing the mandrel from the mold and removing the cooled tube from the mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for generating a cylindrical composite preform. A tubular sleeve of cloth is maintained upon a mandrel which is passed through an injection chamber into which a thermosetting resin is injected. A small cavity within the resin injection chamber meters the resin into the cloth to assure complete and total impregnation thereof. The mandrel exits the resin injection chamber and enters an oven where the resin and fabric composite is B-staged. Subsequently, the composite sleeve is cut into appropriate lengths and removed from the mandrel for further processing for development of an end product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming composite tows of uniform width comprises a tow tensioner mechanism which carries a reel having a length of tow of non-uniform width, a tow sizing unit, a drive roller unit and a tow winding device. A single tow is fed from the tensioner mechanism to the tow sizing unit where the side-to-side or width dimension of the tow is sized, and then the sized tow is transmitted through the drive roller unit to the tow winding device which winds the sized tow onto a reel. The tow sizing unit includes a rotatable sizing wheel having a circumferential flanged groove, and a presser roller, which cooperate to confine the tow on all four sides, i.e., top, bottom and opposed side edges, as the tow is pressed therebetween to form a finished, sized tow having a substantially uniform width.

Abstract: An apparatus and method were developed for providing a uniform, consolidated, unidirectional, continuous, fiber-reinforced polymeric material. The apparatus comprises a supply means, a forming means, a shaping means, and a take-up means. The forming means further comprises a pre-melting chamber and a stationary bar assembly. The shaping means is a loaded cooled nip-roller apparatus. Forming takes place by heating a polymeric prepreg material to a temperature where the polymer becomes viscous and applying pressure gradients at separate locations along the prepreg material. Upon exiting the forming means, the polymeric prepreg material is malleable, consolidated and flattened. Shaping takes place by passing the malleable, consolidated, flattened prepreg material through a shaped, matched groove in a loaded, cooled nip-roller apparatus to provide the final solid product.

Abstract: A contact lens is made by graft polymerization of a contact lens surface by introducing a peroxide on a contact lens substrate surface by a discharging treatment producing a radical and by adding an appropriate amount of a reducing agent to the polymerization system and removing dissolved oxygen in the polymerization system by applying ultrasonic waves under reduced pressure.

Abstract: An oriented photopolymer is a polymer where photomodification is initiated by irradiation with plane-polarized light and where the molecular configuration has a preferred orientation as a result of linear polarization. These polymers have optically anisotropic and other novel properties.

Abstract: A method of forming an Ilizarov ring includes forming two half rings, each of which comprises a length of resin impregnated cloth. Cloth is pre-impregnated with a resin and then wound to provide a plurality of layers in a three dimensional orientation, and then the resin impregnated cloth is placed in a mold. After the resin impregnated cloth is pressed and cured in the mold, the material is removed from the mold and is appropriately machined. Two half rings are secured together to form a single ring.

Abstract: A mixed-matrix composite material reinforced with continuous fibre comprising a flexible sheath of thermoplastic polymer covering a multifibre filament impregnated with a powder consisting of:1-99% by weight, and preferably 50-95%, of a thermoplastic polymer;99-1% by weight, and preferably 50-5%, of a reactive monomer and/or prepolymer which on thermal stressing is able to undergo crosslinking and/or molecular weight increase.

Abstract: A process for the reactive pultrusion of a reinforcing material and a polyamide matrix wherein a reinforcing material is impregnated with a polyamide forming reaction mixture and then pultruded through a die while the polyamide forming reaction mixture is polymerized to form a polyamide matrix, wherein the temperature of the material being pultruded is at least about at the lower end of the melting range of the polyamide.

Abstract: A light transmitting body (10), (40) has a longitudinal axis (12), (42), and a light radiating surface (14), (46) extending substantially parallel to the axis (12), (42). Where the body is an optical fiber (10), the light radiating surface is the circumferential surface (14) of the fiber (10). Where the body is a rectangular panel (40), the light radiating surface is a rectangular surface (46) of the panel (40). A plurality of striations (16), (44) are formed in the light radiating surface (14), (46) parallel to the axis (12), (42), which cause light entering the body (10), (40) along the axis (12), (42) to be radiated out of the body (10), (40) through the light radiating surface (14), (46) with substantially uniform intensity along the axis (12), (42). The striations (16), (44) may be formed by molding, cold drawing, heating the body (10), (40) under tension, cutting, or by bundling and fusing a plurality of small optical fibers (90) together.

Abstract: A mixed-matrix composite material reinforced with continuous fibre comprising a flexible sheath of thermoplastic polymer covering a multifibre filament impregnated with a powder consisting of:50-99% by weight, and preferably 70-95%, of a thermoplastic polymer;50-1% by weight, and preferably 30-5%, of a C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 olefin/carbon monoxide alternating polymer having an intrinsic viscosity exceeding 0.1 dl/g when measured in m-cresol at 100.degree. C.

Abstract: There is described a process for manufacturing a dimensionally stable, three-dimensionally shaped, sheetlike textile material by bringing one or more layers of a deep-drawable textile material made of yarns, preferably a knitted material, and containing reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic matrix material in fiber form which melts at a lower temperature than the reinforcing fibers, into the shape desired for the core material by an area-enlarging shaping process, for example by deep-drawing, at a temperature at which the fibrous thermoplastic matrix material melts, then reducing the temperature to back down to below the melting point of the thermoplastic matrix material and keeping the shaped material in the mold until the thermoplastic matrix material has sufficiently hardened, and then demolding the resulting shaped textile material.

Abstract: A rigid three-dimensional preform is made by moving a plurality of webs of fibrous reinforcement material superposed and coplanar to a cutter, the webs being coated with an electromagnetic energy-curable binder and pressed together. Prior to cutting a blank in a two-dimensional development of the three-dimensional preform from the webs, the webs are tacked together at spaced local zones by locally curing the binder at those zones by locally applying the appropriate electromagnetic radiation (microwave, ultraviolet, electron) so that the webs travel as one to the cutter. After cutting of the blank, the blank is loaded into a mold to replicate the three-dimensional shape of the preform and the remainder of the binder is cured in the mold by the application of the appropriate electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: Process for preparing shaped bodies of thermoplastic polymers by means of extrusion, injection, or spin molding of granules having a length within the range of from 2 to 100 mm, obtained by cutting a continuous calendered filament constituted by a bundle of fibres impregnated with a thermoplastic polymer in powder form and coated with an outer sheath constituted by a thermoplastic polymer which is the same as, or different from, the polymer which constitutes said powder, and having a melting point equal to or higher than the powder polymer.

Abstract: A sail batten formed of a fiber reinforced composite material extended longitudinally and varying in transverse cross sectional from an ellipse at one end to a flattened ellipse at the other end. A two step processing for fabrications the batten commences with fabrication of a tube of substantially constant cross section in the thermoplastic condition as a first step. The second step processing heats the tube to a malleable condition and squishes one end of the tube to form a tapered structure with one cross sectional dimension decreased to reduce stiffness in that dimension.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a continuous thread coated with a mixture which reacts to ultraviolet radiation, a large number of continuous filaments are formed by mechanically drawing a large number of molten thermoplastic material streams flowing from openings in at least one device. A mixture in the liquid state which can react under the effect of ultraviolet radiation is deposited onto the surface of at least some of the filaments before they are combined to form at least one thread. The thread is wound into the form of a winding on a rotating support, and exposed to ultraviolet radiation during the winding operation.

Abstract: A flexible laminate, wherein a substrate of leather carries a coating which enhances the appearance and/or the quality of the substrate, is formed between an anvil and a ram in a press. The coating has an inner layer which overlies and fills or nearly fills scratches and/or other unevennesses in one side of the substrate, and an outer layer which overlies the inner layer can be made of a plastic material. The outer layer is first applied to a flexible plastic or paper carrier, and the inner layer is sprayed or otherwise applied to the outer layer before the resulting coating is introduced into or conveyed through the clearance between the anvil and the ram. The exposed surface of the outer layer can be smooth or it can be profiled to imitate the grain of a particular type of leather, such as ostrich leather or alligator leather.

Abstract: A material for smoothing the outside surface of a woven fabric composite lay up in which a layered sandwich structure is formed of continuous fiber woven material, resin films and a mat of randomly oriented discontinuous fibers and the sandwiched layers are integrated into a single sheet of resin impregnated material by application of pressure and heat.

Abstract: A plurality of cores are covered with the same jacketing material by passing the cores through respective dies of a plate, while flowing the jacketing material through sub-channels in the plate and into coating relationship with the cores. Any of the sub-channels can be shut off by diverting the jacketing material a flow diverting path without affecting the flow in the other sub-channels.

Abstract: Transverse fibers are added to a pultruded part by forming a body of fibers and resin in a first die part which body is dimensioned smaller than that of the die through which the body is to be passed. A fluid including cut fibers is then applied under pressure to the body just upstream of the die so that cut fibers become integrated with the body into the spaces defined in the body. The continuous fibers, the cut fibers, and the resin are then passed through the die and become integrated into a pultruded part with the transverse cut fibers providing a transverse strength.

Abstract: A method of repairing a damaged (e.g., cracked) portion of a buried sewage pipe by permeating one or more layers of fibrous material with a hardenable plastic compound (such as epoxy resin), convoluting the thus obtained mat around a radially expandible length of hose to permit frictional engagement between the internal surface of the mat and the external surface of the hose, introducing the hose into a selected defective portion of the pipe, expanding the hose and the convoluted mat so that the mat engages the internal surface of the pipe, deflating the hose, and withdrawing the hose from the pipe, preferably after the plastic compound has set wherein a film of polyethylene is inserted between the external surface of the hose and the internal surface of the convoluted mat to enhance friction and to thus compel the hose to turn in the course of the expanding step.

Abstract: A process for producing a conductive supported yarn includes melt spinning non-conductive nylon filaments into a first set of filaments, separating at least one of the filaments from the freshly spun first set into a second set of filaments, providing the second set of filaments to a suffusion coating process so that the suffusion coated second set has a resistivity of between about 10.sup.6 and about 10.sup.9 .OMEGA./cm, and then recombining the first set and the second set to form a supported yarn.

Abstract: An improved flexible towpreg tape of a known geometry and a method of production therefor. The improved flexible towpreg tape is formed from a plurality of reinforcing filaments fusion coated with matrix forming material, the reinforcing filaments being substantially wet-out by the matrix forming material, and the towpreg tape having multiple plies with an average thickness less than about 100 microns. The method of production for the improved flexible towpreg tape includes the steps of coating the reinforcing filaments with the matrix forming material in a manner causing interfacial adhesion of the matrix forming material to the reinforcing filaments; forming a towpreg by heating the matrix forming material contacting the reinforcing filaments until the matrix forming material liquefies and coats the reinforcing filaments; and forming the towpreg tape under pressure and elevated temperature in a means for creating a known tape geometry.

Abstract: A process for preparing a molded article of fiber-reinforced plastic having an optional configuration and no tendency to deformation and cracks by using a plate material including a fibrous reinforcement and a thermoplastic resin, including the steps of previously setting-up, on the plate material and/or a mold, a sheet prepreg obtained by impregnating a unidirectionally arranged fiber or woven cloth with a thermoplastic resin in areas where the fibrous reinforcement does not follow the flow of the resin well or in areas where special reinforcement is required and successively carrying out integral molding to obtain said article; and a molded article obtained by the process.

Abstract: An improved pultrusion process for preparing composites comprises combining polymer precursors in a mixer and continuously introducing the resulting mixture, together with reinforcing fibers, into an impregnation chamber maintained under conditions such that the mixture remains in liquid form of low viscosity. The impregnated fibers are continuously withdrawn from the chamber through a die in which polymerization of the precursors takes place to form the desired composite.

Abstract: The process includes impregnating carbon threads with molten pitch in an impregnation tank 4, shaping them by means of a short die 8, subjecting the so thread to thermal treatment by progressive heating while it is continuously passed through a treatment furnace 9, then cutting the shaped member when it leaves the furnace.

Abstract: Extrusion impregnating device for continuous production of unidirectionally fibre-reinforced polymer mouldings with fibre contents between 50 and 70 vol-%, which makes it possible to produce linear profiles with circular, oval or rectangular cross-sections while at the same time enabling high-quality impregnation and the attainment of excellent mechanical characteristics.

Abstract: The invention provides an extruder die assembly for use in the production of fiber reinforced thermoplastic product which overcomes the problem of poor wetting of the fiber filaments. The die assembly also facilitates the production of fiber-reinforced products having high fiber concentration in the end product. The die assembly includes a cone-shape passage defined by decreasing radius from the inlet to the outlet. A plurality of pins are disposed within the passage. A thermoplastic melt is fed through the die assembly in the opposite direction to that of the fiber feed. As the fiber feed travels through the passage the pins spread the fibers helping to ensure that the molten thermoplastic thoroughly wets the fiber filaments.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing filament-wound tubes or shafts includes drywinding a plurality of elongate mandrels with the filament, inserting the filament wound mandrels into respective elongate hollow molds of a mold complex, and injecting resin such as epoxy resin under pressure into the hollow molds into intimate contact with the filament. Heat is then supplied to the mold complex to heat the resin to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined period of time to cure the resin and thereby form the tubes or shafts. The mandrels and tube or shafts are removed from the hollow molds and then the mandrels are removed from the tubes or shafts. Many of these activities are carried out in parallel to increase the manufacturing throughput of the tubes or shafts.

Abstract: Gel coating of thermoplastic particles, such as polyimide particles, with a polyketone or polyvinyl alcohol gel, and applying the gel coated particles to reinforcement, e.g. carbon, fibers to form a pre-preg. Such gel coated thermoplastic particles can be mixed with a thermosetting resin to form a pre-preg, which can be cured at elevated temperatures to form a composite having damage tolerance characteristics. The gel coating is applied to the thermoplastic particles by contacting such particles with a polymerizable material such as acetone in a weakly acidic solution to cause the acetone to undergo tautomerism, and in the presence of a polymerization promoter or catalyst, preferably certain anionic surfactants such as sulfated ammonium salts, to convert the tautomer to polyacetone gel of low molecular weight, which coats or encapsulates the thermoplastic particles.

Abstract: A method of producing abrasion resistant cordage from polyester yarn requires treating the yarn after drawing with an aqueous overfinish composition that contains an oxidized polyethylene emulsified with a quaternary amine cationic emulsifying agent and a siloxane compound of the comonomers dimethyl and 3-((2-aminoethyl)aminopropyl) in an effective amount to apply a sufficient level of each of the components to the treated yarn to provide enhanced wet and dry abrasion resistance to the resulting cordage; then forming cordage from the treated yarn.

Abstract: An apparatus used in connection with the construction of a duroplastic, fiber-reinforced article a fibrous web which includes continuously impregnating the web under subatmospheric pressure with a liquid, curable resin composition whose viscosity is gradually increasing. The prepreg thus obtained is covered on both its major surfaces by thin polymer sheets, then cut into the desired length, vacuum molded, pre-cured in the mold and finally cured outside the mold. Construction parts, car parts and boat bodies may thus be produced.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheet-shaped molding including a pre-impregnating process and a final impregnating process. A sheet of thermoplastic resin and a web of reinforcement fibers are supplied through the pre-impregnating process during which the thermoplastic resin is sucked under the influence of a suction force so as to partially penetrate into interstices in the reinforcement fiber web while both are transported around and by a perforated rotary drum, thereby to form a first preformed sheet. The first preformed sheet is subsequently supplied to the final impregnating process during which an impregnating machine is employed. As the first preformed sheet is passed through the impregnating machine while compressed inwardly and heated, the thermoplastic resin is allowed to completely penetrate into the interstices in the reinforcement fiber web to complete the fiber reinforced thermoplastic sheet-shaped molding upon cooling thereof.

Abstract: An exemplary pultrusion mandrel of the invention comprises a first portion for arranging a fiber reinforcement substrate thereabout, a second portion having an elongated body and internal heater, and a resin injector system intermediate therebetween and having a plurality of resin injector ports integrally disposed at different angles for wetting inward surfaces of the substrate being formed. The mandrel is preferably used in conjunction with an external die. Also disclosed is an exemplary method for continuous pultrusion.

Abstract: Glass fiber mats are made for subsequent use in preforming for an RTM or SRIM molding process, for example, such that the binder applied to the mat has two distinct curing stages. In the first stage, a partial cure is provided by visible light upon a free radical generation in response to a photoinitiator mixed in the binder in an exact ratio to give a predictable increase in viscosity to that of a semi-solid so that the fibers are sufficiently bound for subsequent handling, but not sufficient to complete a cure, while leaving a second stage ready for a final cure which is achieved by the use of a cationic-type second photoinitiator which is sensitive to ultraviolet light. During the second curing stage, the mat is formed into a three-dimensional shape of a desired end product and cured with ultraviolet radiation while still in the mold, to obtain a rigid three-dimensional preform structure.

Abstract: A method for making a separator material which is useful as a separator for storage batteries. The method involves applying a sulfonated surface layer to polyolefin resin fibers which form a woven or non-woven fabric. According to one embodiment, polyolefin resin fibers made of a first polyolefin resin are coated with a surface layer of a second polyolefin resin which is more susceptible to sulfonation than the first polyolefin resin from which said fibers are made. At the stage when the polyolefin fibers are coated with the second polyolefin resin they may be either individual fibers or formed into a woven or non-woven fabric. Thereafter, the fibers are subjected to a sulfonation process until the surface layer is sulfonated and a decomposition product formed by the sulfonation process is then removed from the fibers to obtain a separator material.

Abstract: A process for preparing shaped thermoplastic composite articles of continuous fibrous strand material in a polymeric resin matrix. The shaped composite articles are prepared by a pultrusion process involving contacting the strands with cyclic oligomers, for example cyclic polycarbonate oligomers, and then polymerizing the oligomers into high molecular weight polymer to produce a composite. The process provides for low melt viscosity impregnation of the strands with cyclic oligomers prior to formation of the high molecular weight resin matrix.

Abstract: A process for making carbon fiber reinforced materials which not only have desirable qualities which include high strength, high heat resistance, chemical resistance, wear resistance and lightweightness but also which are produced in a short time and at low cost. The process includes the steps of impregnating a carbon fiber assembly with a melt of mesophase pitch or mixing short carbon fibers with the mesophase pitch, shaping the pitch-impregnated assembly or the pitch/short carbon fiber mixture, and firing the same. The process requires that the mesophase pitch used in the process be almost 100% of an optical anistropic phase as examined under a polarizing microscope; have a softening point of no higher than 350.degree. C. and be capable of being carbonized in a yield of at least 70% when gradually heated to a temperature of about 600.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere and then held at that temperature for two hours.

Abstract: Process for unifying under heat thin structures (20) of synthetic material such as woven and non-woven fabrics, moquettes and other kinds, with manufactured products (13) made of plastic material, especially by means of well-known techniques such as molding, vacuum forming, thermoforming, calendering and others, the process consisting in the fact that the thin structure (20) is made heat-conducting by treatment with emulsions, pastes etcetera containing water, metals, heat-conducting products generally, and is made to adhere to a wall (17) of metal or of some other highly heat-conducting material, so that, during the unifying process the heat transferred from the plastic material forming the manufactured product (13) to the aforesaid thin structure (20) passes rapidly from the latter to the heat-conducting wall (17) thus preventing said structure (20) from becoming overheated and damaged.

Abstract: A preformed yarn useful for forming composite articles is disclosed which includes a core of a multiplicity of fibers, fine powder provided in the interstices between the fibers, and a flexible sleeve formed of a thermoplastic resin and surrounding the core. The fine powder is formed of a material which neither melts nor reacts with the thermoplastic resin at a temperature up to 450.degree. C. and at a temperature up to the melting point of the thermoplastic resin. The incorporation of the fine powder between the fibers is effected by injecting fine powder-containing air from a jet nozzle and blowing the air against a bundle of the fibers.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a preform for use in a resin transfer molding process. The method includes the steps of locating a transport member on a mandrel. A dry fiber layer is filament wound about the mandrel over the transport member. A tackifier is applied to the dry fiber layer at least in the area of the transport member. The filament wound dry fiber layer is cut about the transport member to provide a preform thereon. The preform is transported to a resin transfer mold by use of the transport member. The preform then is resin transfer molded in the mold.